The Portland daily press., 1868-11-20


2. Resolved. That Spiritualism teaches
!. That man has spiritual nature as
well as corporeal; in other words, that the
| real man is spirit, which spirit has an Or
| ganized form, composed of spiritual substance
with parts and organs corresponding to those
| of the cOrporeal body.
2 That man. as a spirit, is immortal Be
ing found to survive that change called ply
slcai death, it may be reasonably supposed
that he will survive all future vicissitudes.
J. That there is a spiritual world. or state.
with its substantial realities, objective as well
| as subjective.
t. That the process of physical death in
| no way essentially transforms the mental
| constitution or the moral character of those
| who experience it, else it would destroy their
identity.
| D. That happiness or suffering in the spir-
ltual state, as i'll this, depends not on arbitra-
| ry decree or special provisions, but on char
acter, aspirations and degree of harmoniza-
tlon, or of personal conformity to universal
| anddivine law.
g. Hence thatrthe experiences and attain
ments Of this life lay the foundation on
which the next commences.
q. That since growth lin some degree) is
the law OF the human being in the present
life, and since the process called death is in
fact but birth into another condition of life,
retaining all the advantages gained in the eX-
periences of this life, it may be inferred that
growth, development, expansion or progress
sion is the endless destiny of the human
spirit.
8. That the spiritual world is not far of,
but near, around, or interblended with our
present state ofexistence; and hence that we
are constantly under the cognizance of spir-
itual beings.
.. That as individuals are passing from
the earthly to the spiritual state in all stages
OF mental and moral growth, That state in
cludes all grades of character from the lowest
to the highest.
10. That, as heaven and hell, or happiness
and misery, depend on internal states rather
than on external surroundings, there are as
many gradations of each as there are shades
of character-each one gravi.atng to his
own place by natural law of affinity They
may be divided into seven general degrees or
spheres; but these must admit of indefinite
diversifications, "or many mansions" cor
responding to diversified individual characters
each individual being as happy as his char
acter will allow him TO be-
IL. That communications from the spirit
world whether by mental impression, inspi-
ration, or any other mode Of transmission,
are not necessarily infallible truth, but on
the contrary partake unavoidably of the i'm
perfections of the minds from which they
emanate and of the channels through which
they come, and are, moreover, liable to mis-
Interpretation by those to whom they are ad-
dressed.
II. Hence, that no inspired communica-
ton, in this or any age (whatever claims may
be or have been set up as to its source), is
authoritative any farther than it expresses
truth to the individual consciousness--which
last is the final standard to which all inspir-
ed or spiritual teachings must be brought for
judgment.
13. That inspiration, OF the influx of
ideas and promptings from the spiritual
realm, is not miracle of a past age, but a
perpetual fact, the ceaseless method of the
divine economy for human elevation.
IA. That all angelic and all demonisc be-
ings which have manifested themselves or
inlerposed in human affairs in the past, were
simply disembodied human spirits or beings
of like character and origin in different
grades of advancement.
Is. That all authentic miracles tso called
in the past, such as the raising of the appar-
eItly Dead the healing of the sick, by the
laying on of hands or other simple means,
unharmed contact with poisons, the move
ment of physical objects, without visible in
strumentality, etc, etc., have been produced
in harmony with universal laws, and hence
may be repeated at any time under suitable
conditions.
16. That the causes of all phenomena
the sources of all life, intelligence and love-
are to be sought in the internal, the spiritual
realm, not in the external or material
II. That the chain of causation leads in-
evitably upward or onward to an infinite
spirit, who is not only forming principle
(wisdom) but an qfectiOnol source (love)-
thus sustaining the dual, parental relations
of father and mother to all finite intellgences
who, of course, are all brethren.
18. That man as the offspring of this inf
mite parent, is his highest representative on
this plane of being,-the perfect man being
the most complete embodiment of the "Fa-
theirs. fulness" which we can contemplate;
and that each man is or has by virtue of this
parentage in his inmost germ of divinity
an incorruptible portion of the divine essence
which is ever prompting to the right, and
which in time will free itself from all imper-
| fections incident to the rudimental or earthly
| condition, and will triumph over all evil.
10. That all evil is disharmony,greatero or less
| with this inmost or divine principle and hence
| whatever prompts and aids man to bring his
more external nature into subsection to, and
| harmony with his interiors-whether it be
called christianity" "Spiritualism, or the
| "Harmonial Observation-Disclosures it recog-
nize the "Holy Ghost" the Bible, or press
| ent spiritual and celestial infux-is "mean-
| of salvation" from evil.
Sd. Resolved, That the hearty and intelli-
| gent conviction of these truths with reaiza-
| ton of spirit communion, tends
1st. To enkindle lofty desires and spiritual
| inspirations, an effect opposite to that of a
| grovelling materialsm, which limits exist
| ence to the present life.
End. To deliver from painful fears of
death and dread of imaginary evils copse-
quent thereupon, as well as to prevent inor-
dinate sorrow and mourning for deceased
| friends.
Sd. To give rational and inviting concep-
| ton of the after-life to those who use the
| present worthily.
4th. To stimulate to the highest and
| worthiest possible employment Of the pres
| ent life, in view of its momentous relations
| to the future.
5th To energize the soul i'll all that is
good and elevating, and to restrain the pas
| sions from all that is evil and impure. This
must result according to the laws of moral
| influence, from knowledge of the constant
presence or cognizance of the loved and the
| pure.
9th. To guard against the seductive and
| degrading influence of the impure and the
unenlightened of the spiritual world. If such
exist and have access to us, our safety is not
| in ignorance.
| 7th. To prompt our highest endeavors by
| purity of heart and life, by angelic unse6sh-
ness, and by loftiness of aspiration to live
| constantly enrdpport with the highest possi-
| BILE grades of spirit, life and thought.
| Sth. To stimulate the mind to the largest
| investigation and the freest thought on all
subjects, especially on the vital themes of
| spiritual philosophy and all cognate matters,
that it may be qualified TO judge for itself
what is right and true
| 9. To deliver from all bondage to authority
| whether vested in creed, book or church. ex.
| cept that of perceived truth
10. To make every man more an individual
| and more man, by taking away the supports
| of authority and compelling him to put forth
and exercise his own God-given, truth deter
| mining powers.
| IL AT the same time to make each one mod
| est, courteous, teachable and deferential.
| God speaks in one persons interiors, he does
| the same in those of every other person, with
| a clearness proportional to the individual de
| velopement; and if one would know the
truth in all its phases, it is well that he give
| patient ear to the divine voice through others
| as well as in himself, that all possible mistakes
in his own lntuitions may be corrected. T,
refuse to do this, is the extreme of egOtism
| while unquestionng submission to another
| convictions, is the extremesof selfshness.)
II. To promote charity and liberation fo
all differences in so far as they result from va
ration in mental constitution, experience anC
| growth.
ID. To cultivate and wisely direct the at
fectionai nature making persons more kind
fraternal, unselfish, angelic.
a. To quicken the religious nature, givlns
m )re immediate sense of the divine exist
ence, presence. power, wisdom, goodness ant
| narantal core tban il ant to be felt withOu