THE DISCUSSION ON SPIRITUALISM.
By Uriah Smith
THE notice for a Discussion on Christianity and Spiritualism, in Battle Creek, between F. L. Wadsworth, and Bro. M. Hull, having appeared in the Review, some of its readers may be desiroysly waiting to learn the result. The discussion commenced Monday evening, the 17th inst., as per appointment, and continued four evenings. The interest, great at the commencement, continued to increase as the discussion advanced; and on the last evening, though a driving and disagreeable March storm of snow and sleet was raging at the time, the large hall was more densely filled than on any of the previous evenings, it being estimated by some that about eight hundred persons were present. We can assure the readers of the Review that it is none too much to say that Christianity and its teachings were triumphantly vindicated, and the true nature and tendency of Spiritualism uncompromisingly exposed. The points made by Bro. Hull in his several arguments were as follows: 1. He produced specimens of the teachings of Christianity from the sayings of Christ and the writings of the apostles, as found in the New Testament, showing that the writings on which Christianity is based, contain the highest standard of morality that has ever been given to the world. He showed that the same Spirit that inspired the writings of the New Testament, moved also the "holy men of old," and that consequently the principles and spirit of Christianity existed long anterior to the Christian era, being at least co-eval with the Old Testament scriptures. 2. The state of the world where the Bible and Christianity were not known anciently, and where they are not known to-day, was faithfully depicted, and contrasted with those portions where the teaching of Christianity has shed its benign light, and the standard of Bible morality has been raised. 3. Testimony of Infidels and Spiritualists was produced in abundance, acknowledging the purity and superiority of Christianity. 4. The tendency of those systems of religion which reject the Bible was shown by that unerring index—the avowed sentiments and characters of their advocates. 5. Spiritualism was shown to be immoral in its tendency, in that 1st. Its communications are unreliable. It is impossible, according to the admissions of leading Spiritualists, to identify a spirit so as to tell with what spirit you are communicating; while it is further admitted that they often indulge in untruth and contradictions against the will of the medium. 2d. Their teachings are contradictory, making the charge of falsehood applicable somewhere. 3d. Spiritualism denies that there is any such thing as sin, destroys all distinction between right and wrong, and hence demolishes every standard of righteousness and morality. 4th. It opposes all law; and hence places its adherents under no restraint. 5th. It annuls the marriage contract, and opens the flood-gates of sensuality and corruption. 6th. It denies the existence of God, and 7th. Its communications are, to a great extent, too absurd and ridiculous to command serious attention. These points were sustained by Bro. Hull by testimony from genuine documents of Spiritualism from which he read on the occasion, a portion of it being from the spirits themselves, a portion from Spiritualists of high standing at the present time, and some from prominent persons who from years of experience in the system, and acquaintance with its hidden working, have openly renounced it. Mr. Wadsworth, evidently unwilling to go the whole length of the theory with his compears in Spiritualism, before a public congregation, stoutly and repeatedly denied that these things were chargeable upon Spiritualism; but as the testimony produced by the affirmative could not be invalidated, the doctrine was obliged to stand, out of its own mouth condemned. An effort was made to confound Christianity with the corruptions and abominations of Roman Catholicism, and make it responsible for all the instances of immorality that have occurred among those professing to be Christians; but it was easily shown from the testimony of the New Testament that Catholicism was anti-Christianity, and hence that Christianity was in no way responsible for it, and that any instances of immorality that may occur within the communion of Christians, are only violations and abuses of Christianity, and not, as in the case of Spiritualism, one of the results of its teaching, and an inseparable accompaniment of the system. Many are not aware of the light in which Spiritualism holds the Bible and its doctrines. It was Bro. Hull's policy to draw out his opponent on these points, that the congregation might see for themselves what position Spiritualism leads people to take in regard to the Holy Scriptures. And when some, who have been disposed to regard Spiritualism as a higher type of Christianity, were enabled to see that it is the direct antagonist of Christianity, that it denies the authenticity and integrity of the Bible, denies the existence of the Devil, denies the divinity of Christ, and scouts the idea of a vicarious atonement, leaving man to depend for his salvation upon his own merits, their eyes were opened as to its true nature and tendency, and the result cannot fail to be good. In regard to the authenticity and integrity of the Scriptures, Bro. Hull publicly gave a challenge to any respectable Spiritualist, that is to say, any Spiritualist who is not living down to his theory, to meet him on that question, at any time after the first of September next. It remains to be seen whether it will be accepted.