The New York herald., 1873-08-31
SPIRITUALISM.
THE FOUNDATION.

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THE FOUNDATION
Belief in future III, is natural to man. Savage
or civilized, he Is never quite without that hope
and DESIRE This faith is the corner stone on which
all the religious edifces have been built that ever
numbered the EARTH Human commerce with the
celestals s also subject that in all countries has
claimed the credence Of mankind. 1t is eminently
o Biblical theme commencing with the second chap.
ter Of Genesis and concluding with the last chap
ter Of Revelations. All creeds also divide the in
habltants OF the other world into two classes "the
good and the bad" and generally admit that men,
bers Of both OF these classes are occasionally in
terviewed" by the sons and daughters of Adam.
THE BUILDING.
Statements verifying human intercourse with
the higher order OF spirits, from the Deity Himself
down to the '1ellow servant'' OF John the Reve-
lator, will readily occur to the reader and need not
here be recorded. Statements verifying human
intercourse with the lower order of spirits are also
abundant IN the sacred writings The Egyptian
magicans by their enchantments successfully emu
lated the two first OF the ten plaques. and caused
their rods to change into serpents, after the man
ner Of that OF Aaron. The ghost of the prophet
Samuel was evoked by woman who had familiar
spirit to do her bidding. The New Testament adds
to the record the case OF Simon, 'who used sorcery
gospels filed with reports OF the of very
many people who were possessed Tor 0bsessed) by
demons which were exercised at the command of
Christ The last book of the Bible, the Revelation,
sums up the question and presents in grand re-
view the combating forces OF the ETHEREAL armies.
SCIENTISTS HISTORIANS AND POETS.
Spiritualsm being thus sanctioned by the
simplest and purest faith the world has ever seen,
readers can be left to estimate the position 1t
holds In the more elaborate and complicated reli-
gions Of the further East. But Notwithstanding the
united testimony OF the creeds scientists, as q
mass have ever continued to turn deaf ear to the
voices OF the charmers They feel that they can
not pour a spirit into alembic, nor bray it in
q mortar; that it defes analyzation and will not be
meted by their rules nor weighed in their balances.
Historians give to the subject more lenient atten-
tton. Sacred history has already been quoted;
classic history abounds in spiritual marvels. and
modern European historians and even American.
are not without their share Of such wonders.
Poets delight to dwell upon such supernal themes
and In the brightest pages OF their labors from the
epic OF Job, in which Satan Is perSOni1ed to the
Midsummer Nights Dream Of Shakespeare we find
in their writings unearthly characters depicted in
all forms and attitudes, and OF all classes and
powers.
THE POWER OF THE POET.
In spite OF science and materialism, It would
seem as though the Imagination rules and ever
must rule the heart of man. In the popular scales
speare. The cry Of the many is "Puck's grdie
against the telegraph for ever.n It is no use to
not philosophers, but men and women. II the poets
love the marvellous, 1t Is certain that the people
win do So for they hey have eyer followed their song
HIMSELF, Miguel de Cervantes, has moulded the
character Of the spaniard, and it was not the edct
which preceded 1t, that changed the religion Of
England. The power OF the poet has been dwelt
upon, because In all cases OF celestial intercourse
nj
the imaginative faculty OF man. This Is the domain
Modern Spirituasm claims to be the child OF
Science but Is repudated by her. Her only re-
there she iinds her home Reared n the lap Of
the Foxy muses.. 1t Is no wonder that she already
aspres to rule the chariot of Apollo. But 1t Is
true that ut present Splritualists make very
grotesque appearance when endeavoring to bridle
the fiery steeds. Nothing can be more ridiculous
than the wretched twadde that is paraded weekly
IN their papers as coming direct from the spirit
world. They themselves admit that the larger
alias liars. whoever interviews their medical
clalrvoyants had better abide by one only, other
wise he may find out the truth OF the old copy
their conferences is usually the sliest balderdash
that Is, when treating OF the subject OF spiritual
one Of the elect who told him conndentialy
that he had attended seance the pre-
bSrs Srs eveng and that the had
much to fathom It's meaning. It was, said he, "A
bird in the hand Is worth two in the bosh.u al have
the last word bush Non No. RESPONDED the tray %
eller, gravely, 'the sperrts gave lt 'bosh.'" The
experience OF che writer adds that those spirits be-
longed to the ranks of the truth tellers.
PROGRESS AND PLAN OF ACTION.
But, although the rappings, the planchette bust
ness the table tippings and turnings, spirit paint
ings and spirit materialzations may, when criti-
caly examined, prove to be ridiculous and un-
worthy, the rapid growth Of the popular belief IN
public press only quarter OF century old, 1t
has already established It's organs In almost every
civilized community without home aid Its mis-
Mr.. PEBBLES, has just passed through Austria
lasia on q lecture tour, and s now In
China. BY his own account his labors
been received and welcomed by large audiences
throughout his route. The nature OF modern
splrituaiism Is such that 1t is eminenty easy TO
Introduce 1t into any community Splrltuansts
scout the idea that their doctrines are proscrip-
tive or even new, being content with calling them
development OF the faiths already existing IN sne
the germ OF truth, though they add tnas III AZ
cases these germs are 0veraid with errors. AS
developed SOUL and and as 8 they admit no special
eternal punishment, previously accepted iorms OF
faith present no obstacles to their enterprise.
not oppose existing religions but rather attacnes
itself to them and undermines them. IL usually
makes Its rst entry into family circles, ana WIEN
regular order to establish Its churches and organ
ize Its presses among the people.
According to it's programme spirtualsm has for
its ends and aims "the scientinc propau9n OF the
continuation of human existence In spiriS lanu,
sna for more pepfect union between the spirit world
and mankind.n To advance these consummatlons
all Spiritualists believe that their man
for success must be placed on the actlon OF the
spirits themselves upon humanity, altnougn 1t Is
the duty OF every man and woman to forward the
same to the best Of their abilities. They claim that
tho nhora of