The New York herald., 1869-04-11

Judge Eduonds and sPiritaaiisfn- Interesting
Anniversary.


To TUE EpfroR OF THE HERALD:-
the well known propensity OF the HERALD 20 give
both sides OF every question: as TO enable its
merous readers to judge for themselves induces me
now to ntrude upon it, In It's notices OF the LIST and
2d inst OF the meeting OF the Sprllualists on the
3lst ut am placed in false position. In its article
OF the lst my letter TO the meeting was spoken OF as
"a rather verbose document and on the I'd my ab-
sence was spoken OF thus:-"The absence of Mr.
nirs0 Kane was a big and heavy blow, but the ab-
sence OF Judge Edmonds far bigger and hea-
yiern Now, all this docs not convey al accurate
view, and to do that, and at the same fine relying
upon the well known fairness OF the HERALD I beg
the favor OF pubcatfon in It's couinns Of nv letter
read on that OCCASION J. W. EDM0NDS.
To THOSE WHO ARE here Ass EMsLRD TO CE.E-
BRATE THE ANNivERsARY or rHE ADVENT or
I MODERN SPiRtPukLlsS:--
Prevented bV bodily inirmity, which hope Is but
transient, from participating with y0u personally on
this interesting occasion, and vet feeling an interest
In the cause Watch grows more intense as advance
In age and IN knowledge OF The subieet, nope
y0u VIII permit me o address TO you few woris OF
cheer and eongr9tulation II not OF instruction. 1t
seems tO me tB@t we cannot he too careful To have
the object OF celebrations distinctly understood.
We do not mean TO claim that tins era is the first
time that an intercourse with the spirit world has
been known among men, and we do not celebrate its
advent a. new event in the annals OF mankInd.
AS far back as we have any knowledge of me lie al
man we discover lis appearance. Everywhere, both
In sacred and profane history, we have accounts Of
Its presence. Every religion ever kaowa among
men has revelation rom tne spirit world ITS oun-
dalton and we know fun well that our age is not
the first in which 1t has appeared. But this
age Is the first IN which IL has been dealt
with wisely and wei. It Is now that for the first
time the human race have advanced far enough in
knowledge OF man and his relations TO God and in
freedom OF thought 10 make It available for our hap
piness ana progress; and it is now that for The
first time we are enabled TO rise above the ignorance
superstition and fear Which have hitherto shut out
the light OF heaven from the human soul. u is this
emancipation and rs consequences that we cele.
brate; for when freedom SPEAKS TO earth again
Z
come and 10 profit by u. Never TIL now has the
spirit presence been hailed by an understanding en-
hghtened enough TO comprehend it. At one time
II was regarded as direct communion with God
himself; at another time as the interference OF the
stars ana planets with human afatrs At one time
II was viewed as miracle, Involving a suspension
OF universal Jaw, and at another met with denial
OF fact as incompatible with the law of God
and OF nature. Now, as coming from angels, an
order OF created Intelligence, distinct from the
human race, and now as enlanatlng from devils or
angels iaifen from their high estate. Now, IL was
astrology used for the guidance OF human AFFAIRS
and anon II was wftchcraft involving compact be-
tween the devil and weak mortas, out all for evil
AT time the instruments OF it, appearance would
be worshipped as gods; at another reyerenced as
prophets, and at another, hung drowned and burned
rotous violence and now canonRed into the SAINT
book Tortured TO death by holy inquistion, tried
and executed by courts OF justice reverenced as
the founder OF some mighty religion, ali powelfu 10
persecute and to STAY, but impotent 10 save 10
comforting the mourner, and at other times |
scattering alright and misery and ruin broadcast
there through a succession OF ages sometimes In
broken fragments Of scattered vsitatton5 aud some
times with profuse outpourlng and long-continuing
among men. But at no time do we learn that there
was ever rational, welsustained enort made to
investigate Its nature or ascertain the purpose OF Its
coming IL displayed intelligence, and ofttmes that
which was above anything that could be expected
from mortal life Men actually opened an intercourse
with 1t; but it rarely seemed to have entered into
their minds that 1t could be made available to reveal
what is the life beyond our death; and when that
thought did occur It was either confined to the clois.
m nv IA off tnaf
It was sin to seek TO learn that which
God had kept from our knowledge. And
OF identity strong as 10 tend powerfully toward
conviction, 1t was met with the denunciation-found
the grave-that the wicked could not leave their
abiding place. and the vlrtuous would not.
Thus it noateo down the stream OF time, perverted
by ignorance or fear into an instrument OF misery
man, or converted by superstition into despotism
over his freedom OF thought, until within the last
quarter OF century 1t visited, for second time,
this Continent. Here 1t found q land where there
was no persecution for opinions sake-a people
whose education and freedom of thought fitted them
TO receive and Investigate, If not to welcome and
embrace II. Here was no authority TO give
TO- unsupported denial fT5 the power 70 crush
burn to death the instruments OF its PRONUNCIATION;
but hundreds and thousands OF intelligent people
mystery Of Gods universe Hence Is that
when II came among US and displayed, "a Of Old,
that 10 was Intelligent and that we could commune
with IT, an intercourse with IL was opened and we
began to learn Its nature and Its purpose
Ihat iS the event tnat we now e0nlInemorate-not
much the advent OF spirits among as the OPEN
ing OF our Intercourse with them-whereby there
can come 10 US a knowledge OF what Is the life into
which we are 10 pass when we take our departure
from ths-a revelation so far as we know, that can
come 10 only thus, and II II comes surely as i'm
porant any that has ever been vouchsafed to man.
And well indeed may we celebrate IL. Again has
the stone been rolled away from the mouth OF the
sepuIchre. Again has the light OF heaven invaded
the darkness OF the tomb, and that which twenty
one years ago strange disturbance In q single
family has sweiied up TO magnitude that causes
millions In this country aad to be heard OF all over
the world. Let u.s. then, give thanks TO God. Free.
dom does speak to earth again, as once IL spoke
from Calvary. IL IL the Divinity that stirs within
this movement, and through its benencent influence
man is at length speeding rapidly IN the path OF
that progression which Is hts destiny.
]. W. EDMUEDS
New YORK, March 81, 1862
The Religious Feeling in westneld, Mass.
WEsTflELD Mass, April s, 1859.
This town has pretty extended bad name, in con-