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January, 1878. The Olive Branch. ! once closed, it seems to be their determination to keep this broad highway barricaded. There is an equal determination on the part of the spirit world to remove all barriers, and set at liberty the sons and daughters of men. Much is said by sacred writers in reference to spirits and their relationship with those of earth. But the wise men of the ministry as sume the position of unerring expounders of the true meaning of those sentences. It makes little difference how absurd may be the position assumed; if some celebrated divine gives a version of his conception of them, it is re garded as authoritative. If the opinions of those in the material are antagonistic to mine, I being a spirit, are not my views entitled to have weight, as evidence, of the facts which I proclaim? But as my claim is worthless without proof, let us see on which side the greater amount of evidence can be adduced. An individual makes the assertion that spirits cannot return. What proof can he offer in support of his position? A simple statement amounts to nothing, only so far as it is the expression of an individual opinion. A person thus believing cannot be supposed to try the spirits, not believing they are near enough to come in contact with him. Of course the admonition to try the spirits has no effect upon him, for there are no spirits to try. On the other hand, I assert that spirits do return, and not only do I make the assertion, but I manifest my own presence as a personal witness of .the fact. Spirits do not come on idle missions. There is ever and always an object to be accomplished. And there are per sons in the mortal form who have seen me in a materialized form. I have controlled human organisms and given my views in public; true, not so naturally as I could in the form once so familiar to many, but enough for my own gratification, and the edification of those who have listened to my voice. There is this difference between the two views. The first rests wholly upon traditions, superstitions, bigotry and prejudice; while on the other hand are living wituesses. Now which should be believed? Certainly not the former, for in a simple justice court it would be non-suited for want of evidence. But as the admonition is general, it can be made applicable to spirits robed with mortal ity, as well as those disrobed. While morta's claim the right to try spirits, that have left the mortal form, we, as spirits claim an equal right in regard to those in the form. And were we to judge as severely, or scrutinize as closely, as mortals do with us, we should find many who are weighed in the balance and found wanting. Evidence should be weighed with care ere final judgment is made. The method adopted by many who claim superior knowledge in reference to spiritual matters, is to ignore all natural laws as not applicable to spirits, and set up a new code called the supernatural. There never was such a thing as a supernatural manifestation, nor can there be. If there were, it would'.be be yond the range of human intelligence, and could not benefit man at all. It would only tend to mystify the mind. Mankind are natural productions. They form opinions and estimations, in accordance with the laws of their being, which is a nat ural law, applicable to other forms in the ma terial universe, outside of man. The same law that applies to the smallest insect, applies equally to mankind, in their respective posi tions. Man cannot go beyond the natural. When he seeks to establish the supernatural, he attempts to do that which it is impossible for him to do. It is only superstition that creates the supernatural, and the more super stitious the being, the more supernatural will all things appear. Leaving this realm of fancy, we come to a natural basis, and how different all things ap pear. Even what seemed miraculous can be accounted for, because man’s reason is called into requisition, and analyzation begins. The difference between the two positions is this: One is governed by reason, the natural organs of sense are used; while in the other all these are disregarded, or used in perverted sense, and the individual is governed by prejudice, or feeling of some kind. No person wishes to be considered inferior to others, but rather the peer of all. But how are they to sustain the position unless through the exercise of the intellect'? No one will claim that the knowledge they possess is supernatural. It is the natural result of the powers which belong to them. From whence are these powers or functions derived ? I answer from nature. Natural laws encompass all living objects, seen or unseen. As it is im possible for men to die; or for any thing in nature to die, (they may change,) then are all things within the radius of this law. Spirits disrobed are equally subject to law as mortals; nor can we depart therefrom any more than mortals. There is therefore no mystery in spirit life. All claims of fancy are forgotten, and we as sert our positions as men and women, and seek to analyze for ourselves in accordance with John’s advice. Hence we find it necessary to try the spirits of men, and we do not stop at one trial, but we keep on trying continually. If it were not for this process, little of an in telligent nature could be given from our side of life. A person who is sensitive to the accusations of his fellow men, and is honest in his inten tions, seeks the society of similarly constituted persons. When in the society of such, he is at home. But suppose by some unforeseen circumstance, he is forced into the society of those who have no regard for truth or honesty, though possessed of intelligence. What would be such condition to that sensitive mind ? It would be a living hell, and if there was no escape, it would seem to be bottomless. Now the same experience applies to the dis robed spirit when brought in contact with mortals, in whose souls there is not purity, manliness and fidelity. How are we to judge of motives? Only by the effect. How are mortals to judge of us ? By the results we produce. This difference must be borne in mind. When upon the material plane, every person can act independ ently so far as they realize the position they occupy. Spirits disrobed of the material, if they manifest their presence at all, must do so through another individuality. For the spirit to manifest true to itself, the medium must possess elements of character similar to those possessed by the spirit, or the manifestation will not be satisfactory. Pure water cannot pass through impure soil without being im pregnated with the elements with which it is brought in contact. It is the same with the spirits. Therefore we find it necessary to try the mediums we would use, and to the best of our judgment secure intelligent, reliable mediums as far as we can. When this is accomplished, there is no mystery connected with the matter. A truthful person deals not in mysteries. It is error that ever cloaks its acts with the mar velous and mysterious. It is equally incumbent upon mortals to try the spirits that come to them, for ak I have said, they always have an object, and as there are many paths in life surrounded by both right and wrong; the true and false; with motives, pure and truthful, or false and deceit ful, it is a matter of deep interest to ascertain what the motives are which actuate the spirit. Evil oftentimes steals the cloak of its neigh bor, to deceive by appearances; and evil dis posed spirits at times seek to lead astray the pure minded investigator. Thus it becomes necessary to put them in the crucible, and make a careful analysis, in order that all im purities may be known. Natural laws and human reason are this crucible. As Deity never violates natural law, all that is claimed to be of a supernatural character, should be analyzed in the crucible of reason; and all powers and forces that are brought to bear upon mankind, which do not harmonize with reason, should be disregarded, because they are of human origin, and the object is evil. Human life has ever been considered a war fare, not of man against his fellow man, but of unseen forces in man. Paul illustrated what I wish to enforce upon your minds, and I will quote his words, found in the 6th chap ter of Ephesians, 12th verse: “ For we wrestle not agaijist,flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” It is evident that man’s condition in the days of Paul, was similar to what are experi enced at the present time. The minds of the people were being led away from the truth, to false gods. As I now see the condition of mankind, and the forces operating upon them from without, I am led to take this view of what was intended by Paul. Mankind formerly regarded all things that claimed to be spiritual, or of spiritual origin, as coming from the Infinite. As Deity never spoke to man, only through and by the reve lations of nature, we are led to the position that all which claimed to have a supernatural agency, was a mere fancy, or purposed fabrij cation to deceive the people. Though pre sented in a spiritual form, and clothed upon with all the devices which the mind of man can conceive, it was but to deceive, and while possessing the form and features of spiritual
