THE REVIEW
OF
ANCIENT AND MODERN
SPIRITUALISM.
L. SOLENTIA.
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. I.
REVIEW OF
NATURES DIVINE REVELATIONS,
AND
A. J. DAVIS ON SPIRITUALISM.
NEW YORK:
0. W. SCOTT & A. 0. MARTIN, PUBLISHERS.
1862.




Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1862, by
0. W. SOOTT,
In the Clerk's Office of the Unitea States District Court for the Northerp
District of IN. Y.












CONTENTS.
Page.
INTRODUCTION.                                   5
PRELUDE.                                       11
BEING-ITS STATE.                               36
CHAPTER I.
PANTHEISM-A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.                42
CHAPTER II.
Pantheistic Theory of the First Cause and the order of Creation, 53
CHAPTER III.
Theopneustic doctrines of God and Nature opposed to Pantheism. 75
CHAPTER IV.
Pantheistic Theory of Man.  -                  93
CHAPTER V.
Bible Theory of Man.  -   -          -        142
CHFAPTER VI.
Pantheistic Theory of Mian, Morally.  -   -   156
Reflections,             -.       -          248
APPENDIX
Davis on Spiritualism.  -    -    -254








NOTES TO CONTENTS OF VOL. I.
I. The object of the Prelude is to discover the locality of this age in
the moral sphere of the race. To this end the signs of the times are considered; error is, without apology, called by its true name. False professions, and not the true church are opposed. And while the untrue
and unfaithful are exposed, the truth and its lovers are revered.  The
Church of Christ is sought and the true christian defended.
II. Being —its state, is the philosophy of. Religion and man's religious nature epitomized. This forms a key to succeeding subjects.
III. The " Review of A. J. Davis," exhibits the emptiness of Pantheism: and " Nature's Divine Revelations" is selected because it comprehends the fundamental arguments of the philosophy opposed to christianity.
1V. This volume is the first step in our expose of false metaphysics
and the defence of Christianity; as such it is the base of the Ant-Pantheist.








INTRODUCTION.
So urgent is the "spirit of the age" upon improvement, and novel subjects for the display of genius, that
the mind has an aversion to what has been adopted; and
like a ship loosing from its native shore, is launching
into unknown seas. The triumph of the arts and
sciences has so exalted man in his own estimation, that
many, forgetting their utter dependence, feel shielded by
their own mightiness. Casting off fear, they restrain
prayer before God, and, as if the first born, and made before the hills, boast of their reason; assume the judgment
seat, seek to adjust universal balances, and determine the
ways of the Almighty; pass judgment upon Bible religion, pronouncing it mythological, unreasonable, and
doomed to fall before the spirit of improvement. The
world, they affirm, "needs a philosophy which Jesus
did not furnish; a revelation to reason which the Bible
does not contain."
Since the Patriarchal age, the doctrine of Divine
Inspiration has never been more boldly assailed than
now. And no country bears a more luxuriant harvest
of Deism than America.
The land sought by the Puritans for the unobstructed
growth of Bible Religion, has become the nursery of as
rank infidelity as ever blinded the eyes and benumbed
the sense of man. And the proud foe of God rocks the
continent, lulling man's conscience with Circean melody,




X                 INTRODUCTION.
while he is shorn of his strength, and deprived of his
vision.
Science is declared at variance with the Scriptures,
and unfolding law, with the christian faith; and Modern
Spiritualism, as " God's interpreter," urges its bewildering tide upon the world, gathering thousands into its
necromatic current.
This volume is devoted to the discussion of those
claims which have been and are being urged as more
rational and useful to the race than christianity-which
are denominated by the advocates, "The Religion of
Reason;" and no one familiar with the modern mind and
the tendency of the age, can fail to have discovered that
the Rationalists have done much to weaken the faith of
many in the doctrines of a revealed Religion. This is
not only manifest by the common mind, but men of
high professions and no ordinary influence have been
either metamosphosed or greatly swerved in their religious
belief, by this power of anti-Christ. And while the
secret workings of Infidel principles have been noulding
the mind, too few, by far, of professed Christians, have
labored to qualify themselves to properly oppose the
anti-Christian tide, and compete with the influence of
those who have been laboring to undermine the Church
of Jesus.
In these volumes the author has endeavored to provide the reader with the leading propositions and arguments now urged against the Christian Religion, and
also, with their analysis, and in a manner to disclose
their unsoundness, inconsistency, and utter incapacity to
meet the wants of the soul, or commend themselves to




INTRODUCTION.                 Xi
the sense of well balanced, uncharmed and unbewildered
minds.
The surface tide of Modern Mesmerism, Psychology,
and Spiritualism, having subsided, it is often asked,
"Why agitate the subject? Why not let the fanaticism
die by neglect?" As well might the household seek to
extinguish  the smouldering  fire in their dwelling
by neglect, or a community seek to sleep down a pestilence. For this moral malaria arising from the decayed
ruins of ancient Pantheism, is infusing its religious bane
throughout the enlightened world, and those of sensitive
natures are receiving the elements as secretly as an
enemy sows tares by night. And since the novelty of
the newly garbed materialism of the ancients has passed,
the mind effected is cleaveing to the writings of A. J.
Davis, the real founder and oracle of the modern manifestations, hence the greater danger, for in a silent and
unobtrusive manner the unlearned and pleasure-loving
are being indoctrinated. And thus, a secret enemy is
wielding a moral and religious influence unnoticed and
unmolested by the multitudes. For this reason, the
Author has selected and reviewed the first work of Mr.
Davis, a work which, in fact, is the text book of his
HIommorialism, and which contains the germs of the
issues promulgated by modern opposers of Christianity,
and advocates of Spiritualism.  This work, entitled
" Nature's Divine Revelations, or a voice to Mankind,"
is chosen, for the following reasons:
1. Because it purports to be the speech of Nature,
her own address in behalf of her true character, and her
self-exoneration from false charges brought by the Theocratic system, which has been offered to man as " Divine




xii               INTRODUCTION.
Revelation," the "WVord of God," the "R evelations"
inspired by the Holy Spirit, which this " Speech of Nature" claims as false, and a burlesque.
2. Because it is perhaps the most complete work
among those in which the subject is systematized.
3. Because it is admitted as a great literary production, even by many who do not credit its purported
authenticity.
4. Because it was produced under the most favorable
circumstances, those calculated to render it as perfect a
system as can be developed upon the subject.
5. Because it was developed in this age-an age well
adapted to the defence of a natural religion.
6. Because it blends the Pantheism of the past with
the Deistic Spiritualism of the present.
7. Because it spiritualizes those theories that have
been laid down as the foundation of material philosophy and the religion of Nature.
8. Because it emerged from the mesmeric fountain
as the head tide of Modern Spiritualism, and suggests
the system of doctrines promulgated by modern spiritualists.
9. Because its strength is the congregation of those
principles arrayed against the Bible, by those who oppose
the Christian religion.
10. And finally, we introduce "Nature's Divine Revelations," with our analysis of it, because its sophistry,
the magnetic spirit with which it is infused, its hightoned transcendentalism and bewildering influences, have
led and are leading, by the charm of novelty, many to
reject the doctrines of christianity and trust in it as a




INTRODUCTION.                Xiii
better system of religion. And because its influence
upon the mind of believers tends to weaken their sense
of Divine rights and to deify man; and because it
started from their moorings, those who have been most
prominent in the promulgation of anti-biblical sentiments, under the title of " the Harmonialism Philosophy,"
and Modern Spiritualism.
In our analysis, we have, in two instances, contrasted
the philosophy, of this book with the statements of the
Bible, upon the same subjects, in order thereby to reveal
their disparity.
In opening the discussion, we have, under the
title of " The Prelude," glanced at the signs of
the times, and addressed a class of modern religionists
whom we denominate "Nominal Christians, the modern Jerusalems," a class who make faith and religon
dependent upon intellectual attainments, compromizing
spiritual and humble devotion, while their piety and
worship is addressed to the taste of the fastidious rather
than the soul and to the God and object of true religious
devotions. Such, and such only, are those addressed in the
Prelude, and not the true church of the living God, the
members of which see/c to drawt near the Throne, and to
zoorship in Spirit and in Truth, and who are laboring for
the world's redemption, through Divine Agency.
The volume concludes with a summary review of the
position and arguments of A. J. Davis, with regard to Modern Spiritualism. In this Review we have no disposition
to judge the motives or sincerity of any-principles and
not men, are, therefore, analyzed and criticised.
There are many quite indisposed to examine modern




xiv               INRTODUCTION.
phenomena, or read arguments against the anti-Christian
philosophy of this age.- But every believer in the
Christian Religion should be prepared to answer the
arguments of the opposer; if not for themselves, they
should be qualified to shield others, and sustain the
weak. To this end the present work is offered to the
public. For, if the Christian may not himself be tempted into infidelity, he should understand the sophistry
of his opposers, sufficiently to to defeat his purpose upon
uncultivated minds.
PROSPECT SUMMIT, SCOTT, N. Y.
L. SOLENTIA.
April 25, 1862.




PRELUDE.
THE Nineteenth Century! Age unequalled!
age of wonders! In this are blending the inspiring elements of antecedent ages.
This especial period-the middle of the nine
teenth century-by many of the best informed
and clearest minds has been considered the period, which above all others, would result in fearful and momentous consequences. And indeed,
so strange and startlingt are present events,
that men of profound research, deem this the
closing epoch foretold in the Scriptures, and understood as " the end of the world."
These are comparing the movements of men,
and the phenomena of nature, with the prophecies, to determine if the time is not at hand
when the Sun of the Millennial year shall arise,
and shed the glory of its peaceful reign upon the
world. And who, from a critical examination
of the "signs of the times," can fail to realize
the foreshadowing of some great event?
Accumulating facts admonish us that our age
is one of unprecedented interest; one of strange
developments and of universal restlessness.
New discoveries in the principles and proce



16               RI'ELUDE.
dures of nature, and the rapid advance of scien-,
tific improvements, indicate augmented labor,
in the great human sensory of the analytical and constructive laws of mind; and that these
laws, urging their inspiring currents along the
channels of genius, are especially active in the
development of principles; and from the concepption of design prompting speedy ultimation.
iMan therefore, with apparent supernatural
perception and unlimited wisdom, scajns the manifestations of nature around him, traces minutely
the movements of her mysterious laws, and, by
reason of his superior attainments, directs them
at will, and in their mightitude they obey him.
Subservient then to man, earth unveils her
long concealed treasures, and lavishly pours at
his feet her exhaustless stores. The aqueous element, also, obedient to his mandate, transformed,
arises, and propelling his massive and complicated
machinery, bears him over land and sea; and
thus increasing his commercial facilities, enables
him'to bestow upon inland dwellers, from lmaritime marts, the productions of every clime and
the wealth of every sea.
The lightning too, whose destructive bolt shiviers the massive oak, and whose majesty utters
terrific thunders, controlled by man, courses the
magnetic wire-courier of National decrees, or
bearer of kindly messages to absent friends.




PRELUDE.                17
By these means, the hitherto severed and distracted tribes and nations of the Earth, members
of one common race, are fraternally linked, and
with ties as enduring as those of a domestic
brotherhood.
But these advantages do not meet the wants
of man, nor bear him to the goal of his marvelous expectancy. He will not be satisfied though
he can hie him o'er the Continent with the fleet.
ness of the wind, and chase the wild tempest
with his rattling car; can rush his floating palace through storm   and wave, or take the
lightning in his hand, bidding it, more faithful
than the carrier dove and with the velocity of
thought, convey his message to a distant clime.
Or, from his observatory, resolve the heavenly
spheres, pursue the flaming comet in its boundless wanderings, and with mathematical precision determine the transits of revolving orbs.
Not capable, with these grand achievements,
of meeting the wants of his ambitious spirit,
man indulges bright hopes of still higher attainments; and thus inspired, fixes his earnest gaze
upon objects yet n the distance; pleads with
nature for unequalled developments, and smiles
at surrounding mysteries as things of trifling
merit. A presentiment of approaching wonders
fires his being, prompting him to wild adventures,
and he proceeds to displace whatever impedes




18               PRELUDE.
his progress, and to change the order of things,
as may best conserve his interest. He therefore
proceeds to level mountains and exalt valleys;
he lays his hand upon Royal Brows, and plucks
Diaderms from Kingly IHeads; bids Monarchs
abdicate their Thrones, and crushes Nations with
his iron grasp.
Shall we not deem these manifestations important, and this the age of wonders foretold by
the spirit of prophecy?  "Behold," saith the
Spirit, "The shield of His mighty men shall
be made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the
chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day
of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken. The chariots shall rage in the
streets, they shall jostle one against another in
the broad ways: they shall seem like torches,
they shall run like the lightnings. The gates of
the rivers shall be opened and the palace shall
be dissolved."  Naham ch. 2.
And again: "Ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars. Nation shall rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there
shall be famine and pestilence; and upon earth
distress of nations with perplexity; men's hearts
failing them for fear and for looking after those
things which are coming upon the earth; for the
powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then
shall ye see the signs of the Son of Man coming




PRELUDE.                19
in the clouds. And when ye begin to see these
things come to pass, then lift up your heads, for
your redemption draweth nigh."
Another and by no means inferior indication
that the old world is passing away, is manifested
in that undefinable mingling of man's spiritual nature with his efforts for freedom, and which pros.
pectively blends the present with the consequences
of a, portentious future. This is revealed by the
revolutions now razing the governments of men
from their foundations.
Some of the most prominent actors in this great
political drama now moving before the amazed
world, although professedly prompted by the
spirit of an improved governmental policy, seem
inspired by some strange influences.
Some seem urged forth by a desire of ecclesiastical supremacy, as instanced in the disruption
of kingdoms in the eastern world; some are pro
fessing holy dictum from the spirits of fallen
heroes, others from the Eternal Spirit.
Leading statesmen in every Kingdom and Government, are predicting events pregnant with new
born policy, which shall effect significant changes
in the jurisprudence of men and nations-and
their predictions are borne in haste over every sea,
and chase each other along the telegraphic vires
of every land. And thus the world is agitatect,




20                 PRELUDE.
monarchs are untiring in their efforts to confrm
their power, while appears an almost universal
desire with the populace to arise out of the present
and to assume new forms of government.
And our own Nation, a nation hitherto, crowned
with honor and bearer of the ensign of peace, is
aroused from its peaceful repose, and war is- devastating the land. Brother is armed against brother,
and father against son, so'. it in truth "a man's
foes are those of his ox _ ilouse."
The world feels the commotion of this farfamed and hitherto much honored Republic-and
nations stand aghast while witnessing the awful
conflict, and as is recorded of a fallen city,"The merchants of the earth stand afar off saying alas, that great city, which was clothed in fine
linen, and decked with gold! For in an hour so
great riches has come to naught, and every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors,
and as many as trade by sea stood afar off, and
cried, when they saw the smoke of her burning,
alas, alas, that city wherein were made rich all
that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour she is made desolate."*
Terror has seized the hearts of Americans, and
widows and orphans mourn for their loved ones
*Rev. 18.




PRELUDE.                21
slain in the conflicts-in that land hitherto deemed
a nation of hope, the world's asylum.
Comnbattants are invoking the arma of Jehovah
to aid in their struggle, while the hand of war
clutches the government with its bloody grasp.
The pious are before the throne, while the profane
vent their spirit of revenge.
Learned divines, throughout Christendonme- are
scrutinizing the phenomena- of the day to determine their relation to the events which, according
to the prophets, are immediately to precede the
millenial reign; and the press is uttering their
deductions in every civilized land.
As we emerge from these exciting scenes we
meet another wild wave of the great maelstrom
which is bearing the past to its gloomy sepulchre. And here are gyrating the prophets of unnumbered modern "isms," who are announcing
their mission to what they term a church-enthralled
race. These, while seeking to annul the Bible,
denouncing it as the tool of cunning priestcraft,
aver that they are commissioned to reveal the laws
and counsels of "Superior Spheres," and therefore
laws which, if obeyed-and they affirm they must
be sooner or later-will result in freedom from
the bonds of biblical religion, which is the object
of their mission.
From these whirling elements, therefore, arises




22                PRELUDE
a strange form; one of gigantic dimensions, on
whose frantic brow is inscribed  " Harmonial
Spiritualism," and controlling the senses of these
modern prophets, poets and seers, it moves its
multitudinous tongue and we hear, as the utterances of ten thousand voices, "Manes," Manes."
Self-redeemed Nature   arises supernal.  All
is well."
These prophets and advocates of harmanial
spiritualism assay to compete with Bible miracles by the display of their strange powers, and
numbering their forces as the stars of heaven,
shout their triumph, and the overthrow of the
Christian Religion.
Some, however,
Less bold by far and courteous too
Sing of Jesus, as
The Man Divine;
But denying human depravity, the reason why
men need the Savior, they make void his Mission, and by flattering unsound and pleasureloving churchmen, wheedle them into stepping
stones to the tympanum of a capricious public,
where perched these proud Euphuists
Warble forth enchanting Strains
Of senseless melody.
These authors of spiritual vagaries, poetic fan.
ciE's, and transcendental dreamings, by charming,
render enthusiastic the unstable and excitable
members of community. Hence originate con



PRELUDE.                23
flicting and vague interpretations of Nature and
Revelation, which are proffered as more perfect
means of redemption than God has revealed in
his Holy Word. From this cause arises confirmed opposition to all who believe in the Lord
Jesus as the Savior of Sinners.
Prayer is ridiculed as the height of religious
delusion; the Bible represented as an imperfect,
compend of the notions of undeveloped and half
civilized men,-the imperfect sketches of semi.
barbarous spiritualists, or a book of unchaste legends, unworthy of confidence in this age of superior light and revelation.
Denying the Divinity of Jesus Christ, it is affirmed that nature, and modern clairvoyant and
necromantic teachings, afford ample means for
intellectual and spiritual improvement; and that
all former knowledge is the mere semblance of
truth. Therefore, past Revelations compared
to the present, are as the falling husks from the
substantial kernel, or the separation of diseased bodies from the pure spirit.
Does not this opposition to the Christian Religion confirm the truth of the Bible, the very
Word opposed, and also fulfill those Scriptures
which refer to the latter day? saying, "There
were false prophets also among the people, as
there shall be false teachers among you, who shall
privily bring in damnable heresies even deny



24                PRELUDE.
ing the Lord that bought them, and bring upon
themselves swift destruction, and many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of which the
way of truth shall be evil spoken of. For the
spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times
some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to
seducing spirits and doctrines of devils; speaking
4lies in hypocrisy, having'their consciences seared
as with a hot iron. And then shall that wicked
be revealed, whose coming is after the working of
Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and in all deceitfulness and unrighteousness
in them that iperish.
Could prophecy have been more explicit in the
delineation of that power which is now making
war with the Bible?
The relation which many sustain to the events
of the day indicates the predicted trial. For,
whileinfidelity is bearing the youthful mind by
the mysterious agencies, which seem as urgent as
unconquerable monsoons, through the channels
of religious skepticism to the vortex of death,
nominal professors of Christianity are shrinking
from the bold declarations of Truth, and error is
fostered and substituted for the teachings of the
Bible. And no marvel if by the side of the indifferent and their misguided followers the sword of
the Spirit should hang in the scabbard of popular




PRELUDE.                25
applause, or the Gospel banner droop by the cross,
while over the chasm existing between Truth and
Error, such are bending to place their lips to those
of infidels; or that truth should suffer and faith
decline, while beneath these inclining forms the
masses are allured from the Gospel by the sophistry of false ethics. Woe to the city when her
watchmen join hands with besiegers.
Such teachers do not proceed with the keen
scalpel of Truth to trace the living nerve, and with
a resolute hand to sever the fibres of diseased parts
and accumulating fungus2 Neither with a sense
of the responsibility of an heavenly embassador,
and with the earnestness of divine unction, pro.
claim the unadulterated c and living Oracles of
God? Nor by removing the mystic garb obscuring the end of evil, reveals the hideous form of unbelief, and with the pencil of Truth portray the
awful abode of the perverted soul in the gloomy
regions of the dead-the sphere outwrought by a
life of transgression.
Are such built upon the foundation of the
prophets and apostles, Jesus Christ being the chief
corner stone?  Or do their works liken them to
the Israelites, who condemned the meek Nazerene
to the cross? and whose fate indicates the final
subjugation of all like ecclesiastic polity.
Let those who deem the reference foreign or
2




26                PRELUDE.
unjust, unite with us while we raise the fallen
curtain which conceals from modern vision the
scenes of olden times, and trace the calendar of
the past to the memorable day when Jesus of
Nazareth preached the kingdom of God with men.
In the land of Judea let us pause beneath the
shadow of the house of Israel, that we may the
more perfectly determine the analogy. And in
the gorgeous synagogue and religious parade of
the Sanhedrim, let the proud and the. vain of
the Nineteenth Century behold their image; and
in the hollow worship, the emptiness of their religious show. Or, with the opulent, from their
arched terraces observe that strange form moving with the gathering crowd; that ]personage
whose coat, without a seam, does not display the
pride of life, the fashion or taste of the worldly
wise, whose sandals the dust of the streets cannot harm, who gives audience to the poorest of
the sons of men, and with whom there is no
respect of persons.
His movements are slow and solemn. His
calm demeanor betokens his holy dignity. His
regard for the afflicted, who pray "0, thou Son
of David, have mercy on us," reveals the emotion of his overflowing soul. And who is this?
Echo, from the proud Sanhedrim, answers,' The
Nazarene-the carpenter's son —Jesus, the impostor;"  while a voice from  heaven utters,




PRELUDE.               27
"' THIS Is MY BELOVED SON." And the Scriptures
answer, I"Amen,"3 His works say, "Amen;" and
the Church Militant, in her humility, from the
rack and burning fagot, responds, "Amen."' Jesus of Nazareth is our Saviour, our Life, our
hope, and source of everlasting joy. God manifest in the flesh. The King of kings and Lord
of lords."
Thus is revealed —and sad to realize —by the
Author of Redemption and his professed Israel,
the infinite contrast eternally existing between
the Spirit of Jesus and Christianity, and the religion of perverted men: and how great the
contrast!
The proud Pharisees beneath the emblazoned
arch, with mocking mien scorn the humble Nazarene, moving with the masses below.
They, by their polished profession, are as
whited sepulchres; while Jesus, unpretending
and lamb-like, bends over prostrate humanity,
wipes tears from  weeping eyes, soothes the
troubled spirit, and bids the mourner go in peace.
He, the King of Israel- " God with us " -pities
and forgives the guilty, while they cast off and
contemn the innocent.
They, receive honor of men and despise the
poor; He, the Shepherd, takes the lambs in his
arms, protects them from devouring wolves and
chilling blasts. They listen to idle flattery, and




28               PRELUDE.
are satisfied; I-e hears the suppliant's prayer,
and, blessing, receives as his reward, the tears
of gladness, and the homage of contrite hogearts.
Great the contrast!
They, lead to altars of vain show, and prompt
religious mockery. He, inspires the sacrifice of
pure praise and exalts to mansions in heaven,
purchased by his own blood. They, dwell with
the rich and feast in royal palaces. He, frequents the abodes of the poor and eats with publicans and sinners, saying, " The foxes have holes
and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son
of Man hath not where to lay his head."
Finally, in death, they recline upon silken
couches, and the populace in mournful measures,
chant their solemn requiem.
But He, by the world unpitiec and condemned,
bleeds for transgressors upon the cross, while the
frantic multitude vociferate, "Crucify him, crucify him," INFINITE THE CONTRAST!
This distinction is clearly illustrated in the
parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. The
Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself:
"God I thank thee that I am not as other men,
extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this
publican. I fast twice in the week, and give
tithes of all I possess."  But the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes
unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying,




PRELUDE.               29
"God be merciful to me a sinner."  "Every one
that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he
that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
Blinded by their conceit, and clad in self-righteousness, the pompous Jews rested secure; nor
could they be aroused to a sense of the ruin that
awaited their hierarchical dominion.
Have nominal professors. eyes, and cannot see;
ears, and cannot hear? And, in view of the vain
service and final fall of the haughty Jews, will
they trifle with sacred rites and mimic the spirit
of divine ordinances? Then may they read their
destiny in the doom of that ancient city, whose
policy, having no divine protection, yielded to the
strong arm of the besieger.
Bow down and worship, thou modern Jerusalem; in deep humility call upon thy God; if peradventure thy doom may be averted. Or hast
thou parted with thy birthright, and for a morsel bartered thy inheritance! Shall thy fate be
like that of ancient Israel, whose prayer was unavailing when the smoke of her torments lowered
the heavens above and the elements frowned
upon her; when famine and pestilence reigned
within the walls of the great city, and mothers,
mad with hunger, fed upon the flesh of their
own babes!
The Jewish priest called upon Israel's God,
and there was no answer; but the heavens be



30               PRELUDE.
came as brass above, while the earth gave way
beneath them. Proud Israel fell!
Will your priests, in the day of trial offer in
vain their oblation; and, drinking the cup of
your fornication, will ye plunge into the fearful
abyss?
Did afflicted Jerusalem regard Jehovah unmerciful, that he did not hear; and unrighteous in
the measure of their afflictions?
They might have read in the     gleaming
cloud of the fierce tempest, the cause of their
unmitigated woe.
Did they remember the despised Nazarene?
Had they forgotten the declaration of his mission of love to them; and that when rejected, in
tears and solemn lamentation, he cried, "0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee,
how often would I have gathered thy children
unto me as a hen gathereth her brood under her
wings; but ye would not!"
"In vain gifts have been bestowed upon you;
in vain the'oxen and fatling have been killed;
and in vain MIercy pleads at your door. As ye
make light of the King and his offering, thus provoking the feariful retribution which awaits you,
heaven repeats the irrevocable law, and unveils
before you the dread consequences of its violation. Could more be done for your peace?  Ye




PRELUDE.               31
have had line upon line, and precept upon precept. But when they came to you with the King's
embassy, ye have wantonly slain his servants,
and wasted his goods in your riotings. Ye also
seek the life of his only Son, while mercifully
pleading with you. Behold, your house is left
unto you desolate!
"Oh, Jerusalem! House of Israel! I have
plead with you until the day is spent, and until
my locks are wet with the drops of the night.
Ye will not rise from your bed of myrrh! ye
will not Ihearken!' Henceforth thle vinteyard shall not flourish,
until the hedge thereof shall be taken away and
the walls thereof be trodden down: but there
shall come up briers and thorns, and the clouds,
by command, shall not rain upon it.
"Ye who are wise in your own eyes, and prudent in your own sight, and who say to the voice
of God that bringeth these tidings,'Let him
make speed, and hasten his work, that we may
see it: and let his counsel who would have us
regard him as the Holy One of Israel, draw
nigh, and let him come in the display of his power, that we may know it!'
"Wo unto you who call evil good, and good
evil, which justify the wicked for reward, and
take away the righteousness of the righteous
from him. As the fire devoureth the stubble,




32               PIELU)E.
and the flame consumeth the chaff, so your root
shall be as rottenness, and the blossom of your
doings shall go up as dust; because ye have cast
away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised
the Word of the Holy One of Israel. Isa. 5.
"And now I go to him that sent me. Ye shall
seek me and shall not find me. Henceforth ye
shall not see me until ye shall say,'Blessed is he
that cometh in the name of the Lord.'  Did Israel still remember that solemn message? Was
not the image of the suffering Son before them;
and did not the echo of his solemn valedictory
still dwell in the quivering atmosphere; and had
not each word of that awful prophesy assumed
living form, and pursued them like ghostly spectres?- Or, as immortal entities, did they not repeat: "Behold your house is left unto you desolate; and I go to him that sent me. Ye shall
seek me and shall not find me?"
No marvel, then, that the abased Sanhedrim
should, in the day of trial, afflict their souls in
vain; should put on sackcloth, and mourn in
dust and ashes without avail. Or that the Priests
should multiply their sacrifices and burnt offerings upon golden altars, unanswered by the Shekinah.
They had offered the Great Sacrifice, though
in malice, when they hung upon the Cross their




PRELUDE.              33
King. Thus rejecting the True Light, darkness
encompassed them.
When Jesus expired, the vail of the Temple
was rent, and the Life and Power thereof departed. And as they despised the only name in
heaven, or given among men, by which Salvation
cometh, why offer the oblation, -pleading the
Lord to avert the impending judgment,-since
Jesus, finally cast off by them, uttered, " Behold,
your house is left unto you desolate!"  There
was no hope! Jerusalem fell!"
To the Christian of the Nineteenth Century
we solemnly appeal, and of him enquire, if, according to the Scriptures, he is looking for the
consummation of the Gospel of Jesus. Does he
not expect the Judgment; and must it not begin
at the house of God?
When the Refiner appeareth, the gold must be
purified; and when He maketh up His jewels,
they that fear God and work righteousness will
be spared, as a man spareth his own son that
serveth him. Israel of old departed from God,
and in her trial failed, and the storm swept her
away like a house built upon the sand. Yet a
remnant was saved, who bore the Spiritual Ark
and Covenant to the Gentiles. And when the
fullness of time is come, they too shall be judged,
and in that judgment the faithful and obedient
shall be spared, and encompassed as with a shield




34               PRELUDE.
of fire; but the faithless and unbelieving, the
hypocrite and profane, shall be swept away as
with the besom of destruction.
From the foregoing we conclude1. That the strange phenomena moving mind
and matter, the conflict of Nations, the peculiar
manifestations of man's religious nature; modern
prophets, and the strange excitement known as
spiritualism, indicate some important crisis at
hand.
2. From the determinate and unprecedented
opposition to the Christian religion, we conclude,
according to the Scriptures, that Antichrist has
arisen.
3. /We judge that nominal Christians, omitting
the weightier matters of the law, Justice, Mercy
and Faith, and seeking fellowship with Mammon
and her worshipers, are fulfilling, in themselves,
the prophets, and affording evidence of the approaching Consummation.
4. Having reference to the history of the Jews
-their ignorance of the presence of the Messiah, although in their midst, his final rejection
by them, together with their fall; by analogy, we
infer that nominal christians of this day, who
manifest so little of the true spirit of Christ, are
imitating the example of ancient Israel, and thus
provoking upon themselves like consequences
-the consequences that await the apostate
church in the last day. Thus in the events of




PRELUDE.               35
hlis age, the ~Word of God is maintained and fulfilled, and signs are afforded of the second coming of the Son of Man.
That these conclusions are legitimate, we appeal to the history of the past; the scenes of
the present, the hope of the child of God, and
finally, to the WORD, in which God has covenanted in Jesus, by whom he is reconciling the
world to himself, to restore all things.
Then wo to the rebellious, the hypocrite and
unbeliever, to the lords and potentates of the
earth: for a day of terror awaits the ungodly.
But joy, peace and salvation unto those who love
the Lord Jesus, and like the wise virgins, are
patiently  waiting  the coming of the Bridegroom, for they shall enter through the gates
into the holy City.
And, to the slumbering watchman, it may be
said, "Sleep on: the Day of the Lord has come,
Ye taught it and believed it not'"




BEING-ITS STATE.
IT IS of the utmost importance that we understand the intrinsic qualities of our primary being, together with the extrinsic. influences to
which it is liable. This knowledge is especially
essential when considered in the light of our immortality. To obtain it should engage our first
thoughts.
Man, in his constitutien unites those principles and forces which qualify him a receptacle of
the laws and attributes of the physical and spiritual realm, both of which blend in his composition. A truer statement of man, originally, cannot be made-a more perfect philosophy of his
being, and of its creation, cannot be adduced,
than is recorded in Gen., chap. 2. "The Lord
God formed man of the dust of the ground, and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and
he became a living soul."
Volumes have been written as exponents of
man, of his origin and constitution, but all do
not say more. The profoundest thought cannot
fathom its depths, the widest range does not
approach its boundary, nor the most lofty flight
ascend its exalted dome.




BEITNG —ITS STATE.          37
The quality and proportion uniting in man's
existence, from the natural and spiritual realms
of which he partakes determine the character
of his essential being; that which matures him,
determines the condition of his futurity.
If the immediate sphere from which he is
propagated, and the realm through which he
arises into maturity, shall have been, from any
cause, rendered discordant and unhealthy, it fol
lows, as a natural sequence, that he will be but
a type of their imperfections. Again, as growth
is the reproduction, and in a special form, of the
inherent, incorporated, modified, and unfolded
properties surrounding and involving life, man,
natively, can only obtain a changed or higher
mode of the principles engaging his being; and
that mode must tend to the natural ultum of the
preponderating qualities, inherent or obtained.
If, therefore, his being incline to, and absorb,
predominantly, the material or outer sphere of
his existence, it follows that the baser propension
will obtain to a disproportion, the inclinations
will be debased, and the spirit robbed of those
diviner attainments intended in his creation.
And if his sphere be deranged and misdirected, how indispensable to man, for his present
and future good, is a knowledge of himself and
the nature of the laws and principles affecting
him, together with the means of his restoration.




38            BEING-ITS STATE,
To diminish the life-sources of the body renders it more impotent; a want of proper mental
exercise encourages mental imbecility, and spiritual depression deprives the soul of its vitality.
The laws and necessities of the body, duly regarded, and properly supplied, sustain and accelerate the energies of the mind. And a proper
blending of the movements of body and mind
inspire spiritual activity; thence the influence
of the Divine Spirit reveals man's necessities, and
prepares him for the reception of the spirit of
Grace, which, from God the Life, seeks his redemption and exaltation from his imperfect state.
And since man's spiritual nature is that which
qualifies him for the reception of heavenly influx, and constitutes the life-sphere of his immortality, that' Divine injunction, "Seek first
the Kingdom of God And his righteousness," is
founded in immutable law, the violation of which
involves the highest interest of the soul.
Man's ever failing effort to erect with his own
hands a heaven-reaching tower, reveals his native ignorance of the means adapted to his spiritual attainments, hence the latws and conditions
of his spiritual being: and, also, his incapacity
to overcome his insufficiency, and to secure thl
end of his hope. To this end, however, extensive schemes have been multiplied and exhausted,
but without avail; and to obtain "tIe life elixir,'




BEING - -ITS STATE.          39
millions have been sacrificed; but, to no effect.
Man remains the same, and age upon age only
repeats the mode and end of his useless toil.
The Bible, a true criterion, is given to the
world, by which the laws and conditions affecting man may be determined; and its salutary
influence upon the character of those who accept
it as the sure guide, an unerring Counselor,
proves its fitness to his necessities, and commends it as a rule of action adequate to his
wants.
Other books are offered as more sure and
ample meanes of light to conduct man from his
forlorn and bewildered state; but from which can
be derived as clear, faithful and unsophisticated
statements as the Bible affords? statements that
awaken the deepest sense of the soul to the unsatisfying nature of this world, and the realities
of that which is to come?
Every soul of man should hail with acclamations of joy any additional light upon subjects
so important, but because multitudes appear before the public, laden with new revelations, it is
not, therefore, evident that they originate in higher truths and devise means of salvation, superior
to what have been previously revealed. But facts
rather indicate that this fleet now cruising the
sea of time, prepared from olden wrecks and
newly manned, have weighed anchor and put out




40           BEING-ITS STATE.
to sea without proper ballast, rudder, compass,
or even a slillful mariner.  Then wo to the
passengers that crowd the saloons of these creaking crafts, for a storm seems gathering in the
heavens. So indicates the Bible, which, time
and test shall prove, is the true spiritual barometer.
What but a wreck could be hoped from those
who institute for themselves such extraordinarv
claims, and deny them to others? who, while
making sacred their productions, denounce the
Bible, and treat with contumely those who revere it.? What real merit they possess should
be regarded; for whatever is true, whatever is
just, pure, and useful, should be received, whether
from the pen of the sage, poet, or the lips of
the stammerer; from the trembling leaf, roaring
deep, or belching crater; from the crawling insect, or the glory crowned angel; from any source
truzth should be cherished, nor should it or its advocates be rejected. For "a word fitly spoken
is like apples of gold in pictures of silver, and
more to be desired than jewels of fine gold. It
cannot be compared with the precious onyx or
the sapphire. No name shall be made of it, for
the price of it is above rubies, and all things
that may be desired."
But before we indorse that which would intercept former Revelations, although denominated




BEING-ITS STATE.            41
the revelations of an advanced age, and the product of reason just from the school of " the progressed," should we not examine the causes
which produce them, and from their character
consider their determinations?
Faith in a system brings its likeness and inspires us with its motive; therefore too deep an
interest cannot be awakened in the mind, relative to the examination and adoption of principles and theories which would lead us into new
fields of thought and action, and thereby transform our character.' Prove all things, hold fast
that which is good." Bible.




PANTHEISM.
PA[NTHEISM, a species of philosophical idolatry connected with Atheism, is of very ancient
date. It was, however, revived in the sixteenth
century, and its crudeness somewhat modified
and tempered to tohat age, by Benedict Spinoza,
a citizen of Amsterdam and a Jew. Since then
it has been more properly known as " Spinwozism,"
until very recently, having  passed  another
modifying transition by means of A. J. Davis, a
magnetised subject, it has assumed the form of
"Harmonialism,' or the "HIarmonial philosophy."  And blending with modern Pantheistic
spir-ritualism, has settled into an "is)n" known as
"Ifarmnonial -Siritualism,."  Andrew  Jackson
Davis, the vehicle of its modern development
and notoriety, was an unpretending youth, residing in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., at the time of his introduction into the mesmeric state, through the
ordinary mode of manipulations, otherwise animal magnetism.   In his abnormal, or mesmeric
state, iMr. Davis evinced some striking peculiarities. The most important, however, in his incipiency, consisted in his remarkable pathological powers, manifested in the diagnosis of disease, and his therapeutic aptness. By these ho
42




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.          43
was enabled, in many instances, when clairvoyant, to determine the cause, type and malignancy of diseases, and to apply from a sort of eclectic pharmacy, the recuperative remedies.
Then, at a time when this law was little understood, it was by no means difficult to obtain
notoriety. And from the novelty of. the subject,
and the high claims instituted for him, Mr. Davis attracted to himself many of the scientific.
Henceforth his companions were mostly of the
learned, whose atmosphere he breathed, and
from whose literary and scientific spheres his
mental being received constant nutriment.
Those familiar with the science of Anthropology, especially those departments which display
the laws of cranioscopy, pathetism, and psycometry, can readily trace this remarkable psycological vein to its source, and thence comprehend
the results as the effects of a sort of mental-inspiritual consensutal movement operating through
AMr. Davis' organism from the mental cerebra of
the combined entities composing his coterie, or
the sphere affecting him.
The student in mental philosophy knows full
well, that unless intercepted or suppressed, any
suggestion received into the human sensory, by
the ever active and reproductive laws of mind,
must ultimate in the revelation of a sentiment or
theory, partially at least, matured; and that this




44              PANTHEISM.
will epitomize the united characters of the blending causes, and their renewing agents. Those
conversant with the phenomena of mental quickening by means of animal magnetism, understand that the subject under mesmeric influence
exalts and renders more lucid or transcendental,
than he would normally, the subject-matter of
his discourse. And although he may only reproduce the principles of the inductive agents, he
will from his position exalt them, if not to a
plane superior to that of the causes, to one above
his own personally attainable apex. But if he
be a proper medium by the union of the constituents he will evolve their combined elements
materially sublimated. Therefore the mlaximum
may appear to the unlearned or superficial observer as a REVELATION!
Without at this time considering the justice of
the superior claims of clairvoyance, with these
prefatory remarks, we proceed to trace more distinctly the vein of that psycological phenomenon
immediately connected with Mr. Davis; since he
is the "medium" of the "Pantheistic Harmonialism" reflected upon this age.
Mr. Davis was first mesmerized late in the
autumn of 1843, by Mr. Livingston, a resident
of Poughkeepsie, N. Y. Thence commenced the
display of his pathological ability, which at that
time, attracted so much attention. This power




A. J, DAVIS REVIEWED.         45
has since, however, lost much of its marvel by a
profligate use of its remarkable claims, and Mr.
Davis, leaving the masses to revel in the glory
of that attainment, has assumed a superior plane
of action.
The following March, (1844) he is said, without the aid of his magnetizer to have fallen into
a strange abnormal state, whence he received his
impression that he was to become the shepherd
of man; and that it was his mission to lead the
forlorn race from their "unprogressed," or semideveloped state, into the prolific planes of reason,
and thence to HARMONIALISM'' the heaven of the
senses." In 1845 Mr. Davis in his abnormal
state selected L. S. Lyon, M. D., for his manipulater, and the Rev. Wm. Fishbough, who possesses rare scientific and philosophic ability, for
his scribe.
These gentlemen were to serve him while delivering a course of lectures: Dr. Lyon to magnetize him, and the Rev. M[r. Fishbough to write
and prepare for the press, his discourses delivered in the magnetic state.
On the evening of Nov. 29, 1845, he commenced those lectures, and Jan. 25, 1847, closed them.
They were, according to his choice, compiled by
Mr. Fishbough, who, with Dr. Lyon, published
them in a book of 782 octavo pages, entitled,
"THE PRINCIPLES OF NATURE, HER DIVINE




46               PANTHEISM.
R:EVELATIONS, AND A VOICE TO MAINKIND," otherwise, "'NATURE's DIVINE REVELATIONS. By A.
J. DAVIS, THE POUGHKEEPSIE SEER."
The literary merit of this work is what would
be expected from the pen of Mr. Fishbough.
But its metaphysics are so incomplete and sophistical, and withal based upon fundamental assumption, as will hereafter be shown, that
whatever merit it may possess is involved in
inexplicable complications. It claims omnipercipience; overlooking the vista of past duration;
of time so illimitable as to annihilate the idea of
time, and to behold the very beginning of that
which is so eternal as not to have had beginning.
Lest the reader should consider this statement
too sweeping, and to illustrate our position, the
following extracts are introduced, from' Nature's
Divine Revelation," page 121:
"In the BEGIN:ING, the Univerccelum was
one boundless, undefinable, and unimaginable
ocean of LIQUID FIRE! There was one vast expanse of liquid substance.  It was without
bounds-inconceivable,-with qualities and essences incomprehensible. This was the original
condition of MATTER. It was without form; for
it was but one form. It had not motion; but it
was an eternity of motion. It was without
parts; for it was a Whole. Parlticles did not
exist; but the whole was one Particle. There




A. J. DTAVIS REVIEWED.       47
were not Suns, but it was one Eternal Sun. It
had no beginning; and it was without end. It
had not length; for it was a vortex of one Eternity. It had not circles; for it was one infinite
Circle. It had not disconnected power; but it
was the very essence of all Power. Its inconceivable magnitude and constitution were such
as not to develop forces, but Omnipotent Power!
Matter and power were existing as a whole, inseparable. The matter contained the substance
to produce all suns, all worlds, etc. The Power
contained Wisdom and Goodness,-Justice, Mercy, and Truth. It contained the original and essential Principle that is displayed throughout
immensity of space, controlling worlds and systems of worlds, and producing Motion, Life,
Sensation, and Intelligence, to be impartially disseminated upon their surfaces as their Ultimates!
"This great Centre of worlds-this Great Power of Intelligence-this Great Germ of all existences was Oe TVor/dc! /   *      *   "This
MIatter and motion are co-eternal Principles, established by virtue of their own nature."'  *
"This great Mass of M'attLer abounded with heat
and fire immense, insomuch that. each seeming
particle wvas in reality not such, but the whole
was a mass of liquid lava.       *   *  The
power contained in this vortex was the Great
Posiitive Jind! " (that is, Deity!) "and its develop



48               PANTHEISM.
ment was Eternal iZ2otion! and so Matter and
Motion constituted the original condition of all
things!   *    "  The Great First cause, or
the vortex of pure Intelligence, was a First, or
Cause Internal. Matter, with its properties and
inconceivable combinations, was an accompaniment or counterpart that may be termed a Second
or Effect. And the external or countervailing
force developed by the action of the Internal,
was a Third or Ultimate. Thus was established
the Law of universal and eternal MOTION."
Here, according to his theory, is the beginning
of what had no beginning. For, he affirms, that
Matter and Motion constituted the original condition of all things, and that this First Ocean of
Liquid Fire was an eternity of Motion, and The
power contained in this Great Vortex, was, the
Great Positive irind, and its development was
Eternal Motion; therefore, the only legitimate
conclusion is, that the "Seer" claims to have
comprehended, and in "the work" to have revealed, the beginning of that which, being eternal,
hcad not beginning.
Yet the advocates of this complicated and
never-to-be-defined theory of "Creation and her
Author," indulge profound pity for the Christian
who believes in the "tri-unity" of God, that is,
"God manifest as Creator, Redeemer, and a
quickening Spirit"




Ao J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         49
The omnipercipient assumption of the foregoing, fully accords with the "Seer's" claims of
"Superior condition."  For in "N. D. Revelations," page 120, he says, "To reveal the Second
Sphere, I progress or ascend to the Third; thence
to the Fourth; thence upward and upward to the
Fifth, Sixth, and finally, as an ultimate, to the
Seventh-in which sphere I shall be able to comprehend all others."  And there, enthroned
within the crowning ultimates of Nature and her
Author, the "Seer" proceeds to analyze and define the evolution of spheres along vast molten
vortices, which issue, or are thrown off, from the
boundless Univercoelum, or ocean of liquid fire,
through illimitable space and unnumbered metamorphic transitions, until Universes revolve as
satelites around each terminus, or centre Sun;
each of which is of inconceivable magnitude.
And ensconsed within his super-celestial observatory, he makes the Almighty and his Works as
familiar as household words.
Thus seated, he attempts to work out the deep
problems of Nature, and adjust the conceptions
of terrestrial formations from  their immense
vortices, through an infinite variety of evolutions,
until our globe appears. Thence, scanning its
sphere, he essays to pursue its igneous material
while borne in the arms of its inherent laws-a
lesser deity emanated from the "great vortex or
3




60               PANTHEISM.
Positive Mind "-throughout the varied stratified
incrustations; thence through the mineral, vegetable and animal kingdoms, to Man, the climax,
or ultimate of the attributes and forces of its
original Nebula. And again, by his theory of
progression, he prospectively ascends with man,
along the self-projected octaves of his nature, until the Universe of sublimated and spiritualized
matter and its inherent deity, attains to the
realms of the Original First Cause; the Great
Positive Mind; the Vortex of liquid lava-of pure
Intelligence; whence it was; and from which,
according to his theory, it could never depart.
Thus, organized and exalted it completes his
grand equilibrium of Spirit. In this realmn the
"Seer " leaves the Great  Positive Miind " and
the Ultimates of its Omnipotent and Proceeding
Power-a universe of Spirit-Entities, so equipoised and harmonious as to perfect "One great
whole."
Such are the fundamental principles of " NTature's Divine Revelations, by A. J. Davis, the
Poughkeepsie Seer; " and such the character of
that work which is considered by thousands the
"'Book of books," the Light of Reason, the reflected substance of universal Truths; whose
theory is man's hope and salvation, and whose
Author is considered as the "ikean" of ages, and
compend of universal Law; a living Automatcon.




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         51
Lest those unacquainted with the work should
deem our criticisms unjust, and our conclusions
unreasonable, we will introduce the "Seer's " own
language upon this subject. N. D. R. page 672.
"From the position now occupied I can perceive,
and in a degree comprehend, the Seventh Sphere,
or the Infinite Vortex of Love and Wisdom, and
the great Spiritual Sun of the Divine Mind that
illuminates all the Spirit worlds."
And again, although in one department he informs us that the Great Centre Vortex disseminated from itself through immensity of space
material for unfolding an infinite number of systems of inconceivable magnitude, on page 121
he informs us that "In the beginning the Univerccelum was one boundless ocean of liquid fire.
It had no beginning, and it was without end. It
had not leng:th; for it was a vortex of- eternity.
It had not circles; for it was one infinite circle."
Such being the all-pervading and all-encompassing nature of this first-cause vortex, what could
emanate   from it" and by an infinite procedure
"unfold  ultimate and return to it."  But in support of the evolution of Matter along its immense channels from the First-Cause Vortex,
and its final spiritualization and ascension whence
it came, he remarks, page 50, "It is the law of
fatter to produce its ultimate Mind. It is the
law of mind to produce its corresponding Spirit."




52              PANTHESIAM.
And finally, page 149, "Thus all matter will
pass the multifarious forms and stages that are
existing, and all will ultimately be resolved into
the unparticled state, and will ascend to associate
with higher and more glorious spheres —of spiritual composition. Then the Great Positive
Mind, around whose Centre exists this exhaustless fountain of materials, will be Positive to the
great Negative formed by the perfections of all
things else in being. And then Deity and Spirit
will be existing only."
Thus, through the marvelous interposition of
this strange phenomenon, we have revealed to
us as a First, or Cause of all things, an illimitable
and eternal ocean of Liquid Fire; and that, from
Fire proceeds Matter, from Matter Mind, from
Mind Spirit; or, Fire unfolds into Nature, Nature into Spirit; and this Spirit or Ultimate
finally arises, a Negative to the First Great Positive Cause, "and thence between the two will
emanate new worlds-an epoch of another Beginning. Page 149, N. D. R.
Such are some of the claims of this Pantheistic Bible of the Nineteenth Century. And
from these extracts the reader is in a degree
apprised of the ceaseless involutions, by which
it conducts the mind of its devotee into a bewildering amazement, thence along its imaginary
spheres to its material heaven.




CHAPTER II.
PANTHEISTIC THEORY OF THE FIRST CAUSE, AND THE
ORDER OF CREATION.
Father, firom whom all life descends,
By whom all forms and beings are;
To thee my soul in prayer ascendsFor wealth of thought my mind prepare.
Thine is the Life, and thine the Word,
Perfection dwells with thee alone:
Inspire each thought, thou sovereign Lord,
And make that perfect thollst begun.
In vain we toil and urge the mind,
Or seek divinity to scan;
In every efobrt, Lord, we find
The inefficiency of in man.
Then move this heart, and guide this pen,
Nor let a human thought prevailmTrths, zunpereived by finite ken,
Ccan only ins this cauise avail.
"NATURE'S Divine Revelations, by A. J. Davis," cursorily reviewed in the foregoing chapter
maintains the "H armonial Theory," and may
properly be denominated the "Text Book" of
Infidelity, since it contains the principles of that
system  wrhich has ever opposed Christianity.
In this workl the "Seer" attempts to impart universal knowledge, and to inform the world upon
53




54               PANTHEISM.
every question of import. To this end he bequeaths to the race his labored theory of the
First Cause, and his elaborate scheme of "pro,
gression."  These he proffers as the Visdozm of
Natzree, her "Divine Revelations;" and for purity of style harmonic perfection, light of Truth,
historic accuracy, perspicuity and sublimity of
narration, scientific sense, metaphysical correctness, spirit of life, and divine conception, as
more perfect and rational, by far, than the Inspired Word.
The spirit of this Work is antagonistic to that
of the Scriptures. It therefore repudiates them,
denies their divine authenticity, and the existence of the Supreme Being. It affects to overwhelm the Bible, with a tide of rhapsodical reasoning, and to bear it with precursory waves into the desolate regions of oblivion. Fancying
by these means to have overcome the principles
of the Christian religion, the main imlpediment
to its progress, and deeming therefore the foundation of human ignorance and oppression removed, Sampson-like it - feels for the pillars of
the Church; and grasping a phantom, exerts its
energies, awaits the impending crash, and thence
the dawn of earth's long soug'ht day of peace,
the glory of material divinity. The eitire metaphysics of this work depend upon two fuindlamental principles, that is,




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.          55
1. The pre-existence of an original and illimitable ocean of LIQUID FIREEcomposed of a coexistent and co-eternal mass of primitive matter
pervaded by co-efficient and   co-eternal Motion, and capable of developing Infinite, Eternal
and Omnipotent power: otherwise, an unbounded ltuniverccl.7um  or vortex of Electro-lfentalized
essence pervading an Abyss of Flaming Substance
possessing all the qualities and attributes of God
and Nature; and which was subsequently selfwrought into form and being and disseminated
through out space, and,
2. It is dependent upon the reliability, and
capability of Aninal Mlagnetism, its means of
revelation, and thence the fitness of the ma gnetizee for its cosmical and metaphysical revealmen1ts,  Its doctrines are multifarious, laboring
to embrace the cause, principles and means of
tfe development of universal nature. All of
which, agreeable to the "Revelations" were not
only "begotten7" by virtae of their own inherent
laws and properties-those of the original Univercel.um; but had    absolute "pre-existence,"
lmoreover iwere the constit'uents of the first ocean
of liquid fire, the vortex of pure intelligence.
These two conflicting statements, the "preexistence ",and also the.' beetticng" of the principles of na.ture, are abundantly sustained in the
woes; but a bjrief extract upon each will be




56               Pi\ANTHIEISM.
sufficient for our present purpose. To elucidate
the first position, see N. D. R. p. 122-" This
Great Power of Intelligence-this Great Germ
of all Existence-was One World!        corresponding to a globe visible; for it was but Onecontaining the materials and p2ower to produce
all others. So the whole of these were joined into
one vast vortex of Pure Intelligence.' Thus,"
continues the Seer, " matter and motion are coeternal principles, established by virtue of their
own nature, and they were the germ, containing
all properties, all essences, all principles, to produce all other forms and spheres that are now
known to be existing."   "This great original
mass was a substance, containing within itself the
embryo of its own perfection." But the " Seer,"
in a second statement, informs us that " It" (the
original mass,. or univercoelum,)'"becane impregnated by virtue of its own laws, and controlled, guided, and perfected by virtue of its.
own Omnipotent Power."     "It contained the
power of progression, but had not progressed."
These statements reveal the univercoelurm,
although composed of, yet engendering germinal
principles, suitable for universal distribution and
metamorphosis, and equal to the necessities of
space and duration. Thus Creation was begun,
and this is the first degree.
In further illustration  of this theory, tlh




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.          57
"Seer" remarks, N. D. R., p. 121, etc., "matter
and motion constitute the original condition of
all things,"  and "matter and motion reigned
throughout the regions of boundless infinitude.There were no other forms and no other attributes evolved from power, for they all existed
undeveloped."  Yet, notwithstanding the above,
it is also revealed that the "Inconceivable magnitude and constitution of the univercoelum were
not such as to develope force, but Omnipotent
Power!'-  And again-" The whole was flaming
with internal' heat, which evolved, as an effect,
the principle of light-so matter, heat, and light
constituted the primitive condition of the material, eternal substance. Possessing all these essential qualities, characteristics, and compounds, it
was suitable to produce all things which have
been produced, and to be the cause and effect
to produce interminable ultimates."  "Matter
contained all the attributes, characteristics, essential qualities, and peculiar combinations,
which the whole univercoelum   manifests. Its
ultimate purification would necessarily produce
the peculiar essences of animal life and intelligence." Also, page 154, N. D. R., "Every particle in being is constantly passing through
Jfrms, and orders, and degrees. This is the universal law of matter."
But again: "In order that this matter might




58              V'ANTHEISM.
assume form, the action of the great Positive
Power was necessary to impel it to higher states
of progression."
These statements confirm the foiregoing conflicting propositions, and also maintain that,
"Matter contained all the attributes, characteristics, essential qualities, and peculiar combinations which the univercolum. manifests," and
must therefore, of itself, have constituec, and yet
evolved, as actor and agent, all substance,
essence, life, motion, power, wisdom, goodness,
justice, mercy, mind, spirit, affection, cause,
purpose, ultimates, and deity.
This diagram of Nature presents the universe
as an immensurable anatomy; the soul and body
of the Almighty, whose elements are self-begotten and self-modified to conditions; that these
several conditions assume forms, and these forms,
although many and various, are separate organs
of one body, and so properly adjusted as to
prefigure an enormous and universal Creature.
The universe of, Mind and Mfatter, Power and
MIotion, is, then, agreeable to this theory, and,
which accords with that of Ancient Pantheism,
an animal of illimitable dimensions: a leviathan,
vast in proportions, endued with Omnipotent
Might; whose uncreated motion engendered its
eternal motion; whose infinite power created its
own omnipotent power; whose life breathed




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.               59
forth its eternal vitality, and, hence, whose vast
and original vortex evolved itself into universal
being: that is, the universe, although eternal, is
represented as self-originated, self-formed, and
self-disseminated   throughout     the  illimitable
vctcztm-thence, is floating in space 
These deductions are abundantly sustained by
the "Seer" throughout his expatiations, as he
breathes forth his profuse declarations relative
to  the  Eternity, Power, Wisdom, Goodness,
Justice, MUercy, and Truth of the original Vortex.  And also his majestic scheme of Nature's
birth,, or the births of'the unbegotten Univerccetnm,
as especially unfolded in his lofty utterance, N.
1. I., page 673.
"Of the body and constitution of the material
sun   the  univerecelum   was   born into    being,
caressed, nourished, illuminated, and perfected
in.universal order and harmony."..   This
displays the order and harmony of the Divine
Mind, and this is one body of one Immortal
Soul."!! *
If this system of Creation represents Nature,
then Nature is the perfection of chaos, and can*1'OTE -A. marginal note on the page fromn which the above is taken,
informs us that the discovery and revelation of this last august statement. for the time being at least, well nigh cost the " Seer " his mental
equilibrium, since, to obtain it, "l e was elevated to such close proximity to the sphere of the spiritual sun that the light was beyond
endurance."




60              PAN T-IEISM.
not as yet have obtained to any very worthy end
by her long and wearied routine of progressive
unfoldings. She still greatly stammers in her
utterance, and has not approached her youthful
maturity: or learned the order of speech. She
slumbers in her swadlings and is cradled in
nonentity.
Such conclusions inevitably force themselves
upoi the mind while perusing "N. D. Revelations."  Indeed it seems impossible that it
should be othemrise, unless the sense becomes so
psychologized by its transcendental display, and
bewildered by its involutions as to accept discord
as harmony and assumptions for causes: imaginary movements for magnificent procedures of
Nature, and glaring illusions as her grand results.
But the scale of Nature as revealed by Mr.
Davis, is not yet complete, since his discovery
and comprehension of the beginning and of the
works of Nature manifest throughout all pre-existing time, only indicates a more grand result.
Andc therefore, his Omnipercipient vision must
penetrate the unfathomable and mysterious future.  Hence, he overspans that duration of
whose infinity no finite mind has any power or
means to conceive, and determines the results of
whatever has been, is, or is to be, in this eternity.
And in that great day which witnesseth the sublimation, mentalization and spiritualization of




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED          61
all the materials of the First Univercelulm, and
the present existing Universe, also whatever
shall henceforth unfold from it, he pauses, takes
a precursory review of its incomprehensible, inconceivable and eternalized  conditions: defines and arranges them in the Sanctum of his
intellectual Tabernacle, and thence epitomizes
on this wise. "And by immutable and eternal
laws originally established, it" (the Univercoelum) "will continue to reproduce and recreate
new worlds of supreme excellence and exalted
states of material perfection, until every particle that composes every sun and every system of
suns and Vorlds of worlds, extending infinitely
beyond the power of human thought, and infinitely beyond all that has been yet produced and
organized-until these and all their particles become the ver'y essence of vegetable and animal existence! And the latter, with the active energies
inherently accompanying it, not only will pass to
the perfection of spiritual essence, but will work
its mighty influence upon every thing below it,
until all things arrive at an exalted state of spiritual and celestial perfection!"  "And then Deity and Spirit will be existing only!"  "Thus all
Matter and Motion will finally become what they
originally were" (!) "will be resolved into one
grand and glorious SUN, more refined and perfected, more excellent in all its qualities and




62              PANTHEISAM.
compositions, that it may again bring forth a new
system of suns, and an infinite corresponding creation throughout space! And as there is in all
things a constant evolving and emanation, development and progression, from the centre, of refined essences which dispose themselves in concentric circles, this is a representation of the
great circles that surround the Viniite sun-and
of the great Circle of development from the beginning of time (or of the present formation) to
the final arrival of every particle at the Great
Center and Parent from which they all emanated!
This may be termed the beginning and end of ONE
TIME."  *  *  *  "And the final resolution of
the present creations in infinite space, will be the
consummation of the glorious End contemplated.
And then the Great Sun, becoming more perfected, will breathe forth new and more refined elements, and roll into space successively a corresponding, yet more, far more perfect Univercoelum!"  Thence the " Seer" does not proceed
to "unfolid."  He is not "impressed" to bestow
upon us the priceless gems that shall cluster in
the crystal groves of that Immortal Age. Sufficient for our sphere is the delineation of this preeternity of our existence. Boundless enough the
region already explored for the range of our
awaking undeveloped intellects.  Scope, quite
adequate to the wants of our dull apprehensions,




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        63
and glory fully equal to the capacity of our dormant senses and slumbering spirits,are bestowed
in this Proem to Nature's eternal SPEECH. Indeed, such is the spirit and the character of "Nature's Divine Revelation," that from its ipse dixit
there is admitted no appeal. Its conclusions are,
therefore, imperative. No speech could be more
authoritative; no language more egotistic and
presumptuous, and no effort to sustain assumed
positions, could be more labored. In fact, the
Work depends upon fundamental assumptions,
whose sentiments are elaborated into extensive
and complicated theories.  Such as the followlowing, constitute the "axioms" of the scheme.
"I am impressed," "I perceive," "From my illumined condition," "From the position I now
occupy," "In the Beginning the TTnivercoelum
was, etc.," "It is the law of Matter to produce
its ultimate Mind," "It is the law of mind to
produce its corresponding Spirit,"  "And then.Deity and Spirit will be existing only," "And
thence between the two will emanate new worlds
- an epoch of another Beginning," "And then
the Great Sun, will roll into space, a far more
perfect Univercoelum."  While reviewing this
Work, which appears but the rehearsal of ideas
obtained from the "Magic Panorama" which
passed before the Magnetic Vision of the "Seer,"
the Bible's rationale of man's bewildered state,




64               PANTHEISM.
enforces its important truths upon us. If this
mental effusion is the essence, yea the Wisdom
of Nature, as it purports, its inconsistent statements and bold contradictions reveal her inefficiency, and deepen the conviction of man's moral weakness, spiritual blindness, mental imbecility, and therefore of his depravity. Sadly the
Work proves that "All have gone out of the
way" and forcibly illustrates these solemn truths
uttered by the Psalmist, "'The fool hath said in
his heart, there is no God."  "God looked down
upon the children of men, to see if there were
any that did understand,  that did seek God.
Every one of them is gone back."
If this work be a faithful representation of
Nature, Nature is deplorably at fault; but
if Nature be harmonious and efficient, then the
WORK is not her production, and man, its proximate cause, is bewildered and effeminate.
The reasoning throughout, is so cloudy and
sophistic; the absurdities are so palpable and
glaring; the   propositions  so  contradictory,
dreamy, and inexplicable, that they convey no
definite idea of a First Cause, or of any existing
Design in the mechanism of Nature. And the
multifarious motor-forces are so diversely constructed and applied, that one "Function" is
forced to compete with another, until the complicated aggregate  presents  Nature's grand




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        65
periphery as wild and hazy, and her intermedium vague and mystic. The propositions,
inductions, and conclusions, whirl so deliriously
as to render the Universe of Matter and
Mind, they seek to represent, absolutely chaotic,
the manifestation of impulsive imbecility.
One "portraiture" represents Nature as the
acme of perfection; another, as an illimitable
abyss of igneous surging elements, which by
their own might are developing Omnipotent
Power; and still another, as a sea of molten
glass, most transparent, which  reflects the
august contour of the Great Positive Mind,all-pervading and all-encompassing.  This is
succeeded by a scene which reveals the Great
Positive Mind as a Vortex of Pure Intelligence,
and as ingathering the abyss of flaming substance into his vast thorax; thence arises in
form  of an Infinite God-Head, Love, Will,
Wisdom, Justice, Mercy, and Truth. As this
scene merges into another, the being last revealed resolves himself into the primitive Univerccelum, or Sea of Lava, whose boundless and
undefinable realm  extends throughout infinite
space, that which has been eternally pervaded
by its matchless perfection. Thence a sudden
contraction seizes the immeasurable Univercoelum, and a vortex of flaming elements appears
exerting its internal powers to re-expel itself




66               PANTHEISM.
into space. Again emerge vast molten billows,
impelled from the Great Centre Vortex. These
have scarcely obtained their orbits, and assumed
their spherical forms, ere, as though seized with
Omnipotent convulsions, each struggles to impel
its elements into a system of subordinate orbs,
and, lo, innumerable currents diverge from these
centre vortices, and space is traversed by their
fiery combinations. Old night awakens from
her eternal slumbers, and the expansive void
presents the appearance of a Universe in flames.
"This," echoes "Nature's Divine Revelations,"
"is one Body of one immortal Soul."  "This is
Deity!" and lo! the knell of their mortality
sounds, and the orbs, the seas,flaming substance,
and lthe Centre Vortex-the constituents, parent
and dwelling-place of the Great Positive Mind,
disappear.
Withdrawing from    the illusive reverie, behold! Nature is proceeding in her accustomed
order, proving the " Work."
But the dream of a magnetized dreamer:
Nevertheless this is the true character and the
substance of the Harmonial Philosophy-the
vitality of the magnificent scheme set forth in
" Nature's Divine Revelations; " the Soul of Infidel Spiritualism; the Breath of anti-Christ;
and the Pantheism of Orpheus, Bruno, Descartes,
and Spinoza; and the principal tenets of these




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.          67
several systems are the same, however much
their modes of theorizing may vary.
" Bruno supposed God to be the soul of the
Universe; others seem to have discovered an
original sziostance, in which all contradictions
cease, and all subjects of finite thought disappear; by which they understood that which has
an independent existence, and which is incapable
of creating anything material or intellectual, foi
all matter and wnind are comprehended in itself.
Its attributes are infinite thought and infinite
extension. God, this all-embracing being, can
act only in accordance with the established order, for otherwise we must suppose him capable
of a change of nature, or that there exists a
nature different from his own. Thought and
extension, spirit and matter, the finite and the
infinite, motion and repose, good and evil, causes
and effects, are attributes of this sole substance,
which produces nothing but modifications of
itself. All that exists is only a necessary succession of modes of being in substance for ever
the same. The morality of this system     is
founded mainly on force and utility." —[Enc.
Am., vol. xi. p. 596.
Buck in his Theological Dictionary, somewhat
enlarging upon the above, remarks: "Pantheismn, a philosophical species of idolatry, leading
to Atheism, in which the universe was consider



68              PANTHEISM.
ed as the Supreme God. Who was the inventor
of this absurd system is, perhaps, not known;
but it was of early origin, and differently modified by different philosophers. Some held the
universe to be one immense animal, of which the
incorporeal soul was properly their God, and the
heavens and the earth the body of that God;
whilst others held but one substance, partly.
active and partly passive, and therefore looked
upon the visible universe as the only Nitmen.The earliest Grecian Pantheist of whom we read
was Orpheus, who called the world the body of
God, and its several parts his members, making
the whole universe one divine animal.  According to Cudworth, Orpheus and his followers believed in the immaterial soul of the world,
therein agreeing with Aristotle, who certainly
held that God and matter are co-eternal, and
that there is some such union between them as
subsists between the souls and bodies of men.
An institution, imbibing sentiments nearly of
this kind, was set on foot about eighty or ninety
years ago in this kingdom, (Great Britain,) by
a society of philosophical idolators, who called
themselves Pantheists, because they professed
the worship of all Nature as their deity. Their
liturgy was in Latin; an English translation was
published in 1751, from which the following
sentiments are extracted:  "The etherial fire




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.          69
environs all things, and is a revivifying fire; it
rules all things; it disposes all things."  (How
like Mr. Davis' "Great Positive Mind.")  "In
it is soul, mind, prudence," (from which Mr.
Davis borrowed his "Love, Will, Wisdom.")
"This fire is Horace's particle of divine breath,
and Virgil's inwoardly nourishing spirit.  All
things are comprised in an intelligent Nature."
This force they call the soul of the world, as also
a mind of perfect wisdom, and, consequently,
God.   Vanini, the Italian philosopher, was
nearly of this opinion; his God was Nature.
Spinoza taught that there is but one substance
in Nature, and that this only substance is
endued with an infinite variety of attributes,
among which are extension and cogitation; that
all the bodies in the universe are modifications
of this substance, extended; and that all the
souls of men are modifications of the same substance, considered as cogitative: that God is a
necessary and infinitely perfect being, and is the
cause of all things that exist, but not a different
being'from them; that there is but one Being
and one Nature, and that this Nature produces
within itself, by an immanent act, all those
which we call creatures; and that this Being is,
at the same time, both agent and patient,
efficient cause and subject, but that he produces
nothing but modifications of himself. Thus is




70              PANTHEISM.
the Deity made the sole agent as well as patient,
in all evil, both physical and moral. If this impious doctrine (continues Mr. Buck) be not
Atheism, (or, as it is sometimes called, Pantheism,) I know not what it is."
Althouogh it may be denied by the friends of
Hiarmonialism that its philosophy is Pantheistic,
and that'N. D. Revelations" are predicated
upon Pantheistic principles long since promulgated, still the nature of a doctrine depends
upon what is understood by the First Cause, and
what relation existing things are considered to
sustain to him.   And any religion is Pantheistic in so far as it takes for granted a fate
or a power of c latre which determines every
thing. And who, in any degree acquainted with
the Harmonial philosophy, as set forth by 2i[r.
Davis in "Nature's Divine Revelations," "The
Great IHarmonial," etc. or any of the text books
of that system, will for a moment deny that the
doctrine of fate constitutes its leading principles?
Upon this subject, Ar. Davis remar1s, in N.
D. R. p 326.   These laws of Nature are known
to be unchangoeable; and these are merely the expressions of divine Thought. These laws, therefore, are emanations from the universal Cause,
and by resting upon their ii)mutzZable and harvoznious results, we would be resting our interior affections upon the Thoughts of an all-pervading




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.           71
infinitely perfect, and Omnipotent Mind."  It
should be remembered, however, that "these
laws of Nature" are innate in matter, are the
active principles in its composition, "And so
matter and motion constituted the original condition of all things" is the language employed
on this subject, N. D. R., p 122. This law of
Motion, therefore, is the Great Positive Power,
whose reflections are the Thouoghts of the Divine
Mind, of which the Work treats so extensively.
But on page 314, Ibid.,  we are more specifically
informed of the eternity of fate connected with
Nature.  " Each form and peculiar organization
in Nature,' says the "Seer," while enforcing this
law, "is determined by the existing, controlling
circumstances, which are the causes of such form's
creation.  It follows, then, that Physical, Mental,
Moral and Spiritual formations and their several
conditions are encompassed within the controlling
influences of this immutable law, which is that
of force, and which   determines all things.
Thence every mode of existence, every action,
whether of physical or spiritual nature, together
with all ultimates and consequences, are the result of necessity: anzd tkis is Pantheismn.
Thus we determine, and from good authority,
that the doctrines which are so rapidly obtaining
and which apparently owe their birth to Nature's
Divine Revelations, are not the especial produc



72              E'P'ANTHEISM.
tion of this developed age; that they are not the
brilliant result, and at this favored period of that
immutable and eternally progressive law, which
throughout all time has been laboring to evolve
this grand system as Nature's infinite speechher Divine Revelations, and which could not
have been previously unfolded from the great
Vortex of Intelligence, for want of a proper
agent of communication, and an age of developed
minds suitable for its reception; that it is not a
New Revelation as the unlearned accept it: but
the echo of what for ages past, has been uttered
by the spirit of material sense, and offered to
Man as the Religion of Reason, a religion in
harmony with Nature, the only source of true
intelligence, of true enjoyment, and the only
means of heavenly attainments. Verily, this is
the system which has ever opposed the doctrine
of the INSPIRED WOnD. And shall we deem it
a more sue word? and seek to satisfy our reason
with its philosophy? and our spiritual wants
with the vitality it imparts?  For its vague and
dreamy statements, shall we relinquish our
faith in the God of Nature, revealed in the
Scriptures? yieldc our hope of that Heaven
which the Supreme Spirit illumines with His
Divine Presence? and cleaving to "Nature's
Divine Revelations," or any Pantheistic Creed,




A. 3. DAVIS REVIEWED.               73
as a source of Divine Wisdom       and Heavenly
BeatitudesShall we conceive the Almighty Lord
As matter only vitalizedThe sense and soul atoms affordBut inert Nature deitized?
That orbs themselves assume their forms,
Outwrought fronm molten seas of yore 2
The wondrous work Nature performs
Restores her whence she was, before
Her might proceeded to awake
Her unbegotten energies?
Or ere arose to undertake
To manifest what Nature is 
4




CHAPTER III.
BIBLICAL DOCTRINES OF GOD AND NATURE OPPOSED TO PANTHEISM.
The Lord is light, and he alone
Illumes the universe etern.
Life, Lord, Creator, God, are one;
Immensity  the Spirit's Urn.
The atoms in the vast domain
By Him have form, by H1im exist;
All Nature by His laws obtain,
In Hiim all worlds, all heavens subsist.
God is the Life, and God the WordAtoms, obedient to His \ill
Conducted by the Sovereign Lord,
Proceed His purpose to fulfill.
To Nature's Divine Revelations, and all forms
of Pantheism, we oppose the INSPIRED WORD,
and urge its supremacy, 1. Because its metaphysics (as the analysis will determine,) accord
more perfectly with the fatcts of mundane existence, with corporeal nature as allied to man,
w\ith human propensions, wiith physical, spiritual
and moral frailties, with mental contradictions,
and all known results within the sphere of human sense.   2. BPecause the Nature, Eternity
of Existence, and   Infinite Attributes of the
Supreme Beino, as revealed in the Scriptures,




A. Jh DAVIS REVIEWED.        75
more rationally commend him  as God, Creator, and Divine Benefactor, than the "fire god"
of Pantheism-the igneous and surging "Intelligence-Vortex" of Nature's Divine Revelations;
and 3. Because the ethics of the Sacred Text are
more wisely adapted to the social, moral and
spiritual necessities of man, than the law of
magnetic attraction of Harmonialism. The Inspired Word does not come to us as the result of
human magnetism, but as the revealed WILL
of Heaven, in accordance with the laws of Theopneusty-by the Inspiration of God, creating
truthful conceptions of Divine Law and Wisdom, in the vital consciousness of Heaven's
elected ag'ents-the Patriarchs, Prophets and
Apostles; by the Divine Logos, and by the
ministration of angels, who were of God appointed holy Embassadors to those chosen from
among men as external enunciators of Divine
Truths.
Having, in the foregoing chapter, stated the
leading principles of Pantheism, respecting
Deity, or rather, Nature and her mode of unfolding, we shall now introduce the doctrines of
the Scriptures upon the subject of Creation and
her Author, that the two systems may appear in
their proper light, and so proximate to each
other as to reveal their contrast; thence the
truth of the one and the error of the other.




