MATERIANISM v. SPIRITUALISM.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 3633, 18 August 1880, Page 2

MATERIANISM v. SPIRITUALISM.

(To the Editor of the Brening Star.)

Sib,—There is now a great deal said and written about Materialism and Spiritualiim; would yon allow me to make a few remarks on those subjects through the Stab. Materialism is that which relates to the bodj and this world, and this life; Spiritualism is that which relates to the soul and the inrisible world and' a future life. There are many believers in Materialism, and only a few in Spiritualism, although the Christian religion is essentially a spiritual religion ; and it is in this that it excels. It is not so much what takes place outwardly that is recognised as what takes place withm ; it is the inward life which is the real life, for fftkt we are' dutwardly 'is rery deceiring; it is possible to be a murderer or an adulterer in a spiritual sense when the outward action is not com* mitted, because they are done in the spirit or soul. We hare domestic social, and national ills that never can ,be cured without commencing with the inward life. We are all too much inclined to look at man, what he is, outwardly, what riches, honour, or outward possessions he has. The glitter attending with those outward appendages tends to blind us as to the real man. When we talk of a sucdessful man, we mean the man that has succeeded in getting riches. If he dies rich) then he has been successful. If he dies poor, then his life has been a failure. Tina is all for want of seeing i things in the true light. We all know a man may be poor, with regard to worldly good, and yet be rich in spirit; and he may have a dirty, filthy soul and miserable, and be rich in worldly goods. When men are rich in intelligence, goodness, truth, and love, they ought to be looked upon as the great ones of the earth, for they really are the aristocracy, and if we hare to bow to any they are the ones we ought to honor. The old aristooracy, that never did anything useful in their lives but live in luxury and keep their servants at starvation point, we cannot respect from our hearts; and; many of them profess a religion that*

teaches that God is oar eommoa - parent and we are: all brethrenr What sort of brothers are those that would allow their fellow-man to starve when they are squandering millions of money ? What poor souk they mutt hare with regard to lore and kindness. Bat. those are the men that dazzle the world, and so many are wanting; to be as they are, when in the true sense they are miserable and poor and blind and naked, and all their riches dwindle down into nothing when viewed in the light of spiritualism. If men would look deeper than the outward show we should--hate more real men and not so many counter* feiis or shows. In ordeir to bring this about we must be spiritualists in the true sense ofthat. /word for • .is'M^WHi^W^the inward life, which is the; true life; But in order to be apiritual it is absolutely necesaary for us to hare a firm conviction of a future life beyond deattt— but 10 very few bare thii! I know it 'from good authority that m«jy of the learned who, profess to beliewria :it only amounts' fo via:'faintihdjMi or a ltrong wish tbat it might be *O) jbat it does not produce any risible effect, all appearto be after one objeot, that is, a«q«i»* ing wealth, and nothing is worth a thought but this one thing. To convince them that they had a large earthly estate that they would toon inherit, thit wbuldf bffeot every thought and action of their liret that day forward; and yet we ere told that we are heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ Jesus* that there is a rich inheritance for us, a erown,;A kingdoa,:*nd this will neveriade away. We might ask who believes it P It is looked upoa as a proper subject for ministers of religiopto talk about on a Sunday; oi« it is »; pi^pir tale to tell children by the nursei ;>.bat tp tell about it as a real thing yoa woold b? . langhed at. Whit it wally wanted is to know that this grand and large inheritance in the invisible world is* 1*"-: :r: ana;3hlr'what.vih^!im hare. Judge Edmonds says that tH>t thousands know; it, but mtttiofHr in every nation in the world: It is not this V time you'must believe or yoß^lliili doomed; fiayevery one^mtrMawy :: it if they will take thet trottbleSmlifit can be known, are we not all alike '% interested in it, and show wejlike to know . it.; •• .■; A\;.;'g«n^^>:.l^wldh|B #©£ • < tniir?^ :^■p^tt'oje; ■ i isw^^i*^#|||t^:-|g'ii: was never- known before in remoTinf]> tormenting doubts, Shakespeare sayi," To be or not to be, that if the qaeitioaV' Many, a one aiki the question—^'WKb shall solve this doubt that teari jay anxious breasts P " , ,No question related to this life can be compared to thisonqV, n, " Shall a man live a again, .when "he v dead P " For this to be positively known should move the moral world from^oentstt to circumference, For, if a truth, it means eternal progress, and>whas finite mind could comprehend the of that? Oar highest flight of tmannft. tion or conception- never can be eqptfto ' the real thins; 1 The heart of mtt fcnitt capable of conceiving it W*" often hew people talk very glibly about Gcd being our father, and we m hit hnlrt lidtheie is a rich inheritenee ' for- w».?JUNt how flat all thia falls to 4ke ground, for all appears to be after one object, and, that is to'aetoarityato wealth, and nothing else is worth a tifttglt beneath. If we did know there waira future life, surely we could tn©t Hit be such earthworms. ,If this life be all, the* the best thing to do ia >to enVdrJßkffmd be merry, for tomorroir we ditvfiQat'if the inward life be the trtfej life; and a future life be a proved fact, then what matter if it.be rather «tor«|jr j#lthoutP what matter if we have pain, tr6ubJe,aad poverty, if that be the best diioißline int us in preparing us for a graad-fatare. No one can positively have,,high and exalted aims that only believe in thjeUfc; every action of their lives mart ofi steeta. sity be of the earth, earthy. There ii only one true God, and only die-inle religion; there never was and atwl^ be any more,' and that is—i&orag; g6od:to others as we hare opportunity, battUi never can be done by alCaterialiss, are short of the motive power,~^», <fco-. J. floiiw Augast 17,1880. ' *37t