Evidences of Man's Immortality

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 126, 9 April 1885, Page 2

Evidences of Man's Immortality

The lecture given on the above subject by Mr T. B. Walton in the Forester's Hall on Sunday evening last was well attended. The audience, too, of whom about one half were ladies, was a very appreciative one, aud listened with profound interest to the lecture, which was an able one, and had evidently been very carefully prepared. . " Mr Walton commenced by stating the possibility and the importance of man knowing that he is immortal. He, asked - .','Muqt x>ur future, ever remain a mystery to us ?" which he held need not be the case. The attempts of orthodoxy to prove immortality had proved abortive, and something more solid and satisfactory was wanted to answer the question, "If a man die, shall he live again ?" The lecturer referred t» the ancient legends on the subject of the future, from which had arisen the heathen mythology. To the Hindoo must be attributed the source of the present theology or teaching as to future existence. Vague though these ideas were, they were not utterly devoid of truth. Hindooism gave 14 different spheres in the spirit -world, which the lecturor described in detail. Indian mythology reached Egypt, where it assumed various phases, a prominent one amongst which was communion with spirits and gods, which the lecturer individually described. The teachings of certain emperors, sages, philosophers, poets, &c, as to spirit life and communion were referred, to. What was, however, then only beiiyved, was now being realised as fact. Man, by nature of his immortality, must entertain a desire to revisit the earthly state. Assertion, without facts, was of no avail ; and now, thanks to the great advance of science, we weru no longer le~ft in doubt as to those great matters which most of all concerned us. The world could only produce two kinds of thinkers — materialists and spiritualists. In describiug what spiritualism was, the lecturer said it was not table rapping, as somu persons erroneously supposed. Spiritualism was bound up, and formed a part of all the legends, myths; and faiths of the world. As now developed, realised, and taught, it was not explicable by any of the ordinary and acknowledged laws of nature. Certain phenomena referred to by the lecturer were, however, he said only to be accounted for by the presence and power of real living intelligences. Theories and objections might be raised by the score, but spiritualism was prepared to upset them all, and do it honorably. Some of the popular objections to spiritualism, such as electricity, magnetism, deception, hallucination, &c, were all separately dealt with by the lecturer, who conoluded by describing the utility and practical and moral effects of the teaching of spiritualism. The audience showed their appreciation of the lecture by hearty applause, and a vote of thanks to Mr Walton, the lecturer.