RELIGIOUS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 860, 24 August 1888, Page 7

RELIGIOUS.

EXPANSION.

(From the Harbinger of Light, Aug. 1.)

Since our last article on the tendenoy amongst advanced theologians to the adop tion of spiritualistic ideas, a notable instance has occurred in our midst in the person of the Rev. Alexander Marshall, the new pastor of Scots’ Church, who, in a discourse given on Sunday, July 1, proves from a scripture text some of the leading teachings of Spiritualism with regard to the future life. The rev. gentlemen’s discourse was based upon Revelations, ebap. xii, v. 2 : *He that is unjust, let him be unjust Btill; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still; he that is righteons, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still.’ In his opinion, the whole meaning of this text did away with the common notion that death would work a magical change or transformation in the spiritual character of the individual. ‘lt laid down in his mind a principle which went to show that the future life of anyone would be determined by the life he now led, and the spiritual character ho was now building up for himself, and that it solely laid with man in his present life to determine his future state.’ The italics are ours, but they are the gist of the sentence, and are in exact harmony with what Spiritualism has been teaching for the last three or four decades, and altogether at variance with the fundamental doctrines of Calvinism. It wi uld seem as though the psychological influence of some of the speaker’s liberal predecessors in the Scots’ Church pulpit had affected him and caused him either to forget or disregard the r fate at the hands of the Melbourne Presbytery; but so far no action has been taken against Mr Marshall, the Presbytery being aware from former experiences that the sympathy of the congregation is altogether with these liberal ideas. Again, the speaker says a little further on in his discourse : * The mere physical change that passed over the body at death was not likely and would not affect or alter the personal identity or the spiritual character that one had when alive.’ In this sentence he affirms that we enter into the future life preserving our identity, and the exact spiritual and moral status that we have attained at the time of the physical dissolution. Every intelligent spirit that communicates with mortals tells us the same, and it is accepted as truth by almost every writer of repute on Spiritualism. Dealing with the future state of the wicked, Mr Marshall alludes to the general revolution of sentiment against the existence of a material hell. “To his mind (he said) there was no such ‘ place ’as hell. Hell, in his opinion, was a state in which the man who suffered it made for himself.’ Here we have another orthodox doctrine S9t aside, and a spiritualistic oue substituted ; whilst a little further on the rev. gentleman affirms that every man makes his own heaven, thereby implying that it is rather a condition than a place. Mr Marshall's views are not singular in the Presbyterian Church, and we have not far to go to find another eminent Presbyterian settiDg aside the dogmas of the Church, and teaching rational ideas adapted to the spiritual requirements of the people. We refer to Professor Salmona, of Dunedin, who has in a recent sermon given utterance to sentiments almost identical to Mr Marshall’s. People who take their estimate from surface observation assert that Spiritualism is not making progress in Australia; that it has even gone back daring the last few years. This, however, is not the case ; the form of Spiritualism may be less manifest, but the spirit of it as represented in its philosophy and religious ethios is more widespread now than ever ; whilst even the fact of spirit intercourse is admitted by a larger per centage of the public than it was. The great mission of Spiritualism, however, is to bring man more into harmony with the spirit-world—to induce rational and natural conoeptionß of the future state, which will of necessity bring mankind into closer relationship with it, and ultimately bridge the gulf which at present separates the two conditions of life. We look upon this mindmovement amongst the religious teachers of the day as one of the most hopeful signs of progress, because in every instance we find the flock 3 ever ready to follow the shepherd into the most attractive pastures of Spiritualism. Creeds and dogmas represent the fences which keep the churoh members in the fold, and when tho shepherd pulls down a rail or two”, some of the sheep are sure to get outside, and never willingly enter again ; they are lost sheep to that fold, but not lost from the care of the Great Shepherd in whose pastures they still abide.