RELIGION, To the Editor of the "Nortu-Cama Dairy News.'
Str,—I have read with great interest the report published in your paper some days ago about the congress of Spiritualists held at Lille, and also your comments thereon, which characterized by that fair which is typical of your newspaper. If I dare to take upisome of your time and space, it is not with a view to criticize, but simply to express a point of view different from your own, but which I think deserves consideration.
You reach the conclusion that the flimsy proofs offered by spiritist publications such as ''Raymond'? and many others are insufficient to build on them the foundation of one's spiritual life Looking on the spiritual movement simply as a scientific investigation, such as atomic en-orgy, for instance, you are certainly right. Looking on Spiritualism as a religion F feel an entirely different conclusion must be Spiritualism as a religion does not mean the attendance of so-called seances or the belief in the manifestations of so-called med-lums, professional or otherwise. A believer in spiritualism simply accepts the assurance of life after death, strengthened by such proofs as the individual is willing and ready to accept.
I am personally of the opinion that the spiritualists themselves are much to blame for the general scepticism against their beliefs. They have permitted themselves to be Ied entiedy too far in the channel of scientific investigation and have travelled a long. way from the road of faith.
No religion can and should be built on the result of photography, chemistry or any other scientific apparatus. As a religion Spiritrialism should and must claim the first prerogative of all religions—Faith of the believer, for without it no religion can exist. It is the very essence of religion that. it does mot depend on_ scientific proof, but gains its strength from the deepest forces within the human soul, which can master doubt by faith.
And why should the world at large demand from the spiritualist proofs which it has never dreamt, of asking from any other religion? Has it ever occured to anyone to demand cold, hard and scientific proofs for the miracles contained in the old and new testament? Or is it not rather a fact that the great. majority of Christian believers are satisfied to accept the teachings and ideals of Christianity in all its forms, while quietly rejecting, what they feel personally unable to accept?
Spiritualism does not take away anything from any other religion. Tt offers no new set of moralities, it accepts the truth as it has come down to us as a precious inheritance through the ages, it only endeavours to add new assurance to old promises.
Tu its promises it tries to show that Heaven is not, a place of eternal Ieisure and adoration, such as pictured in past ages, but a place of further development of the human soul, and the emphasis it places on the importance of preparing on earth for the new and greater responsibilities to be encountered after death, can only tend to make us better and kinder. Surely there is need for goodness and kindness to-day, as much and more than ever before.
On such a faith one mav safely build the foundation of life, ever conscious of the great prayer of the humble" in spirit "T believe oh Lord, help Thou my unbelief."
I am, ete.,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.