VOL. 1. A Journal of Live Ideas. SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., SATURDAY, AUGUST 8, 1874. A German Society in New York proposes to put dead bodies through the cremation process for $8. GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS is nominated by the New York Tribune as United States Senator, from New York, to succeed R. E. Fenton. The experiment of providing trained nurses for hospiThe experiment of providing trained nurses for hospitals, alms houses and families has succeeded in England beyond the hope of those who established the institution. O. B. Frothingham says that although materialism was never so openly and so largely professed as now, yet materialism was never before so thoughtful, so delicate or so sensitive. Because Tilton has threatened exposures which would endanger the outside respectability of fashionable society, the New York papers treat him as if he were a mad dog, to be exterminated at any cost. No. 13. Miss Kate Stanton has gone to France to study the workings of M. Godin's Workingmen's Palace at Guise. Spare moments are the gold dust of time. Of all the portions of our life spare moments are the most fruitful in good or evil. The Republicans of New York will probably renominate John A. Dix for Governer. He will undoubtedly poll a larger vote than any other man that party could place in the field. On the 18th of this month the people of Ohio are to vote on a new constitution, and they are to have a choice whether licences to sell intoxicating drinks are to be granted in that State. which can turn out of hand from 1,500 to 2,000 square feet An English firm has made a straw-roof sewing machine, of water-tight roofing in an hour, requiring only two assistants to accomplish its task. WHAT must we think of those who pretend to find the Infant damnation having been abandoned by the Chris-religion of Christ in our fine churches, with their smoothtian Church, the damnation of the heathen is soon to get tongued preachers? Christ denounced everything that the go-by also; then missionaries may stay at home. At these preachers do; and they do everything that He deleast, Rev. Arthur Swazey, D. D. of Chicago, so preaches.nounced. They are the shallowest false pretense of the age. Although intemperance is apparently on the increase, yet there never was a time when so many people were temperate on principle-never a time when intemperance had so little control over the ruling brain and conscience of communities. Kate Stanton recently visited the House of Commons, where ladies are accorded a gallery, with bars in front of it, away up on the topmost stage. This reminded Kate of caged animals. She was told that the ladies are not allowed to be seen, lest they would distract the members while debating! Still on the animal plane of development! Frank B. Carpenter, the artist, is spending the summer at Homer, N. Y., which is his native town. Watson's Art Journal has a highly complimentary notice of his portrait of Mr. Greeley, which it says is the best ever painted, and one that, like Gilbert Stuart's Washington, will hereafter be looked upon as the standard portrait of Horace Greeley. Mr. Loiseau, of Philadelphia, has invented a machine which, with the help of two men, will produce one hundred and fifty tons of artificial fuel in a day. The materials are ninety-five per cent. of coal-dust with five per cent. of clay, sprinkled during the mixing with milk of lime. The pasty mass is the moulded into egg-shaped lumps; these are dried on belts of wire gauze, are dipped into a solution of resin and benzine, to render them damp-proof, and are ready for the market. In this way it is hoped a means of utilizing the prodigious heaps of coal-dust at the Pennsylvania mines has been discovered. WHEN a man feels that he does not want to be honest and good, and so earn the kingdom of heaven by his own personal virtues, he joins a fashionable church, in hopes that by giving a few of his stolen dollars to the preacher, he may somehow evade the devil, and escape the punish ment of the wicked. Dr. Holland, in Scribner's Monthly says: "When we come to the real reason of the popularity of the men called heterodox, we shall find it precisely the same as that which makes Prof. Swing the popular favorite that he is. Their absolute freedom is their charm." This is radical teaching for a magazine that was started a few years ago to represent orthodoxy. The Reno Crescent says: Take a first class engine down at Sacramento when the Legislature is in session and it from $38,000 to $40,000. Just run that same engine up to costs, from the sworn statement of Governor Stanford, Reno, without doing it the least perceptible damage, about the time the Assessor is around, and it depreciates so rapidly that it is put on the Assessor's books at $5,000. Thirty-eight years ago, Abner Kneeland, the founder of the Boston Investigator, an infidel paper, still published there, was convicted of blasphemy in a Massachuetts court, and sent to prison for uttering these words: "The Universalists believe in a God, which I do not, but I believe that their God (aside from Nature) is only a chimera of their own imagination." REPLY TO A SKEPTIC. BY B. SHRAFLE. EDITOR COMMON SENSE: I wish to express my approval of a portion of one of Mr. Mackie's articles, "Skepticism," in which he speaks of our duty to doubt, to deny, and to investigate, until satisfied of the truth. They were manly words, which could only come from an honest, sincere heart; therefore I, too, question Spiritualism, Materialism and all other 'isms, until I have such positive evidence that I can doubt no longer; yet, while I am so skeptical, I am glad to say that I have had such overwhelming evidences of the fact of communion with spirits, that to doubt longer would be absurd for me. I thank my stars that I am out of this sea of doubts, and