HPB-SB-4-234: Difference between revisions

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  | author = One of the Five Hundred
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  | source title = London Spiritualist
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  | source details = No. 288, March 1, 1878, pp. 105-6
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  | publication date = 1878-03-01
  | original date =1878-02-25
  | original date =1878-02-25
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I cannot resist the impression ...
I cannot resist the impression ...


...
{{Style S-Small capitals|Sir}},—I cannot resist the impression that at this most important and critical juncture of occult and theosophical debate, there must be many, with ''myself, ''who are not able, by practical inductive means, to solve the points at issue, namely, those of the existence and power of elementary beings, the conditional immortality of humanity, and the wonder-working demonstrations of the human will-power on the ''Akasa, ''of which we read so much. These things I can by no means verify or see, although favoured with the constant assistance of one of the most highly and sensitively developed psychics in Europe. I, therefore, perhaps shall be pardoned by the many more highly developed advocates of this new and popular phase of the movement, if I give one word of advice and comfort to still the torrent of doubt and anxiety pervading the minds of many otherwise good, simple, pure Spiritualists. Before the improved ''(sic.) ''Spirittualism, “Occultism,’’ sprang up, with, to the majority of ordinary truth-seekers, its legion of undemonstrable facts, and unproven theories, the life and teaching of that perhaps best abused of men, that truly inspired writer, Andrew Jackson Davis, the “Poughkeepsie Seer,’’ were believed and accepted as being all-sufficient for the needs or even wants of harmonial philosophers, the majority of whom, judging from appearances, must, I should think, have “left their first love.” Let not such be the case with those, however, who, still possess a gleam or spark, even though a fading one, of faith in the grand incontestable, uncontrovertible, truths of our inherited immortal birth-right, so magnificently proved in that masterpiece of the seer’s early writings, the third part of ''The Thinker, ''fifth volume of ''The Great'' ''Harmonia, ''“The Law of Immortality.” After that they can well afford, with all due respect, to leave ''Isis Unveiled, Ghostland, ''and even ''Art Magic, ''to minds so constituted as to seek shadows “people often read about, but very seldom see.” They will not, it is to be hoped, let the substance and truth of the whole matter slip through their fingers and their brains.
 
{{Style P-Signature in capitals|One of the “Five Hundred.”}}
 
8, Northumberland-place, Bath, Feb. 25th, 1878.


{{Style P-Signature in capitals|One of the “Five Hundred.”}}
{{Style P-Signature in capitals|One of the “Five Hundred.”}}
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  | author = Ellis, Theodor
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  | source title =
  | source title = London Spiritualist
  | source details =
  | source details = No. 288, March 1, 1878, p. 106
  | publication date =
  | publication date = 1878-03-01
  | original date =1875-02-23
  | original date =1875-02-23
  | notes =
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{{Style S-Small capitals|Sir}},—In your impression of the 15th February there appears an article by Miss Kislingbury, in which she expresses her conviction that certain phenomena were produced by her “will-power.” I am afraid that she is under a misapprehension. As she did not resort to the aid of clairvoyance in testing the origin of the manifestations to which she alludes, she can scarcely be considered authorised to utter an advanced opinion on the subject.
 
With the assistance of a very developed clairvoyant, I have carefully investigated phenomena which were assumed to be the results of “willpower,” and in every case I discovered that a disembodied spirit, who could be clearly identified, was present and co-operating with the performers, influenced their wills without their being aware of it, accomplished the purpose which was intended, and inspired their minds with ideas which were superficially supposed to be the product of their own powers of thought.
 
Miss Kislingbury thinks that Theosophy was needed to explain the mysteries and difficulties of Spiritualism. If so, the new system has been very unsuccessful in its mission; it has produced as much confusion and nonsense as it has dispersed.
 
In preference to Theosophy, I would recommend, in its highest and simplest acceptation, Christianity; which, if devoutly tried, will prove to be an invaluable guide through every puzzling problem which Spiritualism can possibly raise.
 
{{Style P-Signature in capitals|Theodore Ellis.}}
 
Lambeth, Feb. 23rd, 1875.




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<gallery widths=300px heights=300px>
london_spiritualist_n.288_1878-03-01.pdf|page=11|London Spiritualist, No. 288, March 1, 1878, pp. 105-6
london_spiritualist_n.288_1878-03-01.pdf|page=12|London Spiritualist, No. 288, March 1, 1878, p. 106
</gallery>