The Barrow Herald and Furness Advertiser. — 1883-10-27 (Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England)

THE EVANGELIST LECTURER AND MODERN  SPIRITUALISM. Sir,—As our local journals are the best and quickest means by which lying spirits may be exposed, would you kindly allow me through the medium of your interesting paper to pass a few remarks in respect to an uncalled-for attack made upon modern spiritualism in the Town Hall last Monday night. Passing over the manner in which the lecturer endeavoured to draw from the audience manifestations of odium against the cause, but entirely failed owing probably to the wellknown fact of its having brought happiness to many a some in Barrow where sickness prevailed. Let me ask can he have ever read without prereconceptions the early history of the church commonly called the Acts of Apostles; has be with unprejudiced mind taken note of the principal characteristics and most remarkable features of the christianity of that time, the co-operation of two classes of workers, namely, disembodied spirits with men and women living on the earth. Can he remember where Peter, James, and John saw Christ in conversation with two dead men, as he would call them, viz : Moses and Elias; can he call to mind how Peter and John were released by spirits from prison, how the house was shaken, how Phillip was directed by a spirit to meet the Eunuch, and caught away by the same power, the spirit which came to Cornelius at 3 p.m. ; of Peter's trance and vision, of those who appeared and the voices which surrounded him; the wonderful things that Paul saw and heard which converted him from a persecutor and murderer into an earnest and fervent worker how, when Jesus passed away from mortal sight two men in white appeared to and conversed with the disciples, directing them what to do. Can he remember the hundred and twenty, the nucleus of the Christian church, the wonderful phenomena that took place in the upper room, lights, sounds, &c., the influences which came upon that assembly, disembodied minds or spirits controlling and causing them to speak in tongues they did not understand in their normal condition, of the wonderful healing powers that flowed from their bands ; o Paul as aninstrument in the hands of the unseen powers, of his trances and visions; aye Sir, and of the hundreds of other marvellous truths added to the erand and glorious results that attended the simple preaching and teaching of these first Christians. I respectfully request this gentleman to consider in what sect of the Christian religion can we find such things occuring, where can we find the pure and unadulterated Christianity of the Acts of the Apostles, save in modern Spiritualism. If his Christianity does not include these things it is not genuine, but false ; it is forged and unsound; it is not legitimate, but bastard. I am pleased to see in the Christian Berald some signs of a return to pure Christianity by the accounts given therein of healing by laying on of hands' &c., and hope the world will soon see in every section of the Christian Church the tongue of fire, the irresistible spiritual power, the heavenly gifts of healing, the glorious gifts of clairvoyance, of prophecy, and the wonderful manifestations of spiritual presence. Then shall the icy ocean of materialism melt beneath the glorious rays of a spiritual presence, and the whole earth resound with the blessed truth from mortal lips that Christ has indeed come a second time. It is not my wish, sir, to discuss through your columns the question in this form, neither have I time at present to do so, but simply desire to take advantage of that liberty you have alway's granted even to the humblest of your readers in defending a great truth when it is fired at from coward's retreat. There are men of position and intregrity, who are willing to coins from a distance, and do not want to make capital by it, to discuss this question publicly, and if the lecturer bas the courage of his convictions let him state his willingness to meet a Spiritualist, no sliding out, and not in such a manner throw mud at a truth in which (to give his own statement), millions believe, by giving to modern spiritualism judge Lynch's quarters of, "Hang it first and judge it after." lam sir, yours &c., Barrow, October, 17th 1883.