The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-05-26

forgot to tap his gayel upon the desk till
nearly II o'clock.
President Harrison D. Barrett was i'm
mediately introduced to his audience
and made a classic and eloquent plea
for organization. His address, however,
was not confined entirely to the subject of
organization. During the course of his
remarks he referred to wide range of
subjects, such as the charlatan element
of the spritualists, the status of these
bodies both in England and the United
States, and the prosecutions men are now
undergoing in many States of the Union
for their religious beliefs. His words
in part were as follows:
This SUBJECT is so large q one that doubt IL
in the limited time at my command l can do
1t justice. suppose, as organization Is the
main object OF our convention, might as well
begin with reference to those former eonven-
tions held for the same purpose which deter
mined the condition of spiritualistic bodies as
they exist IN the United States to-day.
The first was held in 1872 and '73, in the days
of that cratic genius, Victoria Woodruff, and
! am proud and happy TO be able TO state that
that association died q natural death, because
1t tired TO iolst that most damnaole OF all doc,
trines, free love, upon the world. Applause.
Then there was the Chicago convention oil
1893. Many of the believers in the cardinal
principles OF spiritualism strenuously objected
to this convention-said spiritualists did not
want organization, that they were so thor
oughly individualized that 1t was entirely i'm
practicable.
had the honor to be delegate to that con-
vention and was in addition on the committee
Of credentials. What was my surprise on go
ng into thaI fonxe d bon on the morning OF Its
ing III all thirty-three States. Loud applause. ]
The first question of importance to come up
be cast from the constitution. It caused one
of the stormiest scenes ever witnessed. Fifteen
or twenty persons were on their feet at once,
all clamoring to be given voice in the pro-
ceedings. 1t was defeated by a vote of 1873
TO 20.
see before me now one who passed through
all the exciting scenes of that great convention;
she who was UNANIMOUSLY elected as one OF
the national trustees and incorporates, and to
whom is largely due the success of the present
meeting refer TO the secretary of our meet
ing. Mrs. Elizabeth Kellogg. [Uproarious APP
plause.
And now the question naturally arises,
Why did we go to Was hington, D; c., as the
is simplicity itself. Because there is the point
where the eyes of the American public are
oftenest turned; there we could be closer 10
the heart of the Nation, where we could feel
the quick pulsation of public opinion; and
there resides the law-making power of our
country.
The last reason have given Is, perhaps, the
strongest of all, because II is twofold; not only
would we be where we could most actively
engage in the work of influencing legislation
for the better, but as so many of the Congress
men are so impure and corrupt of principle as
to lay the foundation of q powerful realistic
novel, to be entitled, "In Darkest Washing
ton," we have one of the most beautiful fields
for missionary labor you ever saw. Laughter. ]
"Why do we want organization?" you say.
/ answer: Because in unity and cooperation
lies strength. There you have it in nutshell
There is no such thing as a creed in spiritual
ism, nothing whatever to give room to any
discordant element. Even the ism of our name
was given to us by others. The time is coming
when, unlike the great philosopher of anti
guilty, we are going to move the world without
fulcrum.
There is another thing on which wish to
speak-the protection of our mediums You
say they have got perfect rights under the
laws OF the different States. Dear friends two
years ago l received telegram, which read as
follows:
Come at once. ! am under arrest Waste
no time in granting me this favor"
arrested for carrying on q spiritualistic meet
ing. Do you call this q free country when men
like our prosecuted Adventist brethren of
Georgia, Tennessee. Arkansas and Alabama
are put into prisons right along because they
work on Sunday? Ladies ana gentlemen we
must fight these things. They have no place
in a free country.
If we are strongly organized we can down
these abuses and prosecutions. Let us put
men on the platform who understand the
proper use Of the English language, not verbal