[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
descrying any suitable place to stop at, he was induced to ride to
the door of a small house, in which be discovered a dim light at
the attic window. After knocking and waiting a considerable
length of time, he heard footsteps upon the stairway advancing
slowly; soon it opened, and a man, with a lamp in his hand, and
with a stern countenance, and corresponding voice, demanded:
'What do you want here at this unseasonable hour of the night?'
The messenger of life, as he proved to be, replied: 'I can scarcely
inform you what I came for; I am a stranger here;' after which a
short pause ensued, and the man with the lamp, in low and
quivering accents, said: 'I will tell you what you came for it was
to prevent me from committing the atrocious act of suicide! When
you knocked at this door, I was putting a rope around my neck to
hang myself! Your knock broke the spell, and I have now neither
desire nor power to destroy my life.'
Do you not read in the Testament that Saul, mounted on his
horse and at, the head of a vast army, was bent
150 LANGUAGE AND LIFE IN THE SUMMER-LAND.
upon persecuting the Spiritualists of that day? He was determined
to ride them down and then exterminate them. When he had very
nearly reached the point where the desperate conflict was to occur,
the "scales" began falling from his eyes, and he tumbled from hip
horse to the ground. He was taken away by some friends, and
remained in an unconscious condition for some time. When he
came to "himself," he was a convert to Spiritualism. He felt
ashamed, and said he had been entirely in the wrong a short-
sighted old sinner. Now what is the difference between a modern
Spiritual case, put in modern language, and this ancient case
related in the New Testament? The law is identical. A
combination of truth-lovers in the Spirit-Land, who are loyal to
the Divine principles that regulate the universe, directly
accomplish these results which men call "special providences."
The facts of the overthrow and rapid conversion of Paul are no
more "mysterious," when analyzed in the light of modern
Spiritualism, than was the modern transaction of saving the lone
man from suicide. Neither can you say that the New Testament
facts are better substantiated by witnesses than are the analogous
facts of to-day. Here is another instance of special impression:
AN ENGINEER IMPRESSED BY HIS GUARDIANS.
The following statement was published in the Caledonian,
January, 1853, and is, therefore, testimony from an editor not
committed to Spiritualism: "Mr. Butterfield, who was killed by the
late unfortunate accident upon the Passumpsic Railroad, for a
week or two before it occurred seemed impressed with the idea of
some impending evil. He mentioned his impression to his friends,
appeared downcast, and did not wish to run an
LANGUAGE AND LIFE IN THE SUMMER-LAND. 151
engine any more. Indeed, he had gone so far as to say that after
that week he should leave the place be occupied on the road. He
was ready to do anything else but to act as an engineer. In passing
up a few days previous to that on which the accident took place,
before it was daylight, be whistled for the train to 'break up,'
insisting that the fireman should go forward and examine the
track; for he plainly saw the figure of a man moving slowly along.
He also stopped at another, and about the same time, believing
there was a man on the track. It turned out in both cases to be an
illusion. If Mr. B. had been a timid and nervous man, these
impressions would readily be accounted for, perhaps; but he was
just the contrary cheerful, cool, deliberate, and fearless so far
even as to be remarkable for these qualities. His impressions,
viewed in connection with his well-known character and
melancholy end, are certainly mysterious, and we do not know
how they are to be accounted for, unless it be that evil is
sometimes portended to man by a superior intelligence."
Spiritualists, instead of rejecting the Bible, find in its pages
experiences that are identical with what in these days has become
well-nigh universal. In the Apocalypse of John you read
marvelous descriptions of events and awful things which would
happen if there was a fair chance for such occurrences. Instead,
why not take up some of the equally wonderful visions of Judge
Edmonds? Why not read them and believe in them with the same
unprejudiced eye and heart? If you look believingly back to
Daniel or to Ezekiel to find prophecies, and if you next search the
New Testament to find their fulfillments, why not also go
faithfully back eight or ten years ago and find whether it be not
true that Judge Edmonds had a vision in which the present
American Rebellion was predicted and depicted with
152 LANGUAGE AND LIFE IN THE SUMMER-LAND.
wonderful clearness and exactness? He gave it out with the
conviction that it was simply a picturesque representation of the
great battle between Error and Truth. But when it is read in
connection with the current political history and experiences of to-
day, it will appear as literal a prophecy of what has occurred, and
is occurring in this country, as anything prophetical within the lids
of Testaments:
THE AMERICAN REBELLION FORETOLD IN A VISION BY
JUDGE EDMONDS.
