The Richmond palladium., 1856-05-29
RICHMOND WAYNE COUNTY, IND, THUR SDAY, NAY o.


that among the qualities of good medium
that Of superior intelligence has never been
incorporated: for children often the bes,
article of the kind II il is admitted that these
manifestations bu. the dev-lopement o!
: Some hitherto unknown properties of matter
or soma new mode of the operation of natu-
raj agencies hitherto un1e,-c.ed. As in the ca se
,, OF the phenoneaa OF electricity and magnet
ism which have been developed in modern
times, the explanation is a good one. But
this is making them natural phenomena and
not the result Of the agency of spirits But
If they are the operations OF spirits. why did
they not make themselves heard and known.
four thousand years ago? l. is vain ID say
that the human family could not bear the
com lunications. They lid receive revela.
tions from the spirit world, more sublime and
terrible in manner and matter than any of
modern times, and yet they live.
". We do not Ike the company Which
these spirits an many Instances keep. "A man
is known by the company be keeps Should
we not apply the same rule to the spirits?-
Among the many reputable mediums and
circles of high order of morals and intelli-
gence. it must be admitted by the most biyet.
ed believer. that there many persons Of
doubtful character, who are most excel
lent mediums and successful operators, and
they call up the spirits of the Apostles, and
the purest and noblest OF the past. and hold
familiar converse with them. These men
would not associate with such wretches when
living, and 1t requires great stretch of Gre
dulity to believe that they fancy such society
nowi
V. 1t looks lale Suspicious that these
spirits should be so pa1tialto feso, and pay
no attention to the great masses Why SO few
mediums, or the necessity of mediums at all?
The grounds of their affection seem also to be
rather the peculiar temperament. physical or
ganization. and nervous exci.s5:lty. with none
of the most fastidlous regard for moral ex-
cellence or virtue. McSmerism. Clairvoyance
Electro-P sychology. all know are mani
tested only through such constitutions, but
why these departed Spirits should take such
fancy 10 the same constitutions is difficult
to conceive.
VI. The false. contradictory foolish, toog-
slsh and absurd, ANSWERS frequently giren.
proue that they are not from the departed-
The usual answer to this. is that there are ly-
ing and ignorant spirits. who intrude and
make these responses. This spoils all, SO far
as confidence in the system is concerned
Nothing useful can be communicated, mas
much as we canno, know whether it be true
or false, until the even. has proved its charac-
ter, and then the time for acting upon it is
past. Besides it subjects the spirits of the
good to the control. and insults OF the base, in
greater degree than in this world. which
condition would be inconsisten, with their
perfect happiness But Paul's idea was,
"that to depart and be with Christ was far
better" than life in this worlds
VII. All the responses and other manifes-
sa,ions can be Obtained with equal facility.
whether the spirit of one dead, or one still
in the flesh, or the name Of tree or animal
be called. This at frs, denied bv the
amateurs of spiri;uaism. but we lave con-
versed with several mediums who have pro-
nounced it to be the truth, il is now generally
acknowled sed This. certainly. is enough to
satisfy impartial mind tina, The souls Of de
ceased persons Lave nothing to do in the mat
ter
VIII. They can more ra.ionally BE- account
Ell Tor without referring 20 the agency Of spirits
OF to any miraculous power The strongest
writers in Its support admit almost as much.
Listen 10 Nj Adm Baliou himself & rneiium.
and one OF the most orthodox according TO
this fsi.h and l stand lri writer among them:
Implicit faith canna: ba placed Oh tie mere an
corroboratci communications OF spirits, as ao-
soluEely veriiabie. for three important reasons,
VIZ: /. There are mulatud-S of low and I'M
perfect spirits 2. The transition of dream
ers, .omnaua5ulists. ciairr2qants scers. SC,
from the material to the spiritual sphere OF
and back a-,ain, is liable TO
such Nurture and confusion Of dissimilar
ideas, that more or less of phantasy, obseura-
ton. and perversion must occasionally super
vene. ;. The generality of mankind are SO
ignoraEs Of spiritual realities. laws and condi-
tions-so wanting In discernment and candor
and SO prone 10 errors OF reason and magma
ton, that few are even qualified 10 understand
and make proper use Of spiritual commun-
cations. Hence the strange mixtures Of truth
and error. reality and phan,ssy. consistency
and contradiction, gravity and levisy. sober
and wild extrava-ance. rational
thought and fallacous imagination. presented
in dreams, clairvoyant visions. spiri, frances,
and the whole family Of mental and spiritual
phenomena. Hence. also. the mschiefs and
abuses often attendant on such marvellous de-
Page H.
Again he says:
Il have known cases, in which the bias
prejudice predilection or sciU of he medium,
eridently governed and characterized The de-
These truths, admitted so frankly, are
sufficient to shake all the confidence in these
marvellous absurdiiies and phantasies Nor
can we believe that such is the condition of
the saints. the good and pure OF earth, after
their departure, or that they are engaged in
this rabble and rant OF low, mean. false and
blackguard spirits. And it seems strange
that sensible persons should have ever been so
wild as 10 have seriously believed ANYTHING of
the kind. HUMAsrTAs
@ The Uaire-.r the leading Roman
CT