"They are the spirits of devils working miracles." Rev. xvi, 14.
"Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit," &c. Chap. xviii, 2.
"Whose [Christ's] coming is after [immediately following] the working of satan with all power, and signs and lying wonders." 2 Thess. ii, 9.
"And shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Matt. xxiv, 24.
SPIRITUALISM IN PERSIA.—The N. Y. Tribune of March 22d publishes a letter from a Vienna correspondent, who says that the rappings and various other spirit manifestations have appeared, not only in the Austrian capital, but as far east as Persia. We quote an extract from the letter in point:
The Tischklopfen (table-rappings) have also found their way to the imperial city, although they do not operate upon the slow and deliberative Germans in the same manner as they affect the more excitable Americans. On the whole, there is something in the Geisterklopfen (Spirit-rappings) which exactly suits the transcendentalism of the Germans. A few days since I had a long sitting with Bibesco, the oracle of those things in Vienna. I hear of no other results, good or bad, from the same than that a few fortunate lottery tickets have been bought after consulting the Spirits, and that certain ladies more than a thousand weeks old (the German of sweet seventeen) have consulted them upon questions concerning their future. A friend, who has a monomania for Oriental affairs, read to me, a few nights since, from a Persian newspaper, that the Spirits are also doing their work at Teheran, the capital of that empire.
SKEPTICISM CAVED IN.—Somewhat over a year ago, the Hon. Francis Cogswell, a member of the Massachusetts Legislature, formally presented a proposition before that body, "That the Education Committee consider what legislation, if any, was necessary to protect the ignorant and credulous from the delusive acts of 'Spirit-rappers,' so called, whose blasphemous assumptions are fearfully engrossing the minds of a large portion of the community, producing insanity, robbing men of their property," etc. The order also proposed to make it a "penal offense for the owner or lessee of any building" in that commonwealth, "to let the same or any part thereof, for the purpose of holding the blasphemous meetings of the Spirit-rappers." After Mr. C. had strenuously urged the adoption of this order, Rev. John Prince, another member, and who was a believer in Spiritualism, proposed as an amendment that the parties most implicated, viz., the Spirits themselves, should be cited to appear in their own defense. The bill was unanimously rejected. A short time ago, to the astonishment of every one, who should appear before the Boston Spiritual Conference but this same Mr. Cogswell! He there stated that the moment that he presented the above order before the Legislature, he concluded to investigate the subject to which it related, and that that investigation had resulted in an entire conviction of the reality of spiritual intercourse. We thank our friend C. H. White for communicating to us the foregoing particulars.
LOUIS NAPOLEON AND THE SPIRITS.—A Paris correspondent of the N. Y. Journal of Commerce states that notwithstanding the prohibitions of the Catholic priesthood, the Emperor and Empress of France have had several interviews with the Spirits through a Parisian medium, and that they seemed delighted with the affair. At one interview a Spirit took occasion to administer some severe reproof to the emperor for some of his past public acts, and to denounce terrible calamities upon him if he did not carry himself pretty straight for the future. It is said that the empress considered the nature of the communication as a confirmation of its spiritual origin, very reasonably supposing that if the medium had any control over it, care would have been taken to exclude from it all such impressions as might possible give offense.
SPIRITUALISM AT WASHINGTON.—The Editor of the Telegraph is now at the national capital, whither he went on the 22d of March, as the bearer of the Spiritualists' Memorial to Congress, and to deliver two lectures on Spiritualism. When the Memorial will be presented, and by whom, is not yet determined—nor whether it will be first presented to the Senate, or the House of Representatives. There are numerous believers and able advocates of Spiritualism in both bodies.
A distinguished friend who resides in Portland, Me., states that "there is good deal of grubbing and grading going on in that place preparatory to the laying of the spiritual track, and which the opposers of the new Revelation can not put a stop to, inasmuch as a world-wide charter has been attained, and the stock all paid in."—Spiritual Telegraph.