Spiritualism and its “Test”

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1829, 9 August 1906, Page 3

Spiritualism and its “ Test”

(To the Editor Gisborne Times.) Sir, —In bis reply of yesterday, your correspondent “ Mot a_ Spiritualist,” but partially deals with one or two important particulars, as to my “ reasons and proofs” for rejecting Spiritism, his replies to the first, failing, apparently to recognise its secti'iial value as part of a whole ; taken by itself it would, of course, be fallacious. The second, which embraces what is not included in the first, he puts aside by the easy method of merely expressing a doubt, and he absolutely dismisses the third, to which the other two #rp subsidiary, op the plea that die does ppt desire 'to draw the • name q£ the Deity lightly into this discussion,'' and yet, Spiritualism does not hesitate to “•lightly” parade the name of the Deity, even while it denies the truth of what the Deity reveals 1 My unknown, friend is somewhat disingenuous in this matter. If he desires to “evoke discussion,” why not frankly and fairly deal with the coucrate significance of whatever may be advanced'.’ gpntlpmtpi plays a varying tjcPFpoa lory tunc on the word if dogmatic,” which he himself unwittingly illustrates by the __ most determined dogmatism, ergo, lie will have nothing of the Bible, is not that dogmatic'.’ lie will only listen to what “ science ” can say about what is said 1,0 be spiritual, and, to my mind, that represents both dogmatism and ; bigotry in their-most ' obstinate forms. If any man u/taii prdvC the Bible’ to be a false record as ~ ‘the revelation of Deity and' an onibodiipent of the laws' of life, I, too, will discard it. But until then, which will be never, I give if the supreme position of authority, in relation to it'll lito. temp ful auci spiritual, and from it there is no appeal. I have an “ open " mind both for tbe Bible and spipnee, while your corro=>pondent will repjjgpise only science. Which of the two iB dogma’.io 2 ’ Then, agaiD, be deolinep jiO substantiate his sjatfmsrj as to fee 11 ntifectly. retgonabl; m.inuejr ” Jn or by wnioh Christianity and Spiritualism may }jq reconciled, and fences the question by

roforring to tho difficulty of doing s.i in n sieglo scutonoe. A gentleman of his in toll'genoo should havo promptly understood lhat as r fonieg to a r. prcsrntntivo ssntenor. and not to an onhvgod espcaiti m. But can Spiritualism produce any rnlatged exposition that e-ui reasonably and authoritatively reconcile it with Christianity It certainly cannot, and hero, let mo repent, tho man mvor livid, and never

wi'l Jrvo who could do it, as I conclusively proved in my former letter. 0 rntrary to my friend's idea, fcm givo tho tenets of my " particular ceo 1 ” in ono rrproci’tGa<ivo m mono", as thus : Aetr. 2, lid. Your correspondent avers that 1 " dogma ire onco more ” in stating that • scionoo cm only deal with visible materialism-*,’' end ■is as an implied contradiction be refers to 1 gases, i thrr, light, ohetri city, and tho assumed composition of iho hsuvordy bodies.” At tho ridr cf again incurring tho terrible charge of " dog

matimr," lot mo ndvanco tho soioiitifio axii m that " tho eUYois of matter are parts of itself,” Gases cf all kinds aro stored in matter, nud gauoratod by it, and represent 11 viaib'e ma'crialisms ” in tb ir most iV-tonuatod and volatile forms, as steam is but water vapourised. E her, tho tin inparent, eelrrloss, “ l qu'd ' uppo , ai-', fihiug all spaoo as tho puross a-d most vobrtilo of all known elem-.-nts, is a high y-refinod mat ri-disin, light emanati s from matter, and acts upon it, and in bosh itr uatui'o and rfftOts is an olctnont associated with “ visible mateiialisms,” Tho smw npphos to electricity, and whether tho boaveoly bodies be giscons or solid,

Ivy are “ vi-iblc materialisms ” that pa'ienuy inve-tigating .-en noo can at least praosioailv ri-aeh. All tins is net 1 dogmatism." but is substantiated bv sobnuie data proven by sc ontific masters, Unless my friend raises any further issues in regard lo the foregoing, which constitutes a m cessarily brief summary, I will deal, later on, with tho so-called “tests” of spiritualism.—Yours, etc,

D. PARRY