I

A different world opens upon us as we examine the general literature of Spiritualism. Its “Seven Principles” have been set forth as follows:[29]

  1. The Fatherhood of God.
  2. The Brotherhood of Man.
  3. Continuous Existence.
  4. Communion of Spirits and Ministry of Angels.
  5. Personal Responsibility.
  6. Compensation and Retribution Hereafter for good or ill done on earth.
  7. A path of endless progression.

The name of our Lord is not mentioned, yet these “principles” would be words of little meaning but for His life on earth, His death, His resurrection, and His glorious reign. It was He who taught us to say “Our Father.” New ideas were poured by Him into the Roman world. “One is your teacher, and you are all brothers.”[30] “The King will answer them, ‘I tell you truly, in so far as you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even to the least of them, you did it to me.’”[31] The Risen Saviour said on Easter morning, “Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and yours, to my God and yours.’”[32] Though exalted far above all heavens, “He is not ashamed to call them brothers.”[33] His followers believe in the communion of saints. The ministry of angels is not strange to them, since “angels came and ministered to Him.” His teaching on responsibility, compensation and retribution is the highest yet vouchsafed to mankind. If continuous existence is the master-chord of Spiritualism, it was He who brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel, who showed to dying men the path of life. Why, then, is His name omitted from the “Seven Principles” of Spiritualism? The challenge cannot be put aside. The question goes sounding through the ages to every new discipleship, “What think ye of Christ?”