Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-05-28

! not De produced erceW IN darkness
l we'll know, having been physica
medium for years, and that this fac,
is more frequently brought forward
by unbelievers than any other as al
objection to the genuiness of the
! phenomena, and yet these same un.
believers know that darkness is ob.
solutely necessary for us to see in all
their silent beauty and grandeur, the
miniature worlds which surround
US, and they do not pretend to deny
the fact that these millions of stars
are still near us when the sunlight
eclipses their brightness and for the
time hides them from our sight.
They do not call the photographer
a fraud and cheat, because he is not
able 20 develop and bring to per-
fection picture in a we'll lighted
room, nor do they imagine that tue
picture is any less perfect in its like
ness to the sitter" because of hav-
ing been taken into darkened
cabinet" for a part of its production.
They know that the beautiful electric
displays, which accompany many of
our storms, can olly be seen in their
sublime grandeur when they have a
dark cloud for the back ground"
and l wonder if they have ever taken
into consideration this fact, that every
thing beautiful and lovely comes
FROM darkness. In the beginning
God SAID, "Let there be light /"
Why should he have said that, un-
less lie, that sweetest and most per-
feet of all spirits, had existed before
IN tie darkness. If we look about
us, what DO we see that had not its
origin in darkness; what that
darkness was not absolutely necessa-
ry to? The grand kold oak, whose
wide spreading branches afford such
rest to the travel-wornS brother, the
little Hover, whose sweet perfume
fills the dir, the grainT*hich gives
food to man and beast ! all have their
in the dark Jess of earth,
ali must have their gAms covered
from sight until, at the command of
Natures law, they come from their
darkened homes to cheey and sus-
tain us. The beautiful bird, whose
carrolings make the, woods resound
with sweetest music, couH not have
gladdened our hearts with his merry
songs and bright phnmage, but for
the blessing of the shell in the dark
ness of which he was developed; and
SO throughout all forms of nature,
even to man, the " Noblest work of
God" we find darkness IL necessity
for development; and after all, is the
floating instrument i'll the air, the
touch of hand not mortal, the
whispered word of by love lips which
death once seemed to render voice
less, any more wonderful, any more
inexplicable or impossible, than the
conception, germinal development
and birth Of man? If I had time, I
could tell you of many instances,
where, if darkness was not absolute
ly necessary, it was certainly used to
work the greatest miracles recorded
in the Bible.
The objection to mediums receiv-
ing pay for their mediumship, is
heard everywhere, and no one de-
plores the necessity which compels
mediums to make their gifts the
means of livelihood more than lido.
But most of our mediums have fam
lilies dependent on them, and if they
devote their whole time to their me-
diumship, who is to care for their
children, who will pay their hotel
bills, their car-fare and other neces-
sary expenses? AS well might I ask
Why ministers OF the gospel, do not
dispense their gifts without money
and without price? God speed the
time when all the teachers of His
Holy Word may be able to throw
open the doors of their churches and
halls and Invite every earnest seek
er for truth to come and drink of
the Fountain of Life.
If Spiritualism is true, what good
does it do? Oh friends, you who
are unbelievins mothers, can you ask
what good it does, when even now
you feel your hearts are breaking,
as you think of the little darling
whose innocent baby lips no more
can cling to yours, whose little
soft white arms no more can encircle
your neck, whose tiny fingers no
more can touch your brow; you who
have buried your hearts sweetest
hopes in the grave, would it not be
everything good to feel and know
that there would he no vacant chair,
that again you might listen to the
sweet prattle of your baby's tongue,
might feel the dear hands clasp your
own, might have your faith founded
on a demonstrated fact that the
loved one was not dead, but gone
before. Oh wife, can you ask OF
what good is it, you whose tender,
devoted husband was your Alpha and