The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-01-31
THE MORAL CHARACTER
OF ALL THE SPIRIT MEDIUMS
OF THE LAND.
Look into Them aBd Then Read the
Bible aud Draw Your Own
Conclusions.
To the Editors of the Appeal .

~ SAAS.ht "uN Ato tAAotOI1
through the ages is not well defined.
Glimpses of it appear iu many of the
ancient writings, both sacred and pro-
found. But with this we need have
nothing to do in this paper. The
present is of more importance to us,
and we need only examine a few
facts in order to satisfy any thinking,
honest mind that as a religion it is
failure and unworthy of any respect
whatever. It's known BY the names
of Spiritualism, Spiritism, Hyp-
notism, Odicforce, Mesmerism, etc.
1t is generally believed the ancient
oracles attained their influence over
their devotees by what is known as
modern Spiritualism. Swedenborg
seems TO be the firss in later times to
attribute this force to supernatural
origin. OF whom Mr.. John Wesley
said: He (Swedenborg) is the smart.
est crazy man | ever knew"
Then came Mesmer with his unde
fined and undefuable materialistic
theory Of THE universal essence"
But when he discovered that Gas
muir, a priest, could, without the aid
Of magnet, produce the same eff
tects as Himself, he also attributed it
to supernatural origin. Since this
every few years appear new candi-
dates for the honors of the mysteries
Of this force or clairvoyance. A men
tai bias toward mysticism has in
duced many otherwise honest inquir-
ers to esp,uss its cause, but 10 no
case has there been advanced testi-
mony as to the genuineness of the
claims Of its advocates that has not
been fairly met and overthrow by
the counter theories and expert
ments of men of science, with minds
unelouded by morbid ideas of life
and death. Franz Avon Mesmer says
animal magnetism is a universal fluid;
it is a medium of the mutual
influences between the heavenly
bodies, the earth and animated
bodies; it is continuous so as to leave
no void; it is capable Of receiving,
propagating and communicating all
the impressions of emotion; it is sus-
oeptible Of fux and refux: This is
a good basis for modern Spiritism.
The developments since Mesmer are
called clairvOyance, psychology, etc.
the legitimate outgrowth of such
principles. There are three classes
Of Spiritists, towit: The "deceiver,"
the deceived" and the II don't
know" Many honest persons who
have bias to mysticism, are led into
this theory and become so perfectly
infatuated as to nearly become Of
Tended If any enc expresses a doubt
OF its genuineDess. Of this class
are the fanatics and victims of
the immense fraud that is practieed
on them without their knowledge
Another large class look upon the
subject and its phenomena as if it
were wonderful and mysterious; yet,
having neither time nor disposition
to investigate, simply are the don't
know" party. They are ready to re-
late what they have witnessed with
out either giving assent or contra
diction to it. But the third and
smallest of the classes are these in
side workers-those who know that
the whole system is based upon de-
eeption and hypocrisy, and they are
willing to practice this fraud upon
the gullibility of credulous peo-
pie 10 order that they may feather
their own nest" in other words,
make money off their victims. Once
in a while one is found communica-
tive, and will reveal the whole secret.
And then again we occasionally meet
with one who, like Prof. Balabrega,
will perform all those wonders, So
called, and then say in truth, it is but
"artful receptions" The professors
visit was opportune and well timed
and welcomed to Memphis. But as
he often told me, There can be no
religion in it." What Do you think
that the great God of heaven and
earth, maker of all things, is SO poor
in expedients as to propagate sys-
tenn so imbecile land deceptive and
absurd? Would He go among His
creatures and select the most I'm
worthy, useless and unreliable instru-
ments for the propagation of cause
divine2 Can you imagine God
so poorly endowed as to select
half demented old women and un-
trustworthy men, whose lives have
been, if not positively immoral
at least irregular in the extreme, to
represent his divine will to fallen
Inquire into the moral
character Of every medium in the
land and then read the Bible and
weigh the subject in the light of d.
vine truth and draw your own con-
illusions. SO they pay their debts2
Are they chaste? Are they truthful? |
Are you willing to trust your repu-
tation in their hands without buying
their favor and influence with money?
This is the age of Lying" The
masses would rather believe lie
than the truth. A truthful lawyer
by the side of a lying trickster will
fail while the other succeeds.
A scientific physician brought in
contact with lying quack will fail
and the quaek succeed. "A stranger !
with spotless character may be ruined |
by lying ISLANDERS he cannot stoop to
meet. The most glaring hypoorisies |
are palmed off as the best religion,
and people are found willing to be- |
lieve and swallow down, undigested,
the nsuseous dose, because it does
not rebuke their sins nor require re-
pentance and reformation. A very |
large per cent. of the advocates Of |
modern Spiritismare apostates from
some religious church, and hence
this antipathy to recreant principles
and purity. Men viii hold more tena
ciously to an error than to truth.
"They are given over TO hardness OF |
heart and reprObacy of mind to be-
lieve a lie that they may be damned.
What is now known as Spiritism is
simply an undeveloped science.
Time will right the wrong. Mesmer-
ism and magnetism are true as fact
but absolutely false as a religion.
Mind reading belongs to this class,
as does clairvoyance. cannot de-
.or;ba them fullv here. Magnetism