SPIRITISM WEIGHED IN THE BALANCE.

Thames Advertiser, Volume X, Issue 2625, 17 May 1877, Page 3

SPIRITISM WEIGHED IN THE BALANCE.

REV. ALMS WEBB'S LECTURE. The Xiorne-street Hall, Auckland, on Tuesday evening, was crowded by persons desirous of hearing tho llev Allan Webb's lecture on Spiritualism. Mr J, 0. Firth was voted to the chair, and in his remarks referred to the magicians, astrologers, and superstitions of past ages, and said that in this age of civilisation a set of claimants to converse with the spirit world, calling themselves mediums, had sprung up, and their pretensions to hold converse with departed spirits was simply ridiculous, and opposed to common sense. The Bible does not countenance, but resolutely denounces such interference. Haying spoken at some length on the absurdities of modern spiritualism, the Chairman introduced the Kev Allan Webb, of Wel-lesley-street church, to the audience. Bev. Mr Webb, on rising, was greeted with prolonged applause, and commenced his lecture by 3sying that tho present age was one of liberty; but that liberty of which we boasted was, in a disregard of reason, made an excuse for almost unbounded license. He appeared before the audience as a minister of Jesus Christ, and to his mind the Bible was a finality. The lecturer rapidly sketched the superstitions and beliefs of early ages, and proceeded to show that modern Spiritualism had no foundation in the Divine word, but in this age men had risen up, professing to hold communion with the dead; mon whom the ancient necromancers would be ashamed to call their sons. 'J lie modem movement appeared to havo originated some thirty years ago with Andrew Jackson Davis, who professed to bo the apostle of a new creed, which was merely pantheism in another form. Ihe lecturer then noticed tho reputed marvels of Mrs JGuppy and others, coming down to Peebles and Walker. The presumed medium now in our midst was possessed of ii retentive memory, had a large vocabulary, could close his eyes, shake and shiver a little, but 1 none but fools credited the medium. Mr Webb then explained the experiments ol Professors Faraday, others, which was a complete expose of the art. And there were practices on which Faraday was ashamed to write, and which wero an abomination and superstition; beyond even the instinct of a dog. A distinguished scientist described spiritualism as senseless abominations Bnd profanity- iu truth, groping upon_the very threshold ot God's spiritual kingdom— and did people think that pretensions were justified such as were never approached in the darkest days of heathenism? (Cheers.) The seances were dark, so that the practices of tho professors could not be seen, except through darkness. If light was let iu, " tho conditions were not favourable," (Immense laughter.) Many anecdotes were humourously told of Mr Home, and reference made to the Davenport Brothers. A number of amusing stories were told in succession, and a beautiful parable by the late Bev. J. Hamilton, of London," The Old Man and the Lamp," but as the lecture will be published shortly, readers will have an opportunity of judging of its merits in its entirety. The lecturer concluded with the following, paying a tribute of praise to the Auckland Press, saying if the newspapers of Auckland, whose tone in this matter was so worthy of their leadership of public opinion here (cheers), if the newspapers were to be relied upon as faithful reporters, the people here have had within the last few weeks abundant proofs that this Spiritualism was subversive of the dearest hopes that revelation engendered. (Loud cheers,) They had before them the records of the doings of those who claimed to be priests of this new demonology. Let it be inquired iato by science by all means; but it tried to evade the inquiry of science. Would Christian people pursue the ignis fatuus of these delusive mystics? Would they be content with the phosphor gases of the charnel-house ? Would they follow those occult arts through the quagmires of sensuality-would they accept the abominations of these anti-Christian delusions ? No. The asylums of America were said to be full of men and women who had become insane through these delusions. Were they to be contented with darkness ? No. Christ was the • light and the life. Let men turn to the sun; to the light of heaven, {and shun the ways of darkness through which these mystics would lead their followers. (Loud cheers).