In the New York Harmonial Advocate, published ten years
ago, vol. I., we find the following: "A vast plain is spread out
before me, and far in the distance a crowd of human beings.
Above them is a vast banner, outspread all over them. Its
groundwork is black, and its letters still blacker the extract of
blackness itself. The words inscribed upon it are: 'Superstition,
Slavery, Crime,' forming, as it were, a half-circle. Many of those
beings have smaller banners of the same material and device,
which they hug closely to their bosoms, as if part of their very life.
All have dark shades over their eyes. It is a sad picture dark and
melancholy!
"A broad battle-field is being spread. And dark beings, with
their black banners, are coming out, arrayed for battle with
brighter ones. The contest will be fearful. Those dark ones are
confident in their numbers; for they are as a thousand to one.
"But see! there comes from that bright mountain a herald of
light, and he cries aloud through all the nations, 'Which shall
conquer Truth, Liberty, and Progression, or Superstition,
Slavery, and Crime?' His words are heralded in the air. How
beautiful are his looks! He is a spirit of light. His thrilling tones
infuse new light into the brighter ones, and they rise with renewed
energy, determined at last to conquer.
LANGUAGE AND LIFE IN THE SUMMER-LAND. 153
It is a mighty contest, and is to determine the fate of nations.
All the base passions that have degraded humanity are awakening
in their might, and rush on in their fury, battling for their very
existence.
"A more brilliant beam of light shines from the faces of the
progressed ones, showing the light and the life that are within [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl akte20.pev.pl
descrying any suitable place to stop at, he was induced to ride to
the door of a small house, in which be discovered a dim light at
the attic window. After knocking and waiting a considerable
length of time, he heard footsteps upon the stairway advancing
slowly; soon it opened, and a man, with a lamp in his hand, and
with a stern countenance, and corresponding voice, demanded:
'What do you want here at this unseasonable hour of the night?'
The messenger of life, as he proved to be, replied: 'I can scarcely
inform you what I came for; I am a stranger here;' after which a
short pause ensued, and the man with the lamp, in low and
quivering accents, said: 'I will tell you what you came for it was
to prevent me from committing the atrocious act of suicide! When
you knocked at this door, I was putting a rope around my neck to
hang myself! Your knock broke the spell, and I have now neither
desire nor power to destroy my life.'
Do you not read in the Testament that Saul, mounted on his
horse and at, the head of a vast army, was bent
150 LANGUAGE AND LIFE IN THE SUMMER-LAND.
upon persecuting the Spiritualists of that day? He was determined
to ride them down and then exterminate them. When he had very
nearly reached the point where the desperate conflict was to occur,
the "scales" began falling from his eyes, and he tumbled from hip
horse to the ground. He was taken away by some friends, and
remained in an unconscious condition for some time. When he
came to "himself," he was a convert to Spiritualism. He felt
ashamed, and said he had been entirely in the wrong a short-
sighted old sinner. Now what is the difference between a modern
Spiritual case, put in modern language, and this ancient case
related in the New Testament? The law is identical. A
combination of truth-lovers in the Spirit-Land, who are loyal to
the Divine principles that regulate the universe, directly
accomplish these results which men call "special providences."
The facts of the overthrow and rapid conversion of Paul are no
more "mysterious," when analyzed in the light of modern
Spiritualism, than was the modern transaction of saving the lone
man from suicide. Neither can you say that the New Testament
facts are better substantiated by witnesses than are the analogous
facts of to-day. Here is another instance of special impression:
AN ENGINEER IMPRESSED BY HIS GUARDIANS.
