The Evening Star THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 1873

Evening Star, Issue 3134, 6 March 1873, Page 2

The Evening Star THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 1873

It was very cool on the part- of the Eeverend Mr domnai., of Victoria, to condemn the Dunedin Press for “ not following the example of the ietorian Press in condemning Messrs Pi;inu,i;s and Dunx.” Perhaps that gentleman may he surprised to learn that one portion of the Dunedin Press, at least, considers that it is wise to refrain from following a bad example; and that the Victorian Press set a bad example in acting as is represented by him. So far as we are concerned, wc have abstained from discussing the subject of Spiritualism, on what we think well-considered grounds; few of which wc will state in self-justification, and foremost amongst them we place the rev. gentleman’s opinion as delivered at the Presbytery yesterday:—

Touching Spiritualism ho counselled that it was a subject best left alone, unless thoroughly understood. Doctors differed about it, and it was a question of physics and metaphysics. Professor Hex ley, in that most valuable lecture which he delivered in Edinburgh on “ The Physical Basis of Life, says :

Permit me to enforce this most wise advice. Why trouble ourselves about matters of winch, however important they may be, we do know nothing, and can know nothing? We live in a world which is full of misery and ignorance, and the plain duty of each and all of us is to try to make the little corner he can influence somewhat less miserable and somewhat less ignorant than it was before he entered }t.

In this opinion wo entirely concur, and it agrees with that reported lo have; been expressed by Mr CUimiHbr,. There are facts connected with so-called Spiritualism which are undeniable, and we accept them without pretending to pooh-pooh or account for them. Messrs and Di:nn profess to be able to explain them, and they have a perfect, rigid to give their version and the conclusions they draw from them. They go for what they are worth. Moreover we hold that they have au e<jual right to hoW meet jug* for worship

after their own fashion with the clergy of any denomination. Their doctrines may ho new and true, or new and false no matter the very strife of intellect h«\> a tendency to good. We are not at all afraid of the elVect of doubt on the human mind: it is (he sure forerunner of pro--■i-ess. Were (hero no douhMhore would be no investigation, no aspiration alter truth, no struggling of the spirit to tree itself from the trammels of ignorance and superstition. If. therefore, some traditional Spiritual theories an* attacked, it is for (hose who hold them to defend them ; not for us. for the daily Tress should be of no faith. It has to deal with social, not religious matters. It is. therefore, the duty of the Tress to act fairly towards all professions of faith; to uphold to the utmost religions liberty, which implies resisting every effort to crush free discussion ; and to point out the 'niong of any encroachment upon another s rights, no matter from what quarter Holding this high trust, we cannot allow ourselves to bo drawn into a controversy on mere matters of belief. With them we have nothing to do, until, as is too often the case, they lead their professors to attempt to encroach on others’ liberties. It then becomes our duty to speak, and we shall never shrink from it. We have often admired the straightforward independence and fairness of Galiio, when the Jews charged Taut. with persuading “men to worship God contrary to the law.” When as magistrate he heard the charge, he did not even trouble the accused to enter upon his defence. It was not for the civil magistrate to determine the right or wrong of points of faith, and his sound commonsense answer might well be applied, as a sufficient reply' to those who consider “the Tress” (by which we understand the journals of the day), should put down Messrs Tkhulks and Duxx If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you : but if it bo a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.

One oilier example of forbearance, mixed with si rone; belief, we will present to our clerical friends. Avhich they would do well to ponder in dealing with matters of this kind. There were Church Councils duringthe missionary tour of the Apostles, who dealt with them pretty much after the fashion, in spirit, of our clerical brethren with Messrs Pkkdlks and Dr NX and their followers. At one of those meetings of Council. Pktku and the other Apostles were charged with teaching doctrines, the tendency of which Avas to bring the charge of murder upon the High Priest and Council. The Apostles claimed the right to preach the doctrines they held, and in consequence the Council Avent so far as to consult upon sentencing them to death. Put there Avas one sensible man amongst them, “a Pharisee named Gaai ai.ii: r., a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people. His speech is reported, in a condensed form no doubt, by Lrkk, in Ads a'., do to d!). AVe need not quote his arguments, for avc are chiefly concerned Avitli his conclusion: —

Now, I say unto yon, refrain from these men, and let them alone : for if this counsel or this work he of men, it will come to nought : hut if it he of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply yc be found oven to fight against God. AA r e have reported Avhat Messrs Pi;hulks and Dr.NN preach, because avc consider it, right that the public should be in possession of Avhat is new: avc have abstained from comment because avc feel it no part of our duty to interfere Avitli other men’s faith ; avc IniA'e opened our columns to the discussion of Spiritualism l»y correspondents, and inserted such letters as contained a slioav of reason upon the subject ; and avc have accorded to -Messrs Pkkijlks and Dunn (he rigid of reply. Had avc followed the example of the Victorian Press, avc should have given a prominence to the doctrines they preach. Avhicb. in our judgment, they do not deserve ; and drawn attention to them to the neglect of subjects more intimately connected with our social well-being. Had the Victorian Press abstained from violent comment, avc are inclined to think the fame of Alossrs Pkkui.ks and Dunn Avould not have sulllced to have dnnvn monster audiences in Victoria and Kcav Zealand, and that they would have speedily returned to America as the more promising field for successful elTorl. AVe do not know anything for which those gentlemen ought to be more tbaukfid than for the abuse that Avas heaped upon them. It Avas a cheap advertisement.