The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-12-14
:. MODERN SpERITUALISW.v

The great failure with - modern spirit
ualism," as it is called, is the unsatisfactory
nature Of its manifestations, commun,ca-
tons and revelations. That is to say, adj
hitting it to bc true, what does it all
amount to ? But what is the meaning of
the term ''modern as applied TO these
latter day manifestations 1t can have, it
seems TO US, but one of two meanings. The
idea conveyed by tho word "modern >
must be that it is something entirely new,
or that it is to be distinguished from
"ancient" manifestations of "spirltualism.
IL the former is meant, it strikes us as in
appropriate if the latter, it is an admis-
sion that there have been aforetimes mani
festatons of spiritual nature, that they
have been unknown for time, and have
now reappcared, or are alleged 10 have re-
appeared to us of the present day in the
same manner, but perhaps of different
nature, as to our fathers two score or more
centuries ago. We take it that if the latter
be the meaning implied by the use of the
word - modern" it is the admission Of the
existence of n power on the part of the de-
parted to communicate with the living,
that such communications have actually
taken place although they have been un-
known for many centuries. If this Is so,
if this admission is intended, does it not
carry with it the further admission of the
possibility of communications with this
and another world, peopled as we are
taught TO believe, by spirits and, therefore,
called by some the spirit land ? Does any
one doubt that in the days of the
prophets there were such communications
Can any one read the Bible intelligent.
ly, thoughtfully and believingly without
confessing the existence of spirits in one
form or another? 1t may be true that the
manifestations took different form from
those claimed to be exhibited at present
but, il seems to us, that the fact of sucl
manifestations is clearly recorded. There
were good spirits and evil spirits, and some
times they partook of both natures. THAI
the spirits of the departed were called from
their resting places 10 communicate witt
the living is explicitly taught in the ole
testament. AS an Illustration, we may cit,
the visit of Saul to the Witch of Endor
who, at bis request, summoned Samue
from The dead and Samuel, appearing
asked; why hast thou disquleted me t.
bring me up and, upon Saul's reply, pro
phesed to him words that were fulfilled
Perhaps, and probably there was una
terialized manifestation" for saul asked
the witch, who had informed him that sh,
''saw gods ascending out of the earth,
''what form is he of ? And she said, "Ar
old man comelh up; and he is covered will
mantle" whereupon, as the sacred write
records, Saul perceived that it wa
Samuel This is but a single instance o
spiritual manifestations Of which the Blbl
is full. What are angels, but spirits, an,
recorded, were they not materalized
What shall we say of these things? w
must either accept them as true with til,
Bible or reject the truth Of the Bible will
disbelief in them. II we accept of boil
as true, as We are bound to do, then w
must admit the fact of spiritual manifesto
tlons. both seen and unseen, and of the pos
sibillty of their again being seen, heard o.
felt.
While VIC admit the possibility Of sucl
manifestations, at the present day, we Dc
not int d TO admit their probability, bu
unequivocally declare our utter disbelief IL
the spiritual nature of these so-called man
ifestations as practiced in different parts Of
the country. We arc skeptic In this re-