< Sir,-As my first letter... (continued from page 10-121) >
In fact, the Theosophic Society appears to be seeking to revive Gnosticism. The pride of intellect shall find out God. Science shall supersede revelation. “Base mechanic,” stand aside: I am more learned than thou! It is riot so iii the Christian faith. From the Word of God we find that, the knowledge of God is often hid from the “wise and prudent” and “revealed unto babes.” And actual experience confirms this truth.
It is interesting to notice how far Mr. Farquhar was indebted to the Word of God for those truths which he so ably expounded. For instance, I might enlarge on those Scriptural titles, “Son of God” and “Son of Man.” Mr. Farquhar admits the possibility can union of the Divine and human in man; and surely no more than One can sum up in his own person the essential and the highest attributes of each.
Seeing, therefore, that knowledge of Divine things is derived, consciously or unconsciously, from the Hebrew Scriptures, I would earnestly recommend to the Theosophic Society a careful and prayerful perusal of the Old and New Testament writings. it Nevertheless, I remember the case of that king who, when bid go wash in Jordan, turned and word away in a rage. And may others, tempted perhaps on the first impulse to do likewise, afterward repent and receive all those blessings that are promised to those who will but exercise a humble faith.
October 22nd, 1879.
The Progress of Spiritualism in Germany
The controversy roused in Germany through the advent of Henry Slade is well illustrated by a few quotations, which I give below, from a Masonic paper, entitled Latomia, and published in Leipzic, that great emporium of science, which, through the labours of Professor Zollner and others, has become the centre of the coming struggle against the despotic rule of gross Materialism. In the number of August 15th, I find in the above-named semi-monthly publication, under the head of “Spiritualism,” the following remarks:—
“Materialism is more and more breaking down. Not alone that its chief apostle shows signs of conversion; certain phenomena, which admit of no explanation whatever after the universal world pattern of the Materialists, arc constantly taking the foreground, and—what is of particular importance—are enlisting in a growing measure the attention of the men of science. Materialism is ‘doctrinaire,’ like any other system claiming the exclusive power of beatification. This is shown clearly by observing that the adherents of Materialism, who lay such an extraordinary and decisive stress on facts, if you look at these closely, do not recognise any other facts than those they are able to explain, whilst everything surpassing their horizon they declare to be—humbug! As long as a learned man like Professor Zollner, of Leipzic, who has a high reputation as an explorer of nature and a skilled thinker, keeps within the bounds of matter-adoring Materialism, he is their man; hut as soon as the same trustworthy experimenter, who indeed ought to be competent to judge what is a fact and what is not, is led by certain phenomena to overstep the one-sided standpoint of Empiricism and Atomism, and declares the world to be more than mere mechanism, then the Materialists proclaim that the domain of the true and the real takes its end, and that of error, or at least imagination, begins.
“Such phenomena and. facts, however, curiously enough at present, rouse an inconvenient opposition to Materialism within the very camp of. the naturalists themselves.
“All the experiments Professor Zollner has made with the assistance of the American Slade, and mostly in the presence of other scientists, were not ' instituted in the dark or twilight, but in broad daylight, so nothing has been neglected to authenticate them as facts. Besides this, the well-known prestidigitator Bellachini has publicly pronounced Slade’s art to be one specifically different from his own, and surpassing the domain of jugglery.”
Here follows a short mention of Zollner’s theory of a fourth dimension of space, in explanation of the facts established by him, whereupon our author continues:—
“Moreover our explorer has made his experiments on a perfectly realistic basis. He carefully avoids any reference to theology, any curiosity in regard to the conditions of a hereafter, any inquiry into the connection between disembodied and living earthly existences, any attempt at procuring proofs of the immortality of the soul, or a future compensation. What he gives us is, as we said, mere facts, and a theory based on these; he only demands that those be examined arid their explanation be attempted.
“Even if this (Zollner’s) theory should not be found tenable, much is already established: That we cannot remain satisfied with the habitual, one-sided mechanical world theory, and that the natural phenomena have to he referred to some high creative cause.
“If this be so, however, it proves the great importance of Spiritualism and medial experiments. Ever progressing investigation will succeed in making ever enlarged use of the observed, facts, and deep effects will result therefrom to our religious and moral interests.”
I have thought it worth while to bring these Sensible remarks of a German periodical devoted to a particular interest to the notice of American readers, as they show how the little spiritual spark, which thirty years ago flew from these shores over the Atlantic, soon to he smothered by the elaborate apparatus of scientific Materialism, has at last been reblown into life and action, and is promising to kindle a blazing flame which will work the destruction of the matter-adoring fabric, and serve as a beacon to a great truth-loving and truth-seeking nation.—Religio-Philosophical Journal.
Brooklyn, September, 1879.
Form Manifestations
Sir,—In my recent letter my object was to show why the weighing machine had no logical relation to spirit materialisations, and I only incidentally said that it would be desirable if two sceptical observers like Mr. Massey and Mr. Joad could corroborate from their experience the evidence of Mr. Blackburn.
I am sorry Mr. Blackburn should mistake my meaning, which simply was that in these obscure subjects three witnesses are at least three times as good as one witness.
For myself I have had about fifteen opportunities of testing form manifestation, and in no instance has the supposed spiritform differed from the medium except in appearance, I believe in materialisation, because I have seen and felt such hands in the presence of Home, the Davenport Brothers, Dotty Fowler, and many others; and if hands can be formed, why should the entire, body not be formed?
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Editor's notes
Sources
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London Spiritualist, No. 375, October 31, 1879, p. 209
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London Spiritualist, No. 377, November 14, 1879, p. 232