76               PANTHEISM.
That we may properly present this subject, it is
necessary to inquire,
I. The effect these systems have upon the
sense of those who have been the media of their
external expression.
II. In what light they viewed the Creator.
Thus we may discover, in a degree, the characters of the inspiring principles, for these agents
must, of necessity, reflect, in part at least, the
nature of the revealing cause, and the burden
of their utterance will accord with the character
of whatever quickens their sense, enlarges their
conceptions, and guides their speech.
The heart of the men of old, who wrote as
moved by the Holy Ghost, is revealed by the
Psalmist when he said, "Oh, come, let us worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker."
How much more befitting finite man, when contemplating Infinity, was the sense of David's
inspired soul, as conveyed in this meek expression, than the presumptuous arrogance betrayed
by the Poughkeepsie "Seer" when he uttered
the following: "To reveal the second sphere"
(the region of eternity proximate to earth,) "I
shall progress or ascend to the third," (the
region of eternity still above or more remote
from earth than the second sphere ); "thence to
the fourth; thence upward and upward to the
fifth, sixth, and finally, as an ultimate, to the




A. J. DAVIS REVII             77
seventh," (the highest heaven, that of infinite
perfection,) "in which I shall be able to comprehend all others."-N. D. R. p. 120. This the
modern philosophy calls rational, in the first
degree. In harmony with the above, it is written, page 672 ibid: "From  the position now
occupied I can perceive, and in a degree comprehend, the SeventLh Sphere, or the Infinite Vortex
of Love and Wisdoml," (Deity,) "and the great
Spiritual Sun of the Divine Mind that illumines
all the Spirit worlds."  Whose province is it to
overlook, span, and, in a degree, comprehend the
Almnighty?  Could the mightiest Angel, whose
glory would veil the sun in night? the reflections of whose capacious mind are incomprehensible to man? whose journeyings number the
stars as points of local distances? and before
whose vision the unnumbered orbs are as pebbles in the distant landscape! Nay, as he turned
his almost omnipercipient eye from the boundless realms of material nature, and glanced
along the angelic heavens; as his thoughts arose
toward the infinite Architect, he would exclaim,
"0, the wisdom and goodness of God, how unsearchable, and his ways past finding out."
But the Poughkeepsie "Seer,7 by a few human
manipulations, ascends at once to the sphere of
infinite perfection, fully capacitated to comprehend all others, and, in a degree, the sphere of




78              PANTHEISM.
the Spiritual Sun, or Lnfnite Vortex of the Divine Mind. Surely, this is an age of Progression!
With this statement as a text, the advocates of
N. D. Revelations, as well as the "Seer," denounce the Bible as a book of absurdities-the
doctrine of the Incarnation as contrary to reason; a violation of law! That is, the Lord
cannot come to earth, but "our prophet" could,
while but a novice, Mahomet-like, ascend to
the seventh heaven; approach, and, "in a degree, comprehend the Almighty;" and there,
in the Audience-Chamber of the infinite " Intelligence-Vortex," obtain the Biography of the
"Great Positive Mind," and the modus operandi
of his works; compile the Harmonial Philosophy, and a Catechism for the religion of the
senses.
Thus the Revelations of this Oracle of the
Nineteenth Century assume; and how unlike the
meek spirit manifested by the Prophets of old!
They, veiled and bowed before high Heaven,
with the profoundest reverence, and a solemn
sense of the glory of the Shekinah, softly uttered
the name of the Supreme Being. Thus, in the
spirit of true devotion, they acknowledged Him
whom the spirit revealed as Jehovah, to be the
self-existing Lord Almighty, the I AM, whose
Throne is Eternity, and whose Glory and Being
are incomprehensible, undefinable: from ever



A. J. DAVIS IEVIEWED.         79
lasting to everlasting, God over all, and blessed
forevermore.
While the Poughkeepsie'"Seer" scans the
original infinitude of might, intelligence, and the
eternity of substance, the Prophets of the Lord,
in view of his works, exclaim, "Canst thou by
searching, find out God! How unsearchable are
his judgements, and his ways past finding out.
Who hath known the mind of the Lord? who
hath-seen his countenance? or who hath been his
counselor?  For of him, through him, and to
him are all things; to him be glory forever
Amen."
"Who hath directed the spirit of the Lord?
or being his counsellor, hath taught him? Behold, the Nations are as the drop of the bucket,
and are considered as the small dust of the
balance. To whom will ye liken God, or what
lilceness will ye conpare unto him. The heavens
declare his glory, and the firmament showeth
forth his handiwork. Lift up your eyes on high,
behold who hath created these things, that
bringeth out their hosts by numbers."  Who
hath formed nature that unfoldeth into such
inconceivable varieties and in such perfection.
Whose evolutions as immortal notes ascend
the universal octave of diviner harmonies. "Oh
Lord' God thou art clothed with honor and
might, wlo coverest thyself with light as with a




80              PANTHEISM.
garment; who spreadest out the heavens as a
curtain; who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire."
Thus did the holy men of old, who spake as
moved by the Holy Ghost, conceive of God;
thus make known, to a slumbering world, his
Being, Glory, and Omnipotence. And this is
the God of the Bible, even the Lord, whom
Christians adore. With Iim, therefore, and
the "Lava-god" of Nature's Divine Revelations,
there can be no comparison. Of the eternity of
God's existence, the Prophets conceived him an
infinite spirit, who before the mountains were
brought forth, or the earth was formed, was
God; whose throne was established of old; who
remaineth for ever, and to whose years there is
no end. Of his Creative Power, they conceived
him, "The Lord God Omnipotent, infinite in his
attributes; who formed the light; who made the
earth by his power, and established the world by
his wisdom."  This is the Creator, by whose
Spirit the Prophets wrote; this is the El-Shacd
dai, or God All-Sufficient, of the Inspired Word.
And, need we enquire, which is the most rational
doctrine of the First Cause, this, or that of the
Poughkeepsie Seer?
There is an eloquence in simplicity, a divinity
in meekness, a wisdom in an humble acknowledgement of incapacity, where it self-evidently




A. J. DAVIS 2REVIEWED         81
exists; an irrefutable argment for truth in conceding its divinity, and the utter inability of
mind to comprehend its mightiness, when its
character is such as to impress the soul with its
infinitude. The infinite greatness of the Creator
is stamped upon all things; not an atom in being
but reveals the Omnipotence of God; not one
organic form or movement in Nature, no quickning procedure or living thing, but bespeaks the
unsearchableness of his wisdom; not one throb
in the universal sensation, but leads to the incomprehensibility of his life-giving power; not
one thoug'ht in the universe of mind but baffles
the sense of man, and utters the awfulness of
that intellectual capacity for-ever unknown to
created beings. And h1ow shall frail humanity, since so easily and universally baffled in
wisdom, presume to comprehend unnumbered
spheres, and determine the measure of the Almighty?'Tis folly to attempt it, especially
since man cannot comprehend himself. This, the
crawlingo worm, sweeping elements, and the
whTeeling orbs declare.  Who, then, is wise?
I:e that affects to face the realms of unendurable light, and measure the movement of eternal
law, and in a degree comprehend the Almighty
CAUSE? or that soul, that realizes the majesty
of Jehovah, while witnessing the glory and wonder of his works, and seeks of God wisdom to




82               PANTHEISM.
guide to the source of true knowledge and the
fountain of everlasting peace?'Tis not the "Seer" we especially regard in
this review of Nature's Divine Revelation, but
that system which, in these modern times, bears
his name; that system which seems to obtain
with many, and to find earnest, and, no doubt,
honest advocates; which has won to its cause
many, who, for the want of a proper understanding of its.character, have, for its teachings, abandoned the Christian religion, and are seeking
heaven by other means than through the Lord
our Redeemer; that system which involves the
mind in the meshes of its sophistry, and charms
the sense with its fascinating magnetism; controlls the affections, and thence the will, by its
psychological powers: that system which seeks
the child of God in his closet, domestic circle,
and in the public assembly; yea, that, which benumbs, if possible, his religious sense, and
induces him from the Courts of the Lord, and to
the necromantic circles, where the sayings of
mesmerized subjects are taken for heavenly
truths, and the impulsive dictations of sensitive
media are received as the speech of angels!
Such is the system whose errors we seek to
expose, and the fallacy of whose reasoning we
seek to unveil. Flattering,'indeed, when superficially observed, are its ingeniously-wrought in



A. J. DAVIS IEVIEzWED          83
Ldacemlllets, and with great subtlety presented to
affect our choice. Like one of old, who proffered Jesus the kingdoms of the world if he would
bow before him, this ism s  lavishly tenders to its
faithful subjects, by virtue of unremitting fate, not
only earth but the heavens, and even the nature
land attributes of deities. Let the race admit
its philosophy, (of which    especial mention
shall be made in a more appropriate portion
of this work,) and they are promised progres5sio0  from  the ignorance now   encompassing
them, the thraldomu of Bible religion, and the
consequent iwoes that attend themn on every
hand. They shall dwell upon the lovely banks
of beauteous streanms; shall recline beneath the
shady groves that garland the rivers of pleasure,
and gather ripe clusters of knowledge from the
dependino-g boughs that droop o'er earth from
the superior spheres. They shall also gambol
aloln the gorgeous avenues of affinity, and sip
from the sparkly cups of bliss, that shall touch
each willing lip; and bathe henceforth in the
ever flowing fountains of harmonial peace."Glorious day! long sought day of light and
reason!" in lively accents, therefore, glides alone
the quivering atmosphere. And the burden of
their prayer, who move in the harmonial element, is, that Christianity may speedily slumber in the cold sepulchre of the Past; that the




84              PANTHIEISM.
temples of religious worship, where the glory of
the Cross has shown, may resound with the
merry song; and the dome of heaven reflect
the divine harmonies of passional attraction.
Such is the sentiment and the spirit of that
inflated system  under consideration, and by
such manifestations the author of N. D. Revelations and his followers hope to control the world!
How unlike that spirit which the Inspired Penman revealed?   Who can refrain, in the light
of both causes, from a deep sense of the inconsistency and finiteness of the one, and the infinitude and divine harmony of the other?
While Mr. Davis beholds God and Nature
combined in the unbounded sea of fire, the
Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apostles, as already
shown, conceived the sublime doctrine of the Infinite, Eternal, Omnipotent, Omnific, and absolutely Holy Being of the Supreme Spirit.
The Pantheistic notion of the fiery materiality
of the First Cause, forces the theory of its selfemanation into the present existing universe.
But the doctrines of the Inspired Word,
maintaining the alnightiness and the self-existence of Jehovah, establish that rational premise
which accounts for the magnificent manifestations of Nature upon the pre-existence of an
intelligent and Omnific Cause. And thus, as
well as by Inspiration, reasoning a priori, Moo.^=




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        85
assuming the only legitimate conclusion, born of
facts, introduced the Sacred History in this
graphic and appropriate language: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."
Not as Mr. Davis revealed —" From the position
now occupied I can, in a degree, comprehend the
great Spiritual Sun of the Divine Mind that
illumines all the Spiritual worlds."  "In te Beginning the Univercoelum was one boundless,
undefinable, and unimaginable ocean of liquid
fire."  "This great centre of worlds, this great
Power of Intelligence, had wisdom, goodness,
justice, mercy, lenity, forbearance. It contained
truth eternalized like its own nature. So the
whole of these principles were joined in one vast
V-ortex of Pure Intelligence!"  "The Power contained in this great Vortex was the Great Positive Mlind; and its development was eternal
motion."  "The essence it contained would inevitably breathe forth the amazing and indescribable qualities that characterize all the organic
kingdoms."  And now, according to the "Seer,"
Nature begins to throw off from itself other vortices, worlds, etc., and thus creation was begun.
But the Sacred Writer, meek and unassuming,
conceded his incapacity to comprehend even Nature, or to encounter with his weak intellect the
might of those laws which move the massive
members of the Universe. Not inclined to -erial




86             PlANTHEISf.
flights, to spin out romantic worlds, or to construct fairy heavens and people them with blooming sylphs; and, without attempting to define
infinitude, from his inspired soul he acknowledged the Author of creation, the eternal, uncreated
Supreme Being. Thence, through him, of those
works which rolled forth from eternity at God's
command, the spirit of Inspiration uttered,'In
the Beginning God created the heaven and the
earth."  And this is all that could be said of the
Beginning to the understanding of mortals, or by
finite speech. Whoever attempts more beggars
his cause and mocks divinity. What but insanity could induce a mere mortal, whose breath is
in his nostrils, and whose life trembles in its
shattered vase of clay, to presume to comprehend
the Almighty? or to define his pre-eternal movelments who peopled space with super-stellar
orbs; whose pavilion is the effulgence of his
divinity; and from whose breath of Life the universe of immortal entities derives animation?When man can rotate and retrospect the heavens
as the philosopher does his planetarium; when
he can say to the deep, thus far shalt thou go and
no farther; can arise omnipotent above disintegral elements; chain death forever, that hi'
withering hand shall no more touch material
combinations; can take cown the temple of Nature, remodel and exalt it; —when man can thus




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         87
devise and execute, then he may assert his might
and God-like wisdom: but, until then, man's
greater wisdom is manifested in the humble acknowledgement of the existence of a Supreme
Being, and rendering obedience to that divine
law immediately affecting him. Thus he doubtless will more nearly fulfill the purposes of this
life, and be better prepared for the realities
of a disembodied spirit, than to dream his mortal hours away in vain speculations, only to
awake at death a novice in the rudiments of real
existence.
Such seems to have been the impressions
formed in the mind of MosEs when called to
record, for man's instruction, the Wisdom  of
inspiration; and such seems to accord with what
Divine Truth would impart to novitiate man.Even man, when in exalted stations, does not unfold his design, only as it may conserve his purpose, or the interest of his subjects; and especially when the plebian could not comprehend him
or his laws.  The Monarch only imparts that
knowledge adapted to the condition of each
province of his kingdom-and he is but a man.
Shall Deity exert omnipotent strength to incorporate infinite thought into the frail sense of
finite man?  Would he commission his angels
to inform erring mortals on subjects of whose
character a seraph could not conceive? Verily,




88              PANTHIEISM.
that man should solve the Almighty, as the student does a mathematical problem, is a strange
order of reasoning!
It is not thus, however, with the Inspired
To/rd, which first announces God as the I AMAlmighty in Power, Wisdom, and Goodness; by
whom all things have being; and that in the beginning God formec the heavens, which are
spread out as a curtain; made the sun, moon,
and the stars; and when the earth -was without
form, and void, and darkness was upon the face
of the deep, the Divine Proceeding Energy
moved upon the face of the elements: that is,
this God, who is Life Eternal, Power Omnipotent, and Wisdom Infinite, said, " Let there be
light," and the creative energy unfolded light;
and as this light unrolled, the purpose of God
revealed a firmament; and the illumined expanse
appeared; and thence proceeded that Divine
Power which formed the Earth; and God said,
"Let the waters under the heaven be gathered
together into one place, and let the dry land appear. And it was so." Thus declared the Spirit.
Can man say nore? Even though he ascend his
chariot of human magnetism, thence retrace the
winds of the morning, and witness the birth of
time, can he add? yea, even though he enter the
sanctum of an atom, and return with it whence
it came, will he not ejaculate at last,: 0 thou




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         89
inconceivable eternity, thy infinity knows nc
bounds; incomprehensible, indeed, are thy ways,
0, thou eternal Cause!"  To this conclusion the
Atheist is forced, and this the Poughkeepsie
"Seer," for all his pretensions, acknowledges in
N. D. R., p. 673. "For speech is vain, and all
that might be said of the incomprehensibility,
the magnitude, and the infinitude of the truth
centred in the Spiritual Sun, would consist only
of words," (rational conclusion,) "and these it
would be useless to speak and impress upon the
human mind." (Yet he declares to have, himself, in a degree comprehended that Sun of the
Divine Mind.)  "Neither would it be proper to
speak of the essences, qualities, and attributes
dwelling within the vortex from which rolled
forth the Universe, inasmuch as each possible
atom comprehends more than the human mind
is able to grasp." "This much only can be said:
it is an inexhaustible Vortex of Life and Light,
which are Love, and Order of Form, which are
Wisdom-which flow not only into Heaven, but
into the material Uiliverse, and everything is
thereby breathed into being. And the Great
Centre and Spiritual Sun is the habitation and
throne of the Divine Mind, the Great Positive,
Central Power of the Universe, and of all eternal movement! And it is a Fountain in which
nothing exists but what is pure, divine, everlast



90              PANTHEISM.
ing, and infinite."  Here, then, he is, despite of
all his effort, where the Bible begins, save that
his conclusion is clogged with materiality, and
therefore, vague. Nevertheless, while laboring
his own thleory, he glides into the Bible account;
and sheltered within its strong-hold, he acknowledges all attempts to delineate the First Cause,
or to comprehend an "atom," in vain. (More
the Scriptures do not claim, or the Christian believe.) Well he may thus avow, since nothing
but weakness could induce an effort to say more
of Deity, or of the origin and first principles of
matter, than, "GOD Is, and by  inm nature appears."  When more is attempted by finite intellect, thought ends where it begins, and speech
rebounds upon itself, the empty echo of hollow
sound. Fully then, the " Seer," after having so
earnestly toiled to overthrow the Sacred Text;
to set the world right upon the philosophy of
creation; and to say something newz and strange
of the First Cause; concedes the doctrine of the
Inspired Word. "1How are the mighty fallen!"
He who seemed to understand what to say of
the lineage of original vortices; of the movement of eternal Aotion; the development of
Omnipotent Power; the birth of the illimitable
Univercoelum, and of the Power of Intelligence;
awed and humbled by the magnitude of an
atom, bends before it, exclaiming: "Each possi.




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         91
ble atom comprehends more than the human
mind can grasp! Yea, lost in its domain, his
marvelous disclosures of God and Nature, seem
to have escaped his memory; and he, to have so
far forgotten his denunciations of the Bible and
the Christian Religion, as now, in the presence
of this " particle," to yield to that Truth which
sustains the Scriptures!
Mr. Davis thus admits his highest thoughts
borrowed from the Inspired Word, and therefore the incompleteness of his system. Where
then is the strong hold of this Harmonial theory! Lo it yields at its base and the fabric
crumbles to dust dissolved by the "Seer's" own
avowal. The scheme evaporates, touched by the
wand of his own declaration.  What farther
need we? By admitting the existence of that
Eternity, whose glory is unapproachable; whose
capacity is undefinable; and whose dominion is
the Throne of the Lord of Hosts; the Christian's God is acknowledged and thence the Divinity of the Word. May we not here rest the
review of the first principles of Ni. D..Revelations?  Since the author of that work, virtually affirms that no more can be known of
the beginning, or of that Divine Being who said of
himself, " I AM THAT I AM," than Moses wrote?
Why should the Christian wander in his
thoughts! Season, Facts, and even the Enemies




92                PANTHEISM.
of our holy religion, bear testimony to the truth
of Inspiration.  And should not the humble follower of our Lord and Redeemer, constantly
abide in that spirit of confidence which begets
obedience to Heaven's requirements?       Should
he not indulge that living faith in God, which
bears the peaceful fruits of righteousness? and
that firm hope which as an anchor to the soul, is
both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into
that within the vail, whither Jesus, the forerunner, is for us entered?
To God alone due homage pay:
To him let ceaseless praise be given,
"Whose years are one eternal day,"
Whose glory crowns the highest heaven.
At his command all worlds appear,
By him all heavenly orders rise.
Deep in his soul, let man revere
Th' Almighty Maker of the skies.
He is the Lord, who gives the sun
Power to shed material raysThe glory of the eternal One;
Man's hope of heaven's diviner lays.
This God, upholds created things;
Formed man of clay and bade him live.:
His Mercy every blessing bringsTo him eternal honors give.
Not as a God whose ocean-wave,
Rolling along unending space,
From molten surges, thenceforth gave
Its god, will, wisdom, love and grace,




CHAPTER IV.
PANTHEISTIC THEORY OF MAN.
Spirit Divine, let not my speech betray
The cause of Jesus, by its human frailty.
THE subject now approached; is the constitution of man; the cause and design of his being;
the means by which his physical nature obtained its peculiar type: by which his life and constitution are made to differ so widely from other
forms of animated nature; by which his propensions are so peculiarly inclined; by which the
texture of his physiology is so exalted; by which
his attitude is so absolutely distinct, and his
physiognomy so majestic;-the means by which
his mode of thought, action, expression and
communication, are so radically one, and be.
yond the power of imitation by any other order
of mundane existence; by which he changes the
mode of material manifestation around him;
conquers other members of creation; controls
even the elements; and by which he is capable
of devising and executing; -the means by which
he conceives of moral quality, and hopes for futurity; by which he aspires to supermundane
existence, knowledge, and attainments; and his
contemplations, as antennae, seek to know the
93




94               PANTHEISif.
measure of infinity; —finally, by which, with
such extatic delight, he bids adieu to earthly
forms, and launches forth into the boundless and
unknown realms of spiritual life. These considerations, these realities, and the truths thereof,
are all embraced in that metaphysical question,
the solution of which, Mr. Davis attempts in
this subject: and upon the truth of which depend
the vitality of all metaphysical and ethical
sciences. Involved within the limits of this capacious theme, is that truth for which the philosopher, sage, poet, prophet,' and saint, have
sighed. The pearl hidden in the field of mate.
rial treasure; buried beneath the avalanche of
human error; o'erhung by the dark and heavy
cloud of sensual passions; lost to the eye of hu.
man reason; and unperceived by material sense.
Of its locality, the deist, atheist, pantheist, and
infidel, have contended; of its nature and use,
the christian and sensualist have ever varied.
This is the question, the all-important question,
introduced into this chapter. It is the object of
our labor; the desire of our heart, and the bur.
den of our prayer.
In view of the importance of this subject, our
extracts and references will be liberal, that the
sentiments entertained by pantheists, materialists, and harmonial spiritualists, may appear
in their proper light.




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         95
Truth, especially upon a question of this magnitude, should be the object of all research and
discussion, and therefore no effort should be
spared, or earthly consideration regarded, while
laboring to secure it.
Pursuing the order of Creation, according to
N. D. Revelations, we learn: After the original
mass had been duly prepared to unfold its principles, it caused to emerge vast billows of native
element; and after these were resolved into sun
systems, and suns ha;,d evolved nebular spheres,
and these by integral laws had determined their
spheroidal forms, and thence obtained stratified
surfaces; then, mineral motion, vegetable life,
animal sensation, and human instinct or reason
appeared.
As the "Seer" approaches the plane of animal existence upon this orb, he thus comments:
" The earth, when comprehended as an entire
whole, is a stoimach, an organ of imperceptible
but ceaseless digestion-of which the mineral
substances constitute the ultimate and excrement."  "Ancl thus the minerals are the polygastric bodies by which the vegetable kingdom
receives existence and life, and the vegetable
kingdom is a universe of polygastric parts, by
which a higher creation is breathed into being."
N. D. R. p. 309.
This proposition it is well to note. Earth is




96(             PANTHEIS M
here represented as a stomach, whose ultimate
and excrement, constitute the mineral substances; the minerals digest regetables; vegetables, according to the' theory, animals; animals,
men.
Having announced the polygastric constitution of earth, he pursues the mineral and vegetable kingdom until the inferior orders of animal life manifest themselves. Whence through
the various forms of radiata, articulata, molusca
and the vertebrata, he traces the native elements
of human beings, until arising somewhat superior to the Saurian and Mammalia tribes, they
merge into the Quadrumana, where he dilates
upon the subject as follows:
" I come now to a stage of creation in which
the lower types of MJankind are distinctly exemplified. And of these I am   impressed to
speak particularly, and to trace them connectedly and with rather more minuteness than the
other degrees of creation have been traced. And
this will be done in order to impress the understanding with the important truth displayed in
the first ascension of interior principles to the
individualization of the inner man. * * *  Before speaking of the type of anatomy that exemplifies partially the form of man, it is well to remark that Nature is like the human brain —
and is incessantly producing forms, as the brain




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         97
is thoughts. And each form and peculiar organization in Nature is determined by the existing, controlling circumstances, which were the
cause of such form's creation. It is therefore
impossible for any order of animals to remain
for many periods the same as its original: for
they are changed in accordance with the existing surrounding circumstances. * * *  At the
present period of creation, which is the first
part of the sixth day, the quadrumana that existed were very differently formed from those
now existing, and their stature and strength exceeded those of man at the present day. They
resembled very much those that were described
as existing on the planet Saturn. Their body
was short and heavy; their limbs disproportionately long, and their heads of a very wide and
low form. The spinal column in the early species resembled more nearly that of the fish than
that of any other form. The shoulders were of
great width, and the neck was very short and
full. The whole body was covered with thick,
heavy hair, like many of the plantigrades of
that period.  Some parts of the body of this
quadrumana, resembled those of the lower animals, such as the fore limbs, which were used
always in walkTng. The trunk bore some resemblance to those of the lower saurian species,
and the head nearly represented a combination
5




98              PANTHEISM.
of forms that were then existing upon the earth.
Some of the fossils of these animals have been
discovered, and they have been supposed to belong to a branch of the saurian species —also to
some of the marsupial mammalia. This animal
was the first type, after many ages of regeneration, which resembled in many particulars the
form of man. And the resemblance was in the
peculiar form of the shoulders, back, and hips;
but it resembled other animals in its extremities
and main features. This animal, like the classes
previously mentioned, developed the positive
and negative forces of the organs, and the proper functions of each organ were developed. * ~
The muscular system was very powerful, the
osseous portions were very gross in composition,
and the cerebral portions were such as aare connected with an undeveloped mental constitution.
It possessed no thoughts that were not caused
by the sensations of the body. Thus, though
motion, life, and sensation, were all unfolded in
this animal's organization, the higher endowments were as yet unknown; for there was no
mental organization capable of developing intel1
ligence. I am  impressed distinctly that this
class of animals" (undeveloped men) "remainecl on earth nearly nine hundred years, curing
which time the physical elements experienced
many changes, which at length resulted in the




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         99
production of a higher form of the same class."' *'* "The extremities resembled partially
those of the bear and partially those of the human being; but they used them all in walking,
which made them like the plantigrade in habit,
though they were like the bimana in some other
respects.  This form could not have existed,
except as a progressive unfolding of the previous forlI.
This stage of development, represents the
race as havingo progressed to the superior plane
of the mammaal-sphere occupied by the Felis
Pardus, Canis, and the Ursus, where the superior functions of the Digitigrade, Plantigrade,
and the Quadrumana amalgamated.     In this
sphere, the human principle poised, prepared,
by another grand revolution of Nature, to unfold
the mongrel and incipient type of the bimana
into the superior grade of the ape species. Of
this transition, in which Nature is represented
to have finished that mighty work, by projecting
a creature, (the ape) which, possessing the primary elements of man combined, especially indicated him, and which finally unfolded the inferior
order of the human species, the Seer thus reveals:
"After many physical changes had occurred,
this same species also gave place to a new form.
This, like the other, was a very dark, gigantic,
and powerful animal; but it was not so gross as




100             PANTHEISM.
the previous species of the same order. The
anatomy was somnewhat differently constructed,
and was adapted to a new use."' This animal
did not develope the forces necessary for the full
unfolding of all interior qualities; but inasmuch
as its forces had ascended from the primitive
species of the same class, so they were adapted
to unfold themselves, and to give birth to new
and higher forms, such as were subsequently
created."  "The whole structure of the body
manifested an adaptation of parts to new and
more perfect uses."  "There is now a decrease
in the species of the quadrumana, and decrease
of forms indicates a composition of more refined
materials.  Thus the present class has less
hair upon the surface of the body."  "The little
hair that was upon their surfaces indicates, as
does their general composition, more refined ingredients. Therefore, the whole body constitutes the first type of a species far below the
negro inhabitants of the earth as now existing.
Depreciation of this species was a result of subsequent periods, and finally this gave place to a
new species. We have now a different type of
anatomy, and, in many particulars, a new plan
of organization. The head is not so large as in
the previous species, but assumes a more oblong
shape, and joins very closely the medulla oblongata."  "The jaw-bones were of great length,




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        101
the mouth was large and distended, the cheekbones were prominent, and the head greatly
represented those of several of the feline tribe.
The nose was broad and flat, the brows were full,
and the eyes were rather inclined to the top of
the nose."  "This class existed upon the earth
nearly seven hundred years, during which time
the whole of the animal kingdom assumed imperceptibly a higher degree of refinement. e *
"This next class ascends to a degree in the scale
of animal formation that may be properly termed
an ultimate representation of all living things,
In this form the bimana organization becomes
more distinctly visible... Being well formed
in its main portions, it is still better calculated
to generate active, living forces, and thereby approaches nearer to the capacity of mental perception and intelligence."  "And this is the first
type by which a true conception is conveyed of
the power of the mutual living forces: for it
must be discovered that the animal forms, as
they become more fully developed, combine more
forces within their organization..  Various
species of these animals inhabited Asia and
Africa. Being yet animals, they were highly
susceptible to the influences of external circumstances; more so, indeed, than any other order
of animals. They were of great stature, had
great power of will, and possessed strong pas



102             PANTHEISM.
sions, as owing to the highly susceptible inclinations inherent in their constitutions... These
animals, to the present inhabitants of the earth,
would appear like giants in form and stature;
indeed, they were larger than any similar forms
now upon any portion of the earth. These were
the first that displayed any indication of mental
activity. They were so formed that it became
convenient for them to use distinct sounds, which
were significant to the minds of those addressed.. These animals were distinguished from all
others in habit and disposition. They even had
a conception of rearing artificial structures wherein they might reside; and they often inhabited
caves: but they generally, like the lower species
of the same order, dwelt upon the surface of the
earth. They did not possess any of the aquatic
or amphibious characteristics; therefore it is
manifest that they were more refined in form, in
degree, and in disposition, than any of the previous classes or orders in the animal kingdom.These dwelt undisturbed upon the earth nearly
one thousand years. The degree of organization
which subsequently took their place, was the
first form that approached or indicated in the
least degree any of the peculiar characteristics
of mankind... After this, three successive
and distinct orders pressed in their stead. The
highest of these approached in every particular




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        103
the more perfect form of the human organization.. And this brings the period of the sixth
day of creation to a point three thousand and
eight hundred years before the commencement
of the race as referred to in the primitive, written record... And it was at this time that a
new tribe was introduced upon the earth, rising
entirely above the undeveloped features of the
lower forms. These constituted what may be
properly termed a transition from the animal to
the man; and these were the first forms that
could be properly termed man... Here, then,
we rest satisfied. Man is created, and exerts a
power over all creation... Now is revealed
the whole use of Nature; and now can be perceived the adaptation of every part belonging to
the whole mass to produce a more exalted form;
which, again, is adapted to the unfolding of far
greater and eternal beauties. And all the laws
and forces which have been heretofore explained,
are now plainly understood as converging to the
formation of man. Man, then, represents the
universal progressive development, which is an
inherent and eternal law of matter; also, he represents a resurrection of every gross material in
being." —N D. R. p. 314, etc.
To this period in the Harmonial theory
of man's creation, or rather development from
Nature, comments are uncalled for, as there




104             PANTHEISM.
seems no great consequences attached to. this
story of animal ascension; only as it maiy be
worthy of remark, that Nature, while thus laboring to reveal through her Oracle the method
by which she gave birth to man, passes from
point to point, in the ascending scale, by statements such as the following: "The first animal
forms of the present day (a period early in the
history of earth,) are the simplest, like those of
the previous periods."  "There were many huge
animals upon the face of the earthy such as the
Mammoth and kindred species. I am impressed
with the reason why these higher gigantic animals passed at successive periods from the face
of the earth."  "I am impressed that many
species not known to naturalists, both of this and
other orders, were also existing upon the earth,
and likewise became extinct." "I am impressed
distinctly that this class of animals remained
upon the earth nearly nine hundred years, during which time the physical elements experienced many changes, which at length resulted in
the production of a higher form of the same
class."  "There is a law running through this
system of comparative anatomy not perceived in
a superficial view of the order of creation.""But if the mind could be carried back to the
beginning principles, and then follow each law
and order of development through all the success




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        105
sive changes, the connection between the present
degree of organization and the lower animated
forms, could be distinctly seen."  "There is
now a decrease in the species of quadrumana."
"These constitute what may be properly termed
a transition from animal to man."  "And as the
confluence of all these establishes and constitutes the organization of man, man becomes the
perfection and representation  of them  all."
"Nature is the cause; forms are the effects; and
man is the ultimate production."
This is the chart, given us in Nature's Divine
Revelations, of man's pilgrimage from the mineral, vegetable and animal kingdoms. It assays
to pursue and note his meandering pathway, and
the circuit of his unnumbered metamorphoses,
until he emerges from the ape, in form and character an intellectual being. This system cites
us to the crawling and venomous serpent, the
sly and skulking panther, the sneaking wolf, the
voracious tiger, the swaggering mastodon, moping bear, and filthy ape as our progenitors.
And is this man? And such his cause?
Are brutes his true nativity?
Saurians formed by equal laws
Have MIoluscs a divinity?
Also the Cete and Corvus
Marsupial, Digitigrade;
Pachydermata and Urus,
Rodentia and the Plantigrade?




106                PANTHEISM.
Did Troglodytes of Simia,
As saith this pantheistic plan,
Arise from apes to Bimana,
And thus the creature creat.e man?
Admitting this nan's ancestry,
In him all creatures are combined;
And thence to all eternity,
His spirit is the brute refined!
But how such species did unfold;
Perform their transit into man,
Remains the secret yet untold:
Can Nature know whence we began?
This is the Book Old Nature spake,
At least the Work informs us so:
But how of spirit we partake,
If from an ape, has failed to show.
And ne'er by her has been explained,
A law by which the monkey race,
The intellect of man obtained;
And then assumed so fair a face!
And dropped-his marked appendage too:
Declared himself above baboons;
Thence off his native costume threw:
Assumed the frock and pantaloons!
"Here we rest satisfied," says the Seer, "Man
is created.   Now   is revealed the purposes of
Nature."
THE PANTHEISTIC       THEORY    OF  MIND    AND
SPIRIT constitutes the succeeding degree in this
scale of progression, and, therefore, demands con



A. J. DA VIS REVIEWED.        107
sideration in connection with the creation of
MBan.   And as this is the essential part of Nature's great Work, the Oracle proceeds to the
discovery of properties and essences in Matter,
that shall finally create for this "system" a human soul. And page 50, N. D. R., the subject is
thus introduced:
"So, tracing the refinement of matter from vegetable to animal existence (the life or soul of
plants being perfected to become animal sensation,) the refinement and perfection of these
two, to become the substance of rmind-and the
progression of its nature to its second sphere and
investiture, you arrive, naturally and reasonably
at an idea of the future properties, the positively
individualized condition and existence of the
A3ind in its first ultimate stage of progression."
And, p. 74, Ibid.  "And as matter contains the
essences and properties to produce man, as a
prog'ressive ultimate, so lmotion contains the
properties to produce Life and sensation. These
together and perfectly organized, develope spirits. But such principles must have an existence
eternally — as emanating from the Great Source
and Fountain of Intelligence," (The great center Vortex, the ocean of Liquid Lava) "but it
could not be individualized and made ianifest
without a vessel like unto man."  "For as the
human embryo contains an essential pinciple and




108              PANTHEISM.
quality to produce the perfect organization of
man, so does the -germ of all existence possess
the essence and quality to produce its corresponding Spirit."
Again. "         The all-pervading Essence contained
in Nature is of itself an eternal and immortal
principle.  Every particle of matter, at some
time during the course of ages, passes through
and becomes a part of animal if e! The hardest
substance that is existing in the earth;. the earth
itself, and all things contained in, below, and
above it, will ultimately, and at different periods,
compose some parts or particles of animal existence."  "Forms and entities are mere modifications of original matter."  Page 118:. "And
these," (worlds) "and all their particles, will
become the very essence of vegetable and animal
existence. And the latter, with the active energies inherently accompanying it, not only will
pass to the perfection of spiritual essence, but
will work its mighty influence upon everything
below it, until all things arrive at an exalted
state of spiritual and celestial perfection. Thus
all matter will pass through the multifarious
forms and stages that are existing, and all will
ultimately pass into the unparticled state, and will
ascend to associate with higher and more glorious spheres-of spiritual composition."  "In
gality, the last of all things, or spiritual princi



A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         109
ples, will be like the first of all things, or the
Great Positive Mind."  Page 149.
"Matter and Motion," according to this theory,
as previously shown, "constituted the original
condition of all things;" therefore, according to
the above, these, ultimate themselves into orbs,
into minerals, into vegetables, into animals, into
mind and spirit; and into Deity. Mind and
spirit are, then, matter and motion, self-evolved
and sublimated into thinking principles.
In continuation of this Theory, the "Seer," p.
593, thus enlarges: "I have not spoken particularly of the physical productions and constitutions
of man, nor of those peculiar elements, qualities,
and essential principles, that elevate him above
the animal creation, and that constitute and characterize that animated principle known as the
Soul, Spirit or Mind.  I find it necessary to
generalize then, in order to establish the connection between Nature, with its various lower
forms, and Man, and between Man and the higher spheres."
"I have ascended, then, to the important question, WIhat is Man, MATERIALLY? And the answer is, He is the wisdom, head and IKing of all
animated forms. He is the perfection of matter.
I proceed to prove this proposition by descending to the interior forms and substances that constitute the rudiments of all organic beings, and




110             PANTHEISM.
tracing them connectedly until they ascend and
become perfected in the human organism. The
first forms or particles that made their appearance after the condensation of the matter composing the earth, were those constituting the
zmineral kingdom."  "Meanwhile they make a
perfect compound, the whole of which forms
the Vegetable Creation.  The highest form,
which is the ascending circular, becomes the connecting form  between the vegetable and animal.".... "The highest forms in the
animal are the perfected spiritual, which join
the animal compound to the material organization of man. Here, then, the spiritual forms
introduce the particles to compose the organization of MAN, which, when perfected, developes
the highest or celestial forms in matter. Thus
the perfect spiritzal becomes the first celestial
forms, the perfection of which establishes the
human organization. What I mean by celestial
forms, are those particles of matter that contain
in themselves every species of form in the subordinate kingdoms, and meanwhile become the
receptacles of all degrees of spiritual life, which
are not only contained in, but developed by
them, in such a perfect and corresponding marn
ner, that all the lower forms in the animal, vegetable and mineral worlds are by them governed,
mirrored, and vividly represented."  " Thus in




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED          111
man are these lower forms fully developed and
perfected." "It will be seen by this that the
angular particles of matter develope the circular,
which in their turn unfold the rectilinear planes,
diameters, axes, and poles, all of which are cliscovered in the Vegetable World."   "The progressive circulars unfold the spirals. The spiral
contains the circular and all its properties; all
these are discoverable in the Animal World.
Then, again, the successive spiral forms unfold
the spiritual, which latter, in like manner, unfold the celestial or perfect forms of rudimental
matter. Thus the angular developes the circular,
this the spiral, this the spiritual, and this the
celestial-all of which are contained in the perfect forms of the Human MWorld."  "Thus man
is the highest and most perfect combination of
organized matter."
"Thus it is made manifest that the three
degrees of creation (which are the Mineral,
Vegetable, and Animal,) flow into, and, as it
were, spontaneously unfold the whole human
creation; and that the three are necessary in
order to unfold a complete and symmetrical
organization; and this is the Head, Flower, and
Lord of Creation, and is called Mlan."
"Man materially is the lord and governor of
animated nature; spiritually he is the perfection
of motion, or of the Jirst great moving princi



112              PANTHEISM.
ples of the Universe."  In other words, —"He is
the Wisdom of Love."
Finally, the "Seer" thus completes this theory
of the creation of man: "Motion, in the three
united degrees of this form, became a new principle, which was life, and this is the soul of the
vegetable world. Life is, therefore, a  development of motion; this of sensation, and this is
the soul of the animal world.'  "And it is made
also clear that Mlotion, Life, and Sensation,
which form one, is included in the latter, progressed to the spiritual, and through this into the
perfect spiritual, which is the celestial form. Sensation, becoming thus perfected, constitutes the
Soul of man, which is Intelligence."   "Thus
MIotion contained in germ all the essential parts
and forms which, when ascended and perfected,
constitute the Soul of the iuman World, which
is the Wisdom   and Intelligence of this whole
rudimental system of creations. Thus Motion
is the Soul of the Mineral World, Life is the
Soul of the Vegetable World, Sensation the Soul
of the Animal World, and Intelligence the Soul
of the Human WAorld."..   "Intelligence,
therefore, is the perfection of the principle of
Ifotion, and this answers the question, What is
man spiritually?"  "Thus the human body is a
Universe, subsisting and existing upon all lower
forms of organic life, and is of itself a twhole crea



A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.       113
tion, in and by which the labors of Nature, and
the ultimate design of the Great Eternal Cause
are typified and absolutely fulfilled. And the
human form is of all this a clear and living
demonstration."  "All forms, then, are the established organs by which gross and inferior
particles are purified andrefined, in order that
they may become suitable to enter into, and
create, and sustain the highest form of matter,
which is Man."  "Man is then above all forms
in being, and all congregations of forms; for he
is the point, centre, and goal to which all other
forms flow and are perfected, refined, and made
useful to the whole constitution of Nature and
the Universe."  "From past considerations it is
made clear that man materially is a perfection of
all Matter in Nature; and that gana spiritually is
a perfection of all Mfotion in the Universe, or of the
First Great Principle of Motion, which is the
Divine Mind," etc. —[N. D. R. p. 513, 539.'Ye shall be as gods knowing good and evil,"
was the language from the interior, and through
an appropriate external medium, by one who in
the beginning of man's sorrows flattered the unsuspecting pair into disobedience.-Gen. 3, 5.
"Ye are gods," is the ultum of this "marvel"
of the nineteenth century. This the foregoingextracts from N. D. Il. clearly expresses. In
order to sustain this position, which appears to




114             PANTHEISM.
be the purpose of the work, it became necessary
to create man by self-moving principles, and,
therefore, Pantheism attempts to bring out of
atoms the human spirit, and to crown and glorify it with the divinity of matter. To accomplish
this a trinity of matter is first established, and
each mlember is allotted a denomination suited to
the end of the unity. One is styled the angular,
another the circular, and the ultimate the spiral.
Each of these is endued with vital force, and unfolding ability. By their constitution, the angular develope the circular, the circular the spiral,
and the spiral, in which the former blend, develope the spiritual.- And now, (for so it is revealed,) having attained to certain degrees of
perfection, the spiritual develope the celestial.
Thence the human being is formed. Moreover,
as saith the theory, motion, which is denominated the soul of the mineral kingdom, unfolds
forces, tendencies, and actuating laws. By these,
motion unfolds life, or the soul of the vegetable
world.   The vegetable world unfolds a new
principle of life and energy, which constitutes
sensation, the soul and proceeding principle of
the animal world.    The animal world was
then prepared for a degree still more exalted;'and thence motion, life and sensation combining,
unfolded the spiritual, and the perfect spiritual
unfolded the celestial. And sensation, by this




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.      115
means perfected, unfolded the soul of man, which
is Intelligence.  Intelligence, therefore, is the
perfection of the principle of motion, according
to the theory, and this is man Spiritually.
Such is the Pantheistic Theory of Man; a theory which renders him the ultimate of Nature.
And whatever may be the effort in these " Revelations," or of the advocates of this system, to
sustain the reverse, or to theorize upon the Great
First Cause, man is here represented as a perfection of that Moving Principle "which is the
Divine Mind."  In a former statement the Seer
declares man to be the wisdom, head, and king
of all animated beings. In other portions of
the work he assures us that without a human
structure this divine spirit-essence could not have
obtained organic form.  Without the human
anatomy, therefore, this principle of motion is
but an undefined and omnipotent motor-force.
Nature was originally matter and motion; these
evolved principle, order, and organic bodies, the
crowning object of which was to unfold intellect,
the spirit or soul of man. Man is now unfolded,
and is the perfection, etc.  Could a theory be
more explicit? Man is (thus it is revealed,) the
original or First Principle of Nature modified
and exalted. Need he look up? To what shall
he aspire? Is there any sphere above him? Is
he perfection?  And where is the Divine mind?




116             PANTHEISM.
If man is not, is there any Divine Mind?
However much the followers of A. J. Davis
may seek to evade this conclusion, and also the
proposition that "N. D. Revelations" denies the
existence of the Supreme Being-the Christian's
God-such are the ultimates of his display of
terms and of his theorizing. He and his disciples
may use swelling words concerning the Great
Positive Mind, Power of Intelligence, Love,
Will, Wisdom, etc.; but his entire scheme makes
the First Cause but a mass of moving igneous
elements, undefined and unorganized, whose motion finally preponderated Universe-ward, and
thence the mass  disseminated itself into the
several sun systems, and these unfolded into beings, spiritual and intellectual, which, as before
noticed, are the crowning glory of the Universe,
etc. What, then, is man? Again, the system
and its devotees teach that to obey the promptings (affinities or passions,) of our beings, is to
render obedience to God. Who, then, is God?
Is not man? Should he not, then, away with
his old theology, his weak and superstitious
looking upward for a Supreme Being-a First
Cause, as God over all, and blessed forever
more? And becoming wise, learn that he originally did exist as an integral portion of the surging Univercoelum? and that thence, by an omnipotent effort, escaped that illimitable prison




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        117
house; became floating nebulae; thence mineral,
vegetable, animal, and is now the perfection of
his original elements? And, recognizing his nativity and himselj by wisdom overcome the errors
with which his soul has become unconsciously
involved?-errors he has amassed by fancying
the existence of a God above him, and who requires the affections of his heart, the obedience
of his mind, and the adoration of his being? Is
this progression?  Moreover,-to continue the
theory,-man, having thus advanced, will henceforth obey the promptings of his nature, which
is rendering obedience to the highest law.Strange as this may appear, when the Bible is
rejected, such reasoning becomes the only alternative; and all who are neglecting the Holy
Scriptures, and are devoting their minds to the
study of opposing writings, are tending to this
result; they MUST, if they pursue the materialistic reasoning, become haters of Bible Religion,
and self-worshipers; their inclinations will become their God. Such is the end of N. D. R.,
which, although much of its labor is devoted to
an attempt to reveal, or define the First Cause,
concludes in deifying man, rendering him the
head of those members whose aggregate is Deity. "One body of one immortal soul," is the
definition of Nature by the Seer, and that man
is the head thereof.




118             PANTHEISM.
He also represents Nature as a magnificent
Tree, whose trunk is gross matter and of necessity, whose sap is the spirit-essence, the Divine
Mind, and man in his incipiency the flowers,
in his maturity the ripened fruit.  He is, therefore, a combination of all subordinate or original
principles. Without him the Tree could not
have been complete, or secured the end of
its unthinking designer, and of its eternal evolutions. Consequentlyman is the culmination of its
properties and essences.  What then is man?
Is not the flower the glory? and the fruit the
perfection of the Tree?  And does it not contain the germ of re-production -of future form
and being?  Admitting these premises, and this
mnay appear very well: man may be a perfection
of the Divine Mind: but at present he is a horrible manifestation. Again, the symbol indicates the decomposition of the original stalk, after it shall have subserved its purpose. I'Lan,
or spirit, then, agreeable to the reasoning will
alone exist, since Nature, which is Cause, Mleans
and Ultimates, finally ends or ripens into Spirit.
From this view of the subject the "Seer" affirms
that the present existing Universe will pass
into higher forms-"return whence it came,"
and that, thence "will emanate new worlds, an
epoch of another Beginning."  Despite, therefore, of his affirmations, relative to the eternal




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         119
Positive Nature of the Great First Cause, and
also of the Tegativeness of unfolded or created
spirit, (which the present reasoning seems to
have overlooked,) Nature is here made to ripen
into man, and, as there is, according to the system nothing supernatural, the deific nature of
matter is deified in him who thus becomes a perfection of the Divine Mlind. Than this,there can
be no other conclusion. Does man indicate his
nature?  The unsoundness herein displayed, is
too palpable to be concealed by wordy sophistry.
When the subject is considered in all its bearings, there seems, also, other important deficiencies.  For the system maintains that Nature is
to complete one grand circle; that Man is to be
the "Icey-stone" to the stupendous Arch. It
would, then, appear, that the vast Edifice nmust
endure; that the Cause, Means and Ultimates
must remain perfect in all their parts. Otherwise, how could it formi  "an infinite circle"?
For, if all nature is resolved into man, (Spirit,)
and he is the Key-stone, there can be no arch
for the Key-stone (obtained) alone remains!
Again, by this figure the boundless Universe
is represented. Can the Universe or its primary principles undergo any fundamental change,
or cease to be, and the several parts, from the
beginning, constitute one eternal and infinitely
perfect circle?  Shall the life depart and the




120              PANTHEISM.
body remain?   Or shall the body, its inseverable and co-eternal counterpart, disappear, and
the tree still flourish, the circle continue perfect?
How shall the arch support itself in the absence
of the keystone? or the keystone retain its position without the arch. How shall the tree exist
without its sap or life-current? or the vital
essences retain being, and operate separate from
the tree, especially if it is composed of and contains within itself the matter, motion and principles of all Nature-is even eternity itself? If
it ripen itself into fruit, the old shall have passed
away, and a new universe appears in the form of
organized intelligences.
By this reasoning the Great Positive Mind is
depreciated, if not removed, and man supremely
exalted. For God is Nature and Nature is God.
The figurative tree is the representation of Nature. It yields its virtue to the fruit or seed"and this is the end of one Time, the Epoch of a
New Beginning."   So declares the "Seer."
Thus analyzing this theory by whatever method, it is only found self-annihilating, and culminates (if at all,) in the God-hood of man.
A few remarks of the "Seer," taken from other
portions of the work, may, perhaps, reflect light
upon this subject. On page 72, etc., he thus
premises and proceeds to reason:  "The two
great propositions, then, which it is the object to




A. J. J.DAVIS REVIEWED.       121
establish,'are the original Cause of all things,
and the ultimate of man, which is Spirit. The
premise is, the co-existence and universal action
of matter and motion; This establishes the existence of an original Cause."  The reader will
especially regard this proposition. The original
cause is here declared to be matter and motion.
In the quotations heretofore considered, it is
qafirmed that "man materially is a perfection of
all matter in Nature, and spiritually is a perfection of all motion in the Universe, or of the first
principles of motion, which is the Divine mind."
It is clear from these references that the " Seer"
maintains the doctrine which declares that Nature resolves itself (progresses) into mantherefore deifies him.  "It is a familiar truth,"
says Mr. Davis, p. 76, "universally known, yet
but little comprehended, that the germ of the
plant contains within itself, though not as perceptible, all the essential qualities of its future
being..    And thus from the germ   to the
ultimate, exist and are developed the powers
originally embodied. Hence, the germ was the
cause; the form the effect; the seed the ultimate
individualized.  This not only establishes the
law of progression, but it proves that there is a
circle in the progression; for the plant ends precisely where it begins. It only makes perfect
what the original essence contained imperfect."
6




122             PANTHEISM.
What evidence does Nature afford that plants
improve their quality at each successive ripening? or that each returning generation arises to a superior plane? Has the pyrus coronaria lost its acerbity, and given, by progression,
birth to the delicious pome? Are not the pyrs
conmmunis and the citrus, aCZrantium the same as
in ages past?  What proof, then, does Nature
afford that the native principles, unaided by the
hand of art, progress, and that each successive
seed-time ensures a more perfect development?
And especially if, as the "Seer" sums up, the
seed or ultimate ends precisely where it begins?
Again, p. 597, ibid: "For the seed of all material
compounds is involved in the lowest stage of
matter, which germinates and produces the
Xineral World. This, again, adds to the great
Tree of Creation, whose next stage of development is the form of the Tegetable World. The
next expansion of the body of this great Tree
developes the Animal World. It now puts forth
branches, which bud, and the flower is the Hlman, World. Thus it is that the material Tree
of Causation has successively yielded new forms,
which correspond in every general feature to
germ body, branches, buds,;and blossoms.
Thus man is the highest and most perfect combination of matter.. Man is to Nature what
the head is to man."




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWErD        123
If we remember that matter, according to the
Revelations, is composed of a trinity of particles-the angular, circular, and spiral  and
that these contain and finally develope the soul,
or intelligence of man, we cannot fail to recognize in the "material Tree" the Cause and Principle of all existence. Matter and Motion constituted the original condition-were co-existent
and co-eternal principles -developed Omnipotent Power, etc —hence were the cause, and man
is the flower of Nature, a perfection of these
principles; and without the human form as a
vessel, says the "Seer," spirit (Motion,) could
not have intellectually unfolded. Therefore we
again inevitably arrive at the conclusion that
Nature is in man Deitized. Or if all things finally
become what they originally were, and the plant
terminates precisely where it begins, and if man
does not retain his entity as the glory and intellectual crown of all, he must be resolved into the
original Vortex! What, then, has Nature accomplished by her magnificent display? Words
may adorn, but reason disgarbs the facts, revealing the deformity of this magnetic scheme. But
as the figure employed is denominated "the
Tree of material Causation," "the tree of Creation," etc., and lest an attempt be made to evade
these conclusions by affirming that deeper in
Eternity exists a cause, we will repeat some of




124             PANTHEISM.
the fundamental statements of the system upon
this point. Page 120, etc., we are informed that
"It (the Univercoelum) was one vast expanse of
liquid substance, without bounds. This was the
original condition of MATTER. It was but one
form; was an eternity of motion; was a whole;
one eternal sun. It had not begihning, and was
without end; was a Vortex of Eternity; one infinite Circle; was the very essence of Power. Its
inconceivable magnitude and constitution were
such as not to develope forces but Omnipotent
Power. Matter and motion were existing as a
Whole, inseparable. The Matter contained the
substance to produce all suns, all worlds, and
systems of worlds throughout the universe of
space, and qualities to produce all things that
are existing upon each of these worlds." (This
is matter.) "The Power contained Wisdom and
Goodness, Justice, Mercy, and Truth."  Power
was developed from motion, for without motion
there could be no development. Moreover, Omnipotent Power was developed.  And besides,
matter and motion were co-eternal principles,
established by virtue of their own nature; they
reigned throughout the regions of boundless infinitude, and constituted the original condition
of all things, etc.
Matter and Motion, accordingly, not only em
brace, but are absolutely the great First Cause.




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.       125
These propositions are laid down as the premise of
the scheme. They are the foundation and corner-stone of the Edifice: the length, breadth,
height and depth of the First, or original Cause.
Thence the "Seer" proceeds to his work, and
builds his Universe, etc.  This Matter and Motion, which he denominates co-eternal principles,
and the original constitution of all things, form
the body and soul of his Univercelum; and the
body, life, branches, flower and fruit of his figurative Tree. Therefore, the Tree is employed
as a representative of Nature. Nature embraces
all things, and Matter and Mdotion enter into the
composition of all particles and combinations;
constitute all original conditions and terminate
in all grand results. Man is a perfection thereof, etc. So the Oracle informs us.
Thus is established, and beyond the power of
criticism, the fact, that this "Pantheistic Theory
of man," renders him, not only the ultimate of
physical manifestation, but absolutely perfects in
him the cause and means of Nature; and thus in
his being Deifies Matter, worlds without end.
Finally, and in the concluding reflection upon
this figurative Tree of Nature, we notice, that a
tree has not only branches and body, but roots
which serve as a means of life, position and endurance. The inquiry, therefore, naturally arises:
Where does this magnificent Tree take root?




126             PANTiEISM.
Does its caucex spread its massive supporters
throughout, and take hold of space? Space,
then, is a depending cause, a means of quickening,
and immutable. But space is nonenity. Is the
Tree a phantom? Does it take root within itself?
This would render the figure defective, radically
so, as vegetation is incapable of the comparison.
It would also indicate that its radicals infold
and fix their spongioles in the sub-heart of the
immensurable trunk, as perpetual absorbents of
its vital essences. And this involves the principles in primary contradictions by rendering the
body self-absorbing without adequate resources.
The inconsistency of the philosophy is made still
more manifest by its progressive claims. These
cause the original Tree or Univercoelum   to
unfold or ripen itself into another, and far superior growth.
And as man is the head, or ultimate, (the fruit)
by the figure he falls to the primary condition,
becomes the germ, or seed from which is to unfold another Universe. 3Man, then, becomes the
Cause and Creator of the "Seers" second Univercelum or great centre Sun. In this he is not
only deitized, but is absolutely the Creator of a
Univercoelum far more glorious than the present.
This is called rational. It is therefore considered more consistent with sense to conceive matter
a vast laboratory, self-formed, self-propelled, self



A. S. DAVIS REVIEWED          127
directed, and finally as manufacturing itself into
men, (by chance, dark and vague) than to behold
Nature as the manifestation or workmanship of
a Being infinitely perfect and harmonious in
attributes: a Being, who exists independent of
Nature, as the Supreme Creator thereof, and
also, that man physically the head of physical
creation; was quickened spiritually, and formed
intellectually, by the breath of his Life, who is
God the Life, all quickening and all animating;
God the Lord, all controlling and sustaining; God
the Holy   Procedure all creating; Universes
unnumbered and unending.
If it be alleged that this Tree of Nature rests
in the principles of the great First Cause, it is
only to assert, as heretofore shown, that it inverts its supporters, and derives life and unfolding power from its own vitality. The conclusion,
then, of this theory of man, is, that Nature is
comparable to a tree of immensurable magnitude, with infolded roots, and that it is situated
in space: that its capillaries finally absorb Tthe
original stalk, and incorporate it into fruit, thence
drops into space precisely where the former commenced. How inconsistent and opposed to every
known law of Nature! If it is urged in the support of this self-suspending law of Nature, that
the centrifuqal and centripetal laws governing
planetary systems account for this inconsistency,




128              PANTHEISM.
let it be borne in mind, that this figurative Tree
embraces all things in universal space or existence.
If reference is had to the law of gravitation, the
illustration is rendered still more absurd, for it
is that law by which parts adhere and converge
to one common centre; while the aggregate is
sustained by those laws which not only embrace
the spheroids, but pervade intermediate realms;
laws which move and guide the rolling spheres
while traversing the undefinable regions of illimitable space.
If it is claimed that the self-creating, self-supporting and self;unfolling doctrine of Pantheism
is a Truth deducible from the inherent life of
plants, etc. which spring, self-prompted, into
active being; even a superficial view of the
workings of nature within the compass of human
research and the power of human test reveals
the contrary. Every organism, every quickening and every movement of physical manifestatiOn, by its mode confesses its dependence, in a
greater or less degree, upon extrinsic laws. Not a
plant of the most inferior class or a living thing,
but receivs     fom  oe      aenes aind m an
the boasted head, crown, glory, and perfection of
all, is a living and irrefutable argument against
the theory. Nature, then, herself denies the charge
brought against her, and lifts up her voice to him
who is her Cause,Life and means of perpetuation.




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         129
But if it is still urged that each body or movement is connected with    and therefore the
immediate result of nature; that plants, insects
and men are born of the principles composing
this sphere; then it follows that this orb and
attending elemeits are but the fruit of some
anterior body from which they derived their original properties, form and order of movement. By
pursuing this method, we finally, and inevitably
arrive at some self-originated, self-prompted and
self-unfolding Orb, or Centre. This of course
Mr. Davis would denominate his original Vortex.
But removing the Beginning at a distance, however remote, by no means obviates the difficulty. To say that the "Beginning" possessed
these qualifications, and begat, by turns, its several qualities and attributes, does not render the
proposition true. But this, in accordance with
all philosophical propositions, needs demonstration, or at least, some means to test its truth.
All the evidence and tangible sequence of Nature, and all frank reasoning bears testimony to
the untruthfulness of this Pantheistic assumption. This vital question, therefore, whence and
how the Beginning originated, and thence proceeded to material manifestation, is a question the Pantheist can never answer. It is with
him mere assumption, whence he proceeds and
finally brings forth man. Asszumption then, is




130              PA NTIHEISM.
the Pantheist's First Cause. Lead him to this,
and there is not sufficient vitality to afford
one breath of life, and he is left gasping in
unparticled and unvitalized space. The christian's Theory is the reverse. From Nature he appeals to Nature's God, in whose eternal Causation
he has abundant relief and substantial argument
for all abstruse metaphysical propositions.
Apparently conscious that his system is defective in its first principles -is soulless, the " Seer "
mystifies by an attempt to so infold, and descend
toward some centre, as to fix the mind upon
an infinity within an infinity, henceforth and
forever. But this seems the perfection of his
weakness, since, if he withdraw from  the periphery to the intermedium, or descend from the
cortex to the pith, there must be a point or radix,
beyond which he cannot pass. There is a centre, and there must be a circumference, otherwise
his figure and philosophy is utterly at fault.
And particularly so, since Matter is the body
and Motion the soul of his original Univercoelum,
and constitute all primary conditions as well as
principles. But it seems a cause unworthy of
farther remark, and indeed it would be, only for
its bewildering transcendentalism, which in sections, float over the dark vault of human frailty,
like so many ignes fatzi in the deadly miasm of
marshy realms. However, in conclusion, we ob



A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        131
serve that if " ind-clessences exist as prominently
throughout nature as this Pantheistic Theory
maintains; if they constitute the quickening
qualities, and refined ultimates of substances, then
they must prevail in all embodiments: and if
the several kingdoms possess so abundantly
these essential and sensitive essences, cannot nature again unfold human species?   If nature
produced from sub-elements, the original bimana
hath she not like principles in store? and can
she not repeat her effort and arrive at equal or
superior results? All nature is not reconstructed and thence disqualified for kindred purposes.
Are not the faunal kingdoms still available?  If
primary nature still exists, and her unfolding,
progressive, and purifying laws are unceasing;
if her polygastric powers have not abated in
their labors, why has she not, yea, why does she
not often, from the animal races, unfold man,
and terminate ler gestation as in days of yore?
and from Simia why do not men continue to
arise?  And if there is no depreciation: if her
laws move perpetually onward, and her efforts
are sure; why has not the beaver changed his
nature?   the ape given place to a superior
race? and manz arisen to another and more exalted one?
If nature, by this "Seer," truly reveals her
hidden laws, and proposes thus to redeem us




132             PANTHREISM.
from the dogma and oppression of Bible Religion;
if she would deliver us from captivity; why not
in this day of her special favor, if in no other
way, group the simia of earth, and demonstrate
her t    y b   nfln    theory by unfoling trefrom  one lhuman
pair? even an inferior type of the bimana?  Is
not the cause a worthy one? Human chemists
urge laws, and hasten results. Is not Nature the
great original Chemist?  Is the suggestion unjust? and not legitimate?  If it is maintained
that nature having once originated man, has in
him accomplished her great object, and thenco
suspended her laws; we suggest that no such
evidence exists in her mundane dominion. The
former degrees, and spheres as they have been
for ages, still remain. Nor is there evidence that
they were originally ephemeral in their procreating nature.
Having now considered the highest clhims
and strongest arguments afforded by the Pantheists, relative to their theory of the First
Cause, the beginning and subsequent 1manifestation of nature, also, the creation of man, we are,
in conclusion, constrained to indulge the following reflections:
First, that a Jewish High Priest, with propriety equal to what this system affords, could instruct the unlearned Hebrew, that Solomon's
Temple was a manifestation of artistic nature,




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        133
self-progressed and self-ultimated.  lie might
from this assumption, speculate upon the great
First Cause, and affirm, that, in the beginninq the
materials of the House existed in a chaotic state;
that they were constituted of atomic substance,
pervaded by a subtle vitality, which, by an incomprehensible, inconceivable and co-eternal inclination begot, of itself, motion and power; that
thence it expanded its atomic and illimitable
body into space; that this substance, as it emanated from  the Great Centre, was, by an incomprehensible law, the Centre emerging from itsel;
and therefore possessed all the attributes and
qualifications of the original, that by its eternal
power and motion, it begot that momentum,
which caused it to travel to space's remotest
bounds, and there resolve itself into spheroids;
that these revolved around the parent Centre as
immensurable satellites; and after an inconceivable lapse of time, they created, for themselves,
a suite of satellites, or subordinate spheroids, one
of which was the planet Earth: that earth proceeded until it formed the mineral kingdom and
overlaid the dry land with vegetation. Finally,
in the process of time, that it begot men and
women, who subsequently needed a House in
which to congregate and worship; whereupon, the
quarries of earth unfolded, without square or
plumet, the polished stone, each of which were




134             PANTHEISM.
self-formed into proportions for their specific use
in the building. Moreover, the Cedar, Olive
tree, etc. unfolded themselves into every necessary form and dimension and carved with exceeding great skill; and that, finally, the costly
stone and the curiously wrought timbers, moved
by the unerring law of progression, simultaneously and in perfect order proceeded to their appropriate position in the structure. (Hence why they
came together without the sound of hammer or axe.)
And thus the Temple was built.     Also the
mines of earth gave up their treasures, which,
once evolved, proceeded to overlay the floor of
the Temple, the Oracle, Cherubim, etc., with pure
gold; and thus the House was adorned!
Or, secondly: The untutored Aborigine, seated with bow and arrow upon some rocky battlement overlooking the blue deep, while beholding
the floating palace of civilization, might declare
it a self-formed creature, and that by means of
self-originated, and self-applied laws, it was forcing its way through Neptune's foaming surge.
And the untamed forest maid might sing
of the "glory of its being," while  dancing
along the floral landscapes that smile upon the
sea! Or the native Bard, invoke his muse t,
grant immortal lays, while he adorned the theory
of the self-made ship with his inspired song.
As well might the savage, having no knowledge




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        135
of the machinery, compass, pilot, or man at the
wheel, speculate upon the origin, movement and
destination of the proud ship, as for the Pantheist
to say that orbs, revolving in the Sea of
Space were   not created  by the   Supreme
Architect, and launched by skillful hands, and
the law of their movement controlled by his infinite Wisdom. The salute of Columbus, as he
neared the "New World," caused the Native to
humble himself and worship, as he supposed, the
god offlame and Thunder. Why not? Ignorant
of the true character, he misjudged the cause. Or,
could he have beheld the particles which, when
ignited, caused the report; their composition and
nature, still a mystery and beyond his comprehension, might have induced in his laboring
mind the strange thought, that they were selfformed, and self-exploded. They surely possessed
much ability: but needed prompting.    Let
those who may deem these allusions irrelevant,
enter if they can, the Tabernacle of original
Cause, learn the science of primitive Motion;
analyze the subtle elements that form the substrata of Nature; and if their souls do not founder in the billows that roll from "the least possible atom:" let them report the Cause, means
and end of Nature; and so correctly as to harmonize with known facts and sense.
He who constructs can comprehend.   And




136              PANTHEISM.
should not he who comprehends, with adequate
material, be able to demonstrate?  He who can
in a degree comprehend the Stun of the Divine
Minzd, should be capable of comprehending the
inferior manifestations of.Natzure in his own
sphere; and also of demonstrating some laws,
which the populace do not understand. If man
be what "Nature's Divine Revelations" mako
him, and if the "Seer" is so much exalted
above his fellows as he reports, why speculate
so liberally and display such revealing skill,
unaccompanied by potent demonstrations? The
Chemist causes nature, to attest his science? Tho
Anthropologist, Psychologist, and the imperfect
Necromancer offer the demonstration of their
theory. Does the Poughkeepsie Seer? In what?
By the diagnosis of diseases, and the manifestation of clairvoyant ability?  Does he evinco
his exalted condition by his assumptive and
contradictory declamations and thus reveal his
superior wisdom?  Does gleaning historic fragments, and jumbling them  together, establish
him the Oracle? What, then, has he brought
from  those mystic regions, in which his intellect so freely roamed, to prove his mission? Surely the "Revelations" do not bring
their own confirmation. M3ust we concede his
pompous asseverations, unsustained by their
intrinsic  merit or adequate means of cor



A. J. DAVIS RIVIEWED.         137
roboration? What thlough there are truths, even
important truths, embraced within the measure
of his verbose speech?   Does it therefore follow that his propositions, reasoning, or authoritative sayings and doctrines are founded in
truth?  MOSE~ informs us that God in the beginning created the heavens and the earth.
These exist, and are above the controll of man.
Nevertheless, the "Seer" denounces this statement, and declares against the character of Sacred History, as maintained by the Christian;
and that Moses and the Prophets did not derive
their thoughts from the source and in the manner the Biblicist supposes. Meanwhile, he affirms
his superior condition, makes assertions, and
then expects the tribute of our credulity. He
informs us that Nature's divine ultimates, her
laws and living thoughts encompassed him: that
he moved amid the beaming lustre of the superior or divine spheres; that around him cluster
eternal truths, wreathing his impressed spirit as
with a diadem of celestial and intellectual stars,
all seeking utterance, through him, to man benighted, man in clay. Thence proceeds that lofty
speech, denominated "Nature's Divine Revelations," whose sayings lead the host, and proffer
salvation to the Race! This causes creatures to
create themselves, and particles to move as living beings, whose shuffling metamorphosing




138             PANTHEISM.
combinations ultimate in man. By this theory
matter is represented more wise and capable
than man, the head and perfection of Nature.
Can men devise, form a globe, and bid it forth
amid revolving orbs?  Can all known created
beings form one star, and cause it to roll along
the galaxy on high? Why should they not, if the
culmination of Nature? -Nature progressed?
Or, to descend, can man plant the Northern mountains in the Southern sea? smother AEtna, and
make vernal the eternal winter of the Poles?
Can he adorn Sahara's burning sands with
the floral mantle of the fertile lawn? Or hush
the raging tempest? quiet the maddened deep?
and buoy the laboring ship above the foundering billows?  Finally, can he stay the tide of
death that it shall never break over his fragile
bark? or retain the spirit when the conqueror
enters the chambers of his tenement of mortality?
Before these, frail man must bow, his mightitude to the contrary notwithstanding. And why?
His better nature responds:' "light is not in'Ran.  Too frail his being to stay the wild
tempest, or the tide of absolving mortality.
Himself he does not know; his soul he ne'er can
save.  Nature counsels him not; and his days
are as a span."
Whoever shall charge us with overrating and
bearing the "Seer's" propositions too far, and




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.            139
of causing them to result contrary to the legitimate conclusions consequent upon his theses
and   reasonings, will, by reading     "Nature's
Divine   Revelations,"  or -even   the   extracts
in this Review, discover that, although much
may be said of the "Great Positive Mind," etc.
still, than Nature he has no Divine Mind, and
the Univercoelum is made to unfold into Spirit.
If, therefore, the former is clearly taught by the
"Seer," the latter is no less so.   The reconciliation of the opposing propositions or assumptions and antipodal conclusions, we submit to the
friends of this Work, merely suggesting if it
might not be less difficult to get up a new one
under the favorable auspices of a more mature
magnetic condition.
This magnetic scheme of Creation concluded,
Discloses the system of every Age,
Whose visage appears, when of verb'age denuded,
Unworthy of Prophet, of Seer, or of Sage.
The nocturnal prism of Stoic Materialists,
Composes the base of the Pantheist's view;
Tho' tinged by the prismatic hue of Etherealists,
The heart of the system no power can renew,
If Orpheus, Cudworth, Aristotle and Bruno,
Descartes and Virgil, and Spinoza, too,
Combine in the premise, it still remains pseudo,
Tho' a magnetized " Seer," reflect it anew.




140                PANTHEISM.'Tis matter, and motion, self wrought into being,
Whose bodies form parts of the circle divineAll nature resolved into thinking and seeing:.
The axiom, " Atoms to God-hood incline."
An infinite Body, the Unzivercolumn,
A Vortex of Lava, the Positive Mind,
All Matter and Motion, all Spirit and WisdomThrough Man, the immensurate whole is refined.
The Seer of Poughkeepsie thus uttered, ascending
To regions supernal —the heavens on highWhile roaming in spirit, where vision unending
Prepared him the Working of Nature to spy.
From Nature's vast Vortex, we read, he unfolded,
The Cause and Beginning, the Mode, Means and End
Of all things in being, and how they were moulded,
Their present condition, and whither they tend:
What atoms accomplished,when man was created,
When the labor of Matter gave birth to the soul;
HIow Bible Religion by sense is berated,
When instinctive nature approaches its eoaT:
The story of Nature; of Adam's creation,
Recorded by Moses, a legend, untrue;
The Bible is not of divine Inspiration,
As taught by the Christian and bigoted Jew:
By whom have been fostered as ethics, false notions,
Descending through ages, oppressing the race;
From whence hath arisen Earth's dire commotions,
Inspired by the fable of heavenly grace.




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED             141
Thus reasons the" Seer " against Bible narration;
Old Pagan arising thence heralds the morn:
The senses unite in the great proclamation,
" The Prince oi Magnetic lede;-inption is born."




CHAPTER V.
BIBLE THEORY OF MAN.
A DROOPING stalk invites support, and error,
to be sustained needs lengthy and sophistical
dissertations, and abundance of select literary
embellishments. If a figure be defective, it must
be clothed in a manner to conceal its deformity.
If the visage be sallow, it must be rouged with
artistic skill that it may appear flushed and
vitalized. If emaciated, it must be inflated to
render its appearance robust and vigorous. With
these.artificial qualifications the skeleton may
survive the ordeal of showy exhibition; but not
the test of analysis; nor can it endure as a
means of dependence. But Truth, simple and
frank in its nature, reveals without dissimulation or affectation its native qualities, its symmetrical form and harmonious movement. It
displays its divine art in its works.  Truth
unfolds from  divine Law.   It moves in the
eternity of its own consistency, harmonizin' with
existing things. Or, if born of facts, reveals the
nature of its cause. Truth is unsophisticated, and
needs no limner to disguise the imperfections of
a malformed body, or to commend its virtue and
utility to the unbiased understanding of the
142




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.       143
human soul. Truth lives as God, by means of
its intrinsic worth: — like brilliant stars in
night's lone abysm, reflects the perfection of its
nature and the glory of its cause. Such is Truth.
It is ever unassuming, therefore in simplicity
expressed.
When Heaven speaks, thoughts breathe thro'
purest words, and glow in the simplest language,
like sacred incense in the censer of celestial
form. Didactical Pantheism, on the contrary,
vails its visage with the net-work of interwoven
terms, fastidiously combined.  And, when seeking to expound its system, bears the mind hence,
by its ethereous carol whose ascending symphony  blending with the ideal chorus of celestial
song, trembles along the untuned chords of the
human soul. First charm   and then delude, is
the method of error.
To maintain the Pantheistic Theory, the
"Seer" roams through Nature's undefined vocabulary, and brings man out of the dumb and
senseless brute-of matter, creates the human
spirit. Opposed to this system and its mode of
revelation, the spirit of Divine Inspiration announces to man, the will of the Supreme Being
concerning him, simply declaring, what every
thinking man should know, that God created the heaven and earth; and thence proceeds to  narrate the order of    that crea



144             PANTHEISM.
tion until the earth is fitted for the human race.
And the object of the communication of the
Spirit with man, not being to involve his sense
in what his mind could never embrace, but to
instruct him upon subjects immediately affecting
him; and knowing full well, that human intellect
could not comprehend how God made man; Inspiration through the chosen agent, said, "And
the Lord God formed man of the dust of the
ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath
of life and man became a living soul."  Here is
a simple statement of the creation of man. It,
however, indicates volumes of exalting and inspiring thought. No dreamy mysticism entombs
the truths herein conveyed. While contemplating
the grandeur of the theme, the mind is not forced, for its Cause, to stagnant pools in whose
viscous element filthy reptiles dwell; to loathsome dens where venomous serpents coil; the
dismal jungle where ravenous beasts lurk for
prey; or tropical forests of cocoa-nut and palm
where chattering monkeys sport; or to the
gloomy cavern where wild troglodytes herd.
But the enlivening thought, that man is the purpose of infinite Wisdom, the end of design most
perfect, and therefore, the object of heavenly
care, quickens within his soul, and from reading
he goes forth to his daily toil blessed with the
earnest of joys to come.




