SOCIETY FOR INVESTIGATING SPIRITUALISM.

Evening Star, Issue 2968, 23 August 1872, Page 2

SOCIETY FOR INVESTIGATING SPIRITUALISM.

Mr William Christie delivered an essay in the Athenaeum hall last evening, under the auspices of the above Society, on “Spirit Communion—not Spiritualism—as a fact of history.” Mr Redmayneoccupied the chair; and there was a numerous attendance.

The essayist limited himself to the consideration of the lesson suggested by history generally, and the history of the Jews in particular, and remarked that it was essential to the proper introduction of the subject to understand what was taught by history, for if it could be shown that there was found among mankind a trust nearly universal in spiritual aspirations and spiritual influences, more or less imperfectly felt and understood, Evidence of a circumstantial nature was at once presented, that impressed one with the conviction that spiritual communion was not only possible, but highly probable. But by spirit communion, he did not mean Spiritualism. Whathe would endeavor to show was simply that spirit communion was afact of history. He had looked in vain for the history of any race of people who havenot at times lived in thought both in this world and another. The natural longing of the human breast appeared to urge forward onr thoughts beyond the material elements in which we ai e bound, enabling us to discern or imagine that we discern a link still binding us to friends in the spirit, after their mortal forma have fulfilled their destined task. Was not all history—works professedly fiction he spoke not of—filled with narratives telling of appa ritions and a return of the manes of the departed ? Whether they went to the savage or the civilised man, whether they studied either or both iii ancient or modern times, the history of nations down to the present date abounded w}th such narratives, exhibiting a belief, more or less distinctly recognised, that although visibly separated by the materials of our present condition, some incomprehensible link still remained unbroken that spanned and bridged all worlds. This trust in a mysterious reciprocity of spirit influence was seemingly part of man’s nature, growing with him and gaining strength as he gained years. If Nature taught so. she taught mqre—for she had not left them without an earnest of its truth. It was the interchange of impression between man and higher celestial influences, which was the best support of our best hopes on earth. There "could be no vitality in that religion which would shut out as an impossibility such hopes and such experience. Thousands, nay millions, might lay claim to being the only vitalized church upon earth because they felt the power of spirit communion in their midst, and although they were not all yet of one accord upon some other doctrinal matters, there was a growing fusion out of confusion of thought noticeable, which might speedily terminate in a perfect union of interests upon some spiritual basis. That was one of the signs of the present day. That the entire history' of the world did not support his argument he was free to admit. There was no rule without its exception, and more during tne first fifty years of this century than at any period before or since had this exception to a universaal faith received sad confirmation. After dealing with Jewish history, Jewish and Christian records of miracles, dreams, and witchcraft, he argued that it was undeniable that spirit communion was as much a fact of history as any other reputed fact in history. Spirit communion, which, he said, was a part of modern Spiritualism, which, as a fact of history, he was willing to accept; but he could not sec how the new philosophy, covering as it did so vast a field, would hold together. If there ever was a time when spirits held converse with men, it was very clear that what happened once might occur again. It was as much a fact as any other in history that spirits, good and bad, did communicate with men.

At the close of the essay, a vote qf thanks to Mr Christie was moved by Mr Carrick and carried by acclamation.