The following statement was published in the Caledonian,
January, 1853, and is, therefore, testimony from an editor not
committed to Spiritualism: "Mr. Butterfield, who was killed by the
late unfortunate accident upon the Passumpsic Railroad, for a
week or two before it occurred seemed impressed with the idea of
some impending evil. He mentioned his impression to his friends,
appeared downcast, and did not wish to run an
LANGUAGE AND LIFE IN THE SUMMER-LAND. 151
engine any more. Indeed, he had gone so far as to say that after
that week he should leave the place be occupied on the road. He
was ready to do anything else but to act as an engineer. In passing
up a few days previous to that on which the accident took place,
before it was daylight, be whistled for the train to 'break up,'
insisting that the fireman should go forward and examine the
track; for he plainly saw the figure of a man moving slowly along.
He also stopped at another, and about the same time, believing
there was a man on the track. It turned out in both cases to be an
illusion. If Mr. B. had been a timid and nervous man, these
impressions would readily be accounted for, perhaps; but he was
just the contrary cheerful, cool, deliberate, and fearless so far
even as to be remarkable for these qualities. His impressions,
viewed in connection with his well-known character and
melancholy end, are certainly mysterious, and we do not know
how they are to be accounted for, unless it be that evil is
sometimes portended to man by a superior intelligence."
Spiritualists, instead of rejecting the Bible, find in its pages
experiences that are identical with what in these days has become
well-nigh universal. In the Apocalypse of John you read
marvelous descriptions of events and awful things which would
happen if there was a fair chance for such occurrences. Instead,
why not take up some of the equally wonderful visions of Judge
Edmonds? Why not read them and believe in them with the same
unprejudiced eye and heart? If you look believingly back to
Daniel or to Ezekiel to find prophecies, and if you next search the
New Testament to find their fulfillments, why not also go
faithfully back eight or ten years ago and find whether it be not
true that Judge Edmonds had a vision in which the present
American Rebellion was predicted and depicted with
152 LANGUAGE AND LIFE IN THE SUMMER-LAND.
wonderful clearness and exactness? He gave it out with the
conviction that it was simply a picturesque representation of the
great battle between Error and Truth. But when it is read in
connection with the current political history and experiences of to-
day, it will appear as literal a prophecy of what has occurred, and
is occurring in this country, as anything prophetical within the lids
of Testaments:
THE AMERICAN REBELLION FORETOLD IN A VISION BY
JUDGE EDMONDS.
In the New York Harmonial Advocate, published ten years
ago, vol. I., we find the following: "A vast plain is spread out
before me, and far in the distance a crowd of human beings.
Above them is a vast banner, outspread all over them. Its
groundwork is black, and its letters still blacker the extract of
blackness itself. The words inscribed upon it are: 'Superstition,
Slavery, Crime,' forming, as it were, a half-circle. Many of those
beings have smaller banners of the same material and device,
which they hug closely to their bosoms, as if part of their very life.
All have dark shades over their eyes. It is a sad picture dark and
melancholy!
"A broad battle-field is being spread. And dark beings, with
their black banners, are coming out, arrayed for battle with
brighter ones. The contest will be fearful. Those dark ones are
confident in their numbers; for they are as a thousand to one.
"But see! there comes from that bright mountain a herald of
light, and he cries aloud through all the nations, 'Which shall
conquer Truth, Liberty, and Progression, or Superstition,
Slavery, and Crime?' His words are heralded in the air. How
beautiful are his looks! He is a spirit of light. His thrilling tones
infuse new light into the brighter ones, and they rise with renewed
energy, determined at last to conquer.
LANGUAGE AND LIFE IN THE SUMMER-LAND. 153
It is a mighty contest, and is to determine the fate of nations.
All the base passions that have degraded humanity are awakening
in their might, and rush on in their fury, battling for their very
existence.
"A more brilliant beam of light shines from the faces of the
progressed ones, showing the light and the life that are within [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]