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        145
In this brief narration, the Wisdom and Purpose of God, in man, is revealed.  Saith the
Word: "Let us make man in our own image
and after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of
the air, and over every creeping thing that
creepeth upon the earth;" that is, Let man be
smade a being of sense and soul; the glory and
perfection of terrestrial creation; who by virtue of
his constitution shall be lord of the means created for his use. Having cited the mind to the
creation of Adam, the Spirit proceeds in the most
clear, and yet simple manner, to reveal the order
of Her creation, the mysterious and complicated
character of her position, who is so formed in
body as to be bone of his bone, and flesh of his
flesh, and in spirit, as to exist in the sanctum
of his faithful soul; who was made his "angelbeing" throughout his existence, and to be
protected by him, and shielded from the rugged elements of earth forever, within the co.7
pass of his affections; over which she si
rule holding the dominion of his earthly/
Hence whose influence, from her inher'
the superior qualities of her delict
refined constitution, should pu"'
refine his more external nature
tender and affectionate natr'
bless him with the pure-'
7




146             PANTHEISM,
gal bliss. Moreover free from carnal desires, she
should direct his thoughts to the everlasting
abodes in that Holy City whose builder and maker is God; where they should dwell in one eternal union beneath the smile of their Lord.
To this end, woman, the glory of man was
made; and such thoughts flow into the manly
soul when in the light of the Scriptures, her creation and position is considered. For we are
taught in the Word of God, that, after having
created man, the Lord God said, it is not good
that he should be alone; I will make him a
help meet. And then from the sphere of Adam
created Eve, and gave her to him. And Adam
said: This is now bone of my bone and flesh of
my flesh; she shall be called woman, because
she was taken out of man. Then follows the divine
conclusion: that a man shall leave his father and
mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they
twain shall be one flesh. How admirably this
history accords with our highest sense.  By
it we are taught that a God of infinite Wisdom,
having made the earth, and clothed it with verclure, and having enlivened it with the faunal and
aerial kilgdoms, created an intellectual pair,
and so constitited as to form, for each other, a
sphere of usefiilness and enjoyment. These, as
perpetual companions, were to dwell upon the
earth in the perfection of peace and the fulness




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        147
of that fruition which flows from unity of soul
and concert of action; and also as the progenitors of the race of Man. For this purpose, they
were endued with mental, moral and social
abilities. Thus man was created. Need we enquire which theory, this, or that of the Poughkeepsie Seer, is the most commendable? WVhich
most accords with the constitution of man?  Or
which is most likely to have originated in facts,
the doctrine which teaches that God made man
with capacity to enjoy the means provided for
his use; to mingle in the society of more exalted
beings, and to hold communion with the Divine
Spirit?  Or, that theory which causes his original elements to mope along dumb nature, and
by means of senseless law unfold from matter
into mentalized spirit?
Those who, in order to establish this system,
toil to connect man with the brute and to establish the animal races as his lineal ancestry, are
compelled to range creation for natural signets
and exhume fossiliferous impressions to unite, by
dint of imagination, ephemeral races long since
perished; and  from  viscous pools to crawl
through marshes and subterranean caverns to dry
land, and to make a tour of ages, with the Monkey and Ourang-Outang; and finally construct of
former assumptions added to one grand and
closing assertion, a passage over the void existing




148              PANTHEISM.
between the race of man and the sphere of
brutes?
Strange as it may appear, those who thus construct their bodies of self-actuated materials and
tenant them with the spirit of matter, are exceedingly chagrined at the christian, because of
his faith in this Mosaic account of creation and
the origin of man. Moreover, because Moses
wrote understandingly, with graphic precision,
and therefore with brevity, they deem the history
incomplete. From this conclusion, they affirm the
doctrine of Inspiration a fable, and the Bible,
mostly, a collection of mythical legends.
No subject that ever occupied the human
mind, has elicited searching and unyielding
criticism equal to this, and still it endures like
the Rock of Ages lashed by the Ocean's foam,
unharmed and unmoved. Upon the truth of
this account depends the Bible, and the Christians hope. From it flows forth the broad current
of inspired statements and the soul of religious
polity. Render it frail, and the Temple of the
Christians faith is razed from its foundation, it
falls to rise no more forever.  And he who
trusted in it, is left to float, unguided and unsustained, upon the wild and turbid sea of time;
and thence, with his shattered bark, to founder
amid the billows of death. But it has been, for
ages, tested.  Upon it the true Israelite has




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        149
rested his hope, and in Earth's darkest hour it
has sustained him, and in death, illumined his
passage through the gloomy portals of dissolving
Nature.
It has also withstood the armament of the
Foe, and resisted the force of Legions. It is the
rampart Bible opposers strive to remove. Therefore arguments of every conceivable character
have been raised against it. Every objection, or
apparent objection, that could be forced from
nature, or circumstances, has been magnified
and brought to bear upon it. Philosophers have
labored, indefatigably, to disconnect it from facts.
In fine, every objection that wit, genius, or
doubt could devise and institute, has been urged
to overthrow or deface it, and therefore to weaken
the Scriptures upon this vital and momentous
question. But the History still remains unscathed, and, as an immutable monument of
eternal Truth, looms on high, from amid the babels that an effeminate philosophy has tried to
erect around it; but whose cloven tongues are
ever demolishing. These crumble to     dust;
while this pillar of Truth, stands imbedded in
eternal causes, and lifts its emblazoned dome
amid the lofty pyramids of celestial thoughts.
Like a Sun of unfolding glories in the midst of
revolving satellites, it illumines the realm of nature and gives life to cosmical science. It sheds




150             PANTHEISM.
its light upon regions of darkness, revealing the
deformity of those opaque bodies which are ever
arising from unhealthy marl. Not a cosmological writer but owes the birth of his deepest and
most profound thoughts to those emanating from
the Scriptures; by which he is furnished, at least,
with primary suggestions for his extensive
schemes. Moses, in what Progressionists are
pleased to denominate the dark age, the age of
mystic dreaming, inscribed upon history's page,
the grand and comprehensive statements of creation, which have furnished the world with material for the principles of philosophic enquiry
throughout all succeeding time. His is the most
ancient of all records, and enters as deep, to say
no more, into original causes and procedures as
any have been able since to conceive, even while
inspired and conducted by his account. By this,
it is proved that the Bible is the original Text
Book; and that, therefore, others who attempt to
record causes, beginnings and ultimates, are indebted to the Mosaic account for their leading
thoughts. If philosophers and metaphysicians
have been more specific in the several departments of matter and mind, they have only
extended and ramified those great principles
which radiate from  this, as the center of all.
And if science has amplified, it is but reducing
to parts those great truths revealed in man's




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         151
early history, and written in God's Book. This,
the original account amply sustains. And tho
record of the creation of the Earth and the
Heavens; also the order of material manifestation on the Earth, proves that the inspired writers did hold communion with that Wisdom
which ordered Nature forth. Moreover, Moses
by the Spirit of God conceived principles emanating from the great sanctum of original design;
from the tabernacle of constructive thought;
hence he wrote, not only of Nature as externally
revealed, but as it existed in purpose, while as
yet it had not assumed material form. To this
end he saith: Gen. 2; 4-5, "These are the generations of the Heavens and of the Earth, when
they were created, in the day that the Lord God
made the earth and the heavens, and every plant
of the field before it grew."  This proves that
the sacred writers had conceptions of interior design; and thus is evinced their communion with the spirit of invisible truths?
Who then, with the Bible before them, can
deny that the Inspired Word unclosed the portals to the realms of pre-existing causes?  This
passage, as above stated, reveals that by some
means, Moses conceived the idea of Archetypal
forms as they existed in the mind of the great
Architect, and which by his Will and Power
were, in due time, unfolded into terrestrial order.




152             PANTHEISM.
True, the earth and the heavens, now as ever,
bespeak the infinite Wisdom of their Designer,
and the Omnipotence of their invisible Creator;
but how shall man determine that the race, uninstructed by the Inspired Word, would not have
remained ignorant of the existence of those interior and mysterious laws which govern eternal
things, and reveal the power of the great First
Cause: and having no thoughts beyond gross
materiality, would have been perpetual sun, moon
and star worshipers?  To the spirit of the
scriptural statements of God, and his Works,
even the Poughkeepsie Seer, as already shown,
bows with reverence, after having failed to render unauthentic the Pentateuch. He, therefore
admits the Bible the author of his highest and
purest thoughts. And even that modern and
wonder-revealing science, Geology, when correctly understood, bears irrefutable testimony to the
truth of the Scriptures. By it the days or periods of creation, as recorded by Moses, are confirmed. Each degree, from the Alluvial through
the Diluvial, Tertiary, Carboniferous and Old Red
Sandstone formation, even to the unstratified
granite, declare that Nature was formed in the
divine order which the Scriptures reveal. The
ficoides and Radiata, of the earliest date and all
succeeding generations, of the animal kingdoms,
arise in that succession which harmonizes with




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        153
the Inspired account. Nor ate the moving heav
enly bodies opposed. If we study the Dynamic
principles of nature, beyond which the "Seer"
seems never to have conceived a thought, they
only reveal their dependence upon a superior
power, and themselves the means God has ordained to prosecute his designs. Finally, nature
affords nothing to weaken, but much to strengthen the sayings of Moses, the inspired Cosmogonist. But as this review is not so much designed
to illustrate and confirm the Scriptures, (that belonging to their Exposition,) as to reveal the inconsistency and untruthfulness of old Pantheis;m, resurrected by modern mesmerism, we shall
not enlarge upon the subject. We, therefore,
in conclusion, remark, that all effort to cramp
the manifestations of nature into a position which
shall conflict with the Sacred Text, or to extort
from her, testimony against the word of God,
upon investigation proves in vain. And until
Ethnographic science shall reveal facts which will
not admit of a reasonable doubt, to attest a diversity and therefore disprove the unity of man's
origin, it cannot be successfully maintained that
all true light man possesses of the beginning and
of the First Cause did not originate in the statements claimed by Biblicists as the Word of
God. Peculiar traits are, from Patriarchs, transmitted through untold generations; and tradition,




154             PANTHEISM.
although it assumes varied forms, may be the
living Oracle of ages, to utter the leading
thoughts of ancestry. Can it be shown that the
heathen Philosophers and all oriental Sages were
not descendants from one Patriarchal family? Or
that the Indian's idea of Manitou, or the Great
Spirit, did not originate in the Bible theory of
God. And who can prove that Divine Inspiration, as recorded in the Scriptures of Truth, has
not been the source of man's knowledge of first
principles?  The Bible surely leads the enquirer
to the threshold of that tabernacle of immensities forever incomprehensible to man. Inspiration, however, seeking more especially man's
moral good, does not dwell upon the incomprehensible, but proceeds to reveal; 1. The character of God, as affecting man. 2. His relation
to his Creator and Benefactor. 3. His moral
state and means of redemption from his degradation; and 4. His accountability to God, the
righteous Judge.  The requirements of the Inspired Word are just, the inducements to obedience laudable, and the prospects of future beatitudes in the path of righteousness, harmonize with man's highest sense and purest desires.
In this system, therefore, the unbiased mind can
but behold an incomparable superiority to that
wandering and dreamy theory set forth in "Nature's Divine Revelations."




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.          155
This closes our review of the first principles
of the Pantheistic Creed, as reflected through A.
J. Davis, and hence we proceed to consider its
Ethics; a subject which more immediately affects man, being directly connected with his
Emode of action.




CHAPTER VI.
PANTHEISTIC THEORY OF MAN, MORALLY.
Three fundamental principles influence the
lives and moral conditions of men:
I. The views entertained of the Being and
Attributes of God; which embrace, - His eternity; fhe mode of his existence, and the
relation he sustains to the Universe of mind
and matter. II. The views he entertains of his
obligations to that God; and III. Of his duty to
himself and his neighbor. The First governs
the Second and Third. The deeds of men, which
are the exemplification of the Third, are also an
exposition of the First and Second.
The ideas entertained of God, temper man's
internal and most vital consciousness: and this
inward soul or sense, gives character and cast to
outward manifestations. For man socially is
moved by the propension of his mental nature,
and this by his moral; and his moral nature is
the image of whoever or whatever he accepts as
God, and is made manifest in proportion to his
faith. His moral nature affects his passions or
affections,  and  these  control his conduct.
(These principles are too familiar with men of
thought to need illustration.) Consequently, he
1I56




A. J. DAEV REVIED.            167
who conceives God to be a supreme embodiment
of infinite mechanism, is stoic, mechanical, and
arbitrary in his moral sense which reflects,
through his deeds, his true character. Whoso beholds God as a combination of moving laws, subdued by a passional or love-nature, seeks personal gratification, obeys the impulses of his own
frail being, and. of his inclinations forms a selfpleasing criterion. Such virtually reject all law
save that which harmonizes with their proclivity, and they therefore discard the idea of a Supreme Law-giver. Any system, thus based, removes from the human soul its reverence, and
encloses the mind within the stubborn casement
of arrogance; pervades the being with the spirit
of self-righteousness; engenders ambition, and
begets unlawful zeal, strife, and a desire for absolute supremacy. Such a system is directly
opposed to the fundamental principles of the
Christian religion. It meets the approbation of
the carnally minded, and with perverted man
readily multiplies its votaries. But the Gospel,
in spirit and law the opposite, is unwelcome, because it teaches that he who exalteth hmll self
shall be abased, and he who humbleth himself
shall be exalted. To this end Jesus addressed
his disciples, saying, "Whoever will be chief
among you let him be your servant." And setting
the example at the Passover, "He arose from




158             PANTHEISM.
supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a
towel and girded himself. After that he poured
water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel
wherewith he was girded." John, 13: 4, 5.
This is the teaching of Jesus, the spirit of Christianity, and the fruit of true Theocracy. The
first requirements are, "Love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with
all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself."  The
social polity requires man to do good unto all, and
unto others as he would they should do unto
him; that he should comfort the mourner, bind
utp the broken-hearted; relieve the needy and
distressed, and turn not the poor from his door;
deal justly, love mercy; visit the widow and
the fatherless in their affliction, and keep himself unspotted from the world: do no evil and
love the ways of Truth. This Religion, teaches
man to fear God and keep his commandments;
to give him his heart. "Seek first the kingdom
of God, and his righteousness," and "let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his
thoughts," saith the Scriptures. This system
directs the mind from the carnal and perishable
to the holy, spiritual and eternal; inspires reverence for God and his laws; begets meekness,
forbearance and holy benevolence. Such a religion man needs. It is adapted to his condi



A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        159
tion, and therefore must be founded in eternal
Truth.
A religion based upon the teachings of Nature's
Divine Revelations,-recognizing in man the
principles of Deity refined, -exalts his self-hood,
and conveys no definite idea of a Supreme Being. Gross matter contains (is) the Pantheist's
God. The Pantheist therefore considers himself a part of that intelligence, whose aggregate
is infinite Sense; and whose innate promptings
constitute universal Law. Hence he asserts his
rights, exalts himself, and proffers wisdom to all
who will heed the counsel of his lips. This system  awards to finite mind capacity above its
sphere, and therefore induces assumption, heedless superciliousness, and sarcastic witticism.
The devotee is exceedingly wise in his own eyes,
and his sayings are authoritative. He reveals
that egotism which is astounded if the correctness of his assertions is questioned. The human family are his pupils, and he is ready to
catechise the race, and subdue the stubborn.
Though a child in years, a novice in experience,
and void of true learning, he is no less eager to
grapple with the sage. Certain of success, he
moves with a triumphant air. He teaches that
the violator of law, without redemption or palliation, shall receive to the utmost his penalty.
There is, with him, no sin, and therefore no for.




160              PANTHEISM.
giveness. IHe laughs at pardon, and mocks repentance; denies the existence of absolute evil,
and renders action the force of necessity. Such
is the legitimate tendency of Pantheism. Nevertheless the author of N. D.. although Pantheistic, is not established in any one system.
lie oscillates like a body having no fixed orbit
or definite center. He revolves around the oracles of ancient Pantheism, and wanders at times,
amid the truths of Biblicism. His theory, if
he has any, is a compound of contradictory ideas,
parts of opposing systems. In portions of his
Wvork he besieges the Bible, and charges upon
what he deems its weakest points; but the next
section reveals him with his suite moving amid
its everlasting columns as if Prince of the Province of Scriptural Truths. Then he is exceedingly orthodox, and preaching the fall and depravity of the Race.  But ere he has established himself upon those premises, he again wanders amid
the old ruins of Pagan philosophy, is contending
with his former statements, and laboring with
his might to raze the foundation of Bible Religion.  Still, as he proceeds, having no other
"land-marks," he resorts to Bible data, but seeks
to take down the Temple of Truth erected by
Inspiration; to bear it to the sliding sands of
false ethics, and to re-erect its massive pillars
about himself. IHence, in his history of Mian ho




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        161
establishes, even in "earth's barbarous and unprogressed age," an Eden, with its innocent occupants; thence pursues the thread of Hebraic
narration; employing, however, his "superior
skill" to shuffle from his system the vitality of
the account.  By this means the unthoughtLul,
unestablished, unlearned, and weak believers in
the Inspired Word are decoyed from Theocracy,
and cajoled into the labyrinths of the Harmonial
Philosophy. But without farther introductory remarks we will proceed to present the reader with
the "Seer's" exposition of Man, morally.
In N. D. R., p. 124, he thus introduces this
subject, which leads to his Harmonial Ethics:
"The work of the present day of creation has
been more distinctly marked by unity of plan
and composition, and the appearance of a general end, cause and effect, than that of any previous day. A superficial view of the whole plan
of the creation of mankind, however, would lead
to many erroneous and repulsive impressions.
But when viewed with a scientific and reverential mind" (Ingenious method to blind) "the
whole presents a connected plan and a sublime
and magnificent work, inasmuch as every particle is a flowing of the interior qualities of previous existence: and each, again, as it ascends
into higher forms, displays a higher degree of
the same interior excellences. And so, from one




162             PANTHEIsM.
order of creation to another, in which the species
are only mediums of transferring qualities to
higher states, there is to be seen the same united
activity, the same potent energies, and the same
teeming beauties: and as the confluence of all
these establishes and constitutes the organization
of man, man becomes the perfection and representative of them all.
"As by these harmonious breathings of Nature, the work of the present day manifestly becomes a higher example of omnipotent and divine Love and Wisdom. And this is the closing
of the present era —the consummation of the
creations of the whole period, and of the End
contemplated; and thus Nature represents a
higher beauty, a more perfect form, and a more
comprehensive organization...     And so
the vegetable creation is a substantial basis for
the animal creation, even as the earth is for the
vegetable. And the animal kingdom is the only basis upon which man could have been created, and therefore it is absolutely necessary to
his being. And had not each of these been governed by the unchangable laws of Nature,
nothing would have assumed order or refinement.
But by the operation of these laws the whole creation gradually ascends, by imperceptible steps,
to the perfect development of its own interior
nature. Thus the germ of existence is in Na



A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        163
ture, and the fruit thereof man. Thus the vegetable mirrors the undeveloped qualities in the
earth, and represents the animal kingdom. This,
again, reflects the beauties of the vegetable kingdom, and represents the formation of Man, and
man exemplifies the perfect unfolding of Nature's
interior qualities, and represents within himself
the united and harmonious Universe..
From  these correspondences it can be plainly
seen that all things which have form and distinct
existence have an interior independence, but
externally they are dependent upon all things,
and display a universal use. And it would be
as unjust to abhor any of the lower kingdoms as
it would to have a prejudice against any of the
imperfect portions of the human body.   For
forms are only the temporal combinations of
material substances; but the Cause (of which
forms are the effects) is the invisible and therefore is eternal."  If eternal and unerring, all
manifestations are just as they should be; especially, the interior quality. This forbids perversion or depravity in any of nature's manifestations; a principle it is well to note. But to confirm his position more fully, the "Seer" 5adds:
"And as forms, the uses of which the mind does
not always comprehend, are the constant manifestations of Nature, so they are the constant
and successive productions of her immutable and




164             PANTHEISM.
eternal principles."  To rivet the proposition,
he appeals to the highest of all his ideas of immutable perfection, saying: "And the first and
most comprehensive attribute that is manifested
in these forms is divine Wisdom. And their
unity" (mark this) "and harmonious reciprocation prove that Wisdom is the higher attribute
flowing from the fountain of divine Love."
(Whatever is, is right, and without defect, according to these statements.)  "Love, therefore,
determines the universal relationship, and Wisdom the universal adaptation. So these attributes are the highest laws of Nature, comprehending within themselves various modifications
of the same principles as all flowing from the
same exhaustless Fountain" (Vortex of Lava)
"wherein exists infinite Intelligence. This is the
Vortex" (the Ocean of fire) "from which are
unfolded successfully the receding waves of the
united Universe. And one of these is an index
to the expanding sublimities of another; and so
their ceaseless flowings comprehend the whole
Univercoelum. And as these are the flowings of
the general materials in space, so the earth constitutes a similar vortex of power, which rolls
forth succeeding waves from the mineral to the
vegetable, to the animal, and to man: and the
breathings of inherent qualities transcend Motion, Life, and Sensation, and form a pure and ex



A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED         165
alted Spirit.  The wave of cevelopment is not
arrested here, but it goes on throughout the
uniimaginable spheres in the interior world, until it approximates and is responded to by the
Great Positive Mind. Thus are the concentric
circles of material creation unfolded -which
correspond to, and absolutely prove the concentric circles of spiritual creation, and' spiritual,
endless progression! Thus the great Vortex is
a living, exhaustless Fountain, wherein dwell infinite Love and Wisdom, and from which flow
{the undefinable worlds which pervade the whole
Univerccelum. And these are formed by succeeding and expanding waves, the same principle being distinctly manifest in every department of animated    Nature.  The Universe,
therefore, is an ocean of activity, even as the
Univercoelum"   (original sea of lava) "is a
boundless ocean of infinite Love and Wisdom.
The tho/ughts of the infinite mind, therefore, constitute the laws of Nature; and the results of
these thoughts are the animated forms in being,
including the exalted form of man- which again
form, on a corresponding principle, the interior
spiritual existence....It is not well, theni,
to doubt the existence of a use in any depart.
ment of Nature; for this would be evidence that
the subject is not weHl understood.... So
nothing is inactive-nothing useless —nothing




166              PANTHEISM.
absolutely imperfect; but everything sustains an
important position in the great architecture of
the Univercoelum. These meditations are the
result of the breathings of the sphere of Causes,
in which my mind is situated, and in which all
effects are made present.  And these effects
are exemplified in every minute particle constituting an inseparable chain of correspondencies ascending to the highest celestial spheres,
which are illuminated only with divine Love and
Wisdom."
Here is the "Seer's" qmoral thesis. It forbids
retrogression or perversion of any and every
quality and degree. All things; ascending to the
highest celestial spheres are but thoughts of the
Divine Mind.   It is infinitely perfect, unerring
in procedure and certain in results. All that is
or can be, is necessary and in accordance with
divinely perfect, undeviating and irrevocable
law. Hence there can be no inefficient or abortive movements of Nature; or misdirected propensions with regard to men or spirits. Nothing
could be more mechanical, or predestined to unalterable modes and fixed results. No exception
is conceded, no ellipsis permitted.  All is perfection. If, therefore, derangement is demonstrable
from any department of nature, (perfection being claimed throughout,) the system is wanting,
and from   its high claims rendered   useless.




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        167
Or if the "Seer," in his Work, shall admit
nature perverted or defective in any degree
or specific manifestation, he shall be found bearing testimony against himself. His example
hitherto, however, forbids us to hope otherwise.
His Physics and Metaphysics abound with contra statements, and why not his Ethics?  But
pursuing him in his disclosures, we are soon led
to an Eden, with its innocent occupants; and that
too in what he denominates man's unprogressed
age. In this, also, he reveals his dependence
upon Sacred History for his leading ideas, and
by necessity is forced to admit what the Hebraist and Christian believe. Page 328, he remarks;'" Nature, at this period of creation, presents a most beautiful reflection of all anterior
creations. And it is now evident that man is
created froim the dust of the earth and that he is
the receptacle of one of the spontaneous breathings of the Great Positive Mind. This rendered him a perfect form - a useful agent- a living
soul," TWhy denoeunce the Inspired Word, and
still proclail its.dootrines in stronger terms than
it employs upon the same subject? The Bible
s;ays 1iavn was  good;  the "Seer" says he was
perfect, "And thus" he continues "was male,and female created,... And so the whole
earth at this time represented the close of a distinict -aud pre-emiinent cre.ation, even the peopling




168             PANTHEISM.
of the garden of Eden.... Thus the grand
WVork is finished-the great End is accomplished. Nature becomes an harmonious whole-the
congregation of parts... And as Nature
is a mirror wherein are seen all her interior excellencies, so this ultimate development of creation is a mirror wherein is reflected the truthful
expression that "the evening and the mnorning were
the sixth day."  Is it not remarkable that a Book
so much condemned as the Bible, should afford
the strong points upon which its opposers rest
while striving to erect their opposing theories.
Even the Poughkeepsie Seer, often cleaves to it
as a means to steady him in his labors.'Twere
better by far did he not wander from it. "The
germ of man," he says, "has thus been discovered in the lower forms of the animal kingdom,
and traced through all its progressive stages of
development, rising from  the lower degrees
through the great body of the animal creation,
with its many and diversified branchies and their
modifications, up to the blooming perfection of
the living tree whose fruit is the organization of
man."   Here man is again called perfect. Does
"Inspiration" say more?  As to the especial lo.
cation of the Eden where he places his perfect and
early inhabitants, he seems to have been absolutely
controlled by the popular idea. He says, page
328;'"The present"  (perfect paradisiacal, ox




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.       169
eden) "existence of man was within or near the
portion of Asia which has since been termed
Turkey, extending to the regions of the Euphrar
tes and Tigris, and joining in two distinct lines
to the location whereupon was built Jerusalem."
Chained by the power of opinion, and the
force of education which affected his coterie and
manipulator as well as himself, the "Seer" appears not to have once conceived that the Eden
of which he speaks could have been on the
American continent. After having located man,
pre:fect, in Eden, the "Seer" seems much affected with a sudden and remarkable change in his
infinite scale of progression.  And strange as it
may appear, that nature, which in the Beginning
rolled her omnipotent tides; whose every evolution exalted by unfolding refining and immutable
law her properties; from matter unfolded the
fearfully and wonderfully formed human body,
and animated it with an intellectual soul,-that
nature in man, the perfection of her work, meets
with an obstacle, by whose influence she is made
to reel and fall! -to invert her course and become perverted! On page 330, the "Oracle"
thus carefully and cautiously approaches the fearful fact. "At first and for many continuous
ages they communicated their ideas by expression
of the countenance, and outward physical signs; and
while they remained unsophisticated by the art
8




170             PANTHEISM.
of clothing their ideas in verbal sounds, they
were free from all cupidity and absolute deception." (Here is man's original innocence and
purity maintained by this Bible opposing Revelation.)  "But when they had advanced a little
farther, and had partaken of a little of the fruit
of the tree of Knowledge, they began to conceal
their true sentiments, and to clothe them with
an arbitrary vocal sound-which possessed not
the power of communicating the reality of
their ideas and affections to each other, but rather
was liable to convey deceptive impressions."  As
he approaches man's fall, he seeks to provide
some means for the dire effect of the violation
of law; and since he must have a substitute for
the Spirit of Evil, which, according to the Scriptures, tempted by artifice and lies the innocent to
sin, he introduces the human voice as that Seducer! 
and therefore causes the vocal organs to do what
the Bible charges upon an arch Fiend, even that
Satanic power denominated -Devil.  Thus, by
this Bible berater, Nature is represented, in
creating the organs of speech, to have led the
race (herself) astray. This, then, —even the
human voice - is the Davisonian Devil, and chargable with evil equal to what the Bible institutes
against Satan the old Serpent. Most fatal blunder of Nature-perfect, unerring and ever-progressive Nature! How deeply her offspring de



A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED         171
plore it! how suffer from consequences growing
out of that first Error! The christian is ridiculed because he.believes that a perverted and
malicious Spirit, aLiar and diabolical Deceiver,
by vile artifice tempted Eve astray, and thus
seduced the progenitors of the race into sin. It
is considered by the unbeliever in the Inspired
Word, a strange thing that God should have
made man an intellectual being, and then suffer
him to err! violate law! and thus involve himself in misery!! But it is infinite Wisdom for
that old First Ocean of surging elements to roll
its fused tide along unnumbered ages for the especial purpose of manufacturing itself into man;
thence labor centuries to create organs of vocal
utterance in order, orally, to express their
thoughts; and by articulation nature became selfdeceived, self-debased and self-perverted! Mark
the Oracle's comments, N. D. R., p. 332. "Not
long after the introduction of verbal sounds as.
signs of impressions, the inhabitants became
disunited in social affections in consequence of
the misconceptions conveyed by those sounds.
They finally could not enjoy each others' society;
for every expression of the mind, which was orignallypure and unadulterated, was now clothed
in a false sheath; and this created disunity and
confusion among all the inhabitants. Previously to this, mankind were in an innocent and pure




172             PANTHEISM.
condition; but by the constant increase of these
causes, they became disunited and repulsive to
each other. This has been distinguished in the
original history as a state of depravity. It was
in this manner that their eyes were opened; and
thus they were enabled to see their own deceptions and imperfections." (But they had none
-were pure and innocent- according to his previous statement, until the organs of speech were
formed. How could voice reveal that which was
not!) "And having a new power of conversing
with one another, they clothed their real and
imperfect thoughts by false sheathes or deceptive aprons of obscurity. Thus the whole race
became dejected and depraved."
Why should Modern Pantheists, Harmonialists, or Harmonial Spiritualists, seek to depreciate public respect for the Bible?  N. D. Revelation, their great "Text Book," boldly teaches depravity. Does the Bible more?  But how
meager the cause of all this ruin; this lamentable state of the world; a state of disunity, and
wretchedness deeply deplorable, and upon which
so much labor is bestowed in Other portions of
the Work.   All the woes of man are here
charged upon the human voice; as if the thiyroid,
cricoid, and arytenoids, four cartilages, situated at
the superior portion of the trachea in the human
anatomy, were capable of producing such fatal




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         173
results. TWe are thus definite that the visage of
this Harimonial monster, the original deceiver of
the race, may be j-stly revealed. Do the disciples of SMr. Davis know, while they so significantly menace the Christian religion, that their
evil spirit, or the seducer of man, according to
his theory, exists in the human throat! that the
noble voice, which gives such delight, is a vehicle to convey words of consolation to the grieved
heart, and melody to the human soul, is by him,
in his philosophy, charged with this iniquity?
of being the original cause of man's sorrows and
therefore his greatest curse?  His reasoning denies man's ability to deceive by look or gesture.
TWho does not know this to be an absolute misrepresentation?  Can not the countenance shadow, and therefore conceal the real sentiment of
the soul? and actions lead the observer from
the feelings or intentions of the heart? But if
vocal utterance was the cause of man's depravity, Nature, to redeem herself, has only to smite
the race (herself) with dumSness, and the great
work is done; the original Eden restored and
man on earth shall dwell in heaven. Surely, in
giving man the power of speech the Divine
Mind of N. D. Revelations greatly erred, and inverted nature's progressive laws. How blessed to
have remained speechless. The Bible theory of
the cause of man's depravity, is said by the




174             PANTHEISM.
friends of this system to be a senseless legend.
But if that be unworthy of consideration, how
much more must this theory be? And especially
since the Work teaches that Nature is perfect,
ever progressing; and that Man is her crowning
work, the perfection of her attributes and ultimates.
The human voice is capable of much evil;
but the mind within prompts the utterance; and
evidently, from the abundance of the heart the
mouth speaketh."  It is also probable that most
persons, save those who are the subjects of mesmeric influence, speak what their minds design;
but the "Seer," by this rendering, reverses
the order of things and makes the mind the
body's agent; the body and not the mind responsible for human action. Consequently, the physical man is the superior in the scale of Nature.
Having affirmed the depravity of the race he
thus continues; "Not because they had violated
any constitutional faculty, physical or mental,
but because their faculties were wrongly and imperfectly developed." This statement involves
the most vital question pertaining to man. It
reaches the heart of mental and moral science.
And if human happiness in any way depends
upon true knowledge, and the right performance
of duty, it is of the utmost importance to know
the truth herein existing. Its truth or falsity,




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        175
and hence the      of the o t Harmonial Theory,
depends upon what constitutes the violation or
imperfect development of human faculties; and
in this what higher law is opposed; also what
could have induced that aggression, and the-consequences attending it.
There is evidently a purpose in this effort, to
make a distinction between the violation of faculties and their improper development. A nice
point indeed, for a schleme so extensive.  It is,
however, the pivot upon which N. D. Revelations poise man, morally; the hinge upon which
the race is made to swing.
To avoid the Bible doctrine of depravity, and
also the doctrine of redemption through Jesus,
this form of expression is employed. As though
man might be depraved; might be involved in
perfect wretchedness; by reason of impurity be
obliged to leave the beautiful Eden of earth;
might be devoid of pure intentions; become covetous, defiled, and revengeful, and yet no faculty
be violated. Moreover, if they were not, although developed into the bottomless pit, it is a
matter of little moment, since Nature, although
she could not keep man perfect, can easily redeem and exalt him. Thus reasons the "Seer."
The fact of this depravity, however, destroys the
correctness of the Harmonial Theory; for,
whether or no the faculties of man were violated,




176              PANTHEISEM.
by perversion unerring progression is disproved,
and Nature is foiled in her purpose;, at least until man shall have been redeemed.
As sure as blood follows venesection, so sure
the vitality of man's purity and peace has been
drained from the soul. If man was once harmonious in his nature- and this the "Seer"
teaches-if his moral being was upright, and
his heart pure, the censer of holy incense, tile
receptacle of heavenly influx, and beat in unison with the heart of heaven; if his soul once
responded to the laws of celestial life, and inclined toward the home of angels, the throne of
the Divine; if the sanctum of his nature was
clothed with the garments of innocence, and
shielded with the armor of righteousness; if sacred love flowed throughout the being;-then,
some hand of might has opened the living fountain from which has issued the life of the spirit,
the source of joy. And if these consequences
are not by reason of the violation of man's face
ulties, some other laws or faculties of nature
must have been violated. In either case, according to this theory, the effect reveals nature at
fault.  To imperfectly develope, pervert and
misdirect the faculties; to suspend their propel
action, and thwart their purpose, which was just,
holy and benevolent, and render their fruits unrighteous, unhealthy and discordant, is to inter



A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         177
rupt their intention and debase their character.
Faculties thus induced or forced to prey upon
themselves; or to be by any means so unfolded
as to disable them, are most assuredly violated.
The brain weakened by disease, or deranged
by over or unequal excitement so that the mind
cannot perform its office, is changed, and this
cannot be effected without violation. If the
powers of body and mind are improperly devoted,
this is a fact, and facts cannot exist without a
cause. In perversion some principles are violated and misemployed; and discord is the absence of the law of harmony. Health is the
product of unity and dependent upon lawful procedure. Disease follows discord, and discord is
from the violation of law. To say that sickness
is because of the imperfect development of the
faculties is folly; but to attribute it to violation
of sanitary law is legitimate, since this accords
with facts and philosophy. To admit human depravity, even to the absence of purity and the
introduction of absolute wretchedness, and deny
the violation of the faculties, is what a true philosopher could scarcely do. Well developed organs may be so changed as to produce results
contrary to their original intentions. A strong
and healthy muscle becoming diseased, not only
refuses to perform its office, but imparts its deleterious influence to other portions of the system.




178             PANTHEISM.
A simple rupture, even in some unimportant
part of the body, often works its destruction.
Men are not always insane because of wrongly
developed faculties, (that inducing idiocy or silliness, ) but by reason of cerebral violation. Imperfectly developed organs cause inefficient efforts and effeminate results. But these arise
from constitutional or fundamental derangement,
based upon the violation of first principles, and
this prevents the proper use of faculties, and
therefore violates them.
Moreover, any imperfection, attending the manifestations of Nature and from whatever cause,
betrays a want or weakness, in those principles
upon which the manifestations depend. This
reveals the violation of laws and faculties. Finally, whatever positions are assumed and principles analyzed, the results are the same; depravity reveals violation. But, perhaps the Oracle intended to have said, that no faculty was
destroyed, otherwise the fulcrum upon which ho
intended to rest his lever of Magnetic-reason by
whose might he hopes to raise man from the pit
into which he has fallen because of sin, is a statement devoid of truth and founded in error.
Upon it, however, he hinges the broad scheme of
"progression out of Christ." The subject, therefore, does not close with the question as to whether the physical or mental faculties were violated:




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.       179
but embraces a principle still more important,
viz: the moral nature and accountability of man.
The conditions to which he refers, the cause and
maglignity of which he seems to have had no
just conception, is strictly of a moral character.
And here rests that Theory which denies the
doctrine of Redemption through the Lord Jesus.
By analysis, it is determined that moral principle depends upon the relation one faculty sustains to another, the relation which these united
sustain to the individual and social uses, and also to those heavenly or divine laws to which
man is amenable,
Man is a threefold being —matter, mind and
spirit. His movements are physical, mental and
moral. These have, and are governed by laws
originating in their several relations, the source
of their being, the end of their creation; and
the principles of infinite Life to which they are
allied, and upon which they depend. Physical
law is that of power; mental, of thought, meditation, design and execution; and moral law is
that of equity, originating in the constitution
and relation of things affecting man, not only in
regard to his duty to his fellow, but to his God.
Physical law affects the construction, movement, harmony, and perpetuation of material
bodies. Mental law has respect to the thoughts
and purposes of mind; while the moral law re.




180              PANTHEISM,
gards the quality of human -action, and revealI
their nature whether good or evil.
The character of physical law is determined
by its power; that of the mental by clearness
of perception, comprehension, and execution;
while the moral is determined by the character
of inclination, ability, purpose, and results. Law
is the mode, and the faculties are the means of
execution. To vitiate the mode or faculties by
which life, harmony and happiness are perpetuated, involves man's moral nature, since he is,
by virtue of his constitution, responsible to the
law of equity. Herein consists his moral obligation. If this quality of being is disturbed he
is perverted.  If his moral powers are vitiated they are violated, and he is fallen, the
subject of violated law; debased, and the creature of circumstances. Moral ability is the capacity to do the right and resist the wrong.
This depends upon the nature of the inclinations,
the power of discrimination, of moral selection
and choice.  The will actuates men physically:
decision controls the direction of the will; and
choice, inclined by desire, inspires determination.
What is loved most, is most sought. He whose
supreme affections are fixed upon lucre chooses
the miser's lot, and with undying tenacity clings
to life. lie whose greatest passion is the love
of fame courts public applause, and spends his




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        181
substance to win honor of men. While he who
loves God supremely, is the faithful and devoted
christian. Change a man's affections and his
actions are also changed. Pervert them and ho
is debased; purify them and he is redeemed.
"No man can serve two masters; for either he
will hate the one, and love the other; or else he
will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye
cannot serve God and mammon."   Bible.
Again, the quality of desire, or action, is determined by its relation to right.  Right and
wrong are moral principles. Moral quality depends, therefore, upon good or evil. Equity is
the law of justice; of harmony; and its violation is evil. Improper affections induce defective choice, and this prompts unrighteous deeds.
These produce discordant results, and discord is
destructive to life. Wrong affections or inclinations, then, beget evil consequences. The root of
evil, therefore, is vicious desire, or improper inclinations; hence moral law is that mode which
regards the affections, the end of desire, the character of which is determined by its motive, and
that of the object sought, the right to secure it,
and the means employed.  Though an object be
laudable, the means engaged to secure it may be
unjust, and therefore the moral nature be evil
inclined. And thus, if the powers are perverted
or unjustly employed, the original principle of




182             PANTHEISM.
their being is violated; reduced from a superior
to an inferior plane, and from an ascending to a
descending scale. That is, the hand that gathers
gold from the mine is laudably occupied; but that
which pilfers from his neighbor's coffer is vilely
actuated. The muscle that grasps the helm is
mechanical and irresponsible; but the mind that
wields it, guiding the ship to the desired haven,
or to the maelstrom of destruction is tempered
by the spirit of intention, and therefore amenable to the law of equity. This principle is equally applicable to all the relations of life, modified
however, by the nature of causes, positions and
attending circumstances.
Thus much have we remarked upon that subject which underlays every other, connected with
man's moral state. It is a subject, however, too
comprehensive to be fully elaborated in this review. Nevertheless, we indulge the idea that
sufficient light is here reflected to reveal the unsoundness of the "Seer's" statement under consideration, and to convince the reader that his
philosophy does not, by far, fathom the mystery
connected with man's depravity, or approach the
cause of human woe. It is remarkable though,
that after having theorized so laboriously fronhis propositions, viz.; the perfection of nature
and her works, also the certainty of her unerring
procedures and faithful and divine results, he




A,.T. DAVIS REVIEWED.       183
should preach depravity and its consequences as
vehemently as those he denominates the undeveloped and bigoted orthodox.
Having taught the fall of man; and made an
attempt to explain the cause, also the effect upon
the constitution of the depraved, on p. 332, he
thus continues: "Such is the origin of all deception-of all imperfection.  From this moment
misery and impure associations had their origin.
By continued and ill-directed development of
the faculties, vice and misery increased. The
inhabitants acted more and more against each
others' interests, and thus became disorganized
and rendered entirely wretched and unhappy.
At that period, when this wretchedness prevailed most extensively, they were obliged to leave
the happy associations of their former days, even
the beautiful Eden of the earth, and became dispersed into other lands."  Then follows his
statement of the worst of social evils resulting
from depraved nature, viz., the sacrifice of Abel,
recorded on p. 334. "And after dwelling together
for the period spoken of, Cain, as a selfish tyrant,
rose with all his combined forces against his
brother Abel. And the latter, being so meek,
gentle and submissive, yielded without retaliation, and' then fell a sacrifice to a supercilious
and self-exalted being —even his brother!"
Here, then, in the very Work, the object of




184             PANTHEISM.
which is to establish a religion of nature, and to
remove faith in the Bible, we are taught-1,
Man's innocence and perfection; 2, tHis situation
in Eden; 3, His depravity, which renders him
vicious, devoid of pure desire, and wretched; 4,
His expulsion from his delightful inheritance; 5,
The murder of Abel, etc. Where is the consistency of the system?  If man is a perfection of
that nature which can never err; whose spirit
of life is Love, Will, Wisdom, and whose every
evolution breathes forth new and exalted forms
of her divinely perfect self; whence this superciliousness, this ambition and diabolical revenge?
Where is the wisdom which secures the sense
and devotion of men of renowned erudition;
shatters the faith, and annihilates the hope of
the christian? Where the secret charm that enchants? the Reason that shall redeem the world
from folly? the harmonious and truthful statements that shall battle down error? the glory
of sense that shall reflect light upon the gloomy
dungeons where the myriads of misguided
mortals are entombed? and that shall finally
consume, by its light, the Christian dogma, which
has for ages enthralled the race and lead
those who worship at the throne of God in the
name of Jesus, from their ignorance-and superstition?  How frail this boasted system; how
disproportioned and hydra-headed, when by anal



A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         185
ysis its true character is revealed! In the former
statements language failed to express the absolute perfection of nature, and the unfailing progression of her laws; certainty of her harmonious procedure and glorious results.  But now
no language seems capable of expressing the imperfection and wretchedness of her fallen state.
Her head is bowed down, her heart sick, her
love is transformed into malice and revenge, her
wisdom into folly, and her harmony into discord!
How great and marvelous the change.     Says
the "Seer," p. 336, "It has already been revealed that in the constitution of mankind there
existed passions and principles which were in
themselves good. But after the advance of the
nations, they, by misconceiving the true elements of their nature, created unfavorable circumstances, by which the development of their
passions and principles was entirely misdirected;
and they became a degenerate and wretched race."
Facts force this confession; but by it the very appearance of truth is forced from the scheme,
and to pass away like vapor before the winds.
Nature is arrested in her progression, and has
thus revealed her liability to err. A good tree
has brought forth evil fruit, a clear fountain muddy waters. That which from   all eternity was
perfect, harmonious and good, has become exceedingly imperfect, discordant and vile.  The ever




186             PANTHEISM.
reliable has met with a sudden failure.  Ian
the glory of Nature's mighty works, is fallen;
his passions and principles are entirely misguided. From   elysian fields he wanders upon
barren deserts; from the sunny heights of innocence and joy, he is plunged into an abyss of
woe, his being is shattered by the fall, and
Nature has met with a strange perversion.
Such is the spirit of the teachings now presented
by these "Revaelations" of the Nineteenth Century. And thus this grand climax of "Vortex"
unfoldings confirms the doctrine of the Inspired
Word, which teaches that Nature is frail, and dependent for being and perpetuation upon a Power more infinite than herself.
This theory, then, will hardly endure the test
of its own statements. Most earnest has been
the effort to sustain the infinite and unerring
perfection of Nature, but now, in man's depravity, she is proved wanting in a marked  degree, having failed to retain what she had gained
by her mysterious and prolonged labors. That
these conclusions are legitimate we refer the
reader to N. D. R., p. 73. "The beginning and
ending form one infinite circle of movement, development and progression. Representations of
this great principle are seen in the movements
of Nature, the whole of which is formed of concentric circles, from the smallest particle in ex



A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        187
istence to the united and perfect form of all
things." And again, p. 351. "The organization
of man is, of itself, perfect. In every department there is an equal adaptation-an endless
amount of uses-which converge to as many
ends; and these, when conjoined, display one
perfect use and end, for which the whole was created. Thus man is existing.... H.   e is
therefore rendered a proper receptacle of the
spontaneous breathings of the Great Positive
Mind, through Nature, by Wisdom, to form and
individualize the immortal spirit to dwell in the
world within. Thus man is organized, not composed of a mutual agreement of parts, through
the infinite workings of an impetuous Nature,
but is rather the perfect form, the highest image,
the designed organization of the Divine ]Mind
that pervades immensity!" Also, p. 620. " The
law of eternal progression also governs the constant development of all forms, both of material
and spiritual nature. And from the tendencies
of this law flow all the affinities, affections, relations, forms, and degrees of refinement..
Everything is developed in Order and Form, and
all things united form one mighty external expression of Infinite Wisdom, one of the esential
attributes of the Divine Mind."   Thus the
Seer" labors to prove the perfection of Nature,
and man the result of her eternally progressive




188             PANTHEISM.
workings. The Work abounds with corresponding statements; statements which declare that
nature operates in infinite certainty; that her
laws are unerring; her purposed results sure;
and that she embraces all, pervades all; is from
everlasting to everlasting, the beginning and end.
And from his theses and reasoning, it is impossible to admit the least deviation in any of her
works, for they teach that everything is the manifestation of infinite perfection; the expression of
infinite wisdom; the display of infinite love; the
result of infinite goodness; the demonstration of
infinite harmony; and the completion of infinite
design; the euphony of infinite thought ascending the divinely perfect octaves of an infinite
and unbroken scale. One grand musical tone, in
which combine an infinity of intonations. One
voice in which are divinely expressed infinite ut.
terances. One form in which combine the attributes of all forms.  One spirit, embodiment
of all spirits; and one entity embracing universal entity of inconceivable and immensurable
parts. In direct -opposition to this theory, we
are informed, p. 337, that by reason of unfavorable circumstances the development of those
passions and principles of man which were in
themselves good, were entirely misguided; and
consequently the race became degenerate and'
wretched. And p. 342; "thence arose envy,




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.       189
cruelty and misery among them. For they became jealous of each other, and lost entirely all
the peaceful principles that previously united
them instinctively together." This seems like
absolute imperfection. To lose entirely the
peaceful principles and to become the subjects
of jealousy, envy, hatred, etc. is to fall as low as
the most orthodox Biblicist would presume to
claim. In addition to the above it is also written, p. 386, "Error began with man, because
of his innocent and uninstructed faculties; because he did not observe those conditions which
were required for his happiness;" (Why not
employ the language of the Scriptures, and say,
because they did not regard the Word of the
Lord, "The day thou eatest thereof thou shalt
surely die?" Gen. 11: 17.) "And because he
cultivated a deceptive artificiality instead of interior purity and refinement." ("The serpent beguiled me and I did eat." Bible.) "and from
a minute rill," (partaking of the forbidden
fruit,) "human error increased to a vast ocean,"
(" In Adam all died." Bible.) "the many nations of the earth being tributaries."  ( "All have
gone out of the way." Bible.) "The contaminations and sophistications of these flowed into
the great stream of human iniquity. This has
covered the whole face of the earth; it has washed every bosom of peacefulness, and left only




190             PANTHEISM.
the dregs of wretchedness and imbecility. It
has prostrated and desolated nations; it has consumed and swallowed up the principles of morality and refinement which are man's by nature."
TWhile reading these passages, if we were not
otherwise assured, we might imagine ourselves
perusing a Scriptural essay from Dr. Horme, or
some of the "Fathers," rather than an effort
against the Bible by one of its champion opposers.
Surely they remind us of the Scriptures very considerably, however much of a burlesque upon
true Theology, Science and Literature, the opposers may pretend the Bible to be. The Worc
declares that "the whole head is sick, the whole
heart is faint. From the sole of the foot even to
the crown of the head, there is no soundness in
it."  Isa. 1: 5, 6.  "The wicked are like the
troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters
cast up mire and dirt."  Isa. 57: 29.
One more illustration of the absolute contradictions upon this point must sufi-ce. And indeed this
hardly seems necessary; but lest some passing remark of his should be considered ample apology
for these many antipodes, and to reveal his perfectly opposite statements upon the first transgression, etc. the following passages are introduced.  Page 330.   "But when they had advanced a little farther, and had partaken of a
little of the fruit of the tree of Knowledge, they




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         191
began to conceal their true sentiments, and clothe
them with an arbitrary sound."  Page 332
"Previously to this, mankind were in an innocent and pure condition....Thus the
whole race became dejected and depraved.
From this time misery and impure associations
had their origin."  And page 334-" They became extremely depraved and wretched, such
being the legitimate fruit of physical, mental
and social violation."  (Buton p. 332 he says,
"not because they had violated any constitutional faculty, physical or mental" -plain contradiction.)  "They represented a being in despair,
suffering as they did the full consequences of
their violations: and thus Cain was represented
as saying,'My punishment is greater than I can
bear,' This was humble acknowledgment-a
true confession' of depravity."  Such are the
sayings of Mr. Davis, when speaking of hum1an
4depravity not having before his mind the Christian Faith. And   tcwlh sentiments as these he rejects with withering reproach, when he opposes
the doctrines of the Bible. Indeed in that opiposition, he seems to be entirely in another
sph.ere, or void of memory. From p. 482 we record thoe following: "Therefore the opinion is
without foundation, that the race was once pure,
perfect, and tunited, and that it afterwards degenerated, because it partook a little of the




192             PANTHEISM.
fruit of the tree of Knowledge."  Could the-e
be greater and more glaring contradiction?
Even the samephraseology is employed in the
opposing statements.  But again, p. ib. he continues, "The third opinion is exceedingly derogatory to the character of the Divine Mind, and
absolutely charges him with a want of foreknowledge, and predetermination, when his living energies were engaged in creating and organizing the
Univercoelum. For the supposition that he ever
instituted laws (which are the very elements of tis
Will, and which are as unchangable as his Divine Essence,) and afterwards found himself incompetent to carry them out, and to perfect the
system he had erected-is a supposition exceedingly unrighteous, and altogether opposed to his
celestial dignity, and therefore it should be discarded and never more promulgated to the children of men."  Can language introduce greater
contradictions than these?  Having taught the
depravity of the race, the suspension of nature's
progressive movement, and the fall of mnan from
harmony with the laws of being, to mental and
physical violation; from a pure and happy state
to one exceedingly vicious and wretched; from
innocence to guilt, from love to hatred, and from
peace to war and bloodshed: having himself established such as the state of man, and consequently the interruption of nature in her pur



A J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         193
posed course, he proceeds to condemn the doctrine, saying that even the supposition is exceedingly unrighteous!  If it should be urged that
the charge is not against the doctrine of human
depravity, but that which teaches a want of ability on the part of the Divine Mind to carry out
his purposes, we reply; that to such charges no
one need plead guilty but himself and his disciples. For he reduces all power and being to the
capacity of Nature. And as heretofore shown
from his declarations, whatever he may say of
the Great First Cause, Divine Mind, etc. he has
taught that it originally consisted of Matter and
Motion, and that too in a molten state or vortex
of lava; and that man is a perfection of the
Divine Mind,.   Consequently when man became perverted these principles were responsie
ble. That is, the laws and attributes of his own
being constitute his dependence, and when he is
degraded, nature in him is vitiated. And if man
fell from his dignity, being the head and glory
of Nature's works, a perfection of the Divine
lind, who shall aid him from his degradation?
Or, if the principles of nature not only enter into the composition of man, but encompass hinm,
and he be the casket exalted and supported by
universal law as a perfect vessel for the spirit,
and if then by any means he descend from a superior to an inferior plane, from harmony to dis9




194             PANTHEISM.
cord; and from progression- becomes retrogressive, his condition is equally as helpless, and
nature also equally involved with him, and therefore "the Divine Mind" is impeached. And
what hope can nature have in herself, if, after
having contended successfully during the lone
and laborious night of her unfolcings until the
morning; and until the flower of her being kissed
the sun of opening day and disclosed its divine stamens arising into the realms of celestial sublimation; if she then could not sustain the blossom
of her being upon its divine peduncle, but overcome by retrogressive agencies, drooping, hung
her opening bud in the muddy waters of infamy,
and drank that poison which neutralized her virtue, how after this can nature restore herself? If,
when healthy and vigorous, she fainted and sank
by the way,.how, when sick and palsied, unaided,
arise and pursue her pilgrimage?  Verily, hero
is a difficulty; one out of which there seems no
way of escape, save by the gracious interposition of some superior Power. This remedy
Heaven proffers in the Person of the Lord our
Redeemer.   Thus the   "Seer," inadvertantly
however we suppose, preaches the necessity of
"the Savior."  How strangely,bewildered man
revolves, unconscious, around that Divine Center  while laboring to construct a way of his
own to the heaven of peace; and to avoid the




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.       195
humiliation of a full confession of his guilt and
dependence upon the grace of God for salvation.
But however much he toils, he does not remove
the frailty of his being or the dependence of
his soul upon Divine Favor for spiritual health
and heavenly joy.
The Christian believes that man, when innocent and pure, partook of the fruit of the tree of
Knowledge of good and evil, and in so doing became depraved. So unfolds the "Seer."  For,
as already noticed, he thus teaches: "But when
they had advanced a little farther, and had partaken of a little of the fruit of tree of Knowledge, they began to conceal their true sentiments...    Previously to this, mankind
were in an innocent and pure condition. Thus the
whole race became dejected and depraved..
They represented a being in despair, suffering
as they did the full consequences of their viola.
tions...      nd consequently they became a
degenerate and wretched race."  The Christian
charges this defect upon created beings: but he
upon the Divine, through nature, in man, since
man is a perfection of the Divine Mind. To
whom, then, or to what theory, does his anathema apply?  Not to the christian nor his faith.
For he regards man a creature formed by the Infinite Creator upon whoml he is dependent for all
things; who possesses all Power and Goodness;




196             PANTHEISM.
and who if his children err is merciful to forgive.  If through violation they become depraved his graciousness provides means of redemption. He stretcheth out his hand to save
the rebel, and guards his people with a shepherd's
care. This is the christian's faith. But the socalled philosophy of nature combines the principles of cause, existence and perpetuation in man,
who, according to its teachings, is depraved.
This, then, is the opinion which "is exceedingly
derogatory to the character of the Divine Mind,
and absolutely charges him with a want of foreknowledge and predetermination-is a supposition exceedingly unrighteous and altogether opposedto his (the Divine Mind's) celestial dignity;
and therefore should be discarded and never more
promulgated to the children of men."  Page 483.
Such is Mr. Davis' own verdict -his own
decree.
The next proposition in these " Revelations"
worthy of notice is found in the following language: p. 482: "I am impressed that nothing
has been forfeited as pertaining to the spiritual
nature of man, so as in the least degree to require a supernatural restoration to the position
which man once occupied."
The cause of depravity is charged, in this
Work, upon the human voice. In this passage
direct reference is had to the extent of the effect.




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         197
The two propositions, when jointly considered,
serve to convey the idea that the cause and effect
were merely superficial; that the outer and not
the inner being, is implicated; and, that therefore the spirit will naturally renovate the man.
Hence, with proper time he will, of himself,
arise above the ills of misdirected life. The
former of these propositions (the cause of depravity) has been considered; the latter (the
effect) being one of the principle propositions and
most im)portant, invites criticism.  Connected
with this, and in relation to the entire scheme
are two substantial considerations.
First, Mr. Davis, notwithstanding his former
theses, so states his metaphysical theory of the
human constitution, as to render the spirit the
seat of, and therefore the principle engaged in
man's   depravity; hence responsible for the
ills of life. The Second consideration is this: If
the spirit is depraved, the constitution and position of man in matter of fact and agreeable to
this Theory,' also, are such that his depravity
will endure, unless aided (redeemed) by Life
uncontaminated, and Omnipotent to save.
In illustration of the First of these, the following passages from pp. 608, etc., are introN
duced: "'The all-important truth to be established in the mind is, that the interior essence is the
soul and creator of all external forms, which




198              PANTHEtISM.
forms determine and demonstrate the mode of
such soul's existence. The form  which every
particle of matter assumes, is that created and
determined by the peculiar essence which is latent in the particle itself.... So Sensatio?
is the soul, essence, and creator, of the Animal
World; and in, by, and through this, all the
qualities and essential attributes of its interior
are made manifest to the outer world..
Thus all things are unfolded to the outer world
by the incessant activity of the qualities, attributes, and unchangable tendencies of the internal essence or soul, which is the interior or life
of all external and material existences."  Page
610. "Keeping in mind then, the uniform developments from the inner to the outer world,
a knowledge is received concerning the corresponding development of the animal world. For
as by understanding one particle of matter, with
all its properties, tendencies, and capabilities, a
corresponding knowledge is obtained concerning
the structure of the whole Universe- so by understanding the mode of the existence of Life,
an understanding is at once established concerning the higher degrees and similar modes of existence, as determined by their Soul or essence.
And as by knowing the measurement of one
inch, a rule is obtained by which may be measured the length and breadth of all material ex



A. s. DAVIS REVIEWED.         199
istence-so it is equally plain, that if the existence of Life and Sensation is understood, the
same laws and principles which govern these
will introduce the mind into higher degrees or
planes of corresponding exterior development."
Guided by this rule, if this earth and its depraved inhabitants may occupy the magnitude
of one incji in the scale of universal measurement, then the vast Univercoelum must be in a
deplorable condition.  The system, however, affords no other conclusion.  For by it we learn
that man is the crowning glory of Nature. If so,
according to the state of Man given by Mr. Davis,
little order, harmrony or proper development exists
in the immensurate realm.'The mode," ihe
continues, "by which Motion, Life, and Sensation5 exists as one united essence and Soul in its
relation to the material world, consists only in
the perfect structure of the Ahatan organization.
Then it is not the body, the fbrnm, the material,
that develops and organizes the spiritual pirinciple: for if this were true, thenindeed the human
mind could not sustain its identity as disconnected from the instrument by which it was developed."  By this reasoning, it is seen, that the
mind or sp)irit develops, fashions and controls
the body or outer manifestation. To confirm this
theory, on p. 611, he remarks: "And it is in
the human world that Motion, Life, and sensa



200               -PANTHEISM.
tion, become united and perfected as one living
organized essence -an individualized Sodl, by and
from which every human form is created. Each
individualized human structure also possesses an
organized soul, composed of the subordinate attributes existing in the lower planes of material
forms.  Therefore this essence unfolds and displays its interior qualities in the human form,
which is Man.    Thus the exterior form of man
is the perfect representative of the peculiar constitution and qualities of his spiritual essence or
soul.  In other words, it is an exact correspondent of all the tendencies, attributes, qualities,
and possessions of his interior soul, essence, and,creator.         The interior or inner essence,
in every instance, and -without variation, is the
soul, substance, creator, and cause, of all effects,
which are the forms visible in the outward world.
The external evidence of this consists in the appearances of all external forms; in the relation
which they sustain to one another; in their invariable manifestation and developments, and in
that general relation which they all sustain to the
great structure of the Universe."
By these declarations we are taught; I, That
man externally, is but the outward expression of
his inward spirit; hence improper manifestations
are not of the external man, but are from   the
spirit; moreover, are an exact representation




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         201
of the interior or spiritual being.  Depravity,
then, cannot depend upon the material form or
its deeds, but is the work and exact representation of the living essence or soul. It is, therefore, the spirit which is depraved, and engaged
in the work of vice. Hence, whatever loss or depravity man suffers, the spirit sustains.  And
to restore that loss the heart or socl must be renovated.
II. This teaching makes the spirit or soul-essence, not only the designer, but the cause and
creator of the external. All outward display
is, therefore, according to the pattern of the inward principle. " The interior or inner essence,"
he continues, "in every instance, and without
exception, is the soul, substance, creator and
cause of all effects, which are the forms visible
in the outer world."  The inner principle, according to this, is absolute monarch of the outer
manifestation.  Again, p. 612: "Here, then, is
the sensuous evidence that the human form is a
form  determined by a corresponding essence,
which is man's organized and immortal soul. Not
only in viewing the whole Human World as one
Form is Intelligence discovered as an interior
quality and essence, but in  every individual
structure are all the required qualities to demonstrate an absolute individualization of the
interior creative essence..        Moreover,




202             PANTHEISM.
a single human form is a perfect organization,
representative, and reflection, of all the other
lower compounds in Nature.   And thus man
is a perfect flower, being progressively developed from all the lower parts of the same great
Tree of ceaseless causation."  No one can
mistake the meaning of these passages. We
have been constantly instructed that the body
is a mere vehicle for the use of the spirit;
and if so man is only revealed through these external agencies. Hence the human form is but
the development, or assumed form, and its deeds
but the procedure of the spirit. The following
passage from  p. 74, fully confirms this view:
"And in the process of natural development,
each  particle, substance  and  form, enters
*into the composition of vegetable, animal and
all else existing, by which process the substance
or essential principle becomes individzalized, but
not until Man is made the instrument. And
by such individualization, it becomes the future
and corresponding principle, Spirit-representing, in a second condition, the instrument of its
individualization. And as Matter contains the
essence and properties to produce ian, as a progressive ultimate, so Motion contains the properties to produce Life and Sensation. These together and perfectly organized, develop the
principle of Spirit. This is not a production




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        203
consequent on organization, but it is a result of
a combination of all the elements and properties of which the organization is composed; and
organization serves merely as an instrument to
develop the principle of Spirit. But such principles must have existed eternally-as emanating from the Great Source and Fountain of Intelligence; but it could not be individualized and
made manifest without a vessel like unto man."
The movements or deeds of the body, then, are
only the demonstrations of the spirit. The body
being intended for the individualization and use
of the essences or spirit of nature, acts only as
its agent, through which it is revealed. And
therefore as the body is a representation of the
principles of material nature, so its deeds are
an exact representation of the spirit.  Agreeably, on p. 614, it is written: "Thus the body is
merely a coating, a garment, a sheathing of the
spiritual principles, whereby the latter is enabled
to communicate with all material things within
its plane of existence."  Again, p. 615: "But
the body is subordinate to the spirit, and is dependent for its motion, life, energies, animation,
and even for its existence, upon the immortal
spirit within, whose continuous identity is determined by eternal law, according to which,
matter in all cases stands only as its representative and external development."  And p. 618:




204             PANTHEISM1
"Thus it is that form is the express image of
its interior or first principles of life and being.
And the use of everything is determined by the
specificness of its own interior possessions. 
It is on the same principle that the human form
is an express likeness of the qualities of the interior soul."  The body, therefore, is a mere inachine; a model or representative of the spirit
within.  It depends upon the spirit for life,
energies, motion, etc. If so, the voice, when it
articulated, proceeded in obedience to the spirit
actuating the organs of speech. And as it is a
perfect representative of the soul, it moved strictly in accordance with the impulse given it.
"The forms of thought," says the Seer, p.
619, "are words-these always bring the express likeness of the thought evolved."  The
utterance, which he formerly declared "possessed  not the power of communicating the
real reality of their ideas and affections to each
other, but rather was liable to convey deceptive
impressions;" (p. 330.) and by which means,
"every expression of the mind, which was originally pure and unadulterated, was now" (by
the voice) "clothed in a false sheath," (p. 332)
-even that utterance, he now declares, always
brings the express likeness of the thought evolved:
and is, (was) therefore, precisely what the
spirit designed. Such is the letter and spirit of




A... DAVIS REVIEWED.        205
these statements.  And however adverse his
former theorizing may have been, the tendency
and ultimate of this lengthy metaphysical dissertation declare that if the voice cursed the
brother, or the hand was raised to slay him,
both  proceeded by the will of the interior
prompter-even the spirit that was in man.
The reasoning renders it equally so with every
human action. The spirit or inward being is,
therefore, the cause of all external manifestations,
and hence responsible for the deeds of the body.
How else can it be?  If, then, Man is depraved,
it is his spirit; and if he has suffered loss, it is
the spirit that sustairs that loss. If the loss is
restored, it is restored inz, and to the spirit. In
the following, this sentiment is still more emphatically urged. Page 622: "Love is the first
or rudimental element of the human soul. It is
that liquid, mingling, delicate, inexpressible element which is felt in the depths of every human
spirit, because it is its germinal essence."  In
this statement love is made the deepest'and
most vital principle of the being. Again: Love
perceives and conceives that which is congenial
to its affections.  The end to be obtained is the
cause of Love's prompting the Will to act upon
the body in order to accomplish it. In other
words, Wiil is employed as a means by Love to
attain the end for which it has an affection. Will




206              PANTHEISM.
in all cases is subject to the promptings of the
element of Love, and its acts therefore originate in the suggestion thence derived. WVill is
the faculty employed to move the body in the
performance of any external work, for the accomplishment of which the Love has conceived
an affection."  Such is the "Seer's" exposition
of Love, which he denominates the essence of
the soul; the prompter of the Will and thence
the body, in pursuit of any object of the affections. Love, then, is the prime mover, and indicates the character of mankind. Therefore, according to the nature of love is that of the deeds
and lives of men. Upon the character of this
principle of the human soul, he remarks, p. 623,
"Love being the first element or the essence of
the soul, is accordingly imperfect, unguided, and,
like the lower forms in Nature, is developed angularly." Here is the seat of depravity, according
to Mr. Davis' own theorizing. Let it be remembered that it is Love, the Will and body prompter: love, the "liquid, mingling, delicate and
inexpressible element," he renders thus defective and "the parent of eccentricity, impulse,
fantasy, imagination, and inflated conception of
all things invisible, intangible, and unreal."
The cause, then, of human woe is deep in the
soul.  For if, as he affirms, love prevails with
man, it must infuse its spirit throughout, and




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         207
determine the external manifestations of the being.  From  this faculty, therefore, must issue
those fountains which reveal themselves in man's
misguided life. Hence, whatever may have been
the original cause, it is this element within the
soul which is depraved.   However, lest the
friends of the Work should decline from this
conclusion, in connection with the above extracts,
we again introduce the following passage from
p. 328: "And it is now evident that man is created from the dust of the earth, and that he is the
receptacle of one of the spontaneous breathings
of the Great Positive Mind. This renders him a
perfect form-a useful agent-a living soul."
At the period when man was a perfect form and
the receptacle of one of the breathings of the Great
Positive Mind, which breathing constituted him a
living, intellectual soul; at that period, being perfect, he was not imperfect, the creature of fantasy,
and of inflated conceptions of all things unreal.
If so, the term "perfection," has no meaning, and
the manifestation was a sad comment upon the
character of the Great Positive Mind, and more
especially, since man was, according to Mr. Davis,
a perfection thereof. Either man was created
imperfect, and vitiated, (and that annihilates
this system of perfect nature's perfect unfolding,)
or the most vital principle of his soul has szffered loss by perversion. The latter the Work ful



208             PANTHEISMi
ly maintains: also, that the love element partakes primarily, of that defect. The humanl
spirit in this case, is the direct subject of depravity-is implicated in, and responsible for
man's viciousness. Hence it is again proved
that human misdirection did not originate in,
and by reason of physiological development,
(viz., the voice,) or by outward deeds; but by
reason of some counteracting influence, directly
affecting the heart: and outward manifestations
are only reflections of inward character. And
this, also, reveals the vital conflict ever existing
between the fundamental principles of this
scheme. In the following language, p. 625, the
"Seer's" thesis that Love controls man is clearly and unmistakably expressed: "From the faculty of Love as a basis of the soul, flows the faculty of Will,... Love prompts the Will to
act upon the body;.. Will is employed as
a means by Love to attain the end for which it
has an affection;.. Will in all cases is
subject to the promptings of Love."  Upon love
then, rests the responsibility of moral agency.
Thence its nature determines the moral quality
and state of man.
This sentiment of these statements, and that
of others in the WVork upon the condition and
tendencies of the soul, are directly opposed to its
original premise and intention; condemn the lead



A.. J DAVIS REVIEWED.       209
ing principles and first reasoning, thence the
IHarmonial philosophy; and also confirm the
Scriptures. They make man a depraved and
wretched being, subject to sin, and the consequences of violated law; enthrall his spirit and
reduce him to moral degradation of a most malignant character: and the cause, according to
the reasoning, exists in the love-nature of the
soul. What orthodox urges more? And why
should Mr. Davis, and the friends of his Harmonialism, oppose as they do the teachings of
the Inspired Word upon this subject?
At length, after having taught depravity, an
effort is made to avoid the doctrine of Redemption through the Savior, by simply stating that
"Wisdom is the perfection of Love, and the faculty that analyzes, calculates and imperatively
commands obedience from all the subordinate
passions of Will and Love."  Page 622.
When we speak of perfection, we embrace in
our mind the extension of first principles to their
highest attainment. And it is a law of nature
that what is begotten derives its leading character from that which gave it birth. From the
acorn arises the oak, and not the palm: nor is
the citron a fig-bearing tree. The trigress wofld
scarcely give birth to a lamb, or man beget an
ape. If Love is impnerfect and the parent of eccentricity, imnpulse. fantasy, imagination and in



210              PANTtHEISM.
flated conceptions of all things invisible, intangible and unreal, the ultimate perfection of its imperfect nature and paternal qualities might militate against the theory. Perfect eccentricity,
impulse, fantasy and inflated  conceptions of
things  unreal, etc. would savor very much
of perfect Folly, rather than perfect Wisdom.
Excresences may be removed from a body,
but when elements are eradicated or transformed into  opposite  natures, the body is also
changed from the original to another type. If
love is the first element of the soul, it must forever endure as such; and if its germinal nature
is likely to beget the full catalogue of unrealities, and these are the fruit of its innocent state,
will not such inherent tendencies accompany that
faculty throughout every mode of existence?
And as the soul shall enlarge its capacity will
not that element "grow   with its growth and
strengthen with its strength?"  The soul is the
essence, the intelligence of the being, and love
being the first element is a constituent thereof;
and as unreal, or erroneous consequences flow
from it, do they not prove its nature?  Can the
Ethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his
spots?  How then can Wisdom, which is called
the perfection of love, fail to partake of this elenient, and be liable to unwise decisions? the
pursuit of objects of fancy? hence inherit fool



A. J. DAVTIS REVIEWVED.     211
ishness? Even more than this is charged upon
love, the imperfect element of the soul; for it is
said to have embraced objects so much the opposite of the real and good, as to render the heart
void of pure and tender sympathy, and to beget
the spirit of, vice, tyranny, revenge, and murder.
Love, innocent, and pure, gave place to hate,
and those who had dwelt together in harmony,
peace and happiness, began to contend, and finally
became disorganized and entirely wretched. Page
332.  This principle is represented as having so far gained the ascendency as to have
usurped the throne of reason, and by vile dictation ruled man as with a rod of iron. Fantasy
bade, and he wildly pursued every imaginable
false light; chased the phantom, engaged in
manifold vices, and went forth multiplying human sorrow, and stained the earth with the blood
of his brother, and thus made the land desolate
by reason of carnage and death. Hence he became reckless, unmerciful and cruel. To these
conclusions, man's history and present state bear
mournful testimony.
In accounting for this condition the "Seer"
most fatally involves the soul by rendering man,
whom he denominates a perfection of the Divine
M{ind, constitutionally imperfect. Even his lovenature, which was formed under the advantages
of the attributes, progression and ultimate at



212             PANTHEISM.
tainments of the Great First Cause, or principles of the original Vortex, he declares the author of fantasy, etc.  If so, and man is the
crown and glory of Nature and her works, how
can he ever eradicate the imperfect element
from his soul, and still retain his entity?  Nay
verily, if the imperfect element has prevailed
over the being and impelled him into the vortex
of vice and folly, and if the christian's theory
of God and nature is unfounded, no hope exists
for man. If man must depend for salvation
upon his inherent principles, and if wisdom and
goodness bowed to the baser propensions in its
incipiency, now that it is monarch of the soul,
(for thus it is rendered, p. 332, etc. ) the destiny
of the spirit is sealed forever; and the Race may
despair of heaven and happiness.  This is the
inevitable, the only conclusion; for the premises
and reasoning afford no other, when the strong
points are justly arranged and compared.
Conditions may be varied when they are not
the legitimate consequences of elementary principles. But until nature shall change her laws,
and the order of her manifestations; and reconstruct her stupendous Temple, elements must
retain their constitutional properties, and also
their mode of being while the organisms they
compose mantain their original type. And if
love is the first element of the soul, and it be



