CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE: Peebles’ Amazing Assumptions for Spiritualism

Thus far our portrayal of Spiritualism has been a composite, built around representative citations drawn from numerous accredited Spiritualist writers. We close our survey by bringing together the basic positions of Spiritualism as set forth by a single representative spokesman, Dr. JAMES MARTIN PEEBLES, ^{11) JAMES MARTIN PEEBLES (1822-1922) came of Calvinistic Presbyterian backgrounds. Revolting against the dogma of Eternal Torment, he served as a Universalist preacher for six years, receiving ordination in 1846-two years before the rapping episode of the Fox sisters in 1848. But he found no satisfying substantiation for Universalism’s claims of universal salvation. Introduced to Spiritualism in 1852, he embraced it, becoming one of its outstanding earlier exponents. He was for years editor of Banner of Light. And thrice he traveled around the fbe as world missionary for the National Spiritualist Association. He was the first public lobe a on Modern Spiritualism in England, Australia, New Zealand, and India. See Centennial Book, pp. 227, 228.} and chosen chiefly from one of his remarkable volumes. ^{22) Peebles was author of a dozen books, including The Seers of the Ages; What Is Spiritualism? Immortality, and the Employment of Spirits; and Reincarnation Discussed.} It was written when he was seventy-four years old and still keen of mind. He died just a few days before his hundredth birthday.CFF2 1111.1

His unusual volume, The Demonism of the Ages, gives us the essence of reputable Spiritualist views and contentions. It comes from a trained mind-a graduate in medicine and surgery from the University of Philadelphia, a teacher, president of a college for four years, owner and editor of several newspapers, a member of several learned societies, editor of one of the leading Spiritualist journals, author of a dozen Spiritualist books, and a world-traveling exponent of Spiritualism. We can properly quote him as a representative spokesman. ^{33) Who Was Who in America 51960), vol. 1 (1897-1942), p. 953 J M. Guinn, A History of California... Los Angeles and Environs (1915), vol. 3, pp. 527-533.} Incidentally, the book was published in Battle Creek, Michigan, in 1904. ^{44) To balance the picture it must, in fairness, be recorded that Peebles had a brush with the courts over improper claims made in connection with a “mail order healing” angle put forth by the Peebles Medical Institute. (See Malcolm Bingay, Of Me I Sing, pages 60-62.) His personal ethics and morals likewise came under challenge According to Hobart and Mather, Biographical Review of Calhoun County, Michigan (p. 241), in 1904 Peebles was a communicant of the Episcopal Church, “yet a believer in Spiritualism in its broader and religious sense.”}CFF2 1111.2

In our quest we shall range back and forth through Peebles’ volume in order to bring his positions together in logical sequence for our survey. He often touches upon the same point, from different angles and in various places. These are simply brought together in sequential relationship, to get the whole picture compactly before us. First of all let us note the basic principles, or premises, that according to Peebles constitute the essence of Spiritualism. Here is the first of these primary propositions.CFF2 1112.1