Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1855-02-15
Modern SaPenlitien.

PopuaaS oeeeiliaons anQ oeiuSl0ns Tor
the last twenty-five years, would be
one If the most Instructive as well
as amusing books ever written. Rea-
soning q PRIOR, one would say that
the Development and diffusion Of
truth through the media of scientific
discovery and public education, would
enable the general mind to 'distin-
guish between the false and The true.
Experience, however, gives the lie to|
the theory. New applications of the
principles Of physical and mental
science have produced SO many start
ling phenomena, and have wrought
so many changes in human affairs Of
late years, that, strange as it may
seesa, the increase Of knowledge has
begotten a new kind Of superstition
scarcely less dangerous than that
generated by ignorance. A belief in
Che unlimited power Of the human in
tellect, in its capacity to penetrate
all mysteries and solve all problems,
by the aid Of science, has superseded
she Blind credulity of the eden lime.
Instead Of referring wh..;. is incaom-
prebensible to the operation Of super
natural causes, portion Of mankind
has fallen into the opposite error oil
supposing that natural science can
be successfully applied to the deyel-
opment Of mysteries which are really
supernatural. There are spiritual
I philosophers, who profess, by means
IF mechanical manipulations, to in.
troduce US TO the spiritual world
TO separate :he soul. from the body
without its producing physical death
and to Go a thousand things in d.
rect conflict with the whole theory Of
cause and effect as carried on in all
the operations of nature. The dis.
ciplts Of these charlatans are Of the
Sam Patch school. They think "some
things can be done as well as others. y
Because the lightning has been made
a common messenger, and the sun a
Inner, they are willing to believe
that the dead cau.be brought into
communication with the living, and
the souls of the living conveyed to
the world beyond the grave; and they
call the agent, by which these phe-
nomena are supposed to be produced,
mental science. In a, darker age,
the ignorant believed that these
things could be done by the aid Of
magic and the help Of the devil and
big angels; and really, that idea was
more natural than the modern alb
surdity Of endeayoriug to explain the
operations on philosophical principles.
o. They make sad bungling piece
Of work oft, however. Their prem
lses are purely imaginary, and tested
by1analogy, they melt into thin air,
The chemist can reconcile the won.
ders Of the daguerreotype process or
the magnetic telegraph With fixed
ard immatable principles, that
-I.ive through all life.extsnd through all extent
Spread undivided, operate rnspent;;'' !.
but the spiritual philosopher cannot
refer you 20 any lay Of nature, or any
principle Of analogy, which will ac-I
count for spiritual rappings, and ex.
plain how a shadow, impalpable as air,
can exercise the functions which be-
long to bone, and 0esh, and muscle. /
:. SuARp PRAcTIcE.-A day or two
since one Of our good citizens, who
will be reconized at once. if we call
him John Smith, happened into al
grocery establishment, and under
standing that silver change was inl
demand, inquired what premium they
paid for it,and was informed Eye perl
cent. Thercupon he drew out 95I
cents in change and handed it over
to the grocery man and received
therefor regular dollar bill. This
satisfactory speculation, or some-l
thing else, led our friend into the
extravagance Of calling for three
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