New York and Ohio, and amongst a people who professed to be guided by the Bible alone, Spaulding's paltry romance, without the slightest spice of fancy, poetry or probability to make it attractive, and with a thousand falsehoods, puerilities and solecisms to render it contemptible, could, nevertheless, be imposed upon the community as a new revelation from heaven! However ridiculous this fabled offspring of the now famous "Bible Hill," the result has proved it to be possessed of greater power of delusion than any thing that has appeared in the world since the Koran. The diffusion of Mormonism, indeed, thus far, has been much more extensive than that of Mohammedism, at the same early period of its history. Community after community has been established; magnificent temples have been reared in various places; missionaries have traversed the distant regions of the earth, and one of the most enlightened of foreign nations has witnessed thousands of converts forsaking their native shores to join the myriads who, amidst our western wilds, have erected an empire of fanaticism, and laid the foundations of a city and a temple which are to surpass the greatest wonders of the world.

That man may be easily misled by delusions which address themselves to his passions, is well known; but it would seem that he is still more readily deceived by those which affect his instincts. Among these instincts may fairly be classed the sentiment of religion-the disposition to communicate with the unseen spiritual world-to fear and to adore a mysterious and incomprehensible Power-a sentiment universally diffused, and so characteristic of man in all lands, in all ages, and in all conditions, as manifestly to belong to the very constitution of his nature. Hence the number and rapid spread of delusions which have to do with the spiritual system. Hence the well-defined superstitions; the cherished traditionary beliefs; the mishapen and fantastic religions of the unenlightened; and, as cultivation of the intellect enfeebles the mere instinctive powers, the sceptical philosophy; the vague spiritual theories, and refined and sublimated theology of the learned. Hence, too, the success which the bolder and grosser forms of delusion have among the masses of the population, which, even in the most civilized countries, are yet comparatively ignorant, and in whom natural instinct predominates over reason.

From these considerations, and many others which might be stated, we do not wonder at the stir which has been created in many places by the " Spirit Knockings," to which we have already adverted; nor should we be at all surprised if they should attract a still larger share of public attention, and, finally, in the hands of skilful

managers, assume a fixed and definite form, as a new system of spiritual communication, and a permanent addition to the already extensive list of neologisms and so-called rationalisms of the present age. We are pleased to see, meanwhile, that they are, in many places, undergoing the investigation which such pretensions naturally challenge, and rest patiently in the hope, that the true philosophy of the whole matter will, in due season, be presented to the world.

Were we ourselves disposed, contrary to the intention already expressed in these papers, to go into such an investigation, we should have undoubtedly a great many inquiries to propound, and would feel inclined to institute a variety of comparisons between these spiritual communications and those of former ages of the world. We would feel especially disposed, from some resemblances in the mode of communication, to compare these modern oracles with those of ancient Delphi. A female being chosen as a "medium,” we are reminded irresistibly of the Pythian priestess, through whom alone the responses could be given; nor is the analogy sensibly weakened by the fact that, while the "medium" is seated at a table, the Pythia was placed upon a tripod mounted upon the covercle of a brazen vessel. We find, too, a similar ambiguity often in the responses in the two cases, and a similar incongruity in the style or method of communication. For although at first, in harmony with the office of Apollo as the god of poetry, the Pythia gave her answers in verse, she fell at last to prose, upon the people's laughing at the poorness of the versification. So, in like manner, these catechistical spirits, who have ears to hear every question asked, seem to be wholly deprived of the power of speech; and while they can create no vibrations in our atmosphere by their spiritual vocal organs, are, nevertheless, able to produce, by other means, those sounds known as spiritual rappings, and are obliged to content themselves accordingly, with this awkward and clumsy method of communication.

It must be confessed, however, that in one respect there is a striking dissimilarity between the ancient and the modern oracles, if we may credit one of the reasons that Plutarch assigns for the cessation of the former. For while he alleges that the Delphian oracles ceased in consequence of Apollo's chagrin, who took it in dudgeon to be interrogated about so many trifles, we find our modern

*We are not certain that these female "mediums" are, of necessity, virgins, as was the case at Delphi, until an unfortunate accident led to the choice of women above fifty years of age.

spirits infinitely more accommodating, and ready to answer almost any question which an accepted votary may propound. It is possible, nevertheless, that Plutarch was mistaken, and that his third reason for the cessation of the Grecian oracles was the true one, viz: the forlorn state of Greece, ruined and desolated by wars. For this necessarily so reduced the gains of those concerned in the delivery of the oracles, that they fell into poverty and contempt. This being so, and this reason not having as yet obtained in the case of the spirit rappings, our analogy between them would not, in this case, be at all invalidated.

We might be disposed to trace some further resemblances; such, for instance, as occurs in the remarkable fact, that neither the ancient nor the modern oracles have ever, as yet, favored the world with a single new truth respecting man's spiritual relations or his moral duties. Thus, while the ancient oracles contained not the slightest glimmering of light in regard to these matters, our modern , revelations are equally destitute of originality-presenting not a single thought heretofore unknown to the world; and in their most minute and claborate expositions of the unseen world, affording not one single new conception of its vast and mysterious things.* It is remarkable, also, that believers in the "spiritual rappings" can

* By an amalgamation of Animal Magnetism with this new method of spiritual communication, it appears that vivid and elaborate visual representations are sometimes made, which, if they have not the splendor and originality of those of the Apocalypse, have at least the advantage of being easily comprehended, in consequence of their presenting what every body knew before. One of these is detailed in the following extract from a published letter of Mr. Courtney, who is a lawyer in good practice, in Western Pennsylvania, and said to be a gentleman of “fair intellectual powers" and "high moral character." It will be seen by the extract, that he regards this a great improvement upon what he terms the "dilatory and tedious process of communicating by the alphabet," as heretofore used by the spirit rappers:

