The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-06-10
sire-"ou continual prayer" for social peace snd
universal unity! - -

Victor Wilson,) that the chief employment Of on
departed friends, the jewellers of the spirit-land.
the transmission of thoughts, truths, and pure afse
tons from circle to circle and from sphere to sphere
| and that true happiness and true progression con
sist both here and here AFTER in receiving and i'm
parting; in unfolding the elements of our being an
assisting others to unfold in seeking the Grea
Divinity and mparting to the world the results 0
| our Investigations.
And We, moreover, freely declare il to be gu
sacred conviction, which We base upon the past his
torcal experience of humanity, and upon highes
institutions and re astn, that all true religion an(
all true inspiration are natural to the human soul
We believe that heaven is harmony, and that nc
man can secure this condition merely by doing
Penance at the virgins shrine; nor by being prayed
for or praying nor by building churches and hiring
the gospel preached; nor by believing, or trying ia
believe, any system Of religion. On the contrary
we do declare it to be our deepest conviction that
Heavens attana BILE only through Acknowledgement
and self-harmo nization. And we believe, that
popular theology, and popular education, and
popular society, are insufficient to supply the human
spirit with its proper nourishments and encourage
ments to an easy, natural progress towards truth
and perfection We believe that theology is mad
equate to the reconstruction of society and that
dsrn systems of education (Which saturated with
TINS theology are inadequate to proper educa-
ton and cultivation of the spirit.
We declare ourselves free and independent of
these systems we repeat, because they restrain us
In our investi cations, and set up many and various
barriers to our Development; and we declare our
our wants. nor respond to the imperative necessities
OF our outer and inner being We feel that we have
mentally and morally out grown them-out- grown
their virtue, their principle, and their means and
methods OF individual and social reformation.
And We furthermore declare ourselves indepen-
dent of these systems of superstition and error be-
cause they circumscrbe the sphere Of our researches
and because they create a false issue, and perpetu
ate conflict, between physical PHILOSOPHERS and
sciences, and what they term religion; while we be-
heve all truth, whether scientific religious to be
equally divine, harmonious, and eternal!
We believe that social political sciences COM
prehend:-
l. Marriage; 2. Language; 3. Amuscments 4.
Tempera nee; s. Education; g. Government.
We believe that Material or Physical sciences
comprehend
l. Agriculture; 2 Commerce; g. Chemistry 1.
Anatomy s. Physiology s. Mechanism.
We believe that Psychological or Spiritual
sciences mprehend-
l. Poetry z. Music; 3. Painting; 4. Astrono-
my; 5. Philosophy; s. Religion.
We believe all these sciences to be in strict har
mony, one with another, and that happiness
consists in their proper and universal application to
individual wants, and social improvement.
We are not merely opposed to the prevailing
systems of ignorance, superstition, and wrong; we
are not merely disciples to the science of human
magnetism, and to its sublime and spiritual pho
nomena we are not merely antislavery, anti CAPT
tai punishment, and prison refor we are not
merely social, philosophical, and religious refor-
mtrs; but we openly avow ourselves henceforth to
be the germnal constituents of harmonious bro
therhood.
We are ready, and willing, and expect to hear it
said Of US and to us, that we are infdels," and
"mystics," and fanatics and "cOnspirators,"
and "blasphemers,",, and "imposters," and
"workers Of iniquity" even,-so long as these
odous terms and epithets will subserve the purpose
to remind Of free and independent principles
and to arouse to the sacred aud holy conscious
ness, that we are determined foes Of ignorance,
error, injustice and tyrannical institutions.
And we hereby declare that we will oppose and
remove what We conceive to be social, political, or
religious injustice and error, when and where and
just so far as according to our highest reason and
intuitions0 we apprehend such opposition and re-
moval beneficial to the individual and universal
conditions and rights of mankind.
We hold it to be self evident, that all books,
creeds, and institutions contain more or less truth
and useful instruction; nevertheless, we solemnly
declare it to be our ntutional conviction that all
books, creeds and institutions inferior and sub
ordinate to the divine power within the human
mind-the reason NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. which all
thoughts and truths were the merest fances, and
the sublime universe an empty shade
And furthermore-until we feel and comprehend
greater truths-wc hereby declare that
Our Book is Mature;
Our Master is Reason;
Our Law is Love to Man;
Our Religion is Justice;
Our Light Is Truth;
Our Structure Is Association;
Our Path is Progression;
Our Works are development
Our Heaven is Harmony;
Our God is the Universal Father
And We feel moved to fraternally suggest to those
minds, everywhere, who are morally, Intellectual
ly, and constitutionally endowed with powers and
blessings superior to the great mass Of mankind
about them-ths propriety Of Immediately organic
ing themselves into true harmonal brotherhood
declaring yourselves free and independent Of all
those habits FORMS creeds, restrictions, and
monies in modern society, theology, and education
without regard to sect or nation-whch tend, in
INV NINA Int nANA IN mt nr ia
range the progressive happiness Of mankind, or to
rctard their progress toward universal unity and per-
fiction For we believe that such organization is
necessary in order to Learn what is useful, what isus
tce, and what is power; and beauty, aspiration and
harmony will then be Familiarity learned from the
fields Of universal nature and humanity. To under
stand what harmony IL, we must ourselves become
harmonious. A harmonious individual Is n revcla-
ton Of the Divine Mind; for every human spirit Is
a finite embodiment Of the elements Of the Infinite
God.
We conclude our Declaration Of Independence,
by sfirming-whst we do most religiously believe
that all men TO be heaven worthy must aspire to
heaven; to be perfect, they must aspire to perfec
tion. But this no perfectly do Of himself;
because man necessarily depend, upon tho favora-
blcness Of progenitary bias; upon the prop.ious-
ness Of outer conditions and upon the harmonious
ness Of social crcum snces for his opportunity and
ability to practice such aspiration And yet, hsr-
mony mutt begin with the Individual; i viii thence
spread over our families and communities; thence
~ viii HoW huu Iamuy thc ihuumctbose
veins and arteries Of the distant sects and nations
then the Whole viii represent the Individual the
Individual the Whole; and God will be all il all y!
In presenting to the wide world, and endorsing
this, our Declaration Of Independence-our princi-
Piles Of free Discussion and universal Progression
do not pledge ourselves to adhere to infalli-
BILE and proscriptye creed; but We simply make .
personal acknowledgement and mutual confession
Of sentiments and principles, which, (be II every
where kno ~n) we are resolved henceforth TO rcvcre
love, and msntan--until we discover and compre-
bend truths still higher and better, and more
worthy Of our sacred esteem and confidence.
Organization OF an Inhdel Community ~
Nauvoo, Illinois.
Prom the New York Tribune, May "a
We had yesterday the pleasure Of visit from
Nj. Csbet, the founder and head Of the Icarisn
Community at Nauvoo, H., and were glad to see
him looking quite young and vigorous ms whom
we met him some three years since at Paris tie Is
now on his way to London, whence, If tho political
atmosphere is sufficiently tranquil, he viii 60 to
France TO seek justice in respect OF the legal con-
formations passed upon him since his absence in
this country, on accusations and evidence which