The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-09-27
For the Sunday CrescentI
HAVE SPIRITS MOTION
BY IDBNBCRG.

What is spirit In the precise definition Of
this is involved the answer to the main question
have spirits motion, In the fnst place under.
stand spirit and soul to be synonymous terms. A
man troubled in spirit means q man troubled in
soul. In taking these terms as syneDymous, how
ever, tacity acknowledge the immateriality of
the soul; for, matter and spirit, when defined
alike, sound rather psradoxicsl. l hold, then,
that the soul is an mmaterial, spiritual substance,
and materislity can no more be considered an at
tribute of spirit or soul than visibility can of wind
We feel the wind, we hear 1t. and we see its
effects but the wind itself, in its individual capa
city, we do not, we cannot see. So with the soul
We carry our ideas as far as possible into infnty
We see everything around rs capable OF motion,
either actively or passiyely. We know there must
be some prime agent, and when human concep.
ton, from the magnitude of the object ia ex.
hausted, we fain must stop, and doubtful as we
may be, Tx on some essence as the prime agent;
we end in the faint idea of q God. God is spirit
that Is, not being Of matter, but one and indi-
visible. Hence, we have come at final cause,
and consequently can see that nothing but this
spirit is capable of self-motion. Now, if we can
believe that there is a spirit, infinite in power,
though we see and know it only in its effects, we
can likewise believe thore other spirits, infe.
rior indeed In power, but partaking OF the same
nature, and which, when set in motion, are capa-
Bile of working invisibly visible effects, We can
pTlQClDIe6
are, but, as we can form no idea of spirit being
matter, We may r1gnuy suppose mem 70 be some.
thing like emanations from the Infinite Spirit, and,
according to the first admission, immaterial. Hav-
ing gained some idea Of spirit the first and most
powerful argument in favor Of its power OF mo-
ton, is the universal belief Of philosophers of all
sscis and ages that It is sO we Look
subject OF soul has given rise in all parts of
the earth, the east as the west, we shall per.
ceive that motion is admitted as an indispensable
inherent attribute of soul. So naturally does the
fact Of IFS being so present itself that this quality
alone has hardly had any weight whatever on
either side Of their arguments. The materialist
admits 1.-THE immaterialist admits it. One says
thought itself is motion, and that thought is but
a modification of soul. Another says: II any
thing exist it requires space to exist in; believe
IN the soul existence and can form as sound an
idea Of spirit as of matter, existing ir space if
believe that space be necessary for a spirit, /
have as much reason for believing that power of
motion Is given the spirit in that space and that
this spirit is always at work. yielding its influence
to the matter about it. We see by this, that how
ever discoidsnt philosophers may have been in
their opinions concerning soul, they all agreed in
fact, II we will but reflect a moment il does not
seem possible TO deny the attribute of motion in
any way. Suppose the mind an inert principle,
utterly incapable OF action; what would be the
use oft Why should such dead principles be
given us We might, indeed, suppose 1t plastic,
ike matter, capable of receiving impression or
be made, after the form be determined
where would be its further use? The soul must |
contain within itself the principles of motion and
when we come n cur reasoning to conclude there |
Is mind when We see the influence il exerts on |
the body; and not see merely, but reflect these |
very circumstances will tell the soul has these
principles.
We draw another argument in favor of motion |
being applicable TO spirits from Scripture. We |
often read Of spirits ascending and descending, |
ana OF spirits conversing with mortas. Here is /
motion too palpable to be overlooked-too evil
Dent, II we believe these writings, to admit the
'naoow OF a doubt. These spirits do not come
encumbered by fesh-they come Free pure, in
heir own invisible nature. They converse with
nan yet man sees them not they warn and en-.
courage him and he irembles and rejoices. Now, |
! spirits can hover about the confines of this
World, and even possess the faculty of speech as
he Scriptures say they do, we must either sup
'ose them minute portions Of Deity itself, or mere
uman souls without matter-spirits already es-
sPed rom the prison OF mortality. But, that the
Dnnlte mind, which is believed to be one and in |
isible, should at the same time be composed of
n INFINITE mulhtpde Of Atye sUiyi rta hnegftfg,
axe the latter suppositon, that these spirits are
othlng more or less than souls like ourselves.
We believe, and 1t is instilled into US from the
avn OF reason, that the souls of the lust twill
o 10 Heaven" Now, what is meant by this |
mere is Heaven asks one. We have no more
ght to say soul ascends and descends to
eaven, since we are looking down at the yerv
oment We are looking up for our sntipodes and
lrselves point to Heaven at the same time, al.
lough We know, that, from the nature of our |
lobe, we are both looking opposite ways
mock the world from its center, or out of exist
nee, and where is the ascending and descending |
on tell ahouty Such is one of the arguments
sed against the idea of Heaven. Bat. as res- |
Gets eur subject of spiritual motion, we NAV
oppose, If We please, this argument good, still
ere IS Heaven somewhere-souls 20 to that .
eaven-and the act of going supposes motion.
New Orleans, Sept. 25th, 1868.