by its silence, tends to discountenance the hope of a future life.-Those who uphold the Bible against Spiritualism, the real antagonists of the only satisfactory evidence ever given to man of a future habitation in the spirit world.

2065. Religious people all very justly insist on the immense importance of a belief in a future state of existence, in which we are to enjoy a degree of happiness in proportion to our good conduct in this life, or of misery in proportion as we do evil.

2066. Throughout Christendom I believe such a belief is necessary to render a person competent as a witness, or to hold any office. As it is assumed generally by Christians that there is no other proof of immortality than that alleged to be afforded by Scripture, unbelievers in Scripture are assumed to be unbelievers in a future state, and the most unfavourable insinuations are made respecting such persons, (1310.) Bishop McIlvaine, in his "Evidences," has charitably represented that, as a class, such men are peculiarly vicious, and in their domestic relations immoral; not recollecting how far Christian prelates have been found wanting in the present, as well as in past times. But notwithstanding that the disbelief in a future state is held to be so universally pernicious in its influence, self-called orthodox Christians deem it impious not to bow before the Bible as the holy word of God, or to be wanting in respect for his inspired missionary, Moses. But admitting that the books found by Hilkiah (1940) were written, under divine inspiration, by Moses, how does it happen that those books and their author stand in such high estimation, when they actually give no evidence of immortality, but rather tend to prove that God, in communicating his will to Moses, thought it more important to give to the Jews directions for the decoration of a tabernacle, than to impart to them the invaluable knowledge of their eternal existence ? Moreover, God is represented as holding in especial favour, those who did not think it of as much importance to inquire into the truth of immortality, as to obtain decorations for pharisaical worship. Why is Moses, a materialist, to be venerated, who so grossly trifled with his opportunities? There is either a flagitious misrepresentation, or he, of all men, had the best opportunity of learning this all-important truth; and therefore, dying ignorant of it, is proportionally more culpable. Wherefore is the uncandid and unfounded pretence resorted to, that attacking the Old Testament is attacking the basis of the hope of heaven, when, on the contrary, that record has really the opposite tendency-that of enfeebling the evidence of immortality?

2067. We see the heathen Cyrus, on his death-bed, (1980,) striving to impress upon his children a belief in immortality, while Moses, dying a worldly-minded, blood-thirsty materialist, employs his last moments in giving inhuman directions for the merciless massacre of every conquered

pagan. Yet, while Bishop McIlvaine, as respects his contemporaries, represents materialism as irreconcilable with virtue, Moses is to be venerated and the books attributed to his authorship idolatrously worshipped as the word of God! But if the advocacy of any thing which tends to lessen the hope of immortality be culpable, is it not culpable, against the truths of Spiritualism to hold up a book which authorizes disbelief in immortality, and that, too, upon such questionable authority as an obscure priest and fanatical and barbarous autocrat? (1937.) As respects the gospel, it has, I hope, been shown that, with all the exertions of the good parson Harbaugh to exhibit the heaven of Scripture in its most favorable aspect, (777 to 805,) Spiritualism has immensely the advantage in the description given of the spirit world, (409 to 469,) sanctioned by the replies given to my queries under test conditions, (552).

2068. Another ground of pre-eminence is the perfect immunity from any association with such a priesthood as that described by the Right D Rev. Bishop Hopkins. Media, replacing the priests, will owe their office to nature, not to any aristocracy, monarch, or theocrat, (1307).

2069. Private disinterested Media will always outnumber and control any of the same class who may attempt to acquire unfair ascendancy, even if, in the nature of the case, it were possible that such a wrong could be contemplated.

2070. I trust I have shown that the actual morals of Christendom are irreconcilable with the precepts of the gospel, which denounce wealth and enjoin submission to wrong, these morals being also inconsistent with the materialism of the books of Moses. Under these circumstances, let the reader turn to the evidence which has converted me from a prepossessed skeptic to a devout believer in spiritual communication. Let that glorious portraiture of the spirit-world be considerd which has been opened to the view of mortals through the high spirits who have accredited me as one of their servants. I will not go over the evidence, nor recapitulate the arguments which I have already so fully urged upon the attention of my readers. I implore them to read with candour, and think earnestly of the facts and reasoning submitted in this volume.