A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED,        213
gets vagiaries, which leading to every imaginable evil, commit  the being and overcome it, the
soul shall be liable to like results so long as the
principle dwells therein. And until man shall
cease to be, the components of his constitution
shall endure." The properties composing the
hippopotamus and controlled by the same laws
could not assume the human form; neither could
man become that pachydermatus mammal. And
since nature has revealed her weakness in
her most vital part, and lost hpr equilibrium,
and dominion in the most important realm of
her kingdom; and since man is the especial display of her shortcomings, he has no hope unless
a God of more might than that of this Pantheistic Theory appears to save.
Lest some superficial reader should confound
this system  with the doctrine ofl depravity
taught in the Inspired Word, it may be well to
observe, that the Scriptures charge the perversion of Afan's inclinations upon the violation of
law.  They deny that an original evil-inclined
element existed in his nature when from the
hands of'his Creator which finally subdued the
nobler qualities of the soul; but they do declare
that by reason of transgression the soul lost its
innocence and thence its power to control the
being in the way of life; and that the weakness thus induced rendered man the subject of




214             PANTHEISM.
evil —of death. The Scriptures also teach that
in order to reinstate the spirit's pure and heavenly inclinations, it requires Divine Aid; and
that the Grace of God alone can change the
heart, convert and save the soul from death.
The Harmonial or Pantheistic Theory, on the
contrary as already shown, allows an original
and imperfect element to prevail-hence teaches
that depravity arises from constitutional inclination, and that man's redemption depends upon
inherent ability.
Again, on p. 623, we find the following contrary statement relative to the constitution of the
soul: "Love is the element that conceives of all
loveliness, of gentleness, of sweetness, of fragrance, and of beauty, in all their various modes
of exterior manifestation."  These qualities are
the direct antipodes of the former named abilities and tendencies of Love.  We are not, however, now inclined to contend with the "Seer"
for having awarded to the soul these opposite elements and this complexity; and will only observe, that perfect Nature in her most perfect
work has presented us with a peculiar compound
in demonstration of the infinity of her Divinze
HaIc rrn oy!
Allowing these two elements to constitute the
Love of the soul, it then follows as an unfailing
sequence, that their perfection in what he de



A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         215
nominates Wisdom    would   render  that of
like nature, since it must harmonize with the
embodiment whence it arose. Therefore Wisdom must favor both extremes. And if it controls Love and Will, it is as likely to command
their obedience to a fantasy as to a reality.
Nothing is gained therefore, by this especial effort to introduce Wisdom as the savior of perverted man; but the difficulty is evidently increased.
Should the "Seer" maintain that the better
qualities shall overcome the imperfect and evil inclinations, and prevailing exalt him supremely
above all ill, we reply that this i-may do (?) for
theory, but that to demonstrate by the cultivation
of human propensions has ever baffled the skill
and powers of his class of philosophers. Earth
is wanting in a single instance where their theory
has been verified by such flattering results.
This, however, is the soul-thesis of the system.
But the very many statements and arguments in
favor of mani's vileness and absolute misery by
reason of perversion, completely deprives it
of life, and mutilates the form.  As silently,
howsever, as this clause ( "Wisdom commands
obedience frol Will and Love,") may have been
introduced with the other passages, it is evidently intended as a key to Harnonial redemption, It may bear the test and withstand the




216              PANTHEISM.
severest criticism; and it may, in other respects
than that just considered, be found wanting in
its capacity to meet the demands of the system.
Love is a living fountain. It flows spontaneousTy from the soul, and is capable of sudden development. From a genial and heavenly grace,
it may be unfolded almost instanter into might
sufficient to move the being whither it will. But
Wisdom never.   The Soul possesses those principles which from germs may be cultivated into
the dignity of Sages. This however, invariably
requires time and a faithful application of extrinsic means. However it is rarely that wisdom is chief with man.  Who does not know
that love is the strongest passion of the soul?
In life it manifests its superiority, and in death
it is the last to relinquish its hold upon the objects of its affections. Wisdom adjusts the affairs of life, counsels the friend and gently retires: while love contends with the destroyer to
the latest moment, moves the convulsing hand
in token of the last farewell; compresses the
cold and dying lips at the touch of those of its
dearest friends; and struggles to say adieu; and
finally looks out from the glassy eye-ball until
the mortal vision fails and closes from  its view
the loved ones lingering around the dying couch.
This is the power of love.
The savage spurns the counsels of wisdom




A. J. DAVIS IKEVIEWED.      217
and hastens his steps in the ways of cruelty and
revenge. But by the power of love he is subdued, and becomes as docile as the lamb. Love
is a living liking of the soul: an outflowing of
desire. It animates, quickens, and moves the
being in the pursuit of its object. It is not mechanical or artistic. It gushes forth like a foun.
tain issuing from  some compressed siphon.
But Wisdom is cold sense. It is mechanical.
It is not life, but the vehicle thereof, by which
the living principle seeks expression: the mere
agent of inward desire. The man of superior
erudition is subject to the passions of his soul.
Illustrations of this fact are abundant. H-ow
frequently men of brightest intellect and highest
attainments fall victims to their passional natures. Go to the Halls of Nations, where Statesmen congregate. See that manly form, that
high and commanding brow. Read the depth
of that intellect which beams forth throulgh that
eye from   the soul within.  Fathom  it, you
can never. Listen while the lips move, to the
profound thoughts expressed. Observe how the
chest expands with the increasing volume of
the-inspiring theme; and how the countenance
glows. You are awed with the sense, and fired
with the zeal.   The blood courses rapidly
through your veins. He tells youl-for he is
the Nation's Counselor —he tells you of the
10




218             PANTHEISM.
perils that o'erhang his country. With masterly skill he pictures before your excited imagination the glory of former conquests; the honor
and dominion of your National Polity.  Hle unfurls the streaming banner, — signet of the Nation's renown, saying: "This Ensign of Liberty
is periled. The Foe nears our coasts; his fleets
cruise our seas. His legions already congregate
upon our shores. And to rescue the Nation, you
must arise, and go forth to battle. You must
force the enemy into the maelstrom of death,
else the country will fall dishonored at the feet
of the proud usurper."  While listening to his
appeal, before you the nation's blood appears
already running like rivers, and standing in
pools o'er the plains. Fathers are agonizing
in their gore, or lying dead upon the battle
fields, while the aggressors ravish their defenceless homes. You are ready, yea, eager to go forth.
A momentary pause ensues, and in breathless
suspense you wait the conclusion of his speech
His eye is upon you. His countenance flushes
with the excitement of his soul.  At length,
from the depth of his being, inspired by the awful grandeur of his subject, and in tones that
move the elements, and make the nerves quiver
through your system, he thunders forth. "To
arnms!  and lo, at his bidding a Nation arises,
marches to the field of battle, and engages in




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        219
the dread conflict.  Her belching cannon echo
along the Continent their booming thunders;
and earth trembles at the din of war.
This is the display of human wisdom. Its
power, how great. But mark that mighty man,
as he retires from the magnificent Hall, having
closed that speech which moved a Nation to the
field of death. And lo, in yonder banquet behold him. He sips the ruby wine, and whirls
in the giddy dance, until his brain is fired and
his being bows before old Bacchus. At length
he leaves this scene of mirth for one of lowest
infamy, there to render base homage to perverted
love.  Wretched man!    Where now thy wisdom? Hath it not failed to "command and secure the obedience of all the subordinate passions of thy will and love?"  Thou canst control a Parliament or Congress, and thence nations with thy sense, and by thy eloquence wield
them  as thou wilt; but a stronger passion has
thee in its fatal grasp. Thy love, imperfect, fantastic and unreal, holds thee as its slave.
This, reader, is a true comment upon the theory of the soul, as maintained in N. D. R.
Truth, facts and man's forlorn condition unite to
condemn this Harmonial System.
Again, according to the "Seer's" own reasonings, love, the imperfect element of the
soul, overcame wisdom, or the race would not have




220              PANTHEISM.
beep perverted and unwisely employed. Is wisdom depraved? or is it influenced by those faculties which are?
Finally, we proceed to consider more directly
that question which of all others is the most important, viz.: D)oes man's depravity so disqualify hins
as to render supernatural aid necessary to his restoration? -Mr. Davis says he is impressed that it
does not. We are impressed that it does. And
indeed, as we have already and repeatedly shown,
his declarations, as also much of his philosophy,
sustain our impressions.  Nor does it, in view of
such considerations, seem proper to again introduce the subject. But the following statements
touching the question at issue require analysis.
"Many theologians," says Ar. Davis, p. 481,
"have conceived, from observing superficially
other isolated passages in the Bible, that Jesus
was a being expressly destined and created for
the purpose of redeeming the race from a fallen
and degenerate condition. Others have supposed that he came merely to establish a connection between the spiritual nature of man and
the Divine Mind, and thus to serve as a medium
through which spirits from the rudimental sphere
might approach the presence of Him who made
from  internal Essence the Universe. Others
have supposed that he was a material organization capable of receiving the Divine Mind itself,




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        221
and that as such he came to reconcile and elevate the spiritual nature of man to a degree
whereby perpetual communion with holiness and
righteousness might be established. The first
opinion is in a measure true; he was a destined
mediumn and agent to unfold a higher degree of
perfection than had been before possessed by
man; but, for this purpose, he was created, as
all the human family are created, by the workings of the laws and elements of Nature. But
the supposition that lie came to redeem the
world of mankind from  a fallen condition is exceedingly contrary, both to the laws of Nature
and the teachings of the Primitive History, and
is derogatory to the unspeakable perfection of
that Essence which has breathed life and animation throughout space.  "By the word redemption, the mind is instantly led to the idea
of something lost or forfeited. I am impressed
that nothing has been forfeited as pertaining
to the spiritual nature of man, so as in the least
degree to require a supernatural restoration to
a position which man once occupied."
It will be noticed that Mr. Davis in approaching the denial of any necessity for the Savior,
proceeds to class the Lord Jesus with other
members of the human race, and places him upon
the scale of natural creation. That is, he makes
him the prodact of the elements of this earth, say



222              PANTHEISM.
ing: "'He was created as all the human family
are created, by the workings of the laws and elements of Nature."  He furthermore states that,
"the supposition that he came to redeem the
world of mankind from a fallen condition is contrary both to the laws of Nature and the teachings of the Primitive history."  Thus he 1, denies that Christ was Divine above men, and 2,
declares that the idea of his supernatural Divinity is not derived from the Primitive history.
The latter is unworthy of a reply, and a consideration of the former is hardly called for in the
review of a Work so replete with error as to
consume itself; a Work made of tangles, and as
multi-faced as the notions of men.
We shall bestow a few, and but a few, thoughts
upon the last sentence in the passage quoted, because upon its truth and bearing depends his opposition to the Savior. And this depends, ill
like manner with his principal thesis, upon that
all important phrase - "I am imnpressed."  Aside
from this, however, there seems a weakness in
the principle involved. It suggests the following important questions: What is lost or forfeited? What constitutes supernatural restoration?
and lastly, Does man's state indicate such beneficent aid?  When a limb is amputated it is lost
to the body.  Severing the ligaments, tendons,
bone, etc. breaks that sympathy which once ex



A. J. DAVIS  EVTIEWED.       223
isted between them  and the body; thus the
means of support are destroyed, and the mutual
uses are sacrificed. The heart is the fountain of
life.  When innocence, purity and perfection
reign in the perfect soul, the fruit, or consequences are harmony, love, peace, joy, and
righteousness. But when these principles are
removed, hate and revenge, etc. take possession of the heart, they result in vice and
wretchedness; and the being is deprived of what
it once possessed. When the "true faculties,
true passions and pure associations of men, were
turned into unzolyy anJd polluted pactts, (p. 335.)
they were not inl those of the holy and pure.
And as purity and holiness are the opposites of
impurity and unholiness, this change must have
been a complete transformation. No man can
serve two opposing masters, or   proceed   in
opposite directions at the same time. A  sick
man has lost his health, and the insane his
sanity. If the vessel containing life's elixir be
emptied of its contents and filled with deadly
poison, there is more than a loss of the life-giving
principle sustained; for it is not only deprived
of that boon, but is burdened with, polluted and
endangered by the baneful drug. He who receives into his system sufficient of the element
of death to destroy his life, has thereby Jorfeited it.




224              PANT HEISM.
Whoso keeps the law is just, but whoever violates, removes from himself his innocence. Law
protects the righteous, it is his shield and strong
defence, his tower and hope in trouble; but he
who violates its precepts, or infringes upon its
claims, forfeits that protection which the law affords.  Yea more, brings himself into contact
with its power, and suffers the tortures of its
iron grasp. "Sin revived and I died," said the
Apostle.  "And the commandment, which was
ordained unto life, I found to be ur to death. For
sin, taking occasion by the commandment deceived me, and by it slew me. Wherefore, the
law is holy, and the commandment is holy and
just, and good."  Rom., 7, 9-12. If the body
or mind be weakened or maimed by excess or
the violation of laws and faculties, it may recover, apparently, its original tone, but according to the theory of progression, it has Iost, if
no more, the advantages of time and space misimproved, nor can that loss be restored to all
eternity. Hence the disabled or depraved has
fallen rearward of his fellow of equal capacity,
a degree proportionate to his aberration, and
without unequal benefits that disparity will everlastingly exist. The fallen brother again progressing, may sigh for reunion with the advance
group, but when endless ages have fled the distance still remains.  Here is loss and forfeiture.




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        225
and this is upon the supposition that having deviated, by self atility, the equilibrium can be regained: but if this cannot be, the loss who can
compute?
The offender may be pardoned, but not fully
restored to his primitive state.  He may be
made free, but his condition is not equal to those
who never erred.   He is not justified by virtue of his loyalty, but through mercy. If man,
once innocent and pure, by transgression became
impure, he first became unjust, since moral purity has reference to equity. This his deeds establish. He then is amenable to that law whose
principles he contravened in himself, and thence
whose cause he opposed. In a literal sense he
became a rebel to the Divine government, and
therein forfeited his harmonious inheritancehis original condition. When Cain slew Abel,
the meek, he forfeited his primitive relation to
law;. and also his fraternity with his brother
whom he had sacrificed upon the altar of revenge.
Hle who steals from his neighbor, or commits
murder, is not, nor ever can be what he was previously. If he shall be restored to a justified
state, he is not literally reinstated. That is, his
righteousness is not by reason of original purity
and unerring obedience, but because of compassion and forgiveness on the part of the offended;




226              PANTHEISM.
and repentance and a return to the way of righteousness on the part of the offender.
Unrighteous deeds violate law, or no law exists. To charge the perversion, iniquity and unhappiness of man simply upon the imperfect development of the faculties, and to claim that innocence and justification is not forfeited, is an invasion upon good sense. The man who by excess induces opthalmia, and who is thereby made
blind, by the breach of physical condition forfeits his external vision. And to restore the lost
eye, would require supernatural means, or rather, means more capable than the infringed organism possesses. If by violation man's moral nature becomes so benumbed that he does not sense
the right and therefore pursue it; (and it is so if
he is really depraved) or if his spiritual vision be so lost that he does not discern the truth,
but spiritual things are to him as trees walking;
to restore that moral nature will require means
in character superior to those native powers
which fell a victim to the aggressor. A power
that could thus restore, is what christianity regards as supernatural. That is, a power not inherent and available by virtue of constitutional
abilities; but that which is bestowed from the
absolutely superior and independent upon the inferior and dependent.  Christianity maintains
that man is so disqualified by reason of trans



A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        227
gression that he cannot be restored to personal
harmony and concord with H-IeavQn without divine Favor. This is denominated supernatural:
1, Because it is from  Life and Ability, unperverted, unfallen and infinite. 2, Because it is
Divine Beneficence from  the Supreme Spirit.
When, therefore, Mr. Davis combats the christian, whose religious philosophy he seeks to rebut, by saying: "I am impressed that nothing
has been forfeited, as pertaining to the spiritual
nature of man so as in the least degree to require supernatural restoration,"-when he thus
seeks to overcome the christian, he should be
conversant with what the believer in Iivine Inspiration considers supernatural, and also remember that the Biblicist is not bound down to
his Pantheistic notions of God and Nature, but
looks far above material manifestations for the
throne of the Divine Being. However, viewing as
he does, man to be a congregation of the refined
elements of the First Ocean of Fire, he may well
say, as recorded p. 508: "It. is perfectly clear
that nothing is, and nothing can be, but the Divrine Mind, which is the Cause, and the Universe,
which is the Effect."  (The Vortex of original
and co-eternally existent Matter and Motion.)
"Cause and Effect thus uniting and karmonzii2gq
in one sole System, it follows that whatever occurs in any of the innumerable departments of




2'-28           PANTHEISM.
the Universe must occur because it is caused by
a natural instigation."  It was natural then, for
man to proceed in a manner calculated to make
him  entirely wretched -Nature, even Divine
Nature, instigated-the Divine Mind prompted,
and Man obeyed. But he continues: "Nothing,
therefore, can occur in the vast empire of universal creation opposed to, or transcending the
principles of nature."  Go on, then, 0 man, in thy
evil way. Thou assassin, sink the glittering
poignarc deep in the fallen victim's bleeding
heart. Nature, whose ways are equal and just,
instigates thee. The Divine breathings inspire
thee. Urge the war-horse to battle and strew
the field with your mangled brothers, ye mounted cavalry! the Great First Cause prompts
you according to this Work. Horrible! Heaven forgive the blasphemy! But again: "All
things,-then, whether organized or unorganized,
developed or undeveloped, must be strictly and
unequivocally NATURAL." It may be wisdom for
the author to display his marvelous powers in
condemnning, yea denouncing the honest Biblebeliever for his faith. But which savors most of
sense, a belief that the Supreme Spirit pities his
erring children and offers to save them; or for
this Revelator to charge all the wickedness, all
the crying sins of man, upon the Divine Mlind?
His propositions and reasonings will allow no




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         229
other conclusion. The dreadful thought disturbs
tile soul. And who that reads understandingly,
does not feel like assuming sackcloth and bowing
low in the dust; and weeping tears of blood, in
view of this God-dishonoring charge. It is even
mocking Mr. Davis' Nature-God; that which
consists in the eternal lMotion of Liquid Fire.
And was there sufficient consequence in the
matter of these revelations to arouse her, Nature herself would murmur, because of these irreverent accusations. Yet the land moves with
advocates of this pretended philosophy, those
who are making much ado albout the foolishness
of the Christian Faith. And the youth are
taught to scorn the Bible and follow this worse
than false light.
In pursuing his theme he continues: "If anything, therefore, transcends Nature, or the natural movements of the Universe, it must be an
effect of absolute nothing. The term sitpernatu,
ral, then, indicating something above Nature, is
a solecism; and nothing is more distinct than
the untruth of the theological proposition, that
Miracles were accomplished by    stuernatural
power: for that is clearly teaching that they
originated fronm notAing, and consequently never
existed."  This is a tedious method of avoiding
the Divinity of Jesus Christ, and the acknowledgement of his Mission to the World. To ac



230              PANTHEISM.
complish this, although he evidently does not intend it, and notwithstanding he and his friends
may affirm to the contrary, he denies the existence of the Supreme Being. In the paragraph
above quoted, we have the following statement:
"It is perfectly clear that nothing is, and nothing
can be, but the Divine Mind, which is the Cause,
and the Universe which is the Effect." In this
sentence there is a distinction made between
Cause and Effect; and the only idea conveyed
is, that the Cause first existed and then the Effect; that the Cause having had Being before the
Effect, was not connected with it in its mode of
existence; and that the Effect came by, and is,
therefore, dependent upon the Cause for perpetuation. (In this sense they may unite and harmonize.) Such is the true meaning of the passage, or language is useless. The Cause, then,
in its relation to the Effect, is the superior. In
this the "Seer" is evidently correct, for, as the
Cause must have existed prior to the Effect, it
mqust, also, excel it. Therefore, the Divine Mind
which he declares to be the Cause of the Universe, did pre-occupy a superior Realm, and had
character above that of the Universe, which it
caused-created.   In the same paragraph ho
also remarks, as already noticed: "If any thing,
therefore, transcends the natural movements of
the Universe it must be an effect of absolute




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        231
nothing. The term szpernatural, then, indicating
something above Nature, is a solecism."  Matter,
Form, Motion, and Life, constitute lNature,
Nature is the Universe, and the Universe is the
Effect of the Cause, and the Cause is the Divine
Mind.   The Cause or Divine Mind, therefore,
must be supernatural-that is, above nature.
And hence the Universe, according to his own
propositions and reasoning, must be the Effect of
an "absolute nothing."  "It is indeed remarkable," he still observes, "that any system of religion could have been so effectually established by
manifestations in evidence of its truth, caused
by an Omnipotent NOTHING."    It is indeed remar/cable, we observe, that one so illumined as Mr.
Davis, in opposing the Christian Religion, should
become so zealous as'to forget the interest of his
own system —a system to establish which he
traveled over nearly a thousand pages; and
above all, to disprove another theory should absolutely prove his "Divine Mind" —" Great
First Cause," an "Omnipotent Nothing!"   To
this opinion we have been mucc inclined, as the
reader will have already observed; and now to
strengthen our belief, we are favored with the
"Seer's" own words, yea his.argument. Who
awoke thee, thou "Seer," from thy dream? Or
hast thou entered a still more giddy realm?
Thy former contradictory statements seem suffi



232             PANTHEISM.
ciently unnatural to be a miracle; (contrary to
nature) but this, if possible excels them  all.
However, in the Work, all positions appear to
be assumed: Nature is reasoned up and down.
Supernaturaiism, human depravity, natural perfection, etc. are proved and disproved. Nor can
sophistry answer for these defects. All, therefore, he may say of Legends, Ancient Mythology, spurious prophets, magi, false creeds, and
vague and dreamy records, is not worthy of analysis. And although he may weave into his sayings many, very many substantial truths, that
cannot make right a wrong, or give soul and life
to a dead system. He acknowledges a condition
so depraved, that redemption from  it would require a Savior endued with almightiness, but rejects the doctrines of the Gospel and denies the
Lord of Life and Glory.
Finally, we conclude with the following, by
which the author intends to overthrow the doctrine of Redemption.   "The first of these," p.
501, "is the opinion concerning the use and intention of the birth and teachings of CHRIST. It
has been supposed that he was a designed instrument, possessing in spirit the Divine qualities of the Creator, to redeem  the race from a
low degree of physical wretchedness and spiritual death, so that they might thus be restored to
a position they once occupied, and become sub



A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         233
jects of the favor and goodness of the Divine
Mind."   Christians believe that men were the
subjects of Divine Favor, if not, that favor could
not have been bestowed; and by reason of merciful interposition the humble recipient is restored to a state of justification. In this, therefore, he so misrepresents as to present the doctrine in an opposite aspect to its true nature.
He would represent the christian as believing
man not the subject of heavenly favor and goodness until after the Incarnation. But the Savior
said: "God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
him, should not perish    but have   everlasting life."  John, 3: 16.   And   in  Romn. 5,
8-10, it is also written: "But God commendeth
his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us."  These passages
disprove the above statement, and reveal God's
love for man, while an alien.
"This speculation," he continues, "is founded
upon the assumption that man at one time was
pure and unsophisticated, and far more advanced
in physical and intellectual attainment, than at
the present period.   It is plain that this is
founded upon a very equivocal and unwarran.table basis, because it is strictly mythological-an
opinion that arose from  the early conceptions
of original evil. It is entirely imaginary, and




234             PANTHEISM.
was handed clown through each succeeding generation, undergoing successive modifications, until it was historically introduced into the Old
Testament, from which it has been extensively
disseminated by theologians."  Having himself
enforced the doctrine of depravity, does he not
in this confess Uis dependence upon the Bible
and theologians for his knowledge?  Or does he,
free from that influence, claim to have discovered tliat trzuth in the condition of things. Either
his theory is mythological, or the doctrine of depravity is a truth. However, although his statements may be thus dependent, Bible teachings
do not depend upon his assertion or visionary
reasoning. In continuation, he says: " Moreover,
the belief in such a defect in the human racein such an absolute retrogression-is a virtual
denial of the superior harmony of Creation, and
of the perfection and universal knowledge of the
Divine Cause; and the Deity is thereby charged
with a wanLt of Wisdo - with an incompetency
to produce an Effect (which is the Universe)
correspondilng to himself who is the Cause."
How such a system or catalogue of sayings can
adhere, and above all, secure multitudes to worship
before it, would be a mystery but for the fact that
man is depraved. But he thus concludes: "From
this, it is made unequivocally evident that this
speculation concerning the design of Christ's ad



A. J..DAVIS IEVIEWED.         235
vent is only attributable to the fertile imlaginations of those who confined their spiritual and
natural observations to the superficial inconsistencies consequent on human existence."  When
the heart is the seat of envy, pride, and malice,
it is not exceedingly superficial; and when Cain
murdered Abel it could not have bordered upon
the superficial. WVhen the vicious, tyrannical and
blood-thirsty nation subdued and dispersed the
meek and innocent, it must have been more than
superficial.  "Thus," p. 334,'"the two nations
warred together. Devastation was the result:
but soon the terrific combat was ended; and Cain,
the overpowering nation, usurped the wide dominion of the whole earth!"  NVas this superficiality?  If so, what would constitute reality?
"Again," says the "Seer," p. 502, "it is supposed that Jesus came to inform the race of principles never before taught, by and from which
mankind might be restored to primitive innocence and spiritual perfection."  Here is another
defect in his statements, for although Jesus appeared the very embodiment of heavenly Wisdom, it is not claimed that educating the mind
alone will save the soul, but it is taught that his
Mfission was to influence man's cold, perverted
and dormant heart with divine love; to quicken
the soul into life, and beget within it desires for
the holy and good, thereby removing the spirit




236              PANTHIEISfM.
of wickedness, even that which M~r. Davis affiirms
possesses the heart or internal man. Said Jesus
to Nicodemus, John 3: 7-8: "MIarvel not that
I said unto thee ye must be born again."  (Born
from  above.)  "The Wind bloweth where it
listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but
canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it
goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."
And Rom. 10: 10, it is written: "With the
heart man believeth unto righteousness."  This
is the language of the Scriptures upon this subject. Shall the Bible speak for itself, or shall
we accept the " Seer's " misstatement as the true
faith of the Christian?  The doctrine of salvation through Jesus does not therefore depend
upon simple intellectual culture, as tlie means of
redemption-as the sozl's Savior, but its Wisdom
counsels, and Divine Life   by renovating the
heart or inclinations, secures the devotion of
love, and the obedience of will. "Again," says
Ir. Davis, p. 502, "it is supposed that he came
to act as a rmediator between the Divine  find
and his children.  Thlat is, to be a creator of a
mutual affinity, such as muight join together the
universal creations and their Creator!" (This
the Bible never indicated, its teachings having
reference only to the human family, a very minute part of the universal creations. Does the
"Seer" intend to misrepresent?) "to form    a




A. J. DAVIS nEVTIEWED.        237
connection between Cause anid Effect so that a
relatlion miligt exist betw-een them whicha never
existed."  (This is too glaring to merit a reply.)
"if he was designed as a mediator, then he was
entirely incapable of performing the office for
which he was set apart.  For how is it possible
for a medium to be added to any already-ttnied
system, the relations of which are the relations
of Cause and efect?  This proposition is also
superficially founded; and its tendency is to destroy in the mind the order and uniformity of
the vast creations of the Universe, ALL of which
sprang  spontaneously from   an inconceivable
FVO.TEX by the impulse of one ETERNAL CAUSE."
Tihese statements deny the possibility of the
separation of parts or bodies once united; also
the existence of a mediumship, or of a mediatorial office. The refutation of the first is demonstrated in cemmon wTith physical and spiritual
action. Two bodies which are held together by
attraction, affinity or whatever law may unite
themll, are frequently separated and their img —
ileti-c attraction or centripetal power is either destroyed or so deranged as to be inoperative.
T his, even tle  mlagnet fully proves; also, that
when two bodies or substances become througlh
any meanls so severed as to lose their united
action, by extrinsic agents, they may be placed




238             PANTHEISM.
in proximate relation and again become united.
This needs no illustration.
The "Seer" will not pretend to deny that
minds once affiliated, and bound by the strongest ties may become alienated. If two minds
may be sundered, may not more, and if embodied spirits may sustain antagonistic relations to
each other, may they not also occupy opposite
relations to the sphere of the disembodied?
Surely, if there is any law. If these derangements may exist between effects in the earthly
sphere, and also between the external or mortal,
and the interior or spiritual state, may not a disunited condition, by reason of man's deflection exist between him and his Creator?  Or, in other
words: if by the violation of law disunity may
be effected between man and man, may not the
harmony existing between him    and superior
lavs be also affected?  And if man violates that
law which controls his spiritual and moral harmony, will not that iolation affect his relation
to the Divine and cause the separation of his
soul from the principle and elnjoyment of heavenly peace?  To these interrogations there is
but one truthful answer.  Discord is rife with
mIan, and he evinces a want of concord with
heavenly or divine spheres. The great procosi
tion, therefore, which the "Seer" states, without
proof, and by which he tests the Main Doctrine




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         239
of Christianity, is unfounded.  The supposition
that a medium or mediator according to the nature of things could not exist, is equally untrue.
For in social life the law of mediation is prominent, and every mind is more or less a mediator.
Individual and national discord is not unfrequently adjustedc by mediatorial aid: and the
mediator, to prevail, must be in sympathy and
possess the confidence of the dissevered parties.
Moreover, his capacity must accord with the nature of the undertaking, and be adequate to the
office he is to fill. By such means prodigals are
restored to the bliss of home and the full possession of parental love and favor. Rebel provinces
are also redeemed from hostility and consequent
ruin, and blessed with the protection of those
governmental laws, which by their violation had
been a terror. And may not the sinner be
brouglht back to God by means of a suitable M:Aediator?  And by the union of the Divine, or
Spirit of Life with perfect humanity in the person of Jesus, the doctrine of Redemption renders him a suitable AMediiator between God and
mani; between perverted souls and the Supreme
and Infinitely perfect Spirit. And the object of
this Office of Reconciliation is not to create a
union which never existed between the race and
leaven; but to restore that h1;]-airony lost by
reason of perversion. This is a s.imple and un



240             PANTHEISM.
adorned statement of the doctrines of the Inspired Word, upon that inconceivably important
question. And how unlike the Seer's expose.
It is indeed strange that a Work so lofty in its
pretensions, should wander so far from truth.
But, although its profession is to reveal Nature,
it evidently is an intended effort against the
Scriptures; and having that object ever most
prominent, it does not seem to regard so much
the truth in what it assays to reveal, as the destruction of what it has undertaken to overthrow. Thus, and thus only, can we account for
its many unphilosophic declarations; especially
those pertaining to metaphysical and moral sciences.  Truly the entire display reminds us of
one who, although ignorant of the laws of health,
and also those of remedial agents, proffers his
diagnosis and prescriptions to the sick, not knowing whether the treatment will destroy or save
life. To assume the discussion of all the abstruse questions pertaining to physical, spiritual
and moral philosophy, and display so little knowledge of their principles, is but to quack in Science and Religion.
Immediately preceding the paragraph last
quoted, the following bitter denunciation of the
Christian Faith is recorded: "The belief that
Christ was to be a medium, by and thriough
which man might ultimately ascend to higher




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        241
spheres, is a belief which is most unrighteous,
and has a tendency to create hostility, exclusive
sectarianism, and presumptive arrogance.  It
elevates one above another, and tends to establish exclusive privileges."  Had the author of
these epithets been a heathen and never heard
the name of Jesus Christ the "Anointed" as
"Savior," we might not wonder so much at his
charge. Or, had he been dealing with christian
imperfections, with the manifestations of spurious professors of the religion of Jesus, there
might be some apology for him. But when expounding the Christian Faith there is not; for he
either should have understood the Principles of
that Faith or not made the attempted expose.
If he had understood the name "Emmanuel,"
"God with us," or been familiar with the great
social Criterion given by Jesus to his disciples:
"Love one another as I have loved you: greater
love hath no man than this, that a man lay down
his life for his friends."  "Whosoever would be
chief among you, let him be your servant."' Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the
earth," etc. Had he been familiar with these
Christian principles he never could have introduced this catalogue of unjust epithets against
the Faith of the Gospel. But rather, would
have reproved the professional world for want
of perfect faith and obedient lives. But he con11




242              PANTHEIISM.
tinues: "It breathes envy, bigotry, and superstition, into the heart of man, into the bosom
of society, and almost causes the human judgment to sanction the same. It is a belief that
depreciates the constitution of Nature, of man,
and of spiritual principles, together with that
CAUSE who breathed them all into being.  It is
indeed a belief unworthy the human affections;
it is too unholy to be entertained even by the uncivilized of earth; it should be banished from
the world forever, because it is destructive to a
proper knowledge of the cause of humn- existence, of the characteristics of man of his spiritual possessions and of his immortal destitiation."
We have finally arrived at the true character
and intent of these remarkable Revelations.
And here the Christian can see what, the larmonial Philosophy and Harmonial Spiritualism
are,andto what they tend. This, christian, is the
light in which the doctrines of the Cross are
viewed by those who are promulgating the sentiments of those " isms." They may declare their
high regard for true christianity, but the spirit
of these ipassages from their "Great Book," is
the spirit of their fiundamental principles. They
detest the Bible alnd its religion.  Their Prophet,
A. J. Davis, amiTrms that the doctrine of Salva
tion through Jesus -the Gospel-    "is too unholy to be entertained by the uncivilized of the




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        243
eartlh, and should be banished from  the world
forever."  This is the head and heart of the
system. It is directly at war with the christian
Faith, and fain would banish it from the world.
And if it would banish the cause, why not the
believer and advocate?  Did the Pope say more
against the heretic?  And having power did he
not put to the torture whoever dared protest
against his creed?  Is the spirit of this denunciation better?  If so, in what does it consist?
Banishment is absolute removal, by whatever
means.   Might not circumstances strengthen
this, and  rather than  didactically  qrye the
banishment of the Christian Faith, decree that it
saall be banished forever from the world. Moreover, if it became necessary, would not circumstances also introduce the Inquisition, Dungeon,
Rack and Faggot, for this object?  These are
grave questions to propound in this day; and
especially with regard to an "ism" that externally presents a visage so bland. But does its
mildness, its complacency, change the spirit that
prompted those epithets -epithets that appear
to emerge from the very heart of the system?
The canine creature when young may be as
harmless as a babe, but in later years, become
most savage. The lion's whelp may sport like a
lamb, but in maturity lle ranges the forest in ferocious majesty, and at his roar the beasts thereof




244             PANTHEISM.
tremble. Apply this to man, and how verified.
He knoweth not himself. He may be republican until the people give him power, then his
spirit may unfold into the proud Emperor. Mahomet, when he retired to the cavern in Mount
HIara, may not have intended the results that
followed. But having first converted his wife,
Rhadijah, and his most intimate friends, he proceeded until he drew the sword and forced allegiance. A religion of the perverted heart unsheaths the sword; and the elements of this system are such as to render coercion more than
probable. In its present form it originated in,
and by the law of magnetism, Mesmerism or
Psychology-wears a smile externally most
captivating, but its main power is will. It holds
the victim with a hand of iron, and when once
in possession moves at will the subject. It is superficially a law of affinity, but fundamentally that
of irrevocable decree. The history informs us
that Dr. Lyon mesmerized the author of these Revelations; and while under that influence he delivered his lectures, and Rev. Mr. Fishbough recorded them. The primary law, then, was magnetism. That is, Mr. Lyon, by certain lawsof
mind induced the young man into a condition
not natural to himself. - Was not that state one
of necessity? Mr. Davis, therefore delivered
his lectures under the most stern necessity.




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        245
Thence he declared, as above, the christian's
faith unworthy of the world.  Reduce one half
of mankind to a like condition,, and then let the
inspiring cause determine the banishment of the
christian religion with its subjects from the world,
and would they not arise to execute the decree?
Those familiar with this Science can readily determine in their minds the consequences. The
nature and tendency of this power is such as to
inspire dread in those of exceedingly nervous
sensibility who understand it.
It is also understood that'having been moulded by this law, the magnetizee subsequently became the subject of the element and current
idea, and often without the aid of a magnetizer
passes into what is termed a self-induced state.
Such is long since said to have been the case
with Mr. Davis. In this, the probabilities of ultimate force are enhanced, for then the prevailing idea will control the passions of the affinitized mass, who thence will move like the headless and unconquerable tide. Obedient, then, to
the law which begat N. D. R., if that anti-christian spirit shall obtain to a sufficient degree, no
mercy will be shown, but the object of its intention must abide whatever consequences it
inspires.
Let not the unobserving call these reflections
"dreamy," and lulled by the friends of the cause,




246              PANTHEISM.
deem us wild in our conclusions, for as sure as
seed sown in fertile soil ripens into a luxiursiant
harvest of its kind, even so the spirit which inspired that bold denunciation, and the law that
ultimated it, unless checked in its growth, will
thus culminate.  Should it he claimed that wisdom controlled this law, we reply that the same
is also claimed for the dictations under consideration. And this renders the consequences still
more sure and fatal. But as the subject will be
discussed at length in our " Review of Spiritualism," we will not further pursue it in this
relation.
Let those who are disinclined to favor this
conclusion, read and carefully observe the spirit
of the following, with which we shall close this
review; and then enquire if when reason failed,
the prompting genius might not deem it important to the good of man for the exercise of force
to relieve the world of the dreadful bane?
"Again," (p. 504.) "it is supposed that Christ
was designed as a medium by and through whom
man might escape eternal condemnation. This
is indeed an opinion not transcending the theology of the early inhabitants. It originated in
darkness-it developed darkness-and is itself
so exceedingly dark, that it cannot approach the
serene and brilliant light that surrounds the
throne of an enlightened reason. Men have been




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        247
led to believe in the existence.of an ocean of
unceasing flamle, where one wave of fire succeeds
another, sustained by the fuel of discarded and
damned human spirits, whose sufferings would
add to the glory and majesty of the Divine
dind, who, with all complacency, receives the
perfumne thereof as the fragrance fromz an open
flower! By him this burning abyss is thought
to have been created; and that from him  also
proceeded the fiery darts aimed by the omnipotent vengeance, of dark and terrible damnation.
Indeed it is supposed that he is the great 1;ire
Kin.dler, and that he fans the flames by his own
breath, and consumes innumerable spirits of his
own creation in the bosom of that terrible gulf,
that he so divinely and so properly  originated."
According to poetic license the bard may sometimes build without foundation, make airy flights
without wings, and ride along the etherial regions without conveyance, and hence we suppose
the "Seer's" song is admissible, especially since
he indulges so freely in his eloquence; and more
particularly since he began with a song of Fire,
of flaming Vortices, of Lava Oceans; and in
One of immense heat and magnitude discovered
his great Positive Mind, and the soul of the races
of intellectual beings: and finally, since he develops in one grand ultimatum all men whence
they originated-the great Beginning, a burning:




248             PANTHEISM.
abyss, a molten Vortex, by whose ceaseless evolutions one wave succeeds to another to all eternity. We repeat; this being his favorite theme
we must tolerate his eloquent strain. And now
we will leave him in the midst of his fire-songback again, where he first began.
REFLECTIONS.
From the peculiar character of this Work, it
will be natural to enquire, what the real state
was that Mr. Davis occupied, what caused that
condition; and also, what principles were engaged in the inspiration of his lectures. As an
introduction to our suggestions, the reader is referred to the prefatory remarks on pp. 43-4, A.
P. In addition, we observe, that according to
the laws governing the mesmeric state, the subject is not the author, and therefore not responsible for what lie may say or do. He must,
however possess an organism adapted to the development or reflection of whatever is produced.
Farther than this, his being has no part in the phenomena, he is only a passive agent for the work.
Dr. Lyon, Rev. Mr. Fishbough, and others immediately associated with the magnetizee, were the
authors of N. D. R., rather than Mr. Davis. It
is hardly necessary to appeal to the science or
its demonstrations to confirm this position. Every Magnetizer, and Psychologist, by each trial




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        249
or exhibition supports this idea. Indeed, otherwise, there would be no such science. By the laws
of mesmerism or psychology realities may be
rendered as fictitious or as substantial. A phantom may be made to appear as most divine.
All is the same to the subject. He speaks and
does what the circumstances inspire or the position mentally controlling him prompts. While
in the magnificent and illumined Hall he may be
made to believe himself in some subterraneous
vault tormented by fiery demons. He may seem
to gather ripe clusters of fruit from trees of Paradise, which he imagines stand in luxuriant
growth around him. He can ride Pegasus to
the remotest star, or paddle his canoe in the raging sea. The dunce may be made to suppose
himself Demosthenes, or Galileo; Caesar, Bonaparte, Washington or a blooming sylph. The
man of sense can be made to imitate the
booby, or believe himself a monarch and issuing
his murderous edict; an humble peasant or a
doomed inhabitant of lost worlds; or even in the
presence of the great I AM. And all this can
be produced by one controlling mind. The subject then, is, by the nature of his condition,
compelled to speak what the circumstances inspire, hence what he cannot avoid. All being a
work of necessity induces in him a sense of right,
and especially so since he cannot conceive of pow



250             PANTHEISM.
er to move in an opposite direction.  To him
the influence of his sphere is Omnipotent.  It
encompasses and pervades his being, and therefore he feels its immensity. The force of mind
operating with him overcomes him, and the influx upon his sensitive soul is so overwhelming
that he supposes himself the recipient of divine
breathings. His spirit is quickened, his perceptions become exceedingly active, and he fancies
himself sipping at the fountain of Wisdom.
Such was evidently the case with Mr. Davis
when in his superior condition. The united
minds about him encompassed him, and he existed beneath it as beneath a divine pavilion. Jts
compass transcended the capacity of his intellect,
hence he deemed himself in an exalted sphere of
intellectual immensity, whose movement appeared as the ceaseless breath of infinite thought. He
roamed beneath a magnificent dome of inconceivable magnitude. The currents of mentalized nervaura converging upon him caused him to believe
himself in the immediate sphere of the Divine, the presence of the Unknown. The magnetizer and his group, ignorant of the real state
of the subject, and awed by the novelty of the
scene, imagined the sleeper in the presence of
new and more exalted modes of existence, and become impatient for the revelations. This desire
changed the form of Mr. Davis' sphere, and he be.




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        251
came impressed that he must bestow upon man
some of his divine conceptions. Obedient, therefore he began. His novel condition, induced a
somewhat novel mode of expression. Thus interested, his circle, of necessity, began to anticipate superior disclosures, the exposition of nature and the character of causes. By this mutual operation upon each other, extreme transcendentalism was induced, hence the Revelations. Nor did the subject for a moment conceive his sphere composed of the elements immediately connected with his mundane nature.
In other words, that he rested upon the mental
apex of his magnetizer, which was sublimated by
marvelous and imaginary excitement, and his
magnetizer upon that of the friends around him.
And that from this position he was gathering the
fruit of that mind sphere. Neither did the circle for one moment imagine themselves recording their own thoughts, somewhat transformed
by the circumstances, and uttered by the instrument of their united minds.
Such are the consequences of mental illumination by means of animal magnetism. And Mr.
Davis' Works prove such to have been his condition, and the major causes of his inspiration.
Upon these principles alone can the vague complexity and contradictory nature of the lectures
be accounted for. True, he claims sympathy,




262            PANTHEISM.
yea, direct converse with super-mundane spheres;
but however much man's nature renders him capable of such sympathy, N. D. Revelations
evince very little, if any, of that attainment.
The entire philosophy, seems only a repetition
of the knowledge or the notions of men; and
that, upon which so much is expended, viz.: the
ignorance of the young man, Mr. Davis, is merely a play upon the marvelous. Time was when
this extraordinary claim might pass, but modern
developments are revealing the mystery, as the
result of the most common laws of human existence.
Mr. Lyon was a disbeliever in revealed religion, and the Rev. Mr. Fishbough was a man of superior literary and scientific attainments, as his
writings abundantly reveal. Add to these,other
men of noted ability who were in almost constant attendance, and the marvel is accounted
for, and upon principles connected with the
mind and magnetic nature of man, and without
calling to aid the higher spheres. The Book has
awed into profound reverence its thousands, but
the day cometh when its marvel-mask will be
removed by the familiarity of the phenomena
of mental sympathy, then men will wonder why
well informed minds became so easily led by it.
We only add, that although the Work admonishes the world to discard the marvelous, and




A. J. )AVIS REVIEWED.        253
seek for truth in Nature, simple and undisguised,
still the very marvel of its production by an
unlearned youth is foremost in its commendations, and by this means nas most obtained.




APPEN I) IX.
DAVIS ON SPIRITUALISM.
As Mr. Davis is now figuring quite largely in
the spiritual ranks, and as his sayings are by
many considered unfailing truths, we propose in
this connection to consider briefly some of his
reasonings upon that subject. And we shall select that portion which reflects most directly
upon the moral philosophy of N. D. R.
It is unimportant that we inquire into his mode
of conversion to modern spirit manifestations,
any farther than to say, that when the "Rappings" were first emerging from Hydesdale, N.
Y., he declined endorsing them as real. However, as he has since written much in favor of
"Spirit Manifestations," we accept him as a convert to the truthfulness of the phenomena.
That which we propose to consider is his philosophy of good and evil spirits. Upon this subject the reader is referred to p. 206, of a work
written by him and published in 1853, entitled:
"THE PRESENT AGE AND INNER       LIFE OF
MAN; A SEQUEL TO SPIRITUAL INTERCOURSE."'
"Although I have impartially examined all socalled demonstrations of evil spirits, and have
been careful to be led in willingness of mind to




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.       255
any legitimate conclusion, nevertheless I have
been utterly unable, from the evidences, to arrive at any results antagonistic to those expressed in the foregoing chapter. But the doctrine
of evil spirits will be reconsidered in succeeding
pages.... I am persuaded that the reader
who has accompanied me through the' Table of
Explanations,' will not be terrified by the demonological disclosures to which the present chapter is devoted.  These are a class of nocturnal,
mysterious, and exceptional phenomena quite
worthy the consideration of thinking men.
Swedenborg and his followers -' The Receivers
of the Doctrines of the New Church'-unreservedly advocate the theory, that corrupt and evil
spirits, of both sexes, utterly dissolute and abandoned, enter in at the open door of every correspondingly-inclined mind, and tempt it to the
commission of crime, —deeds dark and destructive to all the divine interests of the soul.. And
a doctrine no less hideous, though not so manifestly involved amid psychological complications,
imagination, and pandemoniacal windings, is indefatigably taught by nearly every catholic and
protestant clergyman. These doctrines, I think,
are not wholly imaginary. There is, unquestionably, some hidden psychological source
whence they spring. And as the media through
whom these revelations are professedly made




256              PANTHEISM.
are usually firmly convinced, as already shown,
that the communicators are malignant spiritsreal demons from a veritable pandemoniunm
therefore kind reader, it becomes us, as candid
examiners of all facts in the wide field of spiritual intercourse, now thrown open, to let no prominent demoniac cases pass without a careful
and impartial inquiry.   With   this motive
prompting us, we will hesitate no longer, but proceed directly to cite and examine several strange
revelations. In the'New Era,' dated Boston,
March 9, 1853, I observed an article containing
graphic descriptions of several'Astounding
Facts,' arranged for publication by J. A. Gridley, M. D., which should not remain unnoticed.
The circle in which the facts are reported to
have occurred, was composed of strong nerved
men, with their families, who could not be inducecd to continue in the circle while several of
the astounding facts were in process of development. It seems the proceedings were terrific.'We have seen the medium evidently possessed
by Irishmen and Dutchmen of the lowest grade.'
The medium was seen to'snap and grate his
teeth most furiously, strike and swear, while his
eyes flashed like the fires of an orthodox perdition.' These are strange freaks of Nature! Few
facts come to us so freighted with discord and
indications of pandemonium.'We have heard




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        257
him (this medium) hiss, and seen him writhe
his body like the serpent when crawling, and
dart out his tongue, and play it exactly like that
reptile. These exhibitions were mingled with
the worst wrangling and horrible convulsions.'
"The preceding and- subsequent facts are related with particularity, and the writer is manifestly a full believer.'If we have ever been
skeptical before,' he remarks,'after what we
have witnessed, we shall never doubt again the
Bible statement, that an obsessed man in olden
time, who was well acquainted with Christ and
Paul, but who possessed but little respect for the
seven sons of Sceva, a Jew, so he leaped upon
them, and before they could make their escape
from the house, he overcame the whole of them,
stripped them of their entire clothing, and. tore
their flesh, so that they left the house naked
and wounded.   We have heard these evil spirits lie a score of times, as fast as they could
speak.'  One of the spiritual friends of the
writer, Briant,'has told us that if he and his
associates in goodness should deliver N. over to
his tormentors, during his worst seasons of obsession, these demons would, in all probability,
permanently possess him, like the man'who
dwelt among the tombs.'' Such facts are truly
startling, especially to persons who cannot penetrate the thin gauze which separates effects from




258             PANTHElISM.
causes...     WThat shall the reasonable
mind conclude from the'astoundino facts' above
related?... The narrator is unhesitatingly and peculiarly emphatic, in the employment
of the epithets and unbrotherly terms of description..     N.ot to question the assumptions
of the relator," continues Mr. Davis, "let us enquire on the supposition that the spirits were
low and undeveloped in character and motive,'did the writer feel kindly toward them?' Did
he feel commiseration for them in their low and
degraded state?  Did he experience combativeness, and throw out from  his individuality a
positive sphere of repugnance and hatred toward the opposing powers?... Nay? He
unqualifiedly termed them'demons,''devils,''Legion.' etc. -thus developing sentiments of
opposition in the spirits present; a result, under
the circumstances, scarcely avoidable, even on
the hypothesis that the contending powers were
intrinsically righteous."
It will be noticed that in his comments, he
discards the idea of evil spirits.  And indicates, at least, that no unpleasant manifestation would have occurred had not the spirits been
provoked, leaving us to infer that his opinion is,
no dcscord, absolutely as such, exists beyond the
pales of mortality. He also admonishes against
employing unkind epithets; that is, he would




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.      259
teach us to employ terms not indicated in the nature of the case, least by giving discordant and
malicious manifestations their appropriate appellations, or even indulging unkind feeling, vwe
should offend the spirit, and cause him to reveal
a demoniacal disposition. As if a sleeping lamb,
if awoke in a way not pleasing, would arise a ferocious lion. Thus he makes the nature of the
spirit, or manifestation, dependent upon the
mrode of extrinsic inspiration and not an inherent or absolutely incorporated principle.  It
doubtless is wisdom not to disturb dormant evil,
but how a dove can, by annoyance, be transformed into the vulture, is, as yet, unexplained. It
is quite probable with all his sophistry he cannot
induce the christian to believe that opposition
can change the heart of a holy angel into that of
a mad fiend. Or that by antagonistic manifestations, Jesus of Nazareth could have been made
angry and inspired with the spirit of a madman.
The "Seer's reasoning would reduce all heaven
to a condition liable, at any moment to be transformed into a perfect pandemonium; or, by opposition, change the character of the Almighty, and
thus reverse the order of universal movement.
]No! such reasoning is fallacious; it proves too
much; it can never be verified.  And what is
most strange, is, that while seeking to avoid
one condition, he has removed his own "plat



260              PANTHEISM.
form."  But, if discord and manifestations of a
most grievous character are mere effects, it is
quite evident that there can be no effect without
a cause, neither can cause, unless it be absolute
creator, which this philosophy denies, proceed to
effect without adequate principles to operate with.
Explosion would create no sound if there wass
no atmosphere, nor could oral speech affect the
sense without the organ of hearing, or the mind
conceive of color without the eye. And there
must be the existing element, else such a discordant and demoniacal manifestation could not have
so suddenly developed. Therefore, the manifestation was either entirely dependent upon the
external, or the spirit was primarily evil inclined.
If entirely external, it goes far to disprove his
theory of spirit manifestations. If evil inclined
in a primary sense, the foundation of his magnificent scheme is removed and all his efforts
vain.  Again of this clause: "We have heard
these evil spirits lie a score of times," Mr. Davis remarks: "This is assumed. He may have
heard the medium  utter a great many contradictory things. But how does he know that spirits
provoked  the utterance?"   This is indeed,
strange language for a spiritualist. How does
Mr. D. know that a spirit ever provoked utterance? It is proof equally as strong against one
character of manifestation as another. The in



A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        261
ference from his criticism is that the spirits are
no way connected with discordant manifestations;
that they do not originate in the interior. This
cannot especially favor his theory, for it must be
equally so with harmonious communications,
since men have no means of demonstrating that
discordance does not exist in the spirit world, and
may not be revealed to the external by spiritual
intercourse as well as harmony. Therefore the
principle of his effort is false, or "spiritualism"
is not a reality but a fiction. Hence his labors,
from the first page of N. D. R., through the
Great Harmonial, etc., are founded in imagination.
Again le quotes: "The devils stung to madness," and replies: "How does he know this?
The medium may have been frenzied by a contention between the cerebrum and cerebelluma severe struggle between the vital magnetism
and vital electricity in the nervous system-imuplying the imperfection of his psychological state
-inplying, moreover, that spirits, or the terrestrial circle, had partially got him under magnetic
influence." This is as much to his own disadvantage, also, as against the cause he is opposing, for
relative to his spiritual "Congress," p. 82, etc., it
may be with equal propriety propounded: "How
does he know? Perhaps he was under the i:fluence of unbalanced excitement. Not that of




262             PANTHEISM.
contention; but, the one portion of the brain
may have been entirely dormant while the marvelous and imaginary may have been actuated,
hence he may have supposed he saw harmonious
spirits."  Such reasoning is plainly one-sided,
and entirely sectarian. He has asseumed against
the doctrine of evil spirits, and distorts even his
own manifestation into uncomeliness, if he does
not entirely annihilate it in order to carry his
point.
Maark his reasoning on p. 212: "Permanently
established in numerous minds is the oriental
philosophy of good angels and evil demons.. It is a thoughtless, unintellectual, barbaric
method to explain ti e discorsds of humankind --
the good and evil apparent-the human and the
bestial characterization of our species."  If this
idea, false or true, be "permanently established
in numerous minds," according to his own theory, man may bear his permanent impressions
with him beyond the grave.    And there are
many who have "permanently established in
their niinds," if they die while unholy and discordant, they will exist in an evil state, yea, will
be evil hereafter, Such in the spirit world, admitting they are not really so, will, in their ow'n
estimation, be evil.  And being discordant,
should they possess a medium, would produce
all the effects that an evil spirit could, hence the




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.          263
manifestation of such spirits would be virtually
evil, and betray, really, what a mortal could
properly denominate demoniacal. In this, also,
his own reasonings provide for all the 1"writer"
of the article he is criticising claims. But in
the following he strengthens this application of
his reasonings, by saying: "The ideas of the
brain,'uttered or unexpressed,' descend into every department of the    dependent organismn.
From hence a sphere issues, which tinges and affects favorably or unfavorably as the ideas are,
every thing as well as every person with which
the individual comes in contact... And, so if
his ideas be false in their relation to each other, all
beneath, according to the established principle,
must also be characterized in a similar manner.
The subtle essences of the thinking principle in
man, with all their inconceivably minute attenu-'ations, flow beneath and ascend above every
thing pertainin'g to the Individual and to the
orbit in wihich hherlovYes.  As this is true of every perso'n, so it is that minds assimilate to each
others' s ructur-e and inclinations."
Fr 2am his o:An  easoning it has been shown
that spirits n:,y be -evil in their own belief, (and
as a nman thinketh, so ihe is liable to be) hence
he tmay be evil in his deeds. Now he states that
one mind may influence another. And as there
are really inharnmonious and evil minds as well




264             PANTHEISM.
as harmonious and good, it follows that evil
minds may influence each other. If so, bands of
evil-inclined spirits may exist in the spirit world.
This borders very much upon that orthodoxy he
dislikes so exceedingly. And if spirits can approach and affect the medium in the external, it
also follows, according to Mr. D., that they will
impress them with their own likeness. Therefore, while laboring to expose the error of the
"writer" upon the manifestation of evil spirits,
lie has most certainly established the possibility
of its truth, and disproved his own theory. His
philosophy, also, proves that good and holy spirits affiliate and strengthen their sphere by association; and if they communicate with man their
influence will be decidedly good. And as the
imperfect sphere is negative to the perfect, it is
not probable that a word uttered by a mere mortal, and by reason of an honest misunderstanding, will be liable to set a band of good spirits
into the manifestation of diabolism. If, then,
spirits do commune with men, in this age, and
connected with the phenomena are evil, or discordant manifestations, they are as liable to be
from discord, existing with the communicating
spirits, as are the good and harmonious to be
from  pure spirits. And especially so, if his
"perception," recorded p. 216, "Present Age
and Inner Life of Man," is correct. "It is," he




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        26
remarks, "most beautifully clear to my perception, that the indwelling forces of the mind
are pure, and, in germ, as perfect as THE FouNTAIN from which myriad streams of spirit-life
flow."
WMhen media are en rapport, with spirits, it
must be the indwelling forces of the mind which
are thus sympathetically affected. Those forces
being proximate to the spirit sphere nearest
earth must first sympathize. And the Author's
perception is that they are as "pure and perfect
as the fountain from which streams of spirit-life
flow."  If the spiritual element of man is pure
and perfect, it cannot transform the character of
the manifestation from  good to evil and thus
prove an imperfect conductor; but is a faithful
reflector of the Cause within, which is seeking
through  such  means, manifestation without.
Neither can the defect be attributed to the physical medium, for it is a mere instrument for the
spirit, and is, moreover, according to N. D. R., a
perfect representation of the spirit.  The character of the manifestation, then, as to good and
evil, must depend upon the spirit communicating.
One of these positions must be true; either the
spirit is evil, which at once destroys the system;
or the spirit of the medium is exceedingly imperfect; and this also renders void the scheme. Or
the body is a horrible jargon of principles and
12




266             PANTSIEISM.
parts, a pandemonial epitome. And such would
also prove fatal to his cause, for he informs us
that the body is a perfect representation of the
spirit, and therefore in that light the body would
reflect back upon the spirit again, yea, even upon
the Divine Mind! Test, then, the Author, by
whatever law existing in nature, or mode of her
manifestations, and the result is the same. To
avoid a confession of the most natural cause, he
does away his own philosophy. But notice his
conclusion, p. 213: "Hence theologically or
mythologically to separate the world of mind, in
this sphere or in any other, into opposite parties
and factions, or even to have the mental tendency
to do a thing so prejudicial to human happiness
and universal Brotherhood, is simply adding
fresh fuel to an old altar-fire, whereon Reason has
from the first been sacrificed; it is bowing the
knee to an Egyptian Myth; paying reverential
homage at the shrine of sheep and goats. I
must lose all power to penetrate the nature of
man-I must die to the sublime and unchangable philosophy of the Universe, replete with
endless concatenations of cause and effect -and
become confirmed in error or sectarianism
before I can consent to poison my affections and
stupify my judgment with the doctrine that the
earth, or any lower or higher plane of the divine
Meation, contains positive antagonisms, in any in



A. Jb DAVIS REVIEWED.         267
trinsic sense whatever." We have quoted this
paragraph at length that the reader may see how
self-blinded a man may become by a sectional
notion. The author expatiates upon his position
"that no positive antagonism in any intrinsic
sense exists."  It will be remembered that he is
equally as eloquent in disclaiming the existence
of effect without adequate cause.  Antagonism
does exist, and to a very great extent, with man.
Indeed, it is most prominent, by far, in human
history. It must have a cause, for no such effect
can exist without a cause, and that cause must
be positive, and in an intrinsic sense, being essential to the production and existence of the effect. The "Seer" is going to "lose all power
to penetrate the nature of man-.die to sublime
and unchangable philosophy, and become confirmed in sectarianism! " before he will poison his
affections and stupify his judgment, by consenting to the existence of that which exists wherever he can turn his eyes; which seversfamilies,
communities and nations; and which has hung
its dark pall over the whole earth; made desolate homes and covered battle-fields with the dead.
If the causes of such results are not positive in
some intrinsic sense, positiveness does not intrinsically exist, and vast and mighty effects may
be produced without cause. But such are the la.
bors called into action in order to avoid the doc



268             PANTHEISM,
trine of evil spirits. A doctrine that is demonstrable in its consequences perpetually with human kind.
A physician wishing to induce convalesence in
his patient, seeks the real cause and malignity of
the disease, rather than to smother prominent
symptoms. He does not tap the nerves to draw
blood from the system, nor amputate a limb for
the tooth ache. If the patient is laboring under
an affection of the heart, he does not strive to
locate the disease in the head in order thereby
to treat the brain.  Hydrocephalus is not the
dropsy of the chest, but of the head. Nor
is bronchitis an affection of the dorsal vertebrae,
but an inflamed state of the membranous ramifications of the trachea. Winter is not because
the first month of the year is denominated January rather than May, but because of the absence
of what constitutes the vernal season. Discordance is not because men believe in its existence
and thence announce it, but because of the absence of elements necessary to harmonize; and
also the presence of principles which create disunity. Evil is not, because unnamed good, but
the want of purity; and because of the existence
of opposite principles. To say that the sea is
terra firma, and the idea of its liquid state a
myth, or the result of diseased nerves, might do
for song, but he who attempts to cross it on




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.       269
horse back might pay dearly for his folly. Even
so with the questions relative to evil.  Name it
whatsoever you mIay, it is nevertheless evil.
After having quoted extensively from the narrative of evil communications given by J. A.
Gridley, IM. D., the Author, in the following
manner introduces another instance selected for
his purpose, and by his comments evidently expects to close up this foolish dogma (as he deems
it) of evil spirits. "A most thrilling narrative,"
he says, p. 222, "has recently come into my possession, and as the witness or writer has experienced many wonderful things, bearing on the
question of evil spirits, we proceed to place him
with his'astounding facts' (?) before the bar
of judgement."
Succeeding this statement is a narrative
occupying many pages. But as our limits will
not admit of the history in detail, we introduce the following abstract: "For many days,"
says the writer, "I had not been in my usual
health.... My attention was aroused by
hearing my name distinctly pronounced.
The thing was repeated so often, without my being able to find any clue to its meaning, that I
became seriously annoyed.... I distinctly
heard a. considerable company of persons talking
with each other.... I looked to the right
hand and left, but no one was near me...




270             PANTHEISM.
And yet this talk continued to go on, and was
heard by me as distinctly as I ever heard any
thing in my life. And now, if I could credit
those ghostly whisperings, a group of demons had long been hovering about me, prompt
to seize the occasion of my peculiar physical
state, to urge me to that which, they trusted,
would be my destruction....  No sooner
had I addressed them, than they evidently became greatly excited, and one of them was sent
to summon their superiors. He soon arrived,
as I could judge from  several sounds, and
brought an additional throng of demons with
him... All this while, I may mention, this
diabolical troop had cursed and blasphemed more
wickedly even than men are wont to do.'We must have him,' they exclaimed,'or he
will do us infinite mischief; he will betray us to
the world, and we shall lose all our power over
men.... Every moment new spirits arrived, and as before, their torrid atmosphere enhanced the violence of the fever-flames that
preyed upon me...   But I suffered in
mind too, as well as body.... The horrible thought came over me that the Divine Being
had forsaken me!"  Speaking of one whom he
seemed to have recognised as one he knew while
on earth, he continues, p. 228: "There seemed
no bound to his fury at my detection of'his




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.      271
identity and present condition. It seemed to me
as if forgetting his want of a material frame, he
had tried to dash himself against me and rend
me. Certainly he hissed serpent-like in my ear,
and put in action a new engine of diabolism.
He made a sound, as if spitting at me; and he
no sooner did so, than I heard the others exclaim,'That is right-that will weaken him.'..
How dreadful was the complication of my sufferings. I could feel the deadly simoon go through
and through my brain, burning and stinging,
while before my eyes was a wavering and shimmering, as of heated air-currents. At last from
my inability to sit up longer I went up to my
bed-room, with how much awful forebodings you
may possibly conjecture."
In his bed chamber he reports they assembled
and continued the torture until he was overcome.
"On-on-monotonously, sonorously on-went
those fiery respirations, till without and within,
from the head to the feet, my whole frame felt
as if, like that of Kehama in Pandalon, it were
transmuted into one living coal!.. A
strange accompaniment of all this was, that outside my window their seemed to be a vast world,
which was not this our material world, or at all
analagous to it, but in which, as in their famed
whispering gallery of old, the faintest sound, uttered in one extremity, ran reverberating round




272             PANTHEISM.
a vast concave, till it passed off like thunder
tones at the opposite. In that -world, I heard
the noise of a countless multitude of demou.s and
men... It was hell in very truth, the home
of all jarrings and clashes and blasphemies, and
mad mirth, all having a pungency such as naught
can create but the sharp ministries of pain alone.
I never listened elsewhere to such wit and fun;
I never heard before such peals of laughter, now
rising into screams, now exploding into stunning
uproar. Voltaire never mocked with such razoredged keenness at religion, its office or its historic
claims; nor Paine uttered ribaldry so brutally
coarse...    Thus they went on a long while,
vaunting themselves the hidden springs of numberless crimes and disasters in all quarters of the
globe; and ever and anon, as they completed
some relation of wretchedness and ruin wrought
by them, a peal of blood-curdling laughter ran
roaring and shrieking around the echoing concave that overhung them... There was
the keen pungent jest, whose keenness could
come only from  a mind whose faculties were
edged by habitual suffering; there was the sarcasm east upon religion and its requirements,
and upon virtue and all its manifestations, evidently prompted by despairing remorse at having proved recreant to religion and virtue; there
was occasionally a snatch of singing, and once a




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.      273
song of several stanzas chanted by several accordant voices. And, oh, what a song was that!
The voice was exceeding fine, and it seemed as
if, for a moment, the very soul of early innocent days had come back to breathe through
them, and mingling with the sadness of the hopeless present, gave pathos to the tones as they
swelled and sank, that made the chant inexpressibly touching. I could not restrain my tears,
even on that- couch of fire.... It was
now approaching morning, wheh feeling an unusual intensity of heat over one vital organ, I
heard one of the party exclaim,'Now you are
going to hell-now I'll pay you for charging me
with low dissipation... I'll repay you,
for you shall burn in hell before morning...
From this, strangely enough, I got to questioning
my agreeable companions about the place of their
abode, its appearance, usages and conditions.
Two or three of them made some few replies,
though it seemed, (I knew not why,) difficult
for them to speak on the subject of my inquiries,
so that I could understand them. I asked them
if hell resembled earth in outward appearance.
They said yes; that there were lands, waters,
trees, grass, &c., there as here.  I asked if they
dwelt in houses. They replied in the affirmative, but did not give a clear idea of the architecture used among them. They said, too, that




274            PANTHEISM.
they had certain species of grains, on which they
subsisted, but they had no horses or other locomotive animals. They told me they all dressed
in garments made of a yellowish-brown material, and shaped in the mode prevailing among
our oriental people. They bore, they said, much
the shape and appearance as when living on the
earth.... They had among them some
thing like the marriage relation, but it was dissoluble at the will of the parties." (How much
like the sentiment of some modern philosophers.) "I put sundry other questions, some
of them relating to their beliefs on various
topics, but the information I obtained was not
very satisfactory.... I began to strongly
hope that the ordeal was over; that by some
merciful intervention I was plucked from the
grip of the demon host. How then was I startled, when suddenly I heard a stunning outburst
of noises without, which showed plainly the
whole fiendish throng to be awake and waiting!
At the same moment a loud commanding voice
called out,'Have you finished him?  Is the
work done?' One of the party within the room
replied,'Finished him! no, he's unhurt and
sound as ever; and they are asleep. The voice
outside, with a blasphemous execration, then exclaimed,'I must kill him myself, then, and
have done with it, for we must and will have




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.       275
him!' In an instant after, some being flew or
bounded into my window.... I could not
see him, but I could clearly discern something
like a stick or branch, held, as I supposed in his
hand; this he kept waving to and fro over my
head. It made a sort of crackling electric noise
as it moved, and I either grew or imagined I
grew, faint under the process....Fancies
began to crowd thick and fast of some new and
strange anguish, suddenly to sieze upon the very
springs of life, as a consequence of the work
which this malignant being was performing in
ominous silence. The thought, too, fell blightingly upon me, that I must have been absolutely
surrendered by Heaven to the power of the de.
mons to wreak their whole will upon me, else I
could not have been left helpless so long in their
ruthless grip.... I then relapsed into a
silence, in which I still had my will, braced as
firmly as I could against any consenting surrent
der to his efforts.... At length, as I was
on the point of yielding to despair at the thought
of my present state, and the recollection of what
I had gone through for the last few hours, the'benediction of the covering heavens,' the merciful deliverance I had so many times implored
in vain, descended upon me in the form of a
dewy, profound, dreamless sleep, from which, after several hours, I awoke, completely free from




276             PANTHEISM.
the recent disturbance and affected solely with a
slight unpaining languor. But the impression
of the last night's.events remained; and I
thought then, as now, after the lapse of years, I
think, that there was more in those events than
can be explained by, or than is' dreamed of in our
philosophy,' shallow, skeptical and material as
it is.  I leave the reader to draw his own exposition.  Many will, perhaps, be able to define
the nature of my condition; at any rate to their
own satisfaction."
Relative to the above narrative, Mr. Davis remarks: " We surely cannot reasonably expect to
obtain stronger testimony than the foregoing.
And now kind reader, what do you think? Verily, no one can desire more thrilling revelations
from pandemonium. Now, the explanation of all
this is necessarily metaphysical; but I will proceed to give it.... In the first place let it
be lodged in the mind, as an universal principle,
that every man is a duality-a double being-a
One-ness, growing out of the interpenetration of
two natures.  Every man has two different
spheres of consciousness-an external, material or sensuous sphere, and an interior, spiritual, or super-sensuous sphere.  The external sphere, in man, is the medium of communication with the objects, sensations, and phQe
nomena of the external world, in which we now




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.       277
reside; and the internal sphere, is the medium of communication with the objects, sensations
and phenomena of the spirit world."
This dual nature of man, is the hypothesis,
upon which he accounts for the discrepancies of
his system, manifest in phenomena like that just
quoted. Accordingly, p. 240, he thus remarks:
"Fifth, It will be found that all the'dcevils' of
the universe are living in the symbols of the
mind —on the middle ground between our material and spiritual organizations. What are called'evil spirits,' originate in the conflicts of the
nervous system, when one state of mentality is
indulged to the expense of the blessings which
the other may contribute or confer..
Eleventh: Experience prompts me to affirm,
that good communications depend upon good
states of mind... A. fever is one state of
the body, a chill is the opposite; both are wrong,
being out of harmony with nature; and both,
therefore, develope'devils,' in the shape of in.
ternal disorders, and'evil spirits,' also in the fa.
miliar shape of pains, aches and mental disturb.
ances. But this is a merely physical illustra.
tion! Let us apply this thought to the mind.
Now the mind, be it remembered, is the greatest
and most fertile source of perplexities.
But enough! This explains all; that mental
discord, and the symbols of such discord, devel



278             PANTHEISM.
op all the conceptions of hells and of demons
that ever obtained a footing in this rudimental
existence."
Thus, the Author in his comments upon the
evil communications under consideration, and
all manifestations of an evil nature, claimed to
be from spirits, charges the sole origin to the
unhealthy state of the medium, or seer, and the
result of a deranged and discordant imagination.
Hence, whatever manifestation, however great
the probabilities of its spiritual origin, that savors of demonology, is not at all the work of
evil spirits, but the fruit of medium discordance.
For, "What are termed'evil spirits,' originate
in the conflict of the nervous system."  Spirits,
then, never originate such impressions, because
they are from nervous conflict. The author
therefore settles one class of so-called spirit manifestations, as having no claim to spiritual origin.
And that class amounts to quite considerable of
modern spiritualism.  So much, therefore,of the
phenomena, is,. by the "Seer" accounted for
upon principles no way involving the spirit
world. Perhaps the same kind of reasoning
may reduce the other class of manifestations to
a like condition, and thence the entire phenomena is proved by him a delusion-himself not excepted. For if all manifestations purporting to
be from evil spirits are the manifestations of




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.       279
false conception, and belong entirely to the consequences of a nervous state, why are not all,
purporting to be from good spirits, attributable
to like origin, viz., the state of the nerves?
Who can tell?    The narrator of the above
scene, truly appears actuated with honest motives, and his vision of, and communication with,
the spirits, seems much after the ordinary communications of the day. As to whether the narrative recorded by Mr. Davis was entirely fictitious or real, we have no occasion to offer our
opinion, especially in this connection; but we do
say that its style and general character, as regards the record of what transpired before the
victim's mind, classes it with modern spirit manifestations. And if that was a gross delusion,
and all such appearances belong to the human
nerve, and thence the false conceptions of the
mind, it renders the whole manifestation exceedingly precarious. And who can rely upon either
class?  The "Poughkeepsie Seer" himself may
be, though as truly honest, yet as truly deceived,
and his heavenly spheres may be the different
octaves of his harmonious nervous system! By
this effort, and especially if his philosophy be correct, he has exposed himself and his Oracle-ship
to the severest criticism, and rendered his own
delusion more than probable. Not willing to
rest our reasoning and conclusions upon our in



280             PANTHEISM.
pressions, the following references are had to his
works.
In Nature's Divine Revelations, p. 660, while
describing what appeared to him as passing before his mind, and when he supposed himself in
the heavenly spheres, he thus remarks: "I can
read from memory of the spirit; either in the
human form or in this Spiritual Sphere, with as
much ease as one can read from a book."  (How
does he know that?  Perhaps his nerves deceive
him.) "I can converse with spirits distinctly,
and learn from them the peculiar impressions
and affections of their souls; and this I can communicate to any person in the human form."
The narrator of the "evil manifestations." P.
A. and I. L., of M.," p. 234, said also: "From
this, strange enough, I got into questioning my
agreeable companions about the place of their
abode," etc. This Mr. Davis, in substance, says
is a conversation the deluded seer held with his
own nerves, or the phantom spirits that dwelt in
the tabernacle of his own discordant system.
Perhaps his (Mr. Davis') communication was
also dependent upon what'symbols' and phantom ghosts his nervous system might be capable
of producing. And as mesmeric influence is
usually soothing in its effects, Dr. Lyon may
have so quieted his nerves as to cause him
to have fancied himself transformed into some




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        281
beautiful and heavenly sphere, honored with the
presence of celestial beings, whereas his divine
sphere and ecstatic state consisted in the pacific
condition of his being, thus induced. By what
means can we determine he saw spirits at all?
Page 663, N. D. R., he thus continues:  They
are guardian angels to those below them, to
whom they are constantly descending, with no
other end in view than to gratify their thirstings
for purity, and their desires that are holy and
celestial."  The "evil communications" say that
spirits had congregated to torment their victims.
Is there more evidence for the truth of one than
the other?  Mr. Davis only proves himself in
the most desirable state. But he continues: "I
perceive, also, those plains that are undulating
as the gentle waves of the ocean. I behold also
those valleys and placid rivers."  How does he
know but those undulations are the gentle flowings of his quieted nerva,ura? and the plains
the dominion of the nervous system, where softly glide the peaceful currents of his spirit?
But again. p. 665, ibid: "Every spirit has an
exhalation or bodily atmosphere, which is an exact indication of the quality and purity of its
interiors, and thereby are all distinguished."
The victim  of the diabolical manifestation,
which Mr. Davis judges to have been the effects
of delirious fancy, speaks also of the encompass



282             PANTHEISM.
ing sphere that attended each spirit. "I felt,"
he remarks, "the influence of his burning sphere... Every moment new spirits arrived, and
as before, their torrid atmosphere enhanced the
violence of the fever-flames that preyed upon me."
This seems to chime very much with the philosophy of the "Poughkeepsie Seer," differing only in the quality of the sphere. And if this
is only the consequences of self-emanations,
what evidence is there, that his, is not also?
Hence the entire system labored as the Harmonial Philosophy, is likely to be a self-wrought
world of thought and imagination? And therefore man is no better for those wonderful Revelations. They were only evolved from the nervesphere of the "Seer" and his group.
The next instance recorded by Mr. D. which
we will bring into account, is that of the dying
child recorded in a pamphlet written by himself,
and entitled, "THE PHILOSOPHY OF SPIRITUAL
INTERCOURSE."  "The hour came at last, and
the weeping neighbors assembled to see the little
child die. The dew of death was already on the
flower, as its life-sun was going down. The little chest heaved faintly-spasmodically.'Do
you know me, darling?' sobbed close to her ear
the voice that was dearest; but it woke no answer. All at once a brightness, as if from the
upper world, burst over the child's colorless




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.         283
countenance. The eyelids flashed open; and the
lips parted; the wan, curdling hands flew up, in
the little one's'last effort, as she looked piercingly into the far above.'Mother!' she cried, with
surprise and transport in her tone-and passed
with that breath into her mother's bosom. Said
a distinguished divine, who stood by that bed of
death:' If I had never believed in the ministration of departed ones before, I could not doubt
it now' " p. 53.
This Mr. D. quotes as "a truthful and beautiful instance of spirit seeing;" but how does he
know it is truthful?  Sure: because it suits his
ideas. Nevertheless, his reasoning upon the philosophy of'evil spirits,' greatly clouds this
"truthful instance."  For the child was sick
her body was dying.  It was impulsive, therefore the nerve system could not have been in a
good condition, but as it approached its repose
in death, the child's foremost idea arose. She
had lost her mother: THAT was her great thotight.
She was sinking to rest, her pain of body died
away, her mind became freed from physical suffering, and then her mother-thought assumed form
-hence the vision. Such is the truthful interpretation according to Mr. D.'s theory.
Again, p. 73, ibid., Mr. D. remarks of himself:
"By direct influx or impression from the highly
accomplished spirit of Benjamin Franklin, I




284             PANTHEISM.
learned that we owe principally to him the discovery of this electric method of telegraphing
from the second sphere to the earth's inhabitants.
The substance of my communication with him
on the 6th day of January, 1851, was as follows.
I give his own words, faithfully rendered." HIow
do we know that?  And how can we know it is
a truth? That he saw the celebrated Dr. F. at
all?  The great idea, forsooth, wrought itself into that notable personage. "In searching out,"
says that great mind (Dr. Franklin) the numerous manifestations of spiritual presence among
the multitudinous sects and nations of the earth,
I percieved that the great general principle of
aromal intercourse had been observed, but never
particularly understood, by spirits (the so-called
inhabitants of this sphere) whence they have
from time to time communicated. In compliance
with the great, inextinguishable love I feel for
scientific research and exploration, I have stead.
ily-with calm and fervent joy, progressed from
point to point in this attainment, by following
the principles of panteea, or of electricity, into
their innumerable windings and diversified
modifications. I have contemplated this element's mighty workings in nature's great nervous system," etc.  Tried by Mr. D.'s own rule,
what evidence have we that he saw or heard
any  thing  at all? Indeed, no address could




A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.        285
partake more of the purely external sphere in
its style or spirit. It supposes that because Dr.
F. discovered the properties of that subtle element, electricity, more fully than had any other in
his day, therefore and of course, Dr. F. must
have been the great inventor of "Spirit Rappings."  If any communication ever bore greater evidence of human nerve-sphere origin than
this, it has not come to our knowledge.  And it
is rendered still more dubious as a spirit communication because given by the "Seer" who
claims for himself very rare accomplishments in
his Seer-ship; and for whom exceeding much is
claimed by his friends. "I then listened," says
Dr. F., "to the serene observations of FENELON
and WILLIAM ELLERY CHANNING, who declared
that from their co-equal researches into the moral and spiritual necessities of mankind, it was
their knowledge that, in case such aromal communication could be established, the people on
some portions of the earth would listen, and be
thereby advanced toward enlightened wisdom,
unity and truth. Thus I was assured and positively encouraged that the time had arrived
lwhen our terrestrial friends had reached that
point or cpex of intelligence which would cause
them to investigate whence could proceed those'sounds'- to search whence camne the' manifestations.... We passed over Western New




286             PANTHEISM.
York. And particularly at Auburn and Rochester -perceiving there the required pre-requisites -we opened the first communications which
have, to any extent, engaged the world's attention and interested the skeptical intellect."
This communication has some peculiar features, and suggests some thoughts of enquiry.
While copying from it, we cannot refrain the
impression, that the author whished to lead in
the exposition of a phenomena to which he was
not converted until some time had elapsed from
its first appearance at Hydesdale. And also,
that if Mr. D. had been as familiar with the spirits as his works profess, why he did not obtain
this information, before multitudes were admitting the phenomena, and report it to the world?
He should have known that Dr. F. and his associates were experimenting. Why did not the
rappings at Hydesdale, when they first reported
their spiritual origin, rather than say they were
by the spirit of a man murdered in the house,
whose body was laid beneath it, simply state
that Dr. Franklin, Fenelon and Channing had
succeeded in the discovery of a method of communication between the two worlds? It would
seem quite as easy to tell the truth as to misrepresent in the outset of their philanthiropic mission. But why prolong the analysis? Whereiver we read we find the "Seer" involving him



A. J. DAVIS REVIEWED.      287
self, his writings, and the cause he advocates in
endless contradictions. Nor can a distant apology reconcile him with himself or with the divine
harmony he professes to unfold.




