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vol. title: vol. period: 1882 pages in vol.: 174 |
LIGHT.
November 11, 1882.
< “The Perfect Way” and its Critics. (continued from page 14-64) >
gratuitously made against us by various “critics” may have been devised with the view of testing our patience. If this be indeed the case, the ordeal has surely been severe enough, and may be regarded as complete. It is incomprehensible to us why a book so plainly, clearly, and lucidly written as “The Perfect Way,”—a book differing so entirely from the mass of mystic literature, by its freedom from obscure and ambiguous expressions—should be, in good faith, so persistently misunderstood and mis-quoted.
* Several of your correspondents mistake the title of our book, and call it “The Perfec Way to the Finding of Christ.”
We had hoped ere this to be in a position to make some definite announcement as to our plans and intentions for the coming year. We trust that the generosity of our friends will enable us to do so next week. We are ready to give our own services, with no other reward than that which comes of the satisfaction of performing a good and useful work; and we earnestly hope that our efforts will be cheerfully seconded by all who value “Light” and can afford to contribute towards its sustentation. It would be a sad pity if, now that we are so near to the attainment of our purpose, it had after all to be abandoned. More than three-fourths of what is required has already been subscribed; and we respectfully invite our friends to supply the deficiency without delay.[3]
Remittances should be sent to Mr. Edward T. Bennett, 4, New Bridge-street, Ludgate-circus, E.C.
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LIGHT.
November 4, 1882.
TEACHINGS OF “THE PERFECT WAY.”
To the Editor of “Light.”
Sir,—As an admirer of “The Perfect Way,” though not a disciple of its teachings, will you allow me to say a few words? Having understood that the writers of this remarkable book said in their lectures that St. Paul was in the astral, a state they much condemn, I am somewhat surprised to read in their letter of the 23rd September, a quotation from this Apostle. Now that they have taken St. Paul’s words in defence, I would ask what answer they can give to the following, which is not at all in harmony with the teachings of their book:—
“Now 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 lies in hypocrisy, having their consciences seared as with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.—St. Paul to Timothy, 1 Ep. iv. 1-4.
“Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake, and thine often infirmities.”—St. Paul to Timothy, v. 23.
I believe St. Paul to have been a true servant of Jesus Christ, and a receiver of the esoteric mysteries. There are no higher teachings to my mind than those of Jesus Christ, and until a gospel is preached or revealed from the lips of a living Spirit upon this earth who is able to move amongst men, and perform the same miracles as our Saviour, I prefer to accept the Gospels as they are now. But I desire to seek the highest truth, and follow the purest life to attain it.
There is no direct evidence amongst the various races or sects of the earth that abstinence from flesh elevates the moral character or ennobles the life generally, though it may be the case in exceptional instances. Travellers testify that some abstainers from flesh are often addicted to the most degrading vices. Wherever Christianity has spread—the religion destined to fill the whole world—though accompanied often with bloodshed, it has carried with it a higher tone of life and morality, and at the same time ennobled woman. This, certainly, has not been done through abstinence from flesh. If, in eating flesh, we rebel against God, how is it that He has showered His love upon this favoured nation? Like the Israelites of old, wherever we go we conquer, and to this day the English are the beloved and honoured of the earth.
The Gospels teach us that it matters not what we eat or what we drink, so long as we are temperate, keep our bodies in subjection, and do all to the glory of God.—I am, Sir, yours faithfully,
Croydon, October 25th, 1882.
To the Editor of “Light.”
Sir,—I have not read this book, but judging from your columns I should imagine that it contains some startling doctrines and is being pretty well advertised.
Mr. Tommy, who speaks of it as “that wonderful book,” gives in your last issue an insight into its teachings. I quote his words:—
“One of these teachings is the doctrine of the annihilation of the greater portion of the human race, it being distinctly taught that ‘few shall be saved from that fate.’”
