St Vincent Seminary - Symposium Yearbook (Latrobe, PA)

Page 52 text:

1 ' fi 15 , - I... A , . F, E'f:Y.?::: Z uvxx 51: n mu Jllllllllllllt 1 S E S-.mi I1 f 1 at Q ilfis g---5 . , nsfuu fl , , p,W,g!lll.Q u . . , A . . ,,,!,,- 3 ' lui Williams'-.i . g 0 . l 0 I , . Q . ' Y . . . . t ' Y 1 wnmnmr S53-:Q 'K f disease and if carried to excess or continued long, will result in insanity or 1mbec1l1ty The moral dangers arise from two sources In the first place the direct physical action of the spirits on the nervous system tends to weaken the will and cause a powerful inclination to strong drink and immoral practices In the second place the teachings of the spirits when accepted in good faith, tend to ruin religious and moral principles Many are the instances of this religious and moral downfall. They manifest themselves 1n the form of possession. The real ultimate aim of the intelligence seems to be the control of the sen.s1Itive. The Fox sisters, and Eusapia Palladino, noted mediums, took to evil ways under the rule of evil spirits. Numerous instances of possession are sup- pressed as much as possible, in the interest of Spiritism and of the reputations of the persons themselves. With such perils as these threatening the physical, mental, and moral well-being of the faithful, the Church naturally could not remain silent. As under the law of the Old Testament divina- tion was forbidden, so under the New Law Spiritism is con- demned. This condemnation is based on doctrinal as well as on moral grounds. Let us consider first the doctrinal grounds. Spiritism claims to be a New Revelation with a creed revealed by spirits, and supposed to supplant Christianity. The Casnist explains this aspect of Spiritism when it says: The 'creed' of Spiritism as gathered from its most - authoritative literature and from the disclosure of the spirit intelligence, is anti-Christian. However diverse their teaching may be on secondary mat- ters, there is absolute agreement on the following pomts: Christianity 1S not a special and unique revela- t1on It is one of many forms of high spirit manifestation designed to enforce on man the binding obligation of the moral law inherent in his nature. Christ IS not divine 1n the sense of the Catholic Church. He is 'a purely human being who possessed wonderf ul psychic powers The teachlng of the Church regarding the passion and death of Christ is all wrong due to human error and weakness SDL Hudson Scientzfc Demonstration of the Future Life. Casnist Vol III i l , 1 lllllllllllllll- Elll: -:llll:- 'mn mmm! 3. Q . i . X...Z Il49ll

Page 51 text:

Slllllli Ellllllg of darkness, and that we are entering on the first steps of a career of demoniac manifestations, the issues of which men cannot conjecture. Q Sir William Barrett says: Spiritualism reveals the existence of some mys- terious power which may be of a more or less malignant character. It is necessary to be on our guard against the invasion of our will by a lower T order ofintehigence and n1oraHty.Hi J. Godfrey Raupert states: I know of numerous instances of this kind, some of which exhibit an amount of cunning and malice on the part of the unseen operators, such as the ordinary mind can scarcely conceive. 1' 'The rnost carehn invesdgators adnnt the evH character of these intelligences and, therefore, confirm our conclusion that demons are the causes of genuinely preternatural phenomena. Since the source of Spiritism is evil, the results cannot be other than evil. Spiritists themselves admit that Spiritism is a danger- ous practice. The dangers are not only physical, but also moral. The physical dangers of Spiritism arise from the fact that vital or nerve energy is withdrawn from the organism of the medium during the production of the phenomena. Speaking of mediums, J. Godfrey Raupert says: In professional mediums who exert their power incessantly and for pecuniary gain, this prostration is apt to be so great that they become helpless nervous wrecks after a time. I In extreme cases this strain on the life-forces of the medium results in a complete breakdown or in permanent insanhy. The great lesson which psychic science teaches is that all psychic activity is not only abnormal, but also in the highest degree injurious to body as well as to the mind. The class of psychics known as med- iums, are to the last degree neurotic. Exceptions may be found only in cases where the psychic powers are of very recent development. The fact remains that habitual indulgence in psychic prac- tices of any kind, grade or character invariably results in some form of nervous development or 5Dale Owen, Footfalls on the Boundary ofthe Other World. IEcclesiastical Review. Vol. 59. 'Sir William Barret, Threshold of the Unseen. TJ. Godfrey Raupert, Dangers nf Spiritualism SIIIIIIE , , Qllllllg ll48l

Page 53 text:

'sllli' H V Sllllllllllllll 4. u ' ' 0 5. ' 6. 1, a I 53352 Sl I' 5 iw xg. ' There IS no priesthood especially set aside and ordained by Christ to continue this work. The Church with her Sacraments was never in- stituted to perpetuate the work of saving men's souls. She 1S purely human in her origin, her growth and her work. The notion of retribution after death for sin committed in the flesh is folly. Man is daily and hourly preparing his own heaven and hell. There is no heaven or hell as taught by the Church Man IS in very truth his own savior. 1' These doctrines are absolutely opposed to Christianity The Church in condemning them, may aptly use the words of St Paul, 'But though we or an angel from heaven, preach a gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathen1a. I The moral grounds for the condemnation of Sp1r1t1sm are not only the dangers mentioned above, but also the intrinsic evil of spiritistic practices. The intrinsic sinfulness of Spiritism is evident from the fact that it is directly condemned by God. The Lord's direct condemnation is found in the Old Testament where it says: A man or woman, in whom there is a pythonical or divin- ing spirit, dying, let them die: they shall stone them: their blood ,First Commandment which forbids men to seek knowledge of future and distant events from evil spirits. ln view, then, of the dangers of Spiritism, of the Lord's con- demnation, and of the intrinsic evil of divination, the Church has always condemned the practices of Spiritism, under their ancient, as well as under their modern forms. The decrees of the Fourth Council of Carthage, the Fifth of Constantinople, the Second of Tours and others contain various warnings against practices of this nature More recent decrees set forth this condemnation in still more PFCCISC language In 1856 the Holy Office urged bishops to take every possible means to re- press and uproot all abuses so that the flock of Christ may be protected against the enemy the Deposit of F aith safeguarded .and the .faithful preserved from moral corruption The Second Plenary Council held at Baltimore in 1866 says It seems a well-established fact that many of the wonderful phenomena which are said to be pro- 1'Casu'ist Vol III SLeviticus XX. IGalatian- I 8. Hllllllllllllhf illli gllllll-3 alll: fnnuuuuun' be upon them. Q Spiritistic practices are also forbidden by the. Illllllllllllll. 'numunuui r 1 . . . . . . . . . . - 1 . U . . 1 . , . . , v 1 - n . . . . . , . u - . . , . . , QP I I mm mms , Ki , - L : 5 ,- , glllg 2 u - - I 2 eff.. . I , :lllz nm main n xx ll50ll