Experimental investigation of the spirit manifestations, [electronic ...

204 MARRIAGE OX EARTH AND IN HEAVEN.MARRIAGE ON EARTH AND IN HEAVEN.The Hymeneal Tic in the Spirit World grows out of the necessity of theConnubial Union in the Mundane Sphere. ^'Frcc love' imputationrefuted.^1075. Some peculiar views respecting marriage, which are not consistentwith the ideas of female delicacy and chastity heretofore entertained,have been designated by the name of ''Free Love,'' and have been commentedon as proceeding from the spirit world. I am happy to say that,agreeably to the impressions which I have derived from my spirit friends,any doctrine, having a tendency of the kind thus described, would be atleast as much censured in the spirit world as in this. As the best modeof removing this groundless imputation on Spiritualism, I will state theimpressions which I entertain on the subject of marriage.1076. Among the sources of happiness in the spirit world much insistedon is that resulting from a combined union of those really createdfor each other. The marriage contracted in this world, loses its bindingpower in the spirit world, yet may endure if mutually desired. If ahusband has had several wives, or a wife several husbands, the tie enduresonly between the most congenial pair.f1077. Sexual association is the means throughout nature by which theperpetuation of species is effected. But that this association may existamong human beings without degradation, it is manifestly necessary thatit should not be indiscriminate. Not only delicacy, modesty, and the cultivationof congenial affection, but likewise the interests of offspring, requirethat the parents and children should form one family.The welfareof children, their equal duty to both parents, and natural affections betweenthe parents and their children, must make a separation painful to allparties, however affection may have declined between the husband andwife, on the part of either or both.1078. Hence, in the mundane sphere, the perpetuation of the humanrace consistently with decorum, and the welfare of offspring, and the happinessof the parties, especially the mother and wife, seems to be thegreat object of matrimony. In the spheres it is difficult to perceive howany motives of equally high importance can exist. It must be that connubialunion in the spirit world rather grows out of marriage in thisworld, in order to fill up the void in the heart which might otherwise••This article should hove been inserted earlier, but was mislaid.The fact that my father, my brother, my nephew, and my friend General Cadwalader,farc each residing with their mundane wives, proves that in this world a hymeneal torchmay bo lighted, whieh may not bo extinguished by death.