The contradictions to be found in the communications of spirits and spiritist writers, are as numerous as the evidences of their unreliability already noticed. In "Flashes from the Spirit-land," by A. Putnam, occurs the following, professedly coming from a spirit taking the name of Theodore Parker. To the question as to whether spiritual beings from our planet have the power to visit any of the other planets of our Solar System, and vice versa, the spirit answers—

"Yes; there are certain far reaching minds that could no more be content to exist with the simple amount of knowledge that could be gathered from one planet, than they could be content to page 18 exist, if it were possible, within the confines of a nutshell. They desire to know all that it is possible for them to know, and finding that they have unlimited freedom in the spirit world, they exercise it—they make use of it."

Compare this with the statement of a spirit called "Abdal Hada," on page 83 of the same work. The question presented is, "Have any of the inhabitants of any other planet ever visited this earth and made themselves known?" The answer of the spirit is—

"I think, if such a thing ever occurred, it certainly is something very rare. The inhabitants belonging to each separate planet, those who have passed beyond the material into the spiritual life, are, of necessity, more powerfully attracted to the planet of which they have been born than to any other. Indeed, it is almost impossible for the inhabitants of any other planet to visit the earth In Propria Persona or Vice Versa."

The contradiction between these two statements is very apparent. It may be further added, that A. J. Davis affirms that it is a common thing for spirits from Mars, Jupiter, and other planets, to come to our earth and communicate through human media. A second example of contradiction is the following. In A. J. Davis' work, the "Philosophy of Spiritual Intercourse," he says:—

"The higher angels do not themselves come into immediate electrical relation with any terrestrial association of minds, but mediately, by and through representative spirits "—P. 101.

In regard to some who claim to have had communications from the Apostle Paul, A. J. D. denies, on pp. 85, 86, of the same book, that such was the case, and affirms that the Apostles do not come personally into relations with any earthly circle. Mr. Woodman, in his reply to Dwight, makes the same statement on page; also Dr. Potter, in his work, "Spiritualism as it Is," on page 16, affirms the same. The contradiction will be apparent from the following question and answer, taken from p. 169 of "Flashes of Light." The answer purports to be from a "Bishop Fenwick" :—

Ques.—"Are we to suppose that media who claim to be under the direct influence of Jesus Christ and other ancient spirits are correct? Can those ancients come and influence the media of the present day?"

Ans.—"Yes; you are at liberty to suppose whatever you page 19 will. It is by no means an impossible thing for those ancient spirits to return, manifesting through modern media."

As further illustrating this contradiction I present the following, quoted from "Our Rest" of Dec., 1878, and which quotation, for daring impiety, is unparalelled :—

"We attended a seance this evening at Mr. Stewart's rooms in Pence Hall, and saw ten or twelve materialised spirit forms stand in the cabinet door—full-sized forms of men and women. After these appearances came forth the materialised form of Jesus, and stood at the door a short time, dressed in a white robe and having a, crown of thorns upon his head. He advanced from the cabinet and took the hands of Mrs. Lewis and Mrs. Cline before retiring. On Friday morning," says the writer, "we had a private seance, at which eight persons were present, including Dr. Pence. The medium entered the cabinet, and in about twenty minutes was entranced. After a little time, during which the spirit control talked as usual, the cabinet door reopened, and a majestic form appeared, which filled us with awe, for there stood in the door in majestic grandeur Jesus of Nazereth! the Lord of Glory! the King of Kings! the pure and holy Christ of God! He had come according to promise, and stood manifest before our eyes. He stood looking at us silently for several moments, and then said, ' You are faithful soldiers, and greater wonders than these shall you see.' These words he spake in a low voice, yet distinct enough for all to hear . . . . . . .He then beckoned each of us to Him, took us by the hand, blessed and kissed us before retiring to the cabinet. He had stood in the door and on the platform nearly half an hour. He had on a white robe, and a crown was upon his head, in the centre of which glistened a beautiful gem. A faint halo was visible, surrounding His sacred head. He left us awe stricken with His presence."

