Mark frowned. “Where did you get all these books?�
“Professor Russell has brought them to us, and mother, Lissa and I have read them at his request, and I assure you we have been much interested in them.�
“All of them, as well as Swedenborg, teach sound morality and oppose evil.�
“Your Bible teaches you that, Alice; and as I understand it, it does not teach you that the spirit of mortal man comes back on earth to perform the absurd feats of overturning tables, rapping and tapping upon furniture, making it dance around the room, and like antics. It seems to me, if I were a spirit, I would prefer to be engaged in some more dignified occupation.�
“I hope, Mark,� said Mrs. Clyne, “you won’t let prejudice make you unjust. There is certainly much about this matter which we cannot understand, and is it not our duty to learn all we can?�
“Mother, there is much about this that I don’t understand, neither do I understand how the juggler or the East Indian magician performs his marvelous feats, nor can I see that it is necessary for us to know.�
“But if the knowing would be valuable to us? If we should learn from it?�
“I have great faith in my mother’s Bible. I believe that teaches all the religion it is wisdom for us to understand. I prefer the teachings of Christ and his disciples to any disembodied spirit, good or bad,—the Professor admits that evil as well as good spirits commune with mortals,—and I never have seen any really good results from a belief in spiritism. ‘By their fruits ye shall know them.’ I find that in many instances its believers become its victims, and either end their days in a mad-house or permit themselves to drift into free-love doctrines or some other demoralizing fad, until they become unprincipled and lose the respect of their fellow-men. This much I have learned from observation, and I have yet to see one person whom this belief has made better, nobler, or more useful to society. Nor, in my opinion, improved in what pertains to good morality and good citizenship.�
Alice looked abashed, but Lissa said:
“I am afraid you will not relish spending your first evening here at a spirit-seance. I am sorry that the Professor happened to come at this time.