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D;strict of N. Y.




CONTENTS OF VOL. II.
PROEM.                                      Page, 297
INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT. -         -     -    -   301
ANTI-PANTHEISTIC VISION.
OHAPT. I.-FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE ENTRANCED. View of Earth
- The Prophecy- The Consummation.  -   -         304
CHAPT II.- THE VISION -Origin of Evil.      -     311
CHAPT. II,.-THE INFERIOR ORB.  -    -    -     -   319
CHAPT. IV.- CELESTIAL MInROR- The Universal Reflector.  323
OHAPT. V. — TE INTERPRETATION OF THE TREE OF LIFE.  -  326
CHAPT. VI.- CONSTITUTION OF MIND- The Exposition - The capacity of Being.  -.-                         329
CHAPT. VII.- THE REBELLION - The Supplication - The World of
Woe - Man Spiritually Inspired- Return to the transparent Orb. 333
CHAPT. VIII.- ORIGINAL EDEN OF EARTir-The Tree of Knowledge
of Good and Evil-Constitution of Adam..  -     340
CHAPT. IX.- THE TEMPTATION - The Manifestation of the Son of
Man.                    -               -        348
CHAPT. X.- TaE ExPOsITION- Restoration to the Normal StateRemarks.    -     -.       -                 351
PART I.
CHAPT. I.-Most Ancient Manifestations.  -  -      359
CHAPT. II.- Bible History of the Opposing Spirit.  -  -  366
CHAPT. III.- The Command and the Conflict.  -  -  378
CHAPT. IV.- David and Goliah.  -       -    -      383
CHAPT. V.- Elijah and the False Prophets.  -  -   390
CHAPT. VI.- Esther before the King - The Counter Decree.  404
CHAPT. VII.- The dream and its Interpretation.  -  -  422
CHAPT. VIII. —The Fiery Furnace.  -  -  -    -    431
CHAPT. IX.- The Smitten Tree.  -   -.-       443
CHAPT. X.- The Mysterious writing.  -       -     450
CHAPT. XI.-Daniel with the Lions.   -. 458
CHAPT. XII.- New Testament Incidents.   -     -   470
CHA.PT. XIII.- The Mission and Doctrines of Jesus.  -  476
CHAPT.-XIV. — Commission, Promise, Ascension, Descent of the
Spirit, etc..                     -    -   482




CONTENTS.
CHAPT. XV.- The Opposing Spirit.    -     -     -       488
CHAPT. XVI.- The Consummation.                -         497
PART II.
CHAPT. I.-The Abrahamic Covenant.,                 505
CHAPT. II.-The Divinity of the Covenant.  -  -     -    516
CHAPT. III.- Moses and the Manifestations -Reflections.  521
CHAPT. IV. —Elijah and the Manifestations - The Restoration of
the Widow's Son -Elijah and the rain - The Translation.  526
CHAPT. V.-Elisha and the Manifestations -Elisha and the Syrian
Army.       -                                         536
CHAPT. VI.-New Testament Manifestations-Conclusion.     548
PART III.
CHAPT. I.-The Interim.     -     -     -     -          551
CHAPT. II.- Propositions for Spiritualists, etc.  -  -  557
CHAPT. III.- Suggestions for Bible Opposers.  -   -     561
CHAPT. IV.- Mesmerism and Psychology- Ventricles of Harmonial Spiritualism.                                -     568
CHAPT. V.-Mesmerism in Asia.              -577
PART IV.
CHAPT. I.- Mesmeric productions- A. J. Davis' disciples.  692
CHAPT. II.- Origin of Modern Spiritualism - Conclusion.  599
CONCLUSION.                                 602




PREFACE.
THE design of this volume is to analyze Spiritualism as reflected from the earliest history of
man, and along succeeding ages to the present
era. And by the review of ancient spiritualism
is revealed the absolute distinction between two
currents, their opposite natures, and antagonistic procedures; the Omnipotence, when tested,
of one, and the effeminacy of the other. The
Bible is sustained as the Book of divine Inspiration; and the opposite current, by revealing its
own character, proves itself evil-inclined, and at
perpetual variance with the Spirit of Life. The
following is the order of the Work.
I. As a competent counterbalance to the
modern visions and so-called spirit productions
of anti-Christ, and as an introduction to the analysis of Spiritualism, past, present and to come,
an Anti-Pantheistic vision, given at Louisville,
Ky., June, 1855, is introduced, and without comment respecting its genuineness, further than its
absolute utterance by one in a trance state. Its
sentiment being strictly Biblical, maintaining
the doctrine of a " Satanic" influence affecting
293




294            SPIRITUALISM
man, the doctrine of "the fall," of "depravity,'
and of "salvation through Jesus," render it unobjectionable as to its teachings, and therefore
admissible as a religious argument against spiritual infidelity.
II. The Scriptures are also introduced, and
their record of divine Interposition contrasted
with the modern Manifestations, by which the
developments of the present age are discovered
most inferior, and unworthy, while the Bible is
honored and decidedly proved the Word of Inspiration-the manifestation of divine Dispensations; hence unworthy of equal comparison with
the spiritualism of the Nineteenth Century.
III. The phenomena of mesmerism, clairvoyance, somnambulism, psychometry, spirit-seeing, etc., of former times are proven of like nature to the present, and by virtue of their proximity to these times, absolutely as delirious and
also linked to modern spiritualism; therefore,
the phenomena of this day are found not to be
a new development, hence afford no evidence of
man's having greatly progressed, thus establishing a false claim on the face of the manifestations.
IV. In the conclusion it is shown that the mesmerism of the Nineteenth Century, and the phenomena connected with A. J. Davis, who, by his
friends, is called the "Poughkeepsie Seer," are




REVIEWED.              295
the sub-principles in, and were the foreshadowing of Magnetic Spiritualism, since developed.
It is also stated and amplified, that the Lectures
of A. J. Davis, given while under the magnetic
force of Dr. Lyon, comprehend, if they do not
beget, what has been exhibited by the media of
spiritualism; that "Nature's Divine Revelations" reviewed in Vol. I. of this discussion,
contains the philosophy and theology of that
Spiritualism now so active and which is, from
its nature, mode of manifestations and results,
properly denominated "Magnetic Spiritualism."
V. That those who composed Mr. Davis'
circle while in his incipiency, are now with the
foremost advocates of that Spiritualism.
This volume leads to the direct review of modern Spiritualism, which is the work of Vol. III.
Finally, the Work is offered as a defence of
vital Christianity. Not of an improved Christianity, but of the Gospel as primitively taught,
believed and lived by the early christians; and
also to furnish those who have not thoroughly
studied the subject discussed, with means anmple
to defeat the influence of that Spiritual Infidelity, which is now flooding the land, and deluding
thousands.








TROEM.
SPIRITUALISM: term  how full of meaning;
and how little understood!  Of how much said,
and yet how unrevealed. Man's life and sphere,
his substance; all-himself! His joys are from
its harmonies combined: his sorrows from
its wrong.  Ever present, yet to him   most
strange. Sense of his being! Spirit of intelli.
gence. Its nature man doth little know. No
moment absent, still he seeks it as of foreign
clime.  Its good is thence, but when disclosed
man's grosser sense beclouds its heavenly form.
Nor deigns in humble vales to seek it; but pur.
sues imaginative schemes its dwelling place to
find. His efforts to secure it outwardly incline,
while deep, deep within his sense it has its altar;
or deeper still within the Sanctum of the Cause
it holds its throne. Man is not the Spirit, but
the spiritual.
ETERNITY: word of awful majesty! Kingdom unlimited. Infinity in its bosom nestleth
as doth the nurseling on its mother's breast.
And man the infinitesimal germ trembles round
some wandering beam as meteors in the sun297




298            SPIRITUALISM
realm of terrestrial spheres. Duration is a faint
resemblance of its nameless self.
JEHOVAH: August appellative! is but the re.
tiring echo of a truer name:-Majestic utterance,
yet the expiring cadence of the CAUSE thus orally
expressed.
THOU most HOLY- BEING eternally unknown,
THOU art our FATHER, and heaven the Pavilion
of thy Thought thou givest as our home.
MOST BENEFICENT. THEE we adore, whom
as the Word we know; and best we know thee
when in our heart thy Love we feel. All Perfection thou! Our weakness brings us to the
dust: thy hand of Mercy lifteth up. In Thee we
live; from Thee our sense derive.
POWER OMNIPOTENT! Thou movest immensities. Universe Terrestrial, Spiritual, Celestial,
Seraphimal, God-like, Divine; are as inferior
stars in unimportant constellations encircling
Thee.
LIFE: define it? Never! It is, and that is
all frail man may know.
SPIRIT: Who hath known thee? Who of thy
element conceived? Thou art eternal, and thy
shadows dwell in man. Mortality seeth thee
not; nor doth gross nature sense thee. Neither
materiality confine thee. What thou art, who
knoweth?  Of what thou doest, peradventure,
dependent beings know somewhat! Can read




REVIEWED.              299
thee in thy works; thy goings forth; and comprehend the degrees of thy movement the retiring
wake causeth in thy immensurable Procedure:
or in thy receding presence bask as on the bosom
of infinity beneath the glory of the eternal
Sun. All Spirit-forms are as minutest dew drops
trembling on the open flower of time terrestrial,
or of duration in the realms above.
THY MANIFESTATION: is whate'er thou doest,
and in whatever form.
HATH MAN A SPIRIT FORM that shall survive
the ordeal of Mortality? and when the body is
dissolved shall it still exist?
QUESTION of immortal worth: how answered?
Man endure forever? But why?   And where?
The Holy Word informs us. BUT DO THE DEAD
remember whence they were and those still
groping in the dismal realms of shadowy time?
And ever to the earth return?  Ah! this, this is
the question of the age! Men seek to know?
God of the just do they presume?  Have any
right, or cause, or means to touch the vail that
mortality hath woven?
SPIRITS OF THE DEAD! are ye arousing mortals from their dull lethargy? the pall and
sepulchre removing hence forever? inviting
men amid the tombs where millions sleep, from
whence to pierce the death-night air, that clouds
the vision of thy home? Is what we hear the




300           SPIRITUALISM
work of your own hands? Are ye "Rapping,"' Tipping," "Chaunting," "Unfolding mortal
seeing," and "unmasking heaven?"   0, ye
dead! is this your work?  Wisdom from on
high, wilt thou the answer give!




TO THE     READER.
This volume is devoted to the history of spiritual phenomena, commencing with the race in
Eden and concluding with the introduction of
modern spiritualism.
As somewhat lengthy passages are introduced
from the Scriptures, it may be well to notice that
many remarkable events recorded in the Bible,
and'many prophecies pertaining to all time, and
which bear directly upon the subject under discussion, are quoted in full in order to show that the
Bible's claims to divinity are infinitely above any
and all of the phenomena of modern spiritualism.
There are facts presented in this volume which
must establish, in unprejudiced minds, the truth of
the scriptures beyond criticism. For the revelation of Divine Power, as shown by the record
quoted, reveals the contrast between Divinity and
"Spiritualism" in such a manner as to disclose the
Divine Nature of one, and the human frailty of
the other. And it is moreover established that
a like spirit to that revealed in this age, entered
Eden, and also induced'sun, moon and star worship, possessed and inspired the false prophets, aud
opposed Jesus and his apostles. To defend the
Christian Religion, to remove the doubts of some;
establish the faith of others, and sustain the Truth,
has been the author's object in this volume.
301








THE VISION.








INTRODUCTION.
As the reader has been engaged with the visions of Mr. Davis, all of which are directed against
the Christian Religion, the following visionary
narrative is introduced as a suitable antidote.
We do not represent this as an authoritative revelation, but claim that it possesses evidences
equally as favorable, and has as much to secure
the world's credulity as the visions of Mr. Davis,
or the productious of the various "spiritual media" of these times. If their statements may be
admitted as worthy of confidence, this should be.
If this is imaginative, and the scenes represented
unreal, others of similar origin are quite as likely
to be, which may be suggested as the most rational
conclusion with regard to the subject.
We employ this peculiar production, and it is
in truth peculiar, as before noticed, to prove that
the minds of this age, as in all other ages, which
incline to visions, are as contradictory as in former
times, and also, that modern visions and transe
disclosures are not all anti-biblical; and.because
it is equally as novel, and in style as poetical, and
sublime as any modern anti-Scriptural effusion of
this strangely visionary age.




INT'LODUCTION.
This vision bears date Louisville, K. Y., June
14, 1855, and is reported to be the substance of
what was uttered at the time by a person while in
an abnormal state.
In view of the above considerations, and to place
in opposition with Mr. Davis' visions, this is here
introduced and offered to the reader, who will by
comparing the two perceive at once their antagonistic natures, and by this determine that a production originating under somewhat strange and
marvelous circunstances, does not necessarily en.
dow it with especial merit.




ANTI-PANTHEISTIC VISION.
CHAPTER I.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE ENTRANCED.'T WAS mid day in the month of June, while
meditating upon the state of man on earth, how
little peace, how much of care composed his lot:
together with his hope of future bliss, that suddenly the world grew dark, my eyelids closed,
and I thought the hand of death upon me.
Strong seemed the efforts of the outer man to resist the power now rapidly subduing the energies of my being: but failing I seemed to sink
away. I knew no more until apparently awakening in another realm. I thought the struggle over and my soul had found its long sought
home of peace. A new and exalted world began to reveal its glories. Immortal groves stood
before me fanned by the gentle zephyrs of that
holy land. Floral lawns lay smiling in the beau
ty of divine perfection. Music, infinitely, excel
ling all human thought moved along the heav
enly atmosphere. Myriads of immortal beings,
whose excellency was above a name, appeared
before the vision of my enraptured spirit. It




303             REVIEWED.
seemed some silken veil had been removed,
and eternity with its blest inhabitants had appeared in view.
"Is this death?" I enquired as one drew
near me.
"Nay! this is life out of death," was the kind
reply. The music of the speech overcame me,
and again I sank into unconsciousness.
VIEW OF EARTH.
As I slumbered, I seemed dreaming, and in
my dream I stood upon a high tower from
which I beheld the earth I had just left. Its
continents, islands, oceans, seas and lakes, lay beneath me, as one vast plain of loveliness. Large
and expanded forests adorned the main land,
while verdant islands dotting- the seas, gave variety to that which would otherwise have appeared one broad waste. Ships too, were traversing the waters in every direction, like living
creatures moving on their different errands.
Rivers I also saw. These rising in the mountains, where gurgling fountains emerged from
their earthy beds, rippled down the forest
hills, until they formed the little brooks, thence
dashing along in leaping cascades, gathered
with the converging streams, formed majestic
rivers. These rivers widened into friths, thence
sweeping with their currents the rock-bound




SPIRITUALISM            309
base of high promontories they poured their torrents into the broad seas.
"Fit emblem of man, in birth, in life, and in
death," said a voice from some one I had not noticed in my dream.








CHAPTER II.
THE VISION: ORIGIN OF EVIL.
Again I awake as from profound slumber, and
in a world unknown to me. Strange are my sensations. I am prompted with unusual desires to
know and comprehend. The light encompassing me is as the light of wisdom, the illumination of super-spiritual existence-the reflection
of living thought. It pervades my being; by its
influence I arise, and its inspiration enlarges
my soul.  Its glory is my pavilion.  Former
scenes, and their remembrance are receding.
Earth appears as an opaque body, far in the distance, and enveloped in a cloud of night. Shall
I no more return?  And have I passed the river of death?  Fain would I still my thoughts,
lest their discord disturb the harmony of this
sphere.
My destination is toward a sun-like orb whose
light infolds me, and as I approach, it reveals a
landscape transcendently beautiful: a country
most glorious to behold. No abrupt and frozen
mountaiins, ribbed with broken rock-belts, mar the
beauty, or break the harmony of its lovely features. But the broad and beautiful plains are
relieved by gentle undulations; and the surface
311




312            SPIRITUALISM
appears as if overlaid with a luxuriant carpet of
moss, green and velvet-like. The wood presents
an appearance of unequaled majesty. No fluctuating climate disrobes the vegetation which
thence is clad in perpetual and unfading verdure. The order of the floral lawns bespeaks the
perfection of Art, and the trees are arranged in
rows, circles, coils; and also direct and wind
ing avenues.
There are pools of clear, transparent waters,
and jetting fountains interspersed throughout
the land. From many of these the sparkling
waters are emitted to a very great height, thence
terminating in spray are diffused through the
heavens, whence purifying the atmosphere fall
again in dews upon the luxuriant vegetation.
The high jetting fountains are upon the eminences, and jet their waters periodically, that is,
once in what man would call sixty hours; while
the smaller, located in the lawns and upon the
sloping grounds, send forth perpetual streams of
the liquid element. From this cause, I perceive
the land adorned with an almost infinite variety
of rainbow reflections, These combining every
imaginable shade and hue, and blending over
each other in every conceivable form, render the
scene one of surpassing loveliness. No limner
can approach the artistic beauty and picturesque
grandeur these blending colors reveal. Nor is




REVIEWEWED.            313
there in the atmosphere thus softened by the
dewy element, that damp chilliness consequent
upon like aqueous disseminations in the earth,
but it is so pure and graduated, that no excess
exposes the climate to change, or any living
thing to inconvenience. Here is perfection in
very deed: here nature undeviatingly obeys divine law; and here the infinite wisdom and harmony of the Maker is truly reflected. Here is
an exhibition of the law of proper development
-of progression. No surcharged cloud sends
forth its whirling tempest, destructive tornado,
and dreaded thunder-bolt; but perfect unity
reigns throughout material manifestation.  This
is harmony, loveliness and divine order.
There is time and measurement here, for I
perceive that sixty hours according to Earth's
calendar, are equal to one minute, and sixty
of these one hour, and sixty hours one day.
There is no night, but varying periods: the
morning, meridian and eventide.  The evening
is cool and refreshing, well calculated for repose,
and with its balmy calmness merges into morning; and the morning arises into exhilerating
noon. Each exerts its benign influence upon all
existing things.
I also behold palaces, most magnificent, coln —
posed of materials pure and transparent. One
of these not unfrequently occupies an area of
14




31.4            SPIRITUALISM
many acres, and has many compartments of
various dimensions.   The most capacious are
round, but the inferior are octagonal. All are
encircled with magnificent corridors, arising many stories high, and are capped by a dome formed of most precious and transparent stone.  The
center of each discloses an arena graduated according to the general dimensions of the edifice.
Within this arena are scales so constructed as to
ascend by the application of weight. Each tier
has its separate scale. The architecture throughout displays very superior wisdom and skill.
Animals of every imagined species are gamboling over the lawns, or reposing beneath the
groves upon the rolling grounds. But there are
no beasts of burden.
This is evidently an Orb, but I am not able to
determine its true character. It is encircled,
tropically, by a channel of limpid water, and at
what may be properly denominated the poles are
two vast seas.  They are animated with living'
creatures that sport in the bright element, while
above, the aquatic bird soars in the aerial realm.
Along the shores of these waters are floating at
ease vast numbers of pleasure barges of the most
beautiful and perfect construction. Bordering
upon and encompassing these seas are many inviting cottages and stately mansions, in the
midst of beautiful lawns.




REVIEWED.              315
Into these seas many rivers empty their bright
waters, and thither broad avenues converge.
The woodlands seem animated with birds of
brilliant plumage and melodious with their
song.
There are eight vast cathedrals, two of which
face each other opposite the equatorial channel,
and are connected by an arched suspension passage. These situated equidistant from each other
around the orb, divide it into four great sections.
Alidway between these temples are other channels leading from the main one to the polar seas,
and bordered with the vegetable and floral productions of the land.
The banks which gently descend from the upper plains to the water, thus adorned, present a
landscape of unsurpassed beauty.  These rolling grounds are divided into lawns, in each of
which are mansions for the homes of the blessed
inhabitants of this happy world.
In the inlands are vast pavilions formed of
thrifty, properly proportioned, and interwoven
trees of a peculiar kind, which are productive of
most delicious fruit. The fruit hanging in clusters within the dome apparently forms the inner
wall. There are also natural corridors constructed by the interwoven branches.   I have no
means at present, of describing the interior of
this natural structure. Within are females and




316            SPIRITUALISM
youths who appear to be partaking of the firuit
Persons, however, of different ages and appearance do not indulge in the same quality, but select that which seems adapted to specific conditions. In form and general expression the occupants are perfect. No improvement could be
made in their figure or physiognomy.  Their
complexion is exceedingly fair. Their cheeks are
of a rosy tint. Their eyes are lively and the very
expression of loveliness. Their hair is of a
golden auburn, varying from this to a pure and
lovely silver hue.  They proceed without effort; and their thoughts are known to each other without utterance. Their motives and actions, are pure and harmless.  They think and
know no evil.  There is music in their speech
and harmony in all their movements. I perceive
the males of maturity gathered in and about the
great Temples for purposes of wisdom and counsel.  The light here is entirely unlike that of
earth. It is of a gold and silver cast- a happy
blending of innumerable shades and colors.
The regions seem illuminated with the light of
pure and harmonious life, that being void of particles, has no connection with materiality.  It
is the light of truth, spiritual illumination, and
material reflection.
"Truth, primarily," says one standing near,
and who now appears as guide and counselor,




REVIEWED.               317
is the procedure of divine life.  The mind encumbered. with materiality, or which expects no
other light but material, cannot conceive of the
nature or existence of this illumination. But as
in the physical universe light is reflected from orb
to orb, and travels in the vehicle of substance,
and is only adapted to material things: so spiritual illumination moves in the chariot of Divine
life; and reflects from orb to orb throughout the
spiritual realms. God is Life and Truth. In him
there is no darkness. From   him proceeds, as
from  the fountain of life, truth and goodness,
The radiance of truth, blending with the infinity
of moral goodness illumines every intellectual
realm which rests upon the durable foundation
of moral purity. Light, therefore, is the essence or life of truth.  Truth is the eternity
of God; and forms the home and mansions of
the pur.e.
"Every plant, flower or tree is pervaded with,
and partakes of that light. The very orb itself
appears like one transparent body, and being
permeated by this principle reflects back its image. The waters, too,-the fountains, brooks,
and rivers, the channels and the pacific seasare of like nature pure and illuminated. Every
living thing, seems an embodiment thereof. But
the intellectual inhabitants are as lesser orbs,
from whom radiates the life of light, and pro



318            SPIRITUALISM
ceeds the living energies of truth divine. All
are united by this great law, in purest, most vital, and most sacred sympathy; and hence are
in harmony with superior realms.
Each individual is a spiritual reflector. They
partake of food immortal, drink of living waters,
are indestructible, and therefore not liable to
physical decomposition. They are immortal!
Their social relations have no just comparison
on earth. Each is an epitome of all, and the
whole but the enlargement of the characteristics
of one. In feelings and concert of action, they
are as one heart and voice; the harmonious
sense of one great soul-of holy affections.
Far above is an orb in appearance like a sun,
whose descending glory illumines this.  Volumes of light therefrom, in cloud-like forms
move gently in the serene atmosphere, and the
effulgence dissipates whatever is of less degree,
or purifying, exalts it to superior planes.
"How perfect are the ways of God! How
just and right!  Whoe'er rebels, ne'er knoweth
what is lost, or seeth in God's works the iM~aker
as he is."




CHAPTER III,
THE INFERIOR ORB.
THrus spake my guide, and lo, the scene
changes, and we descend to an orb of inferior
cast, one somewhat resembling; but more refinedthan Earth.
Upon the purified orb, there was no evidence
of important changes save that of increasing
perfections. UJpon this, are fallen timbers, broken soil, gathering harvests and beasts of burden. The streams and fountains do not mlanifest that order which marked the former.  The
water-courses are more irregular, and abrupt.
The beauty of the plains is broken by marshes,
and the hills and mountains, (for there are
mountains,) by rocky fragments and bold projections. Here the animal races are not as harmonious, and there is less melody in the notes
of the feathered songsters. The architecture is
less perfect by far than that upon the purified
orb. The inhabitants, though comparing in some
degree, are inferior to those in the transparent
realms. There is not that music in their speech,
unity in their movements, nor openness of thought
and action; yet compared to our race they are almost infinitely superior. They are industrious,
319




320            SPIRITUALIS'M
yet their labor is not forced; but is the result l-i
intuition. The exercise does not seem promptls2d
so much by necessity, as the inspiration of delight. If theirs may be denominated labor, it is
only the use of their faculties in the sphere of
their greatest pleasure. Nature appears spontaneous in her productions, unaided by the hand
of art; and their delightful employment seems
equally natural and prolific of good. Hence the
movements of nature and the habits and inclinations of the inhabitants blend harmoniously,
and without interruption result in unitary productions.
There are no signs of death either with ani
mnals or men, but undisturbed they progress.
There are not only the youthful, but also many
that evince a life of ages.
Within enclosures of a very peculiar character, there is a fruit-bearing tree, having no likeness in the land; and the fruit differs as much
from that of the land, as the tree from other
fruit-bearing trees.
There are officers appointed to admit those
only whose age qualifies them, and, also, to superintend the selection of fruit, which in matuity must harmonize with that of the participant.
The fruit resembles the Banana. Its pulp is
very white and pure, and the seeds corresponc
somewhat to those of the Muskmelon. These




REVIEWED.              321
the partakers preserve, and at stated periods dissolve them with the juices of a fruit common to
the plains, and drink the compound. None returns short of seven years from the time they
first entered the enclosure, and this they continue until seven such septennial periods shall
have passed, when they return no more whence
they came; but leaving the natural enclosure,
pass into an arched passage, or corridor, on the
opposite side from which they entered. This
pass is formed of arching trees and interwoven
flowering vines, which complete the enclosed
archway. The fragrance within is exceedingly
exhilerating; and when inhaled infuses itself
throughout the system. The construction of this
passage is such that no eye from without can
witness what passes within.
There is also a kind of air-curtain formed of
more condensed atmosphere, which separates the
passage into many apartments. Hence, though
many are passing, each appears alone. Within
each of these, is an attendant, who furnishes the
pilgrim with a change of garments. On the
right, and also enclosed, are pools of water, in
which they purify themselves; and leaving their
old apparel, pass to the next apartment, clad in
raiment adapted to their advanced state. Thus
they pass seven times seven of these purifying
processes. Each seventh division is supplied




322              SPIRITUALISM
with fruit which grows upon the enclosing vines,
and of-this they partake. Its effects are not only refreshing, but chemically transform the system. From the forty-ninth, and closing purification, they enter a vast pavilion, around whose
walls are magnificent galleries arising tier above
tier to an immense height. The occupants are
much like those upon the purified orb.
The crown of the cupola has an extensive aperture, over which rests a bright cloud.  From
this descends the water of life, whose principle
pervades the arena and permeates all within.
He who attends me remarks: " Such was the
globe on which the inhabitants of the transparent orb once existed. The tree bearing fruit, of
which they partook in the enclosure, was, what
was known, on that globe, as the tree of life. To
the possession of which the inhabitants aspired;
and were careful to observe all things preparatory to a fitness for the enjoyment of its inestimable benefits."




CHAPTER IV.
CELESTIAL MIRROR: THE UNIVERSAL REFLECTOR.
THE vision has departed, and in a vehicle of
light still more perfect I am borne far above,
and to an exceedingly high tower in superior
realms. Above this tower rests an overspanning
canopy, so constructed: as to reflect the likeness
and reveal the character and movements of all
things either animate or inanimate, pertaining to
the vast sphere of which it is the center.
From this position I behold the orbs, systems,
and their spiritual inheritances throughout what
appears immensity of space. The vastness of
the magnificent scene is entirely above the
comprehension of man while existing in his
state of moral depression, spiritual darkness,
and mental derangement. No means are afforded to reduce to human capacity a proper miniature of those expanded heavens.  Earth's abilities combined cannot furnish the one hieroglyph
from which may be read the outlined characteristics of one of those unbounded plains.
While reclining upon the breast of my guide
I behold what is transpiring in the light of the
dome above me, where figure passes figure, and
scene succeeds scene, as imaged from the moving
323




324             SPIRITUALISM
heavens through this Celestial reflector. There
I behold the members of every system and
the transit of every orb. Yea more, from another and more perfect mirror, which is within
the former, I perceive even the inhabitants of
different realms, in the vast assemblages that
move in the spiritual heavens within the comnpass of this divine speculum.
"Here," remarks my guide, "thou shalt at
the appointed time, sit anid read the history of
that portion of the vast universe to which thy
race doth belong. But for a season, that which
is more immediately important shall engage thee,
Learn however, that all these orbs, all these
moving bodies, which enliven the space embraced
within the scope of thy conceptions, are, or have
been in like condition to those orbs thou hast
just beheld. That is, the same laws affect them,
and their inhabitants, when in like condition.
"The vision of thy earth, (when viewed as
an example of the works of God,) in its deranged, inharmonious, and perverted state, reflects unfavorably upon the order of divine perfection. To its inhabitants God has revealed
the solemn truth of its derangement; that it is
not in harmony with universal nature, and that
man is a violator of law. And also, in order to
redeem and unite him with unperverted beings,
God the Life, Creator and Preserver, must inter



REVIEWED.               325
pose, hence it is revealed that he is the Savior of
sinners. But man, intent upon finding cause in
nature, of all his ills, and also means for his
exaltation to the plains of harmony, has rejected
the Revelation of God in which is epitomized
the cause and effects of transgression, also the
means and end of salvation.  It therefore behooveth Wisdom   to disclose that which hath
heretofore been a SEALED MYSTERY to the race,"




CHAPTER V.
THE INTERPRETATION OF THE TREE OF LIFE.
"HEAR the interpretation of the TREE OF LIFE
of which the inhabitants of the unperfected orb
partook.
"The liberty, indulgence and exercise of the
youth of that orb were restricted, and they were
Required to live obedient to laws adapted to that
oeriod of their existence; and to partake of appropriate nourishment, until after they had eaten of
the Tree standing in the enclosure.  Thence they
were required to live in obedience to the laws
adapted to the first seven years; which laws
and conditions varied as they advanced. The
fruit of which they partook possessed a quality
calculated, when taken into the system, to neutralize, and expel therefrom the grosser properties of their being, and to serve as spirit of life,
to purify and exalt them to a more refined
condition.  As the refining process removes
from the pure metal the dross, so this served to
refine the system. And thus the spiritual bein-g
was sustained in its efforts to rise above the more
material, and to attract to itself from physical nature, that which was in sympathy with the spirit,
and inclined to the spiritual realm.
326




REVIEWED.              327
"The virtue of the seeds, uniting with the juice
of the pure grape of that orb, served to perpetuate the action of the transforming element,
taken with the fruit, and to inspire and support
the more refined properties as they arose with a
spiritual being above the material plains.
"The arched passage to the great dome was enclosed by that growth which repelled the influence of the external atmosphere, and shed a
fragrance within like spiritual aroma, which
uniting with the essence of the fruit partaken,
prompted an increased purifying and spiritualizing action.
"As the garments received the material properties expelled, they were frequently exchanged foA
those new and more refined.  The pools servec
as cleansing and healing fountains.
"Within the great Temple they were baptized
with the principles of immaterial Life from the
divine effulgence which in a cloud-like form rested above. Beneath that effulgence they remained until the properties of their beings capable of
sublimation, were translated from the material
to the spiritual; hence, until their bodies became immortal. Thence, existing in a sphere
of life superior to the natural plane, they were
qualified to repel the gross and perishable influences, and receive as breath of life, supplies
from spiritual realms. Thus the immortalized




328             SPIRITUALISM
inhabitants became fully prepared to proceed, un.
affected by the perishable elements, upon the
orb of their genesis, and to be, in due time,
translated according to the will of their Creator,
to a more spiritual world.
"This is the process by which the transformation of all unfallen beings is effected.  But the
pre-requisite state, together with the immortalizing fruit has been forfeited by man on the fallen orb. And without especial and divine aid,
man, there, cannot arise into harmony with the
heavens, or obtain an immortal body.    The
cause and mode of this loss will hereafter be considered."




CHAPTER VI.
CONSTITUTION OF MIND.
U1NNUMiBERED ages elapsed, and the happy beings upon the orb whose immortalizing process
has been revealed, had obtained to immortality;
and genesis was no more.  The vital elements
were already controlled by the law of spirit life; the
vail was removed that concealed the worlds of
superior light. Freely did holy Angels visit
the orb, and mingle with the happy multitudes.
The song of final transmission from  that to a
higher plane already moved along the octaves of
harmony, and arising mingled with more hallowed notes. Joy and gladness pervaded the
peaceful throng, and a deeper life seemed waking
from within,- quickened by the inspiration from
above.  Nature herself, awoke from her sluggish
repose, as if newly animated. The animal kingdoms also, felt the animating spirit. The fowls
of the air rose higher in the heavens. When
lo! as if shocked by some sudden and awful collision, the orb reeled and oscillated in its movements. The mighty dome gave way, fruit dropped from  the trees, the beasts ran wildly
across the plains and through the forests; and
the fowls of heaven, frightened, fled as if hur329




330            SPIRITUALISM
ried by some wild and furious tempest. A sombre cloud encompassed the orb and night set in
The angels from heaven departed; mourning
and consternation reigned, and the voice of lamentation arose from myriads of prostrate
beings.
"Wouldst thou know the mysterious cause?
Verily, it is a mystery to fallen man; how, in
the universe of mind, those consequences should
exist which have succeeded the cause of this
deplorable change.  And how sin originated
is a greater mystery still."
THE EXPOSITION.
"Deep and unfathomable are the laws of
mind, and strange that mental and spiritual
combination that constitutes an intellectual being. There is a power, by reason of the united
attributes, which confirms and individualizes created intellect and forms the soul capable of selecting for itself. Otherwise, men and angels
have but brute instinct.  There is a combination of spirit-principles whose union ultimates
immortality. These are dependent for origin
and adaptation upon the creative energy of the
Lord; and without him could not have been,
could not be. Nevertheless, mind in the abstract, forms its character by its ruling choice.
It possesses ability to enjoy-to accumulate




REVIEWED.              331
means of pleasure. It can not only add to its
useful facilities, but can, by appropriation, enlarge its capacity.  That which can accumulate means for useful ends, can also neglect that
which would redound to its benefits, yea, even
withhold the soul's supplies. These abilities so
prominent in the human mind, now depraved,
are by the unfaithful philosophy of the race
rejected. Hence, by improperly combining principles, his complement is self-destructive. He
toils to win a way to the lands productive of
gold unalloyed; to a kingdom of mind eternally
pacific, and beneath a cloudless sky; but ne'er
attains. And why?    Because he denieth this
simple principle - the power to pervert the intention of the soul."
THE CAPACITY OF BEING.
"ALL, whether men or angels, possess powers of research by which they investigate; of
discrimination, by which they compare and
judge. They have the powers of computation,
by which they define, and comprehend; powers
of analysis, by which they separate and distinguish; powers also of repulsion and attraction,
by which they accept or reject; and powers of incorporation, by which they appropriate to their
own use, according to their own determination.
"The soul, or heart, has the faculty of inclina



332            SPIRITUALISM
tion or affection.  By this it loves and admires.
Also the principle of aspiration which prompts
desire of superior attainments and inheritance.
And finally, the principle of reverence by which
superior respect is bestowed upon objects deemed worthy.
"These faculties properly cultivated and har
moniously employed, unfold to degrees of refined and exalted being. Such perpetually glorify their Creator-and benefit the created; and
such, throughout the realms of the vast universe,
where they exist united, compose one living octave, the utterance of whose pure emotions and
ascending praises, unite in alleluiahs before the
throne of God.
"The aspirations of such beings, when self-devoted, become transformed into ambition. Ambition prompts reverse tendencies, thence perverts the powers to individual aggrandizement,
which should be devoted to universal uses, and
the glory of God.  Hence refraction, opposition
to law, and therefore rebellion. Rebellion con..
fuses and deranges the organism; hence discord.
ance. Discordance causes one principle to prey
upon another, thus enfeebling and preventing
the appropriation of sustaining and unfolding
means.   This is succeeded   by   imbecility.
Weakness and discord engender disease; and
disease induces decomposition. Hence death."




CHIAPTER VII.
THE REBELLION.
"IN the process of time, one of those who had
passed from the great dome, having attained to
immortality, in his self-complacency, especially
considered his own merit, and while contemplating, neglected to honor his Creator as the Author of his existence-the  cause by which he
had immortal character. And thus becoming
careless to his instructions, strictly applied his
meditations to himself, therefore became self-devoted. This prompted a desire of display, and
consequently of ambition. And arising in the
pride of self-sufficiency he proceeded to display
his own dignity; and thus perverted the law of
harmony praise and ascension!  And infolding
the faculties of his internal being, he became sefisZh.
By this he failed to realize his dependence upon
God;   and  assumed   self-ability - arrogance.
Thus he disturbed his sympathy with divine
life; severed the golden link that united him to
the heavens, AND FELL!  Breaking the bond of
union between one soul and the spirit of harmo.
ny, affected the kingdom of peace and life afar,
and was felt throughout the heavens; shocke.
the orb and removed it from its orbit. The a'.
333




334            SPIRITUALISM
gels left, and the veil of darkness encompassed
that distracted sphere. This was the first viol(tion of law- THE REBELLION! Hence the origin
of evil-of SIN.
"When he felt the consequences of the fall his
soul became envious and he blasphemed his
God, for the affliction he had brought upon himself: and HEAVEN PRONOUNCED HIM UNJUST.
"Moreover, since he was immortal, death as a
consequence could not be alloted. He was therefore, by the laws of his condition, self-doomed to
banishment, and regions of perpetual night.
"Becoming malicious, he sought and induced
others into evil who with him declared their opposition to heaven. Hence fallen and rebellious
spirits-opposition to God and his government.
"Having secured his followers, he declared
himself Prince and sought to subdue those who
could not by artifice be led from the Law of the
Lord.
"Thus is revealed the origin of EVIL."
THE SUPPLICATION.
"Those who did not sin bowed before Heaven
and implored protection. This was the first
prayer of affliction, and such were its causes.
Their importunities ascended as breath of sorrow and in mournful accents arose on high. Silence prevailed. And the unnumbered myriads




REVIEWED.              335
of angels and seraphs felt the burden, and united
in the solemn prayer.   GOD HEARD!     The
finger of his Almightiness touched the orb: -and
lo! the suppliants arose. The law of disintegration decomposed the orb. Thence obedient to
his Word, the refined particles were transformed
and spiritualized, and arose into the intermediate heavens. The Lord reigned thereon, and
made of it a home of many mansions; and
blessed it, and gave it as the inheritance of those
who would not sin, but kept their first estate.
And this is the transparent orb; even PARADISE:
and these the blissful inhabitants first beheld in
the vision."
THE WORLD OF WOE.
"But the gross, imperfect and igneous elements of the decomposed orb, being collected,
became a thirsty, barren, and unfruitful sphere,
encompassed with a heated and discordant atmosphere. Void of power to attract light, and
destitute of all means of reflection, it wanders
in-perpetual gloom,
"Over its surface hangs a self-generated,
ghastly, pale sulphuric cloud. It is the inheritance of those rebellious and fallen spirits.
"Being immortal, they increase in energy and
violence of movement. Their thoughts are the
reverse of integrity, purity and frankness. They




336            SPIRITUALIS:M
are subtle and serpent-like; have no desire of
heaven, and, if possible, would blot out the sun
OF PEACE. They can at will encompass themselves with artificial splendor like a garment,
and wear the smile of artifice.  But their heart
is black and full of deadly poison."
IMAN SPIRITUALLY INSPIRED.
DURING this address my positioll was such as
to behold the images reflected within the dome.
As my instructor spoke of earth I saw its image;
and its contrast with those harmonious orbs cannot be described. Dark shadows hung over the
entire surface. These, however, were penetrated
by rays of light. Far above stood a mighty angel, holding in his hand a trumpet. As he spoke
bright beings without number, descended into
the gloomy atmosphere that encompassed the
earth. As the ministering angels endeavored to
influence the forlorn and bewildered inhabitants,
to impress them with the image of the cross and
its attending truths, dark spirits, inhabitants of
realms of night, sought to imitate their appearance and mode of procedure, and by reason of
perversion, the inhabitants of earth could scarcely
distinguish the bright beings. From these causes
also, they were inclined to the dark spirits, and
more readily perceived them; and as their teach.
Ings harmonized with their vain hearts, they be9




REVIEWED.              337
lieved them true.  Many were influenced, and
blinded by the illusive reflections from fantastic
spheres; and receiving the false philosophy, as
agents of these perverted beings, became the
heralds of untruths. I was solemnly impressed
with the correctness of the vision.
During the interpretation of the laws of life
on the rudimental orb, I beheld its image and
movements, until decomposed.    Thence the
orb of night appeared as if eternally fixed. It
was a dark spot upon the broad features of the universe.
RETURN TO THE TRANSPARENT ORB.
As my conductor closed his dissertation
upon the origin and consequences of sin, whose
truths appeared self-evident, we immediately descended to the sphere of the Orb-Paradise.
Upon approaching, I beheld the male inhabitants gathered in and about the principle Temple. I enquired the cause, and learned that intelligence had just reached them of the creation
of man upon Earth.   How? at this period?
I enquired, since many ages are already passed
in the history of man. "Nevertheless," answered my guide, "every scene, with each minute
part or act is reflected, as upon a spiritual mirror. Nothing is lost, or the trace of its existence permitted to pass into oblivion. All nature
15




338             SPIRITUALISM
daguerreotypes itself, indelibly, upon eternal
duration. Not one thought perishes or fails to
infix its character upon the pages of eternal records. This principle is sealed to the actors until they pass certain fixed degrees in the scale of
existence. Thou art impressed with the realities of scenes long since closed in their active
manifestations; but whose image still lives.
Duration in its unfoldings, unrolls itself, a
scroll whereon is inscribed whatever is. It is a
book of records, a transcription of events. Each
fluttering leaf, crawling insect, thought or deed
of man or angel, is written in that Book of everlasting ages. Whoever reads nature from this
Book, arrives at truth. Dost tlou understand?
"This is a page revealing the past; the memorable scene when the existence of Adam and
Eve, the innocent and pure possessors of Earth's
Eden, was announced to this world. What thou
hast previously beheld of this realm, is connected with that event; hence this assemblage explains why at thy former visit here the inhabitants were not in their usual occupation upon
the land or seas. He who is now represented as
addressing those assembled is an Angelic Messenger from   superior heavens. The anxious
expression of his countenance, and which was
also revealed by his audience, was because of a
vile deceiver, who was seeking the ruin of the




EYvIE WED.             339
blissful pair on earth, who though then innocent
and unsuspecting, by reason of a constitution
heretofore explained, were capable of neglecting
the counsels of Heaven, and of becoming the
prey of carnal desires. * *  * Let us depart."




CHAPTER VIII.
ORIGINAL EDEN OF EARTH.
THUS saying, we descended from that Paradisiacal world to the earth, and paused above ancient
Eden. Before us appeared Adam and Eve in
their native loveliness. But how little they compared with man as he now is! And nature, too,
how superior to what earth now presents. Alas!
for the consequences of sin. Eden was a model
of perfection. The serial and faunal kingdoms,
manifested divine order, and vegetation unfolded
earth's unalloyed virtues. The foliage upon the
trees gently moved under the influence of the
balmy zephyrs. Fruit rich and golden, hung
upon the pendant boughs, and Earth's surface was
clothed in Flora's choicest garb. Above, the
heavens smiled and reflected their glory from a
cloudless sky.
"Behold," said my counselor,  "Eden   as
it was! But in the distance observe that orb
of night, dark and dreary. It is the habitation of rebellious souls. They seek to tempt this
lovely and innocent pair, and pollute them with
the spirit of their unhallowed natures. The law
of being has been revealed. Each soul must
choose the right and reject the wrong. Upon
340




REVIEWED.              341
this ability depends intelligence.  Without it
there could not be man or angel. Between the
laws of mind and matter there is no analogy."
A dark cloud now' drew near, which disclosed
a clan of fallen spirits most malicious.  Dreadful was that sight.  Their purpose was obvious,
and although Adam and Eve had been formally
instructed in the philosophy of their natures,
the chemistry of matter, the vegetation suited to
their present condition, and that which would
prove exceedingly deleterious if indulged prematurely; and the exercise of their own functions, also relative to the existence and character of the rebel beings; still they must accept or
reject, obey or disobey. And the fate of earth
seemed to rest upon their decision.   Thus
was their primitive state revealed. To seduce
them  the arch fiend resorted to unnumbered
machinations.   He  sought sympathy    with
them   by  secret  influence, breathed upon
them his vile magnetic life, but as he approached was careful to infold himself in a kind of deceptive light; hence they did not perceive him.
Finally, after many futile efforts to possess them,
he resorted to the animal races for one suited to
his purposes.
In the rear of the garden, and under the shadow of a grove, he approached a creature in appearance much like man, but whose head was




342            SPIRITUALISM
serpent-form. This creature, having a heavy
base or sub-brain, was readily possessed, and
thence inspired at will.
THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL.
"In the midst of the garden," said my instructor, "behold a tree whose fruit is immature.
This'is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.'
Herein consists a mystery never revealed to
fallen man. When mature, if eaten, it was calculated to unfold and confirm the faculties of
generation. If eaten before ripe would unavoidably induce premature development, and engender disease.  Of this fruit the Lord forbade
Adam and Eve to partake until the fullness of
time.  This constituted the principle requirement. Now, it came to pass, that he who first
rebelled, having possessed the creature, as already shown, sought to effect his purpose by enticing them to pluck and eat of that fruit before
the time. By so doing, he was assured the
baser propensions would prevail, and they inevitably be perverted, hence become sympathizers
with evil. Man denies this, because of its apparent (as they affirm) reflection upon the
knowledge and power of God. But the law of
mental ability awards a power of choice. That
renders the being a moral agent, and moral
agency gives ability to determine the mode of




REVIEWED.              343
actions. This has been discovered in the exposition of the first violation."
At this period the creature, now possessed by
the Satanic Power, was manoeuvering in the
garden. But the peculiar manifestations of Adam now absorbed my thoughts.
CONSTITUTION OF ADAM.
It appeared that he was by various movements
responding to every quality of his nature. There
was true dignity in his demeanor, his physical
and mental constitution, in reality, appeared to
qualify him for the government of earth, as the
under shepherd of the Lord. He evinced a soul
capable of enjoyment. I perceived that his
brain was composed of three grand divisions. The
base or cerebelum, united him with physical and
material nature. By this he sympathized with
the lower orders of beings, and was capable of
enjoying harmony of physical sensation. Its
union with superior qualities rendered it the
sensational crown or seat of animal life, conjoined with mental and spiritual sense. Hence by
this union originate human propensions.
The second division was that which forms the
blending sphere, or the intermediate region between the material and spiritual being. This is
composed of the superior essences of the inferior
realm, and the inferior declination of the world




344            SPIRITUALISM
of mind. This union constitutes man in human
form a spiritual being, and identifies the spirit
of life with a created organism, hence a spirit
entity. By this, man physically is exalted, and
becomes upright. He is therefore above the animal. He is the ultimate of the physical and a
member of the spiritual universe. This intermediate degree is the link which unites the material and spiritual. Its life is from the spiritual
and not the physical. The material man, therefore, is dependent upon the principle of spiritual
life, by which it has form and exaltation.
The result of his union constitutes human
ability in the external sphere. The third and sz.
Perior division is pure mentality.  This actuates and engages man in his earthly procedure.
It is that by which he conceives, analyzes, determines and executes. It promotes the inferior
man, when the soul and body harmonize with
each other and the laws of their existence.
Thus Adam revealed a combination of capacities, superior, beyond comparison to other manifestations around him; and attributes which
united him with two universes -the material
and the spiritual-the earthly and the heavenly. Moreover, by his nature, thus innocent, he
was decidedly inclined to the divine. Therefore,
in unfallen man, matter and mind are so united
as to harmonize in every function, and by every




RE VIEWEi)             345
movement to increase in degrees of refinement,
until, by Heaven's appointed means, the changable shall obtain to the unchangable-the immortal state. But, to strictly analyze, definitely
reveal and clearly define the intricate blending,
and silent procedures, together with the modes
of inspiration, reception, incorporation, and progression of unfallen man, is not within the capacity of perverted mind.
If the body be by any means rendered defective, or the mind become depraved, the purposes
of the union are suspended. Physical deformity however, alone, cannot prevent the final development of the spirit, since such deficiency only affects the external manifestation
and immediate growth. The body is the agent
by which the soul reveals its character to the
outer world, the casket for the unfolding spirit:
therefore in the earth sphere the free and healthy
movement of the mind is accelerated or suppressed by the functions of the external being.
Still though the body be perfect it cannot correct the errors of the mind.  Nor can spiritual
depravity, even by a perfect medium, manifest
health and harmony. Hence righteousness is
not by means of physical health, but because of
spiritual, mental, and moral rectitude, neither
doth unrighteousness pertain to material nature.
The physical man cannot, therefore, transform the




346            SPIRITUALISM
spirit, or disparage its moral worth. Nevertheless, proper development of body or mind in the
rudimental state depends upon their unitary
health and harmony.  If, then, either is depreciated or becomes unduly excited, wrong will be
inflicted upon the system.  If the body suffers,
the spirit will sympathize; and if the mind is
diseased, the body shares in the consequences of
its ills.  And as the health, development, and
longevity of man depend upon his state of mind
and condition of body, it follows that overaction
in any attribute or faculty will infringe upon the
rights and uses of his constitution. And thus
improper tendencies by any excess may be induced in man. Therefore to pervert any attribute or faculty of mind or body is to interrupt
its harmonious development, suspend its progression, and retard or prevent its healthy ultimation. A law of force is a law of necessity,
and that is mechanical. Adam revealed inclination and decision, therefore the power of choice.
Hence, although he may be advised, urged or
tempted, he alone must decide the character of
his actions.  This renders him intellectualconstitutes his manhood. He is therefore responsible for his deeds. Thus man is made but
a little below the angels.
Eve manifested greater refinement and susceptibility, by far, than Adam. She was to him




REVIEWED.             347
an angel-being, existing in a material body. Her
gentle spirit qualified her for his companion, to
comfort and bless him evermore. She was God's
great gift to him.  How blest that happy pair.
Hand in hand they moved amid the trees of
Eden.   Smile answered to smile, and heart beat
to heart in holy sympathy and perfect confidence. Thus might they have lived while eternity endures.




CHAPTER IX.
THE TEMPTATION.
A peculiar musical sound now arrested my attention, and I beheld hovering above the tree
bearing the forbidden fruit a large and beautiful
bird, which was also under the charm of the
evil spirits and influenced to attract the attention of Eve. The tree shone brilliantly, but its
lustre was a fantastic halo which concealed the
many demons within its boughs. Beneath stood
the beast-agent of the prince of fiends, and the
encompassing atmosphere was transformed into
a base magnetic element.  "]Malicious yet most
perfect design," remarked my guide.'If Eve
shall hear and be enticed into that magnetic
sphere,farewell to hter zUrity and pecce. The cloud
of deat.h shall encompass her, and unborn generations shall be the victims of the enemy of innocence and heaven! Father of mercies spare!
Yet why should I pray?  They know their duty; they can not, surely they will not bheed the
Tempter.  Behold!" he ejaculated, and lo, Eve
had heard and silently withdrew from Adam in
the direction of the demons. As she approached, dissolving views most captivating played
around the tree.  Their influence reached her
348




REVIEWED.              349
sense!  She lost her self-governlent   was
charmed!
"Eve, thou favored of God," exclaimed the angel, "why dost thou wander? False beings allure: pause, or in a moment thy doom shall be
sealedc "  She heard him not. Her ear listened
to the charmer's song, and her eye gazed upon
the fantastic and bewildering colors. The beast
drew near and invited her to partake of the forbidden fruit. This somewhat aroused her sense.
And she boldly replied, "Nay! IT IS FORBIDDEN!" and a voice answered, "God said,'the
day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.'"
Theb declaration is untrue," said the voice, "for
God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof,
then your eyes shall be opened; and ye shall be
as gods, knowing good and evil."
The music charmed her, the magnetic sphere
encompassed and pervaded her sensitive being,
the mystery astonished her. The Tempter urged.
She yielded and partook! Adam having missed
Eve, pursued her, and was now with her in the
sphere of evil. To him she gave and he did
eat! THE DEED WAS DONE!! Nature convulsed.
Earth changed its position. The heavens gathered blackness. Wild, tempestuous clouds obscured the sun. Terrific thunders burst upon
the world, and rolled their stunning peals
over land and sea.  The globe shook to its




350            SPIRITUALISM
center.  Oceans submerged   the continents,
valleys sank, and extensive plains were transformed into mountain ranges. ADAM AxD EVE
HAD FALLEN!
Having accomplished their infamous design,
the demons, for such they truly were, withdrew
to witness the scene. And what insane satisfac.
tion they manifested!  He who first presumed
upon the government of Heaven, on the severed
orb, now chief dictator, vaunted to diabolical excess over the victory he had obtained. And
reaching forth his hand, from which streamed a
sulphuric flame —the perfection of evil magnetism-he defied his Maker, when a bolt of light
from on high struck him and he disappeared.
THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SON OF MAN.
As the tempest subsided, a cloud of effulgence
appeared above the garden. From this cloud, the
angel informed me, the bolt descended upon
Apollyon and his clan, and hurled them to their
nether abode.  Within, was the manifestation
of the Son of Man. Mercy and Justicewerein
attendance.




CHAPTER X.
THE EXPOSITION.
"WHAT has been revealed concerning the Rebellion prior to Earth's existence," said the Angel, "discloses the cause of the dread consequences which followed the fall of Adam and
Eve. But this occurred with them while less
mature in body and mind than the angel who
rebelled.
"The philosophy of Adam's fall has not
therefore been disclosed.
"The fruit of which they ate, as heretofore
revealed, directly affected the faculties of generation. Its proper use would have developed,
in perfection, the physical being, and prepared
it for the offices of earthly existence. But the
unripe fruit being taken into the system, while
in its tender age, by overacting portions of the
functions, induced premature results. Had the
body and mind been mutually unfolded the laws
of progression would have been observed and
man obtained, without physical dissolution, to
the immortal state. The process has been revealed in the vision of the severed orb.
"Adam and Eve, in yielding to the Tempter,
suffered their minds to deviate from their natu351




352             SPIRITUALISM
ral tendency, and as the character of influenc3
was base, it inverted the action of their soul;
closed the opening flower and attracted the unfolding essence into the stalk, hence gave the
spirit an animal tendency. This overcharged
the inferior organs of the mind, and robbed
the superior of their natural vitality. At Jthis
period, wheu they gave heed to the first suggestion, their moral nature trembled in balances.
They knew their duty, had power to hold the
mind upon it, and thus keep the avenues closed
through which the temptation affected their sympathies. Still, rather than repel the vile suggestive spirit, they allowed it to arrest the meditation and engage it, and therefore approach
the natural affinities.  Thus pausing, they became passive. This passiveness induced negativeness to the enticing power, which by this advantage secured the disposition and thence
bound the soul. Thus Eve submitted to the
magnetism of the seducer. The first favorable
thought she gave in the direction of the forbidden fruit, constituted her transgression. To guard
against that constituted her great duty. It was
simple then and could have been easily prevented from incorporating itself into her being; but
when once indulged was the means of perverting her soul, and having yielded to the first insinuation, she was readily induced to approach




REVIEWED.              353
the cloud of enchantment, which encompassed
the tree of forbidden fruit. Still the Satanic
purpose was not disclosed.  Nevertheless, when
once within the Tempter's power, and encompassed by his sphere, she became an easy subject of that will and artifice, by which her sense
was overcome. Therefore, when the fatal proposition was suggested, although fromn the memory of Heaven's injunction she recoiled, she
could not resist, hence she partook.
"The effect of the fruit, unripe, and at that
stage of her development, as well the Tempter
knew; operated sensibly upon the nervous system, and inspiring to excess, the faculties of the
body wrought therein unhealthy desires. This
prostituted the mind and rendered positive the
laws of being hitherto negative. Herein consists the cause of man's inclination to gratify his
baser propensities; his strength of carnal desire;
and the weakness of his love for divine things;
hence his moral degradation. INlan, then, is the
servant of sin, and as such must remain until a
stronger shall come, bind him who holdeth the
soul's dominion, and rescue the fallen spirit.
"No man can possibly serve two masters, nor
incline to good and evil at the same time. No
more could Adam and Eve be the subjects of
wicked device, lust and revenge, (the very spirit of the Tempter, ) and retain their moral putri



354            SPIRITUALISM
ty, and perpetuate their original relation to
goodness and heaven. Therefore when they
suffered evil to prevail over them their moral
nature became diseased, their harmony with the
Spirit of Life was disturbed, and sympathy
with the divine spheres was lost; it came to pass
that the spiritual avenues of their soul withered
away, and the passional being increased to undue proportions. And being thus prepared they
received undue sympathy from the animal and
material realms, thence influx from the spheres of
darkness, hence became affinitized with the realms
of death. Their affinities were of necessity, henceforth deathward tending. They were then prepared for union with those fallen beings who had
seduced them, and whose iufluence they thereafter loved and cherished. And by this means
henceforth loving the ways of death or perversion, they had an extreme disrelish for the spirit of life. Moreover, constituted as they were
for aspiration and indulgence, which otherwise
would have been in the law of obedience, their
desire embraced the objects of the baser propensions. This indulgence premature, was in effect
a violation of every law of being; and from the
violation of law they became debased. Thus
was wrought in them  all manner of concupiscence, which from that period, has been sadly
demonstrated by the children of men. For, to




REVIEWED.              355
gratify his carnal inclinations man perils every
interest of his soul, explores land and sea; urges his body to its destruction, deceives, plunders
and assassinates.  The secret cause of human
woe, then, primarily consisted in bending the
upright soul to the insidious suggestions of a
lascivious spirit, which perverted the affections,
deranged the faculties, changed the intentions of
the being from heaven and holiness, to vain and
unhallowed pursuits; corrupted the fountains of
spirit life, whence should issue the principles of
goodness and peace, and rendered man a slave
to his passions;.shut out the light and joys of
heaven. Secondarily, from this perversion followed extreme excitement of the nervous system, which subdued the physical man, reduced
the mind to a state of imbecility, thence induced
disease and physical death.
"To restore that which was lost, holiness in
perfect love, must unite itself with the love of
the perverted soul, subdue and cast out the evil
and depraved principle, change the nature of
the inclinations, purify and exalt the sympathies
-the love —and support its new-born desire in
its heaven-seeking effort; in fine, restore the affections. Therefore, God hath said in his Word
to fallen man,'Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul
and with all thy mind.''Ye must be born




356            SPIRITUALISM
again.''The wind bloweth where it listeth, and
thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not
tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth; so
is every one that is born of the Spirit. He that
is born of God, is born of love. To be carnally
minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is
life and peace. Lay not up for yourself treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal;
but in heaven-where neither moth nor rust doth
corrupt, and where thieves do not break through
nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will
your heart be also.'
"These requirements exist in the nature of
the human soul, and its relation to universal
law.  If the mind aspires after heaven the
sphere of its sense and action will from that principle naturally seek the superior, and by attraction, will arise continually in the scale of moral
goodness and spiritual worth. But if the inclinations are reversed, declination is inevitable.
This philosophy of the soul, the Spirit has ever
enforced upon man, which however, his perverted heart rejects. Herein consists the error of
the human family. To the Bible thou art referred for a history of- the events succeeding the
fall, and the promise of redemption. And here
the scene must be withdrawn until the time appointed when the spiritual currents, modes, and




REVIEWED.              357
effects of the invisible sphere proximate to man,
throughout his history even to the Consummation, shall be disclosed.  Go, then, pilgrim, return to the external plane of human existence.
Love the Lord with thy whole heart, serve him
with thy might. Let no delusive fantasy lead
thee from the way of Truth. Jesus, as thou art
taught in the Scriptures, is THE REDEEMER.
Trust in him. Watch faithfully thy heart, keep
thou thy charge. Endure all things for him
who endured the decisive conflict for thee. Exchange not thy inheritance for earth and its bestowments. Be thou faithful, fulfill thy mission;
in heaven   receive thy crown."
RESTORATION TO THE NORMAL STATE
At the close of the solemn charge, the angel
gently retired, the scene was withdrawn, and my
external sense awoke to sympathy with the interests of mortal life.
Earnestly I enquired, are these things so?
Heaven knoweth! Verily the history and character of man confirm the sentiments of the
vision.
REMARKS.
Thus the reader has been presented with a
vision as probably true as any of the day. It
certainly refutes the idea that all modern visions,




358             SPIRITUALISM
revelations, etc., are opposed to the Christian
Faith. If the Harmonialists denominate it the
reflection of undeveloped minds, its system,
graphic description, and depth of thought, when
compared with their claims is against such conclusions. To account for it as the result of an excited imagination, involves all so-called modern
developments in equal difficulty. To regard it
as a communication from   bigoted spirits, who
still retain their prejudices, subjects others, also,
to like criticism. However viewed, it is not easily disposed of by Harmonial Spiritualists, and
is as much to the discredit of their doctrines as
the visions they adduce can be to the disparagement of the Bible.




SPIRITUALISI.
PART I.
CHAPTER I.
MOST ANCIENT SPIRIT MANIFESTATIONS.
The idea of spiritual existence can have no
bounds. It embraces the beginning of all things,
the manifestation of all intelligence, the eternity of duration: - all thought, happiness or misery. Mind without it has no meaning, and eternity, would be one vast void of inconceivable
nonentity.
Whether man possesses a combination of attributes, essences and functions, capable of
everlasting duration, is the question which has
been tried by human sense throughout all time.
It is a problem never yet solved to the full satisfaction of the race. Millions have lived and
died professing doubt in the reality of future existence. Millions more have lived in the faith
of life to come, and with rejoicing in -hope of a
blissful immortality, have bid adieu to the world
of external realities.
Many periods in the history of man have been
enlivened, and especially stamped with phenomena acknowledged by multitudes as the indubita359




360            SPIRITUALISM
ble manifestation of intelligences denominated
spirits or angels; and in many instances, as the
absolute Revelation of the Spirit of the Lord.
Those who acknowledge a future state of existence differ as widely as the capacity of the human mind will possibly admit relative to the
character of that existence; and also what influence this life may have upon the future state of
the soul. This, however is divided into two
grand theories. I. The belief that nature, without especial aid, unfolds the human spirit into
angelic capacity, and a state of beatific rest.
And, II. The theory of immortality based upon
the doctrine of man's special creation with spiritual endowments, by the Lord;-of human depravity-the effect of Adam's transgression;
and of Redemption from evil through the Mediatorship of Jesus, in whom the Divine Spirit
was revealed. This, renders future happiness
dependent upon the merciful provisions of the
Gospel, and the sinner's repentance toward
God and faith in the Lord Jesus-that, upon
the progressive laws of nature, unassisted by the
Divine Spirit.
The history of these opposing principles is
traceable to a period as ancient as the days of
Adam. One acknowledges the existence and
Truth of the Lord Creator, the other charges
the God of the Bible with falsehood and decep



REVIEWED.              361
tion of the basest character. In Gen., 2 16-1 7,
we read: "And the Lord God commanded the
man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou
mayest freely eat: but of the tree of knowledge
of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in
the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely
die."
In this passage, reference is had to a law to
which Adam was amenable. It indicated his
ability to violate the divine requirement; and
in the plainest manner informed him that consequences of a malignant character would attend
its violation.  The opposing spirit is said (Gen.,
3: 1-5) to have mocked and contradicted the
Lord in the following language. "Yea, hath
God said, ye shall not eat of every tree of the
garden? And the woman said, We may eat of
the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the
tree that is in the midst of the garden, God hath
said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch
it lest ye die. And the serpent ( actlcask, or JcEIanas, devil,) said unto the woman, Ye shall not
surely die; for God doth know that in the day
ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened;
and ye shall be as Gods, knowing good and
evil."
In these passages, the opposing principles are
clearly revealed. It is not, therefore, a new
thing that the Spirit which enjoins obedience to
16




362              SPIRITUALISM
God's laws should be set at naught, the counsels
of Heaven be disregarded, and the consequences
of disobedience denied.  It may be well to remark, that the sequel proved God true, and the
opposing spirit a liar.  This holds good in every age and test. M\oreover, as in moderin times
the two principles are clearly manifest with
men; one urging faithfulness to injunction, and
the other contemning it; and as the consequence
of trifling with that law brings evil results,
therefore, the works of men as well as the primitive history demonstrate and confirm the truth
of the Bible statement, and the falsity of the
denial —the opposition. Such are the most ancient records concerning " Spirit l[Manifestations."
Nor can their correctness be disproved; but
rather, subsequent revealments serve to establish them as faithful accounts.
Here then we fix our data and commence the
Record of Spiritualism. This account reveals a
malicious opposition to the Supreme Spirit whose
Being is declared in the Scriptures; and coni
tempt for his law. And we premise that the
same spirit of opposition is traceable down
through time, and that modern Harmonial Spirt
itualism is the legitimate descendant through ani
unbroken lineage: or is prompted by the same
spirit that attempted to reason away the Law of
the Almighty. If such is the truth, what will




REVIEWED.              363
remain for discussion is, which is the true principle, that which tempted Eve into sin, or that
which taught obedience to divine requirement?
Again: The Lord counseled Adam to control
his inclinations, and admonished him against
gratifications which might expose him to unfavorable consequences; advised him to a habit of
self-government. This is in harmony with divine law. Every organism in the universe is
dependent for health, use and development, upon
the competency and judicious exercise of some
supreme controlling power. Without this, the
members of the physical universe would wander confusedly until their order and existence
would cease to be. Even so with the mind:
there must be government or the most fatal consequences will attend its movement. Nations,
circles and families require governmental policy;
the exercise of correct determination. In like
manner every separate intelligence requires fixedness of purpose-self-control. The Bible informs
us that the Lord revealed to Adam the character and tendency of this first and supreme principle. As, therefore, the prohibition harmonized with eternal law, and was adapted to Adam's condition, it follows that the doctrine of its
divine origin is a truth.  But without this manifest adaptation, the consequences that followed
the violation prove the wisdom and righteous




364             SPIRITUALISM
ness of the command. The Tempter's position
was the opposite. He urged self-gratification,
and therefore had no respect for the first principle, the great criterion of Adam's being. No
government could exist under such an administration.  The law of equity, purpose, justice,
and of mental, spiritual and moral government
was set aside by him; and impulse, passion
and appetite instituted in their stead. Consequently, his counsel savored of discord and death,
and was opposed to life, harmony and peace.
Such was the character of that spirit, which,
according to the Scriptures set at naught the
counsels of heaven, has made perpetual war
upon the servants of God and the Divine Law.
Facts prove it the principal actor in the present
effort against the Bible-that it is now feeling
for the pillars of the House of God. Its magic
hands are seeking the candlesticks of the holy
Temple, and its spiritual messengers are stealing into the domestic circle and most sacred
places. The power, like an invisible cloud, overhangs the earth, and distills its God-opposing spirit into the human soul. It comes as angel whispers, spiritual melody, ghostly visages, and the
multitudinous forms of Magnetism, Biology and
Necromancy - by clairvoyance, spirit-seeing,
writing, rapping, and the disturbance of material
bodies. It speaks of heaven and harmony, and




REVIEWED.               365
while charming with circean song, with its death
fingers clutches at the Bible.  Its infuriated
heart, surcharged, is impatient for the period to
arrive when it can belch its venom like a flood,
upon those who adhere to the doctrine of the
Inspired Word and have faith in the Lord Jesus. The manifestation has varied according to
the sense of the device. At times it has, as
nearly as possible, imitated the character of divine Inspiration, and in some instances it has
been difficult for benighted man to distinguish
it from the true, until the effect removed the
veil and exposed its perverse and wicked nature.




