New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-05
WHY sPIRITUALISM is OPPOSED.
Hrnrv Htddle at Republican Hall.


Henry Ktddle at Republican Hat
Henry Kiddle, ex-Superintendent OF Public
Schools this spoke yesterday morning TO large
audience sprualists and curious persons at Repuo
can Hail. No 55 West Tmrtythird-st His subject WAS
" Why is spirtualism Opposed"
When We consider said Mr.. Kidde, what spiritualism
is what its cardinal fundamental doctrine is'
namely the truth of immortality, the opposition TO It,,
or should say rather, tho prejudice against 1t, must
seem 10 be so irrational TO be almost unaccountabe
The question, "H man die. shall he i've
sgsiuiD has ever been one OF absorbing
interest. All thinkers admit that the evidence they
possess OF an immortal shsdowy and unconvnc-
ing They have hope, but not proof. One would sup
nose therefore, that very first intelligence or in
timaton light has dawned upon this mystery that
proof has been obtained OF this great fact that
OF demonstrating 1t has been found, all mankind would
rush with throbping hearts and footsteps to listen
10 the glad dngs and 10 look behind the dark curtain
which has hitherto hung between the visible and the
invisible worlds.
It's true tnat many do come. and satisfied with
the proof offered Indeed the history Of this movement
hears assertion that candid person. Whatever
his previous habits Of mind might have been, has ever
investigated what is called modern sprtuaism without
becoming believer IN It's fundamental teach
ings Many learned men. bitter sceptics and
scofers have undertaken tho Investigation OF
the phenomena OF sprlt1asm with the con-
yicton that they could dispel an insane de-
lu.ion from the minds OF set OF fanaticai
and crazy people and without an exception as far as
have been able ascertain, have been Obliged 10 ADMIT
the realty OF the phenomena. and most OF them to ac
knowledge that the spirtuaistc theory OF their origin
is the only reasonable one. OF this fact such men as
Professor Hare Judge Edmunds and Professor Mapes
are oonspicuous illustrations In the early Gays OF tho
movement and Crookes, Wallace, Zollner, and other
English and German scientists are now prom
ineut exemplars. The evidence OF tue truth OF
tha fsaft Of ffa
edherents ought to be irresistible with every fair mind
II can offer the testimony OF OF thousands OF the
best the most competent, the most uuprfjndiced and
reliable OF witnesses, and yet 1t Is rejected or dlse-
rarded "seeng they see, but will not perceive; and
hearing, they hear, but will not understand"
Let us look into OF this strange phenome-
non III not that maus needs TO be convinced.
M, 4. ia MIA will that must be adjusted to the
reception OF the truth; aud the misfortune often
ia that he Is In sublime Inconsistencies
OF the obduracy and unrecephve condition
of bs mind this respect 1t IA Blind unreasonng OPP
position against which have to CONTEND AND II this
TINT shall attempt TO analyze. With vast number OF
people the of this opposition s senseless pren-
dice against the name spirlualism based upon sheer
Ignorance an misrepre From the newspapers
and the dscourses OF the pupts they have mb bed the
idea that the thing called Sprituaisn Is a Kind OF
dIabolism. Thus many persons looked upon my book
with kind pous horror fearing TO admit II into their
fam
able 10 announce 1t to sell IT, CeIgymen have held
M their hands sanctmorous horror real or affected
Some seemed afraid to read it lest they might find,
after all that the foundation OF their orthodox notions
was insecure would ask, Is this the faith OF which
they boast Il this the faith that can remove moun-
tains Very many persons have no other knowledge OF
the spirtualistic phenomena than what they have
oured by reading foolish squbs OF the secular press
of which Wendell Phillips said :" 1t has seriousness
is no protector to morality, help 10 virtue These
newspapers profess to give the people Intelligence, and
vet they uniformly, by general understanding or
conspiracy keep from their readers almost everything
pertaining this great subject except when, as In the
case OF my self and my book, they can make scDsa-
ton or raise mockng laugh 1t Is amazing that any
Intelligent person should be carried away by the
editorial uterances OF those who write with the most
Guency and dogmatlc assurance upon the subjects OF
which they know the least. When any account, how
ever irnperfectly attested, OF The grabbing OF
a spirit" or the exposure OF Undertaking. medium
comics 10 hand. it is at once inserted with
every possible establishment Of malicious
vlttcsm but an account of genuine phenomena, how
ever Endorsed, IL thrown into the waste-basket The
editors OF the daily newspapers scarcely AFFORD TO
EXHIBIT any sympathy with modern spirtnaism and yet
two out three OF the reporters and intervewefs that
paid me 80 much attention few monthe ago acknowl-
edged that they were spirtuasts but they could only
make the reports for which they were paid sprltuaism
IL uppopular and hence ths journalists Who have the
power TO emit or exclude the light, keep their
readers In darkness by the publication OF
fasehood or error have had the opportunity OF talk
ing across the gulf Though truly there is 10 gu with
some OF these peoples and their expressions of aston
ishment, bewiderment and regret at their singular
blindness and folly while the mortal form arc some
times quite distressing.
Among the most difficult Of the causes Of opposition 10
overcome human conce and more particularly edu-
GATED copcei Take the eocaed scientist Tor example,
whose life has been spent In the investigation OF some
narrow field OF physical nature, and whose learned
disnuisifions have been listened TO, slept
oyer al the regular meetings OF the sardnts-
viii YOU presume 10 tell this there "a something be-
yond The realm OF that nature n which he lives and
moves and has his being - Bring him bug that Il not
descrbed IN his books entomology ana be viii gaze
upon il with rapture, aud Discourse aoout with scien-
iAc elonusnce; but talk TO him about spiritual fact
an he Will soon at you or surh az your simplicity. Il
any person In the world should have Learned mod
esfy and humility it is tho investigator OF physical
science Bu the modern scientist 10 proud arrogant and
Sosmst,c Ths kew 10 the difficulty is afforded by the
remark Of Professor Huxley Admitting the phenomena
10 be genuine they do not interest me- NO give nae
protoplasm give me buss and beetles svs me sses
and viii lssn 70 you; but In the Language Of Brew.
ster "spirit,s the last thing VII g,'ein To- thus
corceit tha pride Of profession. the inabii