Lecture on Spiritualism.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3649, 6 September 1880, Page 2

Lecture on Spiritualism.

There was, but a limited auditory at the Academy of Music on Saturday evening last to listen to a'lecture on " Spiritualism " by Mr W. G. Simon, a gentlemen from America. Mr W. Wilkinson briefly introduced the lecturer, who in opening his subject, said the difficulty he would have to contend witlr was that so many people had heard a little of Spiritualism, and so many more knew nothing of it. As in Euclid I-.a

would have to commence with the deu- . nitions. Spiritualism could not be dealt with spontaneously—as in most matters of learning the more they learnt, the more they discovered they had to learn. Many of those who sought to investigate Spiri- , tualism were without the necessary education and had failed, and his principal object was to remove the stumbling blocks over which so many had stumbled. Any living being could become a spiritualist, but there were many naturally spiritual mediums who were unable to comprehend their gift through x their minds not being sufficiently advanced. The first law to be recognised in investigating Spiritualism was to accept nothing unless it was purely sympathetic with a man's conscience—that magnificent gift of God to man. The lecturer pointed outjthat no two individuals' constitutions were alike, and those possessed of the less animal and more spiritual natures were as naturally gifted as geniuses. In the most important subjects they had men of equal intellects who entirely disagreed, because spiritual communication had not been cultivat 1, however spiritual their natures might be; they had not made the correct method of reasouing a study. He asked the reason why? Because if they did they would have to condemn their early teachings. If a man lived without distinctly knowing the difference between his animal self and his spiritual nature, he would never kn,ow the comfort he had in.. time^ePidistress. The philosophers of the different schools of the day were content to continue them as they themselves had been taught. Why should they refuse f-y use the same philosophy that the astronomer, geologist and ~ mathematician had made use of to obtain advancement. The reasoning power only was capable of elevating man's life on earth and making visible the connecting link between Goi and man —Spiritualism, whose mighty law was progression. The spiritual world, if circumstances permitted, controlled the spirits on earth. It was necessary on investigating Spiritualism to make self communication a study, as that was the only way by which the spiritual being could be recognised. If the operator attempted an action which was in accordance with , the reasoning of his conscience after he had become philosophical in principle .and A: i he would recognise the beauty of his thoughts, and it was then he might expect spiritual tests, and would be able to investigate sufficiently to prove the truth of Spiritualism. In the lecturer summarised the principles of the old schools founded in days of ignorance and superstition, and explained the results of the present age ignoring Spiritualism. Spiritualism caused peopl to lead sublime lives, strengthened t<?< a in times of affliction and elevated mai>' existence here to a heaven on e&r.h. At the conclusion, a number of questions were asked by gentlemen in the audience and were answered fully, after which a vote of thanks to the lecturer was accorded by acclamation.