The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-09

After lying Tor some time and thinking Of my
pus ness affairs, strange sensation began TO
anu wllie trying to convince myself that It was
only hallucinatOn. my arm, which was hanging
out OF the bed was thrown with some force on
This startled me somewhat, and knowing It
was no movement OF the muscles which caused 1t,
! lett impressed 1t might be spirit, and dc.
ternin "a to test 1t. SAID. III this IS spirit that
moved my arm, will not believe 1t unless you
can throw 1t back to its original position" 1t was
instantly done with the same force US before. Tbs
TACT OF uJ wish being gratiei was p. Oof positive
O. myself. Quest ons when / asked were mmedi-
ately answered by movement VI my arm either
airmatlvey or nee atlvely.
awakened every morning sc daybreik Dy Q shak-
ing o. my head, as though some one was tying TO
arm was so inluenced which led me 10 suppose the
Intelligence wished me to write.
Beng de5i GUS OF lathonlng this mystery 10 the
end and see whit MI ht come OF 1t, asked the
spirit one morning .i should take pencil AMI
hold It on paper could receive commancati on e.
lt replied In the aifrm. tive did So AMI being
aroused so frequently at 80 early an hour thought
would test the poetic powers Of the spirit and
arm be gan slowly TO trace THESE Our hnes:-
Cannot mortss like the lark arse.
And let acis c a ro n,s a., sssena
And Joy 10 Na.ure's beauty lend
Never having seen these lines be ore, and not
am SATISFIED am not the author OF them, but re-
ceived tnem from the spirit word.
After this my enthusiasm began TO cool ana
became somewhat scaptic. doubted the wisdom
OF Changing the religious teachings or my younger
days, and embracing tue more liberal doctrines
promulgated by Spi itualism.
While IN this state OF perpexty was one day
sitting at my table, when felt the same infuence
In my arm as ON the previous occasion, ana taking
pencil and holding 1t on paper, my arm was
moved to write the loiiowing:-
Can you be so blind q not to
Ana Know scos is
When He to US some favor gives!
N-ctAn hi Al.srI-A and AnsA inAA IN
doubt no more. And although may still be
derded on account OF the delusi0n ~, rs some or
right doing viii more tnan compens tie for any
loss OF friendship which l may sustain Tor my
present belief. 1t Is true Splritualism Is not at
present popular reli ZION. but, II can read the
signs OF the times correctly, the day Is not far
distant when Its influence will become so great In
the world that even its most bitter opponents Will
be compelled to give il more than passing notice.
And when the advancing hosts OF angels armed
with the weapons OF wisdom and brotherly love
shall have laid waste the strOngholds OF bgOtry
and superstition and released the minds of men
from the thraldOn CT scctarianisin then Will the
bead tiful teachings OF Spiritlalsm be better I'M
derstOOd and become source OF JOY and comfort
to the human race
and II my narration of them Will induce any
candid mind to investigate the philosophy OF
Spiritualism will not have written this article IN
vain. SEEKER AFTER TRUTH.
The Errors OF tho Accusers Of Catholi.
cism.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
A great deal has been said-and probably will in
future time often be repeated-0f the abuses OF
the Catholic Church, and purgatory, transubstan
tiation and iAiallibty are offered as specimens OF
these alleged abuses. But the accusers Of Catho-
cism in error when they assert that the Church
has corrupted Christianity in teaching and en-
forcing upon her disciples these doctrines; for
when our Lord Jesus Christ laid the foundation OF
His holy Church and instituted the order OF priest
hood He delivered to her and to them the whole
truth, both in doctrine and morality Of His divine
religion q sacred and inle ieaSible Inheritance,
In which men OF all nations were to be instructed
until the end OF time. This sacred trust
was not transmitted to the Church ~ q
possession which might be alienated, or from
which she should be 1t liberty to separate herself
according to her pleasure, but the Almighty made
her the creature OF His voice for the accomplishing
OF His purposes toward the children Of men. He
willed that that truth, Tor whose revelation God
has been sacrificed, should be built up and estab-
lshed upon solid and enduring foundation, so as
to be Interchangeable and incorruptibe, ever access
sible to in all its pristine purity and virtue.
The omniscient God foresaw that without this ex-
ercise OF power Ills holy religion would langush
while In meekness and mbeciity without author
ity either to teach or command become corrupted
through the influence of man. and at length expire
in the darkness OF paganism Thus the blood OF
result result which the most Just God " could
in no wise WISE permit ' rhe Almighty God
resolved upon this grand exertion Of His onnipo-
tence. He endowed HIS Church with His own at
tribute OF infallibty He guards ana directs His
Church. He is present in the mind g His Wears
courages them when strong and strengthens them
when weak. He prevents them from wandering
9% the st s e are
termed abuses are part and parcel of this original
deposit. The Church cannot lay them aside. She
must teach them, whether she win or no, because
she Is but an instrument nodded in the hands OF
God and predestinated to do His will. When called
upon to reform" and conform to modern pro-
words Of the Vicar OF Christ will echo through all
the centuries. NOR possunus" we are not able
The Church OF God, In performing and accom-
plishing her mission here on earth, in teaching
and governing the Christian peoples Is obliged to
which are amendable at pleasure, according to
times and circumstances, and IN passing these she
post Of Christian ' faith and morals but on only
means, under Cod OF maintaining and perpetual
ing the same Human wisdom may set up imper-
feet and pernciOus rules, and an abuse may creep
into the order of the Church. and by long neglect
sufierance become custom. The writer Of this
point out, that at least one OF the Church's laws
however wise may have been Its institution anu
sautary its working at the time Of ITS erection has
pOwerless for good II not absolutely fruitful 0fevi
and that one abuse OF great importance has BY
long HekuStnCe CTcpJ liltO Tile CHurCn.
by the first he means that law OF the Church
which locks up the Liturgy in the mystery OF
dead language. In the early ages OF Christianity
the Roman Empire ruled the known world, and
the Latin language was understood more or less
readily by the peoples OF the different Roman
provinces. The use OF the language OF Rome In the
divine service was, therefore, natural and appro-
priate ana 1t inflicted but little Inconvenience on
the faithful, When at the opening OF the Middle
Ages the barbarous northern tribes invaded the
civilized southern countries and blended them
selves with Christian people, impartng to them
savage disposition and receiving In return the
Christian religion and the influence OF the Christian
civilization twas proper that the Church should
preserve her ancient law, and continue to cOthe
| her Liturgy in the language OF the old Empire;
| for new nations and peoples were then gradually
! arising, and new tongues were forming from the
| mixture oil the old and new and by degrees per.
| fecting. In the general confusion the meaning OF
| the Divine Liturgy must be preserved. II commit