The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-05-11

pies deny the divinity OF Chrlst-the truth OF the
sacred Scrptures-whch were written, they say, for
dark and ignorant generation, but unfit for the
present enlightened race of mankind and they class
in the category of greatness Zoroaster, Confu-
cius, Pythagoras, Plato, Socrates. Mahomet and
Christ-or Joshua of Nazareth, as they term him
and think that those all equally foreordained
sent into the world and inspired of God and that the
Platonists Of Greece and Rome had as much reason
for calling Pythagoras the Child of the Divinity,
the Christian sect has for Christ the Son
of God. They think that the old coat Of philosophy
or theology has become too strait and narrow for
the present man-that he has now outgrown it /; and
that the old book, which once nourished his soul,
must be thrown aside, as :" ashes to ashes, dust to
DUST They grid up their loins for the destruction
of old systems, institutions and forms Of faith, be-
eving that naught but the evil perishes and that
"'Tis but the ruin of the bad,
The wasting of the wrong and i'll
whate'er of good the old time had
Is living still.n
and must live forever.
But the periodicals Of this wonderful society do
not limit their objects to the calculation Of mere
spiritual things. They descend also to arguments
policy and put forth five points-the original number
of the English chartists-which they look upon as
tending, if carried out, to work material benefit to
society. These points are-the appropriation of
land to the landless, the election Of all officers by
the people, the abolition Of all laws for the colcc
tion Of civil contract debts the abolition Of capital
punishment, and the establishment Of free trade
We have gone thus far into their history aims, and
theories for the information Of those who may not
have known them heretofore; and proceed to call
attention to a most remarkable narrative, which
will be found u another portion of this sheet,
titled personal Experience written by Judge
Edrnonds of the Supreme Court Of New York, and
published in the last issue Of the Shekinah, quar-
terly review devoted to spiritual manifestations.
This narrative is Of the most extraordinary pro-
auctions which the world has ever seen. 1t COM
pletely eclpses all the anecdotes Of the dead which
Lucian related so humorousy two thousand years
ago. Henceforth 4Eneas' visit to the shades, to
have chitchat with his wife, Creusn, and Orpheus'
descent thither to his spouse, Eurydice
to be regarded as accomplished facts, and not tho
mere coinage of the poets fertile imagination.
Judge Edmonds corroborates what Virgil long since
said Of the tacilis decensus arern; and certainly
his relation Of the strange sights he saw in the
spirit world are far interesting, amusing, and
wonderful than all we had ever before heard from
the kingdom of the dead. Indeed, it might be
now in session, in Baltimore, whether Judge Ed
monds vision ought not to be appended to the Apo
calypso, or at least postscript to the Code
Of New York. 1t almost assimlates to the style in
which the visions Of Patmos were written by John,
and certainly, like them, or the New York Code of
legal practice, it passes all comprehension, and
puzzles all lawyers. That of the prophetic Judge,
however, was not limited to angels with brazen
trumpets or golden candlestcks but was most bound
less, embracing millions millions Of cnfran-
chised souls, hailing from all the planets, and
amusing themselves-not by singing psalms and
hymns, but by rehearsing the roles they had played
earthwheeling, circling, pursuing and retreating
from other phantoms, and lighting their battles
DER again" In the foreground he saw the ghost Of
William Penn, the father Of Pennsylvania, still
wearing his broad brimmcd hat, which he would not
consent to take off, in the courts Of heaven; Sir
Isaac Newton, still absorbed in mathematical studies;
Benjamin Franklin flying kite, and the visionary
Swedenborg wrapt in dreamy speculations. He
says that Penn intimated to him that he ad been
his guardian angel ever since memorable occasion,
when, thirty years ago, he felt compunctions for
being engaged in the boyish amusement Of mar
tyrizing kitten, Ia St. Stephen. Sir Isaac New
ton wished to correct his philosophical theory Of the
laws OF grayitation, in which he had made trining |
error while seeing things "as in glass darkly."
Benjamin Franklin wished to communicate some in
formation as to a secret magnetic principle in ma
lure, which he had discovered by flying his kite in
The ethereal regions and poor Swedenborg, still
in the realms Of fancy, came to talk with
congenial spirit. Such at least is the version OF
the apparition which Judge Edmonds gives in his
personal experience" but Of which, it will be seen
in the sequel, he has not had perfect understand
ing, and has misinterpreted the vision.
As faithful chroniclers Of the times and to give
20 the world intelligence from the most reliable
sources, we also have stepped within the charmed
ing paid over the dollar fee to the medium, and
been admitted to a vision on our own account,
where we had an audience with the departed
spirits of the mighty dead" On producing proof
of the learned Judges narrative, the poor ghosts
we're tckled into ecstaces and grinned with super
natura merrment at the inaccuracy Of his transla-
ion, and at his having also neglected, or purposely
declined to make any note Of the sayings and dong
IN the same remarkable OCCASION Of several eminent
English lnwyers-including Lyttleton, Coke, Lord
Bacon Lord Mansfield, &c. They were DESTROYS Of
having his msstatements corrected in the HERALD,
which Is copied in those regions by Photographic
and carried out there by Frank
Inland keeps the spirits posted up rs to the trans
actions Of the neither world. The arch, or phantas-
maqorial ring, in which tho vision appeared TO the
new Isaiah, designed to illustrate the circle OF
fraud deception, humbug, and oolcry, within which
he seer Lad permitted himself TO be drawn The
,imuacra Of Penn, end Franklin, and Newton, AMI