now sail on smoother waters; nevertheless I question everything that comes from spirits, in or out of the "form," just as closely as I did seventeen years ago, when I began my investigations into the subject of Spiritualism, and I earnestly urge on every investigator to do the same. Mr. Mackie's failure, I think, consists in doubting his own reason, and most inner convictions, as he says. What medium could convince him, if he does not believe his own reason? I am credibly informed he once saw a spirit form in a dark hall, some years ago, and was sure he was wide awake. In his fright he related immediately the occurrence. I hope they will frighten him again, and keep coming so often that he may get used to them, and may obtain that positive evidence that even his senses and reason can doubt no longer, and he too can bask in the bright sunshine of this blessed reality. My good brother says: The devils and angels have gone the way of the gods, and no one suspected that they were only the spirits of their nearest kin, the very devils being ignorant of the fact. Elves and fairies too have gone, which is sad. Now, are we skeptics to blame if we hold ourselves aloof, watch with care, without deciding in matters strange and little understood, when the ages record such varied opinions? Of course, if it can be indisputably proved that the spirits of men and women can and do return and communicate with their friends, it matters little what past history says, but to the doubter it has great weight, and as yet remains unexplained, why they have been so long silent, when they could have so easily spoken. But what evidence can it be to him even if they have or have not communicated in the past? I shall be most happy to give him some evidences, (but cannot do it in happy to give him some evidences, (but cannot do it in this article, as it would make it too lengthy) and prove to him that they have not been silent during the last 1800 years. Furthermore, how does my brother know that spirits can speak so "easily." Does he fully understand the laws of spirit control, and is he sure that mankind has always been as well fitted to receive communications as at present? Speaking of past religions, he says: All these, like modern Spiritualism, have had inexplicable phenomena, "spiritual manifestations," on which their superstructure rested; have had evidence upon evidence presented that their system was true. Yet they are now discarded, even by Spiritualists. Although the religious systems have been discarded, yet | Spiritualists do not reject the spirit manifestations of the past, but sift the wheat from the chaff from all religions, and only accept that which to them is good. It is true Spiritualists often differ in their opinions on account of the difference in their mental powers and developments, their early education and surrounding circumstances; yet they hold one conviction in common, namely: that spirits can and do communicate with mankind when conditions are favorable. They question the Bible, or any other book, no matter how musty it is with age. They consider they have the right to scrutinize everything in nature, to find what they are in search of-truth. I know there are Spiritualists who swallow whatever comes from the lips of mediums, just as Christians accept what their minister says. They have not outgrown the old habit of allowing some one else to do the thinking for them, which is not strange. It cannot be expected they all should be thinkers. Modern Spiritualism had its birth but recently, and though its adherents are counted by millions, yet it must be remembered they come out from all sects and creeds, and, as a natural consequence, have brought more or less with them which colors their spiritual perceptions and ideas. The next generation of Spiritualists will be far advanced in their development, and in one hundred years Spiritualism will have accomplished for humanity more than Christianity has in eighteen hundred; because it will not only have purified religion of its dross and pretentions, but politics also, and literature and science, and will give them new life and vigor. I therefore say to my brother: Keep on doubting and analyzing; do not accept the say-so of anyone until you have sufficient evidence of its truth. Follow your convictions, yet do not fail to listen to the "still, small voice” which speaks to you of the divine essence. This, modified by your judgment, will lead you safely to the green pastures, and ever-flowing fountain of wisdom, goodness and truth, where your skeptical mind will be fully satisfied in its longing and aspiration towards the Infinite Father of us all, from whence it flows. HOODLUMS. The San Francisco Chronicle, a staunch supporter of Christian morality, is calling attention to the great importance of suppressing the Hoodlum element in this city. The Oneida Community, which has been in existence somewhat longer than the city of San Francisco, has no Hoodlums, and no Chronicle. The causes that produce "Hoodlums" have not been admitted there. They have no whisky, tobacco, prostitution, land or other monopoly; consequently no poverty and destitution. Every man, woman and child having an equal interest in the property and in the individual and general welfare; no police regulations, no criminal lawyers, doctors or priests are needed; hence Hoodlums, Chronicles, social evils and moral and physical pestilences are unknown there; and if their example of unity of interests, community of property, and a universal education, were adopted in San Francisco, we should be spared the infliction of Hoodlumism, and such journalism as the Chronicle represents. M. E. M. SOCIAL CLUBS INSTEAD OF HIRED PREACHING. BY A. GAYLORD SPALDING. A hundred millions a year is a cruel and burdensome tax on a domestic republican nation like ours, as the expense of hired preaching; and