The morning times., 1896-04-19


morning, April B. 1896, at Metzerott Hall
Reported by w E. Clendauiel.
This morning all over the world the
advent of Easter is being celebrated. No
class OF people are as able to cele brate that
event as are the Spiritualists. No class
of people have the positive evidence or
immortality save the Spiritualsts. The
churchman, no matter Observation-Disclosures
whether Protestant or Catholic, has
nothing but faith to rest upon, and he
today Is celebrating an oc casiOn that
simply emphasizes his faith; but we as
Spiritualists are celebrating a day that
emphasizes our kno Wedge of immortality.
tApplause.) 1t means to us more than
the mere belief in Immortality and spirit
communion. Our Easter means resur-
rcction of the people, so that they may
understand the dangers that present them
selves at the present hour-in fact, the
resurrection from the dOgmas, slavery, and
superstition of Catholicism aud Protestant
ism alike. Therefore, when we take the
subject Of Easter for discussion, we are
taking a broad subject and one that
covers great deal of ground, aud ii is
impossible in the time allotted to our
discourse to do justice to the Easter
theme.
Forty-egbt years ago new religion
was born into the world. Then angel hands
rolled the stone Iva y fronItbe sepulcher and
revealed spirit as immortal. We would not
have you think that the world was devoid
OF spirit manifestations previous to that
time, for history is replete with wonders
and signs only to be explained by our spirit
ual philosophy. Yet these manifestations
at best were but imperfectly understood,
and the curtain bet ween the two worlds only
trembled on the rise. Every age has had
its spirit manifestations adapted to the
intellectual and spiritual development or
the people. But our manifestations are
adapted To this age and this time. They
came in a time OF materialism. They came
when doubt was abroad in the world upon
the subject of immortality. They came at
a time when the churches utterly failed
to cope with the prevailing niaterialism.
We turn TO Spiritualism to find that
living inspiration for which we seek. The
Inspirations OF the past may become u
stepping stone upon which we may stand
when reaching out for higher truths, If
we know how 10 rightly utilize them.
They may become a stumbling block if
we fail TO understand how to use them.
When we are criticising and analyZng
these Inspirations of the past, il is neces-
sary that we be very judicious in all our
work, for we may possibly throw aside
some diamonds, some gems, which are
OF inestmable value to the world. Dia-
monds are always found among the debris
Of The ages, and If we cast aside all the
inspiration of the past we may cast aside
something OF value. There fore We must
be Just and reasonable in criticising these
inspirations.
Spritualism reveals the oracle which is
within every human being, and would seek
to educate every member OF the human fam
lily, in order that ignorance and superstl-
ton may take their departure from the
world. The two great bugbears of the
present hour are ignorance on the one hand
and superstition on the other. We need
more education and more enlightenment
especially Oh the subject of religion. We
have too long taken our religion second
hand. We have been taught that because
our ancestors believed certain things, We
must believe the same. We have been told
to leave our reason outside when investigat-
ing religion. We might exercise it in
every other direction, but in religion We
must leave aside our reason a nd Judgment.
The dogma of total depravity asserted.
that man was fallen being. To me there
is no worse dogma to be found in all the
pages OF history than that which goes
under the name of total depravity innate
in man. 1t has retarded the progress of
the world and kept man in darkness and
misery. When Spiritualism came and re-
vealed the fact that man was progressive
by nature and that progress did not stop a t
the grave, it proved the deathblow of old
theology and aI,nihilated the idea of total
depravity.
The early advocates of spiritualiSm un-
waveringIy performed their duties when
assailed from every quarter, and were fully
sustained by angelic hosts in hours OF
sorest need. Comm encing among the
humblest OF earth's children, reviled and
prosecuted by the churches, Spiritualism
has moved steadily onward, until today 1t
finds lodgment In the palaces ofemperors,
kings and queens, as we'll as in the hutS
of peasants, and embraces within its fold the
most noted OF scientists. philosophers.
poets, musicians ani sta teSmen OF the world.
1t has proved a gospel OF glad tidings. II
has demonstrated beyond all controversy
the fact of immortality and intercourse
between the world OF spirit and the world
OF matter. without any outside assis tance
it has worked its way into all the literature
of the world. II has entered the churches
and modified in a great measure their
theological teachings. 1t has taught US TO
live lovingly and charitably with all man.
kind. Spiritualism breathes out toward all
words of kindness and good cheer. Itsceks
to plant rose in the heart where previously
only thorn was growing.
Spiritualism means the advancement.
intellectual, moral, and spiritual. of all
its adherents. 1t means growth on the part
OF all individuals, and only that kind Of
Spiritualism is worth anything TO us at
the present hour. 1t stands for the un-
foldment of all the latent powers and
possibilities of the individual. 1t like
wise stands for the unity of purpose in
humanity and for the ultimate union of all
the different sects into one grand body. 1t
stands not only for freedom of thought, but
likewise for freedom of speech, the former
without the latter being of little value.
The central thought, however, of Spirit
ualism is that of spirit communion. 1t
should, under no circumstances, be lost
sight of. Forty-eight years OF scientific and
critical research has only added TO the glory
of Spiritualisnl. Its star has never yet
been dimmed during its whole history.
The cold and barren utterances of ma
terialism shrivel into nothingness before
the truths presented by Spirtiualism.
Spiritualism is forwardlookng, not back
ward-looking. The religions of the East
always point toward the past and continu-
ally speak OF it's glories and the truths the
old time had. Spiritualism points to the
future and speaks of the growing intelli-
gence ofthemasses. Wea-e today bestrode
and ridden by that "old man of the past
known as theology. Hesits upon our shoul-
ders and it is almost impossible to shake
him off. The time is not far distant, how
ever, when we shall learn how to throw
him off from our shoulders, and then we
shall stand erect in the dignity OF our man
hood and WON nhood.
j sometimes fear that we have placed
too high value upon the phenomena con-
nected with Spiritualsm. Have we not
cried out too much for outward wonders
and signs? Some OF us have stood out all
night looking into the heavens for signs.
Wp % rit hpr m no m "a 70 "