Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1857-08-13
For tho Spirit of the Age
An Amorous Spiritualist."
Mn. IiDIToR I:

Mn. EDIToR:
/ Under the above heading, in your sheet Of
August 9th, | have read paragraph, from
Mrs. Lewis speech at the Rayena convention Of
Spirtualists which is floating about to find n
harbor in fools bosoms, and excite unjust i'm.
putaton in the mind of the public toward the
above named convention and toward Spiritualistf
in general. | was not at that Western convcn.
ton, but | have report Of it which not only
includes the paragraph in question but its
mcrtcd relnhe.
Mrs. Lewis is Socialist of the old school
and like others Of her order, she strove, long
ago, to make herself notorious she seems now
to tremblc in her armor and while faint in her
cxcrions for thei"Public," she is prone to rcclnc
upon the shoulders of Spirtualism, hence, her
appearance among Spirtualists.
Mrs i. is not the first who has been constrain-
cd to black down" from free.ove-ism and assume
the name Of Spiritualism, she is not the first who
has been repulscd by pure minded believers in
spirit intercourse DR.. Nichols and his lady
laborcd for three years to amalgamatc their free
love doctrines with Spiriuaism but they signally
failed. and "straitway went and took up the
Cross in the Holy Cath Ollie Church where they
have promised to lorsake all damnabe heresies
and study the memory of St. Ignaius Loyola
and St Francis Xavicr
Now, to return to tile case in question, can
sec no proprcty in saddng Mrs. Lewis upon
Spirtualism--let her be tried and disposed of
by generous public, as an imliridual, but let
not her memory cast odium upon others who are
virtuous, a dog might have bark ed at that con-
venton or an ass might have prayed, but the
inference would not be, that all persons present
were dogs Or asses.
Mr.. Editor, may seem harsh in the above
sentiments but my justification is to be found in
the fact that Spirituaists are not tried by COM
mon rules. protest against bearing anothcr's
stigma am willing to stand or fall by myself
let Mrs Lewis do the same protest against
having an indiscriminatc crowd occupy the state
rooms Of Spiritualism when they who constitute
it only wish to wipe their feet and then leave
the boat to indulge in low smoker or rantine
denunciation--but will bow myself out of Mrs
Lewis "Circlc' nat wishing even, that, "loug
may she ,oare."
One word more, friend Brown, and will
''ccasc from roubling"-Spiritualis like all
other isms, from Calvnism down to Mormonisn,
rcqn res age to purge off the Irregularities which
tastcn upon its altar; hence it would be mani
testify unjust to expect that all Spirituasts can
present an unbrokcn front and an angel countc.
nance. while nominal christianity after eighteen
hundred years labor, has only political parsons
to beast of. While its proseIytcs have only love
enough to make them hate each other, and while
its members and its Ministers hang upon our
gallows and people our prisons. am mt a
prophet, nor am [ in strange land, yet, [
venture to state that Spirituasm will advance
with its own peculiar grace until the world is
better and fice.loyc (ala>) free lust is no more
forever.
Truly. AUSTIN +. SIMMONS.
NoolstocL tuo Iet 1877