The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1885-03-25

Friction of Electricity.
A few other facts constitute the whole
resource of spiritualism. But they are
all explainabIe on the known basis of
hypnotism and mesmerism. They have
been clearly illustrated in the scientific
experiments OF Kercher and Zermall.
There is no necessity whatever, as yet,
to make them instances of ghostly agen-
cy, no need to desert the region of science
and common sense for some mythical
force.
Spiritualism has always counterfeted
and retarded true science From the
most ancient times its votaries were not
contented with the patient study of the
stars, but connected with it astrology
and used the planets to draw horoscopes
of national and individual fortune. They
were not content with the reputation of
what they actually knew, but pretended
to occult and peculiar knowledge behind.
And wherever this spirit has shown it.
self, from Chaldea down, it has been an
obstruction and ruin to real scientific as
tronomy. Where now are the predictions
of astrology? The pondrous volumes of
this pseudo-soience has shrunk into
solitary page of Zadkirb's Almanac.
While the astronomy it counterfeited
under the patient research of honest stu
dents has been established on the solid
basis of discovered laws, and its volumes
are full of the lore of invisible bodies
the com njunction and eclipses of planets,
and it has been able to call forth from
the depths of space many hitherto un-
known witnesses of its truth.
The sciences of the imponderable forces
have produced the mariners compass,
the lightning conductor, the electric tel
egraph, but what fruits have we of clair
voyance, table-turning, spirit-wrapping
Had there been any reality to such pow
ers should mankind have waited to the
18th century for the discovery of Amer
lea, or to the 10Th for the knowledge of
the gold fields of California, the oil wells
of Pennsylvania, and the mines of Aus.
tralia? If these pretended seers had the
power they claimed could they not have
relieved the terrible tension of anxiety
with which America and the whole world
hung over the couch of General Garfield,
and by their revelations have ended at
once the long drawn agony. By their
fruits ye shall know them. But what
have been the achievements of spiritual
ism these thousands of years?
The Practical Results
of spiritualism degrade the spirit-sphere
and vulgarize the spirits themselves.
For what is the final impression made
upon our minds by these attempts to call
up the spirits of the great dead. If
George Washington and John Calvin do
really talk as these mediums make them
talk, it is manifest that the change which
has come over these gifted minds is any
thing but change for the better. The
noble and pregnant thoughts which
served to render them immortal are
theirs no longer. They were lion-hearted
men in their day, but they whine in a
sentimental fashion quite new to them.
Some of them could talk grammatically
in their generation, but they make sad
havoc now of the Queen English. Some
of these spirits were famous for their
clearness of thought, but Socrates has
forgotten bis dialectics and Plato all his
matchless logical skill. Some of them
had fine sense of historical consistency,
self as person who died some years ago
in the Jewish faith, and Pontius PLATE
metamorphoses himself into a leading
tragedian Of our day The spirit of Ba-
con speaks but in sentences containing
as little of the pith and marrow of Bacon
as a schoolboy's theme. Others take the
name of Swedenborg, but of Sweden.
borg that has lost his true sagacity.
Even the spiritual Shakespeare sometimes
takes to writing poems, but such Shaks-
peare These great men were clear
sighted and strong thinkers but their
personations are weak rhapsodists. We
can only Judge of the character Of the
messenger by that Of his message, and by
this test we must confess that the spirits
thus far have wonderful and fearful lot
Of sickly sentimentalists, incapable Of
giving us single thought in advance of
what is already known. Considered in
the light of spirituaLsm we are not en-
amored Of that upper sphere. Either
these spirits mock and deceive us or the
spirit-land into which they have passed
Is degradation to them and illadapted
to the education of spirits 80 endowed.
The gospel Of the Old and New Testa-
ments supplies communion with heavenly
spirits in the noblest form of which the hu-
man soul is capable--promises Of guidance
in everydificulty and support under every
trial How inadequate is the substitute
which spiritualism proposes for the relief
of human perplexities and the balm Of
human woes p Why should we exchange
with fbe UoIv Shirt enJ