The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-01-27

-SaS.SsS1 NS-SSS=s-S2 dilti lhe othSl,
which we report, was from the text,
What is MANI" psalm viii, A..
Notwithstanding all that the Bible
has to say respecting the nature Of
man few subjects seem to be more
misunderstood. Science declares man
to be an animal of the highest type
or order. In this, science is in abso
lutte agreement with the Scriptures,
which declare of our first parents. The
first man was of the earth, earthly U
Corinthians Nv, Az. Our text agrees
with this. declaring that man was
made little lower than the angels
angels being the lowest form Of spir-
it beings. man the highest type OF
earth beings A particular account Of
mans creation is given, and when we
examine it we find it in full agreement
with what we have seen to be the
teachings of other parts of the Scrip
lures. That account declares that God
formed man of the dust of the earth,
and it tells us that after mans trans
gression had brought him under the
Divine condemnation Of death, his
Creator said to him, Dust thou art.
and unto dust shalt thou return
Whence Came Our Confusion?
In view of these facts, which we
now have clearly before our minds,
how strange il seems that most of the
civilized world denies all and declares
10 the coutrary-that man is spirit
being, and that his death is merely an
evolutionary step by which he passes
Oh TO his real nature as a spirit This
is supposed TO be very scientific, be-
cause many. presumably wise and sci
enti.ic people. thus assert themselves.
However. according to these same peo-
pie. such an evolution, from human
nature to spirit nature at death. in
stead Of being desirable progression
or evolution. is decided disadvan-
tagc. because, as they tell us, the ma
iority Of those thus graduated from
flesh conditions TO spirit conditions
will find themselves tortured, either
purgatorially or eternally. 1t would
seem, if this be true. that this at least.
TO the majority. would be step Of
de-rOlutiOn rather than one of evolu-
ton.
But upon what are these scientific"
and learned assumptions based? WHO
will vouch for the change said to take
place at death? Who will prove to us
that man i'm dying becomes spirit
being of higher order than human?
There is no such proof: the wish is
parent 10 the thought. Yet why should
men wish TO be spirit beings at death.
IL they believe. as the crceds declare.
hat tortures await them in the spirit
land-await nine hundred and ninety
nine ont Of every thousand? All. here
again humanity does not believe its
own creeds. The devilish suggestions
are allowed TO remain in the creeds.
unhelieved by the intelligent, to af-
fright the unintellgent But alas!
these misrepresentation are really
hlasphemies against our Creator which
misrepresent his Wisdom. Justice.
Love and Power And these blasphe-
nous thoughts are accredited to the
Billie. with the result that it is disbe
lieycd and its great Author doubted or
denied ana thousands OF the inteli,
gent Of our race are agnostics.
Ono Voice Only Answers.
Spiritism speaks up to assert that II.
and it alone, can furnish proof that
man. Of the earth earthly. is after
death q spirit. Il furnishes US mcdi-
ums at whose instance tables are tip.
ped and rappings are heard and 9th
or evidences are given Of unseen pow
or: and these unseen powers, we are
told. are the spirits of dead men seek.
ing 10 prove to humans that they are
not dead. but that in the moment OF
death they were transformed into
spirit
And now our scientific men are TAX.
ing M the subject They decline TO
be identified with Spiritism and desig
nate their findings Psychic Phenomena
Mediums and their demonstrations
have been subjected TO every ina gina
BILE scientific test 10 demonstrate that
the results are not fraudulent-that
there is really spirit power. an invis.
remarkable things beyond the power of
humanity Accepting these investiga-
lions as scientific. and accepting the
results as scientific proof that there
is spirit power or force which can
and has operated in conjunction with
human affairs and especially through
mediums, what does this prove? What
scientific fact have we here TO eri.
dence that these spirit powers have
anything TO do with our friends who
have died;
Lying Spirits" Says St. Paul.
These spirits operate through me-
diums sometimes in trance, sometimes
answering by written notes from no
where" sometimes mechanically grasp.
ing the hand of the writing medium
and using il without her volition;
sometimes by rappings and sometimes
by ouija boards. declaring themselves
truthful sincere, honest, DESTROYS Of
assisting humanity etc.
But does this prove. scientifically.
that they are honest. that they