Certainly if this is a specimen of the contents of “The Perfect Way,” Mr. Tommy may well call it “a wonderful book.” With all respect to the authors, their ability, and their good motives, I boldly assert that if this is a correct indication of its teachings it is not worth the paper it is written on. Anything more opposed to twenty years of Spirit revelations, in all parts of the world, I have never heard. I do not believe such a doctrine for a moment—at least not upon the ipse dixit of anonymous writers. It is said that in the book it is “distinctly taught that few shall be saved from that fate.” I ask, by whom is it “distinctly taught”—where and when? If it is “distinctly taught” by the authors of the “The Perfect Way” it is worth no more than their individual and unsupported opinion. Do they give any proof of their teachings? If not, of what value are they? All our notions of Divine justice and mercy, all the experience of the highest and purest of Spirits from the other world, are distinctly opposed to such doctrines, and for writers to launch fresh doctrines upon the world, for which they have not a shadow of proof, but which they give forth with all the assumed weight of a Divine revelation, is, to my mind, pernicious in the extreme. No man has the right to unsettle the minds of others by starting vague and baseless theories for which he can give no proof. Perhaps the authors of “The Perfect Way” may claim to have received their credentials from high and pure Spirits, and as likely as not they may be the dupes of Spirits who, like themselves, love to nurse speculative fancies and are attracted to those who cherish similar proclivities, and love to pose before the world as the apostles of something which is more novel and startling than true.
The wildest, most extravagant, and most monstrous doctrines have been taught, and will continue to be taught, by Spirits with morbid tendencies of mind, if they can find a sufficiently credulous circle of listeners to accept their teachings. We are told to judge of the value of all Spirit teachings upon their merits, as they appeal to our sense of right, and not bow down to any authority whatever professing to have the seal of Spirit affixed to it. Who are the Spirits, and what are their credentials? They may have good intentions and yet be no more competent to be leaders of men and teachers of new truths than any man in Bedlam who broods over his crazy fancies. For these reasons I reject in toto the doctrines taught by the writers of “The Perfect Way,” if Mr. Tommy’s extract is a specimen, unless and until they produce their credentials; and even if they can prove that they have obtained these as a revelation to a specially select circle of pure-minded Spiritualists, I should not attach the slightest importance to them unless they were confirmed spontaneously by equally high revelations through other mediums.
What is wanted in order to obtain truth is that the minds of the investigators should be perfectly unbiassed. Given a small knot of Spiritualists, one of whom has a craze, and who succeeds in impressing the others with his views, and let these people sit for Spirit communion, and I venture to think they will get Spirit messages without number in support of their wildest theories. Everyone who has had much experience of Spiritualism must know that this is so. A circle of believers in Re-Incarnation will get nothing but communications favouring their own pet ideas, and so will believers in the doctrines of “correspondence.” I have seen this again and again. Every communication is tinged and warped by the mental bias of the sitters; and such persons, instead of being the fit recipients of a new Divine revelation to mankind, are, in my humble opinion, the last persons I should trust for the truth.
October 30th, 1882.
Editor's notes
- ↑ The footnote text is restored from Light, v. 2, No. 97, November 11, 1882, p. 510, PDF page 10.
- ↑ [Partly covered printed text] by unknown author, Light, v. 2, No. 97, November 11, 1882; partly covered fragment of “Light Sustentation Fund”. Printed source page: 510; only the narrow right-hand background strip is visible.
- ↑ The partly covered fragment is identified with “Light Sustentation Fund,” Light, v. 2, No. 97, November 11, 1882, p. 510 (PDF page 10). Covered words and identifiable table rows are restored from that issue; the surviving letters and figures remain unmarked. The further covered extent of the cutting is uncertain and is not supplemented with the remainder of the newspaper page.
- ↑ Teachings of “The Perfect Way.” by unknown author (signed as R. J. S.), Light, v. 2, No. 96, November 4, 1882. Printed source page: 493.
- ↑ Sir,—I have not read this book… by unknown author (signed as The Author of “Life Beyond the Grave”), Light, v. 2, No. 96, November 4, 1882. Printed source page: 493.
- ↑ [Four caricatured men] by unknown author, Uncaptioned illustration; descriptive title supplied for indexing
Sources
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Light, v. 2, No. 97, November 11, 1882, p. 510
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Light, v. 2, No. 96, November 4, 1882, p. 493
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A Warning — Punch, vol. 83, 7 October 1882, p. 165. Universitätsbibliothek Heidelberg / Punch (83.1882) / p. 165.
