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diff --git a/27197-tei/27197-tei.tei b/27197-tei/27197-tei.tei new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3e758e7 --- /dev/null +++ b/27197-tei/27197-tei.tei @@ -0,0 +1,7313 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> + +<!DOCTYPE TEI.2 SYSTEM "http://www.gutenberg.org/tei/marcello/0.4/dtd/pgtei.dtd" [ + +<!ENTITY u5 "http://www.tei-c.org/Lite/"> + +]> + +<TEI.2 lang="en"> +<teiHeader> + <fileDesc> + <titleStmt> + <title>Modern Spiritualism</title> + <author><name reg="Smith, Uriah">Uriah Smith</name></author> + </titleStmt> + <editionStmt> + <edition n="1">Edition 1</edition> + </editionStmt> + <publicationStmt> + <publisher>Project Gutenberg</publisher> + <date>November 7, 2008</date> + <idno type="etext-no">27197</idno> + <availability> + <p>This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and + with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it + away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg + License online at www.gutenberg.org/license</p> + </availability> + </publicationStmt> + <sourceDesc> + <bibl> + Created electronically. + </bibl> + </sourceDesc> + </fileDesc> + <encodingDesc> + </encodingDesc> + <profileDesc> + <langUsage> + <language id="en"></language> + </langUsage> + </profileDesc> + <revisionDesc> + <change> + <date value="2008-11-07">November 7, 2008</date> + <respStmt> + <name> + Produced by Heiko Evermann, Clarence L. Thomas IV, David King, and the Online + Distributed Proofreading Team at <http://www.pgdp.net/>. + </name> + </respStmt> + <item>Project Gutenberg TEI edition 1</item> + </change> + </revisionDesc> +</teiHeader> + +<pgExtensions> + <pgStyleSheet> + .boxed { x-class: boxed } + .shaded { x-class: shaded } + .rules { x-class: rules; rules: all } + .indent { margin-left: 2 } + .bold { font-weight: bold } + .italic { font-style: italic } + .smallcaps { font-variant: small-caps } + .gesperrt { font-style: italic } + </pgStyleSheet> + + <pgCharMap formats="txt.iso-8859-1"> + <char id="U0x2014"> + <charName>mdash</charName> + <desc>EM DASH</desc> + <mapping>--</mapping> + </char> + <char id="U0x2003"> + <charName>emsp</charName> + <desc>EM SPACE</desc> + <mapping> </mapping> + </char> + <char id="U0x2026"> + <charName>hellip</charName> + <desc>HORIZONTAL ELLIPSIS</desc> + <mapping>...</mapping> + </char> + </pgCharMap> +</pgExtensions> + +<text lang="en"> + <front> + <div> + <divGen type="pgheader" /> + </div> + <div> + <divGen type="encodingDesc" /> + </div> + + <div rend="page-break-before: always"> + <p rend="font-size: xx-large; text-align: center">MODERN SPIRITUALISM</p> + <p rend="font-size: large; text-align: center">A SUBJECT OF PROPHECY</p> + <p rend="font-size: large; text-align: center">AND A</p> + <p rend="font-size: x-large; text-align: center">SIGN OF THE TIMES.</p> + <p rend="font-size: x-large; text-align: center">BY URIAH SMITH</p> + <p rend="text-align: center">THE REVIEW AND HERALD PUBLISHING CO.</p> + <p rend="text-align: center">1896.</p> + </div> + <div rend="page-break-before: always"> + <head>Contents</head> + <divGen type="toc" /> + </div> + + </front> +<body> + +<pb n='003'/><anchor id='Pg003'/> + +<div rend="page-break-before: always"> +<index index="toc"/> +<index index="pdf"/> +<head>Preface.</head> + +<p> +For nearly fifty years Spiritualism has been before +the world. This surely is time enough to enable +it to show its character by its fruits. <q>By their +fruits ye shall know them,</q> is a rule that admits +of no exceptions. If evil fruits appear, the tree is +corrupt. +</p> + +<p> +Spiritualism has made unbounded promises of +good. It has claimed to be the long-promised second +coming of Christ; the opening of a new era among +mankind; the rosy portal of a golden age, when all +men should be reformed, evil disappear, and the +renovation of society cause the hearts of men to +leap for joy, and the earth to blossom as the rose. +</p> + +<p> +Has it fulfilled all, or any, of these promises? +If not, is it not a deception? and if a deception, +considering its wide-spread influence, and the number +of its adherents, is it not one of the most +gigantic and appalling deceptions that has ever fallen +upon Christendom? The Bible in the plainest terms, +declares that in the last days malign influences will +be let loose upon the world; false pretensions +will be urged upon the minds of men; and deceptions, +backed up by preternatural signs and wonders, +will develop to such a degree of strength, that, if +it were possible, they would deceive the very elect. +<pb n='004'/><anchor id='Pg004'/> +Is it possible that Spiritualism may be the very +development of evil, against which this warning +is directed? +</p> + +<p> +To investigate these questions, and to show by +unimpeachable testimony, what Spiritualism is, and +the place it holds among the psychological movements +of the present day, is the object of these pages. +Not a few books have been written against Spiritualism; +but most of them endeavor to account for it +on the ground of human jugglery and imposture, or +on natural principles, the discovery of a new and +heretofore occult force in nature, etc., from which +great things may be expected in the future. But +rarely has any one discussed it from the standpoint +of prophecy, and the testimony of the Scriptures, +the only point of view, as we believe, from which its +true origin, nature, and tendency, can be ascertained. +</p> + +<p> +Many features in the work of Spiritualism would +seem to indicate that the source from which it springs +is far from good; but it is based upon a church +dogma, firmly established through all Christendom, +which in many minds is of sufficient weight to overbalance +considerations that would otherwise be considered +ample grounds for shunning or renouncing it. +It is therefore the more necessary that the reader, +in examining this question, should let the bonds that +have heretofore bound him to preconceived opinions, +sit loose upon him, and that he should put himself +in the mood of Dr. Channing when he said: <q>I +must choose to receive the truth, no matter how it +bears upon myself, and must follow it no matter +<pb n='005'/><anchor id='Pg005'/> +where it leads, from what party it severs me, or to +what party it allies.</q> And he should remember also, +as the eminent and pious Dr. Vinet once sagaciously +observed, that <q>even now, after eighteen centuries +of Christianity, we are very probably involved in +some enormous error, of which Christianity will, in +some future time, make us ashamed.</q> +</p> + +<p> +In view, therefore, of the importance of this +question, and the tremendous issues that hang on +the decisions we may make in these perilous times, +we feel justified even in <emph>adjuring</emph> the reader to +canvass this subject with an inflexible determination +to learn the truth, and then to follow it wherever +it may lead. +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='smallcaps'>U. S.</hi><lb/> +<hi rend='italic'>Battle Creek, Mich., 1897.</hi> +</p> + +</div> + +<pb n='009'/><anchor id='Pg009'/> + +<div rend="page-break-before: always"> +<index index="toc" level1="Chapter One. Opening Thought."/> +<index index="pdf" level1="Chapter One."/> +<head type="sub">Chapter One.</head> +<head>Opening Thought.</head> + +<p> +What think ye? Whence is it—from heaven +or of men? Such was the nature of the question +addressed by our Saviour to the men of his +time, concerning the baptism of John. It is the +crucial question by which to test every system that +comes to us in the garb of religion: Is it from +heaven or of men? And if a true answer to the +question can be found, it must determine our attitude +toward it; for if it is from heaven, it challenges +at once our acceptance and profound regard, but if +it is of men, sooner or later, in this world or in the +world to come, it will be destroyed with all its followers; +for our Saviour has declared that every +plant which our heavenly Father has not planted +shall be rooted up. Matt. 15:13. +</p> + +<p> +To those who do not believe in any <q>heavenly +Father,</q> nor in <q>Christ the Saviour,</q> nor in any +<q>revealed word of God,</q> we would say that these +points will be assumed in this work rather than +<pb n='010'/><anchor id='Pg010'/> +directly argued, though many incidental proofs will +appear, to which we trust our friends will be pleased +to give some consideration. But we address ourselves +particularly to those who still have faith in +God the Father of all; in his divine Son, our Lord +Jesus Christ, through whose blood we have redemption; +in the Bible as the inspired revelation of God's +will; and in the Holy Spirit as the enlightener of the +mind, and the sanctifier of the soul. To all those to +whom this position is common ground, the Bible will +be the standard of authority, and the court of last +appeal, in the study upon which we now enter. +</p> + +<div> +<index index="toc"/> +<head>A Manifestation of Power.</head> + +<p> +Spiritualism cannot be disposed of with a sneer. +A toss of the head and a cry of <q>humbug,</q> will not +suffice to meet its claims and the testimony of careful, +conservative men who have studied thoroughly +into the genuineness of its manifestations, and have +sought for the secret of its power, and have become +satisfied as to the one, and been wholly baffled as to +the other. That there have been abundant instances +of attempted fraud, deception, jugglery, and imposition, +is not to be denied. But this does not by any +means set aside the fact that there have been manifestations +of more than human power, the evidence +for which has never been impeached. The detection +of a few sham mediums, who are trying to impose +upon the credulity of the public, for money, may +satisfy the careless and unthinking, that the whole +affair is a humbug. Such will dismiss the matter +<pb n='011'/><anchor id='Pg011'/> +from their minds, and depart, easier subjects to +be captured by the movement when some manifestation +appears for which they can find no explanation. +But the more thoughtful and careful observers well +know that the exposure of these mountebanks does +not account for the numberless manifestations of +power, and the steady current of phenomena, utterly +inexplicable on any human hypothesis, which have +attended the movement from the beginning. +</p> + +<p> +The Philadelphia <hi rend='italic'>North American</hi>, of July 31, +1885, published a communication from Thomas R. +Hazard, in which he says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>But Spiritualism, whatever may be thought of it, must +be recognized as a fact. It is one of the characteristic intellectual +or emotional phenomena of the times, and as such, it +is deserving of a more serious examination than it has yet +received. There are those who say it is all humbug, and +that everything outside of the ordinary course which takes +place at the so-called séances, is the direct result of fraudulent +and deliberative imposture; in short, that every Spiritualist +must be either a fool or a knave. The serious objection +to this hypothesis is that the explanation is almost as difficult +of belief as the occurrences which it explains. There must +certainly be some Spiritualists who are both honest and +intelligent; and if the manifestations at the séances were +altogether and invariably fraudulent, surely the whole thing +must have collapsed long before this; and the Seybert Commission, +which finds it necessary to extend its investigations +over an indefinite period, which will certainly not be less +than a year, would have been able to sweep the delusion +away in short order.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +The phenomena are so well known, that it is +unnecessary to recount them here. Among them +may be mentioned such achievements as these: Various +articles have been transported from place to +<pb n='012'/><anchor id='Pg012'/> +place, without human hands, but by the agency of +so-called spirits only; beautiful music has been +produced independently of human agency, with and +without the aid of visible instruments; many well-attested +cases of healing have been presented; persons +have been carried through the air by the spirits +in the presence of many witnesses; tables have been +suspended in the air with several persons upon them; +purported spirits have presented themselves in bodily +form and talked with an audible voice; and all this +not once or twice merely, but times without number, +as may be gathered from the records of Spiritualism, +all through its history. +</p> + +<p> +A few particular instances, as samples, it may be +allowable to notice: Not many years since, Joseph +Cook made his memorable tour around the world. +In Europe he met the famous German philosopher, +Professor Zöllner. Mr. Zöllner had been carefully +investigating the phenomena of Spiritualism, and +assured Mr. Cook of the following occurrences as +facts, under his own observation: Knots had been +found tied in the middle of cords, by some invisible +agency, while both ends were made securely fast, so +that they could not be tampered with; messages were +written between doubly and trebly sealed slates; +coin had passed through a table in a manner to illustrate +the suspension of the laws of impenetrability of +matter; straps of leather were knotted under his +own hand; the impression of two feet was given on +sooted paper pasted inside of two sealed slates; +whole and uninjured wooden rings were placed +<pb n='013'/><anchor id='Pg013'/> +around the standard of a card table, over either end +of which they could by no possibility be slipped; +and finally the table itself, a heavy beechen structure, +wholly disappeared, and then fell from the top +of the room where Professor Zöllner and his friends +were sitting. +</p> + +<p> +In further confirmation of the fact that real +spiritualistic manifestations are no sleight-of-hand +performances, we cite the case of Harry Kellar, a +professional performer, as given in <q>Nineteenth +Century Miracles,</q> p. 213. The séance was held +with the medium, Eglinton, in Calcutta, India, Jan. +25, 1882. He says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>It is needless to say that I went as a skeptic; but I must +own that I have come away utterly unable to explain by any +natural means the phenomena that I witnessed on Tuesday +evening.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +He then describes the particulars of the séance. +An intelligence, purporting to be the spirit of one +Geary, gave a communication. Mr. Kellar did not +recognize the name nor recall the man. The message +was repeated, with the added circumstances of +the time and particulars of a previous meeting, when +Mr. Kellar recalled the events, and, much to his surprise, +the whole matter came clearly to his recollection. +He then adds:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>I still remain a skeptic as regards Spiritualism, but I +repeat my inability to explain or account for what must have +been an intelligent force which produced the writing on the +slate, which, if my senses are to be relied on, was in no way +the result of trickery or sleight-of-hand.</q> +</quote> + +<pb n='014'/><anchor id='Pg014'/> + +<p> +Another instance from <q>Home Circle,</q> p. 25, +is that of Mr. Bellachini, also a professional conjuror, +of Berlin, Germany. His interview was with +the celebrated medium, Mr. Slade. From his testimony +we quote the following:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>I have not, in the smallest degree, found anything to be +produced by prestidigitative manifestations or mechanical +apparatus; and any explanation of the experiments which +took place under the circumstances and conditions then +obtaining, by any reference to prestidigitation, is <emph>absolutely +impossible</emph>. I declare, moreover, the published opinions of +laymen as to the <q>How</q> of this subject, to be premature, +and according to my views and experience, false and +one-sided.</q>—<hi rend='italic'>Dated, +Berlin, Dec. 6, 1877.</hi> +</quote> + +<p> +When professional conjurors bear such testimony +as this, while it does not prove Spiritualism to be +what it claims to be, it does disprove the humbug +theory. +</p> + +<p> +In addition to this, it appears that two propositions, +one of $2000, and the other of $5000, have +been offered to the one who claimed to be able to +duplicate all the manifestations of Spiritualism, to +duplicate two well-authenticated tests; but the challenge +has never been accepted, nor the reward +claimed. See <hi rend='italic'>Religio-Philosophical Journal</hi>, of Jan. +15, 1881, and January, 1883. +</p> + +<p> +A writer in the <hi rend='italic'>Spiritual Clarion</hi>, in an article +on <q>The Millennium of Spiritualism,</q> bears the +following testimony in regard to the power and +strength of the movement:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>This revelation has been with a power, a might, that if +divested of its almost universal benevolence, had been a terror +<pb n='015'/><anchor id='Pg015'/> +to the very soul; the hair of the very bravest had stood on +end, and his chilled blood had crept back upon his heart, at +the sights and sounds of its inexplicable phenomena. It comes +with foretokening and warning. It has been, from the very +first, its own best prophet, and step by step, it has foretold +the progress it would make. It comes, too, most triumphant. +No faith before it ever took such a victorious stand in its +very infancy. It has swept like a hurricane of fire through +the land, compelling faith from the baffled scoffer, and the +most determined doubter.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +Dr. W. F. Barrett, Professor of Experimental +Physics in the Royal College of Dublin, says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>It is well known to those who have made the phenomena +of Spiritualism the subject of prolonged and careful inquiry, +in the spirit of exact and unimpassioned scientific research, +that beneath a repellent mass of imposture and delusion there +remain certain inexplicable and startling facts which science +can neither explain away nor deny.</q>—<hi rend='italic'><q>Automatic, or Spirit, +Writing,</q> p. 11 (1896).</hi> +</quote> + +<p> +In the <hi rend='italic'>Arena</hi> of November, 1892, p. 688, Mr. +M. J. Savage, the noted Unitarian minister of +Boston, says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Next comes what are ordinarily classed together as +<q>mediumistic phenomena.</q> The most important of these +are psychometry, <q>vision</q> of <q>spirit</q> forms, claimed communications +by means of rappings, table movements, automatic +writing, independent writing, trance speaking, etc. +With them also ought to be noted what are generally called +physical phenomena, though in most cases, since they are +intelligibly directed, the use of the word <q>physical,</q> without +this qualification, might be misleading. These physical phenomena +include such facts as the movement of material +objects by other than the ordinary muscular force, the +making objects heavier or lighter when tested by the scales, +the playing on musical instruments by some invisible power, +etc.... Now all of these referred to (with the exception +of independent writing, and materialization) I know to be +<pb n='016'/><anchor id='Pg016'/> +genuine. I do not at all mean by this that I know that the +<q>spiritualistic</q> interpretation of them is the true one. I +mean only that they are genuine phenomena; that they have +occurred; that they are not tricks or the result of fraud.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +In the <hi rend='italic'>Forum</hi> of December, 1889, p. 455, the +same writer describes his experience at the house +of a friend with whom he had been acquainted eight +or ten years. When about to depart, he thought +he would try an experiment. He says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>She and I stood at opposite ends of the table at which +we had been sitting. Both of us having placed the tips of +our fingers lightly on the top of the table, I spoke, as if +addressing some unseen force connected with the table, and +said: <q>Now I must go; will you not accompany me to the +door?</q> The door was ten or fifteen feet distant, and was +closed. The table started. It had no casters, and in order +to make it move as it did, we should have had to go behind +and push it. As a matter of fact we led it, while it accompanied +us all the way, and struck against the door with +considerable force.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +From the same article, p. 456, we quote again:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">I add one more experiment of my own. I sat one day in +a heavy, stuffed armchair. The psychic sat beside me, and +laying his hand on the back of the chair, gradually raised it. +Immediately I felt and saw myself, chair and all, lifted into +the air at least one foot from the floor. There was no uneven +motion implying any sense of effort on the part of the lifting +force; and I was gently lowered again to the carpet. This +was in broad light, in a hotel parlor, and in presence of a +keen-eyed lawyer friend. I could plainly watch the whole +thing. No man living could have lifted me in such a +position, and besides, I saw that the psychic made not the +slightest apparent effort. Nor was there any machinery or +preparation of any kind. My companion, the lawyer, on +going away, speaking in reference to the whole sitting, said: +<q>I've seen enough evidence to hang every man in the State—enough +to prove <emph>anything excepting this</emph>.</q></q> +</quote> + +<pb n='017'/><anchor id='Pg017'/> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">Professor Crookes, of London, relates having seen and +heard an accordion played on while it was enclosed in a wire +net-work, and not touched by any visible hand. I have seen +an approach to the same thing. In daylight I have seen a +man hold an accordion in the air, not more than three feet +away from me. He held it by one hand, grasping the side +opposite to that on which the keys were fixed. In this +position, it, or something, played long tunes, the side containing +the keys being pushed in and drawn out without any contact +that I could see. I then said, <q>Will it not play for me?</q> +The reply was, <q>I don't know: you can try it.