The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-08-16
AN IMl'OTENT CURSE.

<1AV AAAA AAS IOxSOlLs
EDITOR ADvANCE:--l notice (by
reading the papers) that the Catholics
aud other denominations are becoming
very much rolled in their minds on &C.
count Of such great numbers of their
members becoming convinced Of the
reality of spirit manifestations. The
n. Y. Times says: 900 members of
the Catholic church have suddenly de-
veloped into Spiritualists ut Cincin-
natl"
1.-The bishop of Bohemia has become
so much alarmed ut the rapid spread of
Spirituallsm in that country, that lie
has declared anyone protesting belief
in the Spiritualistic doctrine to be
guilty Of heresy. IN. Y. Sun.
The news of what is being accom-.
plished by Spiritualism has reached the
cars Of the Pope and lie has shown what
a wicked, malicious spirit he is of by
issuing the worst curse that ever parted
the lips of fiend iii human form. We
will quote q small part Of it:
PRAYER OF TIE POPE. ...a
%.May Almighty God and his holy
saints curse the Spiritualists and their
Journals. May they be crushed and
swept away from the face of the earth.
Let them suffer hunger, thirst and
nakedneSs. Let them De cursed every
where and at every hour: cursed day
and night, sleeping and waking, in eat
ing and drinking; cursed at home and
abroad; cursed on land and on water;
cursed from the top Of their heads
down to the soles of their feet. May
famished wolves prey upon their corl,Ses
and may their eternal company be Satan
and his angcls.''
No intelligent Catholic will say amen
to such Il shameful, inhuman prayer.
In looking over this curse by the head
Of the Christian Church, we are lead to
inquire why the various denominations
of Christians are so bitterly opposed to
Spiritualism? The difference in relig-
ion between the two classes is only
such as would naturally grow out of !.
more enlightened and elevated condi-
ton of mankind, The law of progress
is everywhere in operation. 1t is the
belief of scientists and Il large class of
the most intelligent, observing persons
III the Old countries aud in America
that the present spiritual communion
is the result Of our having reached q
higher condition of life, religieusly and
intellectually, and that the large num-
bers who have progressed out OF the old
theology were prepared to receive higher
and more ennobling ideas of God, and
a future state OF existence. So let the
Pope and priests curse and issue their
accommodations. Wo heed them
not. The world moves and the old
Bloody Hell fire and birthstone theol-
ogy is passing away to give place to a
more natural, humane religion, con-
tanning the most beautiful and elevat-
ing thoughts the human mind is cap;,-
bic of comprehending. How they shine
when brought in contrast with the low
and depravrd conceptions of Deity eX-
pressed il the above curse.
l.. A. CHArsEY.
The Wortlljngton ADVANCE speaks
very complimentary of the Democratic
platform, and expresses the belief that
tho preamble and second resolution-il'
favor of personal liberty and against
sumptuary legislat,on-"ought to- be
nailed to the masthead Of every news
paper in AmeTica.' IN this the AD-
VANCE is correct, but so long rs it is
profitable to worship 1T the other
shrine, the majority OF the newspapers.
like frail humanity III general, will be
found tlere.-hIankato Review.
We expressed more than that, how
ever. We said that the principles of
tie preamble and second resolution
ought to be put into Republican plat.
forms. (and every other political plat
form for that matter.) And if the
Republicans do not put these or similar
declarations into their platforms: the
New Democracy now rising over the
horizon will sweep them from power
and it ought to. The Republican party
is responsible for that Devils and
BiEot's trap, tho Comstock law; Re
publican Legislature passed the i'll
famous Russell law Of Ohio taxing tie
ministers Of Spiritualism $500 while the
fool State cxempts the ministers OF
other religions from many Of the COM
mon burdens of the citizen; tho Repub-
lican party is shouldering prohibition
fanaticism wherever it is sho"ldered 10y
political party.
To be brief: the Republican party
has made scores of assaults on personal
liberty and Is rapidly becoming the
party of bigots, fanatics. aristocrats,
monopolists and monarclistS.
OF course it cannot exist long under
these circumstances in q country like
this.
The ADVANCE has always boldly de.
nounced these wrongs and this ten
dcncy. While acting in tle main with
the party, and having been earnestly
with it in its effort to preserve the
govcrnm ent when assailed, we have
never hesitatcd to derounce ringism,
Dossism, Comstockism, and the class
legislation of the party.
And we most dcvoutly hope that this
year the Republicans will be so badly
beaten in Ohio and Iowa as to curb
the fool tendency Of the party to rusl,
heallong into the arms of every fanat-
icism which is presented to it as !,
s'great moral issUe': The party now
is undoubtedly B;got- Ridden and rap.
idly becoming the foe of individual
rights and personal liberty.
AMONG THE SHAKERS.
In certain sections of the country
there are religious sects known as Sha
| kers; but for the present we will not
| speak of them. The 'shakers" tc
whom we refer are those who suffer
from swamp fever which necessarily
entails Rheumatic troubles and Neural