The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-01-05

reality of spirit-rapping, nor did one Oh theH
volunteer his evidence to save IN apostle OF
their faith from the penalty of his imposture'
There is nothing more extraordinary in the
popularity of spiritualism than in that OF
witchcraft, which prevailed for two hundred
and fifty wears, and ran riot In both Europe and
America causing the deaths of multitudes every
year, so that in many cities of Germany the
average number of executions for witchcratt
Amounted to six hundred annually. The most
learned iudres in the land shared the deluslon
in common with the most ignorant Pe"Sah'.
All human eYperience demonstrates that great
credulity is not incompatible with the highest
degree of intellectual cultivation, ana even
scientific attainments that the uttermost
rroStr,tion of mind is consistent with the
ioftiest range of intellectual power. This is
,roved not only by the belief of the most emil
mont men I'm witchcraft, but by their faith In
astrologv, in necromancy and sorcery, In ami
NAL magnetism and other fables, which nave,
nevertheless, commanded the creGence OF IN
teIIectual and philosophic men. For thou"
sands of wears alchemy was believed IN 10y
millions They pretended that Moan must
have been acquainted with the eHrfr rate or he
could not have lived so long, and that SHEA
or CHEM, the son of NOAH, was an adept
in the art, and that probably the words
chemistry and alchemy were both derived from
his name Many of the more learned wasted
their lives and energies in seeking the transmit
tation Of metals into gold, and others beleNed
in an elixir of life, and other means OF pro-
longing existence for hundreds of years. Most
of the alchemists were also astroloSers ana
three centuries ago the belief was rife that the
devil and the stars interfered constantly in the
affairs of men, and both were to be consulted
Necromancy and sorcery was the department
over which His Satanic Majesty presided,
whilst astrology invited those who were more
cheerful and aspiring. Astrology was en-
couraCcd by monarchs and governments, and
was in high rcpute in England from the time
| of ELIZABETH to that of WILLIAM and MARY.
Even the great astronomer kEPPLER cast ma
Invites for his friends, but justified himself on
the ground that, though, in his opinion, they
We're nothing but worthless conjcctures, he
was obliged TO devote himself to them or he
would have starved. ''Yc overwise phlloso-
- pliers" he exclaimed, "ye censure the
- daughter of Philosophy beyond her deserts
Kno,c ye not that size must support hc' mother ~
/ .her chdrmS?'
| The truth is that human nature, ut the best,
has in it n good deal of crazincss and folly; n
proclivty 10 imitation and deceit; vanity
which desires to astonish, and an imbeclhty
which desires to be astonishcd q facility IN
the abandonment of the Will and OF every
other faculty; nervous intirmities and other
physical depravities, rs we'll rs moral trailtes,
which render mankind in all ages an easy
prey to witchcraft, necromancy, spirituallsm,
| MormOnism and every other dcluSiOn and
deception which knaves and inpostors may
originate. or all these humbugs, Spiritualism
is the most senscless and corrupting-a combi-
nation of the madness of Bedlam and the
morals Of the Five Points.