The Salem Witchcraft, the Planchette Mystery, and Modern Spiritualism: With Dr. Doddridge's DreamStowe, Harriet Beecher
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The Salem Witchcraft, the Planchette Mystery, and Modern Spiritualism: With Dr. Doddridge's Dream
Stowe, Harriet Beecher
Spiritualism; Upham, Charles Wentworth, 1802-1875. Salem witchcraft; Witchcraft -- Massachusetts -- Salem
_P._ To answer that question fully would require volumes. Be content,
then, for the present, with the following brief words: Hitherto science
has been almost wholly materialistic in its tendencies, having nothing
to do with spiritual things, but ignoring and casting doubts upon them;
while _spiritual_ matters, on the other hand, have been regarded by the
Church wholly as matters of faith with which science has nothing to
do. But through these modern manifestations, God is providentially
furnishing to the world all the elements of a spiritual science which,
when established and recognized, will be the stand-point from which
all physical science will be viewed. It will then be more distinctly
known that all external and visible forms and motions originate from
invisible, spiritual, and ultimately divine causes; that between cause
and effect there is always a necessary and intimate _correspondence_;
and hence that the whole outer universe is but the symbol and sure
index of an invisible and _vastly more real_ universe within. From
this unitary basis of thought the different sciences as now correctly
understood may be co-related in harmonic order as One Grand Science, the
_known_ of which, by the rule of correspondence, will lead by easy clews
to the _unknown_. The true structure and government of human society
will be clearly hinted by the structure and laws of the universe,
and especially by that _microcosm_, or little universe, the human
organization. All the great stirring questions of the day, including the
questions of suffrage, woman's rights, the relations between labor and
capital, and the questions of general political reform, will be put into
the way of an easy and speedy solution; and mankind will be ushered into
the light of a brighter day, socially, politically, and religiously,
than has ever yet dawned upon the world.
_I._ My invisible friend, the wonderful nature of your communication
excites my curiosity to know your name ere we part. Will you have the
kindness to gratify me in this particular?
_P._ That I may not do. My name is of no consequence in any respect.
Besides, if I should give it, you might, unconsciously to yourself, be
influenced to attach to it the weight of a personal authority, which
is specially to be avoided in communications of this kind. There is
nothing to prevent deceiving spirits from assuming great names, and you
have no way of holding them responsible for their statements. With
thinkers--minds that are developed to a vigorous maturity--the truth
itself should be its only and sufficient authority. If what I have told
you appears intrinsically rational, logical, scientific, in harmony with
known facts, and appeals to your convictions with the force of truth,
accept it; if not, reject it; but I advise you not to reject it before
giving it a candid and careful examination. I may tell you more at some
future time, but for the present, farewell.
CONCLUSION.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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