The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-02-28
Spiritual 1taAlfesSa tsCns.
sABBATu DEBATING SCHOOLS.

Spiritual Ma
SABBATH DEBATING SCHOOLS.
Our reporter attended, last Sunday afternoon, in
large lecture or ball room, called Eagle Hail.
attached to gregory at tho corner Of Dsancy
and Chrystie streets, to listen TO lecture Spirit
ual Manifestations, and q debate between the
disciples and disbelievers of this new faith. At
the head Of the room was placed small table or
stand, covered with red cloth, behind which sat
these who were TO take part in the discussion,
,hough il was not exclusively confined TO those, as
several persons came forward from among the
benches to the stand, and communicated their
ideas on the subject. The attendance was made up
Of from seventy to eighty aen, some Of them young
but many beyond the prime of lifs-atl, however,
seeming TO hold respectable positions in society,
and appearing to be completely absorbed in the
interesting question before them. The discussion
was opened with lecture by sedate, sensible
looking young man. apparently mechanic, n
which he ridculed the stories Of spiritual knock
ipgs, and written communications from the other
world, attributipg them to slight Of hand, the
use of illegble ink, or some other deception He
ayowed bis disbelief in The existence Of the soul
after death, and defended his tenets by an elaborate
metaphysical Argument.
airvoy ant and sturdy apostle of the new doctrines
an in elligept, respectable looking geutema Of
seine fifty years OF age. He very gruvely asserted
his UNIV ayerng faith in supernatural agencies. aud
was certain that before long spiritual manitesta-
items would command universal c.edence. They
we're designed, in his opinion to arrest the unbe-
leving tendency Of the age, and to re establish
faith in future state. He vouched for the anthem
ITCHY IT the sjgnatures-some hundred in all
attached By the spirits 10 document in possession
| Of tie Misses Fish OF Fox, coanselpg peace
| policy, among the names TO viii h were those of
George Washington, Benjamin FraakHn, and Tom
Paine.
This declaration o. faith was responded to BY
another old gentlem an, named Smith, who, in q
satirical Il amer, exposed the falacy of the Fish
and Fox kunbug, ana declared his ogn convictions
thai the ideas OF q future state we're all gam non
lie would not, however, allege positively that mao
| had or had not an immortal soul but they knew
| Just as much about heaven or hell as they had
known ofthia earth before they were born. He also
| introduced some political remarks bearing on The
Presidential question, and said that they did not
4 want any such osatorcal genius as Webster, who
would speak more than Thousand Washngtoas ,
| but p air, practical, matter. offa,t man.
! lie was followed by champion OF knocking
docsIines-a strong, lazy, loater.looking cdap,
| whose appearance would operate strongly against
his credft in court Of justice. This genius went
ont and out for the spiritual Manifestations
4 descsnted On his own superior capabilities as a
medium, affirming that he could procure louder
knochngs than thoso vestals, ard told an imp1sent
story OF his operations, few days before, with q
party Of four or five ladies, among whom was one
jolly good looking young widow, and how after
enjoying themselves in the game Of blind mans
buff, and other like innocent gsmbols, they had
gathered round the fire, and engaged in the amuss
uent Of scaling up spirits from the vastly deep
This apostle Announced that he would deliver
conrse of lectures en- the subject
The nextspeakcr was smart, fo2plsh, wiry little
chap with an inci pont moustsche, and he ener-
getcally denounced the whole affair Of the knock
ngs rs grots 6elssion, and challenged the dealers
in the article TO make a manifestation then and
there, and ii they did he would become q convert.
\ Another cadaverous locking medium intimated
that he had made great progress in the cabalistc
science. and would also lecture on the subjeot.
Eut the last ard best disputant OF tho evening
nents, and locking very much like village school
master He demolished, in a regular cut aud.
thrust style all the arguments that the knocking"
advocates bad setup, secuted al the Bible, alleging
that he had as good reason for believing in the
Koran, with which, too, he was as familiar, az be
had given much Of his time to theological inquiries.
Tie belief in future existence was oil moonshne,
tho wcrc soul being represented in the old Copti,
bieTog lyphc language Whit Of wind, nero air.
and il was only mans vanity tia. pronpted him to
believe in q future existence. IF there we're such
placesss heaven and he'll, whore we're they? Theo-
egsns would point 70 the skies and say taat heaven
vsc there, but it must follow, from the e1rlhs
revolution, that some lines holt is above and
heaven beneath. He wouldn't believe oven
what he saw with his own eyes, when be knew
It vas at variance win great natural laws.
Ia The old country, be had seen q juggler take
cock, cut OF bis head, throw 1t On one sidc and
the bcdy en- the other, and afterwards take nrd
stick on the head again, when the cock would clasp
lis wings and crow, Now he cid not believe that,
although he saw it-and tho spirits could do no.
thing half go woIderful-but he know of course
that there was deceptioASpractiaed, which he was
not able to discover.
The foregoing sketch of the Sabbath evenings
svocatiors Of rational men might appear some
what incredible, were it not an open, we'll known
fact. For the last few months, this sage assembly
Of infdels, atheists, clairvoyants, and mediums,
have met in the samc place, by public advertise.
ment, to discuss the same question; and it cannot
be doubted that their arguments would have
who might be attracted to attend The parsons
sheuld look out, and guard against the ccntagion
which might spread among thor charge from this
little hotbed Of inidelity.