The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-01-05


 ueAcherous no opportunity was offered for decei, or fraud. We were seated in a circle. with hands joined. Behind the medium on two chairs was placed a huge dulcimer. On table in the center of the circle vas pencil and paper. two bella. and a guitar. Arrangements had been made to darken the room, and when the circle was adjusted and the gaslight turned down the manifestations com menced instantly It Is not necessary to detail the order of them, as the expe- rienee of each person present was nearly similar. The dulcimer was played by skillful hands; songs, osertures and waltzes were dashed of with an abandon of one who seemed to enjoy il the guitar was made to keep time in a running ac- compartment while moving abou, the room. on the heads and in the laps of the circle the guitar. two bells. and dulci- mer kept time with loud and skillful drumming on the wood of the dulcimer. A lady's hair was deftly taken down, the hairpins thrown on the table. and the switch in a gentleman lap. All were touched. and some of us smauly struck with hands. great and small, electric lights dar,ed to and fro, soft lips kissed us, and gentle hands oaressed us. All received written communications thrust into their pockets. and one lady had her handkerchief taken from an inner pocket and her nosed wiped with Il, Names of d.paited friends were loudly whispered Tn our ears. and alter two hours ot such experiences without having relinqGlshed control of the medium hands. The gas vas lighted, and the dulcimer and two chairs on which Ii rested. the guitar. and bells were found piled Gp on the table and We stared al each other m amaze ment asking what did i; We were unanimous h ;he belief that |, was not the medium. for each of US had held his hands ln turn during the manifestations. and could testify n person. Upon any theory of magic or lusslery with which we were acquainted, even had hts hands been free. II would have required not less than three acoomplioes and some nice machinery 10 have accomplished what was done Wha; did Il. then: Spirit- ualism says that It Is the living, intelligent spirits of our departed friends, and science has as yet found no theory able to disprove II. and until !, offers some eN- planation more reasonable and plausible than the souls immortality. which we all profess 10 believe, mediums witi multiply and spiritualism will extend bu, wha, ot i,. IS an equally important question. Granting the i,..nor,ahty of the soul and the genuine nature of the phenomena by which Il Is demonstrated. what use has been made of i,: What new principle of philosophy has been solved what T., tionai scheme of life guidance proposed :: what doctrine or science has been sug gested After more than thirty years enjoyment of spiritual intercourse. we md their literature potpie of shreds. pal hes, and diluted Swedcnborg, 4 ragout of isms, rhapsodies, and obscuri,y without reason or design the same tire some flood of never~changing, endless ;waddle as al first Tearing down with ruthless hands old institutions without the material or ability to erect new. they offer us nothing but life after death. and other religions do the same Alter thirty years we find no organil atioa. no system of belief, no creed, no doctrine. no rule of faith, no property, no ordina- = ministry or hartered institutions gcner- ally, no written or implied ,mpa Is. and no plan or doctrine of life or salvation as al. other religions have. !, $ true ,ha, lately t IS sought to introduce d new bible. DAlispe, bu, |, offers us nothing new either in morality, cosmNgony or philosophy, and has atiracted but litue attention. even in splFi;uailsn.. and none whatever og; oi il. The charm and pop u.aFi:y of spirl;ualssm IS due largely ,o lts abros of all law and assertion of absolute individual sovereignty. in ao-
 n'oAnCe With the law oi acton and re- ton. men rush from Fepulslve arbi- iI \ creed ;o the opposite, th.s Is what spi galism las done They may De abie 10 prove that fl a nau dies he hves ,ga.n. but they cannot buaid q hurch o-t ot ,ha' i.ci. fer i;s value and sIgnih-
 ance ,o the conduc; 9, life Is sub eel io the caprice and imagination oi each tn- d!sidual, either in the body C: out of |. One canno, attain solsntii knowledge iha, way. IL is true they posses, the same systems of morality as the shlfc Aes, bat they are not indebted to the s..r.;5 for i;.
 IL IS also true that the denons,Ts,iou of intelligence, independent of mater. glses ,he coup de grace to materiaisn. and q belief in supreme being and fe after death IS certainly great improvement; on hopeless disbelief and an lrresponsi- bic skepticism. Should the Christian church openly accept the phenomena, splritualism would disappeaf and they would modify and absorb each other