The Spiritualist newspaper > No.208, August 18th 1876

26
THE SPIRITUALIST.
Aua. 18, 1876.
perceived this host of spirits who otherwise would have re¬
mained invisible to him.
In the latter part of the same chapter we have another
instance related of his clairvoyant power. Samaria, where
Elisha then was, being besieged and in great straits, the
king of Israel became enraged against Elisha, for the reason
that he had been directed by Elisha’s advice, and sent an
officer to arrest him.
“ But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him,
and the king sent a man from before him, but ere the mes¬
senger came to him he said to the elders. See ye how this
son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head ? ”
Passing to the New Testament, we notice the case of that
pious and noble martyr Stephen, as related in the 7th
chapter of Acts. Surrounded by his bigoted persecutors,
gnashing their teeth in their rage, he
“ Being full of the Holy Ghost looked up steadfastly into
heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the
right hand of God, and said, Behold I see the heavens
opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of
God.”—Verses 55, 56.
Stephen here had a clairvoyant view of the spirit world,
and of Jesus, and probably of some other glorious and
perhaps ancient spirit, whom Stephen mistook for God, as
Swedenborg and others have since done.
COACOOCHEE’S VISION.
Coacoochee, or Wild Cat, was a friend of Osceola in the
old Seminole war. He appears to have been one of the
aboriginal Spiritualists, for he claimed communication with all
the dead of his tribe, and especially with his twin sister, who
preceded him to the spirit-world. The following is from the
lips of Coacoochee :—
“ She died suddenly. I was on a bear hunt, and seated
by my camp-fire alone. I heard a strange noise. It was
something like a voice which told me to go to her. The
camp was some distance, but I took my rifle and started.
The night was dark and gloomy. The wolves howled around
me as I went from hammock to hammock. Sounds often
came to my ear; I thought she was speaking to me. At
daylight I reached her camp ; she was dead.
te When hunting some time after with my brother Otulkee,
I sat alone by the side of a large oak. In the moss hanging
over me I heard strange sounds. I tried to sleep, but could
not. I felt myself moving, and thought I went far above to
a new country, where all was bright and happy. I saw
clear water, ponds, rivers, and prairies, on which the sun
never sets. All was green; the grass grew high and the
deer stood in the midst of it looking at me. I then saw a
small, white cloud approaching, and when just before me,
out of it came my twin sister, dressed in white and covered
with bright silver ornaments. Her black hair, which I had
often braided, hung down her back. She clasped me
around the neck and said, ‘ Coacoochee, Coacoochee.’ I
shook with fear. I knew her voice, but could not speak.
With one hand she gave me a string of white beads; in the
other she held a cup sparkling with pure water, which she
said came from the spring of the Great Spirit, and if I would
drink from it, I should return and live with her for ever.
“ As I drank she sang the peace song of the Seminoles
and danced around me. She had silver bells on her feet,
which made a loud noise. Taking from her bosom some¬
thing, I know not what, she laid it before me, when a bright
light streamed far above us. She then took me by the hand
and said,‘All is peace.’ I wanted to ask for others, but
she shook her head, moved her hand, stepped into the cloud,
and was gone. The fire she had made had not gone out.
All was silent. I was sorry that I could not have said more
to her. I felt myself sinking until I came to the earth,
where I met my brother Otulkee. He had been seeking me,
and was alarmed at my absence, having found my rifle
where he last saw me asleep. I told him where I had been,
and showed him the beads. These beads were stolen from
me when I was in prison at St. Augustine. At certain
periods of the moon, when I had these beads, I could see
the spirit of my sister. I may be buried in the earth, or sunk
in the water, but I shall go to her and live with her. Game is
abundant there, and there the white man is never seen.”
!j ORGANISATION AMONG SPIRITUALISTS IN AMERICA.
The following is the official report of the proceedings of the National
! Conference of Spiritualists assembled in Philadelphia, July 5th, 1878
Pursuant to a “ Call to Consider the Organisation of Christian
I Spiritualism in America,” published in the Banner of Light, and
Spiritual Scientist, the Conference met July 5th, 1876, in Circle Hall,
Philadelphia.
The meeting was called to order at 10 o’clock a.m. by J. E. Bruce,
| of Massachusetts, who read the “Call,” and moved that Rev. Samuel
| Watson, D.D., of Tennessee, take the chair.
I The organisation of the Conference was completed by the appoint-
| ment of J. E. Bruce, secretary, Dr. H. T. Child, assistant secretary,
I S. P. Ease, treasurer, with the following list of vice-presidents: Penn-
j sylvania, Rev. Cyrus Jeffreys, Mrs. Grace Parkhurst, Dr. Henry T.
| Child. New York, Eugene Crowell, M.D., Rev. J. H. Harter, J. W.
j Seaver. Massachusetts, J. Hamlin Dewey, M.D., E. Gerry Brown,
I Dr. Main. New Hampshire, George S. Morgan, Mary Reed. Ver-
j mont, A. E. Stanley, Mrs. M. S. Townsend. New Jersey, Hon. J. M.