"How far into the future this prevoyant power reaches, I am unable to state, because I have not yet experienced the future; but it has been drawn out and portrayed in living colors by visual representations made to Mrs. Bushnell in the spiritual trance, induced by Mr. Austin. When any important instruction or information was to be imparted, the dilatory and tedious process of communicating by the alphabet was superseded, Mr. A. magnetising Mrs. B. (a thing of daily occurrence) and inducing upon her a vision representative of the information he wished to impart. Those familiar with the visions or Memorable Relations' of Swedenborg, will understand this picture, or correspondential language. Then, after thus representing it to her, and making her describe it, he would look at my mind to see if I had got an adequate and accurate idea of it, and then, by means of the alphabet, spell out an affirmation, correction, emendation, &c., of it, as

see, nevertheless, as well as the ancient votaries of the Pythian god, the utility of spiritual visitations which have no moral purpose, and the absolute necessity for a revelation which makes no secret known, but, like the fire in an antique Roman urn, concerns the dead alone, and serves, in Butler's phrase,

We could not, however, we confess, in such an investigation, bring ourselves seriously to contrast, much less to compare, these "spirit rappings" and the female "mediums," or answer-jobbers who expound them, or these necromantic disclosures themselves, with the Living Oracles of Heaven, or with the holy men of old, who spoke by the Holy Spirit-the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and teachers of the Bible. This, indeed, would be as great a moral impossibility the case may be. I have many of those representative visions, highly instructive and edifying. In order that you may have a clear idea of them, I have copied one, with the circumstances under which it was given. One evening I had magnetised a young gentleman at my house, with Mrs. B., in order to develop his spiritual vision, and directed his perception to Mr. Austin. He described him accurately, though never having seen or known him, and talked with him in thought. After many other experiments, I requested him to ask Mr. Austin to make him see a vision. He said he would, and that he would make him see a vision representative of the 'frailty of human life. Mr. Austin then stood before him, looking healthy, cheerful and happy. Suddenly he commenced to swell hideously and look horrid his face became flushed and red, choked and crimsoned, (representing apoplexy, of which Mr. A. died;) his body continued to swell until it burst, when it was found full of worms, eating and destroying it; during which time a beautiful bird of paradise (representing his spirit) was seen to hover over and around the body; the worms continued eating his body until nothing was left but a dry skeleton, which was blown to the four winds. On looking after the bird he found it flying on-and on-and on, until it entered a warm and balmy climate, and a most delightful country, when it perched and rested upon a tree, bearing, at the same time, the most fragrant blossoms and the richest fruit. On looking beneath the tree, he was surprised again to see Mr. Austin looking brighter and happier than ever; and on watching him, he commenced to ascend, with others, a smooth and flowery mountain, (representing progression,) up whose fragrant ascent thousands and millions of happy spirits were slowly progressing; and now as they ascended, circle by circle, they became fewer and brighter, until they were lost to his view in the distant and sunny summit."

This is, truly, a most edifying vision of human "frailty" and celestial beatification! It is a thousand pities that so much time should be lost without learning any thing of eternity; and that we should have so much mental excitement, and so many "spirit knockings" and "spiritual trances," without having a single new idea added to those which the Bible reveals concerning the spiritual world. We do not, however, wonder at the sincerity and readiness with which Mr. Courtney appears to receive these communications, since we have understood that he has been already a believer in the visions of Swedenborg. Qui Bavium non odit, amet tua carmina Mævi. R. R.

as it would be a physical one, to compare the glimmer of the glowworm, which appears only in darkness, with the light of the meridian sun; or visibly to contrast the nonentities of a midnight apparition, with the flesh, blood and bones of a living, breathing man. Ah! no: as the sun in his strength banishes at once from his presence the shades of uncertainty and the flitting spectres of darkness, and consigns the glimmering insects of night to obscurity and contempt; so the Bible, radiant with the heavenly light of life, disperses. the vain phantoms of ignorance, and obscures the false, delusive lights which can shine only amidst the darkness of the world. Holy and priceless volume! which reveals God to man and man to himself; which has given to man every truth in his possession concerning his origin, his spiritual relations, and his destiny; and whose brilliant light alone can guide the lost to the blissful abode of everlasting joy. Sacred and truthful Testimony! which has been given by the pure; confirmed by miracles, and sealed with the blood of martyrs. Living and life-giving word! Inspiration of the Divine Spirit! which quickens, sanctifies and saves the soul. Alas! what would man be, deprived of this precious revelation; this spiritual sun-light, which, beaming forth from heaven, dissipates the darkness of the past, the present and the future, and which alone has power to cover with verdure the waste places of the earth, and prepare for celestial reapers a harvest of immortality! R. R.

AN INQUIRY INTO THE NATURE, CAUSE, AND CURE, OF SPIRITUAL DYSPEPSY-No. VI.

Dr. Evangelicus.--And will you please inform me, James, how Mr. Fairspeech and his friend, Mr. Wilyman, appeared to receive the admonition and advice of Mr. Lovetruth?

James Conformitas.--So far as I could judge from their counte nances, I thought that they were not a little displeased at the plainness of the language used by Mr. Lovetruth, and also at the warmth of manner with which he delivered himself. Being myself, at that time, connected with these gentlemen in business, I remember well the plain and pointed manner of Mr. Love truth's address to us; and though I was not disposed to question his sincerity, I considered him a gentleman much too impolitic to succeed well in the business in which he had embarked. As to the advice which he SERIES IV.-VOL. I.

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