Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-11-21
MIR. RIDDLE LECTURES.
He Reads Dispatches from 1.-THE
Beyond" Ind Gives His Views
of the Bible.

y. \. World.
Mr.. Henry Riddle, formerly SuPerin-
tendent Of Public Schools in this city,
delivered a lecture on spirltualism TO
company OF Spiritualists at Everett Hall,
in Brooklyn, last evening. There were
plenty of men present whose appear
ance showed that they were much lar
Their advanced than Mr.. Riddle was.
With long hair combed back over their
heads, blanched contenances, sharp lea
lures, small, sunken and usually closed
ewes, they reclined their heads against
the wall, and though apparently asleep
"taking il all in. Mr.. Riddle had the
appearance, at least when seen from the
middle of the hall, of model business
man. His gray hair and thin beard
showed evidences OF good keeping, ms
face had a healthy, ruddy hue, and
when he looked up from his manuscript
his eyes were bright and clear.
He said he had been asked to speak
on the relation OF Spirltualism to reHg-
iona subject which il was impossible
to treat thoroughly in one lecture. In
order TO do the very best he could un-
der the circumstances he had put his
thoughts upon paper, and he asked the
indulgence OF his audience while he
read them. He then laid his manu-
script upon the reading desk, adjusted
his glasses to the bridge OF his nose, and
began to read, taking up one sheet OF
the manuscript at time. Allrellgions,
he said, were founded upon revelation,
and what was revelation but Spiritual
ism? The Christian religion was a
true religion, but he regretted that its
expounders had deteriOrated tosO great
a degree The preachers to-day seemed
to be chiefly ambitious Of becoming no.
torious for their oratory and sensational
eloquence. They gloried in costly
churches, luxurious salaries and fashion
able congregations. They ridiculed
Spiritualism because it was mean and
weak. He would like to ask than
whether the Christian religion did not
spring from a mean and weak beginning.
Were not the first Christian preachers
poor, uneducated fishermen, and was
not Christ, their master, born in a
manger?
Speaking OF the Bible, Mr.. Riddle
said it was a mere collection of different
mems writings and was doubtless in the
main true. But if the Bible had been
annihilated a century ago, the revela-
tons made through Spiritualism since
1915 would have replaced all that was
worth having. To be sure the book Of
Leviticus, for instance, would be lost,
with such divine laws as Thou shalt
not permit a witch to live" and Thou
shalt not eat any manner OF fat" \
majority of the preachers of to-day
knew that they were preaching error,
al great was the suffering and remoTse
thereof. Every theological seminary
stood to-day in a dark shadow OF doubt
and unbelief, and it was no wonder that
the number of earnest theological stu
dents was diminishing. The preachers
of the Christian religion had always
depicted God rs a wrathiul being, while
revelation and Spiritualish showed him
to be a mcfciiul, compassionate being.
God loved all his creatures,
whether good or bad, as measured by
our standard.
Mr.. Riddle read a long communities
ton which he said he had received from
the spirit of the late Mr.. William Cullen
BRYANT There was nothing in it that
might not have been written on this
side bv man of leisure with nothing to
say. He also read dispatches from
other departed spirits, all OF which were
to the effect that Gods government was
perfect, and that all persons ought to
take stock in Spiritualism.
After Mr.. Riddles lecture a soothing
bvup u-oS Sunu