The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-07-21
SPIRITUAL MANIFESTATIONS.
WASHINGTON, April 20, 1885,


To the Editor of the National Era:
Knowing you have been somewhat interest
ed in what are popularity termed Spiritual
Manifestations, send you the following reaec.
tons, called up by reading the remark of
President Wayland, that they are owing to a
new and undiscovered force. In this opinion
we entirely coincide.
They are the same, from the dayso OF uarffrc
down to the present day, marking the era OF
| any new physical law; even vaccination could
only be introduced at first in the families OF
,of physicians, and ministers denounced 1t from
the pulpit as impious and contradicting the
Bible.
Often have we pictured the scene when
Franklin with a toy went forth with loving,
trusting child, whose simple faith was moro in
unison witl his own spirit than all the philoso-
ply of past ages; and when the result came,
with what profound humility and reverence
must he have received it! What poet or
painter has portrayed the grandeur OF this
scene!
And we trust the ideal of our acts will yet
be written, and the true page of history record
the motives rather than the acts themselves
The ideal of one generation is the present civil
lization of the next. One fact is in harmony
many minds of scientific research; yet among
this class, too, are its strongest opposers.
One professor gravely asserts that IL is some
machine about the person another, that it is
electrical if so, its very simplicity is a new
discovery.
But there is graver and more serious OBJ
lection and that IT, that it produces insanity.
II would be well to investigate the previous
L. &c nd A
have been carefully trained to habits OF refiec-
ton and calm investigation Above all, do
they believe in an everything Providence, who
governs all, and whom our utmost research
cannot find out |? and that the remark "there
is nothing new under the sum-" does not mean
that we have attained to all knowledge; for
surely not day passes that does not convict
us OF our own ignorance and lead us to q
deeper reverence of the wisdom we cannot
comprehend. But more than this, from our
own observation, we think there is injury to
frame of delicate organization, in sitting down
Unfortunately with persons of different
temperament, and skeptical In their reception
of any new truth We have great respect for
the conservative part Of our population they
are the ballast Young America 30 much
needs, not the leaders A prostration Of the
physical powers is induced similar TO that from
an excess of electricity, which has led some to
suppose il the same power. Beautifully have
the physical sciences advanced and added TO
the comfort and elevation of humanity.
How wonderfully is the human body adapted
to receive nourisment and delight from the ma
teral senses! But in this structure, 90 care
fully $50 fearfully and wonderfully made" to
be the living temple of the Holy Spirit, what
fibres are fitted to receive this heavenly iniiu-
ence |! How is intelligence conveyed from
mind to mind? Why do we instinctively re-
coil from those with whom we have no sympa-
thy In this temple, made TO worship the In
finite Being, must there not exist connection,
or mode Of communication, above that OF the
material senses? And here we are not left IN
| the dark
Swedenborg, to whose pages late number
of the London Lancet said that the student
of anatomy would resort for the deepest re-
search and instruction. first described those
minute veins which pcrvade every part OF the
human body, like vast network;whos centre
| il the oerebellum.
Recent discoveries have, with the aid Of the
microscope, found they are tubes; but by what
are they nourished?
Near the stomach, that factory or workshop
Of the human system, il an organ, OF whose
use Psychologists are not decided, but from 'ts
supposed connection with tho nervous system
have called the spleen may it not perform this
ofiicei The centre Of this wonderful tissue OF
nerves stands like sentinel at his post, to d.
rect and warn us Of the approach Of moral as
we'll as Of physical danger A simple fact
| may convince us Of the existence OF these
nerves when an arm has been amputsted,
sensation appears 70 continue out where the
hand should be.
And now 70 our point The force which re-
sides here can in some way control the attFsc.
ton of cohesion which exists in the table, and
keeps its particles togsther--how, We 90 not
know: neither do We know what electricity IL.
What are they and the centrifugal and centri-
METAL forces, bat the power, implanted In Thorn,