The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-13
SPIRlTUALlSM, SORCERY, ANO WITCHCRAFT.
What It Is and what It Is Not-The
Bibles Opinion of IL.


the real nature of spiritualism and its rela-
tions to established religions and beliefs we
give place to the following extensive elimina-
tion Of the whole subject, from correspon-
dent who appears to be cup" in spiritualism.
Ed. Ev. TE LEGRAPH.1
TO the Editor Of the EUening Telcgraph,-
Since the rise of this species of sorcery. or
necromanoy, in the United States, it has occu-
pied the attention of all classes of society to a
certain degree, and, as a rule, has been re-
ceived with all its errors, or else been rejected
as a "humbug" or iuggler's trick.
Our attention lately has been the more
called to this subject from the number of
crimes of all kinds that have been committed
by the demoniacs or mediums of this belief,
and the amazing want of knowledge evinced
by people, and particularly by Chris
tian men, as to its exact nature. Many seem
to wonder why murderer now in our prison,
who is also medium" " should not wish the
advice Of a clergyman of the Gospel of Christ
in view of his death, as though person pos
sessed with demon could, by any possibility,
acknowledge the truth OF the Christian re-
hgOn
We have been led, as we before said, into
the present remarks on this subject on
account of the widespread prevalence of
Spiritualism in this land, and with desire to
show to our readers its true nature.
In the examination of the subject we must
address ourselves only to those who acl1now-
ledge the Divine origin of the sacred Scrip
lures, both Jewish and Christian; who hold
that the Bible is from God, and that the Chris
tian religion is true. We therefore start
with the Bible as already proved, although
we are aware that Spiritualsts deny the truth
of the Bible, and on that account any argu-
ment based on the divinity of the Bible will
be little regarded by them.
We know indeed that q few deyOteeS of
this modern necromancy still profess to hold
by the Bible; but we shall see that, whatever
may be true of few isolated individuals, they
are exceptions to the almost universal rule,
and that the familiar spirits whom they con-
suit do, almost unanimously deny the truth of
the Scriptures and the claims of Jesus Christ
of Nazareth to be the Son of God, the long
foretold Lord Messiah
To argue with full-grown Spiritualists as
with any other heathen infdels or atheists,
we should begin with establishing the truth
of the Bible and the divine origin of Christi
anity; for there must the controversy with
them begin, for if Spirtualism be exactly
what its friends claim, the Bible denounces it
in no measured terms as an determination to
the Lord" and as deserving the adherence
and detestation of every Christian.
We do not come to the consideration of this
subject as to mere triaing delusion, which a
Sneer or ridicule may set aside and however
much of mere deception there may be con-
nected with it, we shall not ascribe it as
whole to any such source. We shall not hope
to drive it from any minds, or prevent any
from acknowledging its claims by the easy cry
of "humbug" " and nonsense" which is
merely the expression of Indifference and
want of candid examination. By any such
staving off of careful investigation we should
expect to confirm in their faith in Spiritualism
those who have been eye witnesses and ear
witnesses of the manifestations" We
should expect them to say to us, "lt
that is all that can be said against Spirit
ualism, it cannot be successfully opposed"
They might say, and reasonably, "We
have seen effects produced on inanimate
objects which must have been by supernatural
influence. We have seen and heard revelations
respecting events which could not by any
possibility have been known to those who are
accused of practising the deception. Events
in our own private life have been declared by
these invisible ntelligences, which up to that
moment were known to no human being but
ourselves. IT, then, all you have to say, or
all that can be said against these manifesto
tions, is to charge them to the account o
human deception and humbug, we cannot helE
believing in Spiritualism."
The "Society for the Diffusion of Spiritual
knowledge" had for its President Governor N
p Tallmadge, OF Wisconsin; the Vice-Presi
dents were Chief Justice Joseph Williams o
Iowa; Judge w. P. Fowler, of Kentucky
Judge r. p. Spaulding, OF ONO; Judge " N
Larrabee, of Wisconsin; Horace IL. Day, o
New York; Hon. Warren Chase, OF Wisconsin
DIR. David Corey, of Illinois; General 4. f
Bullard, of New York. Hon. r. d. Davis, o
New Jersey; DIR. George T. Dexter of New
Jersey; Major G. w. Raines, Ofthe United State
Army f. w. Bailey, of Pennsylvania; ant
Phineas L. Gay, of Massachusetts,.
When such men are convinced otits reality
when Professor Hare, Of our own University
and hundreds like him and like them, asser
that they have seen, heard, and felt thes
manifestations, shall we meet them with erie
of "humbug," ''ventrlloqusm, colluslon'
and "cheat i'
'InteIigent men, says one writer, ''stronG
minded men, are conscientiously welded I
the system, and have challenged the world
meet them in the fight, and expose the
errors" go -,
We approach the subject, then, with tn
conviction of its vast importance, and not
he trifed with-with the knowledge that 1t
a subieot frequently treated of in the Bibl
and against which God has been at the pair
frequently to warn His people.
A widespread skepticism has crept into u
Church respecting all supernatural spiritu
influences Even Christians have grown car
less of the fact that ''We wrestle not with flies
and blood only, but with principalities, VII
mowers. toih the rulers of the darkness OF N
5,orJd AND WITH WICKED SPIRITS IN THE AIR, -
the literal translation reads. The very exls
enoe of evil spirits is almost ignored, and u
name of their prince has become word WI
which to point joke or raise laugh.
We shall show that the oCitchcraft Of the ear
ooes loas a rediity and not mere pretens
III - M baIief in that criticism which trl