</q> I then took +the accordion in my hands. There was no music; but what +did occur was quite as inexplicable to me, and quite as convincing +as a display of some kind of power. I know not how +to express it, except by saying that the accordion was seized +as if by some one trying to take it away from me. To test +this power, I grasped the instrument with both hands. The +struggle was as real as though my antagonist was another +man. I succeeded in keeping it, but only by the most +strenuous efforts.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>On another occasion I was sitting with a <q>medium.</q> +I was too far away for him to reach me, even had he tried, +which he did not do; for he sat perfectly quiet. My knees +were not under the table, but were where I could see them +plainly. Suddenly my right knee was grasped as by a hand. +It was a firm grip. I could feel the print and pressure of all +the fingers. I said not a word of the strange sensation, but +quietly put my right hand down and clasped my knee in order +to see if I could feel anything on my hand. At once I felt +what seemed like the most delicate finger tips playing over +my own fingers and gradually rising in their touches toward +my wrist. When this was reached, I felt a series of clear, +distinct, and definite pats, as though made by a hand of fleshy +vigor. I made no motion to indicate what was going on, and +said not a word until the sensation had passed. All this while +I was carefully watching my hand, for it was plain daylight, +and it was in full view; but I saw nothing.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +We need not multiply evidence on this point. A +remark by T. J. Hudson (<q>Law of Psychic Phenomena,</q> +<pb n='018'/><anchor id='Pg018'/> +p. 206, McClurg & Co., Chicago, 1894) +may fitly close this division of the subject. He +says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>I will not waste time, however, by attempting to prove +by experiments of my own, or of others, that such phenomena +do occur. It is too late for that. The facts are too well +known to the civilized world to require proof at this time. +The man who denies the phenomena of spiritism to-day is +not entitled to be called a skeptic, he is simply ignorant; +and it would be a hopeless task to attempt to enlighten him.</q> +</quote> + +</div> + +<div> +<index index="toc"/> +<head>A Manifestation of Intelligence.</head> + +<p> +From the testimony already given it is evident +that there is connected with Spiritualism an agency +that is able to manifest power and strength beyond +anything that human beings, unaided, are +able to exert. It is just as evident that the same +agency possesses intelligence beyond the power of +human minds. Indeed, this was the very feature +that first brought it to the attention of the public. +Spiritualism, as the reader is doubtless aware, originated +in the family of Mr. John D. Fox, in Hydesville, +near Rochester, N. Y., in the spring of 1848. +Robert Dale Owen, in his work called <q>Footfalls +on the Boundary of Another World,</q> p. 290, has +given a full narration of the circumstances attending +this remarkable event. The particulars, he states, +he had from Mrs. Fox, and her two daughters, Margaret +and Kate, and son, David. The attention of +the family had been attracted by strange noises +which finally assumed the form of raps, or muffled +footfalls, and became very annoying. Chairs were +<pb n='019'/><anchor id='Pg019'/> +sometimes moved from their places, and this was +once also the case with the dining-room table. +Heard occasionally during February, the disturbance +so increased during the latter part of March, as +seriously to break the nightly repose of the family. +But as these annoyances occurred only in the night-time, +all the family hoped that soon, by some means, +the mystery would be cleared away. They did not +abandon this hope till Friday, the 31st of March, +1848. Wearied by a succession of sleepless nights, +the family retired early, hoping for a respite from +the disturbances that had harassed them. In this they +were doomed to especial disappointment. We can +do no better than to let Mr. Owen continue the narrative, +in his own words:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">The parents had removed the children's beds into their +bedroom, and strictly enjoined them not to talk of noises, +even if they heard them. But scarcely had the mother seen +them safely in bed, and was retiring to rest herself, when the +children cried out, <q>Here they are again!</q> The mother +chided them, and lay down. Thereupon the noises became +louder and more startling. The children sat up in bed. +Mrs. Fox called her husband. The night being windy, it +was suggested to him that it might be the rattling of the +sashes. He tried several to see if they were loose. Kate, the +younger girl, happened to remark that as often as her father +shook a window-sash, the noises seemed to reply. Being a +lively child, and in a measure accustomed to what was going +on, she turned to where the noise was, snapped her fingers, +and called out, <q>Here, old Splitfoot, do as I do!</q> The knocking +instantly responded.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><emph>That was the very commencement. Who can tell where the +end will be?</emph></q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">I do not mean that it was Kate Fox, who thus, in +childish jest, first discovered that these mysterious sounds +<pb n='020'/><anchor id='Pg020'/> +seemed instinct with intelligence. Mr. Mompesson, two hundred +years ago, had already observed a similar phenomenon. +Glanvil had verified it. So had Wesley, and his children. So +we have seen, and others. But in all these cases the matter +rested there and the observation was not prosecuted further. +As, previous to the invention of the steam engine, sundry +observers had trodden the very threshold of the discovery and +there stopped, so in this case, where the royal chaplain, +disciple though he was of the inductive philosophy, and +where the founder of Methodism, admitting, as he did, the +probabilities of ultramundane interference, were both at +fault, a Yankee girl, but nine years old, following up more in +sport than in earnest, a chance observation, became the +instigator of a movement which, whatever its true character, +has had its influence throughout the civilized world. The +spark had been ignited,—once at least two centuries ago; but +it had died each time without effect. It kindled no flame till +the middle of the nineteenth century.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">And yet how trifling the step from the observation at +Tedworth to the discovery at Hydesville! Mr. Mompesson, +in bed with his little daughter (about Kate's age), whom the +sound seemed chiefly to follow, <q>observed that it would +exactly answer, in drumming, anything that was beaten or +called for.</q> But his curiosity led him no further.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">Not so Kate Fox. She tried, by silently bringing together +her thumb and forefinger; whether she could obtain +a response. Yes! It could <emph>see</emph>, then, as well as <emph>hear</emph>. She +called her mother. <q>Only look, mother,</q> she said, bringing +together again her finger and thumb, as before. And as +often as she repeated the noiseless motion, just as often +responded the raps.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">This at once arrested her mother's attention. <q>Count +ten,</q> she said, addressing the noise. Ten strokes, distinctly +given! <q>How old is my daughter Margaret?</q> Twelve +strokes. <q>And Kate?</q> Nine. <q>What can all this mean?</q> +was Mrs. Fox's thought. Who was answering her? Was it +only some mysterious echo of her own thought? But the +next question which she put seemed to refute the idea. +<q>How many children have I?</q> she asked aloud. Seven +strokes. <q>Ah!</q> she thought, <q>it can blunder sometimes.</q> +<pb n='021'/><anchor id='Pg021'/> +And then aloud, <q>Try again.</q> Still the number of raps was +seven. Of a sudden a thought crossed Mrs. Fox's mind. +<q>Are they all alive?</q> she asked. Silence for answer. <q>How +many are living?</q> Six strokes. <q>How many are dead?</q> A +single stroke. <emph>She had lost a child.</emph></q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">Then she asked, <q>Are you a man?</q> No answer. <q>Are +you a spirit?</q> It rapped. <q>May my neighbors hear, if I call +them?</q> It rapped again.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Thereupon she asked her husband to call her neighbor, +a Mrs. Redfield, who came in laughing. But her cheer was +soon changed. The answers to her inquiries were as prompt +and pertinent, as they had been to those of Mrs. Fox. She +was struck with awe; and when, in reply to a question about +the number of her children, by rapping four, instead of three, +as she expected, it reminded her of a little daughter, Mary, +whom she had recently lost, the mother burst into tears.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +We have introduced this narrative thus at length +not only because it is interesting in itself, but because +it is of special interest that all the particulars +of the origin, or beginning, of such a movement as +this, should be well understood. The following +paragraph will explain how it came to be called +<q>The Rochester Knockings,</q> under which name it +first became widely known. It is from the <q>Report +of the 37th Anniversary of Modern Spiritualism,</q> +held in Brooklyn, N. Y., March 31, 1885, and +reported in the <hi rend='italic'>Banner of Light</hi>, the 25th of the +following month:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">After a song by J. T. Lillie, Mrs. Leah Fox Underhill, +the elder of the three Fox sisters (who was on our platform), +was requested to speak. Mrs. Underhill said that she was +not a public speaker, but would answer any questions from +the audience, and in response to these questions told in a +graphic manner how the spirits came to their humble home +in Hydesville, in 1848; how on the 31st of March the first +intelligent communication from the spirit world came +<pb n='022'/><anchor id='Pg022'/> +through the raps; how the family had been annoyed by the +manifestations, and by the notoriety that followed; how +the younger sisters, Catherine and Margaret, were taken to +Rochester, where she lived, by their mother, hoping that this +great and apparent calamity might pass from them; how +their father and mother prayed that this cup might be taken +away, but the phenomena became more marked and violent; +how in the morning they would find four coffins drawn with +an artistic hand on the door of the dining-room of her home +in Rochester, of different sizes, approximating to the ages and +sizes of the family, and these were lined with a pink color, +and they were told that unless they made this great fact +known, they would all speedily die, and enter the spirit-world.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Gladly would they all have accepted this penalty for +their disobedience in not making this truth known to the +world. She told how they were compelled to hire Corinthian +Hall in Rochester; how several public meetings were held +in Rochester, culminating in the selection of a committee +of prominent infidels, who, after submitting the Fox children +to the most severe tests,—they being disrobed in the presence +of a committee of ladies,—reported in their favor.... All +the time she was on our platform, there was a continuous +rapping by the spirits in response to what was being said by +the several speakers, also in response to the singing, and all +our exercises.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +In the same volume of the <hi rend='italic'>Forum</hi> from which +quotations have already been made, M. J. Savage +states many facts which have a determinate bearing +on the point now under consideration; namely, the +intelligence manifested in the spiritual phenomena. +From these we quote a few. He says (p. 452 and +onward):— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">I am in possession of quite a large body of apparent +facts that I do not know what to do with.... That certain +things to me inexplicable have occurred, I believe. The +negative opinion of some one with whom no such things have +<pb n='023'/><anchor id='Pg023'/> +occurred, will not satisfy me.... I am ready to submit +some specimens of those things that constitute my problem. +They can be only specimens; for a detailed account of even +half of those I have laid by, would stretch to the limits of +a book.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>A merchant ship bound for New York was on her homeward +voyage. She was in the Indian Ocean. The captain +was engaged to be married to a lady living in New England. +One day early in the afternoon he came, pale and excited, to +one of his mates, and exclaimed, <q>Tom, Kate has just died! I +have seen her die!</q> The mate looked at him in amazement, +not knowing what to make of such talk. But the captain +went on and described the whole scene—the room, her +appearance, how she died, and all the circumstances. So +real was it to him, and such was the effect on him, of his +grief, that for two or three weeks, he was carefully watched +lest he should do violence to himself. It was more than +one hundred and fifty days before the ship reached her +harbor. During all this time no news was received from +home. But when at last the ship arrived at New York, it +was found that Kate did die at the time and under the circumstances +seen and described by the captain off the coast +of India. This is only one case out of hundreds. What does +it mean? Coincidence? Just happened so? This might be +said of one; but a hundred of such coincidences become +inexplicable.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +The following is another instance mentioned by +the same writer:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>I went to the house of a woman in New York. She was +not a professional. We had never seen each other before. +We took seats in the parlor for a talk, I not looking for any +manifestation. Raps began. I do not say whether they were +really where they seemed to be or not; I know right well +that the judgment is subject to illusion through the senses. +But I was told a <q>spirit friend</q> was present; and soon the +name, time, and place of death, etc., were given me. It was +the name of a friend I had once known intimately. But +twenty years had passed since the old intimacy; she had +lived in another State; I am certain that she and the +<pb n='024'/><anchor id='Pg024'/> +psychic had never known or even heard of each other. She +had died within a few months.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +Mr. Savage then gives examples where the power +in question was exclusively mental:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>The first time I was ever in the presence of a particular +psychic, she went into a trance. She had never seen, and, so +far as I know, had never had any way of hearing of my +father, who had died some years previously. When I was a +boy, he always called me by a special name that was never +used by any other member of the family. In later years he +hardly ever used it. But the entranced psychic said: <q>An +old gentleman is here,</q> and she described certain very marked +peculiarities. Then she added: <q>He says he is your father, +and he calls you ——,</q> using the old childhood name of mine.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +Again, same page:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>One case more, only, will I mention under this head. +A most intimate friend of my youth had recently died. She +had lived in another State, and the psychic did not know +that such a person had ever existed. We were sitting alone +when this old friend announced her presence. It was in this +way: A letter of two pages was automatically written, +addressed to me. I thought to myself as I read it,—I did +not speak,—<q>Were it possible, I should feel sure she had written +this.</q> I then said, as though speaking to her, <q>Will you +not give me your name?</q> It was given, both maiden and +married name. I then began a conversation lasting over an +hour, which seemed as real as any I ever have with my +friends. She told me of her children, of her sisters. We +talked over the events of boyhood and girlhood. I asked her +if she remembered a book we used to read together, and she +gave me the author's name. I asked again if she remembered +the particular poem we were both specially fond of, +and she named it at once. In the letter that was written, +and in much of the conversation, there were apparent hints +of identity, little touches and peculiarities that would mean +much to an acquaintance, but nothing to a stranger. I could +not but be much impressed. Now in this case, I know that +<pb n='025'/><anchor id='Pg025'/> +the psychic never knew of this person's existence, and of +course not of our acquaintance.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +Mr. Savage then mentions cases which he calls +still more inexplicable, because the information conveyed +was not known either to the psychic (which +seems to be the new name for medium) or to himself. +He says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">But one more case dare I take the space for, though the +budget is only opened. This one did not happen to me, but +it is so hedged about and checked off, that its evidential +value in a scientific way is absolutely perfect. The names +of some of the parties concerned <emph>would be recognized in two +hemispheres</emph>. A lady and gentleman visited a psychic. The +gentleman was the lady's brother-in-law. The lady had an +aunt who was ill in a city two or three hundred miles away. +When the psychic had become entranced, the lady asked her +if she had any impression as to the condition of her aunt. +The reply was, <q>No.</q> But before the sitting was over, the +psychic exclaimed, <q>Why, your aunt is here! She has already +passed away.</q> <q>This cannot be true,</q> said the lady; +<q>there must be a mistake. If she had died, they would have +telegraphed us immediately.</q> <q>But,</q> the psychic insisted, +<q>she is here. And she explains that she died about two +o'clock this morning. She also says that a telegram has been +sent, and you will find it at the house on your return.</q></q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">Here seemed a clear case for a test. So while the lady +started for her home, her brother-in-law called at the house +of a friend and told the story. While there the husband +came in. Having been away for some hours he had not +heard of any telegram. But the friend seated himself at his +desk and wrote out a careful account, which all three signed +on the spot. When they reached home,—two or three miles +away,—there was the telegram confirming the fact and the +time of the aunt's death, precisely as the psychic had +told them.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">Here are most wonderful facts. How shall they be +accounted for? I have not trusted my memory for these +things, but have made careful record at the time. I know +<pb n='026'/><anchor id='Pg026'/> +many other records of a similar kind kept by others. They +are kept private. Why? The late Rev. J. G. Wood, of +England, the world-famous naturalist, once said to me: <q>I +am glad to talk of these things to any one who has a right +to know. But I used to call everybody a fool who had anything +to do with them; and with a smile—<q>I do not enjoy +being called a fool.</q></q></q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Psychic and other societies that advertise for strange +phenomena, must learn that at least a respectful treatment +is to be accorded, or people will not lay bare their secret +souls. And then, in the very nature of the case, these +experiments concern matters of the most personal nature. +Many of the most striking cases people will not make public. +In some of those above related, I have had so to veil facts, +that they do not appear as remarkable as they really are. +The whole cannot be told.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +A quotation from this same writer (<q>Automatic +Writing,</q> page 14), says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>I am in possession of a respectable body of facts that I +do not know how to explain except on the theory that I am +dealing with some invisible intelligence. I hold that as the +only tenable theory I am acquainted with.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +In the same work (page 19), the author, Mrs. +S. A. Underwood, as the result of her communications +from spirits, says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Detailed statements of facts unknown to either of us +[that is, herself and her <q>control</q>], but which weeks afterward +were learned to be correct, have been written, and repeated +again and again, when disbelieved and contradicted +by us.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +On this point, also, as on the preceding, testimony +need not be multiplied. The facts are too well +known and too generally admitted to warrant the +devotion of further space to a presentation of the +<pb n='027'/><anchor id='Pg027'/> +evidence. <emph>The question must soon be met, What is +the source of the power and intelligence thus manifested?</emph> +But this may properly be held in abeyance +till we take a glance at: +</p> + +</div> + +<div> +<index index="toc"/> +<head>The Progress of Spiritualism.</head> + +<p> +during the fifty years of its modern history. It +began in a way to excite the wonder and curiosity +of the people, the very elements that would give +wings to its progress through the land. Men suddenly +found their thoughts careering through new +channels. An unseen world seemed to make known +its presence and invite investigation. As the phenomena +claimed to be due to the direct agency of +spirits, the movement naturally assumed the name +of <q>Spiritualism.