Anaconda, Montana, 1905-06
EVANGELIST DANIELS RAPS SPIRITUALISM
SCANDINAVIAN PREACHER SAYS IT IS OF ANCIENT ORIGIN
HE ROASTS THE MEDIUMS
Denies the power of humans to call up the spirits of the dead and says that if they can only evil ones would respond.
If John J. Daniels, pastor of the Rockford, Ill., Swedish church and traveling evangelist, has the right of it spiritualism is a humbug. Evangelist Daniels, who is now on an evangelistic tour of the coast, preached in Swedish last evening in the church on the corner of Alder and Fifth streets to a large and interested audience.
Mr. Daniels showed that there is nothing new about spiritualism; that there were spiritualists in the days of Moses. It was a medium, he said, that called up the spirit of Samuel for Saul. He said that modern spiritualism is supposed to have originated in the year 1848. A family by the name of Fox in Hydesville, N. Y., was much disturbed by spirit rappings and when Miss Kate Fox spoke to these rappings she discovered that they were made by the spirit of a murdered peddler. The spirit would answer questions by rapping once for no and three times for yes. All spirits are said to follow this rule.
Miss Kate Fox and her sister discovered that it was possible to communicate in this manner with any spirit of the dead, especially with relatives, but the spirits would answer questions only through mediums. The Fox sisters were the first mediums in modern spiritualism.
Many Kinds of Mediums
Mr. Daniels stated that since 1848 the means of communicating with spirits has developed wonderfully. There are now many kinds of mediums. We have slat writing mediums, spirit circle mediums, trance mediums, materializing mediums and medium photographers.
Modern spiritualism has progressed rapidly and there are many thousands in all civilized nations. They have more than 10 newspapers developed to their interests, and, according to the last census, there are 50,000 spiritualists in the United States. There are many among the Scandinavians of both the old and the new world.
These people have no common doctrine. They believe there is a God, but they do not believe in the divinity of Christ, and they interpret the Bible to suit their own peculiar notions. Some mediums claim they have communicated with the spirit of Christ and the spirits of the apostles. In these communications Christ disowns the divinity, and the Apostle Paul congratulates the spiritualists on having found the light and the truth.
Spiritualists do not believe in the resurrection of the dead, buy they believe with Swedenborg in a development in the spirit world. They do not believe there is a hell, but many of them profess to believe in the theory of reincarnation.
Only Evil Spirits
Mr. Daniels expressed believe in a spirit world, but did not think that mediums had the power to call the spirits of the dead or communicate with them. He thought that if they could communicate with any spirits it is only with evil spirits. The phenomena of spiritualism can be ascribed almost wholly to trickery and to hypnotism. When the mediums go into trances they are in a hypnotic condition. When in this condition they make some wonderful and startling guesses, as they are all clever mind readers.
In conclusion he showed that spiritualism produced sin, vice and immorality. He said that spiritualism is the religion of free love, and mediums were usually grass widows. They have a superstition that a seventh daughter of a seventh sister is the best medium, but according to the speaker the seventh wife of a seventh husband was the best. He warned people who investigated spiritualism against allowing themselves to be hypnotized, as it greatly weakens the will power.
Mr. Daniels will speak in the same church to-night on "Infidelity." He expects to remain in the city for a week or more, and he will then go to Missoula and on to the coast cities and towns.
--The Anaconda Standard, Anaconda, Montana, December 14, 1905, page 5.
ANOTHER REPLY TO THE SWEDISH EVANGELIST
EDITOR TUTTLE WRITES ABOUT THE SPIRITUALISTIC FAITH
HE ASKS FOR A FAIR DEAL
Fewer divorces and less criminality among spiritualists than any other faith, according to Mr. Tuttle's statistics
Hudson Tuttle, the acknowledged chief of the spiritualists of the United States, writing from Berlin Heights, Ohio in reply to the sermon preached in this city some time ago by a Scandinavian evangelist, has the following to say:
Editor of The Anaconda Standard: "In your issue of Dec. 14 appears a report of a sermon by Evangelist Daniels, in which he roasts mediums and denies the power of humans to call up the spirits of the dead, and says if they can, only evil ones would respond. In his discourse he assails spiritualism, making charges so far from the truth that he shows either utter ignorance of the subject or a design to mislead. If his object is to lead believers away from what he thinks a great sin and delusion, should he not have in some small measure the charity of the Master? Can he hope to win by epithets and false representations? As this sermon is one of his stock, constantly repeated wherever he goes, he ought to know that his statements are correct and the ground solid beneath his feet.
