New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-03
EASTER AND sPIRITIsM.
DIR. SAVAGE breaches SERMON ON
sPIRITUALIsTIc SUBJECTS.
DECLARES THERE ARE GREAT TRUTHS IN SUCH
TEACHINGS. ALTHOUGH ALL ARE NOT
Observation-Disclosures BETWEEN

DECLARES THERE ARE GREAT TRUTHS IN SUCH
TEACHINGS. ALTHOUGH ALL ARE NOT
Observation-Disclosures BETWEEN
THIS LIFE AND THE Next.
A. the II o'clock service in the Church Of the Mes
siah Pnrk-ave and Thirty -fourth-st. yesterday
morning the Rev Dr. Minot j. Savage preached
The Significance Of Spirituaism and us Relation
10 the Easter Hope"
The doctor said in part "As most Of you know.
the Easter hope and the Easter celebration. under
some name In form. are thousands OF years
older than Christianity. But tho significance Of
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 communicated with his friends.
and so demonstrated that death was not the end
Of conscious existence This is the significance OF
Easter. and this precisely is the significance that Is
claimed for Spirtualism.
81 wish 10 call your attention emphatcally 10 the
fact that the significance OF the Easter claim and
the claim OF Spirtualism Is precisely the same. and
II they they demonstrate the same great
truth and Ill the human heart with the same great
hope"
The doctor went on IN say that a spiritualist
would say that the advantage lies with him. since
he claims 10 have the evidence OF spirit life right
at hand. The doctor said II always seemed curious
70 him how the minister will tell you how
wicked you are Il you doubt immortality. and with
emphasis
undertake 10 prove II. He would ask you 10 accept
It as an article Of faith. Dr. Savage said he under
stood the attitude OF these men, for he lived
through H. He had often completely demolished
doctrine about which he knew nothing. II was
habit common to young ministers. He said the
Roman Catholic Church had been wiser in this
matter admitting the existence OF miracle and
saying it were strange II God should teach His
people and guide them in age OF the world and
leave them without any teaching or guidance ever
after Whatever Splrtualism may have done It
had beralizcd the thought Of the people who have
accepted It both in regard TO Gods dealings with
this world and also His dealings with the next. he
said
There had never been religion the face Of
! the earth which did not start with appariticns.
/ strange happenings. Of precisely the kind claimed
by Spirtuaists He said II had been so with Juda-
ism. Buddhism. Mahometism, and It was true OF
Christianity.
II have never called myself sprituast." said
Dr. Savage Il have been charged with being a
coward and a time--erver for doing I ce-
. lieve that the heart OF SDrltuaism there Is d
great truth perhaps yet clearly outlined under
3 stood or demonstrated but have never been able
70 call myself Spiritualist because that word, as
II is used popularly would utterly misrepresent me.
! There are so many things connected with the move
] ment that not only do not believe. but with which
J am disgusted beyond words. that am not willing
yet to wear the name. Il is no cowardice
DIT savage Saln opppHtHAe VI SP'iAsuoi'9'" ''''
fault with It's origin among the poor and iovly but
/ he told such that IT with Christianity II
was among the owly hat Jesus laoored The num-
Der OF people who believed in Sprltualism was tar
= greater than those who openly profess H. II
! would be impossible TO stand anywhere in Manhat-
/ tan Island and sling stone without there oelng
somewhere within the radius OF Us fall or more
families who are studying Spiritualsm privately
but dare not let their neghbors know It for fear OF
ridicule.
One Of the worst enemies OF spiri,ualism is the
| dishonest so-called medium. who. for money VIII
nra,end 70 carry tidinzs from the departed ones 10
| those living He denounced such man-'one that
will take money coined or partly. in tears OF hope
lessness from those who long TO know whether
their dead are alive'-as the meanest thing that
| walks the earth.
He referred 10 the recent published statements
about Dr. Abbotts reputed conversion 70 spiritual
ism and also o. DR. Abbott's successor IN Plymouth
Church pulpit Dr. Hills He said both mad
acknowledged belle, in all that is essential to Spir
itualism but both had been careful 70 guard them
selves against such vulgar things as a rap on
| table a movement OF physical object. He ga
not see anything foolish nor degrading about rap
It is polite COR courteous people 10 so announce
| themselves before entering ones house. and why
should not spirits take advantage Of the same
| The Doctor spoke OF people who expect spirits 70
| be much wiser in the spirit form than in lie, and
| discredted messages purportng 20 come from the
| other side too commonplace. This Is due 70 the
| become either devil or an angel This was a
| mistake People lived In the same light after death
/ II he should die on mat platform ne would not
/ expect 10 be either more foolish or more wise than
/ before death.
For this reason he ridiculed the Spritualsts or
/ superstitlous half-believers who 20 business
mediums" FOR advice financial matters. There
Is no end OF trash purportng 10 come as COM
time there is whole library OF the nobest moral
and spiritual aching that he was acquainted with
| He gave book by Oxford graduate as an
! example The writer had been connected with the
oh ard An n
had become both Spirituaist and medium He had
! written this book automatically. and In order 70
| divert his thoughts had often read Plato In the
original Greek while his hand was writing on tts
| completely converted its own writer. and Il con-
tains some OF the noblest ethical and spiritual
teachings that know Of 70 be found In any bible
| In all the world
treated with utter scorn and contempt or as being
connected with the offscouring Of the earth Early
| Christianity you will remember. II you will read
| over the writings OF Paul. made Up Of the
! TO do with. Spirtualism has until modern times
been made Of the class OF people. But
now such names as Mrs. Elizabeth Barrett Brown
| ing Lloyd Garrison, and others by the score, are
associa ted with II. and some OF the noblest most
| intelligent people. with whose names you are famll-
lar. open and avOwed adherents OF Spiritual
Remember that this is a great and in the main
genuine sincere movement. and that whether its
| claims or any part OF them shall ever be found
true or not. stands for the great hope
that makes the glory OF our Easter morning"
BISHOP POTTER AT ALL ANGELS.
THE REV DR.. HOFFMAN