The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1857-07-01
The Worlds Paper.

The Worlds Paper.
From the little village Of Sandusky, Vt.
comes to us paper bearing this am
bitions title. We opened it wondering
what cause it was advocating, what high
stand point it had taken, that it should
wear so high sounding name. We
looked at the prospectus. 1t was well
written in the usual style. After saying
that they should discuss all subjects of
Importance including spiritualism, the
next paragraph says. "As believers in
the great truths taught by our invisible
friends, we shall look to them, for our
highest and most valuable Instructions"
This gave us definite idea Of the object
of the paper. But yet we were puzzled
by the name. If spirits are the principal
contributors, out Of courtesy to them,
another word should be added to the head
and the sheet will be styled. 1.-THE Other
Worlds Paper" Then we fell to think
ing, what an anomaly this paper would
be. Other editors look to their exchanges,
to the telegraph and reporters for matters
of interest, but D. Tarbell, Jr., editor of
the Worlds Paper, will look to his Gin
visible friends" We are afraid many
poor editors friends have been '.invisible"
when he looked for them, but we do not
know as they furnished much interesting
matter for his columns. After the first
surprise was over we examined the paper
with interest. 1t was mainly taken up
by the writers in defining their position, &
stating their faith in the power Of spirits
to work glorious reforms upon the Earth.
A number of the writer's affixed to their
signatures the omnibus word-Medium.
We feel quite delicate about reviewing
articles communicated by spirits, for we
suppose that the authors are beyond our
reach, that they are
Gas the air invulnerable,
And our vain blows, malicious mockery."
There is one "Mary A. Brown, Medi-
um, whose articles are really rich in their
poverty. She expresses the Oldest and
tritest truisms, with that JUNCTION and fer
vor which are usually born of original
thought.
But Mary has the faith that children al
ways have in bright and rosy future.
Afr speaking Of the unjust distinctions
which wealth confers on men she says;
'But the time is near when change
will take place in this respect, for there
are even now measures being taken to
bring about reform, not in this alone,
but in all wrong customs and practices of
the age"
We cannot help an incredulous smile at
such childlike faith. 1t Is certainly beautiful
but delusive. Measures have been tried
these many years to bring about reforms
in wrong customs and practices, yet still
passion is stronger than principle, and the
"good time coming seems far in the dis
lance. But perhaps we err in our calcu-
lations, not knowing what these measures
are.
We have long been anxious for more
definite knowledge, Of the theology, the
ends and aims of spiritualsm. When
we saw leading article, headed, "Spir-
itualism-What is the use?" we thought
we were at last going to have our minds
enlightened on this point. The main
purpose of the article was to show, what
Christianity had failed to do Then
speaking of spiritualisn, it says:
''In the light of this sublime faith, how
bright glows the glorious future How
it lifts the exulting soul DER the transitory
ills of earth How it reconciles one to
the seeming wrongs of earth as but links
in the chain of progression; changing
what were otherwise failure, into most
benefcient harmonious system How it
clears up the character of the Good Fa-
ther, and teaches us to bear up yet a lit
tie longer with our erring brethren. How
it tempers the cold waters of Death, and
lights up the pathway to the tomb =
How the s'cruel -tyrant," the "king of ter
rors" is metamorphosed to a lovely angel
How it stays the tear of sorrow, by the
thought that our friends "are still in the
land of the living"
This is the question! How does it do
this. Christianity claims to have done
all this, by simple faith in its doctrines
and practice of its prospects. Its believers
have smiled from the stake, sang hymns
of cheer in lonely dungeons, been borne
through the trials of life by steadfast
faith in God. and entered the dark por-
tails If death confident Of . glorious resur- |