Spiritualism a Religion.
By Editor
SEVERAL years ago we published a pamphlet entitled "The Nature and Tendency of Modern Spiritualism," the third edition of which was printed in 1877. In that we took the position that Spiritualism as a religion would take an important part in the fulfillment of certain prophecies. In our article recently published in the SIGNS on the "Compromise" of certain interests for the accomplishment of a certain object, we called attention to this point, and to the objection raised by certain writers in Iowa against our views of the prophecy in Rev. 13. They objected that we made Spiritualism a prominent actor in the formation of an "image to the beast," which must be a professedly religious movement, whereas Spiritualism was pre-eminently irreligious, opposed to the Bible, to Christ, and to the Father. We felt sure that we had read the prophecy aright, and held to our faith, which, as in the case of Sunday as a question in politics, is fast proving to be correct. In the article on the Compromise we also gave the evidence of a case in San Francisco, showing that the Spiritualists in that city are organized as a "religious corporation," and that the mediums and clairvoyants claim exemption from taxation, as ministers of this religion. We now have some further evidence on the subject. Judge Carter, of Cincinnati, has long been a prominent Spiritualist. In a letter to the Banner of Light, over date of Sept. 21, 1883, the Judge says:— "The famous Russell License Law has not been attempted to be enforced against any of our mediums, and we do not expect it will be. Our approved mediums487in the city all have certificates from the legally incorporated society of the 'Union Spiritualists of Cincinnati,' by which they are made and designated in hoc verba, Ministers of the New Spiritual Dispensation,' and this, as I long ago legally advised the society would be the case, has served as their ægis of protection and safety." After speaking of the influence of the political contest to hold in abeyance all questions of this kind, he says:— "Of course, independent of all this, the officials are afraid that when the infamous law is brought to a test before the courts, it will be decided to be unconstitutional, and against the rights of citizens and the religious freedom of the people." Thus are the parties taking their positions preparatory to fulfilling the prophecy of Rev. 13. That this would take place we have long felt assured; how it would be brought about no one could foresee. Some years ago, in our book on Spiritualism, we wrote as follows:— "Spiritualism has been treated as a religion; this may be correct, considering the term religion in its most comprehensive form. But the most prominent Spiritualists consider it but a form of Christianity, and denominate themselves Christian Spiritualists. This is a misnomer. The religion of Spiritualism is not Christian religion, but directly opposed to it. We are not astonished that it professes to be the Christian religion; indeed, it would not fulfill the prophecy if it did not. For there could not be false christs and false prophets without a counterfeit of Christianity." We also copied the following from the Banner of Light, being an extract from a lecture by a well-known Spiritualist, which shows that the present movement has long been foreshadowed in their teachings, and also shows what their religious aspirations are:— "If we are to have a New Theology, we must have a New State, the New Church (ere long to rise), to be the mother of it. Church and State ought to be, as in essential reality everywhere they always have been, one. This ostensible separateness never struck deep. Every thinker knows what mutual and interactive help and play there practically is between them. Give us a pure, a divine, a rationally justified and a continuously inspired Church—and it must keep pure and Heaven-helped the State." This is the illusion at which the American people are grasping to-day. And it will come. If we look beneath the surface we shall find that Spiritualism is the most popular and the most wide-spread religion on the earth, as it permeates almost every religion known. Of course when our Constitution is amended, when Church and State comes, Spiritualism will have the controlling voice. An interesting item we find in the Banner of Light since the Ohio election. A statement comes from Washington, in the Evening Star, as follows:— "First Controller Lawrence said to-day, in conversing upon the Ohio election, that in his opinion the Republicans lost nearly 20,000 votes of Spiritualists who voted against the Republicans on account of the law passed by the Legislature imposing a tax on clairvoyants and spiritualistic exhibitions." With this lesson before them, politicians will look twice before they take any step which may prove offensive to Spiritualists. "And this," says the paper from which we quote, "will teach a lesson of religious toleration in certain quarters, and that the Spiritualists are a power in the land."