New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-03-08
LECTURE
ON SPIRITUAL MANIFESTATIONS.
BY PROF. BRITAIN.

ON SPIRITUAL MANIFESTATIONS.
BY PROF. BRITAIN.
The Second Lecture by Prof. Britain on
Spiritual Manifestations was attended on Friday
evening in Hope Chapel by crowded and deeply in.
tsrested sssemblsge, among whom we noticed many
of our most respectable citizens.
The lecturer commenced with statement OF the
threefold plane or sphere which was occupied by hu-
man beings, namely the sphere Of sensation Of rea
son. and of intuition The plane Of sensation which
was common to man with the lower animals, Prof
Britain remarked, was often the only one attained
by an individual in his mental development. Many
peFsons had no ideas beyond the impressions made
on the organs Of They lived entirely In the pro-
vince Of the material No evidence In their view was
valid but what was addressed to the sensual nature
The lecturer said be would not undertake to clas-
sify individuals, but men often place themselves in
the plane of sensation by their confession. We
daily hear said by numerous persons that they will
believe only what they have seen with their own
eyes or heard with their own ears. Bat there is
HIGHER sphere higher source of evidence than SEN
SAXON. That 10 reason. Here 10 the province OF az
eument, Of logical deduction, OF inference from
cause and effect This is the foundation OF the
physical sciences. still higher sphere is that OF
intuition, by which We have cognzance OF spiritual
realities This opens to the rapt vision world De-
yOnd our ewn connects us with superior order OF
intellisences reveals to the fact Of our immor-
tally, and leads US to bow in adoring be-
fore the Lord Prof Britain then proceeded to con-
slider the manifestation OF spiritual agencies, which
many profess TO experience at the present day. VI
these there is great variety, Of which the rappings
form only one class. There are as least fifteen or
eighteen different forms, OF which not more than
THEE have been referred to fraud COLLISION, BY the
most inveterate skeptic. Among the most remarka'
BILE which have been at!ested BY credible witnesses
in MANY parts of the land, are the lifting OF heavy
tables playing OH musical Instrument, sounding
of bells and eongs,-noses resembling the oper-
atoms of industry, the creaking OF ships at sea,
and the lke,-inv0luntary writing Of spiritual
messages luminous sights,-ana similar phe-
nomena, which have been witnessed under suc1
circumstances as to leave no reasonable doubt OF
their une ar,hy origin The lecturer set forth great
abundance of facts of this description, with tue
evidence on which they were believed ln conciu-
sion he dwelt the Inconsistency OF those religious
teachers, who while maintaining the reality OF spr-
nual things, deny the manifestations In question,
not on of their want OF evidence, bat tneu
Intrinsic improbability. The tendency OF tnese
pht nomena Is not to promote skeptlcsm OUT 10 VII
taze fsth not to lead the rejection OF revelaion
but TO confirm the truths of The Bible by the analogy
with actual experience
The lecture, which was delivered with earnestness
and eloquence, evidently made deep impression on
thd audience and was received with frequent ex
eofa