The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-17
SOME VIEW hooks.


The late Laurence Olphant, one Of the most
renowned Of travellers and yoluminous
writer, was a singular aud rare genius, a man
who seems TO have been swaycd during an
cvcntful career by an intense desire 10 reach
after the very soul Of things and stand face
10 face with what ordinary mortals know as
the unseen. lie tried all sorts OF expert.
mcnts with himself, tested great variety Of
faiths, visited every nation and many
strange people In order that hc might in
crease his fund Of knowledge and learning
and know by personal experience or close
contact with those who had experience a.
ministers, priests, prophets aud Others Of
their opponents, something Of the leading
aud great religious systems that have swaycd
the minds Of men In past ages aud still sur.
yiyc In philosophers that tho corrup-
tons Of succeeding nations and dynas.
ties have not been able 10 dciaco with
their corroding touch. Buddhism Is today a
l-epniusion and much of Il an impracticablc
folly. ldt ihe pl'ila-a.iy on which il 4
founded Is acknowledged 10 De fountain OF
wisdom running over. Christianity today Is
In many Of IT, phases ycxntion to those who
know the gospels and gather thence the
simple philosophy Of the greatest of mon.
Vet thce gospels do not lose anything Of
their value, nor are they any the less potent
with the mass Of those who are brought
within the influence Of their words Mo.
!amcdanism, like Christianity, nm ofshuut
Of the religion that Moses founded, which
survives today by mason OF us rationalism-
u, too has become divided into warning
sccts, but the philosophy Of the founder re.
mains aud his Koran Is today n powerful
spiritual agency Ia the conversion Of millions
Of Africans from fctishi.m TO the knowl.
edge Of God aud tho strict, In
some respects abstcmious discipline Of
Mohnmcd's code. Laurence Oliphant knew
an these thing, and great deal morc
besides. lie wor.hippcd the spirit In the
holy places o. Palestine. he sat In contcm.
plaiion with the initiates" Of India. AMI
listened 10 the weird mediums whose mum.
bcp aud whose occult marycs make ThIbci
strange city 10 the rest oi the world.
Mr. Oliphani made common lie with the
Arabs, sat with them IN their tents IN silence.
travelled with them IN their caravans and
sharrd with them the uncertainties of.thc
desert lie became one OF them and thu.
came 10 rynlirc how personal 10 them i the
religion of the followers 81 the "mlso
prophet" and how intimately q affects them
in nll that concerns them o. individuals and
ns nations or tribes Thus, digging dclylns.
studying wooing the spirit aud surrcndrring
himself 10 occulL spiritual aud religious in.
nucuccS be gathered great mass OF
curious aud fowoticn lore" which be-
| assorted aud nssimiuicd, and out Of
which be- made a now doctrine the
message II which be has given 10 the world
In scientific Religion, OF higher prohabill.
tics oi life and pmciico through the oI.crn.
ton II natural foncs" book Just from
the pres, oi Charlie 4. wcnbornc. OF
Buffalo. y. Y. In this mcvnrc IN hu.
mauiiy, the last words be- uttered on earth.
be- declares the primal law " freedom Of
soul to boz that ihcre Is no necessity Tor a
pivotal man. "tllpngh whom alone Cod can
act upon tho human mcc" This bc dr.
nuunccs ne "a doctrine which casts IN. mnr
Motto icitcrs round the affections the will
aud the understanding. and makes abIcci
slaves II those who yield themselves 10 H."
Against ihi. he dcclnrrs 'tho whole plency
II the di,Iucly vital descent now occur.
ring. IL 10 develop the entire nature
Of man. morally nationally and phys.
Ically. 10 cmnn,ipiic him from the bond.
bec oi churclts bud u mcn 10 make
him his own pivot standing crrct iu Tho
] lisht II hls own divine illumination. and
liuus hls arms Godwnrl inspired by tho
dignity ~ his own a'pimiIons. neither borne
Into thc unseen IN tho sWallling clothes u a
/ sect. nor driven hiillcr in a chalnrnns un.
dcf tlic cruel lash Of a slnycvlrIvcr nor pro.
iccl,l Into Il upon the iarot Of an auto
date" Thus independent Of crccis. stand.
lnr aloof from al religion oruu'nHous.our
author believed men arr 81 work out their
own salvation. But tbs doe, not give even
an luLlins OF the augumcnt with which Mr
ufphsnt cniorrcs his peculiar Wow. lie
deal, with ~ the subtle AMI convertible
rotrnclc, known o. divine feminine aud
divine masculine with" spirit ''.uul. aud
"u,,chc." or the "pncuml" which inter.
prricl means "thc spIr.t ub.ci /, holy. or
.ihe .n.rli ~ God ilctrts NJ alI the
Ii.a,r.,! mci.aialsllc power oi ihe external