CHAPTER II.
BIBLE HISTORY OF THE OPPOSING SPIRIT.
IMMEDIATELY succeeding the first transgression, the evil, malicious, and God opposing spirit
assumed especial form in the murder of Abel,
whose pious soul offered acceptable sacrifice before God. This the evil spirit could not endure,
and therefore meted out its hate for holy things
upon the meek victim.
Abel was the first of unnumbered martyrs to
the Cause of Heaven. And his blood issued
first from the' fountain thus opened because of
the spirit of opposition to the religion known
as the religion of the Bible.
However varied the form of manifestation, it
has been the humble believer in the doctrine of
divine Inspiration, sacrifice, and devout worship
of the Lord of heaven and earth, the I AM, who
has suffered. And it has been a proud tyranizing spirit which has inflicted pain and death
upon those who woould serve the invisible God,
though earth and hell oppose.
Deep-designing, the evil genus sought, by cutting off Joseph, to prevent the salvation of Israel through whose lineage the Messiah, the
Conqueror should come. It therefore inspired
366




REVIEWED.              367
his brethren with revenge because of his prophetic spirit. And they finally sold the innocent lad a slave into Egypt. But the very mieans
employed to defeat the Spirit of Life was overruled- to the greatest and most glorious ends.
For a season Joseph suffered. And because his
trusty and upright soul could not be tempted into sin, but resisted, by false accusation he was
cast into prison. In this also, God defeated the
enemy, and by means originating in that affliction, exalted Joseph to a position wisely adapted
to the purpose of his Mission-the salvation of
the house of Jacob. Gen., 37.
The same evil inspiration at the time of the
birth of Moses, the servant of the Most High,
caused Pharaoh to purpose the sacrifice of all the
males born to the Hebrews. By so doing, the
agent of Heaven would have been cut off. This
God also overruled to his own glory. For by the
inspiration of Wisdom, Moses was saved.  And
when, after three months, the mother could no
longer conceal him, "she took for him an ark
made of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and
pitch, and put the child therein; and laid it in
the flags by the river's brink. And the sister
stood afar off to wit what would be done with
him.   And the daughter of Pharaoh came down
to wash at the river; and her miaidens walked
along by the river side; and when she saw the ark




368            SPIRITUALISM
among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.
"And when she had opened it, she saw the
child; and behold, the babe wept. And she hac
compassion on him, and said, This is one of the
Hebrew children. Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call thee a nurse
of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the
child for thee?  And Pharaoh's daughter said
to her, Go. And the maid went and called the
child's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said
unto her, Take the child away, and nurse it for
me, and I will give thee wages. And the woman took the child and nursed it. And the
child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's
daughter, and he became her son. And she
called his name Moses: and she said, Because I
drew him out of the water." Exodus, 2.
What stronger evidence of God's especial
Providence could be given than this case affords?
And yet it is called a myth. And why? Is it
irrational? In what? The narrative is simple:
no incident recorded transcends the possibility
of actual occurrence. The King's decree is in
no way improbable. The concealment of the
babe is perfectly natural. The heart of every
true mother would respond to hers who clandestinely preserved her child; and their judgment
approve her course. Is, then, the case such as
naturally suggests doubts of its truth?  Is it




REVIEWED.              369
more inconsistent to believe than that the dead
return to earth, and prescribe for the sick?
make music on tambourines, accordeons, violins,
and the piano?  Play a reveille on bass and
tenor drums? and cause stands, tables, bedsteads
and. bureaus to dance like puppets? carry ribbons and penknives across theAtlantic? bake
griddle cakes? or manufacture hands and feet
and perform midnight wonders by them?    If
these modern phenomena be true, is it unlikely
that the circumstances said to have attended
Moses' birth ever transpired, and that the account is founded in truth, and not in fiction?
Yea, are there not strong evidences that the
spirit which sought to destroy Moses and by so
doing to defeat the object of his mission, having
failed in that attempt has since opposed, by every imaginable device, those who have had faith
in that and succeeding events connected with
the Hebrews and pertaining to the belief in especial manifestations of the Lord?  Nevertheless, as in the case of Joseph, who was sold into
Egypt, by whom God preserved the Patriarchal
family; so in that of the attempted sacrifice of
the Hebrew children, the Divine Spirit overruled
the evil intention to the salvation of the en.
slaved Israelites.
Moses being found by Pharaoh's daughter,
was, therefore, adopted into the Royal family.
24




370            SPIRITUALISM
By this means, he was educated into the
knowledge of the king's policy, the jurisprudence of Nations; and the means employed by
Pharaoh's Chief Magistrates to execute his designs. Thus brought up, he was advised of the
modes of government and the character of those
nations and tribes through which he passed with
the children of Israel, while journeying from
Egypt to the Promised Land. Thus prepared,
at the appointed time God called him. He obeyed, and the Lord, through him, delivered his
people.
The next important effort against the Spirit
of Truth, consisted in an attempt to suppress the
divine influence, by subduing and holding in abject servitude the people through whose descendants the Word of God was to be revealed.
Hence when Moses and Aaron appeared before
Pharaoh, with the message of the Lord, and in
the name of the God of Heaven plead for the
freedom of the oppressed Hebrews, he said,
"Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice,
to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither
will I let Israel go."
There are those now saying, like Pharaoh,
Who is the Lord, the God of the Hebrews?
We know not the Lord: Nature is our God: we
cannot obey, neither regard the counsels of
the God of the Bible. Such, in substance, is




REVIEWED.              371
the language of N. D. Revelations, and of Harmonialism.
In reply to Pharaoh, Moses and Aaron said,
"The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let
us go we pray thee. And the king of Egypt
said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and
Aaron, let the people from their works? Get
ye unto your burdens. And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and
ye make them rest from their burdens. And
Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
Ye shall no more give the people straw to make
brick, as heretofore: let them  go and gather
straw. for themselves. And the tale of bricks
which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish aught thereof:
for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let
us go and sacrifice to our God. Let there more
work be laid upon the men, that they may labor
therein; and let them not regard vain words.
"And the task-masters of the people went out,
and their officers, and they spake to the people,
saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you
straw. Go ye, get you straw where ye can filid
it: yet not aught of your work shall be diminished.  So the people were scattered abroad
throughout all the land of Egypt, to gather stub.
ble instead of straw.  And the taskmasters




37i           SPIRTITUALISM
hastened them, saying, Fulfill your works, your
daily tasks, as when there was straw. And the
officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday
and to-day, as heretofore?
"Then the officers of the children of Israel
came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore
dealest thou thus with thy servants? There is
no straw given unto thy servants, and they say
to us, make brick: and behold thy servants are
beaten; but the fault is in thine own people.
But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore,
ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the Lord.
Go therefore, now, and work; for there shall be
no straw given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale
of brick."
Thus Pharaoh, who did not know the God of
Israel, disregarded the desire of the people to
worship according to their own faith. And to
prevent it bound them with still stronger bonds.
As shown in the "Review of A. J. Davis,"
Anti-Pantheist, Vol. I. the spirit of the Harmonial philosophy denies the Hebrew faith, and
urges its banishment from the world.  Is it not
the spirit of Pharaoh?  And taking the case under consideration, as an example, what but servitude, or that which might be worse, could the




REVIEWED.               373
christian expect, if the spirit of the times should
prevail?  The doctrines are the same. I know
not your God. Go, ye have no need to offer
sacrifice, nor to worship a phantom. Worship
by gathering your own straw and manufacturing
your own brick. "Worship, with the hand of
iindustry," said the great propounder of Harmonialism, in 1854. "He who attends his daily
toil, performs his task, is the true worshiper.
The idler wishes to offer sacrifice."  "Go make
brick without straw," said Pharaoh, "ye are idle,
ye are idle: therefore ye say, let us go and sacrifice to the Lord."  One might suppose Pharaoh
had arisen, for the spirit of the two declarations
are much in harmony.  The modern acclaim is,
"Nature is the Temple in which to worship."
Adore with the hand of toil."
Both the sentiment of Pharaoh and modern
philosophy conflict, yea are, by placing external
care first, opposed to the doctrines of Divine Inspiration.  Jesus said, "Seek first the kingdom
of God, and his righteousness."  That is, set
not your heart on things below, but on those
which are from above.    And then lest idleness be encouraged, it also is written, "Do good
unto all men. Visit the widow and the fatherless in their afflictions, and keep yourselves unspotted from the world. But if any provide not
for his own, and especially that of his own house,




374            SPIRITUALISM
he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an
infidel."  1 Tim. 5, 8. How clearly the contrast is revealed. One seeks "a building of God,
a house not made with hands, eternal in the
heavens."  2 Cor. 5, 1. The other says, do
sacrifice with the chisel and saw.  That is, love
and serve the world. The Hebrews' God we
know not. Go make brick.    Pharaoh denied
the God of Israel and mocked his requirements
for a season, but he and his people subsequently
learned that in blind selfhood he stretched out
his hand against God, and strengthened himself
against the Almighty.  Pharaoh disregarded
the petition and afflicted the petitioners. In
this he waged war directly with the Spirit who
declared himself the Lord, even JEHOVAH.
Thence ensued that conflict which engaged the
Magicians of Egypt, by whom the works of the
Divine were by effort, imitated, and an attempt was made to compete with the Spirit of
God before Pharaoh and his host.
The demand made of Pharaoh to release
the Israelites, was in fulfillment of a covenant
the Spirit made with Abram to give to his seed
the land of Canaan. If Abram had not been deceived, it was God who had thus covenanted.
Upon a mount in that land Abraham had offered his son Isaac, and there the Messiah must
appear through his seed.  To defeat the return




REVIEWED.             375
of the children of Israel, and by bondage and
affliction destroy them as a people, would be to
prevent the fulfillment of the promise and obtain the victory over the Spirit. The engagement, therefore, on the part of the opposing
spirit was one of moment.  And to succeed
would apparently remove the seed of the true
church from the world; close the sacred Canon
ere it had assumed form, and submit the
world to the power which seduced Adam and
Eve. From this cause the opposition was engaged, and the conflict commenced.  Moses,
Aaron and the children of Israel were the chosen agents in the external through whom God
was to perfect his purpose.  The magicians
were the agents of the spirit of evil now contending with the Spirit of Goodness.
Pharaoh had refused to let the people go, and
the Spirit of the- Lord spake unto Moses, and
said, "I am the Lord. And I appeared unto
Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the
name of God Almighty; but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. I have also established my covenant with them to give them
the Land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. I have also
heard the groaning of the children of Israel,
whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I
have remembered my covenant. Wherefore,




376             SPIRITUALISM
say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord,
and I will bring you out from under the burdens
of the'Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their
bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched
out arm, and with great judgments: and I will
take you to me for a people, and I will be to you
a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord
your God, which bringeth you out from under
the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring
you in unto the land, concerning the which I
did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac and
to Jacob; and I will give it you for a heritage.
I am the Lord."  Ex. 6.
Long had Israel suffered and hoped for the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham.  And
now, it was renewed. God through Abraham
sware once to his people. And in this renewal
he also commands Moses to proceed to the work
of his mission.
Whether there was any especial importance
attached to the location God had appointed it,
had covenanted it to the children of Israel, and
now called upon them to prepare for their Exodus from the land of bondage to that of Canaan,
their rightful heritage. Around this clusters
the immortal interests of Bible religion. In
the name of JEHOVAH the promise was given.
Upon that depended all things in future connected with the Faith of Abraham and the promised




REVIEWED.             377
Redemption, then Pharaoh determined that the
children of Israel should not depart. The Spirit commanded them to prepare.




CHAPTER III.
THE COMMAND AND THE CONFLICT.
"Go IN," said the SPIRIT, "speak unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt, that he let the children of
Israel go out of his land."  Moses felt his inefficiency: he knew the stubbornness of Pharaoh,
and he replied, "Behold, the children of Israel
have not hearkened unto me; how then shall
Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumsized
lips?"
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto
Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt,
to bring the children of Israel out of the land
of Egypt. And Moses and Aaron did as the
Lord commanded them.
By miracles God proposed to reveal his power, and he said to Moses: "When Pharaoh shall
speak unto you, saying, Shew us a miracle for
you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy
rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent."
It is because of the importance attached to
this scene, the fulfillment of determination, the
effort and partial success of the magicians to imitate the power of the Lord; the final victory,
378




REVIEWED.              379
obtained by the Children of Israel, and its analogy with modern events, that we are thus precise in introducing the history.
The two principles herein revealed, with their
nature and effects, are now active in the world.
One is heralding the doctrine of salvation
through Jesus, the Savior; the other is seeking
to counteract it, and to move the human mind
by manifestations claimed equal to those offered
in support of the Inspired Word.
According to command, "Aaron cast down
his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants,
and it became a serpent. And Pharaoh also
called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the
magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner
with their enchantments.  For they cast down
every man his rod, and they became serpents:
but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods."  Ex.
vii, 10-12.
Herein consists the Law, the Principle, the
TEST, by which Scriptural doctrine is exalted
to the Divine, and its opposite overcome.  This
power alone can demonstrate and confirm the
superior.nature of Bible religion, and render it
worthy of its claims.  If the christian Religion
is truly of God, and the antagonistic spirit from
perversion and evil, then it is capable of victory
in every important test. To this we invite the
reader's attention, as the principle herein in



380            SPIRITUALISM
volved is the great criterion connected with external manifestation.  And we especially emphasize, because, when considering modern spirit manifestations we shall recur to it again.
As the spirit of the Lord gave commandment,
the waters were turned into blood. And the
magicians of Egypt did the same with their enchantments. "And the Lord spake unto Moses,
Say unto Aaron stretch forth thine hand over the
streams; and Aaron stretched out his hand over
the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up
and covered the land of Egypt. And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and
brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt." But
the magicians failed to bring forth the loathsome
parasitic insect. Neither could they imitate in
the succeeding grievous plagues: nor stand before Moses.
At the command of the Lord, a fierce and destructive storm of hail came upon the land.
For as "Moses stretched his hand toward heaven, the Lord sent thunder and hail, and the fire
ran along the ground.  So there was hail, and
fire mingled with the hail very grievous, such
as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt
since it became a nation. And the hail smote
throughout the land of Egypt all that was in
the field, both man and beast; and the hail
smote every herb of the field, and brake every




EYVIEWED.              381
tree of the field.  Only in the land of Goshen,
where the children of Israel were, was there no
hail."  Ex. ix, 23-26.
This was the work of the Almighty. The
naterialist or magician, could turn water into
blood, and entice frogs from  their viscous
pools, but could not give life, create the thunder
tempest, cause the lightnings to leap from the
clouds, mingle with the hail, and flash along the
ground. And most of all, could not condense the 
tempest upon Goshen, spare the Egyptians and
afflict the children of Israel. Presumptuous mortals! how frail their power! Envious spirit, how
short his arm, and how soon subdued when Je.
hovah proceeded to execute his purposes.
When the magicians failed, and the judgments
were heavy, Pharaoh was humbled, and entreated Moses to pray to God for mercies. But the
blessings, when  granted, were misimprovec
and converted to selfish ends, thereby his heart
was hardened. And with determinate obstinacy
he resisted until the Angel of destruction slew of
the Egyptians the first-born throughout the land.
"And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all
his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there
was a great cry in Egypt: for there was not a
house where there was not one dead. Then he
called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said,
Rise up and get you forth from among my peo



382             SPIRITUALISM
ple, both ye and the children of Israel; and go
serve the Lord, as ye have said. Also take your
flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be
gone; and bless me also."  Thus, subdued, he
hastened the people forth.  Nevertheless, when
it was told him that the children of Israel had
truly fled, he made ready his chariot, and took
warriors and pursued until lost with his host in
the Red Sea; while Moses and Aaron with the
released. captives stood upon the other shore and
gave God thanks for their salvation.
Thus closed one of the most eventful scenes
connected with the race of man, and in a manner to glorify and exalt that Divine Principle by
which God's chosen people were distinguished
and set apart for a special end. As the Lord
had promised, Israel was taken from the power
of their oppressors and led beyond the sea, in
the way to Canaan, the land of Promise. And
like victory has attended every important trial
to this day, when God has been defied and his
people faithful.




CHAPTER IV.
DAVID AND GOLIAH.
IN the days of Samuel the Prophet, some five
hundred years subsequent to the Exodus of the
Children of Israel from Egyptian bondage, when
"the Philistines gathered together their armies
to battle at Socoh, and Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, pitched in the valley
of Elah, and set the battle in array against the
Philistines; and the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a
mountain on the other side: then went out a
champion of the Philistines, named Goliath, of
Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
And he had a helmet of brass upon his head,
and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the
weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of
brass. And he had greaves of brass upon his
legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders.
And the staf of fhis spear was like a weaver's
beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred
shekel's of iron: and one bearing a shield went
before him. Andl he stood and cried unto the
armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are
ye come out to set your battle in array? Am
not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul?
383




384            SPIRITUALISM
Choose you a man for you and let him come
down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and
to kill me, then will we be your servants, but if
I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall
ye be our servants, and serve us. And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day;
give me a man that we may fight together."
Here again the battle is set. Israel, however
they may have erred in individual and domestic
character, proclaimed the name of the Lord
Most High. Him they adored. They bore the
ark of the covenant. God had chosen them
from the nations of the earth, and set them
apart, a people through whom to record his law;
and unfold his merciful manifestations to manthrough whom   the Messiah should appear.
Therefore in defying the armies of Israel, the
Philistine defied the Divine Spirit whom the
Israelites worshiped as the living God.
Again, then, the wicked spirit sought to defeat the purposes of the Divine Being, by cutting off the chosen people, thereby preventing
the fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham,
saying, "In thee and in thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed."  Through the
House of Israel, the Stronger was promised.
Even the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the
bright and   Morning  Star, the  Conqueror.
Hence the evil spirit foresaw that through the




REVIEWED.              385
seed of Abrahalm God had determined the manifestation of THE SPIRIT, in the person of Jesus.
Nor did he fail to exert his power and device to
destroy the children of Israel, and by their extermination defeat the Divine Purpose. In the
person of Golian the chosen people, and in them,
their God was defied. How frail is man! how
weak his faith! God had saved Israel by his
power in every emergency, and yet, "When
Saul and all Israel heard those words of the
Philistines, they were dismayed, and greatly
afraid"7
Upon the mountain the Spirit had been fitting
a shepherd boy, by and through whom this external medium of evil should fall.  Not by might
nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord.
Therefore, to reveal his Glory, the trained hosts
were permitted to feel their weakness, to tremble and be afraid before the bold blasphemer;
and a lad bearing a sling and shepherd's bag, containing five smooth stones froi the brook, was
inspired to enter the alarmed calmp.
The Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.  "And.
David rose up early in the morning, and left the
sheep with a keeper, and took, and went as Jesse
had commanded him; and he came to the trench,
as the host was going forth to fight and shouted
for the battle. For Israel and the Philistines
17




386            SPIRITUALISM
had put the battle in array, army against army.
And behold, then came up the champion, the
Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the
armies of the Philistines, and spake according
to the same words: and David heard them, and
said, Who is this uncircumcised, that he should
defy the armies of the living God? And he said
to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him;
thy servant will go and fight with the Philistine.
And Saul said, thou art not able. And David
said, Thy servant when attacked by both the
lion and the bear, slew them; and this uncircumsized Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing
he hath defied the armies of the living God.
The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of
the lion, and out of the jaw of the bear, he will
deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.
"And he took his staff in his hand, and chose
him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put
them in the shepherd's bag, (vessel) and his
sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the
Philistine. And the Philistine came on and
drew near unto David: and the man that bare
the shield went before him. And when the
Philistine saw David he disdained him, for he
was but a youth; and said, Am I a dog, that
thou comest to me with staves? And the PhiL,
istine cursed David by his gods. And said,
Come to me, and I will give thy flesh to the




REVIEWED.              387
fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.
"Then said David to the Philistine, Thou
comest to me with a sword, and with a spear
and with a shield: but I come to thee in the
name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whpm thou hast defied. This
day will the Lord deliver.thee into my hand:
and I will smite thee, and take thine head from
thee; and I will give the carcasses of the hosts
of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the
air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all
the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the
Lord saveth not with the sword and spear: for
the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands."
In this history the two principles are clearly
manifested. Nothing could render them more
so. Goliah is the chosen medium for the conflict, and proudly defies the people through whom
God had covenanted to bless the world; and the
issue was brought at a period when Israel manifested little of the spirit and power of Godliness.
The Hebrews gathered upon an eminence
over against the Philistines, in warlike manner,
stood as the external representatives of the Spirit of Truth.  Goliath defied; Israel trembled.
Days and weeks passed lingeringly away, bring.




388             SPIRITUALISM,
ing no change, until David from the care of his
father's sheep went to the distracted army. And
hearing the armies of Israel defied, he advanced
in defence of that name. Though a simple
youth, he there appeared the absolute representative of Israel's God, and aboldly reproved the
daring agent of unrighteousness. The two arnmies had paused, stood transfixed and rapt in
amazement.   Gdoliah the Great, burdened with
his armor, inflated with the breath of the false
spirit, and inspired with the pompous song of
the Philistine hosts, descended behind his shieldbearer, and drew near to David. David, strong
in the'Lord, proceeded to decide the conflict. In
the name and fear of Jehovah he submitted himself and the cause in whose defence he was engaged, to the Spirit thus inspiring him. "The
battle," he said; and his words echoed along
the armies, "The battle is the Lord's: this day
will he give you into our hands.  And it came
to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and
drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened,
and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.
And David put his hand into his vessel, drew
thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in the forehead; and he fell upon his face
to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine, and slew him."  I. Sam. xviii.
At the fall of their chieftain, the Philistines




R~EVIEWED.              389
fled. Ag ai n Israel was delivered, and victory
fully obtained over uhe enemy of God's chosen
peple. Do not miodern Harmonialists defy -the
God of Israe, in -resuming to overcome the influeince of the Christian Faith, and break in
pieces the poer o-f Bible Religion. Like Goliah, the roud media advance and challenge the
exteri al Church to meet them in combat.
Golialz waas a mian inspired wvith the spirit of
defiance. He mocked Israel, day after day, and
vainly supposed the victory won, when in an unexpect-ed manner, and by means in themselves
unimportant, God, wlhowas thus defied, removed
Goliah, the external'agent of the opposing power, and set his people free.
The church, the external representative of the
Spirit of Life, this modern Ism is mocking, and
challen'ingo to combat daily.  But God will deliver the true IXsrael, and exalt his Name. He
who saveth not by thea sword or spear knoweth
the means: he provideth for the emergency, and
in the day rappointed will bring salvation.




CHAPTER V.
ELIJAH AND THE FALSE PROPHETS.
"AND it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah,
that Ahab said, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?  And he answered, I have not troubled
Israel, but thou and thy father's house, in that
ye have forsaken the commandments of the
Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.  Now,
therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto
Mount Carmel, and the prophets of B3aal four
hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the
groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the people together unto
Mount Carmel. And Elijah came unto all the
people and said, How long halt ye between two
opinions? If the Lord be God follow him: but
if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
"Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I
only remain a prophet to the Lord; but Baal's
prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Let
them, therefore, give us two bullocks; and let
them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut
it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire
under: and I will dress the other bullock, and
390




REVIEWED.              391
lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and call
on the name of your gods, and I will call on the
name of the Lord: and the God that answereth
by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken."  1 Kings, 18.
Here again, the opposing principles met: but
the order' was changed. The prophet of the
Lord called upon Baal's prophets to demonstrate
the truth of their claims by manifestations indicative of the character of a God. Claiming
that the Lord of hosts could send fire and consume the sacrifice.  Meantime he said that the
God who answered by fire should be acknowledged the true God.
"And they took the bullock that was given
them, and they dressed it, and called on the
name of Baal from morning even unto noon,
saying, 0, Baal, hear us. But there was no
voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped
upon the altar which was made.
"And it came to pass at noon that Elijah
mocked them and said, Cry aloud: for he is as
God; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or
he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth,
and must be awaked. And they cried aloud
and cut themselves, after their manner with
knives and larncets, till the blood gushed out
upon them. And it came to pass when mid day
was past, and they prophesied until the time of




392            SPIRITUALISM
the offering of the evening sacriace, but there
was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any
that regarded."
Those prophets of Baal could produce awonders
in the plane of human life; but when required
to secure an, answer from their-gods which should
supercede the power of the finite they failed;
thus proving their want of harmony with supe~
rior spheres, and devotion to the Lord of hosts.
Even so with the modern prophets. They can
unfold from unfamiliar realms; can disclose the
hidden mysteries of the earth sphere. Can demonstrate their theory to the satisfaction of the
amazed spectator, but when have they drawn
water from a deeper fountain than known before,
or than what springs from  the recesses of the
human soul.
The prophets of Baal, when successfully opposed, became enraged, leaped upon the altar,
and afflicted themselves.  Manifestations somewhat similar have been developed in modern
times.  Media when confronted and charged
with falsehood, have leaped upon the accusers,
beat them with their fist, gnashed upon them
with their teeth; raged and blasphemed. Andi
when the christian in the name of Jesus has re.
buked the foul and Bible-opposing spirnit, tLhe
medium has been thrown into convul.si.ons, and
raved as if possessed with the demon of mad,-i:




REVIEWED.              393
ness. This, we have abundant means to sustain,
but refrain fairther remarks until reviewing the
phenomena of the day.
WThen the prophets of Baal had broken down
the a]tar, cut themselves, and plead until the
time of the evening sacrifice, "ELlijah said unto
all the people, Come near unto me. And all
the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been broken
doiwn. And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of
Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came,
saying, Israel shall be thy name: and with the
stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord:
Lad ma de a tre nch about the altar as great as
would contain tTwo measures of seed."
Eli-jah erected the altar so as to distinguish it.rom thlatb made by Baal's prophets; also to convinc  e the multitude by the demonstration that
tUie God of heaven was the God of true Israel.
S-ccess, therefore would bring full confirmation
of Elijah's faith and the Divinity of the Hebrew
Reigiion.
Wh.ien' the altar was built, Elijah "put the
wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and
laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels witih rwater, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. And he said, Do it the
second ti e. And they did it the second time.




394            SPIRITUALISM
And he said, Do it the third time.  And they
did it the third time. And the water ran round
about the altar: and he filled the trench also
with water. And it came to pass at the time of
the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah
the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of
Abraham, Isaac and of Israel, let it be known
this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I
am thy servant, and that I have done all these
things at thy command. Hear me, 0 Lord, hear
me, that this people may know that thou art the
Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart
back again.
"Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed
the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stone
and the dust, and licked up the water that was
in the trench. And when all the people saw it,
they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord
he is the God: the Lord he is the God."
1 Kings, xviii.
Here is the distinction. The prophet's of Nature, of Baal, or the Sun, had led the people
astray, by their soothsaying, and demonstrations
of inferior laws. Elijah had protested against
them; proclaiming that Baal was not the true
God.   Jezebel had sacrificed all the Lord's
prophets that could be found. Elijah had fled
to the mountains and remained until the day
when the false prophets were to be subdued. In




REVIEWED.              395
the name of the God of Abraham the exiled
prophet returned and alone met Ahab and his
prophets: having no trust but in the Spirit who
called him. The altars were built, the prayers
offered the prophets of Baal failed; but God
answered Elijah.
Thus the inefficiency of that spirit which has
ever afflicted man was revealed; that which is of
nature and nature adoring; while the Spirit of
Truth, of Life, of God, was honored before the
mocking multitude. One was a spirit of feasting, and merriment; the other self-denying: but
God was present to sustain the humble and despised prophet in his day of trial. How analogous the philosophy and tendency of Baal's
prophets to that labored in Nature's Divine Revelations-of Harmonial Spiritualism.   The
modern manifestation is arrayed against the Bible; that was directly opposed to the prophets
who wrote the Old Testament Scriptures.  The
prophets of Baal employed enchantment, sooth:
saying, and necromancy. Do not modern spiritualists who are so opposed to the christian religion, reflect the spirit of their ancient prototype?  Yea, verily, as the analysis of the phenomena will reveal.
We here introduce an historic statement from
the "Religious Encyclopsedia," directly upon the
subject of Baal worship.




396              SPIRITUALISM
"Baal, or Bel, (goverzor, rz Ier lord,) a god of
the Phcenicians and Canaanites. Baal and Astaroth are commonly mentioned togethler: and
as it is belived  that Astarot h denotes the
moon, Callet believes that Ba.al represents
the sun. Bishop Miunster as quoted by Professor Robinson, supposes that this was the
case, originally; and that the fundamental idea
of all oriental idolatry- which also may be
traced from India to the north of Enrope -
is the primeval power of natiure, which divides
itself into the generative and the conceFtive
or productive power. He supposes the sun and
moon to have been worshiped  as the representatives of these powers, under the names of Baal
and Astaroth. But Cyrenius supposed these appellations to signify the planets Jupiter and Venus. Be this as it may, it is certain that the
name Baal is used in a generic sense, for the superior God of the Phronicians, Chalcleans, M.Ioabites and other people, and is otten confounded
with the name of some other gbods; as Baal-Peor
Baal-Zebub, Baal-Gad, Baal-Zaphon, Baal-Bee
roth. Baal is the most ancient god of the Canaanites, and, perhaps, of the East; and the Hebrews too often imitated thle idolaty of the Canaanites, in adoring him. They offered human
sacrifices to him, and erected altars to him in
groves, on high places, and on the terraces of




EEVIEWE                 397
houses. _Baal had priests and  roph00ets conseeCra'Cted to his service; and mainy i nfarmous actions
were com nmi-tud in is f es tivalsJ
Soire -jearned men have maintihaed  t tI U he
L ial of -hlicia.as the S at, ui n o Giece a d
Roina; a nC cci rtsi y there was great con mormity
ctbtween their services and sacri-ices. Others
are of the opinion that Baal was the Phoenician
(or STyrian) H ercules, an opinion not inconsistent with the other; but t is generally concluded
thl-'it -aal vwas the:Sun; and on this adnmision,
all those lcharacters which he assumes in Scriptur1e  e      a  bexplained.  The great lumIinary
was adored thlroughout the East, and is the most
anciet acknowledged among te he seaten.
l nTe Hebrews somnetimes called the sun BaalBhemjesi; - 3sac thie stun.:Manasseh adored I Baal,
piiantdl grove0; and worshiped all the hosts of
oh ven; but Josiah, desirous to repair the evil
intirodu ed by Mianasseh, put to death the idolatrous priests that burint incense unto Baal, to tohe
sun, alnd to the moon, an4 to the planets, and to
all +-he hosts of heaven. He commanded all the
vessels that were for Baal, and for the grove,
Ashreh or Astaroth, andl for all the hosts of
h1eaven, to be brought forth out of the Templeo
He took away the hoorses that the kines of Judi hI I   v.ad g tivent t te sun, and burnt the chario-ts
o:f the, s. n'with. fire.




398            SPIRITUALISM
The Great Positive Mind, it will be remembered, in Nature's Divine Revelations is said to
be the living principle or active essences of an
illimitable Ocean of Liquid Fire, which is a vortex of Intelligence.  (See A. P., vol 1, p. 46,
etc.) Also, the Sun of the Divine Mind. This
immense Ocean of fire is presented as the Beginning, the Univercoelum from which emanated
all things. This is then the God of Harmonialism. According to the best authority, the ancients worshiped  precisely such a God as our
modern prophets are proclaiming to the world.
What else then, but sun-worshipers are the
Harmonialists?  And the Seers and media of
that'Ism,' are they not the prophets of Baal?
By devoting a little time to the history of Baalism and by comparing that doctrine with the
principles of Harmonialism, it will be readily
discovered that the modern appellation is but a
new name for the same kind of religion. This
presents the subject in quite a different light from
what our Progressionists (?) are wont to do;
nevertheless, they profess, and herald the doctrines of a natural religion. Their phrase, applied to nature, "One body of one immortal
soul," comprehends all things with them. Their
Deity is the Positive Power, or law in Nature,
the Motive Force, the active agent, divine Principle. It is co-existent with matter, is the essence




REVIEWED.              399
or soul of matter. Who can define the difference
between the sentiment of these modern Prophets
and that of the prophets of Baal?  Each makes
nature Deity and denies the God of the Hebrews
-of the Christian church. The variation, if
any, consists in different degrees of transcendentalism.  The ancient sun worshipers had idols
as representatives of their gods. The modern
nature-worshipers deitize "aIffinities," worship
at the shrine of "attractions," and make themselves more consequential.
The other main pillar of this Harmonial edifice or temple of natural religion, is that of spiritual communication. This, also, constituted the
life of Baal worship. "Manasseh did that which
was evil in the sight of the Lord, after the
abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord
cast out before the children of Israel. For he
built up again the places which Hezekiah his
father had destroyed; and he reared up altars
for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab, king
of Israel: and worshiped all the hosts of heaven and served them. And he built altars for all
the hosts of heaven in the two courts of the
house of the Lord. And he made his son pass
through the fire, and observed times, and used
enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and
wizards."  2 Kings, xxi.  In old Testament
times, then, Harmonial Spiritualism was in vogue.




400              SPIRITUALISM
And the prophets of Baal wvere the media it employed. YWThat is Anti-Bible Spiritualisn  but
th e  reival of that religion whose power was
tested by the prophets before Elijah?  The Baalite encouraged, while the Inspired ATord condemned consulting familiar spirits, those wvhich
denied the God of Israel and encouraged the
worship of Nature.    This doctrine is clearly
identified, and the nature of the influences defined in Deut. xviii. 10- 11.  "There shall not
be found armong you any one that miahketh his
son or his daughter to pass through the fire, o
that useth divination, or an observer of times,
or an enchanter, or a witch or a charmer, or a
consulter of familiar spirits, or a wizard, or 
necromancer. For all that do these things are
an abomination to the Lord."     Thlat is, such
seek to destroy faith in the doctrine of-God's
covenant with Abram; hence, the principle upon
which Abraim went forth, Isaac was offered -the
house of Israel set apart; and. in the Being a-ind
attributes of Jehovah, and the doctrines of the
Pecalogue. Those who caused their sons and
daughters to pass tthrough the fire were followers
after  Baal - were idol, sun, or natuire-worsnipers.'"And the spirit of Egypt shall fai in t'he
idlst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel
thereof: and they 7 (who deny  ly Ny Kae) "' sall




RtEVIEWE".             401
>e Xt^  o t ho] idL'ols CandA- o'ie charer an tLdCo
tmf 2 Ethla haIv aJe ao 2ilia- s ri1ts, a.1d Co the i -T
a-dl.) o  SiX. 3". o  APnd when ithey shall say
Ulnto you, SL k u ltO thelm which'han v.e -amiiiafspirits, ianld luno wizards that peep and mutter;:_ouIL -L not a people seek unto their God? -To?, 1t,
the la  and to to. flhe ^tes timony; if they speak nit U
aCcording to this word/it is because there 1e is no
-it in thlc.i. And  ey shall pass t hr ugh it
ardlyT be stacd an  hulnry: and it shall come
to p ras, tln a when they shall be hungry  1 shai
fr  themaeS, aTn) d Scul-rse heir kinog and God,
and look upwar.   And they shall look un- o
ti  eart, t an 1eold teh rouble and dark ness,
(dini ess of angu 0, is  a nd t-hey s iall be driven tio
dak1-,ness.  I sa. vii. 19-2 2
"And t hey took awTSay the horses  that the kins.
of Jrudah h-ad given to the sun at the enterinog in
of the hnouse of the Lord, by the chanmber of.
L':'ath ianm le c  the chanmberlain which. wTas in
the.suburbss, and burned the chariots of the sun
w1ith`fire. Arnd the altars that were on the toc 1
of the uperi cha-be-r of Ahaz, and the aei a.
-fwhich  -.2anasseh had made in the two courts of
t0he os of   e thLor  die    e -Lorin boet ds-n,
a.d. eak ti. emowTn. on t;hence, and east {llh
sdustD o 111em 0 into the brook iidron." 2 Ki-:.s
liT oseo familiar with the movermnenfts, and docl120




402             SPIRITUALISM
trines of Harmonial spiritualism cannot fail to
notice the conformity between ancient idolatry
connected with consulting familiar spirits, whence
originated hostility to the Hebrew faith, and
modern Bible-opposing manifestations.  It is
quite evident from results, that recent phenomena connected with Mesmerism, Biology, etc.,
are no less than the spirit of ancient heathenism
then manifested in unnumbered forms, embracing immolation, fetishism, theurgy, hecatomb,
sorcery, fascination, etc., modified in mode however, by the usages of the times, and rendered
more spiritual by the transcendental tendency
of the age. So fascinating was the ancient system, that it frequently obtained to a very great
extent even with the Israelites. Wherever it
prevailed the God of Abraham was denied and
Blasphemed. Wherever it now prevails its effects serve to engender criticism upon the Bible
and weaken faith in its validity and reverence
for him who is therein denominated the Supreme
Being, Jehovah.
It is clear therefore that nothing new under
the sun has come to pass in these last days; but
that at periods, the power now at work with the
people, and against true christianity, has arisen
in its might and swept over the world like monsoons. And what renders the system more effectual with the religious world is the incorpora



REVIEWED.               403
tion of reflex truth, of the Gospel. By this
means multitudes are led at first to believe it
the very Gospel.
Moreover, as it is ever liable to be with erring
man, many absolute inconsistencies are appended to, if not interwoven with the more external
manifestations of the church. These as in ancient days, are, by the opposers, magnified, and
presented as the signet of the great underwriter
of christianity. And from the very apparent inefficiency of these errors, the plan of salvation
through Jesus the Crucified, is proclaimed a fraud.
Herein, as connected with the undefinable, incomprehensible and magic movement of the
laws of magnetism, Harmonial spiritualism, etc.,
consists the power of the invasion upon the Inspired Word, now so mighty in its goings forth.




CHAPTER VI.
ESTHER BEFORE THE KING.
THE Old Testament is replete with demonstrations of a similar character to those already noticed. Indeed it is a history of like manifestations; those in which Divine- Inspiration is opposed and     the especial m1essengers of Heaven
lursued with dread vindictiveness and frequently subjected to the severest trials.  It matters
little twhether the opposition and suf fering be from
Cain, Pharaoh, the Prophets of Baal, Soothsayers,
consulters of familiar Spirits, the fiery furnace,
lions' den, Cross, faggot, Mesmerism, Harmonial
spiritualism, the purpose and disposition seem the
same. The opposed and afliicted, though Abel
Moses, Elijah, Mordecai, Job, Shadrach and his
companions, Daniel, JESus of Nazareth, his apostles, the M[ar tyrs of the middle ages, or ite true
Christian of the ]Tineteenth Century, are the external agelnts, the amabassadors of Heaven, the
sadvocates of Theocracy, Divine Inspiration, and
the gospel of the Crucified Redeemer.
Pursuing the ancient hiistory andc omi Unttng
many imuportant and confirnatory erve-nts, TTwe
pause to briefly consider the case of Mordecal
and Quee -n Esther. Their trial was wVii tlie




REVIEWED.               405
mlalicious Tamian, 1whose manifestations class
himl wifl thle aogen.lts of that heaven opposing
power whiich has ever afflieted the faith'-f ul 
vants of God. In that scene, enacted ages long
since passed, the proud malicious spirit of evil
sought the extirpation of the Jews in the dominion of Ahasueirus the king; but was foiled in a
nsmost reinarkable manner; and the consequences
intended for the worshipers of God, fell upon
t:11  head  of the medium  of the evil device.
jost- lsidious wvas the scheme to cut off God's
people and prostrate the purposes of heaven
throuugh them.
a iamn as abo ve noticed, was the medium of
e-fvi, Mordecai was. the point of revenge, while
Esther wais tule mreans employed for the rescue;
tihe imanner of whose exaltation appears to have
been the result of divine Wisdonm and for that
especial purpose. That from which the conflict
aiose, condsisted in an effort to comnpel Mordecai
to bow dowTn to Haman, a requirement which
directly affected his religion. The true Hlebrew
wiorhiped God, anc him   only would he serve.
But thei decree went forth.  "And all the king's
servan:ts that were in the king's gate, bowed and
reverenced Haman, for the king had colmmanded
concerning' him.. But i.dordecai bowed not, nor
did him ^reverence."  How could he bow before
man, since the Lord, whom he adored had com



406            SPIRITUALISM
manded his people to have no God before him.
"And when Haman saw that Mordeeai bowed
net- nor did him reverence, then was Haman full
of wrath. And he thought scorn to lay hands
upon Mlordecai alone: wherefore Haman sought
to destroy all the Jews in the kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai."
This exceeded personal revenge. Mordecai,
alone, had offended; and adequate redress did
not require the sacrifice of a people. Nevertheless, his resolution to withhold servile reverence
from Haman, was made an occasion against all
the Jews in the king's dominion. And Haman's
plea before Ahasuerus, plainly discloses an enmity to that scattered and already afflicted race;
a disposition to remove them from among men,
which disposition has too frequently been evinced
by the foe of the true Israelite and devout christian.'And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus,
There is a certain people scattered abroad and
dispersed among the people of all the provinces
of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse
from all people; neither keep they the king's
laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to
suffer them. If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed. And I will pay
ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of
those who have the charge of the business, to
bring it into the king's treasures. And the king




REVIEWED.              407
took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto
Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the
Jews' enemy. And the king said unto Haman,
The silver is given unto thee, the people also, to
do with them as it seemeth good to thee."
The decree was written in the king's name,
and scealed with his seal, and sent forth through
all the land. "And the king and Haman sat
down to drink. But the city of Shushan was
perplexed."  Again the God of heaven, in his
people is mocked and defied; and that spirit
which wantonly slew Abel because he offered acceptable sacrifice before the Lord, once more
seeks to vent his wrath upon the worshipers of
the true God.
How manifest the disparity between the faithfil servant of the Lord and the carna man! how
dissimilar in character the two controlling principles! And how marked their distinguishing
qualities, whien from time to time revealed in
important trials. One discloses a deep and genuine devotion to heavenly requirements; the
other a disposition to gratify the baser propensions.  The natural man indulges in human
pleasure, pride, ambition; and if occasion requires, extreme cruelty; while the Heaven-revering soul is cross-bearing, and the victim of
maltreatment from the world-serving.
The history states that, "When Mordecai per



4[08            SPIRITUALISHi
ceived -all tha.t was done, he rent his clothes, and
put on sack-cloth and ashes, and went out into
ulhe  idcls of the city, and cried with a loud and
bitter cry. And came even before the king's,a'te: for none mig'ht enter the king's gate clothed
iwith sackcloth. And in every province, whithersoe-ver the king's commandmnent and his decree
came, t.ere was great mourning among the Jews,
aind fasiisln  and weeping and wailing; and
-many lay iain sackcloth. aInd  ashes."  Thus
iwTile lte k-ing and Haman  were reveling and
-inrdulging in passional excessj- the despised Jews
wer e fastitng and m ourning in sackcloth and ashes. In this also the characters of the two principl ies are manifested.
"WVhen the thing came to Esther, the Queen,
she waTs grieved, and sent raiment to Mordecai,
and to take away his sackcloth from himn: but
he received it not; but sent a copy of the writing
to Esthe, an d charged her to go unto the king
and importune with himl for her people. Esther
returned answer, That it was well known that
whosoever, wvhether man or womran, should go
unto the king into the inner court, one law of his
was to put therm to death, except to whom he
held out his scepter. Miordecai replied that hier
/koztse vwould also suffer in the massacre. Moreove-r said he, " Who knowveth whether thou art
come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"




REVIEWED.             409
Then said Esther, "Go gather together all the
Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for
me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night
or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise;
and then will I go in unto the king, which is not
according to law, and if I perish, I perish."
A day of awful moment was now approaching.
The earthly inheritance and life of Esther and
her people trembled as if suspended upon a mortal breath. But what appeared in the external
world as poising upon one human thought, the
decisive thought of the King in the moment of
trial, was meager compared with the interior
conflict, and the consequences of the inclination
of one frail mind. The law once passed could
not be repealed and the king's monarchical dignity be preserved.  How to rescue the victims
from the storm of death already hanging oyer
them was not for man to devise. This Esther
full well knew. She therefore proposed to fast
three days and nights with all her people, and
then she would go before the king which was not
according to law.  She could but perish, and
peradventure the king would be propitious.
Mourning and lamentation arose from the host
who were suspended over the yawning sepulchre
of death. Multitudes lay day and night in sackcloth and ashes. And can it be supposed that
they did not present their cause before the God
18




410            SPIRITUALISM
of Sabaoth whose laws they kept, and for which
they now, as a people, were doomed to destruction? Did they not remember his promise to
Abraham? his blessings upon Isaac? and his
power displayed in the Exodus of the children
of Israel from Egyptian bondage? The unnumbered demonstrations of God's providential care
bestowed upon his people must have arisen before their afflicted minds. And with agony too
deep for tears, they must have uttered as the
voice of one: "Thou God of Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, remember now thy people who are
bowed before thee. Because obedient to thy law,
ourselves and our little ones are doomed by a
mortal to the cruel slaughterer.  Our ways are
known to thee. Though we have erred, thou art
merciful. For thy Name's sake, for the sake of
the world buried in iniquity, for the sake of unnumbered generations yet unborn, break thou
the power of the foe of heaven, of good, of man.
Turn the heart of the king. Let Esther, thy
handmaiden, find favor in his sight: and 0, thou
Eternal Spirit, who art from everlasting to everlasting, thou who upholdest the vast universe,
and givest light to all, rescue thy people, and let
the evil one, and the nations round about, and
succeeding ages, know, that thou art God, and
hearest prayer, and answerest thy people when
in righteousness and humility they call upon thee.'




REVIEWED.              411
On the day set apart, and after Esther and her
maidens and the Jews had fasted, "It came to
pass that Esther put on her royal apparel, and
appeared in the inner court according as she had
determined. And while the king sat upon his
royal throne, in his royal house over against the
gate of the house, she drew near." The trial had
come, Esther stood before the king! It was a
moment in which her fate and that of her people must be sealed, a moment fraught with interests that should affect nations yet unborn.
Motionless as a statue she stood in the suppliant's
attitude, and paused for the eventful decision.
But Esther was not alone in the king's court.
The God whom she and her people served, had
commissioned the Angel of the Covenant, and
with the Spirit of Salvation that Angel also
drew near. The king's heart felt the softening
influence of the heavenly sphere which pervaded
the royal palace. His soul was inclined to the
Queen, and lo, his hand moved and the golden
sceptre was held out! The Divine power prevailed, Esther approached, touched the scepter, and
made known her mission. "If it seem good unto the king," she meekly said, "let the king and
Itaman come this day unto the banquet I have
prepared for him."
"In those days, while Mordecai sat in the
king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Big



412            SPIRITUALISM
than and Teresh of those who were wroth, and
sought to lay hands upon the king, Ahasuerus.
And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told
it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified it
to the king thereof in Mordecai's name. And
when inquisition was made of the matter, it was
found out, therefore they- were both hanged on a
tree. And it was written in a book of chronicles before the king."
Mysterious to man are the ways of providence.
How little mortals understand the consequences
of a single act. Mordecai's loyalty and faithfulness to the king was recorded upon the pages of
his private history. There it remained unnoticed, until after the king and Haman came to
the banquet that Esther had prepared. But'On that night could not the king sleep."
Adam Clarke in his notes upon Ch. vi., remarks: "The Targum    says the king had a
dream, which was as follows:'And the king saw
one in the similitude of a man, who spoke these
words to him: Haman desireth to slay thee, and
to make himself king in thy stead.  Behold, he
will come to thee early in the morning to ask
from thee the man who rescued thee from death,
that he may slay him: but say thou unto hilm,
What shall be done for the man whose honor
the king studieth?  And thou wilt find that
he will ask nothing less from thee than the roy



REVIEWED.             413
al vestments, the regal crown, and the horse on
which the king is wont to ride."  Troubled, the
king could not sleep. How manifest that providence which encompassed the chosen race! And
how prominent the answer to the prayer of the
burdened Jews! God, however, made choice of
the means to accomplish the end.
Disturbed and anxious, the king commanded
to bring the book of records, of the chronicles:
and'they were read before the king. And it
was found written that Mordecai had told of the
conspiracy and saved the king. And he said,
MWhat honor and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants
who ministered unto him, there is nothing done
unto him.
"And the king said, Who is in the court?
Now Haman was come into the outer court of
the king's house to speak unto the king to hang'Mordecai upon the gallows that he had in his
pride and haste prepared for him."  How vain 
He could not endure until the day of execution,
but must seek to hang the innocent Mordecai,
for his presence annoyed him. The gallows was
prepared; it was fifty cubits high. "And the
king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman
standeth in the court, And the king said, Let him
come in. So Haman came in;"  Haman's heart
was enlarged with the spirit of triumph. The




414            SPIRITUALISM
only spot upon'his coronet of fame, the only corroding element in his sensual bliss, was Mlordecai. True he would perish at the hand of the
assassin on the day set apart for the legalized
murder of the Jews: but to suffer his presence
until then he could not.  He resolved therefore
to have him  hung upon the gallows. Haman's
former success insured in his mind, the sanction
of the king to that which would be the finishing
stroke of his ambitious eclat. "Live forever, O,
king," as a prelude to his petition, quivered on
his lips, impatient for utterance, when the king
said, What shall be done to the man whom the
king delighteth to honor?"  More glory, even,
than Haman's sordid soul had anticipated, now
awaited him.  The object of his mission was sure
since the king was about to add new honors to
his increasing renown. "lie thought in his heart,
To whom would the king delight to do honor
more than to myself?" And he answered, "For
the man whom the king delighteth to honor, let
the royal apparel be brought, which the king useth
to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon,
and the crown royal which is set upon his head:
and let this apparel and horse be delivered to
the hand of one of the king's most noble princes,
that they may array the man withal whom the
king delighteth to honor, and bring him on horseback through the streets of the city, and pro



REVIEWED.             415
claim before him, Thus shall it be done to the
man whom the king delighteth to honor."
Proud heart! how inflated. Little did he
know that in his vanity, and while seeking in
his own dignity the humility of another, he was
dooming himself and family to shame and death,
and exalting him for whom he had erected the
gallows. But alas, for finite man! When he
designeth against God, and seeketh to make
himself as God, his foot shall slip in an unexpected moment.
How stunned was Haman when the king said,
"lake haste, and take the apparel, and the
horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew that sitteth at the king's gate: let
nothing fail of all thou hast spoken." Humbled
to the last degree must have been the heart of
Haman, while crying before all the city to the
honor of Mordecai. How fallen his spirit, when
the visage of the, gallows was changed, and his
soul began to fear lest it might suspend his own
body in ignominy before all the people.
Mourning and with his head covered he returned to his house. And he told his wife Zeresh
and all his friends, what had befallen him. They
answered, "If Mordecai be of the. seed of the
Jews before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou
shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely
fall before him.  And while they were yet talk



416            SPIRITUALISM
ing with him, came the king's chamberlains and
hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet Esther
had prepared."
But the evil device was frustrated, the vile
genus foiled, the end purposed anticipated, and
now the parties might meet. The way of salvation was opened and Esther could prevail.!' So the king and Haman came to banquet with
Esther the queen. And the king said again unto Esther on the second day of the banquet of
wine, What is thy petition queen Esther? and
it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request?
and it shall be performed even to the half of the
kingdom."
Merciful dispensation! The Jews were but
mortals, but the God of Heaven had revealed
his purpose to bring salvation to the world
through the seed of Abraham. And from that
day the prince of evil pursued them. The prophets of the Lord were hunted like the partridge
upon the mountain. And. as the fowler seeks
his prey, even so the emissaries of Satan pursued the Israel of God. Often had the cloud of
impenetrable darkness closed around thenm  Oft
the enemies' infuriated hosts had encamped about
them. The taskmasters had urged them to their
daily toil until their hearts failed them, the nerve
became languid, the blood ran slowly through
the vein, and the emaciated muscle relaxed. The




REVIEWED.              417
chariot and horseman had pursued them: but in
every instance when they looked up to God his
Might had interposed and his Mercy had saved
them. Adorable Providence! How faithfully
fulfilled that promise:  I will never leave nor for.
sake thee."
How every heart of the Jews must have felt
the suspense, while Esther was before the king.
In God was their hope, and their trust in Esther
as the means.  Without, the mourning Jews
kept silent with their desire upon God, while the
conference proceeded.
"Then Esther, the queen, answered and said,
If I have found favor in thy sight, 0 king, and
if it please the king, let my life be given at my
petition, and my people at my request: for we
are sold, I and my people to be destroyed, to be
slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold
for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my
tongue, although the enemy could not countervail
the damage."
What peril! Not liberty, but life, was the burden of her prayer. 0, thou most unmerciful
and wicked foe of Israel! How thou hast multiplied the woes of God's children! And in thy
arch designs hast involved as thy agents the fallen world.  What is man that thy madness
should thus bedew their couch with tears, burden




418            SPIRITUALISM
the air with their groans, and pour upon the
earth their blood like water?
Surprised at her strange request, "King Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen,
Who is he, and where is he that durst presume in
his heart to do so??"
It would appear that the king had been blinded by the influence upon and around him, and
therefore had not considered what had been done
nor computed the cost, nor considered the consequences of the death-warrant he had sent forth
throughout the land. So fascinating and blinding to the sense was the charmer's power that in
reality he knew not the character nor measure
of his deed. Even so in this day, not one man
alone, but multitudes, spell-bound, act scarcely
knowing what they do. Deprived of their native thought, and their own determination paralyzed, they proceed impelled by a power they
know not, and undertake measures so adverse to
their better sense, that should they be aroused
they would abruptly ejaculate, even as did Ahasuerus, "Who?    He?   This one, and where?
What? Who hath filled his heart to do this? "
(Original.)
And Esther said, "The main adversary and
enemy is this wicked Haman."
What a cloud must have rolled from the king's
mind when the charm was broken. The infa



REVIEWED.              419
mous plot arose in all its diabolical form before
him.
"And the king arising from the banquet in his
wrath, went into the palace garden: and Haman
stood to make request for his life to Esther the
queen: for he saw that there was evil determined
against him by the king."
The scale was changed.  The power that had
urged him on, having failed, forsook the vile
agent in his hour of trial. Against God Haman
had been designing, and therefore he was left to
the consequences of his course. Each movement
sank him still deeper in the quicksands of his
ruin. Even his prayer for mercy was the most
fatal of all his deeds, and was converted in the
king's mind to a most heinous crime. He fell!
and was hanged upon the gallows he had erected
for Mordecai. Strange reversion! But the Purpose with which his designs contended was the
Purpose of God, and Omnipotent, therefore unfailing. Hence Hainan's fall was inevitable.
THE COUNTER DECREE.
"And Esther spake yet again before the king,
and fell down at his feet and besought him, with
tears, to put away the mischief of Haman the
A'agite, and his device that he had devised
against the Jews. Then the king held out the
golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose




420            SPIRITUALISM
and stood before the king, and said, If it please
the king, and I have found favor in his sight,
and the thing seem right before the king, and I
be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of
Hammadetha, the Agagite which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces: for how can I endure to see the evil that
shall came upon my people? and how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred? 
The final plea of Esther availed. But as the
former writing might not be revoked, by order
of the king, it was written and sent in haste
throughout the king's provinces, from India unto
Ethiopia, an hundred and twenty-seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing and according to their language.  It was
written in Ahasuerus' name, and sealed with the
king's ring. Wherein the king granted to the
Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together and to stand for their life upon
the day previously set apart for their slaughter.
In this manner, the former decree was countermanded.
The Jews gathered upon that day and became
a terror to all the people, so that no man laid
hand upon them. Thus thy were preserved, and




REVIEWED.              421
Esther and Mordecai were exalted to power,
No unprejudiced mind can fail to discover in this
eventb the hand of divine Providence in the salvation of the Jews and the defeat of the opposing power. And that the same characteristics
which had hitherto been manifested by the two
principles were there most prominently disclosed. Nor is it needful further to exemplify to
reveal the great truth of God's purpose in the
Jews; and the determiitation of evil to overthrow them in order to contravene the end designed in their election.




CHAPTER VII.
THE DREAM AND ITS INTERPRETATION.
"AND the king" (Nebuchadnezzar) "spake
unto Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, that
he should bring certain of the children of Israel,
and of the king's seed, and of the princes; children in whom there was no blemish, but well favored, and skilled in all wisdom, and cunning in
knowledge, and understanding science, and such
as had ability in them to stand in the king's
palace, and whom they might teach the learning
and the tongue of the Chaldeans. Now among
them were of the children of Judea, Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah: unto whom
the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he
gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and
to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael of
Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-_iTego."
These are the elect, and they are as men qualified, naturally, for the king's purpose. And
hence no native defect can expose them to trial
with their king or his princes. Moreover, God
had brought Daniel into favor and tender love
with the prince of the eunuchs. But Daniel had
purposed in his heart that he would not defile
himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor
422




REVIEWED.              423
with the wine that he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he
might not defile himself.
"As for these four children, God gave them
knowledge in all learning and wisdom: and
Daniel had understanding in all visions and
dreams.
"' And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar he dreamed dreams wherewith his spirit was troubled and his sleep brake from him. Then
the king commanded to call the magicians, and
the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to show the king his dreams. So they
came and stood before the king. And the king
said unto them I have dreamed a dream, and
my spirit is troubled to know the dream. Then
spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriac, 0,
king, live forever: tell thy servants the dream,
and we will show the interpretation. The king
answered anclsaic to the Chaldeans, The thing
is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall
be made a dunghill. But if ye shew me the
dream and the interpretation thereof ye shall receive of me gifts, and rewards and great honor:
therefore shew me the dream and the interpretation thereof. The Chaldeans answered before
the king, and said, There is not a man upon the




424            SPIRITUALISM
earth that can shew the king's matter, except
the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. For
this cause the king was angry and very furious,
and commanded to destroy all the wise men of
Babylon. And they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain. Then Daniel answered with
counsel and wisdom to Arioch, the captain of
the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay
the wise men of Baylon; and he said, Why is
the decree so hasty from the king.  Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. Then Daniel went in and desired of the king, that he would
give him the time and that he would show him the
interpretation. And then made it known to his
brethren that they would desire mercies of the
God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows might not perish with the rest
of the wise men of Babylon."
Again we are recounting scenes of immortal
worth to the Christian. The king's wise men are
brought to the trial which involves life. They
are required to do what the Astrologers, Soothsayers, etc., declare man cannot do, and none
but the gods who dwelt not in flesh could bring
to pass. And with all their wisdom, the policy of natural endowments, and their chicanery,
they yielded, with the decree still echoing in
their hearing: "If ye will not make known to
me the dream and the interpretation thereof, ye




REVIEWED.              425
shall be cut in pieces. Ye have prepared lying
and corrupt words to speak before me until the
time be changed."  They could trifle, and play
upon incidents and minor demonstrations, but
when test equal to their profession was required,
they confronted the king, saying, "It is a rare
thing the king requireth."
Daniel and his fellows had not been counseled,
nor even informed of the king's trouble until the
decree was passed, and the captain of the guard,
while going forth to slay the wise men, sought
them as sharers in the fate of the unfortunate
victims. As though every hope must be cut-off,
every earthly means rendered unavailable before
the Hebrews should be apprised of their danger.
Daniel appealed unto the God of heaven for
deliverance, confident, if it was for God's glory
he could give answer. The lives of the faithful
servants of the Lord were most rashly jeopardized.  Nor shall we, considering the history of
these Hebrews, distort the circumstances into
unnatural features, by charging the scheme as
the plot of interior evil: and that the tragedy
was designed in order to cut off those Hebrews,
especially Daniel, with whom God's designs were
connected; and who constituted an important
link in the chain of events terminating in the
advent of the Messiah. The position he occupied in that age, and the display of God's




426            SPIRITUALISM
grace connected with him rendered his existence
necessary to the uses of that period. His prophetic visions, and the prediction of the Spirit:
"Go thy way, Daniel; for the words are closed
u.p and sealed till the time of the end: go thy
way, until the end be: for thou shalt rest and
stand in thy lot at the end of the days," render
him an especial object of evil design. Therefore the conclusion is rational that, to prevent
God's purpose in him, the spirit of darkness instituted the plan of massacre under consideration. But in this, also, the Enemy of righteousness was doomed to fall before the Spirit of
Truth.  For in a night vision the secret was revealed to Daniel; and he blessed the God of
heaven.  Upon God he called, in him he relied,
and when the secret was revealed, to him he gave
the glory.  Those Hebrews were, therefore, of
that faith ever opposed by Satanic power, by
sun, moon and star worshipers, and now, by
Harmonial Spiritualists -advocates of a religion
of Nature. Mark Daniel's declaration; observe
his doctrines! "And Daniel answered and said,
Blessed be the name of God forever and ever: for
wisdom and might are his: and he changeth the
times and seasons: he removeth kings and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise,
and knowledge unto them   that know understanding: he revealeth the deep and secret




REVIEWED.             427
things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and
the light dwelleth with him.
"I thank thee and praise thee, 0, thou God
of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and
might, and hast made known unto me now, what
we desired of thee: for thou hast now made
known unto me the king's matter."
No one will presume to deny that the spirit
Daniel manifested was identical with that revealed by the Patriarchs, and all the Lord's
Prophets antecedent to him. His reliance was
the same, his mode of action also was in perfect
conformity with all before him who worshiped
the God of Abraham. Around him, therefore,
clustered the incidents of invaluable worth in
the line of prophetic descent and divine unfoldings. God who had at sundry times and in divers manners revealed his purpose and disclosed
his merciful designs unto the children of men;
God whose ear is ever open to the prayer of his
people; and who is almighty to save;-even the
God of heaven shielded Daniel and his fellows,
and confirmed the validity of his covenant with
Abraham, and fulfilled his promise to regard all
who in spirit and truth call upon his name.
" Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom
the king had ordained to destroy the wise men
of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him;
destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me




428            SPIRITUALISX
in before the king, and I will shew unto the king
the interpretation."
How, but by the Spirit, did Daniel know he
had the dream and could shew the interpretation? His confidence was in the God of heaven,
not in men nor familiar spirits. Upon God he
had called, and was assured that by his will the
secret had been revealed to his mind. And now,
in that faith he is ready to go before the king."
"Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the
king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have
found a man of the captives of Judea, that will
make known unto the king the interpretation.
The king answered and said unto Daniel, whose
name was Belteshazzar, art thou able to make
known unto me the dream which I have seen,
and the interpretation thereof?  Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The
secret which the king demanded cannot the Wise
men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers shew unto the king; but there is a God
in heaven, that revealeth secrets, and maketh
known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall
be in. the latter days. Thy dream, and the vision of thy head-upon thy bed, are these; As
for thee, 0, king, thy thoughts came into thy
mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass
hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh
known to thee what shall come to pass. But as




REVIEWED.             429
for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any
wisdom, that I have more than any living, but
for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mayest know
the thoughts of thy heart."
How unlike the spirit of the carnal heart were
the spirit and motives of Daniel? How precautionary, that the king should not accredit him
with the wisdom, but that his mind should be directed to God as the Author and Giver. How
meek and overflowing with the spirit of gratitude and reverence, and how careful to give God
the glory. His humble soul delighted in that
acknowledgement which at once precluded him
from all importance in the matter, save that as
God's servant he had sought unto him with all
his heart, and submitted himself as the humble
instrument of the Spirit.
Then said Daniel, "Thou, 0 king sawest and
beheld a great image. This great image, whose
brightness was excellent, stood before thee: and
the form thereof was terrible."  (See Daniel,
xi., 31-44.)  "And whereas thou sawest iron
mixed with clay, they shall mingle themselves
with the seed of men; but they shall not cleave
one to another, even as iron is not mixed with
clay. And in the days of those kings shall the
God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall
never be destroyed, and the kingdom shall not




430            SPIRITUALISM
be left to other people, but it shall break in
pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall
stand forever.  Forasmuch as thou sawest that
the stone was cut out of the mountain without
hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the
brass, the clay, the silver and the gold: the great
God hath made known to the king what shall
come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain,
and the interpretation thereof sure."
The dream and its interpretation being revealed to the king, greatly humbled him, and he answered unto Daniel, and said, "Of a truth it is
that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of
kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou
couldst reveal this secret."
Although the preliminary circumstances, to all
human appearance, greatly endangered Daniel
and his fellows, the result disclosed one of the
most important prophecies on record. And
thus God again revealed his power and wisdom;
also, the remembrance of his promise to Abraham that he would preserve his seed, and through
them bless the nations of the earth.




CHAPTER VIII.
THE FIERY FURNACE.
BUT the trial of their faith, who worshiped
the Living God, was not yet complete. A darker day awaited them. More subtle still were
the evil machinations that conspired against them;
and more dreadful the conflict purposed, by the
Foe of all righteousness. For "Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose
height was three-score cubits, and the breadth
thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then the king
sent to gather together the princes, the governors and the captains, the judges, the treasures,
the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of
the provinces, to come to the dedication of the
image which Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and
when gathered together they stood before the
image. Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is
commanded, 0 people, nations, and languages,
that at the time ye hear the sound of the cornet,
flute, harp, sacbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all
kinds of music, ye shall fall down and worship
the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king
hath set up: and whoso falleth not down and worshipeth shall the same hour be cast into the




432            SPIRITUALISM
midst of a burning fiery furnace. And at the
time when the people heard the music, all the
people, the nations, and the languages, fell down
and worshiped the golden image. Wherefore
certain Chaldees came near and accused the
Jews, saying, 0 king, live forever. Thou hast
made a decree that all at the sound of the music
shall fall down and worship the image. There
are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the
offices of the provinces of Babylon, Shadrach,
Meshach and Abed-Nego: these men, 0 king,
have not regarded thee: they serve not thy
gods, nor worship the golden image which thou
hast made. Then the king in his rage and fury
commanded them to be brought, and they brought
these men before the king: and the king said,
Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego?
do ye not serve my gods, nor worship the golden
image which I have set up? Now if ye be ready
that at what time ye hear all kinds of music to
fall down and worship the image I have made,
well; but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the
same hour into the midst of the burning fiery
furnace: and who is that God that shall deliver
you out of my hands?"
Thus is recorded another issue between the
powers of darkness and the servants of God.
The king, confident in his own sufficiency, menacingly enquires what God could save them




REVIEWED,              433
when he purposed their destruction.  He admitted no power above his, no authority equal.
It was therefore presumptuous for any man, or
number of men to attempt the infraction of his
law. To do it was to blindly rush into the distended jaws of destruction.
Had the Jews, three in number, considered
the consequences?  What did they know of
Abraham's God?    Would he surely deliver
them? To do so would require a miracle, and
that the king and his wise men, soothsayers, astrologers, etc., considered contrary to nature, an
infringement upon her laws, a violation of
principles eternally fixed: and verily they deemed it the perfection of folly to entertain the remotest idea of its possibility, and a mark of insanity to believe in its probability. Hence the king
according to his philosophy, could naturally say,
The furnace is mine, my servants will readily
heat it: the free and untrammeled thought of the
dignitaries congregated unite with me in this
principle, there can be no rescue, for surely no
power in earth or heaven can save them. Will
nature transcend her own laws? Never? It is
preposterous for these bigoted Jews to resist my
purpose, or seek to evade the fatal consequences
of their stubbornness.
Guided by the evil genius displayed in former
attempts to pervert the harmonious current of
19




434             SPIRITUALISM
the divine Oracles, we can plainly perceive
through the gauzy external, that fiend-like visage
which mocks Divinity. The king and his hosts
are the media, and the combined powers intent
upon crushing the humble advocates of Divine
Requirement, seek first to intimidate them by
enhancing the probabilities against them, and beclouding their vision of faith, enshrouding the
promises of God in doubt, and finally frustrating
their confidence in the Abramatic Covenant. But
being steadfast and immovable they, without faltering, repulsed the command.  Neither were
they moved by his threats, nor dismayed by the
pomp of the royal acclaim which as the multitudes bowed and worshiped the image, filled the
heavens with the prolonged utterance of the idolatrous chant. Their heart was fixed upon God;
they loved his law, and would not bow down before
the image or likeness of any thing that is in
the heavens above, or in the earth beneath, or
in the waters under the earth.  Therefore, they
answered the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we are
not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it
be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver
us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will
deliver us out of thine hand, 0 king.  But if
not, be it known unto thee, 0 king, that we will
not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."




REVIEWED.              435
This was an earnest trial of faith. Their only
hope was in God. He alone could save them.
Still they indulged no misgivings, or inclination
to consider the king's decree.  They were resolved. In keeping that resolution they could
but perish. If God was best glorified in their
death, that was their choice. God had commanded, and obedience to his law was their first
thought. Hence, in view of the heated furnace,
and before the multitude they declared, in uneequivocal terms, their immovable determination,
"If our God see not fit to deliver us, be it known
unto thee, 0 king, we will not serve thy gods,
nor worship the image which thou hast made."
Do with us as thou seest fit, if we perish we
perish.
"Then the king was filled with fury, and the
form of his visage was changed toward them;
therefore he commanded that they should heat
the furnace even seven times more than it was
wont to be heated."
This history reveals in the proceedings of the
king the same spirit which has been traced
throughout the annals of the Church. A spirit
of affliction, of effort to extinguish the light of
truth being revealed in the faithful Israel. Now
the inspiration was against Shadrach, Meshach
and Abed-Nego, whose religion prohibited their
obedience to the king. Still the decree was that




436            SPIRITUALISM
all should bow before the image, and whosoever
refused should be cast into the fiery furnace.
The Jews disregarding the king and his edict
rendered themselves obnoxious. The multitude,
like some bending forest, bowed before the image. But as the mass of human beings lay low
in the dust, three forms, firmly erect, silently
defied the majesty of the king, and scorned the
servile show. Statue-like they entered their protest against the heaven-daring sin, and regardless of the consequences, vindicated the law of
God, and were therefore, the agents of the
divine Spirit through whom the Power of the
Lord was to be revealed.
Obedient to the cruel and most rash edict, the
three "were bound in their coats, their hosen, and
their hats, and their other garments, and were
cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace."
But the heat was so intense that it slew those
men that cast them into the furnace.  "And as
the men fell down bound into the furnace, the
king was astonished, and rose up in haste and
spake and said, Did we not cast three men bound
into the midst of the fire?  Lo, I see four men
loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they
have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like
the Son of God."
If this history be correct, (and who shall be
able to disprove its authenticity,) this was a




REVIEWED.              437
supernatural interposition: a suspension of a natural law. And the presence of the fourth, having the appearance of a God, is a spiritualism
that is truly available, reliable, and absolutely useful. Moreover, it was a manifestation in opposition to the maxim of progressionists, "nature
muzst have her course."  It would have been natural for the fire to have consumed the men: otherwise was unnatural.  Therefore this is verily a
supernatural manifestation. And this one instance is sufficient, of itself, to break in pieces
the image of clay now revealing its colossal
stature; on whose brow is inscribed "Nature's
Divine Revelations," "Great Harmonial," "Natural Religion,"  "Harmonial Spiritualism,"
"Friends of Progress," etc., etc.  In whose
right hand is a human form, bound by and the
instrument of mesmerism; and from     whose
mouth issues many words, as if from the Divine,
which being interpreted is, "Let all the world
revere the Organ."  In its left hand is a vase,
containing many relics, some gathered fromn the
land and some from the seas.
Upon the breast is a cloudy mirror, reflecting,
in unmeaning order, the vestiges of the past.
These uniting, seek to disclose the Beginning,
Unfolding and End of all things.  The body is
Pantheism; over its brow is a hazy atmosphere,
called Progressive or Harmonial Spiritualism.




438            SPIRITUALISM
It denies the supernatural, yet wreathes about
its temples illusive appearances, bedecked in
fantastic order with fugitive gems from the supernatural realm.  Though when superficially
viewed, resembling a structure massive and
strong, its body, when analyzed, is found to be of
perishable, unreal and unsightly parts; hence the
manifestation above considered, and which is recorded in the book of Daniel, Ch. iii., breaks it
in pieces. For it is recorded that Nebuchadnezzar the king, when "Coming near to the mouth
of the burning fiery furnace, said to Shadrach,
Meshach and Abed-Nego, Ye saints of the most
high God, come forth and come hither.  When
they came forth from the midst of the fire, and
the princes, governors, and captains, and the
king's counselors, being gathered together, saw
these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no
power, nor was a hair on their head singed,
neither were their coats changed, nor the smell
of fire had passed on them."
This surely excels modern manifestations, at
least any that have come before the public.
What are the'" rappings"-producing a few
intonations-or performances upon musical instruments, revealing hands and feet; writing,
speaking, or pouring forth language in torrents,
through well-trained and long-experienced media; —yea, what are all the manifestations of the




REVIEWED.              439
age, when compared with this?  Are there, or
could there be, greater and more ample manifestations? What though the Rev. Dr., the
Hon. Mr. -, the highly respectable Ed. 
etc., etc., assure the public, that in their presence,
and to the satisfaction of their senses, a spirit medium   was mysteriously actuated-and
that a book was written in prose or rhyme in an
incredibly short space of time, and some unknown
facts were most astonishingly revealed, or event
disclosed, ere it had by other means, come to
light?
Do any or all of these exceed the vision and
its interpretation, by Daniel? or the Presence
in the fiery furnace?  Nay, verily, all modern phenomena sink into dim shadows, when
compared with this. And it is a manifestation
strictly Biblical, being, by incorporation, a part
of the Bible. It is one opposed to all isms, notions, or creeds which deny the God of Abraham, and the truth of Divine Inspiration. In
the light, and by the aid of disclosures from
the eternal and invisible world, the Bible is sustained as true, and by the infinite superiority of
the character of the manifestation, it is exalted
to a plane far above that of recent developments,
and therefore its doctrines are established as
truths. Hence all opposition from Spiritualism
is powerless, and the Bible endures the Ordeal




440            SPIRITUALISM
of the Nineteenth Century, like pure gold(
Truth may be discarded by the multitudes still
it abides, since founded in eternal reality, and
those who reject it suffer loss. Is the narration under consideration classed with legends
and therefore doubtful? Why? Is it not sustained by unimpeached testimony?  Is it less
reliable because of ancient date? All history
may'be erased upon the same principle, and
man left without any knowledge of the past.
And succeeding generations might be led to regard the present in like manner. This would
make time a blank-a void. Have important
results attended modern spiritualism, such as.
inducing men to change their opinions and modes
of thought? Note the effect of the ancient manifestation upon the king.
"Then Nebuchadnezzar spake and said, blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and AbedNego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his;
servants that trusted in him, and have changed
the king's words, and yielded their bodies, that
they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. Therefore I make a decree,
that every people, nation and language, which
speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego, shall be cut in
pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill; because there is no other God that can de



IEVIEWED.               441
liver after this sort."  Has the like been produced in modern times.
For spiritualists to denounce this account is
worse than folly. And until they can at least
equal it, in vain they condemn its, doctrines,
and by works infinitely inferior seek to establish an opposing theory. What though a
man or a number of men who have doubted the
immortality of the soul, are in opinion changed
by the modern demonstrations?   By one test,
a king reversed his decree, acknowledged the
existence of the true God, his power to save,
and declared that by no other means the like
effect could have been produced. Let therefore, Bible-opposing spiritualists call to their aid
equal power, and disclose before the world at
midday, as astounding facts; then may they demand acknowledgement to their opposing theories; but by virtue thereof can only expect
equal credit with the Bible relative to the great
question of Religion.  But until then, it were
better and more consistent by far, that they dismiss their efforts against the Inspired Word.
Do professed believers in christianity, who are
being led into doubt respecting the Divine Origin of the Bible, by modern "Spiritualism,"
"MIesmerism," "Biology," etc., do they realize
the meagerness of the present phenomena in
their highest phases, and their insignificance




442            SPIRITUALISM.
when compared with those revealed in the
Scriptures of Truth? Let the christian pause ere
he takes the fatal step, lest he at last be found to
have exchanged the Divine and Infinite, for a
frail, exceedingly vague and imperfect cause.
" And why should the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing?"  As well might the
fugitive leaf from some dwarfed shrub deny the
origin of gathered fruit, or the existence of the
tree that bore it: and while fluttering in the
changing breezes boast of its ponderous worth
and its progressive tendency to the foliage of celestial -bowers.