</q> It was then hailed by multitudes +as a new and living teacher, come to clear up +uncertainties and to dispel doubts from the minds of +men. At least an irrepressible curiosity was everywhere +excited to know what the new <q>ism</q> would +teach concerning that invisible world which it professed +to have come to open to the knowledge of +mankind. Everywhere men sought by what means +they could come into communication with the spirit +realm. Into whatever place the news entered, +circles were formed, and the number of converts +outstripped the pen of the enroller. It gathered +adherents from every walk of life—from the higher +classes as well as the lower; the educated, cultured, +and refined, as well as the uncultivated and ignorant; +from ministers, lawyers, physicians, judges, +<pb n='028'/><anchor id='Pg028'/> +teachers, government officials, and all the professions. +But the individuals thus interested, being +of too diverse and independent views to agree upon +any permanent basis for organization, the data for +numerical statistics are difficult to procure. Various +estimates, however, of their numbers have been +formed. As long ago as 1876, computations of the +number of Spiritualists in the United States ranged +from 3,000,000 by Hepworth Dixon, to 10,000,000 +by the Roman Catholic council at Baltimore. Only +five years from the time the first convert to Modern +Spiritualism appeared, Judge Edmonds, himself an +enthusiastic convert, said of their numbers:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Besides the undistinguished multitudes, there are many +now of high standing and talent ranked among them,—doctors, +lawyers, and clergymen in great numbers, a Protestant +bishop, the learned and reverend president of a college, +judges of our higher courts, members of Congress, foreign +ambassadors, and ex-members of the United States Senate.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +Up to the present time, it is not probable that +the number of Spiritualists has been much reduced +by apostasies from the faith, if such it may be +called; while the movement itself has been growing +more prominent and becoming more widely +known every year. The conclusion would therefore +inevitably follow that its adherents must +now be more numerous than ever before. A +letter addressed by the writer to the publishers +of the <hi rend='italic'>Philosophical Journal</hi>, Chicago, on this +point, received the following reply, dated Dec. +24, 1895:— +</p> + +<pb n='029'/><anchor id='Pg029'/> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Being unorganized, largely, no reliable figures can be +given. Many thousands are in the churches, and are counted +there. It is <emph>claimed</emph> that there are about five million in the +United States, and over fifty million in the world.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +The <hi rend='italic'>Christian at Work</hi> of Aug. 17, 1876, under +the head of <q>Witches and Fools,</q> said:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>But we do not know how many judges, bankers, merchants, +prominent men in nearly every occupation in life, +there are, who make it a constant practice to visit clairvoyants, +sightseers, and so-called Spiritual mediums; yet it can +scarcely be doubted that their name is legion; that not only +the unreligious man, but professing Christians, men and +women, are in the habit of consulting spirits from the vasty +deep for information concerning both the dead and the living. +Many who pass for intelligent people, who would be shocked +to have their Christianity called in question, are constantly +engaged in this disreputable business.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +The following appeared some years ago, in the +San Francisco <hi rend='italic'>Chronicle</hi>:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">Until quite recently, science has coldly ignored the +alleged phenomena of Spiritualism, and treated Andrew Jackson +Davis, Home, and the Davenport brothers, as if they +belonged to the common fraternity of showmen and mountebanks. +But now there has come a most noteworthy change. +We learn from such high authority as the <hi rend='italic'>Fortnightly Review</hi> +that Alfred R. Wallace, F. R. S.; William Crookes, F. R. S. +and editor of the <hi rend='italic'>Quarterly Journal of Science</hi>; W. H. Harrison, +F. R. S. and president of the British Ethnological +Society, with others occupying a high position in the scientific +and literary world, have been seriously investigating the +phenomena of spiritism. The report which those learned +gentlemen make is simply astounding. There is no fairy tale, +no story of myth or miracle, that is more incredible than their +narrative. They tell us in grave and sober speech, that the +spirit of a girl who died a hundred years ago, appeared to +them in visible form. She talked with them, gave them locks +of her hair, pieces of her dress, and her autograph. They +<pb n='030'/><anchor id='Pg030'/> +saw her in bodily presence, felt her person, heard her voice; +she entered the room in which they were, and disappeared +without the opening of a door. The savants declare that +they have had numerous interviews with her under conditions +forbidding the idea of trickery or imposture.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Now that men eminent in the scientific world have +taken up the investigation, Spiritualism has entered upon a +new phase. It can no longer be treated with silent contempt. +Mr. Wallace's articles in the <hi rend='italic'>Fortnightly</hi> have attracted general +attention, and many of the leading English reviews and +newspapers are discussing the matter. The New York <hi rend='italic'>World</hi> +devotes three columns of its space to a summary of the last +article in the <hi rend='italic'>Fortnightly</hi>, and declares editorially that the +<q>phenomena</q> thus attested <q>deserve the rigid scientific +examination which Mr. Wallace invites for them.</q> This is +treating the matter in the right way. Let all the well-attested +facts be collected, and then let us see what conclusions they +justify. If spirit communication is a fact, it is certainly +a most interesting one. In the language which the World +attributes to John Bright, <q>If it is a fact, it is the one besides +which every other fact of human existence sinks into insignificance.</q></q> +</quote> + +<p> +One of the reasons why it would be quite impossible +to state the number of real Spiritualists in our +land to-day has already been hinted at in a foregoing +extract. It is that <q>many thousands,</q> and we +think the number might in all probability be raised +to millions, who are in reality Spiritualists, do not +go by that name. They are in the various churches, +and are counted there. Yet they believe the phenomena +of Spiritualism, accept its teachings in their +own minds, and quietly and constantly, as the <hi rend='italic'>Christian +at Work</hi> avers, consult clairvoyants and mediums, +in quest of knowledge. The grosser features of the +teachings of Spiritualism which were painfully prominent +<pb n='031'/><anchor id='Pg031'/> +in its earlier stages, which there is no reason +to believe are discountenanced or abandoned either +in theory or practice, are relegated to an invisible +background, while in its outward aspect it now poses +in the attitude of piety and the garb of religion. It +even professes to adopt some of the more prominent +and popular doctrines of Christianity. In this phase +the average churchgoer cannot see why he may not +accept all that Spiritualism has to give, and still +retain his denominational relationship. Besides this, +the coming to light, every now and then, of the fact +that some person of national or world-wide fame is +a Spiritualist, adds popularity and gives a new +impetus to the movement. Such instances may be +named as the founder of the Leland Stanford University, +of California; the widow of ex-Vice-President +Hendricks, of Indiana, who, it is said, is carrying +on some very successful financial transactions by +direction from the spirit world; and Mr. W. T. Stead, +London editor of the <hi rend='italic'>Review of Reviews</hi>, who, in +1893 started a new quarterly, called <hi rend='italic'>The Border +Land</hi>, to be devoted to the advocacy of the philosophy +of Spiritualism, which he had then but recently +espoused. In other countries it has invaded the +ranks of the nobility, and even seated itself on the +thrones of monarchs. The late royal houses of +France, Spain, and Russia are said, by current +rumor, to have sought the spirits for knowledge. +No cause could covet more rapid and wide-spread +success than this has enjoyed. +</p> + +</div> + +</div> + +<pb n='032'/><anchor id='Pg032'/> + +<div rend="page-break-before: always"> +<index index="toc" level1="Chapter Two. What is the Agency in Question?"/> +<index index="pdf" level1="Chapter Two."/> +<head type="sub">Chapter Two.</head> +<head>What is the Agency in Question?</head> + +<p> +Having now shown that there are connected with +Spiritualism supermundane phenomena that +cannot be denied, and equally evident superhuman +intelligence, sufficient to give to the movement unprecedented +recognition in all the world, the way +is open for the most important question that can be +raised concerning it, and one which now demands +an answer; and that is, What is the agency by +which these phenomena are produced, and by which +this intelligence is manifested? This question must +be examined with the utmost care, and, if possible, +a decision be reached of the most assuring certainty; +for, as Mr. M. J. Savage says, <q>Spiritualism +is either a grand truth or a most lamentable +delusion.</q> +</p> + +<p> +It is proper that the claim which Spiritualism puts +forth for itself, in this regard, should first be heard. +This is so well known that it scarcely need be stated. +It is that there is in every human being a soul, or +spirit, which constitutes the real person; that this +soul, or spirit, is immortal; that it manifests itself +through a tangible body during this earth life, and +when that body dies, passes unscathed into the unseen +world, into an enlarged sphere of life, activity, and +<pb n='033'/><anchor id='Pg033'/> +intelligence; that in this sphere it can still take cognizance +of earthly things, and communicate with +those still in the flesh, respecting scenes which it has +left, and those more interesting conditions still veiled +from mortal sight; that it is by these disembodied, +or <q>discarnated</q> spirits that raps are given, objects +moved, intelligence manifested, secrets revealed, +slates written, voices uttered, faces shown, and epistles +addressed to mortals, as friend would write to +friend. If this be true, it opens what would indeed +be considered a grand avenue of consolation to +bereaved hearts, by giving them evidence that their +departed friends still lived; that they recognized, +loved, and accompanied them, and delighted still to +counsel and instruct them. If not true, it is a masterpiece +of superhuman craft and cunning; for it +takes Christendom on the side where it is least +guarded; as the view is everywhere held that the +dead are conscious, and the only question would be +as to their power to communicate with persons still +living in the body; and it throws its arms around +the individual when the heart is the most tender, +when plunged into a condition in which every pang +of bereaved sorrow, every tie of affection, and every +throb of love, press him to crave with all his being +that communication with the dead may be proved a +fact, and to constrain him to accept the doctrine, unless +kept from it by some power stronger than the +cords that bind heart to heart in deathless love. If +it be a deception, it occupies a vantage ground before +which men may well tremble. +</p> + +<pb n='034'/><anchor id='Pg034'/> + +<p> +But, as has been already stated, the question is +here to be discussed from the standpoint of the Bible; +the Bible is to be taken as the standard of authority +by which all conflicting claims respecting the nature +of man, must be decided. The authenticity of the +Scriptures, in reference to those who deny their +authority, is an antecedent question, into the discussion +of which it is not the province of this +little work to enter. A word, however, by way +of digression, may be allowed in reference to its +authorship. +</p> + +<div> +<index index="toc"/> +<head>Credentials of the Bible.</head> + +<p> +1. The Bible claims to be the word of God. +Those who wrote it assert that they wrote as they +<q>were moved by the Holy Ghost;</q> and they +append to what they utter, a <q>Thus saith the Lord.</q> +</p> + +<p> +2. If it is not what it claims to be, it is an <emph>imposture</emph> +invented by <emph>deceivers</emph> and <emph>liars</emph>. +</p> + +<p> +3. <emph>Good</emph> men would not deceive and lie; therefore +they were not the ones who invented the Bible. +</p> + +<p> +4. If, therefore, it was invented by men at all, it +must have been invented by <emph>bad</emph> men. +</p> + +<p> +5. All liars and religious impostors are bad men; +but— +</p> + +<p> +6. The Bible repeatedly and most explicitly forbids +lying and imposture, under the threatening of +most condign punishment. +</p> + +<p> +7. Would, therefore, liars and impostors invent +a book which more than any other book ever written, +denounces lying and imposture, thus condemning +<pb n='035'/><anchor id='Pg035'/> +themselves to the severest judgments of God, and at +last to eternal death? +</p> + +<p> +8. If, then, the Bible is not the invention of +good men,—because such men would not lie and +deceive; nor of evil men,—because such men +would not condemn themselves; nor of good or evil +angels, for the same reasons, who else can be its +author, but he who claims to be, that is, the living +God? +</p> + +<p> +9. If, therefore, from the very nature of the case, +it must be God's book, why not believe it, and +obey it? +</p> + +<p> +To return: Appeal is therefore made to the +Bible; and the object is to learn what the Bible +teaches about Spiritualism. When the claim is put +forth that it is the disembodied spirits of dead men +who make the communications, the Bible reader is at +once aware of a conflict of claims. In times when +the Bible was written, there were practices among +men which went under the names of <q>enchantment,</q> +<q>sorcery,</q> <q>witchcraft,</q> <q>necromancy,</q> +<q>divination,</q> <q>consulting with familiar spirits,</q> +etc. These practices were all more or less related, +but some of them bear an unmistakable meaning. +Thus, <q>necromancy</q> is defined to mean <q>a pretended +communication with the dead.</q> A <q>familiar +spirit</q> was <q>a spirit or demon supposed to attend +on an individual, or to come at his call; the invisible +agent of a necromancer's will.</q>—<hi rend='italic'>Century Dictionary.</hi> +Spiritualists do not deny that their intercourse +with the invisible world comes under some, at +<pb n='036'/><anchor id='Pg036'/> +least, of these heads. But all such practices the +Bible explicitly forbids. +</p> + +<p> +Deut. 18:9-12: <q>There shall not be found +among you any one that maketh his son or his +daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth +divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, +or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with <emph>familiar +spirits</emph>, or a wizard, or a <emph>necromancer</emph>. For all that +do these things are an abomination unto the Lord.</q> +Lev. 19:31: <q>Regard not them that have familiar +spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by +them: I am the Lord your God.</q> See also, 2 +Kings 21:2, 6, 9, 11; Rev. 21:8; Gal. 5:19-21; +Acts 16:16-18; etc. Thus plainly in both the Old +and New Testaments, are these practices forbidden. +</p> + +</div> + +<div> +<index index="toc"/> +<head>An Impossibility.</head> + +<p> +But why does the Bible forbid such practices as +necromancy, or a <q>pretended</q> communication with +the dead?—Because it would be only a pretense at +best; for such communication is impossible. The +dead are unconscious in their graves, and have no +power to communicate with the living. Let this +truth be once established, and it is the death-blow to +the claims of Spiritualism, in the cases of all who +will receive it. Allusion has already been made to +a popular and wide-spread dogma in the Christian +church which furnishes a basis for Spiritualism. It +is that the soul is immortal, and that the dead are +conscious. Spirits make known their presence, and +claim to be the spirits of persons who have once lived +<pb n='037'/><anchor id='Pg037'/> +here in human bodies. Now if the Bible teaches +that there is no such thing as a disembodied human +spirit, a knowledge of that fact would enable one to +detect at once the imposture of any intelligence +which from behind the curtain should claim to be +such spirit. Any spirit seeking the attention of men +in this life, and claiming to be what the Bible says +does not exist, comes with a falsehood on its lips or +in its raps, if the Bible is true, and thus reveals its +real character to be that of a deceiver. In this case +the Bible believer is armed against the imposture. +No man likes to be fooled. No matter therefore +how nice the communicating intelligence may seem, +how many true things it may say, or how many good +things it may promise, the conviction cannot be +evaded that no real good can be intended or conferred +by any spirit, or whatever it may be, masquerading +under the garb of falsehood, or pretending to +be what it is not. On such a foundation no stable +superstructure can be reared. It becomes a death-trap, +sure to collapse and involve in ruin all those +who trust therein. +</p> + +<p> +It is very desirable that the reader comprehend +the full importance of the doctrine, as related to this +subject, that the dead are unconscious and that they +have no power to communicate with the living. +This being established, it sweeps away at one stroke +the entire foundation of Spiritualism. Evidence will +now be presented to show that this is a Bible doctrine; +and wherever this is received, the fabric of +Spiritualism from base to finial falls; it cannot +<pb n='038'/><anchor id='Pg038'/> +possibly stand. But where the doctrine prevails +that only the thin veil that limits our mortal vision, +separates us from a world full of the conscious, +intelligent spirits of those who have departed this +life, Spiritualism has the field, beyond the possibility +of dislodgment. When one believes that he has +disembodied spirit friends all about him, how can +he question that they are able to communicate with +him? and when some unseen intelligence makes its +presence known, and claims to be one of those +friends, and refers to facts or scenes, known only to +them two, how can the living dispute the claim? +How can he refuse to accept a claim, which, on his +own hypothesis, there is no conceivable reason to +deny? But if the spirits are not what they claim +to be, how shall the inexplicable phenomena attending +their manifestations be explained?—The Bible +brings to view other agencies, not the so-called +spirits of the departed, to whose working all that +has ever been manifested which to mortal vision +is mysterious and inexplicable, may be justly attributed. +</p> + +</div> + +<div> +<index index="toc"/> +<head>The Soul Not Immortal.</head> + +<p> +Spiritualism declares it to be the great object of +its mission, to prove the immortality of the soul, +which, it says, is not taught in the Scriptures with +sufficient clearness, and is not otherwise demonstrated. +It well attributes to the Scriptures a lack +of plain teaching in support of that dogma; and it +would have stated more truth, if it had said that the +<pb n='039'/><anchor id='Pg039'/> +Scriptures nowhere countenance such a doctrine at +all. But, it is said, the Scriptures are full of the +terms, <q>soul</q> and <q>spirit.</q> Very true; but they +nowhere use those terms to designate such a part +of man as in common parlance, and in popular theology, +they have come to mean. The fact is, the +popular concept of the <q>soul</q> and <q>spirit</q> has +been formulated entirely outside the Bible. Sedulously, +unremittingly, for six thousand years, the +idea has been inculcated in the minds of men, from +the cradle to the grave, that man is a dual being, +consisting of an outward body which dies, and an +inward being called <q>soul,</q> or <q>spirit,</q> which does +not die, but passes to higher spirit life, when the +body goes into the grave. The father of this doctrine +is rarely referred to by its believers, as authority, +possibly through a little feeling of embarrassment +as to its parentage; for he it was who announced +it to our first parents in these words: <q>Ye shall +not surely die!</q> Gen. 3:4. When men began to +die, it was a shrewd stroke of policy on the part of +him who had promised them that they should not +die, to try to prove to those who remained that the +others had not really died, but only changed conditions. +It is no marvel that he should try to make +men believe that they possessed an immaterial, immortal +entity that could not die; but, in view of the +ghastly experiences of the passing years, it is the +marvel of marvels that he should have succeeded so +well. The trouble now is that men take these +meanings which have been devised and fostered into +<pb n='040'/><anchor id='Pg040'/> +stupendous strength outside the pale of Bible teaching, +and attach them to the Bible terms of <q>soul</q> +and <q>spirit.</q> In other words, the mongrel pago-papal +theology which has grown up in Christendom, +lets the Bible furnish the terms, and paganism the +definitions. But from the Bible standpoint, these +definitions do not belong there; they are foreign to +the truth, and the Bible does not recognize them. +They are as much out of place as was the inventor +of them himself in the garden of Eden. Let the +Bible furnish its own definitions to its own terms, +and all will be clear. The opinion of John Milton, +the celebrated author of Paradise Lost, is worthy of +note. In his <q>Treatise on Christian Doctrine,</q> +Vol. I, pp. 250, 251, he says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Man is a living being, intrinsically and properly one +individual, not compound and separable, not, according to +the common opinion, made up and framed of two distinct +and different natures, as of body and soul, but the whole man +is soul, and the soul, man; that is to say, a body or substance, +individual, animated, sensitive, and rational.