Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-01-15

SPIRITUAL INDECBNCIEs.- A few years
since, there was sect in Vermont calling
themselves 'P uritans," who left the churches
because of their alleged want of spiritual
life. These people professed entire purity of
heart and conduct, and complete. emancipation
from the control of human passions and, to
demonstrate and exhibit their beatifc condi-
ton, men and women stripped themselves
naked in the public assemblies and gloried in
their shame. Men Of considerable intelligence
and good sense were swept away by this foul
fanaticism, and participated in its heathenish
orgies. Such consequences as might have
been anticipated followed this crisis of the
ianatism, and, having accomplished the ruin
OF many families, it became stencil in the nos
trils of the society, and soon relieved the
world Of its vile presence. A similar history
was that of the Cochranites in Massachusetts
within the present century. Their public
exhibitions were even more gross than those
of the fine "Puritans.' and the civil power
was in some instances obliged to intervene
for the vindicadon of public decenoy. The
Mormons have followed in the same track
Polygamy was not an original article OF their
faith 1t has crept in gradually, through the
absolute power granted to their INSCRIPTIONS
and beastly spiritual guides, and is not un.
likely to prove in very brief period, the
dispersion and destruction Of the sect.
There is decided tendency in the same
direction among a considerable portion of the
new and rapidly increasing sect called Spirit
ualists. 1t would be an injustice to most Of
the converts to this faith, to suppose that they
do not dislike and discountenance these tend
encies, SO tar as they perceive them. But the
danger consists in the fact that under the Pc
culiar fascination of intercourse with disem-
bodied spirits, they become insensible to i'm
propreties which would shock their native
good sense, when in it's ordinary activity.
Within the past year there has been q COM
munity of spiritualists organized under the
direction of John NJ. Spear, and lately dis
banded, the history of which is carefully
suppressed by the spiritual papers. But that
history is instructive and monltory, and we
are promised an authentic account of it from
one familiar with its details. One of the pro-
Positions made by the "spirts, through
this ''seer," was that the community should
cease to use clothing for the purpose of con-
cealing their persons, and trust TO the purity
of each other. The proposition was not ac-
cepted, but on the contrary, it startled the
brethren and sisters into the consciousness
that Spears spirits were not safe counselors,
and it was one of the causes Of the ultimate
dlssoloton Oh the community. We hear also
from the best authority that there are actually
companies Of Spiritualists in Boston who sit
in circles, perfectly undisguised with cloth
ing that is to say in puris Acknowledgement
and women Unfortunately We should
not credit this statement, did it not come to
us directly from those that know the facts
We do not believe that large proportion Of
the Spiritualists approve these indecencies ;
but it will be bad sign if they refrain from
indignant denunciation of them, or affect to
consider the exposure of them as an attack
upon SpirItRalism itself, as it is not, unless
the doctrine and its believers assume the re-
sponsibility. Y. Tribune.