Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1897-03-06
Moler Avenue.

and which, without doing any good
| in the world, has been the cause Of
much harm. These persons profess
TO have communications with depart
ed spirits, and to regulate their con-
duct according to the revelations re-
ceived from them. OF late years
their numbers have largely increased,
their converts being principally the
ignorant and vicious, and persons OF
weak understanding.
DIR. William b. Potter, Of Trenton,
n. j., once prominent spintualist,
has recently published work upon
the subject, from which we make the
following extracts. spirit communi-
cations are full Of the widest fancies,
and the most absurd and contradictory
teachings, so common that it is no
wonder that men OF science and sound
sense look upon the whole thing as
the vagaries Of diseased brain, the
hallucinations Of moon struck i'm
agination, or the tricks of the vilest
impostors.
Among the innumerable follies OF
which spiritualists have been guilty,
the greatest is free-loveism, libertin-
ism; these, of course, are spirits of a
low cast.)
at is noted fact that many medi-
ums practice lying tricks of treachery,
deceit and fraud, which fact has driven
popular speakers of spir1tualism from
their ranks. Frequently we hear OF
broken families, each party finding
an affinity, has gone with that affinity,
regardless of lawful ties, or their
helpless children; sometimes the faith
! full wife is deserted by an affinity hunt
ing husband; sometimes tbs fond
and trusting maiden deluded by
affinity notions, andlled away to be
deserted in few months with blast
ed reputation, or turned into chan
mel of crime still blacker. Yet in the
face Of all this, the National Conven
ton at Chicago. provided that no
charge should be entertained against
any member, and that any person
without regard to moral character,
might become a member.
Perhaps if the writer of that letter
knew just what Lot thinks of spirit
ualism she would never have had the
pleasure of reading it. Fearing it
may be taken as an evidence of her
hearty disapproval OF all spiritualism,
she must needs add: If l must not
believe that the souls of those we
loved, who have left the earth, are
permitted to communicate in some
mysterious way at times with us,
when we can shut out the care and
anxieties of life, and give ourselves
up to their blessed influence, then
the sorrow and pain for the loss OF
those who have gone before would
never lessen, nor the wounds heal
If / did not believe in spiritual mani
festations, then I would have no
reason to believe that incident after
incident related in the Bible, of spirit
manifestations had any more claim
for truthiulness than any other story
written for amusement or entertain
ment.
Isn't religion itself, at least the
christian religion, based upon the
manifestations of Gods spiritual ma
ture through the intercession of his
Son Jesus, direct contract? A touch
that purifes,> elevates, refnes and
fills with love for all mankind, and
pity charity and forgiveness for its
weakness and sin. Yes, believe in
this kind of spiritualism. If it be a
delusion, tbs better to hug a delusive
phantom that makes happiness for us
here, makes us kinder to others, and
purer in our lives, than to have no
religion at all.
The spiritualism, however, that de-
fees law and order, makes libertines
and criminals, is a spiritualism to be
Stunned and stamped from the earth.
Intercessions of travelling mediums,
earthly, fleshy, hungry or craven,
between me and my God, or between
me and those love, who no more are
seen in the flesh, l woald not en-
dure could not trust! LOT.
rIore Than Estimated.