Hi Folks,
Euthymius shared this basic information on the main forums, some missed it, so clearly this is best spot. I add some background info.
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HORT TIMELINE
To give an idea of where this is in his time-line, this is solidly in Hort's Bible research years.
1848 - College years begin
1854 - In conjunction with J. E. B. Mayor and Lightfoot, he established the Journal of Classical and Sacred Philology
1870 - Revision work begins
Table-tapping is a part of occult seance activity.
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http://books.google.com/b...=oxc3AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA33
Life and Letters of Fenton John Anthony Hort
In a letter to his wife, 23 Oct 1864, Hort (then age 36) :
"We had a pleasant evening, six of Westcott's Sixth Form boys dining with us .... Then we worked till near dinner, when we had a very nice little party, the two De Morgans, H. M. Butler, Farrar, Brady and his mother, and H. W. Watson. Mrs. Brady ... came in the evening. We tried to turn tables, but the creatures wouldn't stir. Both the De Morgans were radiant and pleasant. Today we have been to morning chapel, and had a good sermon from Bradby ..."
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Euthymius' correctly wrote:
The comment "we tried to turn tables" is a direct reference to an occult seance, in which Hort obviously participated, and that quite willingly. "The creatures" that "wouldn't stir" is a clear reference to the spirits of the dead they were trying to raise
And also gave an occult example with similar language from Victor Hugo.
This had been publicized earlier on Fred Butler's blog, perhaps his earlier source was Euthymius.
http://hipandthigh.blogsp...fja-hort-and-seances.html
F.J.A. Hort and Seances
Fred fails in trying to hand-wave this seance activity (you can see the feeble Hort-apologetic attempt on the blog). The idea that this was only a comical or ironical dalliance is a bit far-fetched, knowing the fuller pictures, although Fred can get a C+ for trying. [snip]
[snip]
Personally I look at the occult and rebellion aspects of the pair, Westcott and Hort, as a corollary only. Even if they were upstanding evangelicals simply confused about the identity of the pure Bible, even if they were sincere believers, the alexandrian text would still remain decrepit and junque. Their spiritual rebellions only helps to understand how the counterfeit counter-Reformation text was foisted on the gullible and unwary. The fact that Daniel Wallace (to take a modern example) does not need a seance to fight Mark's resurrection account of the Lord Jesus Christ does not make the negative effort against God's word by Wallace any less ill. To fight the precious word of God is evil in action even if not in all aspects of intent. In fact, the greater danger may well be those with veneer of evangelicism like Daniel Wallace, rather than those like Bart Ehrman fighting the modern textual criticism battles from agnosticism, atheism, skepticism.
The De Morgans, mentioned in the quote, were very active in the occultism at the time, spiritualism. Professor (mathematician) Augustus De Morgan "well briefed in mesmerism and clairvoyance" and his medium wife Sophia. Sophia wrote "From Matter to Spirit" (Some info from Equations from God, Pure Mathematics and Victorian Faith - Daniel Cohen). They receive six mentions in "An Encyclopædia of Occultism" by Lewis Spence so this was not house-puppy play. Sophia's book is in google-books, however there is little point in more on all this, the point is simply that this would be a dedicated, established group of occultists in this seance. The fact that this was a fad at the time as well doesn't lesson the demonic aspect. The fact is that true Christians were totally adverse to the occult and always spoke strongly against occult dabbling and involvement. In the 1800's as well as today. The fact that a lot of seance activity was fraudulent doesn't help the situation one way or another.
I would say that based on reading the accounts of the decrepit "Revision" Hort almost surely subtilely used the occult techniques to rule the roost in the committee process. An occultist will pick up mesmerizing techniques of group-thought control that will only be resisted by the strong, dedicated, sanctified believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Most of you know that the common defense of the Westcott and Hort occult activity was that it was research and/or college years activity. That defense can no longer stand up for Hort, who was the one who really controlled the Revision group to make sure it would take their decrepit text against the 'vile' Textus Receptus. And Westcott's students were on this escapade.
May you all be touched by the Lord Jesus today and may the grace of our Lord be poured forth abundantly ! And may your life in Jesus Christ never be polluted by such paganism, idolatry and occultism.
