Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-28
A SiX-Column Report From William
Ellery Channing's Ghost.
REMARKABLE FOR ITS OMISSIONS.
Some Things That Night be of Interest
From the Land of Spooks.
AN ANALYSIS BY BESSIE BRAMBLE
WRITTEN FOR THE prsrArcu.1


in the world, and now it proposes to supple
ment that statement by the further one that
''they are the most liberal people on all of
Gods green earth" This fact is to be
proved, as it says. by the tremendous cir
culation OF the Thinker in the near future.
This paper is to become the "Crowning
Triumph" Gin big, big letters) at ! n cents
week. Cheap enough when it is considered
that for that small sum the subscriber
| will be favored with long weekly
contributions containing the Spiritual ex-
| periences" of such men as William Ellerv
Charming, Robert Dale Owen, Andrew
Jackson Davis, Bonaparte the Great, Judge
Edmonds, Catharine Fox, Shakespeare.
Abraham Lincoln, Red Jacket, Sitting
Bull, and other eminent men who have
passed into the great beyond p
1t NAV be that some of these mentioned
have not-y yet ''gone over" but most of them
have got to the other end OF the rainbow,
and from what is claimed as to their belief
in spirits, and to their prominence in lie
at this end, it is quite likely they will be
''called" 10 appear upon the Progressive
Thinkers rostrum, and relate as much of
their experiences in the spirit land as will
benefit those still abiding in the physical
frame and in the darkness of unbeliet.
The remarks of William E!lery Chan
ming are neither very profoundly impress
ing nor convincing. But this may only
seem so to the few outsiders. whose minds
are fettered by bonds of the physical nature.
As judged by Mr.. Chauning's spiritual ut
| terances, it would appear that Spiritualism,
| like Christianitv, "calls" the many, but
only few are chosen. Mr.. Claiming says,
| through his medium, of course: "There are
very few minds sufficiently aware of spirit
| lite in the earthly exlste nee to break the
fetters of the senses, to be free in mind, free
in spirit, while animating the physical
BODY"
But why only the every few?" But why,
as our churches teach. should the great ma
jority of this worlds inhabitants go to
everlasting destruction? Nobody knows,
except one sect that says it is
for the glory of God. Now comes Mr..
Charming, down from the spirit world in
Chicago, and tells us there are only very
few who can break the fetters OF the senses
so as to become aware Of spirit life. This
would seem to support the conclusion OF
many that people have got to go out of
their senses in some degree to take in the
truths OF spiritualism.
Spirits are ever with US, and around the
dwellers of the earth, say Spiritualists.
Angels are ever around US, say our ortho-
dox teachers. Why then does the fact re-
main that only the few are drawn in either
ballot for the prizes and highest gifts? Mr..
Claiming put the blame upon the teachings
of the theologians of the past, but he does
not say why the countless good spirits, who
people the unseen world, do not, by rap
pings and tumbling tables, and writing
upon tied-up states, and reading sealed let
ters, and material1zing in earthly forms,
and showing themselves through frances,
and all the ways they have of making Them
selves known in this world of woe, block
the game.
THEY MIGHT CONVERT PEOPLE.
Surely with the superior knowledge gained
by transition to the spirit world, and with
the power to come back and communicate,
they could easily demolish the theologisns
OF the past and present as well. If spirit
came directly down from the heavens to st.
Paul, why not to everybody, to convince
him personally of the error of his ways?
When William Ellery Claiming has dem.
onstrated that be can come as spirit to this
world, his old, Unitarian parishoners
and temperance friends will doubtless
think it rather hard that he does
not come to them and convert
them as easily as the "voice" or "vision"
moved upon the soul Of the man who was
breathing out threatenings against the
heather, and yet, by that "voice" was in
duced to- proceed unto the Gentiles to open
their eyes and turn them from darkness to
light. If spirits can come and do such
work, the world might soon be changed
from wickedness to righteousness.
When Brother Claiming reached the
world beyond the beautiful river" as he
saws. he "found all his loved ones there
waiting for him, as though they were aware
he was coming, and were in attendance
during the weeks and years of suffering,
ministering, as ii knowing every step and
change, so that when one feels exultant in
the change there is the sympathizing spir-
itual friend, the companion, the father,
the mother, all with whom one
is allied beside the perception of the spirit
ITSELF" His remarks grow hazy at times,
and beyond the reach of mortal view, which
rather detracts from their value. When Mr..
Charming preached from his earthly pulpit
he was considered a most eloquent man.
His style is said to have been clear, forcible
and elegant. But his late spiritual Grafton
could hardly be so described. Indeed it
might be said to be considerably muddled.
Such q speech, with even its spiritual
essence added, would never by its elearness,
force or eloouence draw any such audiences
as were entertained by Henry Ward Beecher,
or fill house such as 1ngersoll does.
SHADY ON HIS COMPANIONS.
Mr.. Charming, sad to say, declines to
anne those with whom he most frequently
mingles ia the spirit lIfe-chiefy for the
reason, as he remarked, that their names
have been considered of too much value in
the past, This will not seem to be very
satisfactory reason to those who would like
to know whether he sauntered around the
golden streets with the spirits of Shake
spear and Wordsworth, whom he so much
admired and loved when on earth. 1t would
be pleasant to know whether he hobnoboed
with Coleridge and talked over the 'ADcient
Mariner" and Cristabel; pleasant to know
if in their spirit forms he and Lloyd Gar
rison, Gerritt Smith, John Brown and
other rampaging abolitfonists run around at
nights discussing and devising raids upon
the earth to root out the slavery that still
exists therein.
1t would be interesting to know if he dis
cussed points in theology and transcenden-
talism with Emerson and Theodore Parker
and Margaret Fuller. 1t would be real
pleasure to know if he held frequent dis
courses upon philosopy with Socrates,
Plato, Kant and Schopenhauer, John
Stuart Mill and all that clique, or discussed
theology with Cotton Mather and Jonathan
Edwards. and doubly delight to have a
little OF their heavenly talk. 1t would be
pleasant to know whether he turned the
cold shoulder upon Napoleon as they passed
By, whom, before Charming left the form
he looked upon as despicable military
despot, given only to his own glory and
against whom he wrote so eloquently. It
would interest many to know if he and Vol
taire and Tom Paine and Jefferson and