Lights and shadows of spiritualism

ilE SPIRITUALISM OF THE lUIU.E. 5?servo him as she served the Arbaccs of Lord Lyttoii's novel.bor shoulders may be laid the burden of all that docs not accordAvith the philosopher's idea of the litness of things. It would bounjust to say that the whole of tho scientific men of the age arc atone with Professor Tyndall in his peculiar theology. But, althoughtho law of tho physical sciences is progress, the law governing tlioideas of devotees to those sciences respecting religion, both naturaland revealed, would seem to be as undoubtedly retrogression. Thodeity whom even the the most religious of such men worship isnothing more than an imitation of the Zeus of tho Greeks ; aslimited in power as that Zeus, and governed like him by aninexorable Fate. The Omnipotent God of Christianity they totallyreject. That this is so, q^uotations from a hundred authoritieswould prove. I shall content myself with citing part of a critiquedirected, in the early years of the spiritual movement, againstcertain phenomena occurring at Ealing, I being the mediumthrough whom they occurred :On" These are strong fiicts, and it is allowing a great deal to say that wethink Mr. Rymer to be in earnest in stating his belief iu tliiini. Forourselves we entirely disbelieve them, and shall gladly give anyone theopportunity of convincing us." In the meanwhile we venture to recommend to IMr. Rynier's attentivestudy an old-fashioned college text-book, which we suspect he has neveropened : Pratt's Mechanical ' Philosophy.' He will there learn ofthose iimnutable laws which the unchanging God has impressed onceand for ever on creation ; and, reading of the wondrous harmony andorder which reign by their operation throughout the wide bounds of creation,he may perhaps come to share our doubt and disbelief of thoseimaginings which tell us of their violation in moving tables and shakinglamps and dancing chairs, and he may, perchance, should his studyprosper, catch also a sense of the pitying scorn with which those nurturedon the strong meat of the inductive philosophy within the very courtsand halls that a Newton trod, view these sickly spiritualist dreamei's,thus drunk with the new wine of folly and credulity."Such is a fair specimen of the mode in which theso Sir Oraclesdiscourse on subjects not in accordance with their own systems ofphilosophy.I may answer them through the mouths of their owngods. It is tolerably certain that, nigh two hundred years ago.