 |
vol. title: vol. period: 1879-1880 pages in vol.: 577 |
< Religious Tolerance Advanced by Spiritualism (continued from page 10-555) >
And if we turn back to ancient times, even to ancient Spiritualism, where is tolerance to be found? I mean tolerance in religious questions. We all remember, as an example in a contrary sense, how Elijah, after an immense spiritualistic success, that would probably have made him generous under ordinary circumstances, turned on those whom he had worsted in a purely spiritualistic conflict, and slew them all—four hundred and fifty of them. But how, all red handed as he was, he forthwith escaped and hid himself, when he heard that a like punishment awaited himself through the natural vengeance of an indignant woman. If it be true that his Spirit and John the Baptist’s was the same, and that there exists a lex talionis, an eternal law of requital, who can wonder that, in his new earth life he also should be slaughtered at last, notwithstanding his former escape, through the vengeance of a woman. Is it not also written: “They that take the sword shall perish with the sword.”
Under a greater and later dispensation, a higher moral standard was erected. On its generous banner was displayed the new and self-sacrificing motto: “Love your enemies.” Nevertheless, in theological questions, and in these alone, perhaps, the old teaching was retained, fully retained. Difference of religious opinion still admitted of no compromise, and was still taught as sufficient cause, not only for the separation of individuals, but as a stringent motive for the severance of the dearest family ties. Nor need I point to the calamities which the odium theologicum has ever since brought upon a suffering world, calamities national, social, and domestic; nor how that, up to a late date, it has been mixed up with, if not the source of, almost every war.
As a contrast to all this I gave in my paper of July, a fine example of modern tolerance on religious questions as taught by a spirit. And I would here add another, and this, indeed, from the very fountain of our practical, rational, and, in this matter, entirely original faith.
It would be impossible for me to give due weight to the object of this article without alluding—and my object must be the excuse for alluding—to a great privilege that has been accorded to me. It has been my good fortune to have lately acquired the personal acquaintance of one whom all good Spiritualists must of necessity honour, of that most estimable lady to whom a good Providence gave back in modern times to Christian people, the lost key of communion between the two worlds, which had been forfeited by men’s unworthiness, or cast aside by the prejudices and materialism of professed civilisation; a gift rendered far more important since the knowledge of the Copernican system; for the present is the first especial spiritual influx since that great discovery which opened our eyes to so many new secrets of nature, and to the infinity of the Universe, together with infinite possibilities to mankind. Personally, I know of no event of my life that I regard more thankfully than the honour of having been brought face to face with one so highly favoured.
What had civilisation lost until thirty-two years back? Go where we will—East, West, North or South—communion between the two worlds, through mediums, is the normal status of mankind, not only among the aborigines of America, but of Africa, Australia, and New Zealand; while the Hindoos and four or five hundred million Buddhists are all Spiritualists. Our own Scriptures, that civilisation professes to believe, are Spiritualism from the beginning to the end. The Old Testament commences with accounts of special communion between the two worlds, so does the New. Moses, one of the most powerful of mediums, seems to have put down mediumship in others in order, by good policy, to keep it in his own strong hands. But Spiritualism was always a part of the Jewish religion. Saul only went to the Witch of Endor, because on this occasion his orthodox mediums answered him “Neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets,” as they had hitherto been accustomed to answer him.
The invocation of Moses himself, (who had put down mediumship) at the transfiguration by Jesus, their exemplar, surely makes mediumship the right of all Christian people. Well, was it, then, that in due time, mediumship exercised by the Apostles, but which was hidden from such wisdom as is found in immature science, and such prudence as is characteristic of suppressive theology, should be again revealed to one who, if not a babe, was of that very same mystic age of early adolescence in which Jesus himself first entered the Temple to teach neglected truths which filled the world with wonders, although the world itself had suppressed them. No, the Revelation through a babe by medial handwriting, was reserved six years ago, for her first born infant son, now and then so worthy of the deeply earnest maternal love and solicitude of which he and his brother are the fortunate recipients.
<... continues on page 10-557 >