New-York tribune., 1879-05-09
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

EltlOn ara reSpeClaOlc CuatutAti VI wv NN-N'
than 20 any value or importance in its contents NJ
tboueh attention was first directed to the work in our
columns with such extracts and comments as were to
ouird to indicate its character few adcitohal "ols
from purely literary point OF view seem 10 pc uo
manded by the occasion. Like most OF the ia'er Pio
ductions of the so-caed spirtuastic hteratuie con
sists Of mass Of shallow and repusive plattuues' a
wide remove from the writings OF Jackson DAVIS fro
fesor Britain Mr FshbOueh and other leaders OF 'he
original movement. whose publications won very con-
siderable degree of attention by their novelty Dodess
and suggestiveaess The most characteristic feature oil
the present work is the cool assumption with whch IL
takes for granted the existence OF certain facts without
producing particle OF evidence in their support The
editor t seems was first drawn to the subject by the
exhibition Of certain abnormal phenomena In the expe-
rence Of member OF his family These phenomenal
tits admitted by most cautious thinkers not to be
explained without thorough understanding Oh 'ne
laws of haucnation, of trance, OF somnamoun7n' Vi
dreams OF ecstaces and OF visions than possessed IN
the present state of human knowledge. Ihey cannon
be referred their original cause without more ueu'
more ample, more conclusive proof than Is now possl-
BILE The more unusual, the more mysterious the phe-
nomena question, the more subtle the research te
more delicate the analysis the more sagacous the Juds
ment required TO trace them TO their probable origin
Because an alleged fact is obscure, because 1t Is strange
because 1t is marvellous because it is In apparent con-
fct with all previous experience, there Is DO Naid rca
son for ascrbng to an occult physical agency to an
exceptional FACULTY OF lne olSdu"Hi'' ~ W.
Influence Of the stars. the intervention Of spirits
whether demons or angels. Between a phenomenon
addressed the senses and the action OF specl"i
spiritual power. there is wide uterva-a measureiess
gulf which logical instrument has yet been aDe 10
bridge over. The work before us accordingly, Is
founded on series of fallseious assumptions. without
any attcmpt ut proof II leaps at conclusions which re-
Ouire TO be verified by fact Even If ;he astounding
prstensons OF volume true no evidence OF the
truth presented, and they rest entirely on the OASIS OF
private opinion and private assertion.
In the very outset of the volume, the editor assumes
that the movements Of table-tippmg which he Wit
messed for the first time through the medium OF hrs
daughter were produced by the muscular power OF
the medium, but indicated most remarkable intell-
gence. His sudden conviction was without exalniha-
ton and without evidence. He trusts TO his blind I'M
pressons with much confidence as If they had come
from the voice of God in the burning BUSH An unpre-
cedened occurrence SURPRISING the scope of all former
experience is accepted explained and referred 10 tho
action OF intelligence. the passing impulse OF the
moment The very point TO be proved IS taken lor
granted without interval for reelection or an attempt
at inquiry. This affords pregnant illustration OF the
editors habit Of mind-an unfortunate tendency which
vates his book, and removes it from the sphere OF III
teHgence to the domain OF illusion.
But this Is trivial compared with the looseness with
which he assumes that the faDces OF the medium we're
communicated by the agency Of the spirits OF the dead
An ncoherent medley of unmeauing commonplace and
fantastic rhapsody audaciousy asCrbed to the most
ilustrious minds in the history of the human race.
The lips which opened but in expressions OF
wisdom and of grace are made to utter WlShy-
washy stream OF foolish driye. This is the more re-
Inarkable editor admits that false and deceptive
sprits have the power gain the of the medium
and to their inventions his cIedulty as the
counsels departed heroes and saints But this is not
the of the matter Not only are the eiuslons OF
mental imbecihty ascrbed to the spirits OF wise and
gifted men, who longer enghten the world by their
1f.ntp huf Of
eminent virtues made 10 deny the record OF their
lives by the pretended confession OF personal unwort
ness. and even Of guilt ana shame. Thus Bryant is
made 10 say that his life lost TO many, many good
ways" and rejoice In the exchange from deceit and
ignoniny 10 Openness in action and freedom In
Thought" and in deliverance from his despair,
or rather the which he felt for his out
growing in sin" The Rev. Dr. Cummings the late
genial beloved pastor OF St. Stephens cOnesses that
piercing flaw in drives him away from
the presence OF God" and almost drives him 10 the
Devil so deep is his distress" Archbishop Hughes is
made to say Hughes is my name and this Is
what 1 wish to be known by" disclaiming his
ecclesiastical title "Only commenting him to Infinite
misery" expressions OF despair are of the most
POIGNANT bitterness He abjurcs the Catholic Church
and ITS teachings with pointed emphasis urging his
hearers to belong the mansions of the Lord and not
10 the aposates of Rome or e and looks forward to
"the time of war; when he shall throw the POnuh OF
Italy into the gulf destruction" Be not bound TO
n
never; suffer. 0 God / suffer Forbear My grief
is strong-is overpowering that the death of hell
were not upon me !" 81 engulted in the unfathom-
able pit of shall grind and CRATE my spirits
feeling with an agony Of thOrns' As an Offset to the
wangs of the Archbishop in the abOdes of the damned
we are presented with goOdly spectacle Of Martin
Iuher JohIp Calvin, and a bright array of clerical
worthes rejoicing the glory Of God and the felicies
of Heaven The decisions of the judgmenday are thus
anticipated and the doom OF the dead made TO turn on
the assumptions Of The fires OF he'll and the
delights of Paradise distributed by medium on the
strength of an hypothesis. The book affords fearful
example of the danger of substituting the
suggestions OF personal fancy for the uni
yersal principles OF morality, and the practical
rules for the conduct OF the understanding which have
been accepted III all civilized communities. II a man
can act on the Illusion that he is called OF God TO desc
crate the memory Of immortal dead by placing in
their mouths most inetabe absuTdlties or backen
their characters Dy dramatic confessions of sD what
IS 20 prevent the Impression that he is also called OF
God 10 commit some desperate crime sacrifice Of
sweet SAVIOR to the Almgntyi The viruent poison Of
such teachings proceeds from the intellectual habit of
receiving truths the assumptions of fancy. If the
spirits of the dead interpreted 10y the arbiiary die
tates an entranced medium, are TO become the guides
of the living moral and social chaos must be the in-
eytable quence If the august souls Of and
martyrs now gathered in " sol, mn troops and sweet
societies." high in salvation and the climcs of bliss"
be summoned from their celestial abodcs at the
beck and call of and pert children for the
expression superative nonsense, such would not
be tolerated instant in the huabest walks OF lit
eraturetbeu the fountains OF the great deep broken
up madness rules the hour; and the cap and bells of
the court harlequin eutlroned in place Of tie scepre
OF wisdom and Tho lights oi intellect.
T1IOrGHTS on THE RELIGIOUS LIFE By JosEPH
ALDEN j.. D.. LID. With an Introduction by WILIIAM
CJLLfE BRYANT.
The principal interest of this volume, winch
consists Of series of essays topics OF Chris