New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-12-24
How TO treat Bad Spirits.

In The Spiritual Telegraph for the present
week we find an account of what was ID at Confer.
for the Investigation of Spiritual Phenomena, held
in this City six weeks ago. which offers one or
two interesting novelties. discussion arose upon the
frequent errors Of the spiritual communications as to
matters of fact and doctrine, and come attempt was
made to attribute these to deficiency the part of the
medium Others held that such errors were the work
Of lying spirits. Hereupon, Mr.. Rogers said he had
had an interview with spirit answering to the
Of Tom Paine "who uttered many insauities and i'm
moralities," among the rest saying that he God
this had led Mr. Rogers to conclude that there were
evil spirits in the other world.
Mr. Fishbough was of the same mind. He had had
sad experience with evil spirits Tom Paine especially
he'd bufeted him. Some had supposed that it was be-
he had treated them unkindly, but this mis-
take He had been patient with them, exhorting them
to piety, repentance and other good behavior. To
this their reply had been Cannon" and such like
opprobrious EXPLANATIONS. Finally he had been
compelled to exercise them-commanding them in
the name Of Jesus to depart and leave the medium;
which, in many successful though seems,
not in all In such cases he advised that the circle
should be broken up and the inquirer go home resoly
ing never more TO mention the occurrence even to
think Of il.
tributed a diseased disordered state of the me.
dunn, or the questoner The buffetngs purportingto
be inflicted by tom Paine probably but an ex-
preston Of the idea which Messrs. Rogers and Fish.
bough entertained Of tina, gentleman which, as he CNr
Partridge was informed was not consonant with his
real character besides Mr. power to drive out the
nestaiions indicated that they were not the true thing
but originated with hmself
Mr. Fshbough still held 10 his view about evil spirits
He though. death produced no immediate change and
that men were pretty much the after ii as before
Hereupon several persons present asked him 20 write
out his dialogues with evil spirits giving ali the Attend
ing circumstances, with a view to sound conclusions
on the subject Dr. Hsllock thought these facts laugh,
humility. Here was earnest seeker after spritusl
truth who had aimed to raise his soul I'D 10 the very
spirit-sphere, but had reached only the sphere of
devils, Tom Paine, and Evil Spirits" This was not
encouraging for the tyro, and he Or H seemed TO
think it would be better stick to the earthv or ex
terror sphere But Mr. Fishbough said the best men of
old had undergone temptations and conflicts with evil
spirits This being the case it follows that such CON.
aicts nowadays are not astonishing or discouraeing
For our part we do not presume 10 Interfere IN so
sublime controversy, but admittng all the uremses
OF the parties in question do not exactly ace bo,
the bad spirits, who choose to conceal their nronen;
ties, are to be distinguished from the good ones In
that vague region Of mystical and theosopbc common
places, with which they are mainly conyerssn,. and
which are received BY most of their subjects with pro
found reverence, how is the ye, embodied mind 70 Tee.
the truth OF their avosmentsi How IL the seeker to
be sure that he IL not imposed rponi When the smear
ing remark Of 81 Common" comes as the resnopse N
honest exhorations TO repentance pety and goodness
one may indeed suspect that he dealing with zhostly
rowdy; but when the intangible and irresponsible in
ferocufor keeps on the veil of reverence and good
manners what then Is not the part of wisdom TO
suspect that there Is deal of "gamnon in the COM
munea0ns maj Is not avowed and to mistrust the o
Of them AZ lying impositioa' If we must have % 40
with hypoerites give US those whose cunuing 0s,cs
We scrutinise, and whose cheating Is a,nersba >,
the public opinion Of men. To be huu,buryed From,
beyond the grave mus. be the hght Of fnIIv