Page:The astral world, higher occult powers; (IA astralworldhighe00tiff).pdf/166

 One article of their creed has attached to them the name of "Spiritualists". They profess to believe that our disembodied Spirit-friends are near to us, and hold converse with us; and when any one says that he believes in that, he is called a Spiritualist. That appears to be the only test. But that external belief or assent is not better as the basis of an organization than is the creed, "I believe that God fore-ordained whatever comes to pass." The idea that such an assent could be made the basis of an external organization is entirely unnatural and supremely ridiculous. If you should attempt to organize upon such a basis, you would be guilty of the error into which all previous organizations have fallen.

Many entertain the idea, that because we have overcome our blind deference to authority, refused to be ruled by the "thus-saith-the-Lord"—because we have come to the conclusion to examine all questions for ourselves—we have taken all the steps necessary for our own reformation and that of the world. But what has been the influence exerted by this new faith—New Philosophy as it is sometimes called—upon the lives and character of those who have accepted it. You say, perhaps, that when you drive all the church dogmas out of the way, there will be nothing in the way of redeeming man. So far as you are concerned, they are driven out of the way, and what has been done for you? How much better are you morally, religiously, than the man you call a bigot? You wish all the world to be converted to a belief in the possibility and actuality of Spiritual intercouse; but suppose that all the world are converted to this faith,