WORLDLY WISDOM.

WORLDLY wisdom is but another name for folly. It is but another name for ignorance. It is but another name for shame. It is but another name for perversion of what God and humanity require. It is but another manifestation of will. It is but another name for which no other name will give a correct vision. It is but another name for vice. It is but another name for evil. It is but another name for spiritual wickedness in high places, both in state and church. It is the will of man, undeveloped, unenlightened in spiritual knowledge.

This worldly wisdom exists. It rules. It governs. It controls nations and individuals. It seeks not other's good, but its own. It is interested only in works of self-interest. No mind can be under its control without abasing itself, without abusing others, without contradicting the wisdom of God, without speculating on the ignorance of the weak, without denying the relation of cause and effect, without vindicating the works of mischief and wrong; without disturbing the equality of impartial justice, without sowing the seed of misery where true happiness should grow. It is without excuse or apology. It is without shame or decency. It justifies what wisdom condemns. It is a work wholly of men. It is a condition wholly of earth. It is a will not found in heaven. It is a desire not coveted by spirits. It is a wisdom not consonant with nature. It is a wisdom which is not wisdom. But it is coveted. It is worshiped. It is idolized. It is worse. It is wisdom in wisdom of wisdom in selfishness.

Worldly wisdom is understood by spirits. It will be exposed by spirits. It will be uncovered that it may be seen of men. We shall give it no mercy. It will receive its clue—its just reward—a naked exposure, a true disclosure of its work among men. We will do with it as the good of man requires, and the salvation of the soul demands. We have seen men in the body selfish. We have seen this selfishness in many forms, some of which we shall lay before the public.

We have seen men operating in worldly wisdom, who were nothing better than they should be. We have seen them profess one thing and do another. We have seen all professions disgraced, men and women disgraced, religion disgraced, and virtue and truth outraged to gratify selfishness. We have seen men and women consorting together in matters of worldly sensuality, in things which would not bear a recital, in craft which would uncivilize a barbarian, in works which would tell the shame of the worker, in deeds which would disgrace a beast, in follies which would be more fitting the fool, in crimes which are revolting to minds of cultivation, and in seasons which acknowledge the error of their misguided reason. All for what? All for sense, or rather no sense, but the sense of self. And why this self—this partial one; alas! why? Because the wisdom of men is folly, because ignorance controls, because will is undisciplined, because nature is misunderstood, because law is powerless, and powerless because wisdom in darkness sheds no light, because interest is not understood, because duty is neglected, because will is subject to last, because integrity is bartered for witchcraft, because industry is purloined for wizards in mischief, and because the true relation and brotherhood of man are not appreciated.

To rectify the disorders of society, to purify the world of self, to control all things in harmony, we write independent of selfish wisdom. No one can molest us, no mortal arm can reach us, no want of subsistence can control us, no fear of displeasure can subvert our intentions, and no rack, nor prison, nor gibbet, nor fire, nor sword, nor worldly wisdom, can mingle their influences to change the workings of our high resolve. We will write as we will, and this medium has not the power to refuse what we will to be done. Such we intend shall be the condition of all men. And, when that condition shall be attained, the inhabitants of earth will no more say, "Know, the Lord," will no more say, "I am sick," will no more work the witchcraft of wizards, will no more be disturbed with the cries of distress unrelieved, of pains unmitigated, of crimes unpunished, of wills unsubdued, of minds undisciplined, of hearts unsatisfied; and wisdom will reign over wisdom of self, so that one God will be worshiped, one altar be consecrated, one house be undivided, one lesson be repeated, by men, women, and children of every clime and nation under the whole heaven.

We will work what we call self into wisdom. We will change its will into widened philanthropy, its desires into willing obedience, its work into willing rule from a sphere where no anarchy wills, no will moves, no movement works, no movement writes without wisdom to guide what wisdom designs for the benefit of mind. Men shall know what we know will do them good. Priest and layman shall not combine in secret to overthrow the house of many mansions. They shall not work upon the fears of the credulous to extort their savings from the mouths of hungry children. They shall not plunder the hand of honest industry to carry their tidings of damnation where the imposition can be extended and practiced with uncorrected impurity. They shall not, for a profession, make long and hypocritical prayers to cover their real intentions. They shall not go from house to house soliciting money and means from the destitute heathen, nor shall they speculate in matters of questionable integrity with those whose well being they have voluntarily assumed the guardianship. Neither shall lay-men or women contribute to the indolence of luxury. They shall not, because they will not, pay tithes to insure salvation, or rob widows to gain heaven. No: nor shall the widow wring her soul in hopeless despair at the gate of the church, neither will her orphan babes receive the inheritance of a mother's misfortunes, unpitied and relieved.

