The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-07-05

tually to assist each other, uTtil true scienc,
is super imposed on bLse, ~ firm ns ada
mant, urimpaired by the storms Of dissen'
sion. A beacon pointing out the road to
human progress in all its beauty and gran
deur. Thus superstition in its relation ia
science has actually proved beneficial.
AS we have before reaarked superstition
is an element inherent in our nature, this
phrenology tries to establish under the head
of wonder. We cannot say that its local..
" has been established bu, that il exists VIC
do not suppose any onn doubts. With
such mn opinion We can very readily imag'
inc what sn influence early education would
exert over it and we cannot better illustrate
this fact than by quoting the lines Of AIKEN.
side the poet aud physician
'For this the daring youth
Breaks from his weeping mothers anxious arms
In foreign ciires to rove; the pensvc sage,
Needless of sleep. or midnights harmful damp,
Hangs DER the sickly taper; and un.ired,
The virgin follows. with enchanted step.
The lnazes of some wild and wondrous tale
From morn to Eve. Hence finally by night,
The village matron, round the blazing hearth,
Suspeuls the infant audience with her tales
Breathing astonishment! OF witching rhymes,
And evil spirits Of the death-bed call
OF him who robbed the widow aud dcvoured
The orphans portion; Of unquiet souls
Risen from the z ave to case the heavy guilt
OF deeds in life concealed: Of shapes that walk
At dead Of night, and ciank their chains and wave
The torch OF hell around the murderer's bed. "
But there is no subject with which upcr-
stition is more intimately blendid than that
Of religion. Religion the great soother Of
all earthh care and sorrow,-Religion 10
which our hope OF blcssfnl hereafter de.
pend, the grea' a'est boon Heaven has bestow-
cd on His fallen creatures,-- Religion, has
made all that Is beautiful and lovely the
,bject Of despair, and life ~sS.se than death.
And what has occasioned this q baneful
desire after the supernatural. Oar own
country is teeming with Il at present to a
fearful degree and we think IL extremely die.
ficult TO draw line Of distinction setween
the founders Of certain systems Of religion
and the monomaniac for aliho' we hare the
lights Of civilization universally diffused,
still we labor greatly under what we may
be allowed to dsnominate civilized super
stitntioD, for Il seems We can now very rea-
diIy transport ourselves into the spirit world,
aud, by meansof IN Insignificant table " cali
spirits from the vasty deep" Alas we are
q swpnderful people.
A great deal Of this superstition Is Great
ed by men who ars endowed with fair
share Of intellect, but who arc monomani-
acal on these particular points--thus Swe.
denborg believed himself niiraculously call
ed to reveal 20 the world the most hidden
mysteries. Ia i74s,' says he IL pleased
the Lord to manifsst himself 10 me, and ap
pear personally before me, 10 give ms a
knowledge of the spiritual world, and to
place me In communication with augels and
spirits, and thus power has been continued
with me I'll The present day. Here we
have the desire Of the supernatural so great
as to corrupt the imsgiDation whisb
again is manifested through the organ Of
vision.
Superstition seems 70 BE- the result Of &
combination Of the faculties. wonder and
imagination, Tho one g the desire aftsr The