“There are a people among us denominated Spiritualists. The major part of these people is the legitimate outcome of religious devotion on the part of their parents. Spiritualistic mediums are such by organic structure, which leads them to open up their life-centers to the psychic currents around them. In order to be mediums, they must be perfectly passive to these influences. Now do not say that mediums are frauds. It is true that some of them are, but many of them are working with forces of which they have no understanding.
If you wish to experiment in this direction, sit before a medium and call into activity some point of belief that is latent within you. The medium will probably go into a trance, bring up the subject most active in your mind and begin to ingather and present evidence of the truth of that in which you believe. It matters not whether it is true or not, the medium will inspire, formulate and give you evidences of its truth. Have you not observed the fact that the more a man thinks on a subject of his belief, the more firmly convinced is he of its truth, so that nothing short of the most absolute proof can shake his confidence? Usually, this proof must be so overwhelming as to carry conviction to every sense of his entire nature.
Because of this law governing human mind and consciousness, religion should be based upon the conclusions of the clearest reason, in which case belief, the principle underlying the two, will be correct—not specific belief, but belief in its relation to general principles. But to be sure of reliable conclusions, reason must be able to command reliable premises. For what to the world have been the centuries of scientific investigation, the vast resources spent in scientific appliances, if not to discover facts and laws upon which Reason may base correct conclusions?
Thus, giving Reason and Religion the sure foundation of correct beliefs upon which to rest, truly, he who neglects to improve the wealth of opportunity, born of such labor and expenditure of means, is remiss in the duty he owes to himself and to his fellow men. Because of the enlightenment of the race, Reason and Religion must hereafter go forth hand in hand, must stand bosom to bosom, as most lovingly devoted counterparts.
Religion is the outflowing, the opening up, of the love toward an object which is believed to be the most desirable, and when man has learned intelligently to open the soul toward its Cause, he will then find the fountains of all knowledge. And he has that in him which enables him to draw in—inspire—and cause to act upon the sensorium of his brain the very essence of all there is.
When the fundamental principle of belief is properly laid, then the reasoning brain will take these essences and form them into images, and these images will become living-stones in the construction of that temple of knowledge in which will dwell God, formed as the immortal soul, and man—the knowing intelligence.”
Hiram Butler
The Mark Of God: Understanding Your "I AM Presence" 