New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-06-26
A LETTER TO BYLES on SPLRTTt-
ALISM.

! DkAR BrLEs: Did it ever occur to you. in regard
to sp;TtUaiism when settling calmly and decidedly
| the wisdom OF letting wei enough alone. that may
be there who have not found this world Of
ours quite up to that same standard Of well enough
His all very fine FOR man Ike yourself. with a
good digestion healthy organization of pocket, snda
broad Geld of ments anu moral operations to exPend
your energie. upon-it Is all very fine, repeat for
you spiritually turn up your nose at your deshless
friends. Why you remind me OF little boy once
knew. who, AFTER hearty supper, wondered why
folks cared so much about eating.
If YOU observe carefully enough you vii md thai.
large proportion of those who do wish 10 look through
that supposabe Granny you spoke of, cannot, with
all their efforts find enough here TO satisfy she craving
for happiness. lou viii long let of them among
those unfortunate devils. "salaried men men that
with anxious hearts daily perceive Stating stability
in ther incomes, while the outlay Is swelling into
giant proportions The vain endeayor 70 put quart
into pint measure must Of course, at last compel
them to seek superhumaR aid. WOULDN'T you, friend
Byles, if yCu L al the job 30 do
suppose Your reply will be- that Saes spiritual as
pirations do not bring happiness; that the most sa'
factory rappiags and the highest order OF ghostly
social communlng will not prevent "rent-day from
coming in its due time, buy pound OF beef for one
cent less than the butchers choose 10 sell at.
But that does net at all spoil my argument, for con-
tend that little growth heavenvard Is an excellent
Substitute for unattainabe earthly comforts, ana does
not in the least prevent our using head and hands 10
their fullest extent.
You surely would not deprive the pale, thin book
keep per- whe, with his family, has just risen from
veiy light dinner. OF the pleasure ot suppnS with
Newton, Franklin, &c.
But seriously, there Is more earnest reason why
| would not have this longing for connecting link
between this our present aud our future nome treated
with too much ndicge.
Every human being who lives and loves i, to a
greater les extent slave to the Tear OF sephaoh
from his loved The knowledge or dread oil tne
fearful blank the long dark silence which follows the
footsteps Of DEATH is the skeleton In most OF our
homes. Now, there lie no denying the fact that the
wildness of grief at separation is lessened and
camer and irore raiora ion of this and future
life. is brought about by making The amer death q
less mysterious aud faroH subject. IL Is the natural
result Of this so-called spiritual phenomenon. or
course il has been attended by much that Il false
and absurd, and ike all other pursuits, Il has Its
victims but statistics prove them TO be less &C.
cordng TO the number OF it, advocates than those OF
most other altered religious excitements.
To return | would encourage all investigation, If
for no other results even If speeulaOns and
periments must con 10 be as uncertain "a Ter the
most part they are at present.
Anything which will help TO make the curtain fall
less heavily and darkly between us who have to live,
and our loved ones who 90 before us, ID good IN
itself.
dency to rob it of its mysteries aud terrors besides
do not believe that we have yet got to the end OF all
knowed ge and that because the future life has here.
toore been sealed book us it must always DO So.
II is because am material that would encourage
this spiritual research; for although | cannot make
my ideal heaven as substantial a. Judge Edmonds
can his yet it is by far preferable To floating around
"on damp cloud, singing psalms perpetusly,,
which il the promising future that some OF our mortal
immortal brethren teach us to look forward 10.
Hoping friend Byles, that the next time the Spirits
take YOU by the hand, they will have the good man
ners not to leave it asleep,
remain yours, &c, a.