The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-07-21
CHRONOLOGY OR sPIRITUALIsM
ANCIENT AND MODERN.

This is the title Of book published in
Belfast in 1884, the author of which was
Ed. E. F. Hanson of the ''Maine Elder
ship of the Church of God" In response
to many requests we print the following
extracts from the preface, verbatim ct
literatim, and they give a good idea Of
the contents of the book.
In treating the subject of Spiritualism
in this work, my desire has been to pre-
sent Modern Spiritualism as it is. Shorn
of its sheeps-clothing and painted mask,
to compel it to stand forth before the
candid reader in its true aspect. There
fore have been compelled to be as
''harsh as truth" Justice often appears
severe to those involved, hence as my
weapon is truth and my target error, l
offer no apology to those who may be
wounded; but that you may have warn
ing if on the side of error, l will say, as
the old Quaker did who discovered a
thief in his house. Taking down his old
fowling- piece he quietly said, Friend,
thee had better get out of the way, for l
intend to fire this gun right where thee
stands" l intend to assault no individ-
ual, care nothing for persons; it is the
teachings, the system, that combat.
l know that in happening such a Be-
hemoth as Spiritualism it wants strong
tackle. l think we have it, and with a
round turn we wait the furry. Iniquity
is a grizzled, revengeful monster, that
needs to be roughly handled, and have
aimed straight for his heart.
Where l have introduced Spiritualist
writings or savings, l have quoted only
high authority, from leading papers,
books and speakers. Their worst utter
ances | have excluded.
The question may be asked, do you
know personally about the system you
oppose? | do; | was born March II,
1858, about five years after the advent
of Modern Spiritualism. My father and
mother embraced Spiritualism when l
was but boy; for years l witnessed its
phenomena in all its phases, from the
tiny rap to spirit naturalization; from
slate writing, to floating violin in mid
air played by invisible hands. attend
ed their lectures and seances until
twenty three years old. believed they
were our spirit friends, and accepted
their teachings, and consequently re-
iected everything that conflicted with
them, including the Bible. In all that
time | never knew one person it made
better, but many that grew worse,
among the number myself, until | used
profanity as freely as the air breathed.
And why should not? was taught by
spirits that it was only throwing Oft the
dross of my nature" etc.
But God, in his mercy, sent one of his
servants to tell of Jesus to our place.
Long time he labored with no apparent
result | went to few Of the meetings,
| listened to deride, but as | listened a
voice seemed to whisper in my heart,
"that is the truth" A greater power
than | had ever known before wrestled
in my soul. The preacher left; but the
seed was sown. Mighty was the strug
gle between the powers of darkness aid
ed by my past teaching, and the powers
of heaven assisted by my better judg-
ment. Suffice it to say, God "swept
away the refuge of Hes," and November
2, 1876 | accepted Christ as my Saviour,
in the old kitchen at home. "passed
from death into life, was "born again"
How | love that birthday.
God commissioned me to carry the
message of ''life' short time after
this, and | have seen hundreds saved by
believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, and
made better men and women. | now
WELD my pen in this work against what
l believe in my soul to be the worst doc
trine ever promulgated on earth, writing
with its bloody hand the doom of mill
ions. 1t is not something new. The n.y.
dra-headed monster has dragged its
loathsome form through our world for
ages, and like the simeon has made
desert of the fairest garden. Thousands
of blighted homes where it has left the
poison of free love" attest its deadly
power. Hundreds of firesides, where
the gaunt spectre of infdelity presides,
where once the song of praise and the
prayer of faith rolled up to heaven, tell
the dire effects of its teachings. Blasted
lives, ruined souls, ruined for time and
eternity, are its laurels, and still its
work goes on. Not only millions of hea-
then, but thousands upon thousands,
both in America and Europe, are in its
tolls, and being borne on to destruction
with lightning rapidly. The shrieks of
despair as they go over this precipice of
eternal death, the wailings of lost souls
as the demons seize them, should nerve
every Christian arm to work. Put on
the whole armor, 0, We Church Of God,
raise voice and pen against this stream
of iniquity.
There are many in this city and vicin-
ity today who believe in Spiritualism;
some who were living when this book
was published, have passed away. Com
pare the records of any one of the living
or dead with that of the author of this
book and how would the account stand?
THE DEMOCRATIC MENACE.