SPIRITUALISTIC SOCIETY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 260, 30 July 1919, Page 5

SPIRITUALISTIC SOCIETY

I Mr. J. - Manuel Kitto, of Melbourne, gave an address under the auspices of the Wellington Spiritualistic Society to a fair audience in the New Century Hall, Kent Terrace, on Sunday night. The speaker's subject was "The Evolution of Religion."- Mr. Kitto said that if . one studied the past history of the earth, the crude, barbaric art of savages, and more especially "folk-lore," one would begin to understand how some of these customs still survive in religious ceremonies. For instance, among Australian aborigines and all coloured races throughout the world, numerous and elaborate ceremonies were found. He spoke of Indians and other natives ■ offering blood sacrinces to their gods, and quoted several passages from the Bible to show that the Jewish people did likewise. "Totem" worship was mentioned, and other forms of idolatry, fie pointed out that Christians did not worship the Image," but the living Christ behind the Image on the Cross. The same was true of the savages-they did not worship the Idol, put the living God behind the Idol. Religion did not evolve through fear among the savages, but. teachers wero sent to the earliest race of man, and God 'had continued to send saviours and teachers right down to the present day.