Waging a war of ideas, the new against the old-knowledge against creedal faith-science against sectarianism—freedom against dogmatic formulas, and the broadest liberality against an effete theology-denying an arrogant priesthood and a catering public press-reckless of popish bulls and judicial decisions-heedless of the long-established authorities of Church and State-facing fashion with the religious responsibility commonly ascribed to the popular worship— Spiritualism, heaven-born and angel-guarded, has moved forward to a prominent and enviable position, and now shouts in trumpet tones "Sects must unmask to man's diviner needs, Kings from their mocking thrones must topple down; But Truth hath risen, and marcheth to renown." Spiritualism, a divine eclecticism, is based upon present tangible facts, upon past historic testimonies and the soul's highest intuitions. In addition to a national organization, denominated, "The American Association of Spiritualists," Spiritualism has already several energetic State Conventions; thousands of local societies and circles, sustaining lecturers and media; a large number of flourishing Children's Progressive Lyceums; State Missionary organizations, sending out efficient workers thoroughly imbued with the elements of reform and the heavenly inspirations of the age; and not mentioning those known to fame, it has tens of thousands of media in private families, who purposely hide themselves from the wanton glare of public life. It publishes nine periodicals in the United States-weeklies and monthlies and its publishing and yearly book-trade is rapidly increasing. Notwithstanding the gathered lore and historic records of the ages, demonstrating the ministry of spirits, in connection with the phenomena of the present, the groping, unthinking multitudes reject Spiritualism-reject it precisely as did men, in high reputed places, the telegraphic discovery of Prof. Morse. At a banquet in his honor, recently given in New "A brief narrative of certain events in the early history of the invention, when it was a suppliant for aid in the halls of Congress, will give the answer to many questions. I must not detain you with too much detail, but the contrast of then and now cannot fail at least to amuse you. As the narrative is very short, allow me to quote it: "HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ( ELECTRO AND ANIMAL MAGNETISM. 'On motion of Mr. Kennedy, of Maryland, the committee took up the bill to authorize a series of experiments to be made in order to test the merits of Morse's electro magnetic telegraph. The bill appropriates $30,000, to be expended under the direction of the Postmaster General. 'Mr. Cave Johnson wished to have a word to say upon the bill. As the present Congress had done much to encourage science, he did not wish to see the science of mesmerism neglected and overlooked. He therefore proposed that one-half of the appropriation be given to Mr. Fisk (a gentleman at that time lecturing in Washington on mesmerism), to enable him to carry on experiments as well as Professor Morse. 'Mr. Houston thought that Millerism should also be included in the benefits of the appropriation. 'Mr. Stanley said he should have no objections to the appropriation for mesmeric experiments, provided the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Johnson) was the subject. (A laugh.) 'Mr. Cave Johnson said he should have no objections, provided the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Stanley) was the operator. (Great laughter.) 'Several gentlemen called for the reading of the amendment, and it was read by the clerk, as follows: 'Provided that one-half of the said sum shall be appropriated for trying mesmeric experiments under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury.' 'Mr. Mason (of Ohio) rose to a question of order. He maintained that the amendment was not bona fide, and that such amendments were calculated to injure the character of the House. He appealed to the chair to rule the amendment out of order. 'The Chairman said it was not for him to judge of the motives of members in offering amendments, and he could not therefore undertake to pronounce the amendment bona fide. Objections might be raised to it on the ground that it was not sufficiently analogous in character to the bill under consideration; but, in the opinion of the chair, it would require a scientific analysis to determine how far the magnetism of mesinerism was analogous to that to be employed in telegraphs (laughter); he therefore ruled the amendment in order. On taking the vote the amendment was rejected-ayes 22, noes not counted. The bill was then laid aside to be reported.' "The temper of the House," says Prof. Morse, " is easily inferred from this narrative. To those who thus ridiculed the telegraph it was a chimera, a visionary dream like mesmerism, rather to be a matter of merriment than seriously entertained. Men of character, men of erudition, men who, in ordinary affairs, had foresight, were wholly unable to forecast the future of the telegraph." Sectarists and political partisans, at their Belshazzar feasts, make merry over modern Spiritualism in much the same style that those clergy and senators in Congress spit their venom, in the form of dead jokes and witticisms, upon mesmerism and