The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1882-11-22
Vows h;s Belief in "Ihe Spirits >

John L. Newman VINO Is best Known
as Grants chaplain and lick-spittle, has
excited the people of Washington by
avowins his belief in ghosts. He has
Rugged the negro until he has imbibed
wen his superstitions:
His inject was do the Dead Re-
turn - the sermon being one OF a series
on the immortality OF the soul. He took
the position that the spirits of the dead
inha5it an invisible world and that COM
munications ale received from them.
DR.. Newman in a conversation Saturday
" it'll a New York Tribune reporter said
There has been a belief III spirits
among nearly all nations. and that there
- an intermediate state has been almost
universally believed. In Il bic times
the two worlds met. There vas COM
n%unication between them as there now
i between New York and Lonion-not
80 frequently. Of course. II spirits exist
the question comes as to what form they
have. In the first place. | say that
wherever there have been appearances
the spirits have been in human form. Ii
is a physiological fact that the human
soul is coextensive with the ner-
vous tissues YOU still have left the hui
man form. Death Is evolution OF the
soul out OF this system Of human body
DO YOU believe in a communication
with departed spirlts:'
Nothing is more clearly taught in
the Bible. Not less than tive persons
are recorded there as having returned.
Christ had a pre-eN stence. During the
three DAYS intervening tive HIS
death AMI resurrection His spirit Is
represented as absent from the body.
FIRST. lac visited Paradise. for he told the
tiiei on the cross tt.at he would meet
linn there tie day Of lis death. Then
He went t. Gahenna. inr He preacl ed
to the spirits v Ito atOretlme We're d>o-
ded.ent.'' The Scriptural record is i'll |
Peter. iii. -. There is no doubt some
accepted his teaching. This pre>uppos-
ed by the fact OF His preaching to them.
lie then returned to the earth, and is to
return again.
Was Christ in the flesh or the spirit.
in your opinion. after the resurrec-
tom"
lie took up His body again, but it
underwent a transformation before His
ascension. Then there are the cases of
Samuel. Noses, and Elijah. Moses rep
resented the disembodied spirits. and
returned at.er an absence of 100 years.
Elijah, representing the embodied spirits
he was translated, you know-return-
ed after l.cOu years
What was their mission"
They were evidently a committee OF
two sent from the spirit world inquire of
Christ whether He felt himself compe-
tent to make their heaven permanent by
His death on the cross. They knew
where Christ was what mOuntain-tOp
He vas on praying; they know that he
was to die i'll j rusalum-a future event.
Did YOU make use of .'aul's case in
your ar-ulnent:'
Yes; that is another example. Tn
der the law OF deviation lac waS caught
up the third Heaven and heard. IL lc
SAYS. things not lawful for HIM to utter
He came back and lived twenty Years
after this vent. 1t was to him the in
spiration of his ministry, and enabled
him to endure martyrdom. He is the
only MAJ that ever longed for death. He
had been there
What do you think Of Swedenborg's
theories -
There can be no doubt that he is
correct in his assertion that the spirits
of his friends came to him and commu-
nicate with him. There are many cases
where there seems to be this commune
cation of spirits. When the father of
the eloquent Blu minister was dying in
New Hamspire he suddenly exclaimed /;
My son is dcad!' His son did tie at
that very in Boston. | buried
Il pre- o woman a few Years ago. Her
only son was III Iowa. Wnlle blowing
in field he suddenly stopped and sai.I
that his mother wa dead. The Young
mans athcr. who is a mathematician.
made calculation, and found that the
death and the impression received by the
I re son were coIncIdcnt ii point OF time
to this moment"
How did YOU get this evidences"
From the father and son. | know
them both we'll"
In what way do YOU account for the
transmission OF such mtc!ligence:'
The mothers spirit may have COM
municated 1t To him. | have Lad sever
al remarkable instances OF a similar
character to those | have cited III my
own i,te.'
do You believe in verbal messages
from the spirit world as well as spirit
impreSsion:'
"Steppili- away rom necrolnancy and
things OF that sor, there are persons, |
believe, Who are messengers Of the
spirits world
BY what means do they come into
possession ri this power:'
Faith Is a condition. These persons
yield themselves tn the influence. Others
through them. by conserving and exer-
ci>ing faith. may receive communica-
tons.
Is moral character Il c~onditiont''
Bad spirits may communicate through
bad persons
Dc YOU believe i'll the theory that
the spirit, of the dead are familiar with
the condition and acts OF the living"
Just as the angels rejoice over a re-
pentant sinner our dead friends are ia
mlliar with our condition. and are COM
panlons. \ great army Of evil spirit.
are the companions Of the wicked.
While IL is beautiful to celebrate All
SoulsS Day i'll PRAYING for the dead. it
Is Il wonder To one that nothing i said
81 the praying Tor us, which is a great
Bible truth. 1t is stated in Revelations
that the prayer, of saints are as precious !
incense ascending from golden censers.'