And is a change demanded? Are the cries of help to heaven in vain, which go up by night and by day? Are these conditions to remain where they are, forever unimproved, forever neglected? We tell you, nay. We tell you. God has sworn by himself, because he could swear by no greater, that heaven and earth shall pass away sooner than his promise shall fail—sooner than his word, his law, his truth, his wisdom shall be prostituted to the ignominious purposes disclosed to spirits by the works of selfishness among the children of his creation. Sooner shall stars and suns mingle in everlasting night, and worlds reel against worlds, than mind shall rebel against his authority without receiving a just recompense of reward. Sooner will his wisdom become folly, his justice become cruelty, his love become hate, than the condition which disgraces and degrades humanity be uncontrolled by the means ordained, for the destruction of selfishness or worldly wisdom, among men. Yea, sooner, will circles of earths and suns pass away, than one jot or tittle of the law of progression fail of its original design—the good of all,

Worldly wisdom is not only selfish, but cruel. It is cruel in its designs, and cruel in its operations. It designs what it knows will produce misery in its effects on others. It steals the industry of other hands without rendering an equivalent therefor. It robs the sweat of labor from the brow of toiling millions, and appropriates it to its own selfish use, without a compensation consistent with right. It plunders the hard earnings of toil from the packets of the unsuspecting, under circumstances in which the robbed cannot vindicate their own will, because they are oppressed with wants that must be supplied. It sedulously studies what way will promote its own will of success, without regard to the injury it inflicts. It is cruel to men and women, and children, under the influence of its pernicious sway. It will suit itself to any condition to carry on its work successfully. It will do any thing to gain its object. It will murder, steal, lie, cheat, and deceive those whose misfortunes have placed them under such control. Wise in their own wisdom, all things within the sphere of their control are made subservient to self. Nothing is desired, nothing is done, but such as will sift the weak of the wheat which is remaining.

Under these circumstances, it is not strange that those who are relying on such craft for enjoyment, should be hostile to wisdom. It is not strange that they should oppose every thing, which will interrupt and overturn their schemes of mischief and wrong. It is not strange, when their real circumstances are understood, that they should operate in a way to overcome the disclosures which spirits have resolved to make. It is not strange that follies, and wrongs, which will not bear revealment, should be concealed by the doer. It is not strange, that men and women ridicule a development which hazards their concealed work from the observation of human eyes, but which, being known to spirits, can be revealed by them. It is not strange that when men will not be satisfied with the truth, they will affect to be satisfied with error, because error publishes no truth which jeopardizes their condition of popularity among men. It is not because of such spirits that it is strange our work is rejected, cast off, and treated with affected contempt. But what shall we say of those who profess to love the truth of spiritual communications, and yet call the spirits evil who make them? What shall we say of their profession, and their wisdom in calling us evil, who have given evidence which they admire, who have disclosed a truth which warms all souls who receive it with unspeakable joy, and which pours a flood of light on the dark path of human life? What shall we say of those who have been benefited by our labors, and who have not been injured by us, when they call us evil spirits? Can good come out of evil? Have they ever received any thing but good at our hands? Have they lost sight of the truth, so far as to wish a return to their first estate? We shall say nothing. It is for such to say, how far our labors have been requited, how far we have done them good, and how much opposition we have encountered to do even what has been done.

Worldly wisdom is fond of excuses. It is never wanting for an apology. It writes, publishes, preaches, and talks what seems necessary for its own justification. But there is one thing it never will do. It never will acknowledge its own wrongs, follies, or faults. It will never do what its own pride, wisdom, and self, require to be closeted in order to secure its will in other operations. It will never yield to the wisdom of God, so long as sin and ignorance govern the mind. It will not believe in immortality, because its nature is mortal. It will never do works meet for repentance because that would be death to itself. It will never do by others as it would have others do by it, because what others do is the rule which controls. It regards one law—the law of opportunity to get what it can, what it wants, what is selfish and earthly, and keep what it has obtained. No one need write what it will do for other's good, because a blank page only will be seen of such work. No one need weep when it dies, for what is death to worldly wisdom, is life to the human soul. It is a death which we work to effect. It is a work which spirits, in all spheres, desire to see accomplished, save the rudimental.

Wisdom will engage, wise spirits will engage to overcome the evil. Under the guidance of superior wisdom it will be destroyed, and peace, love, harmony, and truth, will pervade the minds of men. No selfish passion will disturb the conquered, the subdued, the death of worldly wisdom; yea, and it will be remembered no more.