Shalom,
Steven Avery
Euthymius shared this basic information on the main forums, some missed it, so clearly this is best spot. I add some background info.
====================================================================
HORT TIMELINE
To give an idea of where this is in his time-line, this is solidly in Hort's Bible research years.
1848 - College years begin
1854 - In conjunction with J. E. B. Mayor and Lightfoot, he established the Journal of Classical and Sacred Philology
1870 - Revision work begins
Table-tapping is a part of occult seance activity.
=====================================================================
http://books.google.com/b...=oxc3AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA33
Life and Letters of Fenton John Anthony Hort
In a letter to his wife, 23 Oct 1864, Hort (then age 36) :
"We had a pleasant evening, six of Westcott's Sixth Form boys dining with us .... Then we worked till near dinner, when we had a very nice little party, the two De Morgans, H. M. Butler, Farrar, Brady and his mother, and H. W. Watson. Mrs. Brady ... came in the evening. We tried to turn tables, but the creatures wouldn't stir. Both the De Morgans were radiant and pleasant. Today we have been to morning chapel, and had a good sermon from Bradby ..."
====================================================================
Euthymius' correctly wrote:
The comment "we tried to turn tables" is a direct reference to an occult seance, in which Hort obviously participated, and that quite willingly. "The creatures" that "wouldn't stir" is a clear reference to the spirits of the dead they were trying to raise
And also gave an occult example with similar language from Victor Hugo.
This had been publicized earlier on Fred Butler's blog, perhaps his earlier source was Euthymius.
http://hipandthigh.blogsp...fja-hort-and-seances.html
F.J.A. Hort and Seances
Fred fails in trying to hand-wave this seance activity (you can see the feeble Hort-apologetic attempt on the blog). The idea that this was only a comical or ironical dalliance is a bit far-fetched, knowing the fuller pictures, although Fred can get a C+ for trying. [snip]
[snip]
Personally I look at the occult and rebellion aspects of the pair, Westcott and Hort, as a corollary only. Even if they were upstanding evangelicals simply confused about the identity of the pure Bible, even if they were sincere believers, the alexandrian text would still remain decrepit and junque. Their spiritual rebellions only helps to understand how the counterfeit counter-Reformation text was foisted on the gullible and unwary. The fact that Daniel Wallace (to take a modern example) does not need a seance to fight Mark's resurrection account of the Lord Jesus Christ does not make the negative effort against God's word by Wallace any less ill. To fight the precious word of God is evil in action even if not in all aspects of intent. In fact, the greater danger may well be those with veneer of evangelicism like Daniel Wallace, rather than those like Bart Ehrman fighting the modern textual criticism battles from agnosticism, atheism, skepticism.
The De Morgans, mentioned in the quote, were very active in the occultism at the time, spiritualism. Professor (mathematician) Augustus De Morgan "well briefed in mesmerism and clairvoyance" and his medium wife Sophia. Sophia wrote "From Matter to Spirit" (Some info from Equations from God, Pure Mathematics and Victorian Faith - Daniel Cohen). They receive six mentions in "An Encyclopædia of Occultism" by Lewis Spence so this was not house-puppy play. Sophia's book is in google-books, however there is little point in more on all this, the point is simply that this would be a dedicated, established group of occultists in this seance. The fact that this was a fad at the time as well doesn't lesson the demonic aspect. The fact is that true Christians were totally adverse to the occult and always spoke strongly against occult dabbling and involvement. In the 1800's as well as today. The fact that a lot of seance activity was fraudulent doesn't help the situation one way or another.
I would say that based on reading the accounts of the decrepit "Revision" Hort almost surely subtilely used the occult techniques to rule the roost in the committee process. An occultist will pick up mesmerizing techniques of group-thought control that will only be resisted by the strong, dedicated, sanctified believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Most of you know that the common defense of the Westcott and Hort occult activity was that it was research and/or college years activity. That defense can no longer stand up for Hort, who was the one who really controlled the Revision group to make sure it would take their decrepit text against the 'vile' Textus Receptus. And Westcott's students were on this escapade.
May you all be touched by the Lord Jesus today and may the grace of our Lord be poured forth abundantly ! And may your life in Jesus Christ never be polluted by such paganism, idolatry and occultism.
Shalom,
Steven Avery
.