"He commences by saying that there is nothing new about spiritualism, as though someone had made that claim. Spiritualists make no such claim. To the contrary, they hold it to be as old as the rain. The Bible, from beginning to end, is filled with records of spirit ministrations, and there is not a phase of mediumship between the spirit world and this not given in its pages. History records manifestations of spirits in all ages and among all races, from the savage to the most civilized. All the spiritualists claim is that in its modern form it belongs to the present. The study of the laws and conditions of the psychic or spiritual domain by the methods of physical science -- experimentation, careful observation of phenomena and co-ordination of facts; the deduction therefrom of a philosophy of life, here and hereafter; the foundation on this basis of a system of ethics and of a religion which is devoted to righteousness— this is spiritualism as understood by its believers.
"As Rev. Daniels admits that spirits can communicate, there is no contention on that point. But he is not content with this theory. He declares that the phenomenon can be ascribed almost wholly to trickery and hypnotism. Hypnotism is one of those all-embracing terms which, when difficulties arise, sound learned, but mean nothing. But there is a residium left which neither trickery nor hypnotism can explain even to Rev. Daniel's satisfaction, and he calls in evil spirits to his aid. He takes the Bible as infallible authority, and by what right does he dare assert that all spirits that communicate are evil? He well says that spiritualism is not new. Yes, and is it not the same spiritualism recorded in the Bible? The witch of Endor was a medium when she called up the spirit of Samuel. Was he an evil spirit? An angel unloosed Peter from chains in prison; an angel appeared to Hager; two came to Abraham; angels came to Joseph. These are a few instances recorded, for the book must be almost quoted as a whole to give them all. Were these angels and messengers evil spirits? "What is a spirit? According to Matthew, xiv., 26; Luke, xxiv., 37, 'The soul of man separated from his body,' of this being it is said, Hebrews, i., 14, 'Are not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs to salvation?' Is it not strange that while our good and loving friends are shut from us by an impassable wall, the evil spirits can approach, communicate and lead us to ruin? There is not a text in the Bible supporting Rev. Daniels in this conclusion, which is a libel on the God he worships.
"But his opinion, being no more than an opinion, requires only passing mention. His charges against the moral status of spiritualists are of vastly more consequence. They are such as no Christian gentleman should make unless doubly sure of their correctness. Only overwhelming sense of sinfulness and desire to save souls from ruin would justify such uncharitable accusations. As reported, he said: 'In conclusion he showed that spiritualism produced sin, vice and immorality. He said that spiritualism is the religion of free love, and mediums were usually grass widows. They have a superstition that a seventh daughter of a seventh sister is the best medium, but, according to the speaker, the seventh wife of a seventh husband was the best.' These are all threadbare charges, utterly without foundation in truth. He truly said that spiritualism has made rapid growth. It is estimated that there are 3,000,000 of spiritualists in the United States. It has representative journals in England, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and the South American states. It has a national association possessing a splendid home building at Washington, with a library and publishing bureau for the free distribution of its literature; a missionary force in the field and a lyceum or Sunday school for instruction of the children in its principles. This association has all the rights and privileges conferred by law on religious bodies.
"Is not a tree known by its fruits? Spiritualism has been before the world for more than 50 years. If it is the work of evil spirits, and hence immoral in its tendencies should not the record of crime indicate its influence? I have collected the reports of all great penal institutions in this country and Canada and find that not a single spiritualist is reported within their walls. There are more than 700 ministers of the gospel and several evangelists, but not a single spiritualist. I do not mention this strange fact in disparagement of the ministerial profession, but to emphasize the statement that spiritualism leads directly away from crime. As to the charge of 'free love,' in all the standard literature of spiritualism there cannot be found one word of endorsement of that doctrine. Is not a cause represented by the organizations formed for its culture and extension? Are not all churches represented by their creeds? The national association thus represents spiritualism, and its statement of principles has no word indorsing any other relation in married life than that of the purest love, mutual devotion and faithfulness to the vows which make two souls one in the journey of life. It publishes a ritual containing the marriage service, and its ordained speakers have the right to officiate at marriages. There are fewer divorces among spiriutalists than of other beliefs, for the marriage relation is held with greater reverence as not only continuing till death, but into the infinite life beyond."
--The Anaconda Standard, Anaconda, Montana, January 1, 1906, page 2.
No comments:
Post a Comment