Immortality proved by the testimony of sense : $b In which is contemplated the doctrine of spectres and the existence of a particular spectreCummings, Abraham
Religion
Immortality proved by the testimony of sense : $b In which is contemplated the doctrine of spectres and the existence of a particular spectre
Cummings, Abraham
Apparitions; Immortality; Spiritualism
It is my earnest desire that the reply may honor the author by the
expressions of candor, philanthropy and grand thought. If his talent
be that of a Swift or a Juvenal, his temptation will be great to adopt
the loose style of the infidel. Let not compliance deceive the unwary.
Between ridicule and reasoning the distinction is eternal. The most
important and solemn truths have been the subject of both. The sober
school of Socrates furnished a comedy for the Athenian stage. And
Voltaire could tell us from the Apocalypse, how incommodious their
situation will be who shall inhabit the upper story of New Jerusalem.
Unhappy man! thy fruits of genius furnished a feast of intellectual
dainties. But the figs of Cleopatra covered the basilisk, and a world
was ruined by the tree of knowledge. The termination of Satyre was
horror; and the pure day of awful truth now glaring upon thee from
every point has impressed sobriety eternal.
The result of this whole inquiry is that of consolation. Our death will
not be total. Our souls will survive our bodies. We shall think and
reason and know the moral conduct of this world, and perhaps the very
names of particular persons, after our bodies are turned to dust.
Among us are a considerable number of people who say that the Spectre
knew and told them their thoughts past, present or future, or all
three; and such thoughts as she could not have known or conjectured by
ordinary means. To one of them, whose veracity is doubted by none, she
foretold the time, before several witnesses, when his mind would be
struck with horror for opposing her messages.
When the time was come, which was about six months after the
prediction, his mind at first, as he informed me, was calm as usual. To
disturb him he saw nothing, expected nothing, and was about to reject
the prediction as nothing. Instantly he was surprised by a new train
of ideas. The evil of his conduct was set in order before him, and his
distress was apparent to others, as some of them, whose witness cannot
for a moment be suspected, informed me.
Now this instance alone, would prove but little; yet, when connected
with ten or twelve others, of undoubted credibility, attesting the
same kind of experience, while they have no visible combination by
kindred, employment, age or interest, it is certainly worthy of some
consideration.
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