The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-12-07
Travellers Guide.
GheQntelIiqetrttr
The SpiritualIStlc versus The Mate.
TialIsIic Tendencies Of the Age.

The SplTlIuallstlC versus The lMateS
rIalIsIic Tendencies Of the Age.
From the Now York Graphic
The interest in the spirituallStic discus.
sion outruns our ability 10 crafty 1t. We
src daily In receipt Of scores Of commune
cations relating to tho general subject, OF
to the later phases Of its manifestations
some OF them containing interesting state.
mCnts OF facts and startling surmiSea and
accounts which seem incredible. The
prGponderance Of communications Ia de-
cidedlyon the spiritualistic side, and Door
Dr.. Beard would find himself buried under
Sd avalanche OF argument and invectivo
were we to publish the halt OF what We
receive. Our interest in the topic Is
purely journalistic. The people want in.
formation on this subject, and il is the
function ola first.clasS journal TO furnish
the intelligence that the public Graves.
1t 10 noteworthy fact that the popu.
lar interest in this country turns in this
spiritualistic direction. II may be the
natural reaction from materialistic ten.
denotes; It may be tho instructive reCoil
from bleak scientific negatiops; 1t may
be the spontaneous ouIreGCh for more
positive and satisfying proofs OF immor.
lsI!ty than the popular religion affords.
But whatever the causes may be, it Is
uIquestionably true that vast numbers OF
our people are looking for light in a spir-
ituaIistic direction, and studying these
new and strange phenomena with unusual
concern. What these inquiries may lead
to no one can hazard q prediction. But
one thing is evident in all these inquiries
Il Is the hold religion has on tho mind
81! heart OF man. This is called an
unbelieVing age, a skeptical age, a materi.
alstic age, a critical age. But, notwith-
standing all the eplthets launched at the
age, in no period since the world began
have religious questions absorbed more
attention or been discussed with more
ability, carnestness, and power The
crest topics OF controversy in England
nday arc religious. Mr.. Gladstone con.
tributes an article on RomRnism to the
Contemporary ReUieD, which sends that
magazine through ten editions. Mills
p5slhumous essays are discussed by the
daily papers at greater length than any
work on political economy or any measure
d contemporary politics. Prot. Tyndall's
Belfast address occupies more attention
andabsorbs more space in public journals
than any halt dozen speeches OF parlia-
ment. In TACT, what gives scientific dis
cnssons their chief interest, is the rcla-
ton to religious beliefs. The SaranS talk
to empty benches about Elruscan Ian
guage, or the periodicity Of comets, or
any other purely scientific subject; but
the moment their discussions impipge on
religious faith, the seats fill and inditier.
ence gives way 10 passion. The religious
controversies on the continent were never
more numerous and engaging than TO day,
and the pilgrimages Of last year and the
year before almost remind US Of the cru
sadcs. In our own country it is only ne.
cesSary 10 look down the columns OF
the papers and see the space given to
reports Of religious conventions and con-
ierGnces, and the interest attached TO the
uttersnces OF the clergy, and the dis
courses preached even by men OF average
ability, 10 see that, in spite OF all the
CHATTER OF our politics and all the array OF
material discoveries and inventions, the
the heart OF faith beats as vigorously as
ever. Even our education our art, our
charities, draw their chief inauguration
from religious sources, and the humanity
OF the age is only the other side OF the
divinity. The forms Of religion may vary
and its language may change, but man
will have to be rc.madC and on lower
model before religion itself is blotted out
OF his being and ceases to interest his
mind