The evening times., 1899-04-03
DIR. SAVAGE A sPfRITUALIsT.
Its Relation Ia Easter Hopes the
Theme of "a Discourse.

New York April 3.-The Rev. MiDot J.
Savage announced himself spiritualist ar
the morning service yesterday in the
Church of the Messiah. of which he is the
pastor He went so far as TO declare that
he saw nothing vulgar in the rapping OF
a spirit before il communicated with NOR
tails. The significance Of Spiritualism and
its relation to the Easter hope" was the
theme from which Or. Savage spoke. He
said, in part:
AS most OF you know. the Easter hope
and the Easter celebration. under some
name, in some form, is thousands of years
older than Christianity But the signif-
canoe OF our Christian Easter lies in this
one fact-the belief that a man, whatever
else he may have been, after he had passed
through the experience called death had
been seen, had demOnstrat d that de-
not the end of conscious existence. Tt Is
the significance of Easter, and this. pre-
cisely, is the significance that is claimed
for Spiritualism.
Il wish 10 call your attention emphati-
cally TO the fact that the significance of
the Easter claim and the claim of Spiritual
ism are precisely the same, and if they are
true they demonstrate the same great truth
and fill the human heart with the same
great hope.
j believe that at the heart OF Spiritual
ism there is a great truth. perhaps not yet
clearly outlined, understood or demon
strated. but have never been able 10 call
myself spiritualist because as that word
is used popularity in the newspapers il
would utterly misrepresent me There are
so many things connected with the move
ment that not only do not believe. but
with which ] am disgusted beyond words,
mat L am not willing yet 10 wear the
name Ii is no cowardice.'
Dr. Savage said the opponents of Spirit
ualism find fault with its origin among the
poor and lowly. but he told such that il was
so with Christianity. II was among the
lowly that Jesus labored that the scribes
ana Pharisees had not in any numbers be-
heved in him. He thought many persons
OF today, when contemplating Spiritualism,
were, as the Pharisees. waiting for pop
ular movement TO join"
He said the number of people who be-
lieve in Spiritualism is far greater than
those who openly profess il: that il would
be impossible to stand anywhere in Man
haitian Island ''and sling stone without
there being somewhere within the radius of
ats fall one or more families who are
studying Spiritualism privately. but dare
not let their neighbors know il for fear
of ridicule"
He referred 10 the recent published
statements about DR. Abbott's reputed
conversion to Spiritualism. and also that
of DIR. Abbott's successor in Plymouth
Church pulpit. DR. Hills. declaring that
both had acknowledged belief in all that is
essential TO Spiritualism. but both had
been very careful TO guard themselves
against such vulgar things as rap on
table or movement of a physical object
The speaker did not see anything foolish
or degrading about a rap.
1T is quite polite for courteous people
10 so announce themselves before entering
ones house. Why should not spirits take
advantage Of the same methods pursued in
life7-
In closing. DIR. Savage said: 1T is not
movement TO be treated with utter scorn
and contempt, or as being connected with
The off-scouring of the earth. Early
Christianity, you will remember if you read
over the writings of Paul, was made up of
the people that the respectable did no have
anything 10 do with. Spiritualism has un-
til modern times been made up of the
same class of people.
But now such names as Mrs. Elizabeth
Barnett Browning Lloyd Garrison and
Others by the score, are associated with it.
and some of the Doblest, most intelligent
people with whose names you are familiar
We're open and avowed adherents of Spirit
ualism.'