A new basis of belief in immortality / by John S. Farmer.

  • Farmer, John S.
Date:
1882
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A new basis of belief in immortality / by John S. Farmer. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Heved this, they would hail them as God-sent, or at least God-permitted, demonstrations to a sceptical generation, that there is, beyond denial, such a deific Devil as their theology assumes to teach. And if, withal, the revelations, miracles, and general influence of this demonstration had been obviously devilish, they would have been quite satisfied. Alas ! for them, there is too much of truth and good in it to give it an hifernal aspect. Bold as their tone is, they are by no means sure that it is the work of the Devil. An irresistible conviction plagues them that it is what it purports to be. It is ominous to them of an approaching religious, mor^, and social revolution to which they are utterly opposed. This is what troubles them. This is what provokes them to sdy, for sheer effect, ‘ It is all of the Devil; have nothing to do with it.’ They have no honest assurance that it is of the Devil. But they hate and dread its testimony. So, being in too perverse a state of head and heart to give it a respectful examination, they shut their eyes, stop their ears, trample on the light proffered them, and ery out, ‘ Devil! Devil! it is all the work of the Devil; have nothing to do with it! ’ ”— Adiii Ballou. Dr Crowell pertinently asks :— “How long is it since it was discovered that the Devil takes un- wearied pains in pointing out to men their failings and vices, and the consequences flowing from them ; and urges and insists upon the vital necessity of abandoning them as the only means of reaching Heaven ’ How long is it since he began teaching the beauty of holiness—of charity and benevolence ? The position of an opposer on this ground proves that he knows nothing practically of Spiritualism ; for had he knowledge of it, it would be impossible that he could for a moment honestly entertain the idea of the Devil having any active agency in the matter ; and the charge has never been made by any person who has had any considerable knowledge of its phenomena and teachings. It should not be forgotten that ‘ God works in a mysterious way,’ and sometimes by means so humble and apparently insignificant that the wisdom of the earth accounts them foolishness.” XV.— Why has not Spiritualism come to mankind before—xvhy in the 19th century ? Why was it that Christianity did not make its appearance for over 400 years ? The reply is, the world was not prepared for it. So with Spiritualism. It has come like Christianity at the proper time, when the Church as well as the world needed something more spiritual than the materialistic tendencies of the present age. Spiritualism is, in fact, as old as the hills. There never was an age or a country in which it has not appeared in some form or other: the Bible is full of it—it is found in the literature of all peoples. Hitherto, however, its aims and furpoaes have been greatly misunderstood, and spiritual gifts -have eeu prostituted to obtain power, and used to establish a sacerdotal and religious despotism; and our care now should be to prevent the Spiritua^sm of to-day degenerating once more into superstition and idolatry. R. Dale Owen writes aueut this:—