P. S.-Explanation respecting Jesus Christ.

My spirit sister alleges that Christ never uttered the language recorded as his, and upon which I have commented. This being admitted, I wish that nothing which I have said may be considered as bearing personally on a Being who is so much the object of devotion with many of my dearest connections, relations, and friends. I wish that it should be considered that it is only upon the doctrines imputed to Christ, that I have intend- v ed to animadvert, not on Jesus himself. Surely I am justified as treating that language as coming from Jesus Christ, which is ascribed to him in the only history of his teachings which has come down to us, and which, under the name of the holy canonical gospel, is considered by more than three-fourths of all the Christians in existence as inspired by God!

APPENDIX.

UNDER this head I place some articles which could not be embodied in this work; but which it may nevertheless be expedient to place within the reach of certain readers. Among the articles referred to is the theory of electricity, which I first published in 1848, and which has been approved by the spirit of Franklin, and, in obedience to his advice, inserted in this volume. Unfortunately, there are but few persons sufficiently acquainted with the phenomena which form its basis, and the technical language employed by professed electricians, to find it agreeable to study the subject in question; but they may qualify themselves to do so by studying the elementary works on this branch of science.

LETTER TO THE EPISCOPAL CLERGY.

ALTHOUGH the subjoined letter has been published in various channels, as well as in a separate pamphlet, I deem it proper to record it in this work, as, otherwise, many who may see the one might not see the other. It will be perceived that the substance of my second letter has been already incorporated in the preceding pages, (714 to 776.) Of course it is to the first letter that I now allude, and which I intend to record here.

Letter from Dr. Hare to the Clergy of the Protestant Episcopal Church, offering to lay before them the New Evidence of Immortality. (Submitted to the late Convention, Philadelphia, May 15, 1855.)

Reverend and DEAR SIRS: Having, from my youth, been on friendly terms with the clergy of the Episcopal Church, within the pale of which I was born and christened; having, in fact, had among the clergy of that church some excellent friends and relatives,-it has been a source of regret that I have not been able to see doctrines deeply affecting the happiness of mankind in the same light. I am, however, fully sensible of the kindness and courtesy with which I have been treated by clergymen in general, and especially by those of the church above designated. I have always been under the belief that in no part of the globe, nor at any period of human history, has a priesthood existed as moral, as sincere, and truly

427

pious as those of my country; and among that priesthood, I believe, none have stood higher in these qualifications than such as are of the Episcopal Church.

It is happy for me that of late I have, in one respect, found myself more in accordance with the Christian clergy: I allude here to the awakening of perfect confidence in the immortality of the soul. There was on this subject, heretofore, this difference between my sentiments and those of my clerical friends, that while I hoped for a future state, I was no less skeptical respecting the evidence of witnesses who lived some thousand years ago than of those who have, in modern times, alleged themselves to have witnessed supernatural manifestations. I required in the former case, no less than in the latter, intuitive proof; or the consistent testimony of independent observers having sufficient sense, knowledge, and integrity to make reliable witnesses.

Happily, in the case of Spiritualism, both of these tests have been afforded to me, so that I now believe in a future state no less firmly than the orthodox Christian.

Like St. Paul, in the case of Christianity, I entered upon the investigation of Spiritualism with a view to refutation; but the very instruments which I contrived to accomplish that object produced the opposite effect.

If human testimony is not to be taken when advanced by contemporaries known to be conscientious, truthful, and well informed, how is it to be relied on with respect to those of whom we know nothing available beside what their own writings mention?

I am prepared to submit a communication respecting the spirit world from my father, sanctioned by a convocation of spirits, whose approbation was manifested by means which no mortal could pervert.

The practical influence on my mind has been to make me far more happy, to remove all fear of death, and to render me more watchful as to my deportment in life. I know that my sainted parents, and other relatives and friends, my children who died in infancy, are around me, witnessing every act and exercising a limited power over my safety and my health.

Mourning for the dead now seems to be groundless, and at all events can be indulged only upon selfish considerations. But who would grieve deeply at a transient separation, even for years, from friends made happier by the change, when sure of a happy reunion ultimately?

No evidence of any important truth in science can be shown to be more unexceptionable than that which I have received of this glorious fact, that heaven is really "at hand," and that our relatives, friends, and acquaintances who are worthy of happiness, while describing themselves as ineffably happy, are still progressing to higher felicity; and while hovering aloft in our midst, are taking interest in our welfare with an augmented zeal or affection, so that, by these means, they may be a solace to us, in despite of death.

As the reverend clergy of the Episcopal Church are about to meet in Philadelphia, I deem it my duty to afford them an opportunity of hearing the evidence on which I rely; and which, with due effort, they can have subjected to their own intuition.

Should the clergy deem it expedient to listen to my exposition, I shall be ready to answer any queries which may be made.

I am aware that there may be considerations which may justify the