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +In this sense the word is employed many times; +but whoever will trace the use of the words <q>soul</q> +and <q>spirit</q> through the Bible, will find them +applied also to a great variety of objects; as, person, +mind, heart, body (in the expression <q>a dead body</q>), +will, lust, appetite, breath, creature, pleasure, desire, +anger, courage, blast, etc., etc., in all nearly fifty +different ways. But it is a fact which should be +especially noted, that in not a single instance is there +the least hint given that anything expressed by these +<pb n='041'/><anchor id='Pg041'/> +terms is capable of existing for a single moment, as +a conscious entity, or in any other condition, <emph>without +the body</emph>! This being so, none of these, according +to the Bible, are the agency claimed to be present +in Spiritualism. +</p> + +<p> +Another fact in reference to this point, should +be allowed its decisive bearing. The question now +under investigation is, Is the soul immortal, as Spiritualism +has taken upon itself to teach, and claims +to demonstrate? The Bible is found to be so lavish +in the use of the terms <q>soul</q> and <q>spirit,</q> that +these words occur in the aggregate, <emph>seventeen hundred +times</emph>. Seventeen hundred times, by way of description, +analysis, narrative, historical facts, or declarations +of what they can do, or suffer, the Bible has +something to say about <q>soul</q> and <q>spirit.</q> The +most important question to be settled concerning +them, certainly, is whether they are immortal or not. +Will not the Bible, so freely treating of these terms, +answer this question? Very strange, indeed, if it +does not. But does it once affirm that either the +soul or the spirit is immortal?—<emph>Not once!</emph> Does +it ever apply to them the terms <q>eternal,</q> <q>deathless,</q> +<q>neverdying,</q> or any word that bears the +necessary meaning of immortal?—Not in a single +instance. Does it apply to them any term from +which even an inference, necessary or remote, can +be drawn that they are immortal? Even reduced to +this attenuated form, the answer is still an emphatic +and overwhelming, <emph>No!</emph> Well, then, does it say +<emph>anything</emph> about the nature and capabilities of existence +<pb n='042'/><anchor id='Pg042'/> +of that which it denominates soul or spirit?—Yes; +it says the soul is in danger of the grave, may +die, be destroyed, killed, and that the spirit may be +wounded, cut off, preserved, and so, conversely, +made to perish. +</p> + +<p> +It is sometimes claimed that it is not necessary +that the Bible should affirm the immortality of the +soul, because it is so self-evident a fact that it is taken +for granted. But no one surely can suppose that +the immortality of the soul is more self-evident than +that of Jehovah; yet the Bible has seen fit to affirm +his immortality in most direct terms. 1 Tim. 1:17: +<q>Now unto the King eternal, <emph>immortal</emph>, invisible, +the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and +ever. Amen.</q> 1 Tim. 6:16: <q>Who only hath +<emph>immortality</emph>, dwelling in the light which no man +can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor +can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting. +Amen.</q> Let, then, similar Bible testimony +be found concerning the soul; that is, that it is +<q>immortal,</q> or <q>hath immortality,</q> and the taken-for-granted +device will not be needed. +</p> + +</div> + +</div> + +<pb n='043'/><anchor id='Pg043'/> + +<div rend="page-break-befire: always"> +<index index="toc" level1="Chapter Three. The Dead Unconscious."/> +<index index="pdf" level1="Chapter Three."/> +<head type="sub">Chapter Three.</head> +<head>The Dead Unconscious.</head> + +<p> +From the fact now established that the soul is +not immortal, it would follow as an inevitable +conclusion, that the dead are not conscious in the +intermediate state, and consequently cannot act +the part attributed to them in modern Spiritualism. +But there are some positive statements to which +the reader's attention should be called, and some +instances supposed to prove the conscious state +which should be noticed. +</p> + +<p> +1. <hi rend='italic'>The Dead Know not Anything.</hi>—As a sample +of the way the Bible speaks upon this question, let +the reader turn to the words of Solomon, in Eccl. +9:5, 6, 10: <q>For the living know that they shall +die: but the dead know not anything, neither have +they any more a reward; for the memory of them +is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and +their envy, is now perished; neither have they any +more a portion for ever in anything that is done +under the sun.... Whatsoever thy hand findeth +to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, +nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the +grave, whither thou goest.</q> +</p> + +<p> +This language is addressed to the real, living, +intelligent, responsible man; and how could it be +<pb n='044'/><anchor id='Pg044'/> +plainer? On the hypothesis of the commonly believed +distinction between the soul and the body, +this must be addressed to the soul; for the body +considered as the mere material instrument through +which the soul acts, is not supposed of itself to know +anything. The body, as a body, independent of the +soul, does not know that it shall die; but it is that +which knows, while one is alive, that it shall die—it +is that same intelligent being that, when dead, +knows not anything. But the spirits in Spiritualism +do know many things in their condition; therefore +they are not those who have once lived on this earth, +and passed off through death; for such, once dead, +this scripture affirms, know not anything—they are +in a condition in which there is <q>no work, nor device, +nor knowledge, nor wisdom.</q> This is a plain, +straightforward, literal statement; there is no mistaking +its meaning; and if it is true, then it is not +true that the unseen agents working through Spiritualism, +are the spirits of the dead. +</p> + +<p> +2. <hi rend='italic'>The Spirit Returns to God.</hi>—Another passage +from the same writer and the same book, may +recur to the mind of the reader, as expressing a +different and contradictory thought. Eccl. 12:7. +<q>Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: +and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.</q> +A careful analysis of this passage reveals no support +for Spiritualism; for it does not say that the spirit, +on returning to God, is conscious, or is capable of +coming back and communicating with mortals. It is +not denied that different component parts enter into +<pb n='045'/><anchor id='Pg045'/> +the constitution of man; and that these parts may +be separated. Solomon himself may therefore tell +us what he means by the term <q>spirit</q> which he +here uses. He employs the same word in chapter. +3:21 of this same book, but says that beasts have +it as well as men. And then in verse 19, he explains +what he means, by saying that they (man +and the lower animals) <emph>all</emph> have one <emph>breath</emph>. The +record of man's creation in Gen. 2:7, shows that a +vitalizing principle, called the <q>breath of life,</q> was +necessary to be imparted to the organized body, before +man became a living being; and this breath of +life, as common to man and to all breathing animals, +is described in Gen. 7:21, 22, by the term רוח +(<hi rend='italic'>ruahh</hi>), the same word that is used for <q>breath,</q> +in Eccl. 3:19, <q>spirit,</q> in verse 21, and <q>the +spirit,</q> which God gave to man, and which returns +to God, in chapter 12:7. Thus it is clear that reference +is here made simply to the <q>breath of life</q> +which God at first imparted to man, to make him a +living being, and which he withdraws to himself, in +the hour of man's death. Job states the same fact, +and describes the process, in chapter 34:14, 15: +<q>If he [God] set his heart upon man, if he gather +<emph>unto himself</emph> his [man's] spirit [same word] and his +breath; ... man shall turn again unto dust.</q> No +one can fail to see here that Job refers to the same +event of which Solomon speaks. +</p> + +<p> +And at this point the question may as well be +raised, and answered, Whence comes this spirit +which is claimed to be the real man, capable of an +<pb n='046'/><anchor id='Pg046'/> +independent and superior existence without the +body? Bodies come into existence by natural generation; +but whence comes the spirit? Is it a part +of the body? If so, it cannot be immortal; for +<q>that which is born of the flesh is flesh.</q> John +3:6. Is it supplied to human beings at birth? If +so, is there a great storehouse, somewhere, of souls +and spirits, ready-made, from which the supply is +drawn as fast as wanted in this world? And if so, +further, is it to be concluded that all spirits have had +a pre-existence? and then what was their condition +in that state? And again, how does it happen, on +this supposition, that this spirit in each individual +exhibits so largely the mental and moral traits of +the earthly parents? These hypotheses not being +very satisfactory, will it be claimed that God creates +these spirits as fast as children are born to need +them? and if so, who brings them down just in the +nick of time? and by what process are they incarnated? +But if God has, by special act, created a +soul or spirit for every member of the human family +since Adam, is it not a contradiction of Gen. 2:2, +which declares that <emph>all</emph> God's work of creation, so +far as it pertains to this world, was <emph>completed</emph> by the +close of the first week of time? Again, how many +of the inhabitants of this earth are the offspring of +abandoned criminality; and can it be supposed that +God holds himself in readiness to create souls which +must come from his hands pure as the dew of heaven, +to be thrust into such vile tenements, and doomed +to a life of wretchedness and woe at the bidding of +<pb n='047'/><anchor id='Pg047'/> +defiant lust? The irreverence of the question will +be pardoned as an exposure of the absurdity of that +theory which necessitates it. +</p> + +<p> +3. <hi rend='italic'>The Spirits of Just Men Made Perfect.</hi>—This +expression is found in Heb. 12:23, and seems, by +some, to recognize the idea that spirits can exist +without the body, and are to be treated as separate +entities. Thus interpreted it might appear to give +some support to Spiritualism. But it will by no +means bear such an interpretation. The apostle is +contrasting the privileges of Christians in the present +dispensation, with the situation of believers before the +coming of Christ. What he sets forth are blessings +to be enjoyed in the present tense. Yes, says one, +that is just what I believe: We are come to spirits; +they are all about us, and tip and talk and write for +us at our pleasure. But hold! nothing is affirmed +of spirits separately. The whole idea must be taken +in. It is the <q>spirits of <emph>just men</emph> made perfect;</q> +and the participle <q>made perfect</q> agrees with +<q>just men,</q> or literally <q>the just made perfect</q> +(δικαίων τετελειωμένων), not with <q>spirits.</q> It is the +<emph>men</emph> who are made perfect to whom we are said to +have come. But there are only two localities and +two periods, in which men are anywhere in the +Scriptures said to be made perfect. One is in this +life and on this earth, and refers to religious experience +(<q>Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father +which is in heaven is perfect</q>); the other is not +relative, but actual and absolute, and refers to the +future immortal state when all the people of God +<pb n='048'/><anchor id='Pg048'/> +will enter upon eternal life together (<q>God having +provided some better thing for us, that they [the +ancient worthies] without us should not be <emph>made +perfect</emph>.</q> Heb. 11:40). Thus, taken in either of +the only two ways possible, the text furnishes no +proof of Spiritualism. It doubtless refers to the +present state, the expression, <q>spirits of just men,</q> +being simply a periphrasis for <q>just men,</q> the same +as the expression, <q>the God of the spirits of all +flesh</q> (Num. 16:22), means simply <q>the God of +all flesh,</q> and the words <q>your whole spirit, and +soul, and body</q> (1 Thess. 5:23), means simply +the whole person. +</p> + +<p> +4. <hi rend='italic'>Spirits in Prison.</hi>—The apostle Peter uses +an expression, which, though perhaps not often +quoted in direct defense of Spiritualism, is relied +upon extensively in behalf of the doctrine of the +conscious state of the dead, which, as already shown, +is the essential basis of Spiritualism. And such +texts as these are here noticed to show to the general +reader, that the Bible contains no testimony in +behalf of that doctrine, but positively forbids it, as +further quotations will soon be introduced to show. +The passage now in question is 1 Peter 3:19, where, +speaking of Christ, it says: <q>By which also he went +and preached unto the spirits in prison.</q> By the +use of strong assumption, and some lofty flights of +the imagination, and keeping in the background the +real intent of the passage, a picture of rather a lively +time in the spirit world, can be constructed out of +this testimony. Thus the spirits are said to be +<pb n='049'/><anchor id='Pg049'/> +the disembodied spirits of those who were destroyed +by the flood. See context. They were in <q>prison,</q> +that is, in hell. When Christ was put to death upon +the cross, he immediately went by his disembodied +spirit, down into hell and preached to those conscious +intelligent spirits who were there, and continued that +work till the third day when he was himself raised +from the dead. A thought will show that this +picture is wrong, (1) in the time, (2) in the condition +of the people, (3) in the acting agent, and (4) in the +end to be attained. Thus, when Christ had been +put to death, he was <q>quickened</q> (or made alive), +says the record, <q>by the Spirit.</q> This was certainly +not a personal disembodied spirit, but that +divine agency so often referred to in the Scriptures. +<q>By which,</q> that is, this Spirit of God, he went +and preached. Then he did not go personally on +this work. The <q>spirits</q> were the antediluvians; +for they were those who were disobedient in the +days of Noah. Now when were they preached to? +Verse 20 plainly tells us it was <q><emph>when</emph> once the +longsuffering of God waited <emph>in the days of Noah</emph>.</q> +In accordance with these statements now let another +picture be presented: Christ, by his Spirit which was +in Noah (1 Peter 1:11), and thus through Noah, +preached to the spirits, or persons, in Noah's time, +who were disobedient, in order to save all from the +coming flood who would believe. They were said +to be <q>in prison,</q> though still living, because they +were shut up under condemnation, and had only one +hundred and twenty years granted them in which to +<pb n='050'/><anchor id='Pg050'/> +repent or perish. Thus Christ was commissioned +to preach to men said to be in prison, because in +darkness, error, and condemnation, though they +were still living in the flesh. Isa. 61:1. Dr. +Adam Clarke, the eminent Methodist commentator +(<hi rend='italic'>in loco</hi>), places the going and preaching of Christ +in the days of Noah, and by the ministry of Noah +for one hundred and twenty years, and not during +the time while he lay in the grave. Then he says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>The word πνεῦμασι (spirits) is supposed to render this +view of the subject improbable, because this must mean <emph>disembodied</emph> +spirits; but this certainly does not follow; for the +<emph>spirits of just men made perfect</emph> (Heb. 12:23), certainly means +righteous men, and men <emph>still in the church militant</emph>: and the +Father of spirits (Heb. 12:9) means men still in the body; +and the God of the spirits of all flesh (Num. 16:22 and 27:16), +means <emph>men, not</emph> in a disembodied state.</q><note +place='foot'>Original edition.</note> +</quote> + +<p> +5. <hi rend='italic'>Cannot Kill the Soul.</hi>—<q>Fear not them +which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: +but rather fear him which is able to destroy both +soul and body in hell.</q> Matt. 10:28. We know +what it is to kill the body; and by association of +ideas, it seems quite natural to form a like conception +of the soul as something that can be treated in +the same way. Then if the soul cannot be killed +like the body, the conclusion seems easy of adoption +that it lives right on, with all sensations preserved, +as it was with the body before its death. If it were +not for the pagan definition of <q>soul,</q> which here +comes in to change the current of thought, such +<pb n='051'/><anchor id='Pg051'/> +conclusions drawn from this text would not be so +prevalent; and a little attention to the scope of +Christ's teaching here will readily correct the misapprehension. +This is brought out clearly in verse +39: <q>He that findeth his <emph>life</emph> shall lose it: and he +that loseth his <emph>life</emph> for my sake shall find it.</q> This +is easily understood. No one will question what it +is to lose his life; and Christ says that he who will +do this for his sake, shall find it. Any one who has +been put to death for his faith in the gospel has +<q>lost his life</q> (had the body killed) for Christ's +sake. But Christ says, Do not fear them, even if +they do this. Why?—Because ye shall find it—the +life you lost. When shall we find it?—In the +resurrection. John 6:40; Rev. 20:4-6. The expression, +<q>shall find it,</q> thus becomes the exact +equivalent of the words, <q>are not able to kill the +soul;</q> that is, are not able to destroy, or prevent us +from gaining that life he has promised, if we suffer +men, for his sake, to <q>kill the body,</q> or deprive us +of our present life. The correctness of this view is +demonstrated by the word employed in these instances. +That word is ψυχή (<hi rend='italic'>psuche</hi>). It is properly +rendered <q>life</q> in verse 39, and improperly rendered +<q>soul</q> in verse 28. This lesson, that men +should be willing to lose their life for Christ's sake, +was considered so important that it is again mentioned +in Matthew, and reiterated with emphasis by +Mark, Luke, and John; and they all use this same +word ψυχή, which is rendered <q>life.</q> In one instance +only in all these parallel passages have the +<pb n='052'/><anchor id='Pg052'/> +translators rendered it <q>soul;</q> and that is Matt. +10:28, where it is the source of all the misunderstanding +on that text. +</p> + +<p> +6. <hi rend='italic'>Souls Under the Altar.</hi>—As a part of the +events of the fifth seal as described in Rev. 6:9-11, +John says he saw the souls of the martyrs under the +altar, and heard them crying for vengeance. If they +could do that, it is asked, cannot disembodied souls +now communicate with the living? Not to enter +into a full exposition of this scripture, and the inconsistencies +such a view would involve, it is sufficient +to ask if these were like the communicating spirits of +the present day. How many communications have +ever been received by modern Spiritualists from +souls confined under an altar? In glowing symbolism, +John saw the dead martyrs, as if slain at the +foot of the altar; and by the figure of personification +a voice was given to them, just as Abel's blood +cried to God for vengeance upon his guilty brother +(Gen. 4:10), and just as the stone is said to cry +out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber +to answer it. Hab. 2:11. +</p> + +<p> +7. <hi rend='italic'>The Medium of Endor.</hi>—Aside from the +direct teaching of the Scriptures, it is still held by +some that there are scenes narrated in the Bible +which show that the dead must be conscious. The +first of these is the case of Saul and the woman of +Endor, whom he consulted in order to communicate +with the prophet Samuel, as narrated in 1 Samuel 28. +Here, it must be confessed, is brought to view +an actual case of spirit manifestation, a specimen of +<pb n='053'/><anchor id='Pg053'/> +ancient necromancy; for the conditions, method of +procedure, and results, were just such as pertain to +the same work in our own day. But then, as now, +there was no truth nor good in it, as a brief review +of the narrative will show. (1) Samuel was dead. +(2) Saul was sore pressed by the Philistines. Verse +5. (3) God had departed from him. Verse 4. +(4) He had cut off those who had familiar spirits +and wizards, out of the land, because God had forbidden +their presence in the Jewish theocracy, as +an abomination. Verse 3; Lev. 19:31. (5) Yet +in his extremity he had recourse to a woman with +a familiar spirit, found at Endor. Verse 7. (6) +She asked whom she should bring up, and Saul +answered, Samuel. Verse 11. (7) Saul was disguised, +but the familiar spirit told the woman it was +Saul, and she cried out in alarm. Verse 12. (8) +Saul reassured her, and the woman went on with +the séance. Verse 10. (9) She announced a presence +coming (not from heaven, nor the spheres, +but) up out of the earth, and at Saul's request gave +a description of him, showing that Saul did not himself +see the form. Verse 13. (10) Saul <q>perceived</q> +that it was Samuel (not by actual sight, but +from the woman's description; for the Hebrew ירע +and the Septuagint, γινωσκώ, signify to know, or +perceive, by an operation of the mind.) Verse 14. +(11) The woman supposed it was Samuel; Saul +supposed it was Samuel; and that personation is, +then, by the law of appearance, spoken of, in whatever +it said or did, as Samuel; as, <q>Samuel said to +<pb n='054'/><anchor id='Pg054'/> +Saul,</q> etc. Verse 15. (12) Was Samuel really +there as an immortal soul, a disembodied spirit, or +as one raised from the dead?