CHAPTER IX.
THE SMITTEN TREE.
NEBUCHADNEZZAR the king unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the
earth: Peace be multiplied unto you. I thought
it good to shew the signs and wonders that the
high God hath wrought toward me. How great
are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders!
his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his
dominion is from generation to generation. I
Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in mine house and
flourishing in my palace: I saw a dream which
made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed
and the visions of my head troubled me. Therefore I made a decree to bring all the wise men
of Babylon before me, that they might make
known unto me the interpretation thereof. Then
came the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans and the soothsayers: and I told the dream
before them; but they did not make known the
interpretation thereof."
Again, those who put their trust in nature,
genius, and the magic movement of sympathetic
laws, have failed. To play upon the mysterious,
to excite the marvelous and awe the unlearned
and inexperienced were not difficult, but to coin




4444           SPIRITUALISMi
truth from the unbroken mine, or even from reflections, determine the cause and thence the results, was beyond their philosophy.
"But," says the king, "at the last Daniel
came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in
whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and before
him I told the vision, saying, Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and beheld
a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height
thereof was great.  The tree grew and was
strong, and the height thereof reached unto the
heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of the
earth: the leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit
thereof much, and it was meat for all: the beasts
of the field had shadowed under it, and the fowls
of heaven dwelt. in the boughs thereof, and all
flesh was fed of it. I saw in the vision of my
head upon my bed, and behold a watcher and a
holy one came down from heaven; he cried aloud
and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off
the branches, shake off his leaves and scatter
his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it,
and the fowls from his branches: nevertheless,
leave the stump and his roots in the earth, even
with a band of iron and brass, in the tender
grass of the earth: and let it be wet with the
dews of heaven: and let his portion be with the
beasts in the grass of the earth: let his heart be




REVIEWED.              445
changed, and let a beast's heart be given unto
him. This matter is by decree the decree of the
watchers, and the demand by the word of the
holy ones: to the intent that the living may
know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom
of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
"This dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have
seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the
interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the
wise men of my kingdom are not able to make
known unto me the interpretation: but thou art
able for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee."
Daniel, ch. iv.
From demonstration, the king proves his wise
men unable to reveal the secret or interpret the
dream, thence for the solution he is compelled
to seek Daniel, who was a worshiper of the God
of heaven, with whom he declares the spirit of
the holy gods to be.  In other words, he acknowledges Daniel in communion with the spirit
of Holiness and divine Wisdom. It is observable, also, that the astrologers and soothsayers
depended upon a power whose existence was in
a sphere more immediately connected with the
natural, for Daniel's God, the opposite of theirs,
was declared the God of heaven.  From this it
is certain that the king understood Daniel's profession to differ widely from that of his wise men
and to embrace the Divine. Moreover, the king




446            SPIRITUALISM
proves his inclination to seek wisdom from the
astrologers, etc., for he first gave them the dream,
nor did he call upon Daniel until compelled by
necessity. When he saw Daniel his consciousness prompted his frank acknowledgement of
the presence of the Divine with the Hebrew.
The history, therefore, has a direct bearing upon
the question at issue. And when viewed in their
several aspects, the circumstances afford an exposition of the two principles thus far traced.
After hearing the dream "Daniel was astonished for one hour, and his thoughts troubled
him." As his soul was in sympathy with divine
Truth, and as heaven had purposed to shake
the king and his dominion unless he (having so
much light) repented, he saw the dark cloud
which encompassed the king, and his soul was
troubled. But the king said, Belteshazzar, let
not the dream, or the interpretation thereof
trouble thee.  Belteshazzar answered, The tree
thou sawest, strong, luxuriant, and laden with
fruit, whose boughs were a habitation for the fowls
of the heaven, and a shelter for the beasts of the
field. It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong. (See Daniel, iv., 22, 23.) This is
the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree
of the Most High, which is come upon my lord,
the king: that they shall drive thee from men,
and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the




REVIEWED.             447
field, and they shall make thee eat grass as oxen,
and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven,
and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou
know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom
of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
And whereas they commanded to leave the stump
of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be secure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the
heavens do rule.  Wherefore, O king, let my
counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off
thy sins by righteousness, and thy iniquity by
showing mercy to the poor; if it may be a
lengthening of thy tranquility.
"All this came upon king Nebuchadnezzar.
At the end of twelve months he walked in the
palace of the kingdom of Babylon. And while
boasting of his power and dominion, there fell a
voice from heaven, saying, 0 king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; the kingdom is dedeparted from thee, and they shall drive thee,"
etc. "The same hour the thing was fulfilled, and
he was driven from men, and did eat grass as
oxen, and his body was wet with the dews of
heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles
feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.  And
at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted
up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most
High, and I praised and honored him that




448            SPIRITUALISM
liveth forever and ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation: and all the inhabitants of
the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth
according to his will in the armies of heaven,
and among the inhabitants of the earth: and
none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What
doest thou?
"And at the same time my reason returned
unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine
honor and brightness returned unto me; and
my counselors and my lords sought unto me; and
I was established in my kingdom and excellent
majesty was added unto me."
The strength of this vision, its interpretation
and fulfillment, according to the principle declared by Daniel, is so apparent and so applicable that it needs little comment. 1. It was a reproof, a solemn admonition. 2. Being from the
divine sphere, the natural man could obtain no
light upon it, his material mind was capable of
no adequate or even legitimate conceptions of its
true character or interest. 3. It was only interpreted by means of him whose hope and trust
was in the living God. 4. To obey the heavenly
injunction was contrary to the king's inclination.
5. Its fulfillment only echoed the interpretation
-both harmonized. To record the events in
the retribution, only required the repetition of




REVIEWED.              449
the language employed in its interpretation.
6. Its effects, when verified by actual occurrences,
served to humble the proud monarch, according
to indication. 7. When the king acknowledged
his frailty, and that of all flesh; the power, wisdom and goodness of God, he was restored and
abundantly blessed. 8. And finally, the ultimate
effect was to cause the king to exalt the name of
the Most High, as the King of heaven, and to
proclaim all his works, Truth.  Therefore, the
events amply sustain the doctrine of the Inspired
Word, expose the worthlessness of all manifestations, or dependence, which in any way conflict
with the fundamental doctrines of the Bible.
And also, that the arm of nature is paralyzed
whenever an attempt is made to substitute it for
the power of God; and that the God of Abraham, of the Hebrews, of the true Christian, is
the Lord Almighty, the only Safety in the day
of trouble.
con




CHAPTER X.
THE MYSTERIOUS WRITING.
THE sad scene now introduced is of the deepest interest, one to which modern spiritualists
often refer, and which is by them claimed as evidence in their favor. And since by them employed as argument fovorable to their cause, it
follows, most assuredly, that they endorse it as
true. If, therefore, this is admitted into the catalogue of authentic facts, which no one conversant
with the arguments of spiritualists will deny,
the Book of Daniel must be admitted true.
Either circumstance, then, recorded in Daniel cannot be denied by the spiritualists. And they
prove the Harmonial theory false. If Progressionists claim what was called God's works in
those days to have been only the "manifestation
of spirits" in accordance with modern profession, they do so in the face of opposing facts, for
in those days there were, as already shown,
the two spheres.   One the natural, or human; and the other instituted claims equal to
the Christian's doctrine of the Nineteenth Century, respecting the Supreme Being. The ancient
ideas of God's character, attributes, and also his
450




REVIEWED.              451
dealings with men, are still those of the true
Church. From the Bible accounts of Divine
and Angelic manifestations, the Christian Faith
is derived. Therefore, to admit the truth of one
incident in "Daniel" is to admit all, and to
concede the actual occurrence of those manifestations is to sanction the Christian doctrine; and
such concession blasts the philosophy of Bibleopposers.
With these remarks we proceed to the investigation and application of this manifestation,
which is so frequently adduced as strong evidence
in the behalf of spirit writing; hand and feet
manufacturing, etc.
In Daniel, ch. v., it is recorded, that "Belteshazzar, the king, made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the
thousand.  And while he tasted the wine, he
commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken
out of the temple which was at Jerusalem; that
the king and his princes, his wives and his concubines might drink therein. Then they brought
the golden vessels that were taken out of the
temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem. And the king and his princes, his wives
and his concubines, drank in them. They drank
wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver,
of brass, of iron, of wood and of stone."




452            SPIRITUALISM
The religion of the king and his guests cannot be mistaken. They were nature-worshipers.
Not quite so spiritual perhaps as modern nature
worshipers, still they saw the god they adored
only in the material. The true Israelites looked
above the material for his dwelling place whom
they worshiped as the I AM. The distinction is
clear. Belteshazzar acknowledged no God but
Nature.
"In the same hour" (while they drank and
worshiped their idols) "came forth fingers of a
man's hand, and wrote over against the candlesticks, upon the plaster of the wall of the king's
palace: and the king saw the part of the hand
that wrote. Then the king's countenance was
changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that
the joints of his loins were loosened, and his
knees smote one against another."
Again the astrologers, Chaldeans and soothsayers, are called; and wealth and honor proffered to whosoever would read and interpret the
writing. But as on former occasions they could
not read or make known the interpretation. And
why?   The answer is obvious: They were altogether in their earth and natural sphere, while
the hand that wrote was from heaven and the
supernatural sphere. Otherwise, why did they
not read and interpret?
"Then the king was greatly troubled, and his




REVIEWED.             453
lords were astonished. Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came
into the banquet house: and the queen spake
and said, 0 king, live forever: let not thy
thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance
be changed: there is a man in thy kingdom in
whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the
days of thy father light and understanding and
wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found
in him: whom the king, Nebuchadnezzar, thy
father, I say, thy father, made master" (exalted
above) "of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans,
and soothsayers. Now let Daniel be called and
he will shew the interpretation. Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king
spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel which art of the children of the captivity of
Judah, whom the king, my father, brought out
of Jewry?   I have even heard of thee that the
spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and
understanding, and excellent wisdom is found in
thee. And now the wise men, the astrologers
have been brought in before me, that they should
read this writing, and make known unto me the
interpretation thereof: but they could not show
the interpretation of the thing."
Here is another instance, wherein the wisdom
of the earth-sphere, and the wonder-workers in
the natural realm, are proclaimed by a monarch




454            SPIRITUALISM
incapable of deciphering what was even partial
ly revealed from the supernatural. And Daniel,
who is of the Theocratic Sect, a believer in the
direct and special aid of the Lord in matters
pertaining to the kingdom of God on earth, is
called, his faith acknowledged, and he is exalted infinitely above the naturalist.
"I have heard of thee," said the king to Daniel, "that thou canst make interpretations, and
dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the
writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet
and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and
thou shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom."
Accustomed to dealing with unregenerate men,
the king thought to inspire the greater effort on
the part of Daniel by offering gifts and honor.
But mark the spirit of Daniel, who answered
and said, "Let thy gifts be-to thyself, and give
thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the
interpretation."
"My kingdom is not of this world," said Jesus; and also, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt," etc. Throughout all history, sacred and
profane, it is recorded of the true and faithful
believer, the humble and IHeaven-adoring, that
they seek not the honors or wealth of this world,




REVIEWED.             465
but a kingdom of righteousness; fellowship with
the Father of Spirits.  Daniel revealed the
spirit of meekness. It would not flatter him to
have it recorded and proclaimed to the world,
that by and through him most remarkable disclosures had been made. Never!  His was not
a time serving spirit. How little the king's
rehearsal of Daniel's good qualities, united
with his liberal offers affected him. "Give thy
rewards to another," said the meek medium of
Divine Disclosures. "I will read the writing
unto the king, and make known the interpretation." Not for gold or earthly honor, but by the
will of the Spirit and for the glory of God. Then
in the most solemn manner he addressed Belteshazzar, saying, "0 thou king, the most high
God gave Nebuchadnezzar, thy father, a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor:. and for
the majesty he gave him, all people, nations and
languages trembled and feared before him: whom
he would he slew; and whom he would he kept
alive: and whom he would he set up; and whom
he would he put down. But when his heart was
lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he
was deposed from his kingly throne, and they
took his glory from him, and he was driven
from the sons of men; and his heart was made
like the beasts, and they fed him with grass like
oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of




456           SPIRITUALISM
heaven; until he knew that the most high God
ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will. And thou
his son, 0 Belteshazzar, hast not humbled thine
heart, though thou knewest all this; but hast
lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven:
and they have brought the vessels of his house
before thee, and thou and thy lords and thy
wives and thy concubines have drunk wine in
them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver,
of gold, of brass, iron, wood and stone, which see
not, nor hear, nor know; and the God in whose
hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways
thou hast not glorified; then was the part of the
hand sent from him; and this writing was written." Note the distinction still kept up. The
God of heaven had not been served; but gods of
nature.. Moreover, the God of all the earth had
been mocked, defied, in that they drank in honor
to gods of wood, stone, etc., from those vessels
consecrated to the invisible Jehovah. But note
the result of this presumption!
"This," continued Daniel, "is the writing that
is written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UTPHARSIN.
"This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it. TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the ballances and found wanting.  PERES; Thy king



REVIEWED.              457
dom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians." Solemn prediction!
"In that night was Belteshazzar, the king of
the Chaldeans slain.  And Darius, the Median,
took the kingdom."  Daniel, ch. v.
In these days, by the Progressionists, Harmonial Spiritualists, etc., those who are believers in the Scriptures and advocate the doctrine
of their Divine origin,-those whose faith is
like Abraham's, Moses', Elijah's and Daniel's,
are called "the unprogressed."  It is quite likely that the king's wise men, said even so, in
spirit, of Daniel. They might have looked upon
him as the medium of undeveloped and bigoted
spirits, those who had not escaped the dogmas
of their mundane education. But which in the
test revealed the most wisdom? Daniel believed
in the same God that the christian does. The
wise men were men of a natural religion. They
believed in nature, and no doubt greatly ridiculed the illiberal and restricted notions of the
Hebrews. But in the trial, how did they appear?  Each test exposed the fallacy of their
theory. But God was with the lone captives
who trusted in his name. He unfolded his Wisdom and displayed his power before all men,
and thus sustained the faith of his people.
20




CHAPTER XI.
DANIEL WITH THE LIONS.
BUT Daniel's final trial drew near. His faith
and determination must be exposed to still severer tests.  Is his heart established?  The
gathering storm will reveal his true character.
Is there a God who is able to save? And will
that God regard the devotion of a finite mortal?
Daniel's opposers, or rather the spirit of opposition to the kingdom of heaven will not rest.
God has wrought wonders through humble
means, but so virulent is the opposition that the
God of eternal Truth must interfere and prevail,
or Daniel will be cut off. " He was preferred
above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king" (Darius) "thought to set him over the whole realm.
Then the presidents and princes sought to find
occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom;
but they could find none occasion or fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any
error or fault found in him.
"Then said these wise men, We shall not find
any occasion against this Daniel, except we find
it against him concerning the law of his God."
How earnestly the emissaries of error seek




REVIEWED.              459
to thwart the influence of Truth! In every
age and clime this spirit has been manifested
against those by whom the law of God is especially maintained, and the infinite contrast between Divine Revelations and those of the finite
and unreal rendered prominent. Nor is it necessary to resort entirely to the history of the
ancients, to discover the evil designing against
the Truths of heaven. Every age from Adam
to the present, is stamped with unmistakable
demonstrations. And who, familiar with the
religious history of the Hebrew or christian,
will presume to attribute the cause to man alone?
The conflict is with the law of God. The heralds of Divine Truth, of God's revealed Will,
the advocates of Holy Inspiration, are the objects
of revenge. Upon them sorrows have been multiplied. And for what? Why should communities
and even nations combine, and labor for the destruction of individuals whose position renders
them the specific manifestation of Heavenly
Purpose?  If their inspiration is unreliable it
must fail. If their doctrines are founded in error, they must pass away. Why then this evil
strategy which has revealed its insidious form
in every important period and combined its
forces to suppress the principles of the Word of
God?   Daniel's religion did him no harm. He
was wise above all others of the king's court;




460             SPIRITUALISM
blameless and useful withal. Why then seek
his destruction? No answer can be given, save
that which charges the purpose upon the malicious being who first seduced the race to sin.
The plot against Daniel epitomizes the natural movement of perverted sense.   Whoev-,er reads cannot fail, if divested of prejudice, to
recognize the deceptive and invidious nature of
that element which is ever operative against the
religion of the Bible. The king, without the remotest thought of the end of the scheme, was
drawn into an act which terminated upon Daniel.  His professed friends, therefore, betrayed
him. They presented an object before his mind,
best calculated to mislead and render him,
through base intrigue and from his confidence
in them, most unexpectedly the agent of a nefarious plan.  Mark their hypocrisy.  "Then
these presidents and princes assembled together
to the king, and thus said unto him, King Darius, live forever."  How like Judas: "Hail Master, and betrayed him with a kiss."  Little did
they respect the king's welfare, if they could
only effect their purpose. Satanic characteristic
most manifest by those Heaven-daring and Godopposing agents of Diabolism.  They continued
to plead with Darius, saying, "All the presidents of thy kingdom, the governors, and the
princes, the counselors, and the captains, have




REVIEWED.              461
consulted together to establish a royal statute."
Where was Daniel?  The devil was a liar from
the beginning.'Ye are of your father, the devil, whose works ye do," said Jesus. How truly
confirmed by those who contend with divine
Truth! Does a natural religion require such base
concealment? such an hypocritical countenance?
such a false tongue? Facts, both ancient and
modern, shall answer these important inquiries.
The multitudes thronging the king, and the tumult consequent upon such an occasion, rendered
it improbable that he would enquire after each
of his prime-counselors, etc.; therefore they said,
4 all have consulted together to establish a royal
statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for
thirty days, save of thee, 0 king, shall be cast
into the den of lions. Now, 0 king, establish
the decree and sign the writing, that it may not
be changed, according to the law of the Medes
and Persians, which altereth not."  (How flatteringly introduced, and how cautiously and assiduously guarded.)  "Wherefore king. Darius
signed the writing."
What conspiracy! and against an individual!
Who cannot in this perceive the ghastly visage
of infernal design? How plainly revealed the
fallen spirits who behind the screen prompted
the external actors! "Now, when Daniel knew




462            SPIRITUALISM
that the writing was signed, he went into his
house, and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his
knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave
thanks before his God as he did aforetime." But
Daniel could not have misunderstood the decree.
Each time he kneeled before his God he endangered his life. The law was like that of the
Medes and Persians, unalterable. Therefore he
must choose to abide the consequences rather
than refrain from or even conceal his devotion.
Observe that single servant of the Most High.
His was a faith, a religion, that in very deed affected the heart. He loved his law who had
revealed himself to the Patriarchs in the glory
of Divine bestowments. His soul delighted in
prayer. God was his hope, and in him he put
his trust. No earthly potentate or demoniac
tactic could induce him astray or move him from
his purpose. He therefore proceeded according
to his accustomed manner, and to God submitted
himself. Heaven could deliver, if for the glory
of God.  If to suffer was the most effectual
means by which his mission in the world would
be fulfilled, with meekness he submitted.  He
prayed not to king Darius, but to the King of
kings,-the Disposer of events.
"Then these men assembled and found Daniel
praying and making supplication before his God."




REVIEWED.             4L63
Whereupon they reminded the king of his decree, saying, "Hast thou not signed a decree
that any man that shall ask a petition of any
god or man within thirty days, save of thee, O
king, shall be cast into the den of lions?  The
king answered and said, the thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians,
which altereth not.  Then answered they and
said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the
captivity of Judah regardeth not thee, 0 king,
nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh
his petition three times a day. Then the king
when he heard these words was sore displeased
with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored until the going down
of the sun to deliver him."
Not until the dread crisis arrived did the king
know or conceive the character of the plot. - And
when he awoke it was too late; for as he toiled
to save Daniel, his enemies assembled unto the
king and said, "Know, 0 king, that the law of
the Medes and Persians is, that no decree or statute which the king establisheth may be changed."
The king could do no more; he was powerless;
the decree was fatal, the end accomplished. Daniel had prayed to God and must make his bed
with the wild and ferocious lions. For him earth
had no hope to offer. No hope was written in
the decree! No hope ruled the design, and there




464            SPIRITUALISM
was no hope in all created things. Daniel was
doomed. Alas for man! Because the Judean
captive prayed to God he must suffer all the
evil that could multiply upon him in this fallen
world. "Then the king commanded, and they
brought Daniel and cast him into the den of
lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God, whom thou servest continually, he
will deliver thee."  So palpable was the maliciousness of Daniel's enemies, that the king was
made sensible of their wickedness. And the
contrast was so great between their spirit and
that of Daniel that the king was led to believe
his God the true and living Lord, and hence he
hoped for his preservation. "And a stone was
brought and laid upon the mouth of the den, and
the king sealed it with his own signet and with
the signet of his lords, that the purpose might
not be changed concerning Daniel.'"
Imagine the Satanic jubilee that moved the
dark realms of perverted and fiendish spirits as
the innocent victim was shut in; and the lords
and counselors how they rejoiced with exceeding
great joy. Each moving breeze was received by
them as a messenger of gladness, and the echo
of uttered agony from Daniel in the jaws of the
hungry lion. And as the wine went round, and
Bacchus reigned, the glee rose higher still. The
dance in magic form swept along the halls,




REVIEWED.              465
while the victors' acclaim chimed with the phantom notes of hell.
"But the king went to his palace, and passed
the night fasting; neither were instruments of
music brought before him."  His heart was on
Daniel, the Lord's Prophet.
The den of lions presents another scene. There
slumbers the servant of the Most High. Like
lam.bs the lions lay around him. "Then the
king arose very early in the morning, and went
in haste to the den of lions. And when he came
to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto
Daniel: 0, Daniel, servant of the living God, is
thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to
deliver, thee from the lions?"  Question of the
deepest interest. It involves all natural religion, of whatever name or nature. Answered
and demonstrated in the affirmative, and Pantheism, with its unending schemes, united by
sophistic concatenations of masterly device, crumbles, like the disintegrated parts of the falling
temples, and the Hebrew religion is confirmed
and established in everlasting truth. The king's
words' descended into the den, and deep in the
subterraneous vault broke upon the ear of Daniel. Why disturb the calm and humble sleeper?
Lo! the lions, like comforters, lay around him,
and protect him from the cold, damp night air of
the habitation of the wild digitigrade.  But
80




466           SPIRITUALISM
the king's lamentation aroused him, and in language of consolation he answered, "0, king, live
forever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath
shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt
me; forasmuch as before him innocency was
found in me," (blessed boon! what a solace in
trouble!) "and also before thee, 0 king, I have
done no hurt.
"Then was the king exceedingly glad for him,
and commanded that they should take Daniel
up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out
of the den, and no manner of hurt was found
upon him, because he believed in his God.
"And the king commanded, and they brought
those men which had accused Daniel, and they
cast them into the den of lions, them, their
children, and their wives, and the lions had the
mastery of them, and break all their bones in
pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the
den."
What a lamentable retribution! Clear as
truth in its untarnished glory the contrast is revealed, heavenly grace magnified, and the evil,
in its malice and recklessness, exposed. God is
glorified in the confirmation of his Word.
By the revelation of God's sovereign mercy,
and the demonstration of his power, another
king is induced to issue a proclamation in honor
of the Hebrew religion. "Then king Darius




REVIEWED.              467
wrote unto all people, nations, and languages,
that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied
unto you. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear
before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God,
and steadfast forever, and his kingdom that which
shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall
be even unto the end." The permanency of that
grace in which Daniel trusted, the king saw: first
in the firmness of Daniel, and second in the rescue. Therefore his conviction was that the Immutable God was with the captive. Such effects attended those divine dispensations understood as
God's dealings with man. But Darius continues:
"He delivereth and rescueth, and worketh signs
and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath
delivered Daniel from the power of the lions."
Again and in our concluding comments upon the
Book of Daniel, we remark: In the Nineteenth
Century it is deemed sufficient evidence that
the Bible is not worthy of public confidence
if a table tip by means not externally visible, and the sentiment of the mind-sphere
encompassing it culminates in the denunciation
of the Scriptures. If a medium is impelled to
utter incoherent rhapsodies, or poetic strains,
while in some abnormal state, it is proclaimed
equal or superlative to Bible revelation and literature; or if the evidences render it probable




468             SPIRITUALISM
that the spirit of some departed friend commu
nicates from the spiritual to the external sphere,
it is heralded forth as parallel with or of greater
consequence than the evidences of Christianity.
If sensitive persons, after years of experience, and
arduous effort and untiring application, become
efficient in transcendental arts, they are exalted
as gods and proclaimed "the Oracles." If a bell
is made to ring without hands, or musical instruments played by the inexperienced, or rattled
without physical contact, the marvel-stricken
spectators exclaim, "Those who performed the
works recorded in the Bible, and attributed to
the Almighty Lord, are now removing the darkness which shuts the glory and being of spirit
spheres from mortality, revealing greater light
than the Scriptures afford, and by disclosing
their true nature, are demonstrating that all the
Christian claims as the supernatural, the Work
of the Divine Spirit, can easily be excelled
by earth's departed, and therefore human spirits
were the Bible communicators. Hence arises
that form of anti-Christ, which determines upon
the overthrow of true Christianity. But until
the Harmonialists and their spirits unfold principles more profound, and disclose greater and
more efficient laws than have yet attended their
works, no evidence is afforded worthy of comparison with those means God has ordained and




REVIEWED.              469
brought to light with the race, and substantiated
by his Almighty Power; by the bestowments of
his Mercy, the gracious disclosures of his Wisdom, and the efficacy of his Grace. The proposition of the christian Religion, is that, God, the
Lord and Creator, by means of divine appointment, in the Spirit of Heavenly Benefaction,
provides for the salvation of man from his deplorable condition, and the record of God's dealings accord therewith. The professions of antiChristian spiritualism is high and extensive;
let the demonstration be paramount to the claims
or let the claim descend to the ability manifested.




CHAPTER XII.
NEW TESTAMENT INCIDENTS,
EIGHTEEN hundred years ago, in Bethlehem
of Judea, and in the days of Herod the king,
JESUS was born. "When Herod heard thereof
he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
And when he had gathered all the chief priests
and scribes of the people together, he demanded
of them where Christ should be born. And they
said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judena for thus
it is written by the prophet: And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, art not the least
among the princes of Judah, for out of thee shall
come a Governor, that shall rule my people
Israel.
"Then Herod, when he had privily called the
wise men, inquired of them diligently what time
the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the
young child, and when you have found him bring
me word again, that I may come and worship
him also."-Mat. ch. ii.
This was another evil device again. t the Spirit
of Truth, for the context and sequel prove that
Herod disguised his purpose in the charge given
to the wise men.  When Herod had heard these




REVIEWED.             471
things he was troubled and all Jerusalem with
him." Not because he desired to worship; that need
not beget fear or perplexity. Had he been a true
Israelite, the Mesiah's advent would have given
him joy and tranquility. His proceeding evinced his consciousness that Christ, when he came,
would possess a spirit adverse to his. Jerusalem
was also troubled. But had she been actuated
by the true principle, the star would have been
hailed as the prelude of a most glorious day to
them.
By examining the history of that event, it will
be found that former conflicts between the Spirit
of Truth and the Principle of Evil were only
types of this their legitimate ante-type, and that
in the spiritual history of man this was the Great
Centre Epoch and Period when the heavenly
Grace was to seal the Covenant and make an
end of Oblations. To prevent the consumating
Offering the Prince of Darkness seems to have
been preparing his agents at Jerusalem, and so
adjusting the external government that when the
trial should come, as by magic the forces of
wickedness might be arrayed against the Savior.
But God provided for the emergency. Hence, the
wise men having found the young child acknowl
edged him. Being warned of God in a dream not to
return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.  "And an angel of the Lord




472            SPIRITVALISM
appeared to Joseph in a dream," (Will Harmonial Spiritualists deny this? By what authority?)
"saying, Arise, and take the young child and his
mother and flee into Egypt, and be thou there
until I bring thee word, for Herod will seek the
young child to destroy him.
"When he arose, he took the young child and
his mother by night, and departed into Egypt,
and was there until the death of Herod."
As the wise men did not return, and Herod
not being able to find and identify the child
whom he feared, he caused all the children to be
slain that were in Bethlehem, and in all the
coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time he had diligently enquired
of the wise men.
From this time Jesus was pursued until he
made the final Offering upon the cross. The following record reveals the cause of this opposition to Jesus, and also unmistakably proves the
malicious author to have been the same who
from the days of Adam had afflicted the people
of God, and contended with Theopneustic princi
ples.
"Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the
wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And
when he had fasted forty days and forty nights,
he was afterward an hungered. And when the
tempter came to him he said, If thou be the Son




REVIEWED.             473
of God, command that these stones be made
bread."
In answer, Jesus introduced the superior necessity of the soul, saying, "Man shall not live
by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."
Can he who denies the divinity of the Scriptures, the design of evil spirits, and of Redemption through the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
define the cause of this distinction, and so prominently revealed along the. descending ages from
Adam even to Christ? Whether men may or
may not be able to quiet their own minds upon
this subject, the account (and it cannot be impeached,) informs us that the tempter Imet Jesus
and in him sought to contravene the law of Truth
and Righteousness, and hence suppress the principles of immortal joy.
Again, having presented the kingdoms and
glory of the world, the tempter said, "All these
things will I give unto thee if thou wilt fall
down and worship me."
The tendency of perverted sense is, to exalt the creature, deify Nature and weaken respect for the Creator. Could Satan persuade
the Nazarine, through whom God had promised
to bruise the serpent's head, that is, destroy demoniacal power with man, to magnify Nature
and acknowledge himself worthy of adoration, of




474            SPIRITUALISM
reverential regard, then he would hope to hold
human hearts in perpetual bondage, as sympathizers with himself in sin. He had succeeded
with Adam, but God's promise to subdue him at
last through the seed of Abraham, had been an
insurmountable barrier to his universal reign on
earth. He had failed in every important attempt since that covenant, and as the lineal
descent could not be broken, resolved to unite
his forces,and direct his energies against the man
Christ Jesus. Meeting the Savior, he personally
sought to tempt him by saying, "Command that
these stones be made bread." Again he endeavored to induce him to a presumptuous act. "If
thou be the Son of God cast thyself down; for it
is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee; and in their hands they shall bear
thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot
against a stone." Jesus said unto him, "It is
written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord
thy God."-Matt. iv. 6, 7. He then sought
to excite vanity; not by saying, "The day thou
eatest thou shalt be.as God," but "If thou
wilt fall down and worship me-be at my command, I will give unto thee the kingdoms of
earth; I will exalt thee to an earthly throne
which shall rule over all other thrones; I will
cause thy government to extend to the ends of
the earth, and there shall be none like thee. I




REVIEWED.             475
hold the hearts of men, and will give them and
their possessions into thy hands if thou wilt
submit to my dictation; accept my counsel and
honor me before man."  But Jesus said, "Get
thee hence Satan, for it is written, Thou shalt
worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt
thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and
behold angels came and ministered unto him."
Thus, at a period by no means so remote as to
render the history doubtful, the two principles
were fully disclosed. And since that trial harmonized with those of the Old Testament times,
and since like characters are now revealed, it is
most rational to conclude the Biblical account
authentic.
What then is Harmonial Spiritualism but the
manifestation of that spirit of evil, that soul-deceiving principle which led Adam into sinwhich opposed the ancient Israel of God-contended with Jesus, and has persecuted the Christian since the days of the Apostles; finally, that
is now exciting the world against the disciples
and doctrines of the Lord?
Not able to divert the Nazarene from the divine purpose by personal intercourse, the foe of
God and man proceeded to inspire the populace
against him, and to create jealousy in the minds
of the officers of government respecting his
claims.




CHAPTER XIII.
THE MISSION AND DOCTRINES OF JESUS.
"AND Jesus returned in the power of the
Spirit into Galilee. And there went out a fame
of him through all the region round about. And
he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of
all. And he came to Nazareth, where he had
been brought up, and, as his custom was, he
went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day
and stood up to read; and there was delivered
unto him the book of the prophet Esaias; and
when he had opened the book, he found the place
where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is
upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach
the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal
the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the
captives, and recovering of sight to the blind; to
set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach
the acceptable year of the Lord. This day is
this scripture fulfilled in your ears."-Luke iv.,
18-21. "No man can serve two masters; for
either he will hate the one and love the other, or
else he will hold to the one and despise the other.
Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.   Lay not
up for yourselves treasure upon earth, but in
heaven. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and




REVIEWED.             477
his righteousness, and all things shall be added
unto you."-Math. vi. "Enter ye in at the
straight gate, for wide is the gate and broad is
the way that leadeth to destruction, and many
there be which go in thereat; because straight is
the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth
unto life, and few there be that find it.
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you
in sheeps clothing but inwardly they are ravening
wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruit. Do
men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?"
-Math. vii. That is, shall disease and death
beget life and health?  "Think not that I am
come to destroy the law or the prophets. I
am not come to destroy, but tofulfill."-Math v.,
17. "Love your enemies, bless them that curse
you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for
them which persecute you.. When ye pray
say, Our Father which art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will
be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this
day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as
we forgive our debtors.  Suffer us not to be
tempted, but deliver us from evil. For thine is
the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for
ever. Amen."-Math. vi. "Let not your heart
be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in
me. In my Father's house are many mansions.
I go to prepare a place for you. Believe me that




478            SPIRITUALISM
I am in the Father, and the Father in me, or
else believe me for the very works' sake.  If
ye love me keep my commandments, and I will
pray the Father, and he will give you another
Comforter, that may abide with you forevereven the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot
receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him. He that loveth me keepeth my sayings; and the word which ye hear is not mine,
but the Father's which sent me. These things
have I spoken unto you, being yet present with
you; but the Comforter, which is the Holy
Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name,
he shall teach you all things.... Peace I leave
with you; my peace I give unto you: not as the
world giveth give I unto you.... Hereafter I will
not talk much with you, for the prince of this
world cometh, and hath nothing in me. If the
world hate you, ye know that it hated me before
it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world
would love its own; but because ye are not of the
world, but I have chosen you out of the world,
therefore the world hateth you. They hated me
without a cause... Nevertheless I tell you the
truth-it is expedient for you that I go away;
for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come
unto you: but if I depart I will send him unto
you. And when he is come, he will reprove the
world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment:




REVIEWED.             479
of sin, because they believe not on- me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
In the world you shall have tribulation; but be
of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes
to heaven and said, Father, the hour is come;
glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify
thee. This is life eternal, that they might know
thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom
thou hast sent. 0, righteous Father, the world
hath not known thee, but I have known thee,
and these have known that thou hast sent me.
I have declared thy name, and will declare it;
that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may
be in them, and I in them."-John, chapters xv.
xvi. and xvii. "Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him, and the soldiers platted
a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and
put on him a purple robe and said, Hail, King
of the Jews! and they smote him with their
hands.
"Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith
unto them, Behold, I bring him forth unto you,
that ye may know that I find no fault in him.
Then Jesus came forth, wearing the crown of
thorns and the purple robe; and Pilate saith
unto them, Behold the man! When the chief
priests, therefore, and officers saw him, they cried




480            SPIRITUALISM
out, Crucify him, crucify hims! Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him and crucify him, for I find
no fault in him. Then answered the Jews, We
have a law, and by that law he ought to die,
because he made himself the Son of God".John xix.
Such was the spirit indulged toward Jesus,
"the Anointed," by whom the Gospel of Salvation was given to man; and the above compend,
embracing the declaration of his mission, the
purposes thereof, the law of life, revealed through
him, the principles of heavenly requirements,
the impossibility of fellowship with the world or
carnal sphere, while in the way of heaven and
righteousness; the union of his Being with the
Divine; the certainty that those who loved him
would keep his word; the promise of the Holy
Ghost —the Comforter, which would be in direct
opposition to the carnal man; his prayer; his
crucifixtion: these reveal him not of the world;
hence his kingdom is unlike that which would
unfold from the hum.an heart in its degenerate
state. To this end, and for a purpose hereafter
to be explained, these passages are thus collected, as well as those of the succeeding chapter,
which comprehend the close of his labors before
the Ascension, and the fulfillment of his promise by the Spirits' descent on the day of Pentelost. And these passages are quite sufficient to




RtEVIEWED.            481
show the want of harmony between the teachings
of Jesus and his Spirit, and those of the popular
spiritualism of the day.
21




CHAPTER XIV.
COMMISSION, PROMISE, ASCENSION, DESCENT OF THE
SPIRIT, ETC.
"BEHOLD," said Jesus, "I send you forth as
sheep in the midst of wolves; be ye therefore
wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But
beware of men, for they will deliver you up to
the councils, and they will scourge you in their
synagogues. But when they deliver you up,
take no thought how or what ye shall speak, for
it shall be given you in that same hour what ye
shall speak; for it is not ye that speak, but the
Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
He that findeth his life," (loveth the pleasures
of the passional man,) "shall loose it," (shall
come short of divine joys and dwell in darkness)
"and he that looseth his life," (overcometh sensual gratification and liveth in truth,) "for my
sake, shall find it."-Math. x. "But whereunto
shall I liken this generation? It is like unto
children sitting in the market places, and calling unto their fellows, and saying, We have
piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we
have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented: for John came neither eating nor drinking,
and ye say, he hath a devil: the Son of AMlan
482




REVIEWED.             483
came eating and drinking, and ye say, Behold a
man gluttonous, a wine bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of
her children.
"At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank
thee, 0 Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise
and prudent, and hast revealed them  unto
babes."  That is, rendered them  simple and
unadorned, and adapted to the necessities of the
meek, though not admired by the wise or selfexalted. "Come unto me all ye that labor and
are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take
my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am
meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest
to your souls."-Math. xi.
"Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as
they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their
unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he
was arisen. And he said unto them, Go ye into
all the world, and preach the gospel to every
creature.  He that believeth and is baptized
shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall
be damned.. And these signs shall follow them
that believe: In my name they shall cast out
devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they
shall take up serpents."-Mark xvi. "And he
said unto them, It is not for you to know the




484            SPIRITUALISM
times or the seasons, which the Father hath put
in his own power. But ye shall receive power
after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you;
and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and
unto the uttermost parts of the earth. And
when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him
out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven, as he went up, behold two
men stood by them in white apparel, which also
said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up
into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken
up from you into heaven, shall so come in like
manner as ye have seen him go up into heaven."
-Acts, ch. 1.
"And when the day of Pentecost was fully
come, they were all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven
as of a rushing, mighty wind, and it filled all
the house where they were sitting. And there
appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of
fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they
were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began
to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave
them utterance. And there were dwelling at
Jerusalem Jews, devout men out of every nation
under heaven.
"Now when this was noised abroad, the multi



REVIEWED.              485
tude came together and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his
own language. And they were all amazed and
marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are
not all these which speak Galileans? And how
hear we every man in our tongue wherein we
were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in
Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the
parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of
Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians
we do hear them speak in our tongues, the wonderful works of God."-Acts, ch. ii.
NWhen modern spiritualists can imitate these
demonstrations of spiritual ability, then may
they boast of their revelations. But how vain
to shout "Progression" if a table tips, a tambourine rattles, a hand jerks and moves in rapid
disorder, or even executes the work of written
sentences, or if a medium utters incoherent
sounds, that a Chinaman may call his tongue?
The spiritualism of this day compares with that
of New Testament times about as the works of
the magicians of Egypt did with the miracles
wrought through Mloses and Aaron. And it is
verily strange that men should forsake the
Christian faith for antagonistic teachings, which
are supported by Modern Spiritualism, since,




486            SPIRITUALISM
when contrasted with those upon which the Bible doctrines are predicated, there is no proper
analogy.
Another marvel consists in an effort to palm
off the teachings of the recent "communications"
as Christian, for all unprejudiced readers of the
Bible know that the spirit and tenor of Gospel
truths directly conflict with the sentiments disclosed by Harmonialism. This the above passages alone amply confirm. With the Gospel
of Jesus and the natural or carnal heart there is
no likeness. They have no affinity; nor do the
doctrines of Salvation through Jesus compromise
divine command or eternal principle. The Truth
of Heaven is immutable, and those who enjoy
the fruition of heavenly love must abide Divine
dictation. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon,
is an axiom existing in the nature of mental and
moral law.
Divine Inspiration seeks to attract the soul
from human pleasures, change the inclinations,
and raise the being entirely above a worldserving spirit, or pleasure-loving pursuits, from
Nature to Nature's God. "If any man will be
my disciple, let him deny himself, take up his
cross, and follow me," was the language of Jesus; also, "My kingdom is not of this world."
Great is the contrast between this and the tendency of Harmonialism as the doctrines, means




REVIEWED.               4S 7
of dissemination, effects upon mind, social tendencies, and consequences as far as revealed, together with the subtle workings, when fully
analyzed, will show.




CHAPTER XV.
THE OPPOSING SPIRIT.
"AND Stephen, full of faith and power, did
great wonders and miracles among the people.
And there arose certain of the synagogue, which
is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and
Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of
Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And
they were not able to resist the wisdom  and
spirit by which he spake. Then they suborned
men, which said, We have heard him speak
blasphemous words against Moses, and against
God."   How  natural with perverted minds,
when other efforts fail to prevent the influence
of Divine Truth, to resort to defamation of character, to false accusations, and thence to excite
public prejudice against the firm advocates of
principles most difficult to overcome by error
and sophistry. The enemies of the Gospel having failed to subdue Stephen by an attack upon
his principles or himself personally, resorted to
the basest means, even that of subornation, in
order to prevent him from promulgating the
Gospel. Truth needs no such infamous Satanism to sustain it, or overcome its foes; but error
must needs resort to deception and calumniation.
488




REVIEWED.              489
To condemn Jesus required false testimony. So
also they suborned men who testified that Stephen
had blasphemed. But the Spirit was with him,
even as Jesus promised, so much so that while
accused, "All looking steadfastly on him, saw
his face as it had been the face of an angel."
"Then said the high priest, Are these things
so?  And he (Stephen) said, Men, brethren,
and fathers, hearken: the God of glory appeared
unto our father Abraham  when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran," etc.-See
Acts vii.  Stephen was an earnest advocate of
the laws and merciful bestowments of the God
of Abraham, of theAbrahamic covenant, of Jesus
Christ the Messiah, and of Redemption through
him.  And the natural man persecuted him
even unto death.
"Howbeit," he said while pleading before his
accusers, "the Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
Heaven is my throne and earth my footstool:
what house will ye build me? saith the Lord; or
what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand
made all these things?
"Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart
and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost; as
your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the proph?
ets have not your fathers persecuted.? and they
have slain them which shewed before of the




490             SPIRITUALISM
coming of the Just One, of whom ye have now
been the betrayers and murderers."
"When they heard these things, they were
cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him
with their teeth." (Some media of modern times,
as we shall show, have manifested a similar
spirit.) "But he, being full of the Holy Ghost,
looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the
glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right
hand of God. And said, Behold, I see the
heavens opened, and the Son of iMan standing
on the right hand of God. Then they'cried out
with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and
ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out
of the city, and stoned him; and the witnesses
laid down their clothes at a young man's feet,
whose name was Saul."
Notice that the witnesses, vile perjurers, were
foremost to stone him whom they knew innocent.
"And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God,
and saying, Lord Jesus receive my spirit. And
he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice,
Lord lay not this sin to their charge. And when
he had said this, he fell asleep.- Acts vii, 48, 60.
Stephen suffered at the hands of wicked deceivers, and for the doctrines of Christianity,
the name of Jesus. But he endured meekly,
without retaliation, and, like his Savior, prayed
for his executioners. Jesus, while on the cross,




REVIEWED.             491
aid,'"Father, forgive them, they know not
what they do."  Stephen prayed, "Lord, lay
not this sin to their charge, and fell asleep."
"Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the
people with one accord gave heed to those things
which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying
with loud voice, came out of many that were
possessed with them... But there was a
certain man, called Simon, which beforetime, in
the same city, used sorcery and bewitched the
people of Samaria, giving out that he himself
was some great one, to whom they all gave heed,
from the least to the greatest, saying, This man
is the great power of God."  Need names be
mentioned to cite the mind to corresponding
incidents which are now transpiring? But the
history continues, saying, "And when Simon
saw that through the laying on of the Apostles'
hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them
money, saying, Give me also this power." Simon acknowledged his power inferior to that
which attended the Apostles; nevertheless he
had bewitched the people of Samaria, "all of
whom had said, This man is the power of God."
But Peter said, " Thy money perish with thee,
because thou hast thought that the gift of God




492             SPIRITUALISM
may be purchased with money.     Thou hast
neither lot nor part in the matter; for thy heart
is not right in the sight of God. Repent, therefore, of this thy wickedness, and pray God if
perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forl
given thee. For I perceive that thou art in the
gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity.
Then answered Simon, Pray the Lord for.me."
Thus Heaven's Truth is again vindicated, and
the opposing principle rendered vain; and, also,
the sorcerer forced to admit his magic and
source of skill inferior by far to the power accompanying the Apostles. He first offers to
purchase the spirit as an art and failing, solicits
prayer for himself: "Pray ye to the Lord for
me."-Acts viii, 5-24. Thus was the perverted
nature-sphere that had formerly controlled him,
and by which the people of Samaria had been
deluded overcome, and its insufficiency exposed
by the light of the Spirit of Truth, and he the
medium of evil influences brought to see his necessity of God's grace.
The next incident we shall notice is that
of a female medium, who was under the influence of a spirit of divination, but which was cast
out by Paul. The record says of her:  And it
came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain
damsel, possessed with a spirit of divination,
met us, which brought her master much gain by




REV~IEWEDi.            493
soothsaying. The same followed Paul and us,
and cried, saying, These men are servants of the
Most High God, which shewed unto us the way
of Salvation, And thus did she many days. But
Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the
spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus
Christ to come out of her. And he came out
that same hour. And when her masters saw that
the hope of their gains was gone, they caught
Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, and brought them to the
magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do
exceedingly trouble our city." —Acts xvi, 16-20.
"And the seventy returned again with joy,
saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto
us through thy name... Notwithstanding,
in this rejoice not," said Jesus, "that the spirits
are subject unto you; but rather rejoice because
your names are written in heaven,"-Luke x,
17-20. There is a name above the name of
spirits, and he who trusts therein is able to bid
all evil away, and lo! it flees. In that name
Jesus denying-spirits are exorcised; it is a terror
to them.   But he who obtains Divine aid
must have the Holy Spirit in his heart. Of
this more shall be said in the investigation of
the present spiritual phenomena.
The above quotations from Luke are corroborated and confirmed by that just considered from




494            SPIRITUALISM
Acts xvi, 18, as well as many others of like na~
ture recorded of those days. And the opposite
is revealed in the following incident, where those
whose heart was not the temple of the Holy
Ghost attempted to exorcise evil spirits but failed. Thus it is written, Acts xix, 13:
"Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which
had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus,
saying, We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul
preacheth. And there were seven sons of one
Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests which did
so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
And the man in. whom the evil spirit was, leaped
on them, and overcame them, and prevailed
against them, so they fled out of the house naked
and wounded. And this was known to all the
Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus, and
fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord
Jesus was magnified. And many of them also
which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all."
No one can mistake the character of the true
principles disclosed in these historic facts. Spir
itualists, who deny the Christian Faith, admit
the presence of spirits as recorded in the Script.
ures. They claim that the Patriarchs, Prophets and Apostles held communion with spirits,




REVIEWED.               495
etc. This confession commits their cause, for
the Prophets and Apostles professed a faith directly contrary to that of the Naturalists; moreover, by the name of Jesus evil spirits were
exorcised, and the spirits which operated with
those of the natural sphere confessed the divinity
of Jesus. "Why art thou come to torment us
before the time? " was the language of spirits to
the Savior. By. this they, in the strongest manner, admitted the power of the Lord over them;
their consciousness that they could not endure
his presence, or resist his command. But the
evil spirits overcame those who were not the
true and faithful servants of the Lord; those
who had not the Spirit of Christ. Incidents in
perfect accordance with these have transpired
connected with modern spiritualism.
Again, it is written, 1 Jbhn, iv., 1-3, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits
whether they be of God; because many false
prophets have gone out into the world. Hereby
know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that
confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh
is of God; and every spirit that confesseth not
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of
God; and this is the spirit of anti-Christ, whereof ye heard that it should come, and even now
already is in the world."
How plainly the distinction is here expressed.




496            SPIRITUALISM
And how abundant the evidence afforded by history, both sacred and profane, that connected
with man are two spheres of spiritual influx;
that two classes of influences from the interior
or invisible world seek the control of the human
heart: one is divine and infinite, and the other
sickly, discordant and finite; and that the same
spirit which now opposes the doctrines of the
Inspired Word was anciently developed.




CHAPTER XVI.
THE CONSUMMATION.
"AND the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a
star fall from heaven unto the earth; and to him
was given the key of the bottomless pit.. And
he opened the bottomless pit, and there arose a
smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great
furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened
by reason of the pit. And there came out of
the smoke locusts upon the earth, and unto them
was given power, as the scorpions of the earth
have power. And the shape of the locusts were
like horses prepared unto battle," (manifestation
of power,) "and on their heads were as it were
crowns like gold, and their faces were like the
faces of men; and they had a king over them,
which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose
name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in
the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon...
And the rest of the men which were not killed
by these plagues yet repented not of the works
of their hands, that they should not wiorship
devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass,
and stone, and wood, which neither can see, nor
hear, nor walk." —Rev. ix.
Had the Revelator lived in the Nineteenth
497




498            SPIRITUALISM
Century, he could not have portrayed Harnmo
nial Spiritualism more perfectly. These, taking
the sayings of their Oracle, the Poughkeepsie
Seer (whose sentiment is echoed by the sympathizing spirit manifestations,) as the principles
of their philosophy, behold their god in gold,
silver, brass, stone, and wood; worship nature,
etc. The sayings of spirit-media seem to answer
all purposes with them, hence they are in fact
worshipers of spirits. These Harmonialists do
not acknowledge the Christian religion, and
hence are not worshipers of the Christian's God,
but rather are the denunciators of both. Nature
external, and spirits, the departed of earth, are
their hope. Even in death they depend upon
the spirits of the dead, seemingly unmindful of
any higher power.
"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and
saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven
heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten
crowns, and upon his head the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like
the leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a
bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion."
(Such elements enter into man's composition
according to A. J. Davis and the modern philosophy.) "And the dragon gaxve him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And they
worshiped the dragon which gave power unto




REVIEWED.             499
the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to
make war with him? "
Is not the likeness of this in our land, and in
a form and from a source never conceived by
expounders of the prophesies? Whatever may
be the literal fulfillment of this prophecy, we
cannot fail of noticing a striking resemblance in
the beast or form of anti-Qhrist, which combines
the teachings of Mesmerism, Clairvoyance, Psychology, Harmonial Spiritualism, etc., whose
philosophy, when fully disclosed, is the sum of
sensualism, hence culminates in a natural religion, denying the supernatural; and whose votaries ridicule the idea of any successful opposition to the great human leader of the present
effort against the Christian Faith.  "Who is
able to make war with him?" mingles with the
hollow laugh that rings as if from brazen lungs
and callous hearts.
"And there was given him a mouth speaking
great things and blasphemies; and power was
given unto him to continue forty and two months.
And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against
God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven."
A. J. Davis is said to be Nature's Oracle,
through whom she uttered "Nature's Divine
Revelations," and now speaks her "Great Har



500            SPIRITUALISM
monial," etc., and most assuredly nothing could
be said more blasphemous, and against the tabernacles of God, and the prophets, apostles and
saints that dwell in heaven. Add to this what
might be called a lesser beast, Robert Hare, and
others of that school, who most daringly blaspheme the name of the God of Abraham, mock
Jesus and his teachings, and we have a "mouthpiece" for anti-Christ, for the utterance of Satanic inspiration against the Most High. And
who can determine that clairvoyants, anti-Christian media, psychometrists, etc., etc., with their
external magnetizers, prompters and defenders,
are not the mouth of the beast? speaking great
swelling words?
"And it was given unto him to make war
with the saints, and to overcome them; and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues,
and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth
shall worship him, whose names are not written
in the book of life, of the lamb slain, from the
foundation of the world."
Do those wedded to the common mode of interpretation dislike our inference, and feel that
the scriptures are wrested by the suggestion?
Let them pause, for it may be that there is in
these things at least a collateral application of
those prophecies. "And I beheld another beast
coming up out of the earth; and he had two




REVIEWED.              501
horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon."
Those who are conversant with modern mesmeric and spirit subjects,need not be told that one,
and by no means an inferior class of their works,
assumes the name of Christian teachings, but by
denying the fundamental principles of the Gospel are absolutely opposing the doctrine of Salvation through Jesus Christ.
"And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth
by the means of those miracles which he hath
power to do in the sight of the beast," (by the
aid or in the name of the spirits, etc.) "saying to them that dwell on the earth that they
should make an image to the beast. And he
causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor,
free and bond, to receive a mark in their right
hand or in their foreheads." Submit to affinity,
be spiritualized, adopt the physical as the substance, and believe in a natural religion-in
the rational: that is, Give us a (so called)
intellectual religion-a religion of the senses;
and let our power be that of Nature. "And
that no man might buy or sell, save he that had
the mark, or the name of the beast, or the nuinber of his name."  (Not yet fulfilled.)  "Here
is wisdom: let him that hath understanding
count the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred,
three score. and six."-Rev. xiii.




502            SPIRITUALISM
Aware that these scriptures are otherwise applied, we have merely suggested their likeness,
as prophecies, to the events of the day, and submit the thought until we analyze more specifically Harmonial Spiritualism and the teaching
and effects of modern anti-Christian philosophers.
"And I looked, and, lo, a lamb stood on the
mount Zion, and with him a hundred forty and
four thousand, having his father's name written
in their foreheads. These are they which follow
the lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were
redeemed from among men, being the first fruits
unto God and to the lamb. And in their mouth
was found no guile, for they were without fault
before the throne of God...     Here is the
patience of the saints; here are they that keep
the commandments of God, and the faith of
Jesus."-Rev. xiv.
"And I saw the beast, and the kings of earth,
and their armies, gathered together to make war
against him that sat on the horse, and against
his army. And the beast was taken, and with
him the false prophets that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had
received the mark of the beast, and them that
worshiped the image..
THE END.
"And when the thousand years are expired,




REV1EWED.             503
Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall
go out to deceive the nations which are in the four
quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather
them together to battle, the number of whom is
as the sands of the sea. And they went up on
the breadth of the whole earth, and compassed
the camp of the saints about, and the beloved
city; and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that
deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and
brimstone, where the beast and the false prophets are...And I saw a great white throne,
and him that sat on it... And I saw the
dead, small and great, stand before God; and
the books were opened, and another book was
opened, which is the book of life. And the dead
were judged out of those things which were
written in the books, according to their works.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it,
and death and hell gave up the dead which were
in them; and they were judged every man according to their works; and death and hell were
cast into the lake of fire. This is the second
death."-Rev. xx.
"And I saw a new heaven and new earth, for the
first heaven and the first earth were passed away
and there was no more sea... And I heard a
great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with




504            SPIRITUALISM
them, and they shall be his people, and God
shall be with them and be their God, and God
shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and
there shall be no more death, for the former
things are passed away...And he said unto
me, It is done; I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end... He that overcometh
shall inherit all things, and I will be his God
and he shall be my son."-Rev. xxi.
Such is the consummation as predicted in the
Scriptures; and according to Bible spiritualism
there has been from the earliest day a conflict
between the spirit of Theopneustic doctrine and
that which denies the principle upon which the
Christian religion is founded. But in the trial
of their power in every important event, the
Spirit, the Life of Bible religion, has prevailed
over the opposition; and in the end of the conflict the prophecy is, that the religion of Abraham, of the Prophets, of Jesus, even the Gospel
will prevail, and close the conflict by depriving
the Evil of its power and liberty with men. Such
is the compend of scripture teachings upon this
subject. Hence the Christian believes, and his
faith is predicated upon the Word of God, that
Jesus, who was despised and rejected of men, a
man of sorrow and acquainted with grief, who
was betrayed, falsely accused, unjustly condemned, and finally crucified, and who is now denied




REVIEWED.             505
as Savior, will return, subdue the foe of God, the
afflicter of man, and redeem his people. For it
is written, "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the
tree of life, and may enter in through the gates
into the city; and there shall in nowise enter
into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever
worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they
which are written in the lamb's book of life...
And God shall wipe away all tears, for the former things are passed away...And there
shall be no night there, and they need no candle,
neither light of the sun, for the Lord God giveth them light; and they shall reign forever and
ever."  Thus saith the scriptures.
Having traced the Bible history of Spiritualism connected with the Spirit of Truth and that
of Error; and having discovered the divine
nature and utility of the one, and the evil and
falsity of the other, we next proceed to consider
the COVENANT, its fulfillment and confirmation.
22




PART II,
CHAPTER I.
THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT.
AGAIN we invite the reader, and particularly
the spiritualist, to the consideration of Old Testament "manifestations;" and, ere we yield the
Christian faith for clairvoyant sayings, and the
sentiment of anti-Bible spirit communications,
we request the "progressed," "exalted," and
"illumined" "spirits," their "media" or advocates, to equal by one demonstration, those we
shall offer them connected with Bible religion.
The first instance we shall notice of heavenly
communication with man, is the call of Abraham
by the Lord, and the Covenant then made. This
is one of the most important to the Christian,
and is a "manifestation" quite at war with the
naturalist, and one that the opposition should do
away, or at least counteract by an equal or superior demonstration from the spirit world. Spiritualists tell us that whatever of the Bible is of
spirit origin was given by like spirits to those
now communicating, only less developed, and in
a manner similar to the present manifestations.
In view of this, the following is introduced, and
the entire anti-Christian manifestation, embracing mesmerizers, psychologists, prophets, seers,
506




SPIRITUALISM            507
media, poets, and their spirits, all, all, are chal.
lenged to disclose its equal. Let us, then, examine that communication with Abraham, its profession, promise, and results as far as fulfilled.
But be it remembered that the doctrine of Redemption is intimately and inseparably connected
with that Covenant. To do away with the Gospel, therefore, it is important to prove the following doctrines unfounded: 1. That of the fall;
2. The Abrahamic Covenant; 3. The doctrine of
the Incarnation; 4. The Messiahship of Jesus;
5. His Resurrection; 6. The doctrine of repentance and the forgiveness of sin.
The doctrine of the Fall cannot be disproved
by man or spirit, for there are no means adapted
to that end. And, moreover, the history of the
race corroborates it. But this subject will be
considered under a different head, and therefore
will not now engage our attention.
With respect to Abram and his communion
with the Spirit of God, it is thus recorded, Gen.
ch. xii.: "Now the Lord had said unto Abram,
Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land
that I will shew thee: and I will make of thee
a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make
thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse
him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all fam



508             REVIEWED.
ilies of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him, and Lot
went with him; and Abram was seventy and
five years old when he departed out of Haran."
The above, if admitted at all by modern spiritualists, is classed by them with the so-called spirit communications of this day. But the history of the
succeeding ages crown it with awful grandeur,
and connect it with events majestic and mighty
in their character. And the Jews have ever
been a monument of miraculous worth erected
to that single "COMMUNICATION," and are now a
living pyramid composed of mysterious attestations of the Divinity of that Promise.
That communication was given some four
thousand years ago, and to this day events intimately connected with the covenant then made
are exceedingly confirmatory by their demonstrations. Nevertheless man is so constituted,
or rather perverted, that he more readily inclines
to the rule of false prophets. Hence, though
fortunes may be lost in unprofitable speculations
prompted by clairvoyants and spirit-media, and
also in excavating the earth for buried treasure
pointed out by them; and although unnumbered
vague and dreamy transcendental rhapsodies,
having no direction whatever, may glut the
press, the excited multitudes follow on as heedless as the drifting winds. And although failing,




SPIRITUALISM           509
times without number, when their skill and power are tested, if they pronounce the ancient
record fabulous or unmeaning, their followers
shout "Amen," and all in the face of. incontrovertible facts which cluster around the history
of the past, and with the nation of scattered
Jews now living as indubitable demonstrations
of the Truth and Divinity of the Abrahamic
Covenant.
"And Abram    passed," says the account,
"through the land uhto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was
then in the land. And the Lord appeared unto
Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this
land: and there builded he an altar unto the
Lord, who appeared unto him. And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of
Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on
the west, and Hai on the east: and there he
builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon
the name of the Lord. And Abram journeyed,
going still toward the south." —Gen. xii., 6-9.
In confirmation of this call of Abram and the
promise made to him, and to convey more fully
to his mind the principle of mediation and divine life engaged in the work of that Covenant,
"Melchizedek king of Salem met Abram, brought
forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of
the most high God. And he blessed him, and




510             REVIEWED.
said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God,
possessor of heaven and earth: and blessed be
the most high God, which hath delivered thine
enemies into thy hands."- Gen. xiv.
The law of equity requires the submission of
aggressive principles to those of right. A similar law is observable in physics, else no equilibrium could be obtained or perpetuated. In
morals it is immutably fixed that when mercy
cannot prevent the growth of evil, justice, the
law of rectitude, assumes the throne of judgment
-not to afflict, but to prevent the consequences
which attend the increase of wrong. Otherwise,
order could not exist. Justice seeks to prevent
the ultimation of evil. "If thy right hand offend
thee, cut it off and cast it from thee," said Jesus, "for it is profitable for thee that one of thy
members perish, and not that thy whole body
should be cast into hell."-Matt. v., 30. This
law is self evident, and men seek strenuously to
put it into execution; but the nature-worshiper
utters "tyranny," when it is said by the Christian to be inherent in the principles of divine
government. And if Jehovah, in his Procedure,
shall break the worm possessed of the spirit of
wickedness, and which, if permitted to continue,
would be the agent of unnumbered ills and even
annihilate peace, then the Almighty is charged
with injustice and revenge. Blind philosophy!




SPIRITUALISM           511
According to the scriptures, Lot had been
taken captive, and Abram, pursuing, had rescued him. Abram was in the right. Why,
then, should not the God of Justice protect him?
Moreover, had he not prevailed over the enemy
and returned victor, the same spirit that captured Lot very likely would have destroyed him
also, and by cutting him off, the Covenant would
have been of no effect. Here is wisdom -the
manifestation of Design, and power to execute
it. But the magnitude of that communication,
given to Abram through Melchizedek the king
of Salem, overspans the human race, and
reaches to heaven. Simple as it may at first
appear to have been, it discloses the law of mediation, in which is revealed Divine Propitiation, and the means by which a God, infinite in
his perfections, can restore that which, by sin, is
lost. It also revealed to Abram the unchangable truth th.at his victory over evil, and the success of his seed after him, would depend upon
the justice of the cause, the necessity of the
action as connected with God's purpose, and,
finally, the sanction of heaven. "Blessed be
the most high God," said Melchizedek, "who
hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand."
The sentiment of that communication is fully
confirmed in the history of the Hebrews; for
when by ambition they went up to battle they




512             REVIEWED.
sooner or later fell; but when their existence,
advance, or the perpetuation of the visible manifestation of the Divine Purpose required it, they
moved on overcoming whatever opposed, and,
as by Omnipotence, maintained their nationality. "After these things, the word of the Lord
came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not,
Abram, I am thy shield, and thy exceeding
great reward... And he brought him forth
abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and
tell the stars, if thou be able to number them;
and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be."
This promise, it will be remembered, was given when Abram as yet had no heir. But," he
believed the Lord, who counted it to him for
righteousness. And he said unto him, I am the
Lord. that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. And
he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I
shall inherit it?.  And when the sun was
going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and,
lo, a horror of great darkness fell upon him; and
he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy
seed shall be a stranger in a strange land that is
not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall
afflict them four hundred years: and also that
nation whom they shall serve will I judge; and
afterward they shall come out with great sub.
stance: and thou shalt go to thy fathers in




SPIRITUALISM           S13
peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
But in the fourth generation they shall-come
hither again; for the iniquity of the Amonites is
not yet full."  Communication most strange to
be compared to modern developments! The
very character of its expression exalts it above
the work of created beings. Its language is like
that of One Almighty and Omniscient. Where
is the communication of these days worthy of a
comparison with this? Verily, the heart sickens at the thought. -And yet even some preachers, becoming intoxicated with " spiritual magnetism," seem to have lost sight of the Infinite and
to be overwhelmed with that scarcely worthy of
the name of the finite.
"And it came to pass," continues the history,
"that when the sun went down, and it was dark,
behold a smoking furnace and a burning lamp
that passed between those pieces. And the same
day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land, from the
river of Egypt unto the great river, the river
Euphrates..
"And when Abram was ninety years old and
nine, the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said
unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before
me, and be thou perfect... And Abram fell
on his face, and God talked with him, saying,
As for me, behold my Covenant is with thee;




514             REVIEWED.
and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 
And I will establish my Covenant between me
and thee, and thy seed after thee in their generations, for an everlasting Covenant, to be a
God unto thee and thy seed after thee."
Gen. xvii.
This is the "Covenant" upon which depends
the Law and the Prophets —the Gospel and the
Christian Church. Let spiritualists consider it
in all its bearings, and remember that before
they can firmly establish their opposing manifestations as more worthy of religious regard, they
must either reduce this to the plane of "spiritrappings," or exalt them and kindred phenomena to this. How shall they accomplish either?
Who can give answer?
This Covenant is to man, morally, as a centre
sun around which revolves a universe of lesser
orbs. Being the pledge and type of the " Incarnation," its position, nature and magnitude render it the external utterance to which are united
all subsequent revelations.  It was the foreshadowing of the great moral events that have
since unfolded from the world of Light. And
by its prophetic character it overspans the Consummation. It is infinite in its Spirit, almighty
and inexorable in its Puirpose, certain in its Procedure, merciful in its Nature, God-like in its
Majety, and eternal in its Ultimation. Its dis



SPIRITUALISM            5i1
tant reflections overwhelm the light of Nature,
and submerge beneath the tide of inspiring Truth
the wisdom of man. And to name in its connection, by way of comparison, the substance of
clairvoyant and spirit manifestations, from the
monosylabic song to the most miraculous revelations (?) and voluminous essays, is to trifle
with man's better sense. These conclusions the
Covenant, succeeding disclosures, and demonstrations fully suggest and amply sustain.




CHAPTER II.
DIVINITY OF THE COVENANT.
THE following leading ideas are suggested by
the above history:
I. It is claimed that the Supreme Being
called Abram; hence, that obedient to the purpose and dictation of the Divine Spirit, he journeyed, a stranger in a strange land. No call
could, therefore, supercede its authority.
II. It is before the world as a communication
from the Supreme Being. No doctrine can claim
superior origin.
III. The ASSURANCE, which was a pledge in
the name of the Almighty God, to bestow certain blessings, and cause certain grand results
ere the ultimate of human existence, which as a
divine archetype should finally assume the form
of a spiritual kingdom —world without end.
The Promise was threefold:
1. "I will bless them that bless thee, and
curse him that curseth thee."  That is, through
thee and thy seed I have purposed to reveal my
glory and redeeming grace to the world, and,
therefore, shall sustain thee and thy seed to the
fulfillment; hence, who or whatever opposes
must fall before the power of the Redeeming
516




SPIRITUALISM            617
Procedure. A proper knowledge of this divine
determination would render less obscure and
objectionable to the sceptic very many important
passages in the Bible history of Israel. But we
must pass this subject with little notice until
engaged in the "Exposition of the Scriptures."
2. The Prediction. "In thee shall the families
of the earth be blessed."  To this the above
remarks are also applicable. 3. "And the
Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy
seed will I give this land."  This is the land,
the possession of which has been so much contested by the tribes and nations of men. It was
promised, as an external inheritance to his seed,
when Abram passed through it subsequent to
his call; and although at that time he was but a
lone pilgrim, that location has since been the
scene of most important and astounding tragedies connected with a people then unborn.Moreover, each great act of that people has been
a link in the chain of events which, united,
have been in fulfillment of the above Promise.
The promise, then, accepted as from the Almighty, was borne along succeeding ages clothed
in majesty. Even unto the days of Christ it
was encompassed and guarded by external sacerdotal rights. And since the vail of the temple
was rent on the day of crucifixion, it has been
enthroned in the heart of the devout believer in




518             REVIEWED.
the Lord Jesus. The adoption of the divine
principle with the true Christian Church is thus
expressed by the word of Inspiration: "And if
ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed, and
heirs according to the promise."- Gal. iii., 29.
How humiliating the thought, that the frail,
fluctuating, and dreamy media of these times
should be set up as reflectors of greater light,
revealers of greater wisdom, and means of greater power than formerly bestowed on man. And
most of all should the Christian grieve when
those who have been ministers of the Gospel of
Jesus descend from their high and holy calling
to repeat blasphemies against God and the holy
religion of the Cross, at the beck of these sensitive organs of anti-Christ.
To the Covenant made with Abram we call
especial attention, as a COMMUNICATION not imitated in the remotest degree by anti-Christian
manifestations; 1. Because of the unnumbered
incidents flowing from and inseparably blending
with that original fountain; 2. Because of the
great truth that that covenant and its ultimation has ever been opposed by nature-serving
spirits and the carnal man; 3. Because no power has successfully assailed it, or been competent
to stand before it; 4. Because the truly faithful
to its spirit and requirements have been humble,
cross-bearing, and heaven-adoring; 5. Because




SPIRITUALISM,519
it has been, yea is the hope of the Christian
world; 6. Because to do it away would blast all
the purported revelations from the unknown
world, and leave man without evidence of future
existence; for if the communication with Abram,
and those that succeeded it which have been in confirmation thereof, are not genuine, then there is
no hope, founded upon tangible evidence, that
any are.
Let the reader for a moment contemplate the
power and extent of that Covenant. Let him
glance at the consequences which have followed
it. Let him conceive of the millions which now
are moved by its might, and held by its Omnipotence;-and then enquire if it is probable
the Being who communed with Abram was the
departed spirit of a mortal. It was given to one
man, and affected his future life. Bound by its
influence, and succeeding communications, he
became a stranger and a pilgrim henceforth in
the world. All this might have been accomplished without the presence of the Divine Spirit. But he offered his son, obedient to what he
believed the Word of the Lord. This, peradventure, might have been the result of delusion;
but whence came the ram that was caught in the
bushes?  Who led the house of Israel into
Egypt, and thus preserved them in the days of
famine? Even this the sophist might seek to




520             REVIEWED,
evade. Were these events, all connected with
that peculiar prophecy, and had no more demonstrations of divine direction and predetermination been given, the Covenant would have been
of little effect. Then might the naturalist more
plausibly question the truth of the Christian dependence, and with some excuse seek to eradicate from the human heart faith in the divinity
of the Covenant and its fulfillment. But, like
the fountain emerging from the bosom of the
earth, and thence becoming the majestic river,
the divine dispensation has increased in volume,
while descending the vale of time, until its disclosures reveal their Infinite Cause, and display
the goodness of God in his boundless love to
man.




CHAPTER III.
MOSES AND THE MANIFESTATIONS.
CENTURIES after God met Abram, observe
a babe in the ark floating amid the rushes, having been thus left by a fond mother to save him
from the cruel executioner. Who guided that
mother? and who the daughter of the king to
save the child? You who mock Bible religion, give answer if ye can. And ye boasting
spiritualists equal that communication, which
thus rolled its providential wave along the tide
of time. Let us follow that babe to manhood.
In those days it is said of the seed of Abraham,
"And it came to pass in the process of time that
the king of Egypt died; and the children of
Israel sighed by reason of the bondage;" (they
were captives in Egypt,) "and they cried, and
there came up a cry unto God," (the God of
Abraham, the Spirit who made the Covenant,)
"'by reason of the bondage: and God heard their
groaning, and God remembered his Covenant
with Abraham, and with Isaac, and with Jacob,
and God looked upon the children of Israel, and
God had respect unto them." That is, by reason
of his mercy and purpose in them, which purpose was expressed in the covenant, he preserved
521




522             REVIEWED.
them. And when, by affliction, they were led
to feel there was no hope but in the God of their
fathers, and poured forth their supplications to
him, he appeared for their relief, and proceeded
to provide means for their deliverance. Thence
he called the chosen servant to lead them from
captivity.
"Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his
father-in-law, the priest of Midiani; and he led
the flock to the back side of the desert, and
came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb."
"And the angel of the Lord appeared unto
him (Moses) in a flame of fire out of the midst
of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush
burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed: and Moses said, I will now turn aside to see
this great sight, why the bush is not burnt; and
God called unto him out of the bush, and said,
Moses, Moses; and he said, Here am I; and he
said, Draw nigh hither; put off thy shoes from
thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is
holy ground. Moreover he said, I am the God
of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac, and the God of Jacob: and Moses hid his
face, for he was afraid to look upon God: and
the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction
of my people which are in Egypt, and have
heard their cry by reason of their task-masters,
for I know their sorrows; and I am come down




SPIRITUALISM          523
to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto
a good land and large, unto a land flowing with
milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites," etc. "Come now therefore, and I will
send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring
forth my people, the children of Israel, out of
Egypt." Moses, in reply, said, "Who am I,
that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should
bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
And he said, Certainly I will be with thee, and
this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent
thee: When thou hast brought forth the people
out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this
mountain." Thus, over four hundred years from
Abram's call, and at the time appointed, the
Lord met Moses, called and commissioned himn
to go to the king, and in the name of the I AM
demand the captives.
Agreeable to God's promise, in due time the
children of Israel emerged from Egyptian bonds,
passed through the Red Sea, and moved over
the desert toward the land of Canaan. And
why? God had promised the land whither they
journeyed to the seed of Abram. When famine
threatened them with destruction, quails gathered around their camp for meat, and the heavens
rained manna. In the thirsty and parched country, the smitten rock became a fountain. What



524L            REVIEWED.
ever tribe or nation arose to prevent their progress was cut off. On, on they marched;-and
why victorious? God had promised Canaan to
the chosen race.
It would be sacrilege to linger around Sinai,
witness the awful grandeur that attended the
giving of the Law, or to overlook Gethsemane,
where Jesus suffered in spirit, and pause on
Calvary during the Crucifixion; or stand at the
mouth of Joseph's tomb while the body of the
Lord slumbered there, and behold the Resurrection, when death was conquered; -we repeat, it
would be sacrilege to awake these scenes and
offer them by way of comparison with the sickly
opposing phenomena of the Nineteenth Century.
Let the spiritualists who deny the divinity of
the Bible communications, meet this Covenant
with whatever their manifestations afford! Let
them invoke their gods to come down aid imitate! In vain they shall plead from the morning until the evening sacrifice for an answer.
REFLECTIONS.
To contravene this, as already shown, they
must excel it throughout in power, wisdom and
effect, by contradictory manifestations; and as
they propose to establish a religion of an opposite character, they must disclose a superior
prophetic spirit, make and fulfill greater promises. Nor can this be admitted as proof in sup



SPIRITUALISM            525
port of their theory, and in condemnation of the
Christian doctrine, until their prophecies of a
superior character, extending ages into the future, shall have been fulfilled. Truly that coMMUNION with a single individual (Abram) presents a barrier that our prophets, media, and all
spirit dictations will hardly be able to remove
during this age.
To seek to evade the test, and weaken the
Abrahamic Covenant, by crying Myth, Tradition, Bigotry, etc., is but to concede their inability to contest its truth or stand before its majesty.
It absolutely beggars their cause. As one revelation from the Invisible that cannot be touched
by the magnetic hand of the age, or equaled by
modern phenomena, or overcome by any philosophy, we present that Covenant, and call upon
all men and the spirits of anti-Christ to meet it.
We offer and defend it as from the Almighty
Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth, the
eternal Logos.
Spiritualists, cavil not! Ye challenge with
many words the Christian: with this we meet
that challenge. It is a world of unfolding truth,
an unfathomable deep of Infinite and Almighty
Design; an inexhaustible fountain of Providential Benefaction. Here is divinity! philosophy!
manifestation! Ye who boast of wonderful disclosures, of your natural religion, and unfailing




526             REVIEWED.
philosophy, launch your fleets upon this sea.
Fathom it! Ascertain ils boundaries, and bring
testimony, tangible, ir'refutable, self-evident that
ye have reached its distant shore, or even passed
into regions hitherto undiscovered and unrevealed.
Ye modern miners for truth, dig deep, sink
your magnetic shaft far into the unknown, and
undermine the ROCK OF AGES; then bring your
trophies forth. Ye who ascend (?) to spheres
on high, reach the summit of its lofty dome, and
bring a gem from realms superior, one blossom
plucked from the heavens over-arching it. The
work to overthrow is yours, ye boasters. Grapple with this Truth, ye subjects of opposing powers, ye heaven-daring of this reckless age!




