Sweet Cicely — or Josiah Allen as a PoliticianHolley, Marietta
Religion
Sweet Cicely — or Josiah Allen as a Politician
Holley, Marietta
Methodist Church (U.S.) -- Fiction; Temperance and religion -- Fiction; Women -- Suffrage -- Fiction
“Don't you think there are things done that seem supernatural?”
“I don't know as they are any more supernatural than the telegraph
and telefone and electric light, and many other seemin'ly supernatural
works. And who knows but there may still be some hidden powers in nature
that is the source of what you call supernatural?”
“Why not believe, with us, voices from Heaven speak through these
means?”
“Because it looks dubersome to me--dretful dubersome. It don't look
reasonable to me, that He, the mighty King of heaven and earth, would
speak to His children through a senseless Indian jargon, or impossible
and blasphemous speeches through a first sphere.”
“You say you believe God has spoken to men, and why not now?”
“I tell you, I don't know but He duz. But I don't believe it is in that
manner. Way back to the creation, when we read of God's speakin' to man,
the voice come directly down from heaven to their souls.
“In the hush of the twilight, when every thing was still and peaceful,
and Adam was alone, then he heard God's voice. He didn't have to wait
for favorable conditions, or set round a table; for, what is more
convincin', I don't believe he had a table to set round.
“In the dreary lonesomeness of the great desert, God spoke to the
heart-broken Hagar. She didn't have to try any tests to call down the
spirits. Clear and sudden out of heaven come the Lord's voice speaking
to her soul in comfort and in prophecy, and her eyes was opened, and she
saw waters flowin' in the midst of the desert.
“Up on the mountain top, God's voice spoke to Abraham; and Lot in the
quiet of evening, at the tent's door, received the angelic visitants.
Sudden, unbeknown to them, they come. They didn't have to put nobody
into a trance, nor holler, so we read.
“In the hush of the temple, through the quiet of her motherly dreams,
Hannah heard a voice. Hannah didn't have to say, 'If you are a spirit,
rap so many times.' No: she knew the voice. God prepares the listenin'
soul His own self. 'They know my voice,' so the Lord said.
“Daniel and the lions didn't have to 'form a circle' for him to see
the one in shinin' raiment. No: the angel guest came down from heaven
unbidden, and appeared to Daniel alone, in peril; and as he stood by
the 'great river,' it said, 'Be strong, be strong!' preparin' him for
conflict. And Daniel was strengthened, so the Bible says.
“God's hand is not weaker to-day, and His conflicts are bein' waged on
many a battle-field. And I dare not say that He does not send His angels
to comfort and sustain them who from love to Him go out into rightous
warfare. But I don't believe they come through a seansy. I don't,
honestly. I don't believe Daniel would have felt strengthened a mite, by
seein' a materialized rag-baby hung out by a wire in front of a hemlock
box, and then drawed back sudden.
[Illustration: HEAVENLY VISITORS.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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