—No; because (<hi rend='italic'>a</hi>) immortal +souls do not come up out of the ground, +wrapped in mantles, and complain of being disquieted +and brought up; (<hi rend='italic'>b</hi>) Samuel was a holy +prophet, and if he was conscious in the spirit world, +he would not present himself at the summons of a +woman who was practicing arts which God had forbidden; +(<hi rend='italic'>c</hi>) God having departed from Saul, and +having refused to communicate with him on account +of his sins, would not now suffer his servant Samuel +to grant him the desired communication through a +channel which he had pronounced an abomination; +(<hi rend='italic'>d</hi>) Samuel was not present by a resurrection, for +the Devil could not raise him, and God certainly +would not, for such a purpose; besides Samuel was +buried at Ramah, and could not be raised at Endor; +(<hi rend='italic'>e</hi>) It was only the woman's familiar spirit, personating +Samuel as he used to appear when alive—an +aged man clothed with a mantle. His object was to +make both the woman and Saul believe it was +Samuel, when it was not, just as communicating +spirits to-day try to palm themselves off for what +they are not. As a specimen of ancient Spiritualism, +this case is no particular honor to their cause; +and as a proof of the immortality of the soul, and +the conscious state of the dead, it is a minus +quantity. +</p> + +<p> +8. <hi rend='italic'>The Transfiguration.</hi>—Jesus took three of +his disciples, Peter, James, and John, apart into a +<pb n='055'/><anchor id='Pg055'/> +high mountain, and was transfigured before them; +his face became as the sun, and his raiment was +white as the light, just as it will be in the future +kingdom of glory, which this scene was designed to +represent. And there then appeared Moses and +Elias talking with Christ. But Moses had died in +the land of Moab nearly fifteen hundred years +before, and it is at once concluded that the only +way to account for his appearance on this occasion, +is to suppose that he was still alive in the spirit +world, and could appear in a disembodied state, +and talk with Jesus as here represented. But such +a conclusion is by no means necessary. Jesus was +there in person, Elias was there in person; for he +had not died, but had been translated bodily from +this earth. Now it would be altogether incongruous +to suppose that the third member of this glorious +trio, apparently just as real as the others, was only a +disembodied spirit; an immaterial phantom. Unless +the whole scene was merely a vision brought before +the minds of the disciples, Moses was as really there, +in his own proper person, as Jesus and Elias. But +there is no way in which he could thus be present, +except by means of a resurrection from the dead; +and that he had been raised, and was there as a +representative of the resurrection, is proved, first by +his actual presence on this occasion, and secondly, +by the fact that Michael (Christ, who is <q>the resurrection +and the life,</q> John 11:25) disputed with +the Devil (who has the power of death, Heb. 2:14) +about the body of Moses. Jude 9. There could be +<pb n='056'/><anchor id='Pg056'/> +no other possible ground of controversy about the +body of Moses except whether or not Christ should +give it life before the general resurrection. But +Christ rebuked the Devil. Christ was not thwarted +in this contest, but gave his servant life; and thus +Moses could appear personally upon the mount. +This makes the scene complete as a representation +of the kingdom of God, as Peter says it was (2 Peter +1:16-18); namely, Christ the glorified King, Elias +representing those who will be translated without +seeing death, and Moses representing those who will +be raised from the dead. These two classes embrace +all the happy subjects of that kingdom. This view +of the matter is not peculiar to this book. Dr. +Adam Clarke, on Matt. 17:3, says: <q>The body +of Moses was probably raised again, as a pledge of +the resurrection.</q><note place='foot'>Original edition. Not +found in the mutilated edition, revised by +Dr. Curry.</note> And Olshausen says: <q>For +if we assume the reality of the <emph>resurrection of the +body</emph>, and its glorification,—truths which assuredly +belong to the system of Christian doctrine,—the +whole occurrence presents no essential difficulties. +The appearance of Moses and Elias, which is usually +held to be the most unintelligible point in it, is +as easily conceived of as possible, if we admit their +bodily glorification.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Those passages which speak of Christ as the +<q>first-fruits,</q> the <q>first-born from the dead,</q> the +<q>first-born among many brethren,</q> <q>of every creature,</q> +etc., refer only to the chief and pivotal importance +<pb n='057'/><anchor id='Pg057'/> +of his own resurrection, as related to all +others; and Acts 26:23 does not declare that Christ +should be the first one to be raised from the dead, +but that he first, by a resurrection from the dead, +should show light to the Gentiles. (See the Greek +of this passage.) These scriptures therefore prove +no objection to the idea that Moses had been raised +from the dead, and as a victor over the grave, appeared +with Christ upon the mount. Thus another +supposed stronghold affords no refuge for the conscious-state +theory, or for Spiritualism. +</p> + +<p> +9. <hi rend='italic'>The Rich Man and Lazarus.</hi>—With the features +of this parable, as found in Luke 16, which is +supposed to prove the dead conscious, and Spiritualism +possible, the reader is doubtless familiar. It +should ever be borne in mind that this is a parable; +and in a parable, neither the parties nor the scenes +are to be taken literally, and hence no doctrines +can be built upon such symbolic representations. +But not only is it a parable, but it is a parable +based upon traditions largely entertained by the +Jews themselves in the time of Christ. Thus +T. J. Hudson (<q>Law of Psychic Phenomena,</q> p. +385) says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>It is a historical fact, nevertheless, that before the advent +of Jesus, the Jews had become imbued with the Greek +doctrine of Hades, which was an intermediate waiting station +between this life and the judgment. In this were situated +both Paradise and Gehenna, the one on the right, and the +other on the left, and into these two compartments the spirits +of the dead were separated, according to their deserts. Jesus +found this doctrine already in existence, and in enforcing +<pb n='058'/><anchor id='Pg058'/> +his moral precepts in his parables, he employed the symbols +which the people understood, neither denying nor affirming +their literal verity.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +Thus Christ appealed to the people on their own +ground. He took the views and traditions which he +found already among them, and arranged them into +a parable in such a way as to rebuke their covetousness, +correct their notions that prosperity and riches +in this life are tokens of the favor and approbation +of God, and condemn their departure from the teachings +of Moses and the prophets. As a parable, it +is not designed to show the state of the dead, and +the conditions that prevail in the spirit world. But +if any persist that it is not a parable, but a presentation +of actual fact, then the scene is laid, not in +the intermediate state, but beyond the resurrection; +for it is after the angels had carried Lazarus into +Abraham's bosom. But the angels do not bear any +one anywhere away from this earth, till the second +coming of Christ and the resurrection of the dead. +Matt. 24:30, 31; 1 Thess. 4:15-17. Finding no +support in this portion of scripture for the conscious-state +theory, with its spiritualistic possibilities, appeal +is next made by the friends of that theory to the +case of— +</p> + +<p> +10. <hi rend='italic'>The Thief on the Cross.</hi>—Luke 23:39-43. +When one of the malefactors who were crucified +with Jesus, requested to be remembered when he +should come into his kingdom, according to the +record in the common version, the Lord replied, +<q>To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise.</q> To +<pb n='059'/><anchor id='Pg059'/> +go from death into paradise the same day, means to +go into the spirit world without a body, or discarnated, +as Spiritualists claim. And so it would be +if such was Christ's promise to the thief; but it +was not. +</p> + +<p> +The little adverb <q>to-day</q> holds the balance +of power as to the meaning of this text. If it qualifies +Christ's words, <q>Verily I say unto thee,</q> it +gives one idea; if it qualifies the words, <q>Thou shalt +be with me in paradise,</q> we have another and very +different idea. And how shall the question of its +relationship be decided?—It can be done only by the +punctuation. +</p> + +<p> +Here another difficulty confronts us; for the +Greek was originally written in a solid line of letters, +without any punctuation, or even division into +words. Such being the case, the punctuation, and +the relation of the qualifying word <q>to-day,</q> must +be determined by the context. Now it is a fact that +Christ did not go to paradise that day. He died, and +was placed in the tomb, and the third day rose from +the dead. Mary was the first to meet him, and +sought to worship him. But he said, <q>Touch me +not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father.</q> John +20:17. Paradise is where the Father is (see 2 Cor. +12:2-4; Rev. 2:7; 22:1, 2), and if Christ had not +been to his Father when Mary met him the third day +after his crucifixion, he had not then been to paradise; +therefore it is not possible that he made a +promise to the thief on the day of his crucifixion, +that he should be with him <emph>that</emph> day in paradise. +</p> + +<pb n='060'/><anchor id='Pg060'/> + +<p> +But further, the day of the crucifixion was the +day before the Sabbath; and it was not lawful to +leave criminals on the cross during that day. John +19:31. If they were still living when the time came +to take them from the cross, they were taken down, +and their legs were broken to prevent their escape. +The soldiers on this occasion broke the legs of the +two thieves, because they were still alive; <q>but +when they came to Jesus and saw that he was +dead already, they brake not his legs.</q> Verses +32, 33. The thief therefore lived over into the +next day. +</p> + +<p> +Thus there are two absolutely insuperable objections +against allowing the adverb, <q>to-day,</q> to +qualify Christ's promise, <q>Thou shalt be with me in +paradise:</q> (1) Christ did not go to paradise that +day; and (2) The thief did not die that day. Before +these facts the conscious-state argument built upon +this incident, vanishes into thin air. Just place the +comma (a punctuation mark not invented till 1490) +after <q>to-day</q> instead of before it, and let that +word qualify the verb <q>say</q> and emphasize the +time when it was spoken, and all is harmonious. +The thief's request did not pertain to that day, but +looked forward to the time when Christ should come +into his kingdom; and Christ's promise did not +pertain to that day, but to the time in the thief's +request; so he did not falsify it by not going to +his Father for three days afterward. The thief is +quietly slumbering in the tomb; but Christ is soon +coming into his kingdom. Then the thief will be +<pb n='061'/><anchor id='Pg061'/> +remembered, be raised from the dead, and be with +Christ in that paradise into which he will then +introduce all his people. Thus all is as clear as a +sunbeam, when the text is freed from the bungling +tinkering of men. +</p> + +<p> +The strongest texts and incidents which are appealed +to in defense of the conscious-state theory, +have now been examined. If these do not sustain +it, nothing can be found in the Bible which will +sustain it. All are easily harmonized with these. +Thus in Paul's desire to <q>depart and be with +Christ</q> (Phil. 1:23), he does not there tell us +<emph>when</emph> he will be with Christ; but he does tell us in +many other places; and it is at the resurrection and +the coming of Christ. Phil. 3:11; 1 Thess. 4:16, +17. When he speaks of our being clothed upon +with our house from heaven (2 Cor. 5:2), he tells +us that it is when <q>mortality</q> is <q>swallowed up of +life.</q> But that is only at the last trump. 1 Cor. +15:51-54. If we are told about the woman who +had had seven husbands (Matt. 22:23-28), no hint +is given of any reunion till after the resurrection. +If God calls himself <q>not the God of the dead, but +of the living</q> (Matt. 22:32), it is because he +speaks of <q>those things that be not as though they +were</q> (Rom. 4:17), and the worthies of whom this +is spoken, are sure to live again (Heb. 11:15, 16), +and hence are now spoken of as alive in his sight, +because they are so in his purpose. Texts which +speak of the departure and return of the soul (Gen. +35:18; 1 Kings 17:21, 22), are referable to the +<pb n='062'/><anchor id='Pg062'/> +<q>breath of life,</q> which is the meaning of the word +in these instances rendered <q>soul.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Three passages only have been referred to, which +declare positively that the dead know not anything. +It was thought preferable to answer certain objections, +before introducing further direct testimony. +But there are many such passages, a few more of +which will now be presented, as a fitting conclusion +to this branch of the subject. The reader's careful +attention is invited to a few of the various texts, and +the conclusions that follow therefrom. +</p> + +<p> +1. <hi rend='italic'>Death and Sleep.</hi>—Death, in numerous passages +is compared to sleep, in contrast with the +wakeful condition. See Ps. 13:3; Job 7:21; John +11:11; Acts 7:60; 1 Cor. 11:30; 15:51; 1 Thess. +4:14; etc. But there is only one feature in sleep +by virtue of which it can be taken as a figure of +death; and that is, the condition of unconsciousness +which shuts up the avenues of one's senses to all +one's environment. If one is not thus unconscious +in death, the figure is false, and the comparison +illogical and misleading. +</p> + +<p> +2. <hi rend='italic'>Thoughts Perish.</hi>—So David testifies: <q>Put +not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in +whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he +returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts +perish.</q> Ps. 146:3, 4. The word <q>thoughts</q> +does not here mean simply the projects and purposes +one has in view, which do often fail, when the +author of them dies, but it is from a root which +means the act of thinking, the operation of the mind; +<pb n='063'/><anchor id='Pg063'/> +and in death, that entirely ceases. It cannot therefore +be the dead who come out of the unseen with +such intelligence as is shown in Spiritualism. +</p> + +<p> +3. <hi rend='italic'>Job's Statement.</hi>—Speaking of a dead man, +Job (14:21) says: <q>His sons come to honor, and +he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he +perceiveth it not of them.</q> If the dead cannot take +cognizance of matters of so much interest as these, +how can they communicate with the living as the +spirits do? +</p> + +<p> +4. <hi rend='italic'>No Remembrance of God.</hi>—David, in Ps. +6:5 and 115:17, again testifies: <q>For in death +there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who +shall give thee thanks?</q> <q>The dead praise not the +Lord, neither any that go down into silence.</q> Is it +possible that any righteous man, if he is living and +conscious after going into the grave, would not +praise and give thanks to the Lord? +</p> + +<p> +5. <hi rend='italic'>Hezekiah's Testimony.</hi>—Hezekiah was sick +unto death. Isa. 38:1. But he prayed, and the +Lord added to his days fifteen years. Verse 5. +For this he praised the Lord, and gave his reasons +for so doing in the following words (verses 18, 19): +<q>For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot +celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot +hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he +shall praise thee, as I do this day.</q> This is a clear +affirmation that in death he would not be able to do +what he was able to do while living. +</p> + +<p> +6. <hi rend='italic'>New Testament Evidence.</hi>—The New Testament +bears a corresponding testimony on this subject. +<pb n='064'/><anchor id='Pg064'/> +None will be saved except such as Christ +raises up at the last day. John 6:39, 40. No one +is to receive any reward before the resurrection. +Luke 14:14; 2 Tim. 4:8. No one can enter God's +kingdom before being judged; but there is no execution +of judgment before the coming of Christ. +2 Tim. 4:1; Acts 17:31; Luke 19:35; etc. If +there is no avenue to a future life by a resurrection, +then all who have gone down in death are perished. +1 Cor. 15:18. Such texts utterly forbid the idea of +consciousness and activity, on the part of any of the +human family, in death. +</p> + +<p> +This part of the subject need not be carried +further. It has been dwelt upon so fully simply +because of its determinate bearing on the question +under discussion. Spiritualism rests its whole title +to credence on the claim that the intelligences which +manifest themselves are the spirits of the dead. +The Bible says that they are <emph>not</emph> the spirits of the +dead. Then if the Bible is true, the whole system +rests upon deception and falsehood. No one who +believes this will tamper with Spiritualism. One +cannot have Spiritualism and the Bible, too. One or +the other must be given up. But he who still holds +on to the theory that the dead are conscious, contrary +to the testimony of the Scriptures has no shield +against the Spiritualistic delusion, and the danger is +that he will sooner or later throw the Bible away. +</p> + +</div> + +<pb n='065'/><anchor id='Pg065'/> + +<div rend="page-break-before: always"> +<index index="toc" level1="Chapter Four. They Are Evil Angels."/> +<index index="pdf" level1="Chapter Four."/> +<head type="sub">Chapter Four.</head> +<head>They Are Evil Angels.</head> + +<p> +As the Bible plainly shows what the spirits which +communicate are <emph>not</emph>, it just as clearly reveals +also what they <emph>are</emph>; so that in no particular is one +left to conjecture or guesswork. There is an order +of beings brought to view in the Scriptures, above +man but lower than God or Christ, called <q>angels.</q> +No Bible believer questions the existence of such +beings. It is sometimes asserted that angels are +departed human spirits; but this cannot be; for they +appear upon the stage of action before a single +human being had died, or a disembodied spirit could +have existed. When the world was created, Job +declares that <q>the morning stars sang together, and +all the sons of God shouted for joy.</q> These are +two of the names applied to these beings, but they +are also known by a number of others. They are +167 times called angels; 61 times, angel of the Lord; +8 times, angel of God; 17 times, his angels; 41 +times, cherub and cherubim. There are also such +names as seraphim, chariots, God's hosts, watchers, +holy ones, thrones, dominions, principalities and +powers,—all referring to the different orders of +these heavenly beings. +</p> + +<p> +A part of this host fell into sin, and thereby +became evil, or fallen, angels. A reasonable statement +<pb n='066'/><anchor id='Pg066'/> +of how this came about can be given, but no +reason for the act itself. Sin cannot be explained. +To explain it would be to give a reason for it; and +to give a reason for it would be to excuse it; and +then it would cease to be sin. In the beginning a +condition existed which was in itself right and essential; +but which nevertheless made sin possible. It +is one of the inevitable conditions of the highest +glory of God, that all his creatures should serve him +from choice, under the law of love, and not by compulsion, +as a machine, under the law of necessity. +To secure this end, they must be made free moral +agents. Thus to angels was given the freedom of +the will, the same as to man. They were in a state +of purity and happiness, with every condition favorable +for a continuance in that condition; but in the +free choices of their free wills, they of course had +the power, if they should unaccountably see fit so +to use it, to turn away from truth and right, and +rebel against God. This some of them did. So +we find Jude speaking of <q>the angels that kept not +their first estate</q> (Jude 6), and Peter, of <q>the +angels that sinned</q> (2 Peter 2:4); and these they +further declare, were cast down to Tartarus, and are +reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, unto +the judgment of the great day. +</p> + +<p> +There must have been to this rebellion an instigator +and leader; and we accordingly find the Bible +speaking of such a personage; the whole company +being described as <q>the Devil and his angels.</q> +Our Lord pointed out this leader in evil, and his +<pb n='067'/><anchor id='Pg067'/> +work, in John 8:44: <q>Ye are of your Father the +Devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. +He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode +not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. +When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: +for he is a liar and the father of it.</q> This reveals +the great facts in his case. He abode not in the +truth. Then he was once in the truth; and as he is +a liar, and the father of it, he was the first one to +depart from truth and introduce falsehood and evil +into the universe of God. +</p> + +<p> +In Isaiah (14:12-14) this being is addressed as +Lucifer, or the day-star; and the prophet exclaims, +<q>How art thou fallen from heaven, 0 Lucifer, +son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the +ground, which didst weaken the nations!</q> The following +verses indicate that the nature of his transgression +was self-exaltation and pride of heart: +<q>For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend +into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars +of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, +in the sides of the north: I will ascend +above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the +Most High.</q> Paul, in 1 Tim. 3:6, intimates that +it was this pride that caused the ruin of this once +holy being. Of an elder he says that he must not +be a novice, <q>lest being lifted up with pride he fall +into the condemnation of the Devil,</q> or that sin for +which the Devil was condemned. +</p> + +<p> +In Ezekiel 28, Satan is again spoken of under the +pseudonym of <q>the prince of Tyrus.</q> Verse 2 +<pb n='068'/><anchor id='Pg068'/> +shows his pride: <q>Because thine heart is lifted up, +and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat +of God,</q> etc. Verses 12-15 describe his beauty, +wisdom, and apparel, and his exalted office as a +high cherub, before his sin and fall. Verse 15 +reads: <q>Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the +day thou wast created, till iniquity was found in +thee.