The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-10-24
REPLY TO "RATioNAL."

REPLY TO "RATioNAL."
Editor Rutland CloJe In your daily
If Oct 10th, noticed lengthy commune
,ation from some one, over the signature Of
Rational" and by your permission, would
ike to reply. Knowing that much has been
published, Of late, in the columns of your
paper, in reference to the subject Of Spirit
naism, and that your patience, as well as
that Of your many readers, must have been
greatly taxed thereby, I will endeaver to
be very brief.
In replying to Irrational, ;" will say that
a large portion Of his communication, is in
reference to the origin Of modern spiritual
ism, with which most every intelligent per-
son is acquainted, therefore of that have
nothing to say. Eut of the "wonderful
manifestations" witnessed by those who
have visited the Eddy family, with which
he has attempted to deal, in his commune
cation, is the point to which wish to reply.
In the first place it is very evident that
Rational" has but a slight understanding
of this subject, as ne says he has never
visited the family, or witnessed any of the
so-called spiritual manifestations. 1t is
supposed that before person enters the
field as lecturer, or writer, he must pos
sess some knowledge of the subject upon
which he is going to lecture or write about,
but "Ratonal," seems to have lost siglt Of
tins important fact. 1t is an easy thing to
make assertions, or to dispute what others
say, but presenting facts to sustain your
position is quite another thing and again
person might ask questions cnuogh in fifteen
minutes, to take a philosopher rs many
years to answer or solve as few points will
show, Rational" says that "what is known
as spiritualism seems to be understood as
of recent origin etc" | claim that this
is not the fact, as spiritualsts claim tina
''disembodied spirits" have held commuica-
ton with the living for time immemorial, as
| the history of mankind will furnish album
dance of testimony. Again he says, "spr-
| itualsts deny that there is any similarity
in spiritualsm to mesmerism," which is al
so not the fact, as all who understand any
thing of spiritualsm, admit that mesmcrism
is the "stepping stone to spiritualsm and
| by the application of the same law, a spiril
out of the body, can control spirit in the
| body, as Que person can control another
person, as commonly expressed,
| Rational" enquiries LIST, are the "wonder-
full manifestations reported reality.
We will answer this by saying, that thou
sands of people are ready to testify in the
affirmative, having had positive proof, which
no longer leaves them in doubt and among
this number, may be found many Of our
most scientific and intelligent men.
He inquiries secondly if "these manifes-
tations cannot be accounted for from nat
ural causes? "We will say that they never
have been thus accounted for. Many have
attempted this, have even been challenged
with large sums of money to explain sat
isfacorily to the public, how these man
ifestations were produced, other than by
spirit agency, but all, up to the latest ac-
counts, have utterly failed to do So
Thirdly he inquiries if "thcy cannot be
thus explained. Does it follow that these
manifestations come from a spirit agency"
Suppose that Irrational" should receive
letter from some absent friend, containing
some particular news which no one else
knew of, would he have any doubt in ref
erence to where the letter came from, or
that some person wrote that letter? We
| 81, i'll Il. Al. 4.
will testify their having received commune
cations, from their friends in the esprit
land" telling them of secrets, which no
earthly beings ever knew, thereby furnish
ing indisputable proofs of the fact of spirit
communication. He mentions of once be-
, ing present when a man in fit of delirum
saw snakes, hideous reptiles, &c, none of
which were visible to any other person.
Now this is no comparison, because in the
one case no one but the diseased man saw
these things, and in the other case all who
, sit in circle or in the room can see these
, manifestations. The manifestations pro-
duced by diseased minds has nothing to do
with the subject under consideration.
No one who understands the subject, will
deny but that power can be produced or
developed by electricity. "Rationa" in
, his attempts to explain the cause of these
so-called manifestations, omits to explain
5 the most important part, and that is the
: receiving of intelligence. 1t is through the
= agency of electricity that these spirit man
ifestatons are produced, but where does
the intelligence come from3 That intelli-
| gence has been and can be received is nc
) longer doubt, as before stated. Is a chair
or table capable of communicating intelli
gently, without the aid of an intelligent op.
orator? We wish Irrational" would eX.
| plain. The magnetic Telegraph would be
[ | of use, without some one to operate it
G and whenever message is received at one
4 end of the line, and intelligent operator
e must necessarily be at the other end
i Spiritualists hare proved the manifestation
i the work of the spirit agency, and th'
n world need no longer doubt. All the trou
;, BILE there is with RATIONAL" he does no
d comprehend the subject never having trou
a bled himself, perhaps to investigate it, ant
l. being considerably tinged with Orthodoxy
l. He is cropping in the dark, but think he i
D. on the right road, and have considerabl
At hope of him. Many do not want to be
Id lieve in Spiritualism, but | think Sra
tiona' by the SdaisfS Ses e ss r,n H be
If leter. He is evidently, now ON the anN
p ious seat, as all who consider the subjec
d worthy of lengthy article as his was
/ must be. l am acquainted with many witt
/ once were no farther advanced in the sub
d iect than "Rational" is, but who are nov
> strong advocates. Thought must be ar
f rested before the adoption of any theory O
doctrine. A religion that is in harmony
with science, is the most rational one
, There is nothing in Spiritualism inconsis
tent with Gods government, and M
: stronger evidences can be found anywhere
J. in support of Spiritualism than in the Bib,
u itself
9 In reference to the manifestations of tn