many intelligent individuals are adopting the free social club system instead, as a matter of economy. Every neighborhood may adopt that plan. Human beings are social, and require social or co-operative action; but a leadership of non-producing priests is not needed. That belonged to a former age of feudalism and kingcraft. It is our privilege to improve on old dead customs, in religion as well as politics. Our people should learn to do their own thinking, and dispense with the class who assume to do it for them. The average cost of sustaining a single popular church cannot be less than two thousand dollars per annum, and a population of two thousand generally requires from four to six such churches. Taking this for the national average, the aggregate is immense; and, like every other tax, the burden bears on labor. It is a universal pickpocket system. The financial managers of every church find their way, during the week, to the small pocket money of both saints sinners. It is stated by authority, that of the three hundred millions population of christendom, one hundred millions never have enough to eat; and of our own forty millions, ten millions are constantly drudged to procure their daily bread. This in a world so rich, bountiful and productive! There must surely be monopoly somewhere. Yet these are the people that pay all the costs. Then add to this the endless government taxation, and it fully explains the upper and the undercrust philosophy. One class produces, the other—eats. One class are deadheads, the other dupes. Churches are magnificent begging shops; and clergymen are the recognized high and respectable head beggars, and working men are the common victims. Sectarian preaching is a service of ceremonies that returns no equivalent for its terrible costs. The art consists simply in the skillful handling of the Bible texts, which the priest shuffles as the gambler does his cards the most expert hand always winning the game. It is a mistake to suppose that any truth is proved by texts. Ideas prove themselves by their own logic, the same as mathematics, and rest on their own intrinsic merits; and too much preaching of conflicting doctrines tends more to bewilder than to enlighten the public mind. It is claimed that the church elevates, purifies, and preserves the moral order and integrity of society, and that vices and crimes are checked and repressed by its influence. But when we look at cities where church spires most do abound, we find that liquor saloons, gambling hells and brothels are not wanting. The more of one sort the more of the other, is the rule. So the claim proves a baseless pretension. Take New York, Chicago, St. Louis, St. Paul, and San Francisco fcr examples. As to moral character, the preaching class may stand on a par with the average of men, or common sinners. In HERO WORSHIP. BY B. F. FRENCH. And true Let us question nature, and I think that we shall find that the idea of worship has, like many other things, been handed down to us from the dark ages, when people had very crude ideas concerning God and the works of nature. Who among us, that is intelligent, would desire to be adored? To every noble and intelligent soul such a thought is abhorrent. John, the relevator, was rebuked by the angel whom he was about to worship: "See thou do it not! I am thy fellow servant, etc." See Rev. 22-9, and by referring to the sixteenth verse of the same chapter, it will be seen that this angel was none other than Jesus himself; and yet, with this positive command ringing in their ears, the socalled Christian world have been worshiping him for eighteen centuries. The evil of "hero worship" is that principles are lost sight of, and truth, the only thing which should command our highest aspiration, is left unsought and uncared for, while some individual is idolized and deified; thus mystifying the minds of our youth concerning the true principles of nature. This is also applicable to the worship of any mere ideal being. Whether deity be personal or impersonal, he must be subjective to lawmust exist by virtue of law. He cannot be his own creator. If then he exists according to, and is subject to, law, he is, in principle; the same as ourselves; consequently should not be worshiped. If he has personality, possessing all wisdom, etc., our worship could not please him, for the same reason that it would not please a noble man, or woman. Again, if deity is impersonal, our worship could in no way affect him, save as it might affect ourselves, as being parts of himself; and right here another idea presents itself: If, as truly said by Pope, we "all are parts of one stupendous whole," which part shall worship, and which be worshiped? Certainly the lowest may not worship the highest; for it would only adore that which had ascended from its own self, or at least from its own condition. May we not reasonably conclude then that all worship, as understood and practiced by the large mass of professed Christians, is but a mitigated form of idolatry? and may we not reasonably hope that the day is dawning when worship, as now practiced, shall become obsolete, even as sacrifice has become among the most intelligent worshipers? I say yes, and believe that true worship will soon be inaugurated; which is simply a full and just appreciation of nature, and all her sublime manifestations; the expression of which will be seen in deeds of noble philanthropy, charity and justice, whereby humanity shall be resurrected out of its present ignorance, and all its consequent pain and degradation. [For Common Sense.] SCIENCE AND SPIRITUALISM. munications, I see still less reason to admit the claims of the spiritualistic theory. Not that we say that it is imposidea; but rather that it is not true, because there are no sible. On the contrary, all our opinions seem to favor the facts to support the claim. Believing