Spiritualism in Extremis.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1828, 8 August 1906, Page 3

Spiritualism in Extremis.

(To Uic Editor Gisborne Times.) i fc'm —I have always regarded Mr Macktell as a vary amiublo gentleman, arid have respected him noaordiugly. I respect him still, but deeply regret that ho should have mado such a sorry exhibition of spleen and bitterness as is instanced by Lna queer, iu* coherent, and somewhat by.- ter cal effusion of yesterday. My friend has lost hts temper, which is a pi y. I p iss by his boast about the obstinate characteristicof Mackrell, his wanton taunts about .1 0 heap advertisements," a parade of “soil.” etc all of which are undignified, and altoBother unworthy of my friend, as bordering closely on the scurrilous. May I respictfu lly remind Mr Mackrell that unfounded abuse is net argument, nor is abuse argu-

motit in liny sense. Mr Maokcell says that I h.ivo " given no Bible pvoof against spiritualism.” My friend ought (o know bettor, nr perhaps his niomory is defective, for bo hoard mo givo diroot liiblo proofs ngninst spiritualism in a leoturo dolivorod in tbo Theatre Royal last winter. flow* ovor, I reproduce juat two or three lur bis special delectation, which can bo backed up by many others. " Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither nook after wizirds, to In iLlilod by them, for i am the Lord your God.” (Lev. It* hi ) 11 Thoro shall not bo found among you any nno that makoth Ilia son or bia daughter to pa-u through the fire, or that usoth divination, or an observer of times, or an oiic.bnnter, or a witch, or a ohariucr, or a oousintor with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a ncoro™ manoor, for all that do theso things uro an abomination unto tbo Lord, aud ho cause of these ab 'initiations the Lord thy God doth diivo thorn out from before theo.” (Dout, 18 10,11, 13.) . Does Mr Maektell require any moro ? if bo, I can supply him with much moro ; but, in tbo meanwhile, how does tbo foregoing chime in with his '‘ideas'?" Rut my friond diops the immediate point of issuo, and with the view of "testing” my Biblical knowledge, hey, pronto Ihe tlits away hack to creation, and arks two questions that any intelligent schoolboy could roadily answor, and ho enjoins this strict ootidß tion, 11 Bible proof only accept 'd.” Bo ho it; the Biblo can always justify RaMf, which is infmi'oly moro than spiritualism oiu do. To " tho law and tho testimony then, Tbo liiyt question is, 1 Lau ho (meaning myself) prove that Adam and Eve wore tho first created? Tuki Gen, Ist—27, 28, then take Gen. 2—ll, anil tell us the space of lime after God rost 'd on tbo seventh day, and when Ho made Adam and Eve ?'' Answer : 1 prove that Ada ill

and live worn lht> first created by tbo fut--1 o *v r i"? lj script ui tvl st itoin on ts; —" Hut lorn t!io beginning 01 tbs creation G f d mudo them m.'ilo mid female.” (Mailt, 10 0 c imp. with Gan. 1—27 and 5- 2 ) ' And ho it is wvitton, The (list unto Adiun was made a living eon! " (Ist Car, lu 4o ) Mr Mackiflictn have more on ibis if ho likrs. W t'J iv gat'd to God resting on the seventh day, Ho did nut literally tea'; tho original Idt:bio>v toim translated " rusted” s’c Da 11 ceased,” that is, stiiotly ucoord-

Cj tho original, erased from Ilia ureativo acts, It liioreKra follows that thero was no "sp-.cs of timo " boiwcon tha sovr.n'h d jy and the creation of Adam and Eve, for tho very sues autial reason th it tnov svera created on the six'll day, and this involves tho ground qutsiiou, viz, ■* Whon, where, and how d.d in an receive an immo: lal sou 1 ” Answer: As to whou, on tho sixth day (Gon. 1, 26 to end); ns to where, i i Eden (Q n. 11, S) ; as to bow, '* And tho LoM God formed man of tho dust of tho g ound, and breathed into his nostrils tne breath of life, and man In came a living to il ” (Gon, 11, 7). I vvil not piy back Mr Mack oil’s insult of bring "Tleuse," but his knowledge of the Gears s cosmogony must be lamentably d.-fieioM, or ho would know that tho second ohapter is but a more ful-y detailed review of what is categorically stated in the first chapter as to the order of creation, and not a s.paiaie, indepoudent account as he seems to think. Alas! for tho inisooncoplious of sceptioism ! But what in tho world has all this got to do with spiritualism ? If my friend wishes to oontiuuo tho discussion, I hope ho will draw no more red herrings acros3 '.ho trad, yot, a'tbnugh spiritualism oha r gi3 proity smart y for its "divinations," I am wiliiog to give him a few more Bible icsons gratis, should he eo desiro. —I am, etc,

D. PARKY-

|Wo hope our correspondents will observe reasonable brevity in this discussion, and spare our spice by tnirely giving references to biblical tests instead cf quoting them in full.—En. G.T i