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

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

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430 APPENDIX.it may be seen in <strong>the</strong> auto-da-f6, <strong>the</strong> Inquisition, and <strong>the</strong> massacre <strong>of</strong> St.Bartliolomew's day.Of <strong>the</strong> same devilish character was <strong>the</strong> execution <strong>of</strong> 8ervetus by Calvin,or <strong>the</strong> persecution <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Quakers and witches by <strong>the</strong> Puritans.Respectfully, your well-wisher,Robert Hare.A LETTER FROM DR. HARE.Addressed to <strong>the</strong> President <strong>of</strong> tlie Association for <strong>the</strong> Advancement <strong>of</strong>Science, at <strong>the</strong>ir meetingj August 18, 1855.Preliminary Remarks.Having addressed <strong>the</strong> subjoined letter to <strong>the</strong> American Association for<strong>the</strong> Advancement <strong>of</strong> Science, <strong>the</strong> standing committee resolved that <strong>the</strong>subject did not fall sufficiently within <strong>the</strong> objects <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Association toallow even <strong>of</strong> its being read to <strong>the</strong> meeting. In <strong>the</strong> instance <strong>of</strong> my letterto <strong>the</strong> Episcopal clergy, it was stated that its acknowledgment by <strong>the</strong>mwas not expected; and after this impression was verified, I admitted that,in <strong>the</strong>ir not replying, <strong>the</strong> interest <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> church was best consulted. In<strong>the</strong> present case I admit that <strong>the</strong> harmony <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Association was perhapsbest consulted in not recognising that <strong>the</strong> objects <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Association involved<strong>the</strong> duty <strong>of</strong> allowing certain facts to be stated before it, which areat war with <strong>the</strong> received doctrines <strong>of</strong> science, no less than with those otrevelation.During <strong>the</strong> Dark Ages, <strong>the</strong> so-called word <strong>of</strong> God (but really <strong>the</strong> words<strong>of</strong> ignorant propagandists) had taken such hold <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> proper domain<strong>of</strong> science, that it was heresy to assert <strong>the</strong> rotundity <strong>of</strong> this planet, orthat <strong>the</strong> sun did not revolve about it diurnally. Rut at this time sciencehas established itself upon <strong>the</strong> domain claimed for religious truth, so thatbetween <strong>the</strong> positive science <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> a<strong>the</strong>ist Comte and <strong>the</strong> dogmatic opinions<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> orthodox savan, <strong>the</strong>re is no room for <strong>the</strong> germ <strong>of</strong> Spiritualismto shoot up.It seems to me that, in due courtesy and liberality, <strong>the</strong> standing committeemight have had my letter read to <strong>the</strong> meeting, and have let <strong>the</strong>members judge whe<strong>the</strong>r it should be acknowledged. But I place it onrecord in this volume, and leave <strong>the</strong> propriety <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir having neglectedto acknowledge it to be estimated hereafter in this world, as it has alreadybeen in <strong>the</strong> world <strong>of</strong> <strong>spirit</strong>s, as respects its influence on <strong>the</strong> estimation <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> parties.I am aware, however, that every man in society is more or less ajpcon,and that <strong>the</strong>re is no small analogy between <strong>the</strong> situation <strong>of</strong> many holdingworldly pre-eminence and that <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> poor apo<strong>the</strong>cary <strong>of</strong> Shakspeare.

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