Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1880-05-26
ror the Spirit Of Tho Age,
Deisni, Spirituaiisn, and Christ
ianity Combined. Forming the
>ew Trinity.

ianity Combined. Farming the
>ew rrinity.
liRoTuEH BAuor 80 ! noticed q
communication IN tho SrIRlr 0r Tnr
AGr, bearing date April 2stl,, direct
cd 10 ne Was much pleased 10
pcrsuc ils contents. As you do not
seem to understand my views con
cerpins many doclrinal points, EN-
brace this opportunity OF explaining
them openly, According to Web
ster's definition Of DeiSl, II IL "Onc
who believes In tho existence OF a
God, hut denies revealed religion -
follows the light Of Nature and is q
free thinker" IN your letter you call
no u Deist. II the belief IN logical,
common sense religion constitutes me
a Dos,, then ] nm Que. ! might well
prefer 10 be an honest DciSt rather
than tricky, dishonest, pretended
Christian. q do not intend any per.
sonality by my last remark, aud no
one unless the coat fits snugly will
think of wearing iD. You say | deny
every par, Of the Old and New Tesla
menl. You are mistaken, | accept
the teachings OF our elder brother,
Jesus. | regret that the Bible gives
us only an imperfect account OF His
life, but regard him as the greatest
medium ofIlis or any succeeding age.
He and HIS disciples were evidently
truthful mediums. You lccollect how
Moses and Elias appeared in their
maleralized forms, upon the mount,
and conversed with Christ! The
same law of naturalization is in force
to-day, and is employed by our spirit
friends all through the land, TO the
better demonstrate their presence |
have seen my wife, Mary, and you,
your son. God never changes or re-
peals His laws, and if spirits com,
municated with mortals in any age,
they possess that power today. The
Old Testament l accept as jewish
history. 1t is as perfect as we could
expect that age TO produce. Not
withstanding the crudeness OF that
period and the low standing Of moral
ity. Moses and King David were
both murlerers-if their Bible history
be correct-it is replete with the re-
cord of spiritual manifestations. But
before we claim that the Bible is lit
eraly and entirely the word of God,
let us consider that it was produced
in the dark ages. when the priest and
the confessor ruled the people. 1t has
MANY blind, mysterious and ambigu'
Gus passages that suggest to many
minds that the volume of inspiration
may have been tempered with, and to
the reasoning mind, this is an argu-
ment against placing implicit belief in
its affirmations. Of course you agree
with me in the holding of these views.
l prefer to read the Bible as would
any other book written in the nine
teenth century. I have no theologi-
cal bands to bind me, l have no axe
grind and no salary TO lose. 1 stand
on a free, democratic platform ; in
vestigating all creeds, inquiring after
evidence tor the satisfaction of my
mind. q prefer to listen TO the
thoughts of the good men OF the pres
ent age rather than follow the example
of Moses or King David). You say
I am indebted to Christianity for all
the best and most important doctrines
that I believe. All the Evangelical
churches take the Bible to sustain
their creeds. There are three humid
red different denominations, and each
claims that the Bible proves their par
ticular belief. The Bible. God is very
accommodating. The Bible thus is
said to prove endless misery, misery
that endures for season only. ami
hilation, restoration to many and end
less happiness to all. The most skill
full lawyer would fail to elicit as many
apparently different assertions from a
law.phrase as Christian does from a
single text of scripture. Every nation
and age has its inspired teachers.
Take, for instance, Confucius, the an
cient Chinese philosopher. He lived
five hundred and fitty-one years before
Christ. lie was once asked if there
vas ooc word that might be taken to
govern ones whole Life. He answered
"Yesl reciprocity. Do not unto
others that which you would not have