as I do, most devoutly, that there is a God, a great spirit that rules the universe, and that man has a soul, an emanation from God, partaking of the great spirit nature, we could easily believe that these spirits could, or did, or do communicate with world. I see no impossibility in such an idea, nothing each other, and sometimes independently of the physical Are there well ascertained facts enough to demonstrate even improbable; but is it really so? That is the question. such a conclusion? I think not. Robert Dale Owen, in one of his works, has collected perhaps the most forcible catalogue of this nature. But they have only shown that in all ages, and in all countries, men and women have believed these super-natural legends, and readi These two things are wide apart, and to all appearance, always must be. Like oil and water, there is an incompatibility between them, and it seems to be insurmountable. Science rests upon well ascertained facts which repeat themselves invariably under the same circumstances. These are the essential tests: First, that the facts are incontestably what they are stated to be: Second, that the conclusions are drawn from them by inexorable logic: And third, that when all the conditions are repeated the expected results follow without exception.[1] Thus, the inventor of the steam engine observed the effects of fire upon water; he reasoned upon the facts till he solved out the idea of a steam engine; he tried his experiment, and it operated like a charm. These tests are all wanting in what are called spiritual phenomena. Those who see them are either incapable of scientific observation, or unaware of the nature of the evidence necessary to support a truth.ly recorded them. But that is no proof of their truth, or The witnesses, who saw or heard, must report just what met the senses, just what they saw or heard, and nothing more. There should be no hearsay and no enlargement. To the legal or scientific mind it is idle to make reports in any other form. They are of no more force than visions or dreams. We smile when told that the great medium, Home, in London, went out of a window feet foremost, and round the corner of a second floor, and in at another window, in the presence of several very respectable persons, and yet not one name given. It is no evidence of anything. No truth can be established in that way. Why did not the respectable persons sign the document? It is the more necessary that the testimony in these cases should be above refutation, because, as spiritualists themselves affirm, these events are separate from each other, and re peated at the mere will of spirits. To be brought home to manner. every form of superstition could be demonstrated in like find no favor in my eyes. have discovered wonderful truths, both useful and entertaining. We are discovering more every day. They are making us wise, and rich, and happy. We have far more to discover yet, with results almost inconceivable; and we are doing it diligently and well. All the pretenders to inspiration, all the mediums from the beginning of the world the intelligent mind, they must be supported by the same class of evidence that goes to establish a murder or any of knowledge. They have not discovered a new planet, till now, have not added one jot or one tittle to our stock other crime. We have never yet seen this done. [2] Spirita rich mine, a new island or continent, nor have they imualists are generally content to make such reports of what proved or invented so much as a wheel-barrow or a grindthey do or see done as cannot command the respect of stone.[5] I listen, sa I have repeatedly done, to their disany logical mind. It is not necessary to pursue this branch courses, and I discover nothing to vindicate the claim to of the subject further. Unless the facts are admitted or a higher source of information than common sense. And proven, there is nothing to explain; no new theory is nethere should be something of this nature, or what is the use cessary, and if it were, and the theory of spirits seemed to of inspiration? The inventor of the steamship or the electric be the only logical one, it is yet outside of the third test of telegraph, or the discoverer of the real nature of the solar science, for these spirits will not come and act alike for us system, might have made a reasonable claim to inspiration; under the same circumstances; they have a self-will that but these people who repeat only what others have taught baffles all our rules or appliances. We cannot hope for the before them, can have no such pretension. I do not same results from the same conditions. These circumstan- charge them with dissimulation. It is one of the vices of ces create an impassable gulf between science and what which, when we come to sift, has nothing in it. We are the age to strain our language to an enforced meaning, is called spiritualism; and there can be denying that all of us too much given to this kind of semi-delusion. I science is on the safe side of the gulf. However slow, it remember discoursing once with a distinguished clergy- is the safe and sure road to the only truth we certainly man on the divinity or inspiration of Christ. He insisted know. We should not be wise to leave it for any imaginary upon it. I resisted the claim. But at last he said, Why, air line. We have reference here merely to the physical you are a son of God when you do right; you are inspired when you have a beautiful thought." And I could say no phenomena. [3] more, only that if this is what he means by son of God or In reference to the mind, mediumship and spiritual com- inspiration, he should let the world know it distinctly. Let us use plain terms. Figures of speech are not favorable to truth. They shade, they soften, they make agreeable; but they lack the sharp lines of real knowledge. There are no tropes and figures