The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-21


Of the Episcopal church on Washington Heights.
New York. and recently rector OF the Episcopal
unanimous call Of the Reformed Episcopal church
In Newark, N. j.
MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
'MEDIUMs NOT ExposED"-MR- woLFFs REPLY
TO INQUIRER.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
We have been 30 often exposed. vlllned and
misrepresented Of late, by writer's in the HERALD
and other papers, that we are impeled to ask,
what your sense or justice will not deny. o place
In your paper, to set these nuisances right. The
labored effort Of IAN Inquirer" Is 80 fair q sample
OF the class he represents, as well as the ordinary
Nominations Of pulpit and press. that we select 1t
Tor special criticism:-
!. THIS writer anirms "an expressed desire that
some honest investigation should be had"
2 That the purse Is u condition oil any investi-
gatiOn.
8. That no form of religion has assumed such
proportions in 80 short time.
4. mat faith IN 1t becomes . fanatlcism, en-
braclng all phases OF mind.
s. That mediums taking pay are usually iraudu-
lent
q. THAT there are honest mediums and believers
who produce facts wnicn cannot be ignored and
challenge investigation.
I. That he and his scientific confederates know
but nope some day that they Will lind their soiu.
ton IN an ''hOnest SCIENCE" and that some me-
8. And nnaly that he himself Tor nerselD is not
an honest, competent investigator.
We reply to these assertions
!. That the Iacts Of SpritualiSm have al
WAYS been open 70 o TAR and honest investl-
charge; that pay mediums devote large share OF
their time without mpensation; that nearly all
to these invisible powers with great reluctance;
that the world, scientific. theological and Hitter
their subjects out OF existence It viii be remem en-
oered that the 'sF0x girls" came from their homes
New YORK TX city IN r9 the very beginning and sub
which Horace Greeley and otner prominent liter
airy men were members. The result was published
TO this we may add that "fair and honest" In
vestigators have no occasion to depend upon
speculative or amateur mediums, out may at any
time arrange the conditions which will give them
the facts IN their own homes; and hence this
| cover up ignorance and conceit.
thousands Oh persons equally competent and
tests through the mediums, specially denounced
| on eI pdrte testimony, as obtaining money on
fraudulent pretences Moreover, neither this man,
nor any other Is compelled to 60 10 either OF the
| parties named.
8. There Is no class of people who have less
| superstition or fanaticlsm than Spritualtsts.
Ihey are IN nowise religionists, and they are, for
the most part ratlonalsts IN the highest and most
and has q science, challenging the closest scrutiny
| BY competent and honest inqulrers. That they
| the phenomena we nave never denied. Whatever
Of fact or philosophy has been evolved Is due, not
Su, to persist
know the whole truth regardless OF cost. Re-
ligon Is matter Of iaith, and not OF demonstration
and philosophy and hence addresses itself, not to
the senses or understanding. but to the credultty
and superstition Of the ignorant. There Is no ex-
listing or obsolete question OF religion that has so
little blind belief, nnreasonlng creduiry and Wild
ianaticism as this new gospel, which supports its
In the Methodist Quarterly, August, 1852 the
editor, Dr. McCintocK, In reviewing Bledsoe's at
tempt to reconcile the existence OF moral evl
Acknowledged
SUBSTANTIALLY, "Rellgion Is not matter to be rea-
word ana avei on" Ana Bedsoe after spons
several hundred pages IN proving the ignorance
Of all his theological predecessors, ends by telling
US that GOd, seeing that moro good would result
from making man liable to moral EVIL, took the re-
sponsiolllty and made him So" We want 1t as
tlnctly understood that we are ready at all times
| to compare NOES.
has it never occurred to our accusers and
traducers that there are snch things as lanaIlcai
scepticlsm, irrational Iarlonasm and scientnc
| tRnOramusesS
ton Of phenomena, OF which there Is as yet no
science III the technical sense and OF the iacts OF
which they have no knowledge, they talk ike
animal magnetism, clairvoyance and other
sciences In the same way and VIII likely continue
scientists have learned to suppress opinions until
they knowledge OF facts they Will be entitled
low that a man who makes material science
specially Is thereby quallfed to investigate phe
mental And man is especially disqualined VINO
| practises fraud and utters lies for the truths
sake. Some OF the OLD ecceslasucS taught this
KIND OF morality, but II lily belts This age or the
| demands OF truth.
.Inquirer'' coniesses that ne did all in his power
! to mislead and deceive the spirits IN and out Of
| body, and then turns and denOunces the me-
dlums Tor dong the very things he and his friends
did Ii IS not necessary to lie or cheat In order
| to detect frauds, and those who use such methods
| are not qualified to perform well their self-ap-
| pointed duty. He Is "willing to believe on sucn
| has right TO demand" but he wholly tails TO show
what the rights OF honest, truthful men are in
| this case. And he manliests wiliul ignorance or
| great perverslty IN assuming that the fanatics"
| will meet him with the assertion that sceptclsm
| breaks the charm or calls deceiving spirits.
| On the contrary. Spirtuaists assume that "a
| rational doubt Is the beginning OF wisdom, and
nothing deserves credence which cannot be de-
mOnstrated.u No honest man assumes The dtshon-
| esty OF others In the absence OF proof, ana the
highest morality will not do EVIL That good may
| come. . .
Tbere is still another side to this subject. 1t Is
now conceded, after TWEEN ty.fve years or insensi-
bic negatiOn the part OF the rational and scien-
| tine that there are facts which are not frauds.
! hitherto they have denied all genuine facts.
| Having conceded this much, and refused our ex-
PLANTATION, they are Obliged TO give better strictly
| in accord with science. Come, gentlemen. try
YOUR hands. Select your sup1ects-develop
| your mediums free rom suspicion. Produce y0nr
| iacts aud give the law ana philosophy. You Will
! do the world and US a great service; and surely
| you VIII consent TO no fraud, fiction, lallacy or
| ianatlcsm. Cease your iaut finding and ISLANDERS,
useful wok Of scientific exploitation OF the
| puZzlng facts you cannot deny. When you have
settled the mystery OF these YOU will be better
| qualified to perform the same service for stil
more occult phenomena. J. b. w.
| On behalf OF the First Society OF SpirituaiStS o
New YORK.
THE POPE ON INFALLIBILTTY.