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and pathetic style of lectures.
NEW ZEALAND. 101
The two methods of public
utterance are the solid and the sensational. Each fills a
necessary niche : the one is enduring, the other ephemeral.
Straws, touched by a torch, flash and flame ; but it is the
clear, glistening anthracite that warms the apartment, and
gives permanent comfort.
THE
CHALLENGE.
Previous to our reaching Dunedin, and after, cringing
sectarists, half frightened at the tottering condition of their
creeds, kept up a continual attack upon Spiritualism, in the
daily journals, over fictitious signatures ; cowardly business
at best, and infernal when descending to personalities.
To test the mettle of the clergy, and put a veto upon so
much anonymous scribbling by churchly pettifoggers, I
expressed the desire publicly, to meet the clergy in a four-days'
oral discussion upon these propositions —
:
1. Resolved., That Spiritualism is true, and King James's Version supports
it.
2. Resolved, That the system of faith denominated " evangelical theology
" is true, and King James's Version supports it.
None of the clergy could summon sufficient courage to
enter the arena. They lacked confidence in their doctrines,
or their abihty to defend them. They felt the ground trembling
under their feet. Old dogmas are dying. Orthodox
churches are the churches of the tombs.
All that the clergy
can say is, " Come and see where our Lord lay ; " while Spiritualists
exclaim, " He is not there, but risen." Angels and
spirits are with us ; and the golden future is musical with
promised beauties and beatitudes.
DUNEDIN PRESBYTEKIANISM.
Original sin, total depravity. Trinity, vicarious atonement,
and endless hell-torments, are the leading dogmas of
Calvinism. Presbyterians are Calvinists. These quotations
are from their published sermons —
: