Chapter II - Imposition and Demonstration
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the conversation, exclaiming, "Dr. Rush is present, and
the conversation, exclaiming, "Dr. Rush is present, and
says you must use valganism;" (meaning undoubtedly
galvanism,) "and rest or be sick." But even this pre-
tended oracular warning failed to convince us, and the
consequence was we went on in a good state of health;
having strong doubts that fifty years of post-mortem
experience had so demoralized the orthography of that
learned man, or perpetuated his old beliefs of matter.
Thousands of our church members who are rational on
other topics, are sustaining and believing just this mum-
mery, while yet they send forth the cry against science
as dangerous to Christianity.
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In the summer of 1869, it was stated in the Banner
In the summer of 1869, it was stated in the Banner
of Light, published in Boston, that the late Theodore
Parker said, through a medium, "there never was and
there never would be, an immortal spirit"! At the
same time this paper was repeating weekly that spirit
communications were our only proofs of immortality!
While we entertain no doubt of the humanitarianism
of many spiritualists, we have strong proofs of the incor-
rect views of spiritualism. A man's assertion that he is
immortal, is no more proof of this than we would gain
of an opposite condition, were he to say, "I am mor-
tal"; Theodore Parker was beyond such vague hypoth-
esis. Life, Love, and Truth are immortal, and only
when these are realized will Life be understood. Truth
is eternal Life, and science the only medium of Truth,
or Life, hence the saying of Christ, "I am the Way,
the Truth, and Life, and no man cometh unto the
Father" (the Principle of being) "but through Me."
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Though the grass seemeth to wither, and the flower to
Though the grass seemeth to wither, and the flower to
fade, they reappear; erase the figures that express num-
76:1
bers; shut out the tones of music; give to the worm
bers; shut out the tones of music; give to the worm
the body called man, the Principle of these survives
despite the so-called laws of matter, and holds its ideas
immortal. If the inharmony of belief hides the har-
mony of Truth, it cannot destroy this Principle, for it is
God, supreme over all; "who doeth according to His
own will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabi-
tants of the earth, and none can stay his hand or say
unto Him, what doest thou."
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Matter cannot reply to Spirit, but have you ever ru-
Matter cannot reply to Spirit, but have you ever ru-
minated on this heaven and earth expressly declared to
be inhabited by man, controlled alone by supreme Wis-
dom? Did you understand there is no other world,
you would be reaching sooner that which is real of Life,
where substance is Soul and not matter, and realizing
it thus all would be harmonious and eternal. It should
never be said, nothing but God; for all that is real
comes with God, the substance, Life, and Intelligence
of all. Principle and its idea are God and man, co-ex-
istent and eternal; there is no substance-matter. The
imaginary line called the equator, is not substance, the
earth's action and position are sustained alone by Intel-
ligence, that launched the earth into orbit and said to
the proud wave, "here shalt thou be staid," that holds
the "winds in its fist," "numbers the hairs of the
head," and furnishes sublime proof of the control
Spirit holds over matter. Even the simple planchette
is made to testify to mind's power over matter, and no
longer a mystery and marvel.
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The point to be determined is, shall we allow science
The point to be determined is, shall we allow science
to explain all action and phenomena, or leave these to
speculative belief; to admit one's self Soul instead of