Daily national Democrat., 1860-02-15
From Inquirer.

EDITOR DEMOCRAT Rejoinder," thinks
that have begged the premises in my first
question. Permit me to ask him or any 9TH
er inquiring mind, what inference is to be
drawn from the following words of A. J..
Davis, in his article entitled "a Voice to the
Insane" on page 245 of present Age and
Inner Life" He says I" If the spiritual
manifestations produce insanity, it is time the
world had the benefit of the fact" And
again: "In the first place, | openly aeknowl-
edge that the new developments have acted
as secondary causes in the production of in
sanity" Onp page 1854: "But never as the
first cause"
Well, suppose the first cause is hereditary
predisposition, or want of organic cerebral
balance. Then every mental subject that acts
excitingly upon the first cause, is the second
airy, and produces the abnormal result: such
as love, hate, fear, hope, religion, spiritual
ism, DC. Religion does not deny having in
duced its thousands of victims Is not spr-
itualism, (Which is also the investigation or
knowledge of the so-called supernatural or
spiritual state of man, as likely to produce
the same results What are the general
cerebral dynamics of religious insanity p
Over action of the organs of hope or fear,
veneration of wonder or Imagination, and
spiritual illumination, revolving in furious
and executive revolutions, with the "screw
loose" that should attach them to the balance
wheel of reason. The same processes mark
the vagaries of insane spiritualists. Witness
the man Taylor, at San Francisco, who threw
himself into the bay, impeled, as he believed,
by the spirit of D. C. Broderick. Now, if
his reason could have acted, it would have
assured him in moment that Senator Brod-
erick, whether in this world or the next, was
incapable of such an action. But, supposing
all this is not proof that will satisfy ere
ioinder" l am willing to throw aside the
forty cases in the Asylum, and still ask the
main question. Why cannot, or do not, the
medial* successors of Jesus and the Apostles
cast out devils Insanity now, as then, by a
word, a command AN exertion of faith or pow
er ? Now Mr.. Davis, in the article above
referred 70, points out as n remedy, only
medicinal treatment, or avoidance of the ex.
citing subject. This does not meet the ques-
ton, even if it be all true. Take the case of
the deaf and dumb boy spoken of by Mark,
CHI 0, where the insanity is described as tear
ing the boy, throwing him on the ground,
and walowing him foaming, and oftimes
casting him into the fire and into the water
to destroy him. Yet the boy was cured in
stantly by or at the command of Jesus. Or
take the case related in 8th Luke of the man
who wore no clothes, nor lived in any house,
but dwelt among the tombs, and who gave
his name as Legion because lie was insane in
so many ways and from SO many causes
Yet Jesus cast ont his insanity instantly, and
he was seen of the multitude sitting at the
feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind.''
1t seems to me that spritualism is required
to do all this or it fails to establish itself as
the full and right-lne sponsorship of the
Christ age And, what better field for prac-
JlCul ODeIdblOuJ IlldI w NitdA OuJ btS uSloil5O-
ments, feast out the devis,) send to their
homes clothed, and in their right minds, the
500 insane from whatever cause) inmates of
the State Asylum at Stockton.
want the question answered, not evaded
am not after side issues or special demurrers
that 90 not to the merits l seek informa-
ton, not poemical exercise. l seek truth
earnestly, prqyerfully. The Catholic Church
claims never to have wholly lost this power
of spiritual cure, by the assistance of the
Saints, the spirits of the just and good. The
Protestant Churches, it is said, have lost their
spirituality in the marches of materialism
and the shadows of ,oorldiy proprietieS; and
that it is to give substance, life and soul to
this bundle of Pharisaical forms and corses
that "the Son of Man has again come in the
clouds of Heaven with power and great
glory" Is it so? ENQUIRER,
"a mis.print in my first article makes me ask
care there no medicines 7" 1t should be are
there no medums?" My question relates to in
staneous cures by mediums, and not by medicinal
trea tment
THE New York Commercial says one of
the towers of the Aims House for women is
said to be in a shaky condition, having given
wav about six inches. The premises are oc-