New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-08-30
TIE IMMORTAL LIFE.
NEW VIEW OF SPIRITUAL PHENOMENAL CARD
FROM COL ohCoIT.

NEW VIEW OF SPIRITUAL PHENOMENAL CAhp
FROM COL. okCoTT.
70 tke Edttor of The fribuas
SIR: A most scholarly, dignitied, and friendly
review Of my book. People from the Other World
which appcared in TIE TRIBUNE Of July IS, opens with
tno.e words: "rhe student OF nccromancy will ind
nothinc more marvellous IN the works Of Abcrtus Mag
NUS Cornelius Agrppa Nostradar,us Paracesus, Gho'
lxmo Cardano or any other distinguished authority on
the arts Of magic tsu the wonders which are rea'eo
With such naive simplicity and good faith in this remark
able voluule."
Permit me to jon Issue with you by saying that In the
works Of these Oceutsts will be found tho very thing
which the student win search my volume for in vain'
namely a philosophy 10 account for the strange
phencmepa Of the ancient adopts and cur moacFn
,eiiums II had been familiar with those authof'cs
when wrote that book, my treatment OF the SUBJECT
would have been quite different for woaid not men
have had to grope my way blindfod toward the trh'
and be constantly vt,hant lest sneuo ia INV 'e
at either side of the path
What cay Of my own book applies equally 10 all
others upon the subject that have come under my
rot,ce I have looked In vain these past twenty-five
wears In spiituatc literature for anything worthy OF
the namc Of philosophy. have watched the varying
nhases of the In the hope OF seeing fnc
euedation Of some explain their occurrence and
reconcile me to Together with all other seus:bc
men have deporcd their puere absurd and often repu
and been shocked at the disgusting naces
of freeove affinity and individual sovereignty to winch
they have given birth My ncredulity as to the return
of heroes statesmen, genuses and martyrs 70 inc sPae'e
of their former labors through the turgid atnospheres
NJ most popular mediums matched in intensity that OF
the most sold donkey who ever wrote the intais f. IL
or A. g. too often alas! convertible titles ater MS
name Throughout this quarter century nave
hoped against hope that some day newton
might arise, deduce from the fall OF one
Of these sciom-applcs Of the circle the law
andd
c,l GO rtaty the immortality of mans soal could sec
plainly enough that however much faith might nave
Inherited aud howsoever well that might serve me iii
dealing with Christ thcoogtgns, 1t woudplOvc only an
incumbrance contest with one OF our modern scie
tc skir,nshers who scale the hwarks OF Faith as p'u
bly, and rs tremendously French bounye would the
waIls Of a cathedral or monastery Against such foes
the sword of Fact must supplement the bucker OF Faith
and 1, seemed to this modern outbreak OF spiF
itusism ought furnish us just this weapon IL the
whole thing were not a shameful cheat
could see nothing comcal in the most puere OF these
pnenomena but on the contrnry for vigilance
and seriousness Of inquiry proportionately great,
IA they multiplied and changed face MY dis
prst dcrsion, and indignation were never Tor the
manifestations nor the forces producing then but for
the crelulity the misehevos theories and the prae
tcos Of their believers and patrons
The World reviewing my book. calls me "Spiiituat
M and 40 have other papers, Whereas nothing could lie
more opposed 10 the truth 10 have long acknowledged
That phenomena occur in the presence OF mediums
which are not the Of egerdenan and 10 admit that
they rooted fast and strong my faith IN Goa ana
nv souls Immortality, makes me Spiritual
fst then 1 have been one for many years;
hut 10 disredt nearly every theory Of spirit commun
cation existence and employment advanced by the rec
ocused leaders Of that people since the ydesve epph
ANY, N to dissent from their views upon social questions
TO have DO faith In the uniform integrity OF mediums ana
the truthfuncss OF familiar spirits to be the oppo
U.~T1 TIN E<nnL
have falsely stigmatsied me- -. &; ,.
You win not wonder. Sir In view OF whas Is above
stated that take little exception TO the general conci-
sious resulting from superficial view OF NC sneG'
x sS1 sc c ,S ssp wSsae phencmens related by
O.cott appear to shed much hight on the probkm OF
copnce,io between such visions OF glamour and the n
marital hopes OF humanity Hobgobiins idrnsh no ai-
swer to the obstinate qucsonings OF the soul But tie
spcctacnar scenes the Chtenden rocks have not yet
been brought within the domain Of accurate knowledge
.a"rD Tongues that syllable mcn's rccks and
shores. and desert Wilderness In no case are lucy
hell They teach nonE .v th SSspe Eo don
r which, are given by the specters q their
e9i the ysSs meass Of sSp6ods which
(ircian Imagination, and the celestial symphonies on
Dear 70 The Christian heart they open dreay waste of
moral stagnaton aud menta poverty OF vulgar eoncep
mar compared with which even the extinction OF beng
might courted as privilege II the savagcs OF ths
are the representatives Of tho spirits or the just tie
smarsnthne crown Is baube and the music Of heaven
q mOckery" A., -. l.. u,,o,
company would make one hail the idea OF anhllalon
with Inc rapture which must seize member OF The LID
oral Club al sight of snuners, whose con-
tents are the fitting enbiems OF bis faith.
But suppose all snar pamphleieers nave been upon
wrong scent what precious waste OF wit has there moi
beenl Suppose these ancient authors whom you name
In your OPP ming paragraph were right alter al,
and IL should be found that they had pushed
beyoid the vail of Isis TO where Nature
her secrets discovered the clue TO her aoyrnth, ana
could teach now TO SUMMON and master the spirits
of TIT yassy deep Suppose should tell you thar, IN
nost une xpcctcd way and at most fOrtutous time,
and had done the very maiNcs tat faa
CELSIUS AlbeItus aud ApooRus are accredited win; ana
fst It that all these seeInE niacles Oh
she circle miracles at all, but natural mani
festations Of absolutely natural raw; tnat man
his dominion over the powers OF nature
hy right of his immortal souls divine paIentale that
tue "sprts which produce ninetcnths OF the genuine
"Inapiiestations are the spirits of men or women
from this earth but something quite dnTcn ana some,
ming that does nhabit future world nor stroll
with Us among the a<phodes that the wise, ths pure
the lust heroic souls who have passed on eiofe US
INTO Tie Tent Land and do NOT come back "
sout sapphics t1ugh scrub noT SWING thronSh
the ar spiritual rapeLe AZ the Dadone OF PoveiV
stricken mediums for the delecafion OF tBc gaping
crowd What tbeui You sec there are likely 10
lie found some grains Of wheat under thts fnountnin
Of chaf III the priceless treasures Of the Alerandran
Library had used to heat the pubhc baths the
Loaf Arts Of the anceBfs, including the art OF conf
muning with the dead and the power 10 ieos beyond te
vail to our future home, might not be now lost 10 81
hut select few IN Oriental faternitses and would
rot be necessary humble rs mine 10 reDrke
40 distinguished critic as yourself Tor Wi1tnS whal you
have about these people from the otner WoIia; o
New York, Aug ~, 1879 hhehi o. obcoiT'