Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-06-25
WITH THE SPIRITS.
Yesterdays Meeting Near Taylor Ridge
| &. II. Brooks DlscOurxe


q. II. Brooks Discourse.
TAYLOR RIDGE, June 25.-The
meeting of spiritualists at Bufrum's
grove, about three miles north of
here, occurred yesterday. There
were present about one hundred peo-
pie. including believers of this So
called science. from Stewartville,
Milan. Taylor Ridge and elsewhere
in this section. The morning meet
ing opened with music. followed by a
PRAYER from &. II. Brooks. the we'll
known spiritualistic lecturer from
Elgin. who had been secured to adj
dress the meeting at cost of $50.
that sum being necessary for his ex-
penses and two lectures. After
prayer the music of an organ and
four voices belonging to j. c. Clapp,
the Misses Sadie and Mary Clapp
and Mrs. May Buffum, was verv
well rendered, Rev. Brooks having
during the singing been put under
control of the disembodied spirit.
With his eyes closed and with a con-
scious and unfaltering step, he APP
preached the speakers table and be.
gan the discourse of his subject,
"Spiritualism." Mr.. Brooks is a
forcible. If not an eloquent. orator.
He possesses n rare gift of decipher-
ing many almost intangible subjects;
he speaks with an earncstness and
heartness that is not to be gainsaid.
Mr.. Brooks-to sum up his entire
1 lecture in few words-spoke of the
laws governing spiritualism. There
is. in his and his co-workers' opinion,
only one devil; that is, in man him
self. There is no hell, but a sort of
sheol or limbo. where spirits are
compelled to answer and suffer. per-
haps, for their various sins or crimes.
but not an everlasting punishment:
that God is not person, but prin-
ciple; that the so-called God Of skep-
ties on this subject is manifest in all
things. from the green blade of grass
to the higher sphere of animal life
man; that Christ was not babe OF
immaculate conception, but one OF
ordinary birth and emoluments; that
the Holy Trinity is not considered in
this creed; that spiritualism is what
Moses taught was the religion
which Christ taught and the be.iei
that the apostle propogated the
only true way TO experience reveren-
tial respect and love for self and God
called by them, Nature. He held,
too. that one who is spiritualist has
a power, potent within every man.
only to greater or less extent. TO
meet. commune and associate with
the departed friends of their house.
hold; could love man and nature bet.
ter than in any other sphere; could
become more intelligent in the con-
ception of morality, thus becoming
more esteemed, and could become
more useful to man than in any 9th
or way. Investigation of ones self
was necessary to secure the desired
result; spiritualism is simply the re-
ceiving of new creed in exchange
for the old, hence u change of heart,
, brought about by mental researches,
!; and can be the only method employed
, to bring about this great transforms
tion. He then spoke of the bible
, claiming that there are many bible.
or codes of religious laws that are
Just as good as the Old and New ties
} taments. He referred espe cially Il
! the Koran. religious work of an.
J cient- that contained some of the
most eloquent and life-giving pas.
r sage> eXtant.