in geometry. Should we insist upon the use of words that are strictly defined, and have no ambiguity, half of our errors would be swept away. Truth is one, and there is one way to it-scientific research-and none beside. All pretended inspiration, all royal roads to knowledge, all short cuts or by paths that pretend to dispense with observation and reason, must be discarded by the votaries of common sense. And all spiritual phenomena, mediumship or inspiration, must be regarded with doubt and suspicion, till they can stand the tests of science, till they can vindicate themselves by uniform successes. [6] BRIEF COMMENTS BY THE EDITOR. LAKE. 1. With our imperfect knowledge of the laws governing spiritual manifestations it is impossible for us to know whether all the conditions are repeated or not. 2. This has been repeatedly done, but there are none so deaf as those who will not hear." It was done in the very case mentioned. The witnesses were Lord Adare, and others whose names we cannot now recall. All the names were given in the account published by Lord Adare. 3. Whenever and wherever scientific men have candidly investigated physical phenomena, there has been but one result, a conviction that the cause, if not spiritual, is unknown. Some scientists have assumed to give the unknown cause titles such as odic force, psychic force, (soul force) etc., but this is merely nameing something which is still left unexplained. 4. There probably never was an age so full of "ghost The newspapers are full of them, stories" as our own, and most of them are well authenticated. 5. This is simply untrue. Andrew Jackson Davis, when a mere boy, described planets the existence of which has since been verified by astronomers; mines have repeatedly been discovered by spirit agency, while the list of inventions by spirit aid is so large that no definite statement can be made as to their number. In fact, it is quite likely that a large proportion are the result of spirit impression. In comparatively few of these cases has the fact been made public, because Spiritualism has not been popular, and no inventor cared to run the gauntlet of ridicule which such a confession involved. 6. One reason why spirits do not tell us more than they do is that we are placed here to exercise our own reason, not to be blindly led by any power outside of ourselves, and there is no lesson so constantly dinned into the ears of Spiritualists as this one of self reliance and self development. This one doctrine, self culture, is the alpha and omega of the spiritual philosophy, and it is in order to fulfil this injunction that we seek to understand our own nature and to solve the mysteries of our being, physical and spiritual. The dependence of laborers upon capital, having no sanction in natural justice or the Common Law, is the result of special class legislation which enables a privileged few to plunder the useful many. "GOD IS LOVE." BY PROF. W. H. CHANEY. How beautiful the thought! Remember this is said of the God of the Bible, and by turning to that sacred volume on every page we find the proof that "God is love." Love animated the bosom of the God there described, when he made Adam. Being omniscient, God knew that he was making him so weak that the man would transgress; knew that Adam would be tempted beyond the power of resistance; knew that he would "fall;" knew all the suffering that would thus be entailed upon the human race in this life, with hell and damnation for their sole inheritance in the next. This is the Bible God. How infinitely affectionate it was on His part to adopt this programme in the Suppose, instead of selecting an production of man. inferior quality of "the dust of the ground," God had chosen the very best, (especially for making the heart and brain of Adam,) then the man might have been strong enough to resist temptation; the "fall" would have been averted, and no Savior needed. But gentle love swayed Infinite Ietelligence, and man was made so that he must fall, entailing both temporal and eternal misery upon the unborn millions that were to come after him. How grand! How beautiful! This instance alone is sufficient to prove that "God is love;" but there are others, equally forcible, to which I invite attention. 19. through the treachery of his wife. Then Samson growled about it, for even in those days gamblers grumbled when they lost. After recording the sublime language of this ancient sport, about their "ploughing with his heifer," the next utterance of the sacred text is in these words: "And the spirit of the Lord came upon him." What was that spirit? Love, of course, for "God is love." If the reader doubts, let him read the whole verse, Judges xiv, "And the spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Askelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them That is to say, in plain which expounded the riddle.” English, the spirit of the Lord "controlled" Samson to commit murder and robbery to pay a gambling debt. Amazing pity, grace unknown, and "love beyond degree!" How clearly this incident proves that "God is love.” True, it might not be discreet for any person, in these degenerate times, to imitate Samson, else God's children would stretch his neck at short metre, for God has informed them in His Holy Word, "My spirit shall not always strive with men." Samson made a bet with the Philistines which he lost But to be serious. If the "spirit," mentioned in the last sentence, is the same "spirit" that came upon Samson, it would seem that while it has partially ceased to "strive" with the Caucasian race, it still "strives" with the Spaniards in Cuba, with some negro tribes of Africa, with barbarians generally, and "Indians not taxed," who take the same rank as our American women. These are not a tithe of the evidences to be found in the which prove that "God is love." Holy Scriptures |