Peebles, A. E. Newton. Ohio, Hudson Tuttle, J. Murray Case, D.
I Winder. Indiana, Robert Dale Owen, H. Haight. Illinois, Cora L.
Y. Tappan, Dr. E. C. Dunn, Dr. J. S. Avery. Missouri, Rev. A. J.
Fishback. Kentucky, Judge L. R. Spurrier, Prof. J. R. Buchanan,
MD. Michigan, Mrs. A. A. Whitney. Delaware, Dr. Marshall.
District Columbia, Dr. John Mayhew, George White. North Carolina,
John MacRae. Alabama, C. Barnes. Louisiana, Dr. J. B. Cooper,
j Tennessee, Gen. Smith, Annie C. T. Hawks. Arkansas, Dr. J. A.
i Meeker, R. H. Righten. Texas, Mrs. S. A. Talbot.
| J. E. Bruce, of Massachusetts, moved the following resolution—
j “ That the time is come for the organisation of Spiritualism in America.”
| After full discussion, the resolution was unanimously adopted.
Hon. J. M. Peebles, of New Jersey, moved that a committee be ap¬
pointed to present to the Conference a Declaration of Principles embodying
the idea, or ground of organisation. A committee of nine—six men and
three women—was appointed by the chair. It was also moved that a
committee be raised to draft a form of constitution for local societies.
The Conference then adjourned till three o’clock to await the report
of its committees.
The afternoon session was opened with prayer by the President, Dr.
Watson. Minutes of the morning session were read and approved.
The committee on Declaration of Principles being called, reported the
following statement, which, after being freely and critically discussed,
was, with but some slight verbal alteration, unanimously adopted:
PLATFORM.
Preamble: We, Spiritualists of America in Conference assembled, conscious
of a deep religious nature in man, with its wants, its moral duties, and its
sacred obligations, conscious of a future existence made more clear and tan¬
gible by the present ministry of angels and spirits—believing, also, that the
genius of true Spiritualism, with its convincing demonstrations of immortal
lifo, is in consonance with the teachings and spiritual marvels of Jesus Christ,
as recorded in the New Testament, and feeling the necessity of a religious
organisation, free from an unbelieving atheism on the one hand, and on the
other from all creeds that tend to cramp and trammel the human soul, hold
that the time has come for associated effort and action.
STATEMENT OF AIMS.
While we seek after all knowledge, scientific, moral and spiritual—while we
study to know the truth and dare maintain it—our immediate objects are to
organise local societies upon a financial and religious basis; to cultivate love
and charity ; to become mutual helps in uniting our scattered forces; to
stimulate religious effort; to strengthen faith in God, protect and support
worthy mediums, and to encourage and promote purity of life, thus setting
examples before the world worthy of their following.
DECLARATION OF FRINCIPLES.
We recognise in Jesus of Nazareth the spiritual leader of men, and accept
His two great affirmations of love to God and love to man as constituting the
one ground of growth in the individual, and the only and sufficient basis of
human society.
The committee on form of constitution for local societies reported the
following, which, after due discussion, was unanimously adopted:—
CONSTITUTION OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SPIRITUALISM
Preamble.—We whose names are hereunto affixed, wishing to be united in
our labours and prayers for the better promotion of spiritual growth and the
orderly development of human life in our own persons, and also for the pro¬
motion and development of the same in the souls and lives of others, do
hereby adopt and subscribe the following Constitution as the basis of our
I government:—
Art. I. Name. The corporated name of this body shall be the —— Society,
I for the advancement of Spiritualism in .
Art. II. Sec. 1. Membership. Membership in this Society shall be without
j distinction of sex.
Sec. 2. Any person may become a member by subscribing to the Constitu-
; tion, and contributing not less than one dollar annually to the support of the
i Society.
Sec. 3. No person who is not a contributing member shall vote on the affairs
| of the Society.
Art. in. Officers. Sec. 1. The officers of the Society shall consist of a
President, Vice-President, Clerk, Treasurer, and Collector.
[ Sec. 2. The officers of the Society shall qualify in accordance with the
| statute in such cases made and provided.
Art. IV. Government. Sec. 1. The Government of the Society shall be
vested in an Executive Board, consisting of five members, who, being duly
j sworn, shall, with the aid of sub-committees, manage, direct, and be respon-
| sible for all the business of the Society.
Sec. 2. The President, Vice-President, Clerk, and Treasurer shall be added
to the Executive Board, and shall sit as ex-officio members.
Sec. 3. The President of the Society shall preside over the deliberations of
i the Board, and appoint, subject to the approving vote of the Board, the sub¬
committees of the Society,