A further proof of the contradictions of spiritism is found in connection with the ancient Pagan theory of the transmigration of souls. This theory finds a prominent place in much spiritist literature, and shows that the result of the adoption of spirit teaching is, to enshroud the mind in the dark and debasing superstitions of the ancient heathen world. The following quotations are from "The Spirits' Book," compiled by Allan Kardec, the French page 20 spiritualist, and purport to come from spirits bearing the names of Apostles and other illustrious personages. That the doctrine of transmigration or successive reincarnations is taught, is very apparent:—

"On quitting the body, the soul re-enters the world of spirits from which it came, and from which it will enter upon a new material existence, after a longer or shorter lapse of time." "Spirits having to pass through many incarnations, it follows that we have all had many existences, and that we shall have others, more or less perfect, either upon this earth or in other worlds."—Intro, p. 15. "Can spirits come to this world for the first time, after having been incarnated in other worlds? Yes; just as you may go into other ones"—p. 73. "Might a man belonging to a civilized race be reincarnated, as an expiation, in a savage race? Yes; but that would depend on the kind of expiation he had incurred. A master who had been cruel to his slaves might become a slave in his turn, and undergo the torments he had inflicted on others. He who has wielded authority may, in a new existence, be obliged to obey those who formerly bent to his will."—p. 127.

As illustrating the contradictions of this debasing system, I present the following from the Victorian "Harbinger of Light," for October 1873, p. 509. It is from a lecture delivered in Boston, United States, by Mrs. E. Hardinge Britten.

"One of the worst features with which spiritualism is charged is the darky the baneful doctrine of reincarnation, as taught by Allan Kardec, of France. It is a direct contradiction of the surety given us at Rochester, that there is progress in the spirit-land. This wild, fantastic doctrine, which would break up kindred, ties and families, should be rejected. It belongs, as has been said, to the imperfect nature of spirit communication."

This is unmeasured condemnation of the view of Kardec's spirits, and not only illustrates the fact of the spirit contradictions, but also their utter unreliability. From the strong denunciation of this doctrine by Mrs. Britten as dark, baneful, wild, and fantastic, and the fact of her singling out Kardec as its advocate, it might be inferred that he was the only one in whose writings it is found. This, however, would not be a correct inference, as the following passages prove. They are taken from the American work, "Flashes of Light," by Putnam, and appeared originally in the "Banner of Light," the leading American spiritualist paper :— page 21

Ques.—"Does the controlling spirit mean that spirits, after being separated from their earthly tenement, will again occupy a human body, as they did before the dissolution?

Ans.—"That the spirit will return to earth again and become reincarnated in a human body there is much evidence. Indeed all that we have been able to gain is largely in its favour."—p. 71.

Ques.—"Some people believe in the transmigration of souls. . . . Does the soul enter other bodies sometimes better and sometimes worse than its own?

Ans—"In one sense it does enter other bodies, and acts through other bodies than the human. . . . The ancients grappled with a very great truth in their theory of the transmigration of souls. They intuitively perceived the power of the soul over all matter, and perceiving its power, they very naturally were led to conclude that it would use the power, and therefore become incarnated in other forms than the human."—pp. 78, 79.

Here we have the horrid doctrine of the ancients, that a human spirit may be reincarnated in an animal—a dog, a cat, swine, etc. This statement as to the reincarnation in animals, is denied by Kardec, on pp. 15 and 16 of the introduction to his "The Spirits' Book;" and thus we have another evidence of contradiction and unreliability. Quoting again from Putnam's "Flashes of Light:"—

Ques.—"Do you mean to say that these spirits that now occupy forms, may at some future stage of life come back, and take another?'

Ans.—"Judging from the experience of others, predicating our faith upon their experience, we are as sure of it as we are of our immortality."—p. 294.

From the above it is clear that American, as well as French spirits, teach the "dark, baneful, wild, and fantastic" doctrine of reincarnation. The same doctrine is also taught by some spirits in England. In "Medium and Daybreak" for November 15th, 1872, p. 451. a spirit called "Dr. Forbes," says :—

"Reincarnation, while it is a phenomenal fact, is an economical absurdity."

Another spirit on same page, says :—

"The elevation of the spirit would have been better accomplished by its surrendering itself to the operation of the elevating forces of the spirit-spheres, and thus, reincarnation, while a phenomenal fact, is an economical absurdity."