</q> +</p> + +<p> +These passages give us a sufficient idea of the +origin of Satan and how such an incarnation of evil +has come to exist. The Tartarus into which he and +his angels were cast, according to Peter, is defined +by leading lexicographers, as meaning the dark, +void, interplanetary spaces, surrounding the world. +Using the serpent as a medium, this apostate angel, +thus cast out, plied our first parents with his temptation +by preaching to them the immortality of the +soul, <q>Thou shalt not surely die,</q> and alas! seduced +them also into rebellion. The dominion which was +given to Adam (Gen. 1:28), Adam thus alienated to +Satan, by becoming his servant; for Paul says, +<q>Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves +servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye +obey?</q> Rom. 6:16. Now, consequently, such +titles as <q>prince of this world,</q> <q>prince of the +power of the air,</q> <q>god of this world,</q> etc., are +applied to him, because he has by fraud usurped that +place. John 14:30; Eph. 2:2; 2 Cor. 4:4. He, +of course, employs <q>his angels</q> to co-operate with +him in his nefarious work. +</p> + +<p> +Thus clearly do we have set before us just the +agencies,—the Devil and his angels,—which are +<pb n='069'/><anchor id='Pg069'/> +adapted, both by nature and inclination, to carry on +just such a work as is seen in Spiritualism. But +how do we know, some one may ask, but that Spiritualism +is the work of the good angels?—We know +that it is not, because good angels do not lie. They +never would come to men, professing to be the +spirits of their dead friends, and imitate and personate +them to deceive, knowing that the mediums did +not know, and could not ascertain that they were +altogether another and different order of beings. +But the evil angels, led by the father of lies, and +cradled, and drilled, and skilled, and polished, in the +school of lying, would be delighted to deceive men +in this very way, by pretending to be their dead +friends, and then by working upon their affections +and love for the ones they could skilfully personate, +bring them under their influence and lead them captive +at their will. +</p> + +<p> +These evil angels are experts in deception. They +have had six thousand years' experience. They are +well acquainted with the human family. They can +read character. They study temperament. They +acquaint themselves minutely with personal history. +They know a thousand things which only they and +the individual they are trying to ensnare, are aware +of. They know many things beyond the knowledge +of men. They can easily carry the news of the +decease of a friend, and the description of a death-bed +scene, to other friends thousands of miles away, +and months before the truth through ordinary channels +can reach them, so that when it is verified, their +influence over them may be increased. (See page <ref target="Pg023">23</ref>.) +</p> + +<pb n='070'/><anchor id='Pg070'/> + +<p> +There is nothing that has yet taken place, of however +inexplicable a nature, and nothing which even +the imagination may anticipate, which is not, and will +not be, easily attributable to these unseen angels. +They are lying spirits; for the fundamental principle +on which they are acting is a lie; but they tell enough +truth to sway and captivate the minds of men. It +matters not how sacred the field in which they tread, +nor how hallowed the associations which they invade, +they press into every spot where it is possible, by +spinning another thread, to strengthen their web of +deception. +</p> + +<p> +And in what dulcet and siren tones they woo their +victims to lay aside all resistance to their influence, +to become receptive and passive, and yield themselves +to their control; and when they have them +thus helpless in their arms, they deliberately and +cruelly instil into their minds the virus of ungovernable +lust, the leprosy of unconquerable rebellion +against the government of Heaven. That this language +does not misrepresent nor slander them, will +be shown from their own testimony, before the close +of this book. +</p> + +<p> +The thought is not overlooked that many even of +those who do not profess to be Spiritualists, deny +the existence of any such being as a personal Devil, +or of personal evil angels, his agents. He is no +doubt well pleased with this, as such people can the +more easily be made the victims of his wiles. But +these same persons would no doubt acknowledge the +existence, as real beings, of God, Christ, and the +<pb n='071'/><anchor id='Pg071'/> +good angels. This fact being established, by parity +of reasoning the Devil and his angels become real +beings also. The same arguments which show that +God and Christ exist as personal beings may be used +to show that the Devil and his angels are personal +beings also. He who denies that there is a personal +Devil, must be prepared also to deny that there is a +personal Christ. So far as the argument for personal +existence is concerned, Christ and good angels stand +on one side of the equation, and the Devil and his +angels on the other; and whoever would rub out the +one, must rub out the other also. +</p> + +<p> +Christ said that he <q>beheld Satan as lightning fall +from heaven.</q> Luke 10:18. John in the Revelation +(12:7) beheld a war in heaven. <q>Michael +[Christ] and his angels fought against the dragon +[Satan]; and the dragon fought, and his angels.</q> +On the ground that there is no Devil, this would be +a wonderful battle—Christ and his angels, who are +real beings, fighting furiously against myths and +nonentities which have not even the substance of a +phantom. +</p> + +<p> +To endorse the doctrine of a personal Devil, is not +to endorse the grossly absurd caricatures conjured +up by morbid imaginations, and popular theology,—a +being with bat's wings, horns, hoofs, and a +dart-pointed tail. Yet upon such pictorial fables he +doubtless looks with complacency; as they are +calculated still further to destroy faith in his existence, +and enable him the better to cover his tracks +and carry on his work among men. Nevertheless +<pb n='072'/><anchor id='Pg072'/> +the only rational hypothesis on which to account for +the present condition of this world (which every one +must admit is full of devilishness), the existence of +evil, and the presence of sickness, suffering, and +death, is the account the Bible gives us of fallen +angels and fallen men. Unfallen angels are beings +of mighty power. One of them slew in one night +185,000 Assyrians (2 Kings 19:35); and the one +who appeared at the time of Christ's resurrection +had a countenance like the lightning, and raiment +white as snow, and before him the keepers of the +tomb fell like dead men. Matt. 28:3, 4. A fall +from their high estate, though it would impair their +strength and power, cannot be supposed to have +wholly deprived them of these qualities; therefore +the fallen angels still have capabilities far superior +to those of men. The only defense mankind has +against them is found in Christ, who circumscribes +their power (for they are kept in chains, 2 Peter +2:4), and makes provision by which we may resist +them. Eph. 6:11; James 4:6-8; 1 John 5:18. +The question why they are permitted to continue +finds solution in the thought that God is consistently +giving to sin time and opportunity to develop itself, +fully show its nature, and manifest its works, to all +created intelligences, so that when it shall finally be +wiped out of existence, with all its originators, aiders, +and abetters, as in God's purpose it is to be (Rev. +20:14, 15; 2 Peter 3:7, 13; Rev. 5:13), there will +ever after remain an object-lesson sufficient to safe-guard +the universe against a repetition of the evil. +<pb n='073'/><anchor id='Pg073'/> +Only some 6000 years are allotted to this work of +evil; and 6000 years are as nothing compared with +eternity. +</p> + +<div> +<index index="toc"/> +<head>Warnings Against Evil Spirits.</head> + +<p> +The Scriptures plainly point out the working of +these agents of wickedness, and warn us against +them. In 1 Tim. 4:1, we read: <q>Now the Spirit +speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some +shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing +spirits, and doctrines of devils.</q> This shows that +these spirits make it an object to seduce, or deceive, +to draw men away from the true faith, and cause +them to receive, instead, the doctrines they teach, +which are called <q>doctrines of devils;</q> and this +scripture is written to put men on their guard +against them. +</p> + +<p> +Again Paul says: <q>For we wrestle not against +flesh and blood, but against principalities, against +powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this +world, against spiritual wickedness [margin, <q>wicked +spirits</q>] in high places.</q> Eph. 6:12. And he +adjures his readers to put on the whole armor of +God to be able to resist them. +</p> + +<p> +The apostle Peter exhorts to the same purpose: +<q>Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary +the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking +whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in +the faith.</q> 1 Peter 5:8, 9. If our ears do not +deceive us, a good deal of this roaring is heard in +the ranks of Spiritualists, where, by invisible rapping, +agitated furniture, clairvoyance, clairaudience, +<pb n='074'/><anchor id='Pg074'/> +writing, speaking, marvels, and wonders, he seeks +to set the world on tiptoe of curiosity and expectation, +and bewilder men into a departure from the +faith and the acceptance of the doctrines of devils. +He is cunning enough not to <q>roar</q> in a way to +frighten and repel, but only to attract attention, and +lead multitudes, through an overweening curiosity +and wonder at the marvels, to come thoughtlessly +within the sphere of his influence. +</p> + +<p> +The prophet Isaiah also has something to say +directly upon this subject: <q>And when they shall +say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar +spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: +should not a people seek unto their God? for the +living to the dead?</q> Isa. 8:19. That is, is it +consistent for living people to go to dead ones for +their knowledge? The following verse shows where +we should go for light and truth: <q>To the law and +to the testimony: if they speak not according to +this word, it is because there is no light in them.</q> +The time has certainly come when many are saying +just what the text points out, and seeking to the +dead, to familiar spirits, and wizards, for knowledge. +Those practices which in the Bible are +enumerated as <q>charming,</q> <q>enchantment,</q> <q>sorcery,</q> +<q>witchcraft,</q> <q>necromancy,</q> <q>divination,</q> +<q>consulting with familiar spirits,</q> etc., are more or +less related, and are all really from one source. So +in modern times different names indicate substantially +the same thing. Thus Mr. Hudson, in +<q>Psychic Phenomena,</q> p. v, says:— +</p> + +<pb n='075'/><anchor id='Pg075'/> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>It has, however, long been felt by the ablest thinkers of +our time that all psychic manifestations of the human intellect, +normal or abnormal, whether designated by the name +of mesmerism, hypnotism, somnambulism, trance, spiritism, +demonology, miracle, mental therapeutics, genius, or insanity, +are in some way related.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +Seven, at least, of the foregoing names are no +doubt in the warp and woof of Spiritualism; and +he might have added mind-reading and Christian +Science. And Spiritualists admit that their work is +the same as that described by the Bible terms above +quoted. Thus, Allen Putnam, a Spiritualistic writer, +says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>The doctrine that the oracles, soothsaying, and witchcraft +of past ages were kindred to these manifestations of our +day, I, for one, most fully believe.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +In a pamphlet by the same author, entitled, +<q>Mesmerism, Spiritualism, Witchcraft, and Miracle,</q> +p. 6, he says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>As seen by me now, Mesmerism, Spiritualism, Witchcraft, +Miracles, all belong to one family, all have a common +root, and are developed by the same laws.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +To all these, therefore, the text under notice +(Isa. 8:19, 20) applies. We are to bring them to +the standard of <q>the law and the testimony,</q> and +<q>if they speak not according to this word ... +there is no light in them.</q> The living should not +seek to the dead. +</p> + +<p> +In Rev. 16:13, 14, the same spirits are again +brought to view, and called <q>unclean spirits,</q> and +<q>spirits of devils.</q> Their last work of deception +is to go forth to the kings of the earth, and of the +<pb n='076'/><anchor id='Pg076'/> +whole world, to gather them to the battle of the +great day of God Almighty. Thus all that is revealed +of them from beginning to end (and scriptures +might be multiplied on the point) furnishes +the most cogent reason why all should be keenly +awake to their existence and their work, and be ever +watchful against their influence and approach. +</p> + +</div> + +</div> + +<pb n='077'/><anchor id='Pg077'/> + +<div rend="page-break-before: always"> +<index index="toc" level1="Chapter Five. What The Spirits Teach."/> +<index index="pdf" level1="Chapter Five."/> +<head type="sub">Chapter Five.</head> +<head>What The Spirits Teach.</head> + +<p> +It has been shown in the preceding chapters that +the unseen <q>controls</q> (the beings who control +the mediums) in Spiritualism, are not the spirits of +the dead, but are fallen angels or spirits of devils. +This fact will be confirmed by a brief glance at some +of their teachings; for we are to remember that if +they speak not according to the law and the testimony +there is no light in them. It matters not that +what they teach may be supported by signs and +wonders beyond the comprehension of the human +mind. That is no guarantee of truth; for such phenomena +are to be wrought, as will soon be shown, +to prove a lie. The Lord anciently put his people +on their guard in this respect. Deut. 13:1-3, 5: +<q>If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer +of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and +the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he +spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, +which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; +thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that +prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord +your God proveth you, to know whether ye love +the Lord your God with all your heart and with all +your soul.</q> <q>And that prophet, or that dreamer of +<pb n='078'/><anchor id='Pg078'/> +dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken +to turn you away from the Lord your God, ... out +of the way which the Lord thy God commanded thee +to walk in.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Thus the fact that one who professed to be a +prophet could perform a sign or wonder, showing +his connection with some unseen power, was not +enough to shield him from condemnation and punishment, +if what he undertook to prove by that sign +or wonder was contrary to the truth, and tended to +lead away from God. The teaching of any system +is an important part of the fruit it bears; and by +that, according to our Lord's own rule, we are to +judge it, and not by any power or mighty works +connected with it, however wonderful they may be. +</p> + +<lg> +<l><q rend="pre">'Tis not the broad phylactery</q></l> +<l rend='margin-left: 2'>Nor stubborn fasts, nor stated prayers</l> +<l>That make us saints. We judge the tree</l> +<l rend='margin-left: 2'><q rend="post">By what it bears.</q></l> +<l></l> +<l>—<hi rend='italic'>Alice Carey.</hi></l> +</lg> + +<p> +It is therefore pertinent to look sufficiently at +the teachings of the spirits to ascertain their character. +Here we shall find some most damaging +testimony; for— +</p> + +<p> +1. <hi rend='italic'>They Deny God.</hi>—It is no pleasure to transcribe +the utterances of practical atheism; yet enough +should be given to show what they teach on the great +fundamental principles of Christianity. At a séance, +reported in the <hi rend='italic'>Banner of Light</hi>, July 11, 1868, the +following questions were addressed to the spirits, +and the accompanying answers received:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ques.</hi>—It is said in the Bible that man is +made in the image of God. Please tell us what that image is.</q> +</quote> + +<pb n='079'/><anchor id='Pg079'/> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ans.</hi>—He is made in the image of everything +that ever was, that is, or that ever shall be. He holds within his +caliber everything that exists, that ever has existed, or that +ever will exist. Now, God is included in this. If he exists at +all, he exists everywhere (and we have taken in everything), +every place, every name, every condition. I believe that the +human stands above all things else, and holds within its +embrace all the past, present, and future. In this sense he +is created and exists in the image of God.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Q.</hi>—What is God essentially?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q><hi rend='italic'>A.</hi>—Everything. Essentially you are God, and I am +God—the flowers, the grass, the pebbles, the stars, the moon, +the sun, everything is God.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +The Devil, through the serpent in the garden, +taught Adam and Eve that the soul is immortal, +and has transfused the same idea very successfully +through paganism, Romanism, and Protestantism; +but he also said, <q>Ye shall be as gods;</q> and now, +it seems, he is trying to make the world swallow this +other leg of his falsehood; but by putting it forth +under the form of the old pagan pantheism, that +everything is God, and God is everything, he betrays +the lie he uttered in Eden; for in that case, Adam +and Eve were no more gods after they ate than they +were before. +</p> + +<p> +Another séance, reported in the <hi rend='italic'>Banner</hi> about +twenty years later than the one quoted above, April +28, 1888; an inquirer addressed to the <q>spirits</q> a +question about God, and received answer, a portion +of which is presented below:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ques.</hi>—Some Spiritualists, I learn, believe in +a God; otherwise they would not pray to him—taking for granted +that there is such a being. Please enlighten us.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q><hi rend='italic'>Ans.</hi>—We have yet to come in contact with a thorough +Spiritualist, one who understands something of spiritual life +and the revelations made by returning spirits, who directly +<pb n='080'/><anchor id='Pg080'/> +believes in a personal God. True, many Spiritualists and +many returning spirits offer their invocations to the <q>Great +Supreme Spirit of all life and intelligence,</q> not because they +expect to change the order of law, or to come into direct +communication with, or nearness to, a Great Supreme Being, +clothed in the image of man, but because they desire to enter +an atmosphere of harmony, to uplift their own souls to a +plane of thought which will bring spiritual inspiration to +their minds. We make a distinction between that Great +Supreme Overruling Force which we may call the Superior +Spirit of Intelligence, Wisdom, and Love, and the personal +Deity, clothed in the image of man, gigantic in stature, +jealous and revengeful by nature, which has been set up and +worshiped as the Christian Jehovah. We know of no Spiritualist—let +us repeat it—who believes in such a personal +God; but we can believe and accept the idea, though it may +pass beyond almost our finite comprehension, that there is a +grand universal Spirit permeating all forms of existence; +that this great source of light, of activity and vitality +vibrates with intelligence, and that it is superior to all +organic forms, however grand they may prove to be.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +The same views have been taught all along by +the <q>spirits</q> of Spiritualism, as could be shown by +extracts dating as far back as 1858, only ten years +after the <q>Rochester Knockings.</q> And though +Spiritualism is now assuming more of the sedate +speech of organized Christianity, the spirits do +not modify their teaching in respect to God. In +<q>Automatic, or Spirit, Writing,</q> p. 148 (1896), are +given many messages from the spirits through the +mediumship of Mrs. S. A. Underwood, wife of the +editor of the <hi rend='italic'>Philosophical Journal</hi>, Chicago. The +<q>spirits</q> set forth their teaching in answer to questions +by the medium, some of which have reference +to God, though his name is not used. Thus on page +148, this conversation is given:— +</p> + +<pb n='081'/><anchor id='Pg081'/> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ques.</hi>—You often in these communications speak +of the binding laws of spiritual life—that because of them you +cannot give us such and such information, etc. Now who +makes those laws, and whence came they, and how are they +taught?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ans.</hi>—Thou say'st <q>who</q>—therefore +we cannot answer. Go back to the first question and ask one at a time.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Q.</hi>—Well, who makes the laws?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>A.</hi>—Spirits are not bondaged by +<emph>persons</emph>.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Q.</hi>—Then how do you come to know those +laws?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>A.</hi>—Pharos will now answer. Spiritual laws are +spiritually perceived, as soon as the physical perceptions are got +rid of.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Q.</hi>—Could you explain to us those laws?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q><hi rend='italic'>A.