Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-09-18
ANTI-CHRISTIAN.
The Spiritualists in COnEentiOn-Ra
eals, Socially, Politically and
ReligiOusly.
War Declared Against the Christian Re,
HgiOn-WoOdhull Again in
Body and Soul.

CHICAGO, September 1.-THE annual
convention Of the national assembly of
spiritualists is in session in this city.
The president, i. X. Cooley, of Vine
land, New jersey, is here, as well as a
number Of leading spirits from various
parts Of the country. So far, their dis
cussions show very inharmonious state
of affairs in the association. Mrs. Wood
hull is defending her course as president
Of the association, and her peculiar no.
tions of life. During the session last
night, the speakers INDUCED in most
radical utteranees on all subjects. Anna
NJ. Middlebrook, Of Connecticut, said /:
"I stand here tonight, as far as the
christian religion is concerned, deter
mined on its destruction. In politics /
am a rebel. 1 Iavowit boldly. This is a
sham republic. With reference to social
problems / am a revolutiOnist. Why
should we in the nineteenth century go
back eighteen hundred years for our doc
trine? Is not there more that we can
learn from the living present? If we
live up to our philosophy we will see the
time when the mummy creeds OF
christianity will be overturned" The
next speaker was Anthony Higgins, OF
Jersey City. He was very glad to
meet the representatives OF nine or ten
millions of American people who are
called spiritualists. / have another
name for our sect: anti-christians.
fApplause. To be consistent spiritual
lists we must not only change men but
change theories. We have evolved in
this country the right to be happy as
best we msy since the christians have
- II.
seek that elevation by different paths
than those which they have pursued.
We have enuneiated to the world an
other form Of political liberty, that is
individual liberty, and we are teaching
the world that there is no political lib
erty without individual freedom. Vie
toTia g. Woodruff claimed that every one
has right to their own body and soul.
This is contrary to doctrines of christi
anity, and yet you anti-ehristians who
would undermine the christian tree
long to feed on the fruits Of that tree, for
the system of marriage is one of its
fruits. There is an Inconsistency here
we would advance to spiritualistic ,
trine, but still we cling to oA.;.t,o,, ~,
institutions. Mrs. Wood aeilIs.lnl oriaIssian
the the institution inst !l OF marriage i because i
aoo;.t.o .T nv .ked the greatest good to
''0' -; and you who shrink from the
consideration of this question are look
ing at it through the goggles of Moses,
judging it by the dogma Of Christianity;
and you cannot expect that it will appear
to you in its proper light. In your own
married life you know you have been
disappointed. Under the present system
man and wife and brother and sister are
in conflict. Spiritualists cannot think
Of this question because christianity has
mortgaged their brains, and they dare
not think for themselves. Preachers
dress well and draw the sinecures, but
they win not handle this question be-
cause it is too delicate matter to be
spoken of. Let them do as they will, il
is our duty to declare moral warfare on
these defective institutions.