The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-06-14
From the Religio-Philosophieal JoumaIl
Oregon Spiritual Convention.

BY request, we publish the following,
as showing what the Spiritualists are
doing in our midst. We believe in Civ
ing all sides a hearing. Ed. New
NORTHWEST.
The Spiritualists of Oregon will hold
their next Convention at WoOdburn
Grove, seventeen miles north of Salem,
commencing Monday, June 18th, 1872,
and continuing until the following Sun
day. It is expected that decisive steps
will be taken toward laying the fOunda-
tiOn for the establishment of Liberal
College" The question has been agi-
tated with some earnestness during the
past year, and all feel the necessity for
schools and colleges which shall be con-
Quoted upon more liberal and progress
sive principles than the straft-jacket
seminaries, where pupils are manacled
with fossil creeds and the bigOtry of n
barbarOus age. We need new text
books, too, free from that insinuating
sectarianism so craftily introduced into
all our popular school books that the
minds of the young are imperceptibly
drawn into the embrace of error and SUI
perstition.
This thought suggests another. We
can boast, in the Spiritual ranks, of the
deepest philosophers and ripest scholars
of the age. Our literature rates with
the foremost. Our speakers and debat-
ers have no superiOrs. And vet we are
comparatively bankrupt in text books
for educating our youth. Here is 4
great deSideratum, and n standing re-
prOach. We have the talent among
Spiritualists to prepare better text books
independent of wedding out the sec
tarianism) than those now in use. But
unfortunately those possessing the tai
ents are poor and without influence.
Were they to write they could not pub
lish. If the wealthy will now step for
ward and guarantee the publication, the
writers would soon be at work. Will
they do it, or must our children still
continue to be trained in error? My
As:rO-TheOlogical lectures have awak-
ened much interest here in Oregon, and
Brother John 5. Hawkins, of Salem,
having generously proposed to furnish
capital TO pay the artist for n series of
views to illustrate my astronomical and
allegOrical explanations, William Par
rotte, of Salem, a highly gifted and in
spiratiOnal young artist, has been for
several months engaged upon the work
which we anticipate Will be so near
completion that it can be exhibited at
our convention in June. This is not
merely an individual enterprise in its
effects, although strictly so i'm the under
taking, for Bro. Hawkins and myself
have agreed that all proceeds arising
therefrOm, beyond reasonable living ex-
penses, shall 90 into the fund for estab-
fishing a Liberal College, printing
books for use in same, and for aiding
generally in disseminating the sublime
truths of our beautiful philosophy. He
will travel with me, making the tour of
the United States, which will probably
require several years.
Brother Hawkins has invented and
constructed "Flanetarium," consisting
of flaming sun in the centre, around
which the planets, attended by their
moons, will be seen revolving, at differ
ent distances and rates of speed, inside
zodiac seven feet in diameter. The eff
feet produced is not inferior to the best
apparatus, costing thousands of dollars,
to be found in colleges, and owned by
private individuals. A revolving plan
isphere,u seven feet in diameter, on
which are painted the zodiac, eeliptic,
and consultations, will represent the
daily apparent motion of the heavens,
whereby many of the puzzles of the BIZ
ble can be made so plain that even a
child may understand them. In addl-
ton there will be thirteen other views
painted in oil colOrs, arranged in pan
Drama style, constituting a very inter-
esting exhibition, aside from the inter-
est and novelty of my lectures, casting
horoscopes, etc.
The readers of the Journal will re-
member in one of my articles q year
ago, predicted success for myself when
Jupiter came upon the midheaven of
nv horoscope. will only say that this
enterprise promises greater results than
dared hope for.