Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-03-24
DAILY EVENING STAR
LOCAL INTRLLIGENCg.


rus Saloon, by Professor Britain who was
introduced to the assembly by Mr. TaImadpe
The lecturer pi efaced his discourse by oh
serving that all new principles are disputed
at their commencement by the world. which i,
antagOnIstlc to new facts that do not apne,r 70
come within the sphere of existing sciont;fs
systems Scientific men being disposed to re.
Ject all those facts that do not conform In o.
tablished theories. Very many persons arc
prevented from investigation, through reason
ing that If there was really any basis for the
excitement that has prevailed upon this sub
feet, in different sections of the country, the
scientific classes would recognize those facts
the principles of which they have not vet
openly examined.
He then remarked that true physical science
had been prosecuted in ali times and its most
devoted adherents branded with atheism. He
iustanced rs cases in point the sciences Of
astronomy and geology, which latter was said
10 be a device Of SATIN 10 win the soul, and
many hcsitated to read those everlasting signs
recorded on the rocks of ages, lest they might
by 50 dsins, invalidate the writings of Moses
Scientific men, as well as others, have been
afraid 10 investigate the secrets Of the hidden
world, and to uuyeil the etherial mysteries
every step being taken with doubt and irresolu-
ton. With them. whatever is Oul side of the
prescribed Limits, is treated with the same con-
tempt or approached as if it was magazine
of thunderbolts.
The cause of the incredulity of sciepcs to
the doctrine of spiritualism he attributed tn
the fact, that human science and human souIs
have been materialized, so that il is generally
acknowledged, that philosophy and faith are
Incompatible, the study of nature leading away
the soul fsOm God. This arose from the superb
eial character of our knowledge. which ragards
only the outward shell, disreg arding the nour-
ishmeur and food within. Science has been
essentially superficial, external and material
lthas taught US to measure the surface of the
earth, and to disclose to view its contents To
ascertain the direction and velocity of its
movements, to classify the animals and yege
tables upon it. and to divide man into distinct
races. But what has ii done to unyeil the ma
ture OF those secret agents, that are the cause
Of all these actions; what man has followed
them to their secret hiding places and wruag
from nature the secret by which she moves in
her secre, actions? Has any Psychologist vet
discovered the analogy between the physical
system and its vital principles What has
anatomy taught us of the inward man; or of
the " nodus operandi'' of its action so lat we
may guard against the approaches Of disease
and death What man has undertaken to
explain the philosophy Of thought, or the in
efable mystery of love Tc examine and ex-
plain the mysteries Of spiritualsm we must
depend rather upon inspired thinkers than
upon classical scholars. Scientific men, as a.
body, love truth, but they love reputation
more; thus the spiritual origin of the Hebrew
miracles Is allowed, because the concession
gives honor; it is popular, but no miracles less
than 1909 years old can be allowed Those.
therefore, who love reputation less must pursue
these inquiries. When did science ever act
in more unbeeoming manner than now. riii-
culing what it cannot explain, and unable to
distinguish between a vision Of paradise, and
an attack of the nightmare.
1hp lkpr .artr L..
argue that people were no more entitled to
doubt the supernatural character of the rap
pings than the miracles Of Moses and Jesus
Christ. He then narrated the vision that had
appeared To Mrs. Hale, of Now York citv
while in state Of trance, to whom there had
been presented view of the heavenly host
and beautiful crown of flowers extended to
her from above, and gave poetical and glow
ing description of the same. On the lady's
return 10 her natural state two eminent ply
slclaus, who were III attendance upon her. pro-
nounced the trance to be decided case of hys-
terias. Nothing. continued the lecturer can
better illustrate the materialism of the age,
than thus ascribing this spiritual phenomena,
TO n yitiated state OF the organs.
The lecturer lnterspersed his discourse with
several anecdotes and witticisms aimed at
science and its votaries Thus said he ''Some
few years ago, whilst L was pursuing course
Of experiments upon spiritual phenomena at
New Haven it was proposed to address the
faculty and students of Yale College upon
the subject, and a card was published to that
ef-ct. What was their reply to the applica-
ton Why, that the facts if facts they were
did not belong to the domain of science 1t
was true that they did not belong TO the domain
of accredited silence, but the question was
whether they could not be admitted into it.
Some time ago, at Boston, there was an ex-
hibition by Mr. Gliddon of Egyptian antiqui
ties, and it was proposed to unfold the remains
of an Egyptian princess, who was supposed to
have lived in the time of Moses. The men of
science were assembled from all parts of New
England-the grand discovery was made
science discOyered-what? That the mummy
was simply mummy, except that the supposed
Egyptian princess was maie.
Some years ago, a sailor fell from the yard
arm Of mast, and broke his leg which he
cured by an application Of tar and oakum
An account of this remar kable case was trans
mited to the Royal Society Of London, and
forthwith hundreds of experiments were tried
upon dogs, whose legs were broken to be
nended again; but, unfortunately, the appli-
cations did not succeed, and a communication
efhcially signed, was transmitted To the sailor
In the course of time, reply was returned
containing infinitely an account of the accident
and the nature Of the remedies used but, after
SIX full sheets of manuscript, the secret was
discovered in the postscript. p. 81 forgot
to mention that the leg was a wooden one
Laughter.)
The lecturer concluded How long will
science refuse to inquire, spiritualism is some
thing more than a poetic dream and philO-
sophical speculation. 1t is sublime reality !;
and the approaches to the spiritual world can
be opened to US as TO the Nazarene. What
We call the material would, is only the ever
changing shadow, fieeting perishable, of the
spiritual world, which is the real. We have
only to rend the material veil and to look be-
You'd the shadow to see without these organs,
10 feel without these sensorial nerves, and to
behold the vast domain Of the spiritual world
The ancient philosopher said, The things
that are seen are temporal, but the things that
are not seen are eternal
There were no manifestations, and the lee
ture was devoted to an apology for spiritual
ism with regard to science. which latter was
eensured for its incredibly. At the termina-
ton the lecturer informed the audience that
the next lecture would be devoted to an ex-
PLANTATION of the facts and phenomena con-
nected with the subject.
CRY RaILRoAp.-The following are the
resolutions brought forward on Monday night.
BY Mr.. Towers. on the above named subject,
which were passed:
That the joint committee representing the
interests of this corporation before Congress,
be EAd they are hereby instructed to protest
earnestly and respectfully against the passage
of any bill by Congress cha-teriffs or granting