The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-01-17


explanatory:
SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, Jan. 12 1897.
Editor Call: In Mondays issue of your pa
per an article appeared headlined, "Hotly
Scored the Mediums, in which Rev. DR.. +. R.
Farrand assailS spiritualism, setting forth the
following points
First-That it is antagonistic to the Bible.
Second-That the study OF it conduces to in,
fidelity
Third-That it lacks facts.
Lastly, he discredits spirit return by asking
why the spirits of your friends do not come to
all, instead of coming to few mediums.
And lastly, knowing that the.e is some pew
er IN the tests that have been given by medi-
ums he tries to bIindfold the public into the
belief of mind-reading or mental suggestion, a
subject that in itself is spiritual force, as the
mind itself is spirit, and is something that
he nor no mortal has yet been able to COM
prehend or understand. So that is the loop
hole by which he seeks to throw dirt upon us,
and lastly, throw out his challenge to any me-
dunn TO produce in daylight any proofs or
facts TO Substan tate our doctrine.
Now, Mr. Editor, as we are ontinually as
sailed and desire to be looked upon as re-
liglous order and not infde!s, but simply free
from the orthodox dogmas OF creed, and are
progressive thinkers and searchers of truth,
and a medium of Chris tan faith and SUBJ
scriber TO your paper l feel IL duty to answer
this attack and ask your indulgence.
The reverend sir holds up his Bible as book
from which there can be no appeal, an au-
thority infallble; and asserts that spiritual
ism is antagonistic 10 the Bible
In order TO see how much faith we can place
i'll this Bible let review its history and
origin, see who is its author and closely ex-
anime the conditions under which 1T was
written, to see how antagonistic spiritualism
is to 1t.
This book, 1t has always been claimed, is
Gods word transmitted TO man from the in
visible spirit world under inspiration
What is inspiration? What meaning does it
convey? BY whom inspired? These are cues
tons that must be met and candidly an
swered. Inspired by spirit or possible spirits?
Who can prove If they existed in the singular
or plural number?
Yet this book is conceded to have had many
writer's or authors at various periods ali said
to have been inspired by the same spirit to
write these messages that constitute this book
of spirit messages.
If you closely follow the origin of this book
you led TO know that men, not man. is re-
sponsble for its existence. You learn that it
did not fall from heaven, these reverend
people would have you believe Hence, in
spiration was the factor, man the medium of
the manifestation of the spirit Hence, we
find this very book owes is existence TO spir-
itualism.
The teaching of spiritualism-frst, it
teaches an infinite intelligence, all perfect,
and does not in the next breath condemn ali
mortais to perdition, but to be subject to evo-
luton, not hell fire; hence we are to your be-
lief infidels. We see universal evolution in
all nature; you see universal condemnation
so we are infidels, but we are content to see
perfection, not evil. OF course, are al
lowed our 6wn reason and common-sense,
hence our teachings are infdelity If this