The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-03-29

| hold. Ana 70 the elements OF the spirit,-which
are far more attenuacd and refined than eiectrc;tv
| or magnetism, can readily pass through and aboyo
any hermetically sealed box, and ultimate them
selyes into FIRM and Interchangeable Organization
the sp.itusi, besyLand thus kave the earthly form
confine the spir Of man! 1t will rise tru,ruin.ntIv
superior to all earthly barriers and mperfections
and will msnifest It's powers Of vgsr, of expansion
| and subimi.y, throwghout all spheres. Let death
come to the slave, and he bursts his shans II re-
leases the prisoner; it sets free the eondemned,-
| for the soul knows no destroyer"
| SPY the guiding influence and promIAngs Of some
guardian spirit, was once impressed topist par
| ticuar cemetery in the State Of New York, and to
watch there Of natures interesting processes.
particularly attracted to this ny fayoritc resort and
place of meditation, resolved to continue in mind
| perfectly passive; and allowed myself to be con-
Quoted, by the unseen but controlling influence, to-
the vicinity Of large vault in which the supposed
dead body Of young man had been deposited only
the day before 1t was beautiful September after
noon and, think, about four O'Clock in the day.
sacred stiffness and serene tranquility pcryadcd
this hallowea spot Of heavenly portals, and every
thing seemingly consprcd to add external charms TO-
| the spiritual scene which l was led there to
template. Immediately on my arrival at the tomb,
experienced the sweet, familiar, and benign mag.
nctic influence OF my guardian spirit steal over my
nervous system; and, in a few seconds, passed
thoroughly into the superior condition. My spiritual
senses being now opened and directed within tho
vault, perceived there the living spirit among tho
dead bodies. 1t not nero corpse which had
been the day before conveyed to the tomb but it
was body from which the spirit had not yet de-
parted. The spirit had subsequently to the inter
ment Of the body, escaped the material tomple by
penetrating the boards which confined it but the
spirit had organized within the somewhat spacious
vault. Yes, there, within that tomb, beside tho
coffin wherein lay the grosser form no had worn
only twenty-four hours prcyious; There bched tho
liberated spirit, calmly standing in all the majesty
Of immortal beauty. | was made to perceive that
he was but just prepared to quit the earth-spherc;
and it was that might witness this interesting de-
parture that my guiding spirit had brought me
| thther. was now to be shown the illustration Of
principle which runs deep in archaeological sci
cnce. 1t was very natural, under the crcumstan-
ces, for my mind to spontaneously inquire How
tcral confinement This question was involun-
tary, because | had previously learned that tina
spiritual form could not pass through solid
walls and iron doors; and, therefore. the fact
that the spirit before me was indestructibly
organized within the tomb was concluded, suth-
Gent inferenal evidence that some other method of
| escape would be soon adopted. He stood, for few
moments, upright and unmovedby any disluietuds.
Presently the newly awakened intellect began to
examine surrounding conditions, and to realize its
new existence. There nothing Of death in this
scene !; it was all lfe and intelligence As "a
the spirit realized the new birth which no had
but just experienced, and when he asccrtainej
something Of the higher sympathies and attractive
destinies which were waiting for him in the spirit
land then he calmly and afectonatey exercised
his penetratiye vision upon the earthly aud
friends he had SO recently left. No walls could OBJ
struct the passage OF his vision; and being at tho
time in IL similar condition. flor the spiritual
state is partial emancipation from the body)
could follow his perceptions, and, at the same time
could maintain a conscious sympathy with tho
thoughts and emotions of his mind. lie had been,
in this life, clergyman Of the Baptist denomna-
tion. followed his sympathics 70 the homes Of
those he loved and it gave me great joy to behold
that, although he left many ardent friends and
sweet associations on the earth, there WAS potbng
to sadden his departure hence. There were loitier
attractions descending into the deepest OF
his nature from on high. lilo was drawn toward
the spirit-land as the magnet attracts the noodle
IL principle Of spiritual gravitaton actuated his
newly awakened being, and he soon realized that
his true position only to be found in the tranquil
realms OF greater and a higher world. But he,
as personality, was still within the tomb With
drawing his perceptions FROM the Indications
Of his earthly friends, and obeying impression
received from guardian spirit near tho cemetery,
he at once placed his vision upon the sexton. who
the individual last at the tomb the previous
day. The object of this | did not comprehend,
until ], also saw that the sexton exceedingly
anxious - find an implement (it was shovel. i be-
leve, which he had mislaid, and very much
CURED that afternoon. II seemed he had already
spent much time in looking for the missing article;
but just rs he about to give up further scarca
at that time, the spirit in the tomb, sent an
through all intervening substances, and with sole
breathing like the evening zephyr, il passed over
the sections moral faculties and quckened his
mory. And distinctly saw his thought il read
why, really believe that left my shovel in tho
Rev. Mr. - vault, which fastened up last
eyening-Pll 60 and see this minute In rursusncs
Of this impression, he proceeded immediately 70
the place, opened the vault, and, he entered it.
the lovely and high destined spirit glidcd forth.
through the Enclosed door, into the soft, still At
mosphere which then pervaded the cemetery. lie
free from all material barriers his
thoughts and desires yielded angelic passive
ness and spontaneous obedience to the superior at
fractions which emanated from celestial realms;
and his spirit-that ndcs.ructiblc organization Of
clements tied.
him harmonious and immortal bcng-passeJ
away to tina. magnificent sphere which hes cmbo-
somcd in the depths Of immensityr ~
"The opinion has long been entertained that
man should address the Deity with oral prayer
that all gratitude and supplication must b. pro-
nouneed in human languagc-that the mouth should
give utterance to alteration and praise. Audible
prayers, both loud and long, are esteemed by many
persons rs alone adequate TO and secure tho
attention Of God. Now, do not place any conf.
dcnce in the supposed validity or sou-sinccriiy OF
those prayers which orally expressed according
to agreement before and after pulpit discourses in
our churches, nor upon any other occasion, which
fashion may have adopted or usage sanctioned. Yet
prayer, the mnd-rplifting prayer IL not only philo
sophical, but absolutely essential to mental happ-
ness and TO the progressive publication OF the inn
petuous affections which live in the souls sanctuary
True prayer is perpetual The good prays
without ccasng;' and there are moments whoa
from 'out OF the abundance Of the heart the mouth
speaketh' glowing desires and the emotions Of graft
tude; but those gushings forth OF the souls full
ness, have stated periods OF overlooking ,obcdient
to mere mechanical arrangements. Nay, they arc
spontaneous, yelling up from tho eternal ount ain
within s'-But formal and cercmonious prayer is
both yitintng and blasphcmous; the mere habit OF
prayer, though calculated to discipline thought,
i never purifying or eleyatng. Popular theology
and fashion term il duty; philosophy and good
sense consider II rs n piece OF mechanism, aud
remnant Of the ccrcmonias Of the Patriarcha
Age"
"Skepticism and superstition tho Legitimate
oprings Of if ignorance and theological error-and
this remark applies with equal force and truthful
ness to all Christian and hcathcn forms of religious
worship and education"
"Probably the phenomena Of religious misdircc-
ion have never presented themselves 70 conspicu.
ously at this day; but that they have existed to
greater lcss extent, in all previous ages plain
and undenable. Although those rights aud ccrs-
monies, and ordinances now in use, are Of no inn