</hi>—Courses of teaching from our side are as necessary +for you to understand even the rudimentary laws of Being, +as courses in your colleges; and guessed-at spirit knowledge +from your bounded view must always fail in accurate +wording.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +It will be perceived that the answers to these +questions are, from the beginning, evasive; but the +real idea entertained clearly shines through the thin +veil drawn over to conceal it. The questions pertain +to the source, or authorship, of the <q>laws of +spiritual life;</q> and this would generally be understood +to be God. But on a technicality the spirits +refuse to answer. The question is made plainer, +and the answer is that <q>spirits are not bondaged +by <emph>persons</emph>;</q> that is to say that spirits have nothing +to do with personalities, and that no personal +being has anything to do with those laws. There is +therefore no God who formulates and promulgates +them. No wonder the question followed, how they +came to know these laws; and it was a very convenient +answer that we will know when we get there +<pb n='082'/><anchor id='Pg082'/> +and have lost all physical perceptions. A desire for +some explanation of those laws is met with the not +very satisfactory information that they (the spirits) +would have to give those in our sphere a course of +teaching, like a college course, before we could understand +even the rudimentary laws of Being. The +only thing clear in all this is that there is no God; +at least no personal God such as the Bible reveals. +To the <q>grand whole,</q> whatever that may be, they +give the name of the <q>All of Being.</q> In answer to a +question concerning <q>personalities,</q> they are called +<q>atoms emanating from the same source—parts +of the great All of Being, partaking of the general +characteristics of the grand whole.</q>—<hi rend='italic'>Page 149.</hi> +</p> + +<p> +Reader, how does all this compare in your own +mind with the God of the Bible, the Creator of all +things, the loving Father of us all, who has for his +creatures more tender regard and pity than a father +can feel for his own children, whose very name and +nature is Love, and who has purposed infinite good +for all men, and will carry it out unless they, as free +moral agents, by their own sin, prevent his doing for +them what he desires to do? The Bible is not responsible +for the aspersions cast upon God by a +false theology, which misrepresent his character and +give occasion for the charges of vindictiveness and +vengeance and awful tyranny, so freely made by +fallen angels and wicked men. They do not belong +to him who is the source of all goodness and mercy; +and we would labor to bring those who have perverted +views of God back to a right conception of +<pb n='083'/><anchor id='Pg083'/> +the great Friend of sinners, as he has revealed himself +in his holy word. +</p> + +<p> +2. <hi rend='italic'>They Deny Jesus Christ.</hi>—Christ is revealed +as the divine Son of the Father; and to deny that he +was or is any more than any other man is surely to +deny him; and the scripture says that <q>whosoever +denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father.</q> +1 John 2:23. The following is what the <q>spirits</q> +began to teach in the earliest stages of Spiritualism +concerning Christ:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>What is the meaning of the word Christ?—'Tis not, as +generally supposed, the Son of the Creator of all things. Any +just and perfect being is Christ. The crucifixion of Christ is +nothing more than the crucifixion of the spirit, which all +have to contend with before becoming perfect and righteous. +The miraculous conception of Christ is merely a fabulous +tale.</q>—<hi rend='italic'>Spiritual Telegraph, No. 37.</hi> +</quote> + +<p> +How fully does this declaration that any good +man is Christ open the way for the fulfilment of the +Saviour's prophecy that in the last days many +false Christs and false prophets shall arise, and shall +deceive many. See Matt. 24:24. A prospectus +of the <hi rend='italic'>Truth Seeker</hi> contained these words: <q>It +shall be the organ through which the christs of the +last dispensation will choose to speak.</q> +</p> + +<p> +A little later, July 19, 1862, there was published +in the <hi rend='italic'>Banner of Light</hi> a lecture on Spiritualism by +Mrs. C. L. V. Hatch, in which she spoke of Christ +as follows:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Of Jesus of Nazareth, personally, we have but little to +say. Certain it is, we find sufficient that is divine in his life +and teachings, without professing to believe in the fables of +<pb n='084'/><anchor id='Pg084'/> +theologians respecting his birth and parentage. We are content +to take the simple record as it stands, and to regard him +as the son of Joseph and Mary, endowed with such purity and +harmony of character as fitted him to be the Apostle and +Revelator of the highest wisdom ever taught to man. It is +the fundamental article in the creed of modern Christianity, +that Jesus was divine in his nature, and of miraculous origin +and nativity. Now, no human being of ordinary intelligence, +unwarped by educational bias, would ever profess to believe in +such a monstrous figment, which only shows the blindness of +superstitious prejudice.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +Here is something twenty-four years later. A +séance reported in the <hi rend='italic'>Banner of Light</hi>, Oct. 9, +1886, gives the following questions and answer:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ques.</hi>—Do <q>spirits</q> +generally believe in the divinity of +Jesus Christ; that he was the Son of God; that he was crucified, +dead, and buried, and rose again the third day for the +saving of all who should believe in him?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q><hi rend='italic'>Ans.</hi>—No; spirits generally—advanced spirits, those +who are intelligent, having studied deeply into the principles +of life—do not accept the theory of the divinity of Jesus +Christ; they do not believe that he was crucified for mankind, +in the accepted understanding of that term.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +Some years ago a class was formed in New York +City for the purpose of investigating what is called +the spiritual philosophy. Before that class, Dr. +Weisse said:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Friend Orton seems to make rather light of the communications +from spirits concerning Christ. It seems, nevertheless, +that all the testimony received from advanced spirits +only shows that Christ was a medium and reformer in Judea; +that he now is an advanced spirit in the sixth sphere; but +that he never claimed to be God, and does not at present. I +have had two communications to that effect. I have also +read some that Dr. Hare had. If I am wrong in my views of +the Bible, I should like to know it, for the spirits and mediums +<emph>do not contradict me</emph>.</q> +</quote> + +<pb n='085'/><anchor id='Pg085'/> + +<p> +The peculiar insult here purposely offered to the +Saviour will be appreciated when it is noted that at +about the same time the spirits located Thomas Paine, +the well-known skeptic, in the seventh sphere, one +sphere above that of Christ. He must therefore +have progressed very rapidly, seeing he so quickly +surpassed Christ, who had over 1700 years the start +of him. +</p> + +<p> +Before the same class Dr. Hare is reported to +have spoken as follows, which we give without +assuming any responsibility for the spiritual grammar +therein exhibited:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>He said that he had been thus protected from deception +by the spirits of Washington and Franklin, and that they +had brought Jesus Christ to him, with whom he had also +communicated. He had first repelled him as an impostor; +but became convinced afterward that it was really him. He +related that he had learned from that high and holy spirit, +that he was not the character that Christendom had represented +him to be, and not responsible for the errors connected +with his name, but that he was, while on earth, a medium of +high and extraordinary powers, and that it was solely through +his mediumistic capabilities that he attained so great knowledge, +and was enabled to practice such apparent wonders.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +When Christ was upon earth, it was envy, jealousy, +and malice that moved the Pharisees against +him (Matt 27:18); and it seems that he is followed +by the same feelings in the spirit world. This is +natural; for he who fired the hearts of the Pharisees +with their malignant spirit, is the same one, as we +have seen, who is working through the powers of +darkness in the unseen world to-day. Any way to +degrade Christ in the minds of men to a level with, +<pb n='086'/><anchor id='Pg086'/> +or below, the mediums of our time, and make it +appear that they can do as great wonders as he, +seems to be the object in view. +</p> + +<p> +There is plainly manifest an irrepressible desire +on the part of spirits and mediums to show Christ +to be inferior to the leaders of other great religions +of the world, as Buddha, Confucius, Zoroaster, etc. +Thus, at a seance held in 1864 (<hi rend='italic'>Banner of Light</hi>, +June 4), the spirits were questioned as follows:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ques.</hi>—Have you ever seen Confucius or +Zoroaster?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ans.</hi>—Yes, many times.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Q.</hi>—In the order of degree, which stands the +higher in moral excellence—Jesus Christ, Confucius, or Zoroaster?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q><hi rend='italic'>A.</hi>—Confucius stands in morality higher than the other +two.... Jesus himself claims to have been inspired to a +large extent, by this same Confucius. And if we are to place +reliance upon the records concerning each individual, we +shall find that Jesus spoke the truth when he tells us that he +was inspired by Confucius.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +Indeed! Where are the records referred to? +Where and when did Jesus <q>speak</q> the words +attributed to him? And where does he tell <emph>us</emph>, that +he was inspired by Confucius? So we are to believe, +are we, that the gospel of Jesus Christ, is only a +rehash of what was originally wrought out in the +brain of Confucius, and not words fresh from the +fountain of light given him by his Father in heaven, +to speak, as he claimed them to be? Yet he was a +high and <emph>holy</emph> medium. We wonder what standard +of holiness and perfection the spirits can have. +</p> + +<p> +But still later, in 1896, we find the spirits putting +forth the same teaching in reference to Jesus Christ. +In <q>Automatic, or Spirit Writing,</q> pp. 148, 149, +we have this:— +</p> + +<pb n='087'/><anchor id='Pg087'/> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ques.</hi>—Do you accept Jesus as the model of +spiritual knowledge?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ans.</hi>—Shall you give us a better example?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Q.</hi>—Well, we are willing to accept him as one +of many, but not as chief.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>A.</hi>—Change the name. Call him by other +names—Buddha, Krishna, or Mohammed, the spirit is one—is ever +and ever the same. Spirit is one, not many, however often +the name is changed.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Q.</hi>—Were not Jesus, Buddha, and Mohammed +distinct personalities?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>A.</hi>—No more than all atoms emanating from the +same source—parts of the great All of Being, partaking of the +general characteristics of the grand whole—but yielding to +environments, showed marked individualism, such as the +force of the times in which they appeared would create in +their characters.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Q.</hi>—Are these leaders of religious thought not +distinct individualities now?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q><hi rend='italic'>A.</hi>—No, not on spiritual planes, which do not recognize +any now.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +Thus they persist in denying that Jesus holds any +pre-eminent position as a religious teacher. He may +as well be called Buddha, Krishna, or Mohammed +as Jesus. They are all the same spirit, all atoms of +the great <q>All of Being,</q> all as much alike as three +drops of water from the same ocean, and what is +more bewildering still, they have now all lost their +individuality in the spirit world. How, then, can it +be told that Christ is in the sixth sphere, and Paine +in the seventh? Such teachers, though they may +claim to be good spirits, are branded as antichrist by +both John and Jude. John says: <q>Who is a liar but +he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist +that denieth the Father and the Son.</q> 1 John +2:22. Again, <q>Every spirit that confesseth not +that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of +<pb n='088'/><anchor id='Pg088'/> +God.</q> 1 John 4:3. According to the spirits, +Jesus Christ has no more come in the flesh than +have Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius, Zoroaster, or +any other religious teacher. They all simply yielded +to their environments, and showed marked individualism +while on this earth, and have now become +absorbed in the <q>great whole</q> in the spirit world. +Thus, as Jude says (verse 4), they deny <q>the only +Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.</q> +</p> + +<p> +So much for their denial of Christ in his person. +They also deny him in his offices; for to deny and +ridicule what he came to do, is one of the most +effectual ways of denying him. The great work of +Christ was the shedding of his blood to atone for the +sins of the world; and the spirits are particularly +bitter in denouncing that idea. If such sentiments +were uttered only by open and professed scoffers, it +would not do so much harm; but it is not unusual +to find those bearing the title of <q>Reverend</q> descanting +on these themes in a manner to show themselves +antichrist, according to the definition of that +term by John. And even this need not surprise us; +for the sure word of prophecy has foretold that some +who have once held the true faith will depart therefrom +to give heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines +of devils. 1 Tim. 4:1. +</p> + +<p> +One R. P. Wilson, to whose name is attached the +ministerial title, in his lectures on <q>Spiritual +Science,</q> said:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Although as a believer in true spiritual philosophy, we +cannot receive the orthodox views of salvation, yet we recognize +<pb n='089'/><anchor id='Pg089'/> +the birth of a Saviour and Redeemer into the universal +hearts of humanity, <emph>wherein truly the deity is incarnate</emph>, dwelling +in the interior of man's spirit. We believe that each +soul of man is born with his or her Saviour within them; for +as man is an embodiment of the universe in epitome, he contains +in his central nature an incarnation of deity. The +germ of immortal unfoldings resides within the spirit of it, +which needs only appropriate conditions to call forth the expanding +and elevating powers of the soul.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +In <q>Spiritual Science Demonstrated,</q> p. 229, +Dr. Hare said:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Since my spirit sister's translation to the spheres, she +has risen from the fifth to the sixth sphere. It has been +alleged by her that her ascent was retarded by her belief in +the atonement.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +A <q>spirit</q> calling himself Deacon John Norton, +as reported in the <hi rend='italic'>Banner of Light</hi>, said:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>I used to believe in the atonement; I honestly believed +that Christ died to save the world, and that by and through +his death all must be saved if saved at all. Now I see that +this is folly—it cannot be so. The light through Christ, the +Holy One, shone in darkness; the darkness could not comprehend +it; and thus it crucified the body, and Christ died a +martyr. He was not called in that way, that by the shedding +of his blood, the vast multitude coming after him +should find salvation. Everything in nature proves this +false. They tell me here that Christ was the most perfect +man of his time. I am told here also that he is worthy to be +worshiped, because of his goodness; and where man finds +goodness he may worship. God's face is seen in the violet, +and man may well worship this tiny flower.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +In the pantheism of Spiritualism, every object in +nature, the tiny flower, the pebbles, the trees, the +birds and bees, are worthy to be worshiped as much +as Christ. In one breath the spirits extol him as a +most perfect man, pre-eminent in goodness and +<pb n='090'/><anchor id='Pg090'/> +worthy to be worshiped, and in the next, place him +in a position which would make him the greatest +fraud and impostor that ever lived. Such inconsistencies +show that Christ is a miracle which evil +men and evil angels know not how to dispose of. +</p> + +<p> +As they deny Christ, they must, logically, deny +the doctrine of his second coming. This doctrine is +made of especial importance and prominence in the +New Testament. The nature of that coming, its +manner, and the circumstances attending it are so +fully described, that no one who adopts the Bible +view can possibly be deceived by false christs. +But the church and the world have been turned +away from the true doctrine of the second advent, +and the way is thus prepared for the great deceptions +of the last days. Spiritualism is one of these, and +claims that it is itself that second coming. Joel +Tiffany, a former celebrated teacher of Spiritualism, +has said:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>I must look for the coming of my Lord in my own +affection. He must come in the clouds of my spiritual +heavens, or he cannot come for any benefit to me.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +And through Mrs. Conant, a famous medium of +the early days of Spiritualism, the controlling spirit +said:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>This second coming of Christ means simply the second +coming of truths that are not themselves new, that have +always existed.... He said, <q>When I come again, I shall +not be known to you.</q> Spiritualism is that second coming of +Christ.</q>—<hi rend='italic'>Banner of Light, Nov. 18, 1865.</hi> +</quote> + +<p> +But the Bible description of this event is, the +revelation of the Lord himself in the clouds of +<pb n='091'/><anchor id='Pg091'/> +heaven in the glory of the Father, the reverberating +shout of triumph, the voice of the archangel, the +trump of God, the flash of his presence like that of +the lightning, the wailing of the tribes of the earth, +as they thus behold him, while unprepared to meet +him, and the resurrection of the righteous dead. +And where and when have these inseparable accompaniments +of that event been seen? They do not +occur when a person is converted from sin, nor do +they occur in the dying chamber, nor have they +occurred in Spiritualism; and until they do take +place, the second coming of Christ is not accomplished. +</p> + +<p> +Many seek to dispose of such testimony as this, +by making it all figurative, or meeting it with a bold +denial, as in the case of the resurrection of the body. +And the way has been too well prepared for this +condition of things, by much of the teaching of +popular orthodoxy, which turns the early records of +the Bible into childish allegory, perverts the true +doctrine of the coming and kingdom of Christ, and +denies the resurrection of the dead, by destroying +its necessity through the immortality of the soul. +On the vital point of the resurrection, Dr. Clarke +makes this noteworthy remark:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>One remark I cannot help making,—The doctrine of the +resurrection appears to have been thought of much more +consequence among the primitive Christians than it is <emph>now</emph>! +How is this?—The apostles were continually insisting on it, +and exciting the followers of God to diligence, obedience, and +cheerfulness through it. And their successors in the present +day seldom mention it! So the apostles preached, and so the +primitive Christians believed; so we preach and so our hearers +<pb n='092'/><anchor id='Pg092'/> +believe. There is not a doctrine in the gospel on which more +stress is laid; and there is not a doctrine in the present system +of preaching which is treated with more neglect.</q>—<hi rend='italic'>On +1 Corinthians +15</hi> (<hi rend='italic'>original edition</hi>).<note place='foot'>The revision +of Dr. Clarke's Commentary by Dr. Curry, proves +the truthfulness of what the doctor here says, for this important +passage is entirely eliminated, and its place filled with statements +which Dr. Clarke did not make, and sentiments which he did not +believe. It is no less than a crime to treat a dead man's work in this +manner.</note> +</quote> + +<p> +In view of the way the Bible has been treated by +its professed friends, it is no wonder that infidelity +prevails, and Spiritualism prospers. +</p> + +<p> +3. <hi rend='italic'>They Deny the Bible.</hi>—The denial of God +and Christ, as set forth above is, of course, a denial +of the Bible; and not much need therefore be added +on this point. We quote only a few representative +utterances. Doctor Hare (<q>Spiritual Science Demonstrated,</q> +p. 209) says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>The Old Testament does not impart a knowledge of +immortality, without which religion were worthless. The +notions derived from the gospels are vague, disgusting, inaccurate, +and difficult to believe.