the wise and good men of all ages and nations! That were a heaven indeed! To be worthy of and enjoy such a heaven, is the only selfish ambition with which I am actuated, so far as I know myself. Your truly devoted servant and friend, ROBERT HARE. Having suggested to my spirit father that it would be expedient that some names should be attached to the credentials with which the preceding address from the spirits seemed to endow me by appointment, he induced several spirits of eminence to accompany him to Mrs. Gourlay's this morning, (August 4, 1855.) This gave me an opportunity to read Lanning's letter, the address which I received through him as above represented, and my reply. In return I received the subjoined communication. Communication from an assembly of eminent spirits, sanctioning the credentials transmitted through the mediumship of Mr. Lanning. AUGUST 4, 1855. Respected Friend: We cheerfully accompany your father to sanction the communication given through our medium, Mr. Lanning, to yourself. My friend, we have sought media in various localities through whom to accredit you as our minister to earth's inhabitants, but owing to unfavourable conditions, we have, in most instances, failed. We perceive with pleasure that your heart is fully imbued with the importance of your holy mission. It needs no fulsome flattery from us to incite you to action. A principle of right and truth pervades all your movements in this spiritual campaign. We truly style it a campaign, since you are battling fearlessly against Error, that hydra-headed monster who has slain his millions and tens of millions. We have looked forward to the publication of facts involved through your experimental investigations with interest. The communication above referred to was given by one who stood high in the estimation of the people of our great republic; but, for personal reasons, he wishes to withhold his name. Be it known to all who may read these credentials, that we sanction them, and authorize our names to be affixed thereunto. GEO. WASHINGTON, J. Q. ADAMS, DR. CHALMERS, OBERLIN, W. E. CHANNING, and others. Postscript by the author. It is a well-known saying that there is but one step between the sublime and the ridiculous." This idea was never verified more fully than in the position I find myself now occupying, accordingly as those by whom that position is viewed may consider the manifestations which have given rise to it in the light wherein they are now viewed by me, or as they were two years ago viewed by myself, and are now seen by the great majority of my estimable contemporaries. I sincerely believe that I have communicated with the spirits of my parents, sister, brother, and dearest friends, and likewise with the spirits of the illustrious Washington and other worthies of the spirit world; that I am by them commissioned, under their auspices, to teach truth and to expose error. This admitted, I may be reasonably inspired with the sentiment authorized in the preceding credentials, that I hold my office to be greatly preferable to that of any mundane appointment, and for the reasons above given in those credentials. But how vast is the difference between this estimate and that which must ascribe these impressions to hallucination! my position being that of a dupe or fanatic. Yet there can be no man of real integrity and good sense, unimpaired by educational bigotry, who will not respect sincere devotion to the cause of piety, truth, and human welfare, here and hereafter, however displayed. Hence, although the foregoing prefatory pages should have no other influence, they may operate to show my own deep conviction of the righteousness of my course, founded, as I believe it to have been, on the most precise, laborious, experimental inquiry, and built up under the guidance of my sainted father, as well as under the auspices of Washington and other worthy immortals. Those who shall give a careful perusal to the following work will find that there has been some "method in my madness;" and that, if I am a victim to an intellectual epidemic, my mental constitution did not yield at once to the miasma. But let not the reader too readily lay the flattering unction to his soul" that 'tis my hallucination that is to be impugned, not his ignorance of facts and his educational errors. ' The sanction of the spirits, as above given, was obtained under test conditions; so that it was utterly out of the power of any mortal to pervert the result from being a pure emanation from the spirits whose names are above given. It ought to be understood that the sanction given by the spirits whose names are attached to the preceding certificate, was obtained under test conditions, as explained in paragraph bb., dd., in the description of Plate iv. Moreover, I placed my hand on the instrument illustrated by Fig. 2 in same plate, so as to question the spirits directly as to the reliability of the affirmation, previously given to me, and the fidelity of the medium generally. In both cases the index moved so as to give an affirmative reply. SUPPLEMENTAL PREFACE. THE most precise and laborious experiments which I have made in my investigation of Spiritualism, have been assailed by the most disparaging suggestions, as respects my capacity to avoid being the dupe of any medium employed. Had my conclusions been of the opposite kind, how much fulsome exaggeration had there been, founded on my experience as an investigator of science for more than half a century! And now, in a case when my own direct evidence is adduced, the most ridiculous surmises as to my probable oversight or indiscretion are suggested, as the means of escape from the only fair conclusion. Having despatched a spirit friend from Cape Island, at one o'clock on the third of July, to request Mrs. Gourlay, in Philadelphia, to send her husband to the bank to make an inquiry, and to report the result to me at half-past 3 o'clock, the report was made to me as desired. The subject was not mentioned until after my return to Philadelphia, when, being at the residence of Mrs. Gourlay, I inquired of her, whether she had received any message from me during my absence? In reply, it was stated that while a communication from her spirit mother was being made to her brother, who was present, my spirit messenger interrupted it to request her to send her husband to the bank to make the desired inquiry: that, in consequence, the application was made at the bank. The note-clerk recollected the application to him, but appeared to have considered it as too irregular to merit much attention. Hence the impression received by the applicants, and communicated to me, was not correct. But as it did not accord with that existing in my memory, it could not have been learned from My mind. Wishing to make this transaction a test, I was particularly careful to manage so that I might honourably insist upon it as a test; and, until I learned the fact from Mrs. Gourlay and from the note-clerk that the inquiry was made, it did not amount to a test manifestation. But, if I had been ever so indiscreet, would it not be absurd to imagine a conspiracy between any person at Cape Island with Dr. and Mrs. Gourlay, her brother, and the note-clerk at the bank, to deceive me on my return by concurrent falsehoods? I submit these facts to the public, as proving that there must have been an invisible, intelligent being with whom I communicated at Cape Island, who, bearing my message to this city, communicated it to Mrs. Gourlay, so as to induce the application at the bank. Otherwise, what imaginable cause could have produced the result, especially within the time occupied-of two and a half hours? The existence of spirit agency being thus demonstrated, I am justified in solemnly calling on my contemporaries to give credence to the important information which I have received from spirits, respecting the destiny of the human soul after death. They may be assured that every other object of consideration sinks into insignificance in comparison with this information and the bearing it must have upon morals, religion and politics, whenever it can be known and be believed by society in general, as it is by me. INTRODUCTION. As introductory to this work, I shall make a few brief remarks on the following topics : Objects of religion.-Diversity of opinion as to the means by which they have been attainable.-Every sect, excepting one, would vote against any one.-Consequent sentiments of the Author as embodied in verse. Reasons for his believing in the existence of a Deity.-American priesthood eminently honest and pious.-If people who have obtained a belief in immortality by one route are better and happier therefor, why object that others, by another route, should attain the same ends.-The table, no less than our firesides, an object of interest.-Inconsistency of those who make their Deity pass through all the stages of human existence, from the embryo to maturity, in objecting to the transient employment of tables. Use of the tables soon laid aside in the manifestations to which the Author has resorted. Inconsistency of accusing Spiritualists of undue incredulity as to scriptural miracles, and of the opposite defect as respects spiritual manifestations. Of certain savans who strain at spiritual gnats, yet swallow scriptural camels.-Miracles of Scripture, if they ever occurred, can never be repeated; but the manifestations of Spiritualism will be repeated with an improved and a multifarious efficiency.-Religion and positive or inductive science having, under the guidance of devotion and atheism, been made to travel in opposite directions, are by Spiritualism so associated as to travel together in the same direction.-The atheist Comté would dissolve the union between theology and science. According to Comté, where true science begins, the domain of theology terminates, being only a creature of the imagination.-According to Spiritualism, it is the domain of ignorance that is lessened, while theology, founded on knowledge, grows with its growth, and strengthens with its strength.An effort to refute the idea of Comté, that the phenomena of the sidereal creation can be explained by gravitation; which, left to itself, would consolidate all the matter in the universe into an inert lump.-Suggestions respecting the devil.—Arguments founded on ignorance. 1. On all sides I presume that it will be admitted that the great objects of religion are as follows: 2. To furnish the best evidence of the existence of a Supreme Deity, and of his attributes. 3. To convey a correct idea of our duty toward that Deity and our fellow creatures. 4. To impart that knowledge of a state of existence beyond the grave which will be happier as we are more virtuous in this life, and more miserable as we are more vicious; this knowledge affording the best consolation amid temporal sufferings of the righteous, and the strongest restraint upon the vicious indulgence of passion in the unrighteous. 5. Finally, by these means, to promote morality and the happiness of man in this world, and prepare him for a blissful position in the world to come. 6. It must result, from these premises, that whichever is most competent for the attainment of these all-important ends, will be the best religion. 7. The above-mentioned postulates being generally admitted, various recorded traditions, pretended to have been derived from one or more deities, have been advanced as best calculated to meet the requisitions in question. Each of the religious doctrines thus advanced is tenaciously defended by its appropriate priesthood. If the opinions of the majority of these advocates of their respective revelations be taken as respects any creed excepting their own, it will be denounced as originating in error or fraud. The opinion being taken successively upon any one, by all but those to whom it appertains, each would be condemned. 8. It was under these impressions that the following verses were written, more than forty years ago. They have recently been published in a pamphlet on the better employment of the first day of the week. They serve to show that my skepticism arose from my love of truth, instead of that aversion from it, ascribed to skeptics by many well-meaning bigots. 9. Oh, Truth! if man thy way could find, But wayward still, he seeks his bane, A knowledge till too late. By sad experience slowly shown, Thy way at times though plainly known, Too late repays his care; While in thy garb dark Error leads, With best intent, to evil deeds The bigot to ensnare. Is there a theme more highly fraught That millions err in different ways, |