Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1871-05-26
SPTRITUALTSM.
Does the Bib.c Teach Spiritual
Revelations to Mani
Close OF the Discussion Between
F7cSsrs. Graves and Watson.

Greenlaw Hall was again filled with
large and highly respectable audi
ence last evening 20 listen to the dis
cussion of "Spi itualism from a Bibii-
cal point of view," between Rev. J. r.
Graves and Rev. Samuel Watson. The
greatest attention was paid to the STIR
ring words of both speakers, who en-
tered into debate with the greatest
spirit.
Judge Marland L. Perkins and
Judge Harry s. Lee again ofiiciated as
umpireF, with Colonel John Somer-
willie as referee.
Rev. DIR. Watson
opened the discussion and spoke as fol-
lows:
1 had hoped we would have dispos-
ed of the case of the old testament
last night, but my friend seemed dis
posed to concentrate all his batteries
on Samuel and Saul. He quoted DIR.
Clarke and DR.. Gill relative to this
case. DR.. Clarke says. "That Samuel
did appear on this occasion is most
evident from the text; nor can this be
denied by any legitimate mode of in
tel probation. / believe there is a SUI
pernatural and spiritual world in
which human beings. both good and
bad, live in state Of consciousness.
believe that any of these spirits may
according to the order Or God, in the
laws of their place of residence. have
intercourse with this world and be-
come visible to mortals."
He says in his closing paragraph -
In every other passage produced by
DIR. Watson, where spirits in human
form have appeared to man, and are
called men. we find they are declared
to be angels elsewhere" Even if this
were true it would not effect this ques-
ton, for Mr.. Graves says; "As all
know that that term angel simply
means messenger, and does not have
any reference to the character of the
being who acted as messenger l af-
firm without the least fear of success
full contradiction, that my friend is
mistaken. Most o: the cases which
mentioned are not called angels any,
where in the history. 'Tis true, in
the case of the man that appeared to
Innoah's wife is called IN angel, hut
when asked by her husband if he was
tac man that talked to this woman.
he said, ! am the man. The man who
arreared to Joshua is never called an
The six men mentioned by Ezekiel,
X, 2, are now called angels.
There are quite a number of men
mentioned in the New Testament, as
we shall see, who are not called angels
Even if we were to yield the point
that angels and men are synonymous
terms (which we do not, we can then
demonstrate that there are a number
of cases, clear and irrefutable, where
they are not called angels.
[ make the following extract from a
former sermon preached in this city
last year. showing that | entertain the
same views that / advance here:
There was a time in the history of
our world when angels frequently ap-
peared in the visible form, and freely
cOnversed with the children of men.
Their presehce produced no unusual eX-
element or alarm. Our only source
of information here is the Sacred Vol
ume.> We shall therefore make our
appeal only TO this. as in every other
discussion-to the great storehOuse of
truth-alone infallible. This subject
should he approached divestrd of
prejudice. and with desire to know
the truth. Whea we remember how
often angels are mentioned in the Sa-
cred Volume, how closely related they
are to God, how deeply they are inter
ested in the plan of redemption, and
how thev stand Unidentified with Gods
visitations both upon the righteous
and the wicked-when we remember
all this, surely this discussion is
frought with importance and interest
to every rejecting. intelligent mil d,
whatever may be his opinions. The
word rendered angels signifies, both
in the Hebrew and Greek languages,
messengers" and is used to denote
whatever God employs tn execute his
purposes among the children of men.
These angels are spirits-"minister-
ing spirits" the word angel has refer
ence TO their Office, and spirit to their
nature. The Hebrew, Greek and Lat
in words which We render spirit, do
not exactly correspond with our Eng
lish word spirit. This English word
is opposed to matter, and desigEates
what is immortal. But the Greek
word is not opposed TO matter, but to
body, and signifies not what is imma-
terial, but what is incorporeal. The
modern idea was unknown to the an
clients. In / Cor. XIV, we are told
"there is natural body and spiritu-
al body.n Angels, We believe, are
spiritual bodies.
When in the scriptures angels are
represented as appearing with bodies
i'm human form, no intimatiOE Is any
where given that these bodies are not
real. or that they were assumed for a
time and then laid aside. 1t is true
that the matter of these bodies was
not like that of ours. inasmuch as an
gels could make themselves visible and
vanish again from sight. But this i'm
plies no doubt of the reality of their
bodies, it only intimates that they
were not composed of gross matter as
our bodies are. Hence, after his resur-
rection, Jesus often appeared TO MS
disciples and vanished before them
Yet they never doubted that they saw
the identical body of Thirst, which
had undergone all important change.
We cannot conceive of matter, howev-
Ell refined. without form.
believe that our spiritual bodies,
or this elmer man, las Paul calls
i'll is but counterpart of our material
body. That two persons passing into
the spiritual world at the same time
together, would recognize each other
rs well as to meet in the present world.
This inward man" las it is some
times called by the same apOstlel IS a
substance-refiued substance-as real
and tangible to those in the spirit
world as the body is TO the material
world. We cannot, we think, well
conceive of this spiritual body in any
other light; and with spiritual eyes
we behold "a real bodies in as real a
spiritual world as this is a natural or
material world.
Matter. We think, presents no OBJ
struction to this spiritual existence
Such is the extreme refinement of this
spiritual body that it, like electricity,
NAV pass through it without obstrue-
ton.
Let us compare the religious teach
ings of the present with those OF the
past. and we will find that the practl-
taI spiritualistic belief taught by the
e., N ,rraat axfPnf bppn lH-