ABC of Spiritualism 96 & 97/100
96. Will the churches cease their opposition to Spiritualism and accept the teaching of Spirit Return?
That the churches will absorb more and more of the Spiritual Philosophy and the distinctive teachings of Spiritualism seems a certainty. They cannot, if they would, avoid this, since Spiritualistic ideas are in the air and the thought, literature, art, music and stage of today are reflecting more and more of these ideas upon the public mind. There does not seem any signs of general rapprochment between the churches and Spiritualism, though here and there are indications that point to a recognition of Spiritualism as a religion by the churches. The request of the Boston Ministerial Association to Rev. Fredk. Wiggin of the Unity Spiritualist church to deliver a series of lectures on Spiritualism before that body; exchange of pulpits between Spiritualist and Unitarian ministers; co-operation with Spiritualist churches on the part of Orthodox churches in social and benevolent work point the way to better understanding and fraternity in the future. The churches will, of course, accept Spirit Return, but have their own ways and methods of dealing there with.
97. Does Spiritualism recognize the efficacy of Prayers for the Dead?
Organized Spiritualism has never expressed itself on this question. The writer knows a number of representative Spiritualists who think the practice of prayers for the dead a most beautiful one and who believe in its efficacy. Spiritualists believe that while communication between the mortal and spirit realms is generally through mediumship, that such communication is not limited to mediumship. In other words, that all persons are subject to impressions from the thought vibrations of their spirit friends, and that in turn, the mortals can by their thought vibrations affect their spirit friends. Spirit friends may need our prayers as well as our earth friends do. Longfellow in “Resignation” hints at this intercourse of thought in the lines: “Thinking that our remembrance, tho’ unspoken, May reach her where she lives.”