CHAPTER IV.
ELIJAH AND THE MANIFESTATIONS.
MESMERIZERS, psychologists, and media make
lofty professions of spiritual and mesmeric power. They claim to equal the works of the Lord,
his prophets, and apostles; and, as by the present relief which attends animal magnetism,
they have, in many instances, persuaded the
subjects and their friends to believe themselves
capable of doing what the Christian denominates
miracles, we shall consider this phase of the
subject before examining modern manifestations.
WTe are aware that when an immovable difficulty arises, these modern teachers cry out, "fables," "legends," "tradition of the undeveloped,"
but boasting and denunciation is not argument,
and although they satisfy superficial minds,
magnetic subjects, and the marvelously inclined,
it is trifling to the thoughtful and informed. By
such methods could they obtain, all history might
be blotted from the page of ages, and facts be
done away. It seems most probable that there
have been true and learned men before the present school; men as well qualified to note what
passed before them, and of which they were witnesses, as are those now assuming the teacher527




528             REVIENED.
ship, and seeking the absolute control of the
mind of this generation.
Elijah, the prophet, of whom this chapter
treats, lived some nine hundred years before
Christ. He was a native of Tishbe beyond Jordon, in Gilead. Says a distinguished historian,
"Elijah was one of the most eminent of that
illustrious and singular race of men, the Jewish
prophets. Every part of his character is marked by a moral grandeur, which is heightened by
the obscurity thrown around his connections and
his private history. He often wears the air of
a supernatural messenger suddenly issuing from
another world to declare the commands of heaven, and to awe the proudest mortals by the
menace of fearful judgments. His boldness in
reproof; his lofty zeal for the honor of God; his
superiority to softness, ease, and suffering, are
the characters of a man filled with tle Holy
Spirit; and he was admitted to great intimacy
with God, and enabled to work miracles of a very
extraordinary and unequivocal character. These
were called for by the stupid idolatry of the age,
and were in some instances equally calculated to
demonstrate the being and power of Jehovah,
and to punish those who had forsaken him for
idols. The author of Ecclesiasticus has an encomium to his memory, and justly describes him as
a prophet'who stood up as a fire, and whose




SPIRITUALISM            529
word burned as a lamp.'   He was a type of
John the Baptist."
To afford opposers of Bible truths occasion for
the exercise of their boasted power, the following facts, connected with Elijah's history, are
introduced, and all the "wonder-workers," now
so numerous and active, are invited to equal
them by the union of their forces, and whatever
means they can bring to their aid:
I. The Restoration of the Widow's Son.
"And it came to pass after these things that
the son of the woman, the mistress of the house,
fell sick; and his sickness was so sore that there
was no breath in him: and she said unto Elijah,
What have I to do with thee, 0 thou man of
God? Art thou come unto me to call my sin to
remembrance, and to slay my son?   And he
said unto her, Give me thy son; and he took him
out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft,
where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed;
and he cried unto the Lord and said, 0 Lord my
God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow
with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? And
he stretched himself upon the child three times,
and cried unto the Lord, and said, 0 Lord my
God, I pray thee let this child's soul come into
him  again; and.the Lord heard the voice of
Elijah, and the soul of the child came into him
again, 2and he revived: and Elijah took the
23




REVIEWED.
child, and brought him down out of the chamber
into the house, and delivered him unto his
mother; and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth; —
and the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I
know that thou art a man of God, and that the
word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth."-1 
Kings xvii.
This is said by mesmerizers to be a case in
which human magnetism was employed to stimulate a child merely fallen into a comatose state
by reason of exhaustion. But the account will
not admit the interpretation.  Moreover, the
narrator must have known better, by far, how to
relate the facts than men of a period so remote
as this from its occurrence. And, besides, the
following prominent points in the case reported
remove it from the natural sphere: 1. The child
fell so sick that there was no breath in him. 2.
Elijah prayed to God, not magnetism, to let the
child's soul come into him again. This language
is very clear, and according to all usages can
convey no other idea than that the child's body
was dead. It must have been, if the absence of
breath, the departure of the soul from the body
is death. To allow a different construction would
render all history useless, and man, nature, and
ultimates would be reduced to nondescripts. 3.
The account states that the Lord, not "nervovitality," "nervaura," or the "odd force," heard




SPIRITUALISM            531
the voice of Elijal's prayer. 4. The soul of the
child did not revive but came into him again,
and he (the child) revived. 5. The mother bore
witness to the truth that it was the Lord's and
not Elijah's doings. "I know," said she, "that
thou art a man of God, and that the word of the
Lord is in thy mouth."  Who are most likely to
be correct, those immediately connected with the
circumstances, or they who, by changing the history from its original and simple meaning into a
sophisticated narrative, or by entirely perverting it, seek to exalt themselves-, and establish
their own theory? Unfold one of like character,
ye who assay to compete with the scriptures,
and then may ye have somewhat whereof to
boast. By awaking the somnambulist, restoring
to the normal state the mesmerized, or the selfinduced clairvoyant; or to quiet nervous excitement, and relieve physical suffering by pathetism, will not meet the case in hand. Bring back
the departed soul, and let breath, which had
left the body, be restored. Literally, bring life to
the dead, ye who boast. of power. Again we say,
let all the anti-Christian spirits that hover around
the living, and all the psychomancists, seers,
media, and believers therein, combine, and bid
the dead body arise, be animate, and live. By
your profession this ye should be able to do, and




532             REVIEWED.
even greater things, because (ye say) ye are
progressed.
II. Elijah and the Rain.
Again, it is written of Elijah, even the undeveloped, as "progressionists conclude the prophets to have been, that upon one occasion he "said
unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth,
before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor
rain these years, but according to my word..
And it came to pass after a while that the brook
dried up, because there was no rain in the land.. And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the
land unto all fountains of water, and unto all
brooks; peradventure we may find grass to save
the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all
the beasts."
"And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel;
and he cast himself down upon the earth, and
put his face between his knees, and said to his
servant, Go up now, look toward the sea.
And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he
said, Behold, there ariseth a little' cloud out of
the sea, like a man's hand... And it came
to pass in the meanwhile, that the heaven was
black with clouds and wind, and there was a
great rain."-l- Kings, xvii. and xviii.
And thus it is written, that at Elijah's word
the heavens withheld their rain, and again, that
as he bowed to the earth a cloud arose and the




SPIRITUALISM           533
waters descended. Thus is offered another fact
for the trial of the "progressed."  Let them
cause the heavens to withhold rain and dew, and
again bid the elements pour forth their floods
upon the world, and let it be done.
Elijah trusted in God, was the Lord's servant
in very deed; moved and spake by divine dictation, and was therefore a successful agent in
the work of the Lord. So saith the Bible, and
thus doth the Christian believe.  Equal this
power and manifestation, if ye are able, ye who
condemn the Book of God.
III. The Translation.
"And Elijah said unto him, (Elisha) Tarry,
I pray thee, here, for the Lord hath sent me to
Jordan. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and
as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee; and they
two went on. And fifty men of the sons of the
prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and
they two stood by Jordan. And Elijah took his
mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the
waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.
And it came to pass, when they were gone over,
that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall
do for thee, before I be taken away from thee.
And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double por.
tion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said,
Thotu last asked a hard thing; nevertheless, if




534             REVIEWED.
thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall
be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and
talked, that behold, there appeared a chariot of
fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both
asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind
into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried,
My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and
the horsemen thereof! And he saw him no
more; and he took hold of his own clothes, and
rent them in two pieces. He took up also the
mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went
back, and stood by the bank of Jordan: and he
took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him,
and smote~ the waters, and said, Where is the
Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had
smitten the waters, they parted hither and
thither: and Elisha went over."-2 Kings, ii.
The above account states that fifty sons of the
prophets witnessed the manifestation of Elijah
and Elisha. Moreover, those men sent fifty men
to look for Elijah, thinking perhaps he had fallen again to the earth, but after searching three
days, they returned unsuccessful.
If half a score, or even less, witness modern
manifestations, the believers expect the public
to give credit to their report. Yet, the very
people who witness most of their astounding
scenes in the "dark," and who censure the




SPIRITUALISM           535
world for not giving their testimony the fullest
credit, are quite unwilling to admit this account
as truthful, but "say" it away among legends.
As a truth, however, we present it, and demand
its like of those who profess to have light superior to that reflected in the days of the prophets.
It may be said the account is a fiction, but the
world cannot prove it such.




CHAPTER V.
ELISHA AND THE MANIFESTATIONS.
"AND when the child was grown, it fell on a
day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. And he said unto his father, My head, my
head! And he said unto a lad, Carry him to
his mother... And he sat on her knees till
noon, and then died. And she went up, and laid
him on the bed of the man of God, and went out...And she went and came unto the man of
God to mount Carmel.
"And when Elisha was come into the house,
behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his
bed. He went in therefore, and shut the door
upon them twain, and prayed unto the Lord:
and he went up, and lay upon the child, and put
his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon
his eyes, and his hands upon his hands; and he
stretched himself upon the child, and the flesh
of the child waxed warm. Then he returned,
and walked to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him; and the child opened his
eyes."-2 Kings, iv.
Here is another and somewhat similar incib
dent: the child is declared dead, and restored by
Elisha, and in answer to his prayer to God. Can
536




S'ItITIUALISM           537
the teachers in Bible opposition, those who deny
the divinity of these strange results, imitate
them?   "By their fruits ye shall know them."
The effort to reduce the phenomena disclosed in
the days of the Patriarchs, Prophets, and of the
primitive Christian Church, disposes of the accounts according to the necessity of the times.
The history is not consulted to learn wisdom
and arrive at the truth; if so, the facts would be
admitted in the character presented by the historian. But such points as serve their interest
are taken as literally true, and others, not in
harmony with modern developments, are rejected, or said to be the record of imaginative
scenes. The Bible, in the plainest terms, says
"the child died," and that Elisha prayed to God,
etc., and the child lived again.  Either the
child was dead, or the account, entire, must be
fabulous; at least so much so as to render it
questionable. But, as already noticed, the Ancient Record cannot be proved untrue. Science
may exhume the fossils of the past, and genius
may bring from their silent tombs the indices of
sunken cities; clairvoyants may seem to read
old MSS,, and tell therefrom the rise, progress, and fall of tribes and nations, and also to
translate the mystic hieroglyphics of past ages;
the pre-adamic (?) spirits may speak from trumpets in the dark, and write with spirit-made(?)




S38             REVIEWED.
hands; media may be reduced to walking ghosts;
still that Book, hated by the Prince of Darkness,
that Record of Heavenly Dispensations, the Inspired Word, can never be proved a compilation
of vagaries, of original myths, concocted by the
dreamy dupes of ghostly  imaginations, traditionally transmitted from generation to generation, and employed by a false and hollow-hearted
priesthood to collude the masses into menial
servitude. However, scheme after scheme has
been devised, evil machinations, sophistry, and
every project unfolded and executed, in order to
remove the Bible from the world. Still it remains. It has withstood the combined forces of
God-opposing powers; been enveloped in the
flames perpetuated by infidelic fuel, and yet, as
the pure gold in the furnace, it is not consumed.
Elisha and the Syrian Army.
"Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying,
In such and such a place shall be my camp.
And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a
place; for thither the Syrians are come down.
And the king of Israel sent to the place which
the man of God had told him and warned him
of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.
Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore
troubled for this thing, and he called his servants




SPIRITUALISM           539
and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which
of us is for the king of Israel? And one of his
servants said, None, my lord, 0 king; but Elisha
the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king
of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy
bed chamber. And he said, Go and spy where
he is, that I may send and fetch him; and it was
told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan:
therefore sent he thither horses and chariots,
and a great host, and they came by night and
compassed the city about.
"And when the servant of the man of God
was risen early, and gone forth, behold, a host
compassed the city, both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, alas, my
master, how shall we do? And he answered,
Fear not: they that be with us are more than
they that be with them: and Elisha prayed, and
said, Lord, I pray thee open his eyes that he
may see."  Remember, Elisha prayed to the
Lord, not to a spirit or nervaura. "And the
Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he
saw; and, behold, the mountain was full of
horses and chariots round about Elisha.
"And when they (the Syrian hosts) came
down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord,
and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with
blindnes: and he smote them with blindness, according to the word of Elisha."




540             REVIEWED.
Thence Elisha led the people blind into Sa.
maria, and when in Samaria he again prayed,
saying, "Lord, open the eyes of these men, that
they may see: and the Lord opened their eyes,
and they saw; and, behold, they were in the
midst of Samaria. And the king of Israel said
unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall
I smite them? shall I smite them?"  This was
not done in the dark.'"And he answered, Thou
shalt not smite them: wouldst thou smite those
whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword
and with thy bow?   Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go
to their masters. And he prepared great provisions for them; and when they had eaten and
drunk, he sent them away, and they went to
their master. So the bands of Syria came no
more into the land of Israel."- 2 Kings, vi.
With this, we conclude our present reference
to Old Testament manifestations; not, however,
without reminding opposing philosophers of the
importance of their unfolding from the interior,
from nature, or spirits, some evidence of equal
ability, ere they hope to swerve the true Christian and establish "magnetism,' "spiritual affinity," etc., etc., as worthy of man's hope; nliore
reliable in the day of trouble, and a more sure
guide to everlasting peace, than the Inspired
Word, and the religion it teaches.




SPIRITVlAL19M            541
It is well, also, to notice that spiritual blindness will not be a parallel with that by which
the Syrians were smitten. No one will question
that their natural vision was closed, because
they were not conscious of being in Samaria
until Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and the Lord
opened their eyes, when, lo, they were in the
midst of Israel, Therefore, although the multitude may be led, spiritually blind, by a false religion, the case calls for a different effect, one
that shall close the natural vision-shut out the
material world. That magnetism, psychology,
soothsaying, and psycomancy weave more closely
the veil obscuring the sunlight of the moral
heavens, and make darker still the night of man's
spiritual gloom, we will not deny; nor that thousands may be thereby pursuing an object adverse
to that intended. This the wild, indefinite, and
vacant eye of the spiritualist, especially the media, fully reveals. But let the psychologist control an army, at once, by his nature-power, and
lead them whither he will. HIosts may be led
by the power of influence, by excitement, or
their regard for a leader. But Elisha was not
an object of their admiration, and besides, they
were struck blind, and again their eyes were
opened; after which they ate and drank; then
returned to their master. Ye progressed, learn



542             REVIEWED.
ed, and skillful in your sciences and arts; we
still admonish you to bring forth corresponding
manifestations while claiming, not only equal
but superior ability to that which was conferred
through God's ancient servants, and which is
deemed by Christians as the work of the Divine
Spirit.




CHAPTER VI.
NEW TESTAMENT MANIFESTATIONS.
"And when Jesus was entered into Caper.
naum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at
home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal
him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I
am not worthy that thou shouldst come under
my roof; but speak the word only and my servant
shall be healed. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed,
so be it done unto thee. And his servant was
healed in the selfsame hour." Matt. viii.
"This is holy ground," said the Lord to Moses,
as he drew near the burning bush. With what
spirit should we approach this subject? May
Heaven forgive us for contrasting the work of
Jesus with the vague, lingering and incomplete
deeds of opposing spiritualism.  Need we enquire what medium or charmer of this age, has
revealed ability worthy of the comparison? Nay,
verily, so far short of an imitation are all their
works when best revealed that no language can
express the diversity. At the word of the Lord,
the sick of the palsy was healed.
It was not necessary for Jesus to take up his
543




544             IEVtIEW-T.
abode with the centurion and pathetize the disease away. Moreover, it was the palsy and not
merely a nervous weakness under which the servant was laboring, and from which he was restored.
Again it is written, Matt. xvii: "And when
they were come to the multitude, there came to
him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and
saying, Lord, have mercy on my son for he is a
lunatic, and sore-vexed: for oftimes he falleth into
the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought
him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
And Jesus rebuked the devil, and he departed
out of him; and the child was cured from that
very hour. Howbeit," said Jesus to his disciples, "this kind goeth out but by fasting and
prayer."
This is a case of mental derangement occasioned by an evil spirit, and which, although it
withstood the disciples, did not contend with the
Lord, but fled from his presence. The Savior
instructed the disciples, that such went out only
by fasting and prayer. Thus he evinced a nature unlike that of his disciples. He healed by
his word, while they must fast and pray,-must
present the case before God, and invoke his immediate aid to overcome like stubborness. The
doctrine of Jesus conflicts with modern philosophy, for it is not necessary to fast or pray in or



SPIRITUALISM            545
der to psychologize. At least such seems not to
be the habit of Mesmerisers. Nervo-vitality
does not require religious devotion in order to be
invoked, and we believe it is not customary for
"operators" to ask the Lord to vouchsafe his aid,
but rather, they feel their own importance in the
case and declare themselves equal to JEsus. It
is also worthy of notice, that, although the nervously debilitated, and sometimes those partially
deranged, may be at times relieved; and there are
multitudes of professors in the art, yet the ratio
of the insane has not been much diminished by
their benevolence and the exercise for good of
the mesmeric power. In view of this profession,
may we not enquire why psychologists and mediums do not enter our asylums and bid the sufferers go forth in their right mind; and thus applying their skill and displaying their philanthropy, remove the need of asylums, and make happy
and cheerful many homes now desolate. The
answer is obvious.
"And it came to pass, that as he came nigh
unto Jerico, a certain blind man sat by the wayside begging. And hearing the multitude pass
by, he asked what it meant. And they told him
that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he
cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have
mercy on me. And Jesus stood and commanded
him to be brought unto him; and when he was




546             REVIEWED.
come near, hs asked him, What wilt thou that I
shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord that I
may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto
him, Receive thy sight, thy faith hath saved
thee. And immediately he received his sight,
and followed him, glorifying God. And all the
people when they saw it, gave praise unto God."
— Luke xviii
All the people saw this blind man restored to
sight; and it was not simply strengthening weak
eyes or relieving ophthalmia by magnetism and
the application of remedial agents; but Jesus said,
"Receive thy sight," and the blind man saw.
Go and do likewise, ye minglers in the intermediate realms, ye who take the magic hand of mysterious law, and guide the current of nervauric
power. Heal the palsy, cure the leprosy, open
the eyes of those born blind, loose the tongue,
cause the dumb to talk, and the really deaf to hear.
And when ye have accomplished all this, go to
the tombs, call forth those bodies slumbering in
the cold arms of death. Then, nor until then,
have ye cause to compare your works with those
of the Savior's, or counsel the christian from his
faith in Jesus.
Finally: The following manifestations, through
the apostles of the Lord, are suggested as worthy of imitation by those who seem "the exalted" in their relation to supermundane spheres.




SPIRITUALISM           517
And if their professions are founded in truth, it
should not be difficult for them to demonstrate it.
1. We propose as a test the case of a man
who was lame from his birth, "and who was laid
daily at the gate of the temple which was called
Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered the
temple, who seeing Peter and John about to go
into the temple, asked an alms. And Peter,
fastening his eyes upon him with John, said,
Look on. us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and Gold have I none; but such
as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he
took him by the right hand, and lifted him up:
and immediately his feet and ancle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and
walked, and entered with them into the temple,
leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. And
they knew that it was he which sat for alms at
the Beautiful gate of the Temple; and they were
filled with wonder and amazement at that which
had happened unto him."
2. "And there sat a certain man at Lystria,
impotent in his feet, being so from his mother's
womb, who never walked. The same heard
Paul speak, who steadfastly beholding him, and
perceiving that he had faith to be healed, said




548             REVIEWED.
with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet.
And he leaped and walked. And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their
voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, "The
Gods are come down to us in the likeness of
men." And when the people would have offered
sacrifices, the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, said,
"Why do ye these things. We also are men
of like passions with you, and preach unto you
that you should turn from these vanities unto
the living God, which made heaven, and earth,
and the sea, and all things that are therein. "Acts xiv.
The Apostles wrought miracles by the spirit of
the Lord; otherwise: God revealed his powers
through them. To God they gave the glory.But modernists occupy a different sphere, and
manifest a different spirit, while their works are
sickly when compared to the above.
CONCLUSION.
Here we close the Bible history of Spiritualism, and proceed to notice its perpetuation from
the days of the Apostles, and to offer some propositions for the consideration of Bible opposers,
thence shall proceed to the analysis of modern
Spiritualism.
Against all forms of philosophy and religion
which are antagonistic to, or deny the divine
origin of the Inspired Word, we oppose that




SPIRITUALISM.           549
Word, nature, reason, and the facts connected
with human existence. We also maintain that
whatever manifestations have been, or may now
be, bordering upon spiritualism, whether professedly opposed to or in harmony with the
scriptures, are in confirmation thereof, either
by disclosing divine truths from the sphere of
holiness, or of the principles of evil, both of
which accord with the teachings, doctrines and
predictions, or are fulfilling their prophecies.
This position the reader cannot mistake. In
the illustration and defence thereof we have
engaged whatever ability  God and    Nature
may have bestowed upon us.    "To the law
and to the testimony."  If they speak not according to this, it is because there is no light in
them. In Jesus we behold the Divine Logos;
hence in him God manifest in the flesh: not as
in any and every man, but by direct Incarnation, and for the purpose of redeeming the world
from sin. Accordingly we affirm man fallen,
and hence that by repentance towards God and
faith in the Lord Jesus alone he can be saved.
To this end it is written, and in faithfulness,
"Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return
to the Lord, who will have mercy upon him, and
to our God, who will abundantly pardon."
Add to these doctrines those of the resurrec



550             REVIEWED.
tion of the dead; the final judgment, and a
compend of the principles in whose defence this
work is undertaken, is expressed in such a manner as to render our faith and object clear.
We, therefore, reject as false any so-called philosophy, doctrine, or manifestation of whatever
nature, which conflicts with the above principles. Not because they may be said to constitute our system of theology, but because they
are the true principles of divinity, of nature as
now manifest, and of existing facts; and the only
principles that cause and sequence unfold and
sustain; and because they are incorporated in
the elements of reason-are the rationale connected with man.




PART III.
CHAPTER I.
THE INTERIM.
FROM the apostolic age until the present time
the conflict between the Israel of God and the
powers of darkness has been perpetuated. We
shall not, however, trace the history from thence,
for it is not needful to introduce farther testimony upon the subject respecting the past. But
lest opposers should attempt to evade our conclusions by an effort to weaken confidence in the
Bible account, we introduce the following passages from an article written by William Fishbough, one of the earliest and strongest advocates
of modern spiritualism. Much of the sentiment
is applicable to the question at issue. The article to which reference is had, appeared in the
Spiritual Telegraph, vol. 2, number 37, (New
York, 1854,) and was headed, "Ancient Christian Spiritualism."  From the tenor of the argument the writer evidently intended to prove
spiritualism no new phenomenon; but in his remarks, and by the passages introduced from history, he has firmly established the existence of
evil spirits, embracing the doctrines taught in
551




652              REVIEWED.
the Scriptures of Truth, and particularly that
which awards to the prophets and apostles power, through divine aid, over evil and unclean
spirits.
From the character of the writer, his established erudition, relation to mesmerism, (having
been the scribe and compiler of "Nature's Divine Revelations,") his knowledge of the rise
and progress of spiritualism, connection therewith, etc.; and also from the fact that the article
appeared before the world in the most popular
spiritual organ, no believer will for a moment
question its authority. In his remarks he observes:
"Let us now glance at some of the numerous
historical testimonies as to the post-apostolic
perpetuity of spiritual gifts and intercourse in
the Christian Church. The learned Dr. Mosheim, in treating the history of the Church during the second century, says, "It is easier to
conceive than to express how much the miraculous powers and the extraordinary divine gifis which
the Christians exercised on various occasions
contributed to extend the limits of the Church.
The gift of foreign tongues appears to have
gradually ceased as soon as many nations became enlightened with the truth, and numerous
churches of Christians were everywhere established, for it became less necessary than it was




SPIRITUALISM            553
at first. But the other gifts with which God
favored the rising Church of Christ were, as we
learn from numerous testimonies of the ancients,
still conferred upon particular persons here and
there." *  Dr. Murdock, the translator of Moshein, sanctions these statements with emphasis,
adding a long note, in which he argues the point,
and refers to numerous passages in the ancients
to establish it."... "Notwithstanding there
appears to have been a gradual decline and final
cessation of heathen oracles after the establishment of the Christian Church, (and we might
show strong reasons for believing that these oracles were actual spiritual communications, as
both heathens and Christians believed them to
be.) there seem to have still been among the
heathens some mediums for spirits (or the alledged gods) for a long time after the apostolic
age. Between these spirits and their mediums
on the one hand, and the Christian prophets on
the other, there was generally an open hostility;
but wherever a trial of powers occurred, the
heathen spirit was forced to give way, showing
the existence still in the Church of that power
conferred by Jesus upon his disciples to "cast
out devils." Hence we find Tertullian, in his
"Apology for the Christian Religion," boldly
challenging all heathendom to a trial of their
Mos. Eccl. Hist., B. I. Cent. II. Part I. Chap. I. ~ 8.




554               EVIEWETE
patron spirits and divinities, who were accustomed to possess and speak through the bodies
of certain men. "Hitherto," says he,'we have
used words; we will now come to a demonstration of the very thing, that your Gentile gods
are no one of them greater than another. For a
decision of the point, let any one that is judged
to be possessed by a devil be brought into open
court before your tribunals; when that spirit
shall be commanded by a Christian to speak,
he shall as truly confess himself a devil there,
as elsewhere he falsely claims to be a god. Or
let one equally be produced who is am6ng you
Gentiles judged to be inspired of God, who waits
at your altars, and is esteemed a sacred person
by you; nay, though he be acted by one of your
most venerated deities, be it Diana the heavenly
virgin, or Esculapius that prescribes your nmecicines, and who pretends to relieve the dying, yet
these, or any others, when they are summnoned,
if they dare to lie unto the Christian summoning, and if they do not confess themselves openly
to be devils, then let that reproaceful Christian's
blood be spilt by you on the spot.".
"Tertullian died about the year 231.". "ndeed, Mosheim informs us that in the third century the office of exorcist, as a special office, was
created in the churches, it being the duty of the
one holding it to cast out these subtile and un



SPIRITUALISM            555
Christian spirits from the bodies of such as were
infested by them, and which they did by a process similar to that employed by the apostles."!
No spiritualist will presume to deny the above
statements. What, then, do they establish but
the great truth maintained throughout the Bible, viz.: that a Satanic power opposes the government of God with man? and that by the
Spirit of the Lord evil spirits are subdued and
cast out of the possessed. It is important to regard thisfact, 1. Because the sentiment is called
in question by the "anti-Christ " of this age, and
indeed the denial is important to the life of Harmonialism and all other "isms" which conflict
with the Gospel; 2. Because it constitutes one
strong point at issue between the Biblicist and
Naturalist; 3. Because by the application of this
principle (Divine power) the Christian faith is
confirmed and also distinguished from the imitations thereof, by false and deceptive beings, and
because it is a Bible doctrine; 4. Because there
is a power actively engaged with men, assuming
the form and name of mesmerism, spirit manifestations, etc., which denies the divine authenticity of the Bible, the fall and depravity of
man, the divinity of Christ; also redemption
through Jesus, and therefore utterly rejects the
doctrines of the Gospel, whose necessity depends
upon the existence of absolute evil; 5. Becausa




556             REVIEWED.
this power heralds its determination to remove
the Christian Church from the world; 6. Because
the Opposition to Christianity demands, like the
ancient Philistines, the issue; and its Goliath,
with shield and armor-bearer, appears before
men, boldly defying the God of Israel.
The religious world may deem this subject
unworthy their consideration; nevertheless, a
power is at work with the hearts of men that,
unless checked, shall shake the external church
and try every soul, and test the faith of every
believer in the Lord Jesus. We are thus emphatic upon this subject because when analyzing
the present phenomena we shall have occasion
to disclose, define and elucidate these principles.
We only add, that Zion's watchmen have occasion to guard well those avenues through which
these invidious influences approach the souls of
men. Nor is it from fancy, as the sequel will
determine, that these thoughts are suggested.




CHAPTER II.
PROPOSITIONS FOR SPIRITUALISTS, ETC.
As the anti-Christian spiritualists proclaim
their system of so-called "Rational Religion" as
the true religion, and as they profess to have
power equal or even superior to that which accompanied the Prophets, Jesus of Nazareth, and
the Apostles, we invite them to bring a parallel
to the following incidents of the Old and New
Testament times. As they complain much of
those who deny the spiritual origin of their
works, and who seek to change the character of
the manifestation by rendering other rea-sons for
their origin than those set forth by the advocates, we suggest to spiritualists that by their
own law they are bound to admit the ancient
Records, and especially since they have no means
to disprove their authenticity and the correctness
of their claims. If they deny their validity,
they sanction arguments against themselves and
condemn their own theory.
Progressionists denominate those "bigots"
who adhere to Bible theology in this age of light
and reason, (?) and particularly those doctrines
not endorsed by "the spirits."  Therefore they
teach that the Bible should receive credit only
557




558              REVIEWED.
so far as corroborated by clairvoyants and media.
To establish their claims the present phenomena
should, 1. Surpass in power and effect those
whose teachings they condemn. 2. Should excel
all former manifestations in wisdom. 3. Should
be better adapted to man's necessity, and in their
use to his purity. 4. They should beget greater
harmony with the believers. 5. Should be a
more firm support to the principles of right. 6.
Should more abundantly confirm their mental
equilibrium  and moral goodness.  7. Should
render them more heaven-like, more angelic, hence
8. Should beget more charity, brotherly kindness, and forgiveness for the erring. 9. Should
cause them, particularly the media, to excel the
true Christian in loving their enemies, and in
their efforts for the restoration of the wanderer:
10. Their influence should excite more perfect
union between men, and make more peaceful
and happy the restless, troubled mind. 11. They
should unfold divine qualities superior to the
conceptions of the dormant soul, and of all former revelations; and 12. They should carry the
devotee to a plane above that which stimulates
the inferior qualities of sensuous beings;should make them God-like, heavenly, divine,
according to their professions.
Such results should attend the works of modern reformers (?) if they are the recipients of




REVIEWED,              559
purer and more perfect light than has previously been given to man. Yea, and greater works
should accompany them than these, if their theory of progression, and their ideas of the advanced condition of the present generation are established in truth; and more particularly, if the
exalted inhabitants of spiritual realms descend
to instruct and illumine them, and through external media disclose the light of diviner spheres.
No lover of truth, no philosopher, no christian,
yea, no mortal can be so indifferent to his own
interest, to his present and future well-being as
not to desire any additional li7gt upon a subject
so importantas that connected with the immortality of his being. Men may be sectional in
matters of minor moment, they may indulge contracted feelings upon subjects of earthly duration,
but the mind must prefer truth respecting-the
futuare state? But because it is said that a great
light has appeared and that declaration is attended with no adequate demonstration, if the Christian does not heed it, shall he therefore be denounced a bigot and unwilling to learn? Verily
not! It is therefore consistent, that, ere the
Christian submit his soul to the moulding of an
opposite principle to that of his faith, he requires
the evidence of its superior origin, character and
ability.  In material arrangements value is
closely considered in the exchange of commodi



560             SPIRITUALISM
ties: how much more should that be of religion?
With the proper understanding of this subjects
and with the exalted and glorious character of
the Inspired Word before our minds, let us gradually descend to the plane of Spiritualism as reflected upon the present age.




CHAPTER III.
SUGGESTIONS FOR BIBLE OPPOSERS.
1. Every important era has its corresponding
mode and means of introduction. And these
must embrace the principles by which results are
obtained.
2. In a religion, whether true or false, the
nucleus primarily revealed is the type of its succeeding degrees. Wherever it obtains, leading
characteristics, (the manifestation of the archetypal,) distinguish it from  all other religions,
and relates it, unmistakably, to its prototype;
and when the original ceases, that religion is no
more.
3. Different circumstances may require and
admit varying modes; yet no condition can
make void first principles, for unless they are
retained and disclosed, the appearance a deceptive shadow, is accepted for the cause.
4. ILLUSTRATION: Bible religion could not be
so transformed as to be mistaken for Mahomedanism; nor the spirit of christianity for carnalitylasciviousness. Being opposites, one could not
36                             561




562            SPIRITUALISM
so merge into the other as to loose its original
characteristics.
5. False appearances may be assumed, but
the spring of action must remain unchanged
however varied and graduated may be the order
of manifestation.
6. The prelude, by its likeness to that which
it is to succeed, indicates its existence, nature and
movement.
7. John the Baptist "was not the Light, but
was sent to bear witness of that Light."  He
was the foreshadowing. But his mission must
have been by the inspiration of that Light, or
he could not have been the Forerunner.
8. A confirmed Mahomedan by a name and
corresponding ceremony might pass for a believer in the Lord Jesus; still he would be a
Moslem. Assumption would not make him a
christian.
9. These laws extend throughout all the relations and proceedings of men, and are truly applicable to the subject before us.
10. EVERY REVELATION must emerge from its
unknown or unrevealed state by the use of
adapted means, those in harmony with its nature
and useful to the end indicated.
11. The idiotic brain could not be the medium
for intellectual and exalted disclosures.
12. The uncultivated, but properly organized




REVIEWED.              563
cerebrum might be inspired by a superior mental sphere; but if it was destitute of the organ
adapted to the use of the centre or leading
thought, no inspiration could induce proper utterance.
13. Neither can a cause reveal itself in a form
antagonistic to its nature, or employ means unadapted to its use.
14. The dove would hardly consign its young
to the vulture for brood and succor, or the shepherd the lamb to the wolf.
15. No more would Heaven employ as embassadors of Truth, those who reject divine counsel,
deny the existence of those principles upon which
the embassy is predicated and labor to overthrow
the government whence they were commissioned.
15. The air balloon would not be employed to
transport the burden of the freighted ship, nor
the iron steamer to navigate the aerial realms.
These principles are also applicable to the philosophy in question.
17. As the heavens are higher than the earth,
even so must the dwellers in the celestial be
above the groveling in this sickly world.
18. Therefore, were the likeness of the heavenly daguerreotyped upon the heart of man, it
would not reflect the portraiture of the human,
but the divine. This can self-evidently apply to
modern spiritualism.




564            SPIInT. IA.L.I.
19. If the Holy and Divine descends to, and in
mercy pervades the perverted and unholy, the effect will be to incline them to the plane of moral
goodness. Thus will be revealed the contrast between the pure and impure, the infinite and the
finite.
20. GooD may be removed by evil, bat can
never conform to it.
21. Right may be invaded by wrong, but can
never comply with its dictation.
22. Means originally adapted to useful ends,
may be perverted, overcome and forced as agents
of opposing principles.
23. Goodness is a quality, a distinguishing
principle.
24. Man is good when his moral nature is unaffected with evil.
25. Error is opposed to truth, and therefore
exists in its absence.
26. Ifevil obtain possession of the soul, goodness retires.
27. Evil may be overruled for good, but of itself, can never engender it.
28. Principles have palpable characteristics,
and beget their likeness, and reduce to their nature that over which they prevail.
29 Laws cause to converge what constitutionally affinitize.
30. Hence, principles in their procedure dis



RE VIE WlED.           565
seminate their spirit or essences throughout proximate and unconfirmed material; absorb affinities;
bring to their sphere, or repel opposites.
31. Bodies formed by, and around the principles of error, are attracted and held by improper,
and therefore, unreliable adhesion; hence are
subject to disintegration.
32. Such bodies not being sustained and conducted by eternal law, move indifferently, and drift
by the preponderance of whatever current may
chance to reach them to which they happen
to incline, or into which they, by oscillation, dip.
33. Truth and Right being immutable and
eternal, shall prevail; hence error and wrong
shall be subdued.
34. Therefore, the Kingdom of Righteousness
will overcome the realms of discord and unighteousness.
35. Heaven is Love and Unity.
36. Dwellers upon the earth are carnal, selfish
and repugnant.
37. The family of man is, thence, inharmonious, unlike heaven, and therefore the opposite.
38. Cause cannot sublevate its effects to a
plane more exalted than it occupies.
39. Hence the elements of the earth-sphere by
their native ability, and unaided from on high,
cannot exalt themselves to a state above the apex
of their nature.




666             SPIRITUALISM
40. Therefore earth cannot transform  itself
into heaven.
41. Redeeming principles must not be heir to
the ills from which they seek to restore the sickly, fallen sufferer.
42. Means employed may serve as graduates,
and when the end of their use is subserved,
retire.
43. Cause must be superior to means, and to
its undertaking, omnipotent.
44. Harmonial spiritualism claims no origin
above nature.
45. The highest attainment of its superior
qualities are therefore incomplete-need themselves perpetual correction.
46. The source, then, is defection.
47. Can the world be redeemed-perfected, by
that which is also needy? and project itself
through the cloudy obscurity over-hanging its
sphere, and to a self-wrought inheritance, a dominion celestial, divine?
48. As well might the smitten tree and its
blasted fruit, by dint of self-exertion impart to
their own sickly, sinking nature the healthy sap,
and unfold in perfect and luxurient growth, the
choicest and most perfect harvest.
These suggestions are too self-evidently true to
be easily overcome by the transcendental philosophy of the Nineteenth Century. The vision



REVIEWED.              567
ary tendency of the age may envelope the mind
of millions in a fantastic halluncination; theorizers may project from their brains a kind
of beatifying system, may build as sublimated
zones, ethereal degrees that encompassing the
earth, and people them with the spirits of the
dead; they may reproduce, (as the savage does
his hunting grounds in the land whither he journeys,) the earth-sphere with its conditions and
uses, -still principles must endure. And when
the dream is past, mind must revert to realities,
for upon them it depends.
As orb-revolutions afford time for sleep, and
the shadow-period induces the dreamy wanderings of the soul, even so there seems returning
epochs, which beget a spiritual somnambulism,
frought with fancy-pilgrimageti to tohe kingdom
of morpheus, a world of attenuated idealiom.




CHAPTER     IV.
MESMERISM AND PSYCHOLOGY, THE VENTRICLES
OF HARMONIAL SPIRITUALISM.
Little need be said of the origin of animal magnetism, since no index to such an epoch has been
discovered, save that which exists in the constitution of man. The only rational conclusion is,
that whenever and wherever man has existed
this principle has also existed; and that all attending phenomena, developed thereby, have
been common with men, only, that the laws and
means have not always been recognized as connected with the effects. What is now known as
mesmerism, psychology, psychometry, biology,
spirit-manifestation etc, were formerly known
by different appellations. Such as necromancy,
divination, magic, sooth-saying, charming, sorcery, etc.
Omitting the history of remote ages, we only
pause to note, briefly, the development of the
phenomena of the last century.
In "Stilling's Pneumatology," a work translated from the German, are many interesting illustrations-very many striking instances embracing magnetism and its demonstrations, trance
conditions, spirit seeing, etc. And to conduct the
mind gradually along this magnetic current to
568




REVIEWED.              569
the present expansion of the same manifestations, we indulge a few brief extracts from that
work.  "The science of animal magnetism,"
says Stilling, "which had occasionally manifested itself from the earliest ages, and was brought
into system by [Mesmer, between the years 1770
and 1780, but which, at the very outset, met with
most profound contempt, in consequence of the
most extravagant charlatanry, and the most shocking abuse which was made of it, was now investigated by very able, impartial, and candid naturalists -by men who really cannot be charged
with the weakness of enthusiasm..
To avoid all unnecessary prolixity, I will only
here adduce such results of animal magnetism,
as are certain and beyond a doubt..
But before I proceed further, I must give all my
readers a serious caution: Animal magnetism
is a very dangerous thing." "Pneumatology,"
pp. 27-8.
From the above, it appears that when Stilling
wrote, near a century ago, the evils accruing
from animal magnetism were somewhat, at least,
understood. Well for the world if they had
been, and were better known. If so, the cause,
by many not discovered, of the most deplorable
evils would be so revealed as to shock the sense
of the much injured, by reason of a most diabolical use of insidious laws. "When an intel



570            SPIRITUALISM
ligent physician employs it for the cure of diseases," says Stilling, "there is no objection to
it."  Even so; but when quacks in medicine,
and also the "affinitizing bands," who so benevolently (selfishly) pity those uncongenially united by the laws of matrimony,-when these employ it as a source of charming, it is disastrous
to the social relations of life. It severs those
pleasantly united, corrodes the conjugial element,
dissipates the love of the "twain" that they are
no more one flesh, and produces nameless results
greatly to be lamented.
On p. 30, ibid, this author thus continues the
subject of magnetism and its results:
"The history of the- somnambulist of Lyons,
says the journal of Paris, presents an assemblage of such striking facts, that we should be
inclined to regard the whole as charlatanry and
deceit, if credible eye-witnesses had not vouched
for the truth of it..  The catalepsy of a lady
at Lyons, had been for some time the subject of
conversation in that city; and M. Petetain had already published several very surprising facts relative to it, when Mr. Bellanche became desirous
of becoming an eye-witness. He chose the moment, for visiting this lady, when she was approaching the crisis, (the time of magnetic sleep.)
Upon this he approached the bed, in which he
saw a female lying motionless, and who was, to




REVIEWED.              571
all appearance, sunk into a profound sleep. He
laid his hand, as he had been instructed, on the
stomach of the somnambulist, and then began
his interrogatories. The patient answered them
all correctly. He then asked the sleeper if she
could read the letter," (which he folded and laid
on her stomach,) "to which she answered yes."
According to the account, the somnambulist,
clairvoyant, or medium, read to his satisfaction.
The only difference between this case and the
modern psychometric mode, is, the letter, now, is
placed upon the cerebrum, over the perceptive
faculties.
The medium at Lyons, during Mr. Ballanche's
test, according to the account, read from a book
through a wall. Can the mooted Poughkeepsie
Seer do more?  And how many of this developed age can equal even this case? Another instance related by Stillings was that of a somnambulist visited by Gmelin, who in search of mesmeric facts, in 1780, went to Carlsruhe and
found that "what passed in the souls of those
with whom   she," (the somnambulist,) "was
placed in connection could be read."  For "she
told him, distinctly, every thing that he imagined."  p. 32, ibid.
"Another individual of great integrity," con
tinues the author, p. 33, "and to whom I am
much attached, told me that his wife had once a




572              SPIRITUALISM
housekeeper, who had also been magnetized on
account of illness, and had at length, during her
magnetic sleep, attained an extraordinary degree
of clearness of vision. In this state she had
communicated remarkable and important discoveries concerning the invisible world... She
brought intelligence from the invisible world, respecting certain important personages, enough
to make the hearers' ears tingle. She once said
to her master, in the crisis," (magnetic state,)
"your brother has just expired at Magdeburg.
No one knew anything of his illness, and, besides this, Magdeburg was many miles distant.
A few days after, the news arrived of his death,
which exactly agreed with the prediction."
These are cases where psychometry and spirit
seeing was induced by animal magnetism. In
1848 the following similar case occurred in the
town of Berlin, Rensselaer Co., N. Y.:
Mrs. Buton, who had long suffered from an
extreme nervous debility, by the earnest solicitation of her friends, and as an experiment, was
pathetised by the writer, then Pastor of a Baptist church in that town, of which the lady was a
member. The object, at the time, was not so
much to restore her lost health, as to quiet the
agitated nervous system. From   the effect of
this pathetism, Mrs. Buton very frequently declared herself in the spirit world holding converse




REVIEWED.               573
with the spirits of the dead, especially the spirit
of her husband.
This occurred before the "spirit rapping" had
emerged from Hydesdale, N. Y., and consequently before known of, by any one connected with
the above incident.
Mrs. Buton revealed the characteristics of
those referred to by Stilling, already noticed, and
of those now known as spirit media. However,
as she recovered her wasted strength, her disposition to spirit-seeing declined, and although still
a resident of Berlin, N. Y., we have not heard
that her mediumship has been revived.
In these cases, animal magnetism was the inducing cause of the spirit-seeing, and psychometric impressions, etc.
On page 41, of his work, Stilling thus philosophises:
"The causes from which a natural magnetic
sleep may proceed are chiefly the following:"First: A lively and very irritable nervous
system, and a vivid imagination appertaining to
it, both of which are generally found united.
"Secondly: An incessant occupation of the
soul with supernatural objects; for instance,
when superstitious, ill-formed, simple people, are
constantly thinking upon bewitchments and apparitions. Even if they be, at the same time,
vile reprobate characters, they may at length be




S74            SPIRITUALISM
brought, by this means, into a real connection
with evil spirits, and then sorcery is no longer
an idle tale.
"Sensuous love, particularly in the female
sex, is the most fertile source of magnetic fits,
and hence arise horrible deceptions, particularly
when religious feelings are intermixed with them.
I am acquainted with many melancholy instances of this kind, of which, for the sake of'persons
still living, I will not now give publicity.
"A pious young woman visited the religious
meetings which a pious but handsome married
man held in his house.:By degrees she fell in
love with him; and, as an insuperable difficulty
stood in the way of her attachment, her nerves
succumbed in the conflict, and the poor unfortunate girl became a somnambulist," (a spirit-medium;) "at the commencement she uttered
the most sublime and glorious truths in her fits;
and she generally entered her crisis when present at these religious meetings. She predicted
many things that were to happen in future, several of which were accomplished. She gained a
number of followers. In her fits, " (the spiritual state, ) " she received information by degrees
that the wife of the object of her affections was
an abomination in the sight of God and angels;
this was gradually iisinuated with such Satanic
cunning and hypocrisy, that the whole company,




REVIEWED.              575
which consisted of several hundred persons, most
devoutly believed it. The poor woman was,
therefore, confined in a remote place, by orders
from the invisible world; she lost her reason and
died raving mad; and the widower then married
the young woman, also by order from the spirit
world."
Many instances of quite modern date, although
their narration might vary somewhat in the minutise, are sufficiently analogous to indicate like
causes. Neither will it answer to charge them
altogether upon people of the lower and most
indifferent classes -those who frantically receive
and blindly obey the dictation of bigoted and
unprogressed spirits. If our suggestion is questioned by the advocates of the "new philosophy,"
and the facts disputed, we can easily refer to some
in high spiritual authority, who are considered
"the Great" of this age, that have sailed in
those seas, and returned with their booty.
Precedents are numerous illustrative of this
principle, and the mania has already obtained to
a much greater extent than the unnoticing public are prepared to admit. And there are more
victims than supposed, by far, to this peace-destroying principle, this law of modern progression, this harmonizer of the race, adjuster of
human relations, builder of the "spiritual temple," of the so called newly developed or greatly




576            SPIRITUALISM
progressed moral and social rights!  But we
shall defer, at present, its full illustration by
authentic facts. Nevertheless we are pledged to
sustain the above by ample proof when dealing
with that phase of Spiritualism-the social didactics of that school of philosophers, which is,
perhaps, more active and efficient than any other now moulding the human mind: that which
is moving in the element of thought, of mental
and affectional principles; and by adaptation
and practical exertion, is possessing the soul of
the young.




CHAPTER V.
MESMERISM IN ASIA.
THE above extracts from Stilling's Pneumatology are sufficient to prove the existence and
character of the manifestations of his age. And
the following from "Buchanan's Journal of Man"
will serve as the connecting link with modern
demonstrations.
In an article by James Esdale, M. D., pub.
lished in vol. 1. of the above named work, under
the heading, "Mesmerism in Asia," we find the
following:
"The people of this part of the world seem to
be peculiarly sensitive to the mesmeric power;
and as it has been observed that a depressed
state of the nervous system favors its reception,
we can understand why they, as a body, should
be more easily affected than Europeans. Taking
the population of Bengal generally, they are a
feeble, ill-nourished race, remarkably deficient in
nervous energy; and the natural debility of constitution being still further lowered by disease,
will probably account for their being so readily
subdued by mesmerism. Their mental constitution also favors us: we have none of the morbid
irritability of nerves, and the mental impatience
25                          577




378             SPIRITUALISM
of the civilized man to contend against; both of
which resist and neutralize the efforts of nature."
If the heathen is the most befitting subject, and
the nervous and mental activity of civilization
is to be overcome by this practice, this law of
nature, in order to its success; it follows that
mesmerism first reduces the subject, as far as
may be, to a heathen state, thence, perhaps,
arises the cause why the refined modes of civilization, or the true Christian religion, are so directly assailed by a vast portion of the operators,
and the sayings of the subjects. All familiar
with these phenomena, know full well that mesmerism, and nature-worshiping spiritualism, if
left to their own promptings, reduce the subjects
to the most wild and barbarous demonstrations
imaginable. And, indeed, to prevent such results in indiscriminate spirit-circles, requires the
controlling power and discretion of some well
balanced and properly cultivated mind in the
external sphere. Still, although, as will be hereafter shown, the counsel and dictation of the
spirits are acknowledged unworthy of human
dependence, the public are advised of new and
divine revelations by the spirits: of light frown
the spirit world. Thomas Paine, Voltaire, Volney, Bonaparte, Franklin, Washington, etc.,
etc., are declared to have, in great benevolence,
descended to the plane of earth in order to ele



REVIEWED.              579
vate man from his ignorance, superstition, bigotry and false religions.  Nevertheless, it is
found to be important not to heed their teachings unless they accord with what man knows,
with his sense! Thus the highly exalted spirits
who have escaped the thraldom of mundane
ignorance, and have progressed to the higher
spheres, are to be, at last, dictated by those
whom they in great love condescend to instruct!
And man's undeveloped sense must decide upon
the merit of the divine counsel! This would be
like the Professor in mathematics, or any of the
sciences, submitting his problem or principle to
the judgment of the novice, and allowing him,
while unlearned, to sit as judge upon the nature
and utility of lessons given to the classes for
their improvement.
How would it appear for the tyro to enter the
classic library and cast out as useless those works
of whose language and sentiment he had not the
slightest knowledge? Or for the patient to decide the treatment of his disease for his physician? The inconsistency of like courses is too
apparent tb be misconceived. Nevertheless., it
would be equally as consistent in the above cases,
as for the manifestations of Heaven to be judged
and received or rejected, by benighted human
minds. If the manifestations are from God, for
man's good, they are worthy of implicit confi



580            SPIRITUALISM
dence; and their requirements are always consistent and useful, hence they should be obeyed
unreservedly; and if they are not of Heaven
they should be rejected, for they seek the control of man. But the reverse is the counsel of
spiritualists. And why?  Simply because spiritualism cannot be relied upon. It must be nurtured, guided, helped and sustained by those to
whom it is said to be unfolding by its superior influence, its knowledge of the spiritual worlds, to
its sphere. Whoever submits to the dictum of
the "spirits" is deemed, by the learned in those
matters, "fanatic." The order of things is, then,
by spiritualism, reversed, for the pupil becomes
the teacher, or umpire over his exalted lessons,
and the novice is the dictator. Day of progression! Day of wonders! But the author continues: "The success I have met with is mainly
to be attributed, I believe, to my patients being
the simple, unsophisticated children of nature;
neither thinking, questioning, nor remonstrating,
but submitting to my pleasure, without in the
smallest degree understanding my object or intentions."  A truthful acknowledgment! And
what an honor to be a subject! "How far artificial"(civilized)"man may have forfeited his
birthright, I have not yet had the means of
knowing; but out of the small number of Europeans who have come under my observation, the




REVIEWED.              581
majority have also succumbed to the influence;
and if the proud sons of civilization will condescend to return for a moment to the feet of their
mother nature, they also will probably benefit
by her bounties." That is, if the masses will
become the subjects of the few positive minds,
the mesmerizers and psychologizers, and not
knowing their motives, submit to their control, "without questioning or remonstrating,"
they will probably benefit by the bounties of
nature. Civilization, then, is in the way of these
teachers. We do not charge all with this motive, but the sequel proves that the "interior
element," or the law of mesmerism, destroys selfcontrol. Nor can it succeed without the unreserved submission of the mesmerized to its
influence. The subject must, therefore, for the
time being, at least, move blindly in the direction
of the current. Thousands who are engaged
in the manifestations are, no doubt, sincere; but
the honest and pure-minded may be the subjects,
unknowingly, of an element liable to be excited
for a vile purpose. Would those negatively
constituted, those exceedingly susceptible to the
mesmeric influence, readily submit, or anxiously
seek to be affected by that conquering subtle
principle, if they understood the nature and
power of the law to which they expose themBelves? If m'esmerism may be turned to good




582            SPIRITUALISM
or evil, its determination must be in accordance
with the quality of the motive power-the directing mind. If the prompting genius be evil
inclined, the subject of the influence must succumb to the propensity of that controlling eIement. Who are the pure and good?  Who sufficiently free from the ills of perverted nature to
become the absolute dictators of a human soul?
Who sufficiently wise to mould, by force of will,
the character and therefore decide unreservedly,
the destiny of another?  Men may be mutual
counselors, and mind needs instruction, but the
author of the above extracts says the subject
must unreservedly and without knowing the operator's motives, or questioning his procedure
submit. And on page 261, he also declares, "that
this agent may and will be turned to the most
diabolical purposes, is most certain, if the public will not be at the trouble to think upon this
subject and defend itself by common precautions."
What better authority than this need we? It
is also certain, that when individuals have once submitted to that mysterious agent, they have no eyes
to see or ears to hear, save those given by the
controlling genius. Hence they must drift along
its tide, and whoever admonishes them of their
danger, is by them  deemed their veriest foe.
The charmer has full control of their sympa



REVIEWED,              583
thies, his visage is most fair and comely, but
the true friends, the opposers of the usurper,
appears haggard and frightful. "0 tempora, 0
mores. 
This agent is that which unfolds the phenomena of mesmerism and psychology in all their
forms and is also that by which the works of
spiritualism are developed.  Still, parents, guardians, companions and friends submit their
greatest treasures to the fate of this current.
This is the crucible in which fantastically glows
the molten element of Anti-Christ.  And as
sure as the soul enters the affinitizing process,
so sure it shall not return to its former state.
Fearful adventure! Yet modern mind seems
forming for the dread transition! Jesus alone
can save thee, 0 reader! put thy soul in his
charge, and live near the Cross, if thou wouldst
escape the fearful consequences that await the
end of these things. To those already beneath
the charm, admonition is unavailing.  Their
sense is benumbed, their mind calloused. Blind
infatuation seems to have possessed their souls.
They laugh at counsel and wildly rush into the
sweeping tide.
If the element is not capable of guiding, and
yet to be developed it is. necessary to yield to it
unreservedly, where is the benefit, unless it be
employed by the external magnetizer? and who




584            SPIRITUALISM
shall be the judge of human wisdom suitable?
God is infinitely wise, he offers counsel, whoso
trusts him shall be saved.'Tis better to forsake
the creature and cleave unto the Creator:  accept his word as the sure Word of Testimony.
On page 260 the writer thus continues his narrative:
"June 9, 1845.-I had to-day the honor of
being introduced to one of the most famous magicians in Bengal, who enjoys a high reputation
for his successful treatment of hysteria, and had
been sent for to prescribe for my patient, (whose
case will be afterward given,) but came too late;
the success of my charm, Mesmerism, having
left him nothing to do. Baboo Essanchunder
Ghosaul, deputy magistrate of Houghly, at my
request introduced me to him as a brother magician, who had studied the art of magic in different parts of the world, but particularly in
Egypt, where I had learned the secrets of the
great Sooleymann, from the Moollahs and Fuqueers, and that I had a great desire to know
whether our charms were the same, as the hakeems of Europe held the wise men of the East
in high estimation, knowing that all knowledge
had come from that quarter. I proposed that
we should show each other our, respective charms,
and, after much persuasion, he agreed to show
me his process for assuaging pain. He sent for




REVIEWED.              b85
a brass pot containing water and a twig with
two or three leaves upon it, and commenced
muttering his charms, at arm's length from the
patient. In a short time he dipped his fore-finger
into the water, and with the help bf his thumb,
flirted it into the patient's face; he then took
the leaves, and commenced stroking the person
from the crown of the head to the toes with a
slow drawing motion.   The knuckles almost
touched the body, and he said that he would continue the process for an hour, or longer, if necessary; and it convinced me that if these charmers ever do good by such means, it is by the
Mesmeric influence, probably unknown to themselves. I said that I was convinced of the great
efficacy of his charm, and would now show him
mine; but that he would understand it better if
I performed it on his own person. After some
difficulty we got him to lie down, and, to give due
solemnity to my proceedings, I chanted, as an
invocation, the chorus of the "King of the Cannibal Islands!"  I desired him to shut his eyes,
and he clenched his eyelids firmly, that I might
find no entrance to his brain by that inlet. In
a quarter of an hour he jumped up, and said that
he felt something coming over him, and, wished to
make his escape. He was over-persuaded to lie
down again, however, and I soon saw the muscles around the eye begin to relax, and his face




586            SPIRITUALISM
became perfectly smooth and calm. I was sure
that I had caught my brother magician napping;
but in a few minutes, he bolted up suddenly,
clapped his hands to his head, cried he felt
drunk, and nothing could induce him to lie down
again.'Abiit, excessit, evasit, erupit!' Next day
I saw him, and said, "Well, you were too strong
for my charm last night; I could not put you to
sleep!''0! yes, Sahib,' he answered,'you did;
I allow it; it is allowed that you put me to
sleep.'
"A gentleman, whose case will be given hereafter, immediately recognized the identity of the
two processes, and told me that he had been
mesmerized, he knew, in a different part of the
country, and with much relief, in a painful affection of the leg. In addition to the traction of
the leaves, his mesmerizer had breathed carefully upon the pained part, just as my assistant had
done when mesmerizing him locally for rheumatism. It thus appears that the beneficial effects
of the Mesmeric process are unknown in this
country, and the secret has probably descended
from remote antiquity, in certain families or
castes. Further on, when speaking of Somnambulism, a curious history will be given, which
leads me to suspect that they knew the evil as
well as the good of Mesmerism, and practised it
for the most villainous purposes.  The possible




REVIEWED.              587
evil resulting from Mesmerism has been a favorite objection, even when the evidence of its existence and power could be no longer resisted."
Thus modern advocates of the system, prove
it of long standing, even trace it to, and make it
the same as ancient Magic. And the author of
the foregoing remarks, indicates his knowledge
of instances wherein somnambulism has been revealed in connection with mesmerism. Spiritualism it is well known unfolds from or by means
of it. The only difference then, between the ancient and modern practices and manifestations,
is in their modes. And with them there is a corresponding likeness. In former times the art of
healing by the subtle agent was known; magnetized subjects became very sensitive to impressions, and in their trance conditions seemed to
be conversant with the spirits of the dead.
Mesmerism and psychology, therefore, are the
connecting agents that unite the material with
the spiritual. Or in other words, that which in
the inferior plane is known as Mesmerism in its
varied forms, when more sublimated, is either
spiritualism, or the vehicle by which that still
more subtle influence approaches the external.
These are the principles engaged in spirit manifestations, and what now so much excites the
more transcendentalmind-element ofthis age is not
a new development, an evidence of progression,




588             SPIRITUALISM
but only the repetition of what has been from
time immemorial.
History also reveals, that like phenomena
have most obtained where civilization has the
least influence.  To this, as heretofore shown,
the author of Mesmerism in Asia bears testimony. Rather, then, than such phenomena being
an evidence of progression, they strongly indicate retrogression. The civilized man is not a
fit subject, (so it is said,) but the unsophisticated, morbid and passive child of nature. To
this conclusion  the voice of these  "isms,"
bears witness, also, for their loud acclaim is continually against whatever is established. They
seek to demolish the temples hitherto erected by
the hand of christian civilization, and to build
their altars to nature and spirits, in the human
heart, and their temples where affinities are as
gods.
In some stages of the manifestations. media
have been developed by means of a manipulator, sometimes without any human agencies, but
they are mostly spiritualized, (mesmerized) by
the force of influence accumulated in circles,
by the power of association. In such cases several persons who desire the demonstrations, join
hands and concentrate their thoughts, silently in.
voking the spirits to develope some one or more
of the group. The tendency-of the mental cur



REVIEVWED.             O89
rent is to the negative point, hence the one most
susceptible is liable soon to feel a peculiar
change of nervous action. This is followed by
some slight unnatural muscular movement or a
torpid appearance, which attracts general attention. The thought induced in all minds by
these demonstrations, is but one; the mind sphere
feels an. assurance that the desire has been regarded by the spirits, and that they have a medium in their midst. Whether aided from the
"interior" or not the mesmeric power is now
rapidly increased, and the subject secured. Personal ability- self-control, has been submitted
to the invisible element, and a transition ensues;
hence a spirit medium. Then the work of communicating with the dwellers in the invisible
world is commenced. Repeated efforts of this
kind finally render the subjects exceedingly sensitive to the influence, and they go forth as developed media.
As the subtle fluids are infused throughout
gross substances, so this invisible principle, by
its many means, steadily and surely, is working
its way into the life principle, the heart of nations. And is manifesting itself in every conceivable form, from the cold and rigid state of
the magnetizee, along the degrees of the rapping, seeing, writing, speaking, healing, and
book -making media of the spirit-mania;.




590            SPIRITUALISM
Like the fire which unknown and unseen is
charring the substance amid which it smolders,
this is deadening the moral sensibility, and consuming the vital energies of the age. And even
now strong parts of the edifice of civilization are
weakened by its power.  This is denied by many of the advocates of the "new philosophy,"
and men accept the denial as truth, even while in
their ears echo the blasphemous denunciations
of the christian religion and the strongholds of
civilization. Civilization renders man an accountable being, and makes sacred beyond a
name, the marriage covenant. But multitudes
are boldly promulgating the doctrines of nonaccountability, that man is altogether a creature of
circumstances, and to properly develop the being, they say, "let nature have her course." If
man is controlled altogether by circumstances he
cannot be responsible for his actions. What will
follow such teachings?  Or rather, what will
not result from faith formed by such a creed?
Another, and very active principle of the "ism,"
is that the prevailing law of matrimony is a
source of human-of spiritual bondage, and
should be very much modified, or entirely abolished.  This is a most fatal blow aimed at the
heart of family relations, at the great bond of
civilization. Establish the above codes of the
progressive school, then silence the religious




REVIEWED.              591
press, prohibit the preaching of the gospel of
Jesus; and do it by art, soothsaying, psychomancy, mesmerism, or by whatever means, and civilization is no more.  That all persons engaged
in the service of these elements are not understandingly or intentionally contributing to such
results we do not doubt.  Neither do we charge
those principles working proper changes, changes
in reality for the better, with like disastrous and
inevitable consequences. But such we maintain
is the soul, body and intended consummation of
Harmonial Spiritualism, and all isms that adhere to the above-named sentiments. And we
venture to affirm that by their works this charge
can be fully demonstrated and proved, and in
the Review of modern phenomena engage to
make good these statements, by the facts unfolded frdm or appended to those principles of anticivilization-of anti-Christ.




PART IV.
MODERN MANIFESTATIONS.
CHAPTER I.
MESMERIC PRODUCTIONS-A. J. DAVIS' DISCIPLES.
A FEW years previous to the introduction of
the "Rochester Rappings," mesmerism    had
elicited some public, attention and secured some
able advocates and efficient operators.  The
most notable results, however, were the lectures
of A. J. Davis, the Poughkeepsie magnetizee.
These were delivered by him while in a magnetic state, induced by the manipulations of Dr.
Lyon, and are now before the world, as "Nature's Divine Revelations," as shown in Vol. I.
of this Work. Those lectures are evidently the
great Scientific, Religious and Literary center of
the "New   Philosophy," and suggest whatever
himself or any of the new School have been or
are promulgating.. Nor do the "spirits," said
to be prompting that fraternity, add to those
revelations.  They are as a whole, comparable
to an orb in whose sphere, the "spirits," media
and philosophers, so numerous roam at ease.
Their productions are essays, dissertations, poems, and rhapsodies upon sections of the radiations from that work. Their newness is but the
592




REVIEWED.               593
re-expression, in a different form, of what Mr.
Davis uttered while the subject of Dr. Lyon.
Mr. Davis' relation to mesmerism, and the manifestations; and as the vocal organ of "interiorism" renders him, despite the desire and efforts
of the many ambitious media and all opposition,
the magnetic Chatechist of the age. When
those lectures commenced, the popular spiritualism of these times was foreshadowed. And as
every new religion, or new manifestation of principles or theory already known has its leader,
even so did this.  For reasons hereafter to be
disclosed, it is important at this time to glance
at the external agents of Mesmeric Spiritualism.
For no slight review of this subject will meet
the necessity of the case.
Mr. Davis, although only the medium of communications from  the- fountain, is before the
world as the SEER, the great Apostle of the
Nineteenth Century-the SUN of Earth's grand
and final Epoch.  As such his earliest supporters are his disciples. He evidently thus esteems
them. Nor can time or circumstances change or
in any way alter that relation. As such their
names will be handed down to posterity.*  For
whatever they do, they are but working out the
problem'through him stated, and written upon
*Mr. Fishbough, according to present indications being the only tisep
tion.  38




694            SPIRITUALISM
the magic reflector of this mystic period. In
descending to the minutiae, and tracing this foun.
tain throughout its ramifications, the Seer's original supporters will be found to have been first
moved by that strange and thence mysterous inspiring wonder which enhaloed him in his magnetized state. The charm by which they were
then entranced, and the impetus they then received, has been the power holding them as
lesser floating bodies around Mr. Davis, the
Center, and by which they have been primarily
impelled along the current in which they are
now drifting. If they may have wandered, they
have never passed the boundaries of the "Davis-realm,"  and have been inevitably drawn
back again. Whether, therefore, the Poughkeepsie Seer, infolds about himself substantial
material, or is composed of, and encompassed by,
an artificial combination of illusive parts, to
these satelites he is the substance, the ower, the
unfblding orb.
However unpleasant these reflections may be,
truth demands them.  And were they omitted,
the center of the newly constructed, or modernly arranged system of antiquated notions, would
pass unnoticed, and the Review would be deficient in an important and essential point. It
would have omitted the focal centre, the heart of
the mystic automaton which arises and in its




REVIEWED.              595
movements proposes to crush the church of
Christ beneath its awful tread, and with its magic sabre, cut down the ranks that stand in defence of the Word of God. Nothing, therefore,
can be understandingly investigated without reference to that external nucleus-Mr. Davis and
his first disciples, the cabinet and ministers
plenipotentiary of this magnetic kingdom, in
whose centre he oscillates as a revolving mirror,
while they as secondary reflectors, move in their
respective orbits about him. The merits of this
nervo-spiritual centre, its philosophy and religion,
as well as its probable ultimation can be determined by reference to the discussion of Pantheism     Review of A. J. Davis.  "ANTI-PANTHEIST," Vol. I. Nevertheless, however inconsiderable may be the true worth of the system, this
is its day, and its sphere affects the human mind.
It has arisen from the chaos of ancient ideas,
somewhat blended with modern improvements.
Its appearance is like the Auroral luminations.
It flashes upward its pale and transient light.
Upon it the evening watchers gaze with wonder
and fantastic admiration.
While it endures it is well to analyze it, and
record its nature. From the verge of the shadowy dell of civilization that dim light may be
discovered. Thither let us descend. Above us
columns of Truth arise, and the canopy of the




596            SPIRITUALISM
heavens gently smile upon the thatched bowers,
that pending droop over the gloomy gorge. Let
the mind first glancing, ascend the glory-crowned
mountain of Light and Reason, that everlasting
monument to eternal Truth, and then turning,
look out upon the fathomless chasm below. Vast
deep of false philosphy! of ethics most corrupt!
In its nether regions, sunken and heavy, deadly
magnetism  hangs like a thick impenetrable
cloud of night. From the hither side arise those
false reflections which encompass the human circle of the "new philosophy." Above them
move those spectral clouds which drift along the
heavens and seem as manifestations of unkown
realities.  So perfect is the charm that the
"group" behold the shadows as eternalized substances. and from them build ethereal zones, and
people them with immortal races.
The above represents the new birth of that
complicated system which has since extended its
influence afar, and now threatens to involve the
mind of the age in its deceptions mysteries.
About the time the "Revelations" were closed,
a periodical advocating the new school, was
commenced. The principal editor, we believe,
was S. B. Brittan, formerly a Universalist preacher, who is now editor of the Spiritual Telegraph,
published in New York, and devoted exclusively
to spiritualism.




REVIEWED.              597
Thomas L. Harris, then pastor of a Universalist church in New York, resigned his charge and
went forth under the auspices of Mr. Davis, as
advocate of "Nature's Divine Revelations." Hie
made a tour through Ohio, where he so presented the subject of the "Revelations," and so exalted the "Medium" thereof as to secure a respectable number of friends to the cause. These
members of the group are named in this connection, for reasons that will hereafter be made
apparent.
Those who composed that Center, from which
has emerged so extensive a tide-the co-workers
in a new enterprise —the advocates of a Book, the
very culmination of all opposition to Theopneustic doctrines -the Bible and the religion of the
Cross -proceeded for a season comparatively harmonious. But a storm awaited them; the auroral light was changed into a dark and fearful
tempest, and when it burst upon them, it closed
the "Univerccelum" and sundered to fragments
the external germ of the new kingdom. Mr.
Davis abandoned the absolute authors of his
newly-formed being, his benefactors, those who
had shielded him in his tender age from the
withering blasts of the external world, and assumed an independent air, which he has since
most admirably maintained. Mr. Fishbough,
his amanuensis, and faithful friend, retired to his




698            SPIRITUALISM
private closet, sensibly wronged. Mr. Harris
commenced- lecturing in a Hall in New York, to
a company he denominated the "Independent
Christian Society." And Mr. Brittan assumed
the "professorship" of Psychology.
With fallen hopes and depressed spirits, these,
and others of the group equally as disappointed,
moved along without any especial aim, and with
severed sympathies.
The external nucleus being broken and scattered, and the severed parts having become considerably antagonistic to each other, the system
seemed to pause in a sort of disquieted, inefficient
state. Mr. Davis, as before indicated, was however laboring to establish himself an independent clairvoyant. Mr. Harris was seeking to
erect an opposite but independent "ism," under
his own name and jurisdiction, while Mr. Fishbough applied to nature and reason for the solution of the philosophic question so strangely propounded through Mr. Davis, and which had, as he
vainly supposed,been answered. Retired, and in
search of true wisdom he struggled ardently to
pierce the cloudy veil that encompassed the subject. Others not named, were also moving in
various sections, but without any very satisfactory results, when lo, the spirit of the system
burst from its smothered state in another and
unexpected form.




CHAPTER II.
ORIGIN OF MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
AT this time the Fox family, residing in
Hydesdale, N. Y., were being annoyed with "the
rappings."  The echo reached the city, where
the members of the old magnetic nucleus still
resided; but from their recent failure in the
works of the mysterious, those early advocates
of the premonitory manifestations were little
aroused, and perhaps less inclined to venture
upon the unexplored waters of the newly discovered sea.
Finally, not only Hydesdale was affected by
the strange visitant, but Rochester and Auburn,
N. Y., and Stratford, Conn., became the sounding-board of spiritualism.
At length the heart-stricken band, one by one
arose from their despondings, and paid their
homage to the manifestations. Not, however,
with united hearts, but in some instances with
strong personal prejudices. Their sectional prepossessions were so active that some of those
who composed the old coterie of the Poughkeepsie Seer, would not meet the Fox media in
company, or announce appointments before
their audiences for each other, without an apology, and even caution to the public.
599




COO0            REVIEWED.
Meanwhile the "Spiritual Telegraph" was
commenced by Charles Partridge of New York,
and the written productions of spiritualism began to multiply. The mania was spreading with
unprecedented rapidity, and taking a strong hold
upon the public mind, when the severed parts
of the circle which had once united around Mr.
Davis and his "Revelations," inclined to one
common centre again. Although each was desirous of retaining his sectional identity, they,
by a kind of intuition, began once more to blend
in one common effort.  Hence, though every
one was determined to erect his own temple,
they manifested a strong disposition to recline
upon each other as mutual supporters in their
conflict with the things that are.
Again, then, those who once joined hands
around -Mr. Davis, are seen mingling in one body. And now, although in their ramifications
their theories vary somewhat, they are evidently,
with the exception noticed, parts of a whole.
They radiate in different directions, but from the
same center receive the means of their reflections. And Mr. Davis is absolutely the main
pillar of this new spiritual edifice. The old
stock, therefore, the first supporters of "Nature's
Divine Revelations," are absolutely the center
components of the external manifestations, whence
issues the fountain of magnetic spiritualism.