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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 13

First Session, Wednesday, July 25

First Session, Wednesday, July 25.

It was nearly eleven o'clock before the arrival of certain members would allow the proceedings to be commenced. John Hodge, as President, having been installed in the Chair, J. Burns appointed Secretary of Convention, and M. Heslop, Verbatim Reporter, the session was instituted by singing "All people that on earth do dwell," Mrs Jones accompanying on the pianoforte. J. M. Spear then pronounced the following invocation:— page 6

O Thou in whom we live and move, and from whose beneficent hand we derive all the comforts we enjoy, whether of a temporal, religious, or spiritual character; unto thee we lift up our thoughts, and with them our hearts, blessing thee for the privilege we enjoy in meeting together to take by the hand our brothers and sisters who have come into the enjoyment of the faith, that there is a communication between the earth and higher worlds. We bless thee for the revelations of the past, for the faithful seers, prophets, and teachers who have come forth to labour for the good of other people. We bless thee, Father, that thou dost permit us to meet here together, to feel that we have communion with thee, and that our brothers, sisters, fathers, and mothers who have gone before us are not dead, but still live; hence, live to come and do us good. We ask thy wisdom to guide our President and Secretary in forwarding this Association; and may they go forth from this Convention and over this country hand in hand, and may our voices be heard even across the Atlantic, and be the means of establishing a spiritual communion between the two countries. So may there be spiritual ties to bind us heart to heart and soul to soul. Inspire those in dark places, and bring them to a knowledge of the life of labour, glory, and progress of this present age. Help us, holy Father, to feel thou art our comforter; and when we are called to pass through the shadow of death may we have no cause to fear evil, for thy rod and thy staff shall comfort us. Gracious Father, to thee we commit ourselves and all we have or expect to have in this world; and as others have laboured in their time, so may we labour, and may the time come when the superstitious contrivances are swept away, and the wall? of separation broken down, and may those engaged in war convert their instruments into implements; for all shall know thee, from the least to the greatest: and to thee we render all the praise, now, henceforth, and for ever.

Amen.

The President delivered the opening address, of which the following are a few condensed sentences :—

Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends of Progress,—It is not my purpose this morning to inflict a speech upon this meeting. It would be quite out of place were I to spend an hour relating to you my individual experience and history. A person's experience may be interesting in the small circle of his friends, but there are few men whose history is capable of interesting the crowd. The history of our Convention also would be interesting to a few of us here, but to all it would not. It is so young and so tender in years that the baby is too weak and delicate to be taken up in muscular arms. I cannot well express the pleasure I have in meeting all of you here. It is a broad platform which we are now creating in this country. All sections of the thinking and religious mind will meet with us in time to come. Some will like to open our meetings with singing, and others will not; some will like to begin and end with prayer, and others will not. So that we ought, if possible, to have an understanding with each person, and thus have a broad and distinct basis for the various and distinct phases of human thought;, for we have no creed or dogma whereby to test the suitableness of candidates for fellowship. I think, friends, that the time has come for action. It has come when those who are favoured with spirit communion must take their stand in some shape or form before the world; page 7 and here we are to-day in this capacity, meeting for the purpose of considering the ideas with which we have been impressed, and to make known those thoughts which have come from the other land. Hence, as an association, it will be well for us to be satisfied that we are right; and occupying the right position, let us, like our American friends, "go ahead;" and if we are certain of the first, we are sure of the second. So far as I am able to judge, I think that the position we have taken as spiritualists is right, and I think also that the direction in which we have struck out is the correct one, yet one that will bring upon us a great deal of persecution and disrespect; but if we have the disrespect and disregard of our fellow-men, we have the countenance and support of good spirits and higher intelligences;and to carry forward the great work inaugurated by them is our mission. With such coadjutors, the jeers of the world are only a stimulus to action. Let us, then, in accordance with our impressions, go forward with this great work till the love of truth and right illumine every human soul. Our cardinal truth is the fact of man's communion with higher intelligences, and his eternally progressive destiny. And such being the nature of man, many minds must be in darkness as to the more advanced thoughts and ideas; hence the obloquy and scorn heaped on those who occupy an advanced position. But if such a position be ours, let us thank God for the high and distinguished privilege, and take courage.

The Secretary was then called upon to read his report. Dr M'Leod, on rising, read the call to the Convention, making a few remarks thereon, and inviting all present to associate in the proceedings as "members of the Convention." He referred to his final note to the report of last year's proceedings, read letters from gentlemen who were not able to be present, and then presented the following