Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1892-01-29
What is SpiritualismP

Last Sunday evening large audi
cncc assembled in Barnes Liberal
Hall. to hear discourse by P. ID.
Moore on the subject OF " Spiritualism
and its Claims"
After the reading of a poem and
singing 10y choir, the speaker referred
to the spiritual manifestations re-
corded in the Bible; citing the "wo-
man Of Endor." the naturalization OF
Moses and Elias on the Mount, Pauls
experience with Il very effective spirit
manifestion. the wonderful exhibition
on the day of PenticOst, and the con.
vcr-ntion Of John with one of his
brcthrcn-one of the prophets-from
the spirit world. He also referred to
the spirit manifestations and commu-
nicailons made to the Wesleys, who
we're the founders of Methodism.
He then followed by adverting to
What il known as modern spiritualism,
aud sand Some forty-three years ago,
-, an humble dwelling in Hydesville,
New York. the children of this family
were discovered holding pleasant, low
ing cheerful conversation with unseen
intclli. cncc by means of rapping
sounds, and the children being with
out fear or superstitiuns dread greatly
enjoyed those interviews. without
knowing the character or source OF
these sounds. which however, were
fraught with intelligence. The pa
rents. when they made the discovery
became. of course, greatly interested,
aud soon learned that these intelli
gences purported or claimed to be
spirit friends whom they had known
previously on earth. The glad tidings
received by the parents were soon
communicated to their friends and
speedily great interest was awakened
aud many carefully investigated the
phenomena, with highly satisfactory
results.
A lively interest grew and extended
far and wide, until multitude of
mediums for different phases of spirit
communication and spirit-power were
developed. until. from a beginning
almost akin to the birth OF Jesus in a
stable, Spiritualism spread far and
Wide over the entire civilized globe,
and now numbers its adherents by the
millions, including therein scientists,
poets, statesmen and eminent men in
every department OF life, as well as the
multitude OF common people who
have received the word" or spirit
voice, gladly, Notwithstanding the
Jealous opposition of clergy, for it has
shed new light on the problem OF life
and given it new significance.
Among the claims of Spiritualism
the speaker cited the following, viz:
LIST. That it demonstrates the con
tinucd existence and identity of the
individual after undergoing the change
called death. The facts necessary fol-
this purpose. carefully verified, have
been investigated by competent per
sons, by the scientific method ant
fully established. So that existenc,
in life after this is no longer a mat
ter Of belief, but becomes a matter O
knowledge.
"a. That our friends in the spirit
world have discovered and make u.s.
81, means whereby they can commu
nicate with their friends on earth an,
make their presence and condition
known.
81. That by this means it is clearl
proven, that in accordance with reason
and the moral sense, the spirit-worl,
Is emphatically human world, an,
that the ties Of friendship, sympath
I and love are not severed because q
their departure from earth.
4th. IL also establishes the fac
that the law of progress or evolution
! Is operative in the spirit-world even a
in this, and that the only means G
, having sins forgiven, is by " ceasing t
! do i'll and learning to do WE'LL"
/ 9th. IL proclaims a religion base
oii faith in God OF Love and Wisdom
whose will is manifested only by natu
raj law, and that mans highest dut
is just. wise and loving service to hi
fellow man.
Spiritualism proves itself true b
we'll attested and innumerable fact.
: But we frequently hear the remar
] that some of these communications Q
p revelations from the spirit-world ar
, not reliable, and sometimes seem Dor
IN the brains of the mediums; an
there Is great deal of truth in tn
b remark. Although there are q multi
tudc Of facts establishing the continue
existence of individuals who hav
passed from this mundane sphere, We
; that does not prove that spirits are in
/ iallib!e, or the descriptions give
! through mediums always reliable
p neither does il always follow that the
! are born in the brains of the medium.
even when 10 n casual observer the
. seem ~. The telegraph often mislead
! and reports false and contradictor
. statements; but that does not prov
; that there Is no operator at the othe
; end Of the line, or that all commun
cations are born in the visionary ms
b chinery OF the battery. In spiritua
ism We must make liberal allowanc
, for the subtle psychology of thi
world Tor the PREF ossessions OF tn
7 medium; for mental reflections; fo
atmospheric distractions; for the in
, perfect knowledge Of the spiritua
ID operator using the medium, aud fO
the constitutional bias OF the recipient