Prof. Morse's telegraphic discoveries. These now stand upon the Congressional records, living and "swift witnesses" against the short-sightedness of their perpetrators. Starved, hunted, persecuted of one generation, to be banqueted and honored with hero-worship in the succeeding, is the world's method of expressing gratitude. "To-day abhorred; to-morrow adored, So round and round we run." When this youth of twenty years-Spiritualism-puts on the full strength of sterling manhood-when it expands into the proportions of a moral giant-when its theories and prophecies have become established facts-when its visions have taken the forms of tangible realities-when, as in the Nazarene's time, the "Rulers of the Pharisees" openly confess the gospel of spirit communication, then will the weak, mimicking masses begin to "banquet" those whom to-day it denominates dreamers and enthusiasts. As a general definition of Spiritualism, the following is submitted: Its fundamental idea is, God, the infinite spirit-presence, immanent in all things. Its fundamental thought is, joyous communion with spirits and angels, and the practical demonstrations of the same through the instrumentality of media. Its fundamental purpose is, to rightly generate, educate and spiritualize all the races and nations of the earth. Its worship is aspiration; its symbols, circles; its prayers,. good deeds; its incense, gentle words; its sacrament, the wine of holy affections; its baptisms, the fervent pressure of warm hands and the sweet breathings of guardian angels; its mission, human redemption, and its temple, the universe. Spiritualism, considered from its philosophical side, is rationalism, from its scientific side naturalism, and from its religious side the embodiment of love to God and man, a present inspiration and a heavenly ministry. In the year nineteen hundred it will be the religion of the enlightened world! It underlies all genuine reform movements, physiological, temperamental, educational, parental, social, philanthropic and religious; and spanning all human interests with holy aim, it seeks to re-construct society upon the principles of a universal brotherhood-the strict equality of the sexes. Desirous of greater knowledge touching the relations of spirit with matter, and of men with God and the intelligences of the surrounding world of spirits, Spiritualists study and reverently interrogate the laws and principles that govern the phenomena and occult forces of the universe; the histories of the past, and the experiences of the present, anxious to rightly solve those psychologic and spiritual problems of the ages-man's origin, capacity, duty and final destiny. Interrelated with spirit and matter in their varied evolutions, and with the highest interests consciously connecting all worlds, Spiritualism is neither supernatural in philosophy, nor sectarian in tendency; but broad, catholic and progressive-the voiced truth of God through nature to the rational soul-a science, philosophy and religion. Seen from this mount of vision, it is the "second coming of Christ;" not in person, but in principle-the divine principle the indwelling God—the Christ-principles, of wisdom, love, truth. Since the physical coming in Bethlehem, the revolution of a religious cycle has been completed. The "New Jerusalem" is descending; the "hope of Israel," and the promised "kingdom of heaven," that must be preached to all nations. The prophecy is now fulfilling. It is waking to higher life the inhabitants of India and China; shedding its kindling glories upon the hills of Hindostan; beaming in splendor along the vine-clad foot-hills of South America; crossing blue oceans, it is unfurling standards of progress in the peopled isles of the deep, and looking down in its might from the thrones of England, France and Russia. Positive science consists in the discovery, co-ordination and practical application of natural laws. All phenomena subject to the natural laws are for the same reason susceptible of becoming the subjects of real science. When once admitted that all phenomena, including those of human existence, physical, mental, spiritual, are the subjects of unchanging natural laws, the circle of scientific research and religious aspiration is complete, whether geometrized by the inductive or deductive method of reasoning. Spiritualism, tolerant as divine, clasps and consecrates to human good the true and the beautiful in both science and religion. Seeing more to love in the Jove of the Greek than the grim Jehovah of the Jew-more to admire in the smiling Olympus than thundering Sinai-more truth in the teachings of the old Platonists than the creeds of "liberal" Christians, and more true worshipers, after the pattern of the meditative Nazarene, in the living Temple of Nature opening as the Pantheon of truth for all races, than in the rented pews of bigoted sectarists, it comes to the thinking millions of the nineteeth century, joyous with immortality demonstrated, jubilant with proofs of the future identity and recognition of the "loved gone before," and brilliant with precious prophecies of the ceaseless march of all conscious intelligences toward the higher and purer, even the Infinite. "If a man die, shall he live again?" was the question of old. With the masses it has been the problem of all the |