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +As to the Old Testament, it would seem doubtful +whether Mr. Hare ever read far enough to find (1) Job +exclaiming: <q>For I know that my Redeemer liveth, +and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: +and though after my skin worms destroy this body, +yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for +myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; +though my reins be consumed within me</q> (or, as +the margin reads: <q>My reins within me are consumed +with earnest desire [for that day];</q>) or +(2) David: <q>I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with +<pb n='093'/><anchor id='Pg093'/> +thy likeness;</q> or (3) Isaiah: <q>Thy dead men shall +live, together with my dead body shall they arise. +Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust;</q> or +(4) Ezekiel: <q>Behold, O my people, I will open +your graves, and cause you to come up out of your +graves;</q> or (5) Daniel: <q>Many of them that sleep +in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting +life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt;</q> +and (6) Hosea: <q>I will ransom them from +the power of the grave, I will redeem them from +death.</q> Job 19:25-27; Ps. 17:15; Isa. 26:19; +Eze. 37:12; Dan. 12:2; Hosea 13:14. And as +for the New Testament, it is no doubt <q>disgusting</q> +to many Spiritualists to read that <q>the fearful, and +unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, +and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and +all liars, shall have their part in the lake which +burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second +death;</q> and that without the city <q>are dogs, and +sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and +idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.</q> +Rev. 21:8; 22:15. +</p> + +<p> +Communications from spirits are offered in place +of the Bible as a better source of instruction, the +Bible being denounced, as above quoted, as <q>vague, +inaccurate, and difficult to believe.</q> A brief comparison +of the two will furnish pertinent evidence on +this point. Take, on the Bible side, for example, +a portion of the record of creation (Gen. 1:1-5):— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. +And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was +<pb n='094'/><anchor id='Pg094'/> +upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved +upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be +light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it +was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. +And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called +Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +The facts stated in this record, the profoundest +minds can never comprehend; the language in which +they are expressed, a little child can understand. +The statements are plain and simple, a perfect model +of perspicuous narrative. Place by the side of this +an account of the same event, as given us from the +<q>spheres.</q> The spirits have undertaken to produce +a new Bible, beginning, like the old, with the +creation; and this is the way it starts out, through +the mediumship of <q>Rev.</q> T. L. Harris:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">1. In the beginning God, the Life in God, the Lord in +God, the Holy Procedure, inhabited the dome, which, burning +in magnificence primeval, and revolving in prismatic and +undulatory spiral, appeared, and was the pavilion of the +Spirit: In glory inexhaustible and inconceivable, in movement +spherical, unfolded in harmonious procedure disclosive.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>2. And God said, Let good be manifest! and good unfolded +and moral-mental germs, ovariums of heavens, descended from +the Procedure. And the dome of disclosive magnificence +was heaven, and the expanded glory beneath was the germ +of creation. And the divine Procedure inbreathed upon the +disclosure, and the disclosure became the universe.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +We will inflict no more of this <q>undulatory +spiral</q> nonsense on the reader. He now has both +records before him, and can judge for himself which +is the more worthy of his regard. There have been +Spiritualists who, writing in their normal state, and +not yet fully divorced from the influence of their +<pb n='095'/><anchor id='Pg095'/> +former education, have acknowledged the authenticity +of the Bible, and the doctrines of Jesus as +recorded in the gospels. But these, it is claimed, +are to be understood according to a spiritual meaning +which underlies the letter; and this spiritual +meaning generally turns out to be contrary to the +letter, which is a virtual denial of the record itself. +But the quotations here given (only a specimen of +the multitudes that might be presented) are given on +the authority of the <q>spirits,</q> whose teachings are +what we wish to ascertain. +</p> + +<div> +<index index="toc"/> +<head>They Deny All Distinction Between Right +And Wrong.</head> + +<p> +There is implanted in the hearts of men by +nature, a sense of right and a sense of wrong. Even +those who know not God, nor Christ, nor the gospel, +possess this power of discrimination. This is what +Paul, in Rom. 2:15, calls <q>the work of the law +written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing +witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing +or else excusing one another.</q> That this distinction +should now be denied by a class in a civilized community, +professing to be advanced thinkers and +teachers, among whom are found the learned, the +refined, and the professedly pious, shows that we +have fallen upon strange times. To be sure, many +of them talk fluently of the beauty and perfection +of divine laws; but in the sense in which they would +have them understood, they rob them of all characteristics +of law. The first great essential of law is +<pb n='096'/><anchor id='Pg096'/> +authority; but this they take away from it; the next +is penalty for its violation; but this they deny, and +thus degrade the law to a mere piece of advice. +The <q>Healing of the Nations,</q> an authoritative +work among Spiritualists, pp. 163, 164, says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">Thus thy body needs no laws, having been in its creation +supplied with all that could be necessary for its government. +Thy spirit is above all laws, and above all essences +which flow therein. God created thy spirit from within his +own, and surely the Creator of law is above it; the Creator of +essences must be above all essence created. And if thou hast +what may be or might be termed laws, they are always subservient +to thy spirit. Good men need no laws, and laws will +do bad or ignorant men no good. If a man be above law, he +should never be governed by it. If he be below, what good +can dead, dry words do him?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>True knowledge removeth all laws from power by placing +the spirit of man above it.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +A correspondent of the <hi rend='italic'>Telegraph</hi> said of this +work, <q>The Healing of the Nations:</q>— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>According to its teaching, no place is found in the universe +for divine wrath and vengeance. All are alike and forever +the object of God's love, pity, and tender care—the difference +between the two extremes of human character on earth, +being as a mere atom when compared with perfect wisdom.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +This is a favorite comparison with them,—that +the difference between God and the best of men is +so much greater than the extremes of character +among men,—the most upright and the most wicked,—that +the latter is a mere atom, and not accounted +of in God's sight. That there is an infinite difference +between God and the best of men, is all true; for +God is infinite in all his attributes, and man is very +imperfect at the best. But to argue from this that +<pb n='097'/><anchor id='Pg097'/> +God is inferior to man, so that he cannot discern +difference in character here, even as man can plainly +discern it, seems but mad-house reasoning. What +would we think of the man who had the same regard +for the thief as for the honest man, for the murderer +as for the philanthropist? To ignore such +distinctions as even men are able to discern would +destroy the stability of all human governments; +what then would be the effect on the divine government? +God has given his law—holy, just, and +good—to men, and commanded obedience. He +has attached the penalty to disobedience: <q>The soul +that sinneth, it shall die,</q> <q>The wages of sin is +death.</q> Eze. 18:20; Rom. 6:23. And in the +judgment, the distinction God makes in character +will be plainly declared; for he will set the righteous +on his right hand, but the wicked on the left. Matt. +25:32, 33. +</p> + +<p> +This view of the failure of law, and the absence +of all human accountability, naturally leads to a bold +denial of sin and the existence of crime. The +<q>Healing of the Nations,</q> p. 169, says: <q>Unto +God there is no error; all is comparatively good.</q> +The same work says that God views error as <q>undeveloped +good.</q> A. J. Davis (<q>Nature of Divine +Revelation,</q> p. 521) says: <q>Sin, indeed, in the +common acceptation of that term, does not really +exist.</q> +</p> + +<p> +A discourse from J. S. Loveland, once a minister, +reported in the <hi rend='italic'>Banner of Light</hi>, contained +this paragraph:— +</p> + +<pb n='098'/><anchor id='Pg098'/> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>With God there is no crime; with man there is. Crime +does not displease God, but it does man. God is in the darkest +crime, as in the highest possible holiness. He is equally +pleased in either case. Both harmonize equally with his +attributes—they are only different sides of the same Deity.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +In <q>Automatic Writing</q> (1896), p. 139, a question +was asked concerning evil, meaning sin and +crimes among men. The spirit answered that these +were conditions of progress, and were so necessary +to elevation that they were to be welcomed, not +hated. The questions and answers are as follows:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ques.</hi>—Can you give us any information in +regard to the so-called Devil—once so firmly believed in?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ans.</hi>—Devil is a word used to conjure +with.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Q.</hi>—Well, then, as the word itself doubtless +arose from the word <q>evil,</q> which means to us unhappiness, can you +give us an explanation of the existence of evil?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>A.</hi>—Evil—as you who are the greatest +sufferers from it, name one of the conditions of progress—is as necessary, +aye, more so, than what you call good, to your and our elevation +to higher spheres. It is not to be hated, but welcomed. +It is the winnowing of the grain from the chaff. Children of +truth, don't worry over what to you seems evil; soon you will +be of us and will understand, and be rejoiced that what you +call evil persists and works as leaven in the great work of +mind versus matter.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Q.</hi>—But it seems to us impossible that brutal +crimes like murder, assassinations, or great catastrophes, by which +the innocent are made to suffer at the hands of malicious and +cruel persons, should work for ultimate good?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>A.</hi>—Percipients of the grand whole of Being +can understand but may not state to those on your plane, the underlying +good making itself asserted even through such dreadful +manifestations of human imperfections as the crimes you +name.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">When asked why certain wrongs were allowed to be +perpetuated, this answer was given:—</q> +</quote> + +<pb n='099'/><anchor id='Pg099'/> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">There is a law of psychical essence which makes necessary +all these ephemeral entanglements which to you seem +so severe, and you will yet see from your own standpoint of +reason why such hardships must be endured by questioning +souls on the highway of progress.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Q.</hi>—But do you from your vantage ground of +larger knowledge grow careless that such injustice is done?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>A.</hi>—We do care, but cannot remedy.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Q.</hi>—Why can't you remedy?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>A.</hi>—Because humanity is but an embryo of +existence.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Q.</hi>—If you can perceive the trials and sorrows +of mortals, and can interfere to save them, why do you not more +often do so?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q><hi rend='italic'>A.</hi>—When undeveloped souls pay the price of development, +we stand aloof, and let the play go on. Interference +will do no good.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +In view of such a confession, what becomes of +the many claims put forth by other spirits that they +are ever hovering near their friends to assist and +guard them, to help and inspire them, and keep +them from evil and danger? These say that those +terrible crimes (and this would include all crimes) +are all necessary, that they are tending to develop +souls, and bring them to higher spheres, and thus +are just as laudable as good actions; so they settle +back in a gleeful mood, and <q>let the play go on;</q> +let wicked men cultivate and develop and practice +their evil propensities, and the innocent suffer. Well +may men pray to be delivered from such a spirit +assembly as that. +</p> + +<p> +In <q>Healing of the Nations,</q> p. 402, Dr. Hare +says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>That anything should, even for an instant, be contrary +to his will, is inconsistent with his foresight and omnipotency. +<pb n='100'/><anchor id='Pg100'/> +It would be a miracle that anything counter to his +will should exist.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +A lecture on the <q>Philosophy of Reform,</q> given +by A. J. Davis, in New York City, bears testimony +to the same effect:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>In the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, it is affirmed +that sin is the transgression of the law. But by an examination +of nature, the true and only Bible, it will be seen that +this statement is erroneous. It gives a wrong idea of both +man and law.... It will be found impossible for man to +transgress a law of God.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +Thus they very illogically assume that if God +has the will or the power to prevent evil, it could not +exist, and therefore, if there is such a God, he is responsible, +forgetting that God is long-suffering, and +bears long with vessels of wrath fitted for destruction, +before they pass beyond the limits of his mercy +and perish. But Mr. Davis says further:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Reformers need to understand that war is as natural to +one stage of human development as peace is natural to another. +My brother has the spirit of revenge. Shall I call +him a demon? Is not his spirit natural to his condition? +War is not evil or repulsive except to a man of peace. Who +made the non-resistant? Polygamy is as natural to one stage +of development as oranges are natural to the South. Shall I +grow indignant, and because I am a monogamist, condemn +my kinsman of yore? Who made him? Who made me? +We both came up under the confluence of social and political +circumstances; and we both represent our conditions and our +teachers. The doctrine of blame and praise is natural only +to an unphilosophical condition of mind. The spirit of complaint—of +attributing <q>evil</q> to this and that plane of society—is +natural; but is natural only to undeveloped minds. It is +a profanation—a sort of atheism of which I would not be +guilty.</q> +</quote> + +<pb n='101'/><anchor id='Pg101'/> + +<p> +The Bible says, <q>Woe unto them that call evil +good, and good evil; that put darkness for light and +light for darkness.</q> Isa. 5:20. And it makes +another declaration which finds abundant confirmation +in the sentiments quoted above: <q>Because sentence +against an evil work is not executed speedily, +therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set +in them to do evil.</q> Eccl. 8:11. +</p> + +<p> +Having thus attempted to destroy in the minds +of men all distinction between good and evil, all +being alike in God's sight, and all equally good, they +try to make the way a little broader and easier for +men to give full rein to all the propensities and +inclinations of an evil heart, by teaching that there +is no Lawgiver and Judge before whom men must +appear to give an account of their deeds, but that +they are responsible to themselves alone, and must +give account only to their own natures. Thus Hon. +J. B. Hall, in a lecture reported in the <hi rend='italic'>Banner of +Light</hi>, Feb. 6, 1864, said:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>I believe that man is amenable to no law not written +upon his own nature, no matter by whom given.... By his +own nature he must be tried—by his own acts he must stand +or fall. True, man must give an account to God for all his +deeds; but how?—Solely by giving account to his own nature—to +himself.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +At a séance reported in the <hi rend='italic'>Banner of Light</hi>, +May 28, 1864, the following question was proposed, +and the answer was by the communicating spirit:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ques.</hi>—To whom or to what is the soul +accountable?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q><hi rend='italic'>Ans.</hi>—To no Deity outside the realm of its own being, +certainly; to no God which is a creation of fancy; to no +<pb n='102'/><anchor id='Pg102'/> +Deity who dwells in a far-off heaven, and sits upon a white +throne; to no Jesus of Nazareth; to no patron saint; to no +personality; to no principle outside our own individual +selves.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +The <q>Healing of the Nations,</q> p. 74, says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Man is his own saviour, his own redeemer. He is his +own judge—in his own scales weighed.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +A little over twenty years after the birth of +Spiritualism, Aug. 25, 1868, the Fifth National +Convention of Spiritualists was held in Corinthian +hall, Rochester, N. Y., at which a formal <q>Declaration +of Principles</q> was set forth. From the seventh +and eighth paragraphs, under principle 20, we quote +the following:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q><hi rend='italic'>Seventh</hi>, To stimulate the mind to the largest +investigation ... that we may be qualified to <emph>judge for ourselves</emph> what +is right and true. <hi rend='italic'>Eighth</hi>, To deliver from <emph>all bondage to +authority</emph>, whether vested in <emph>creed</emph>, <emph>book</emph>, or +<emph>church</emph>, except that of received truth.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +This is the same principle of man's responsibility +to no one but himself, authoritatively adopted. +What a picture have we now before us! Destroy +man's belief in, and reverence for, God and Christ, +as they do; lead him to ridicule the atonement, the +only remedy for sin; make him disbelieve the Bible; +take away from his mind all distinction between right +and wrong, and assure him that he is accountable +to no one but himself; and how better could one +prepare the way to turn men into demons. All this +the spirits, by their teaching, seek to do. And can +any one fail to foresee the result? Comparatively +a small proportion of the inhabitants of this country +<pb n='103'/><anchor id='Pg103'/> +have committed themselves to these views; consequently +but little of the legitimate fruit as yet +appears; but take human nature as it is and suppose +all the inhabitants of this land to act on these principles, +and then what would we have?—A pandemonium, +a scene of anarchy, riot, bloodshed, and +all depths of rottenness and corruption—in short, +a hell so much worse than that to which the Devil +is popularly assigned, that he would at once change +his location and here take up his abode. +</p> + +<p> +That this statement is none too strong, will appear +as we look a moment at some of the results +which have already developed themselves among the +friends of such views, and as their inevitable fruit. +The tendency can by no possibility be otherwise than +to atheism and all immorality. As has been already +remarked, the repulsive features were made much +more prominent in the early stages of Spiritualism +than at the present time. They are now held in the +background. The literature touching these points +has been remodeled, and an air of respectability and +religion assumed. Most of the quotations therefore +date some years back, and would be charitably withheld +were there any evidence of reform either present +or prospective. But where or when have these +principles ever been officially repudiated, and evidence +given that the consequent practices had been +abandoned? That there are many Spiritualists of +upright and moral lives, and honorable members of +society, in the best sense of that term, we gladly +believe; but is not this because they are living above +<pb n='104'/><anchor id='Pg104'/> +their principles; and due, not to the influence, but +rather to the non-influence of real Spiritualism upon +their lives? The quotations given are from those +who have been prominent among Spiritualists as +authors and speakers. If they overdraw the picture, +the responsibility is with them. Dr. B. P. Randolph, +author of a work <q>Dealings with the Dead,</q> +was eight years a medium, then renounced Spiritualism +long enough to expose its character, then +returned to it again, unable to break entirely away +from the spell it has fastened upon him. He gives +his opinion of it in the following scathing words:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">I enter the arena as the champion of common sense, +against what in my soul I believe to be the most tremendous +enemy of God, morals, and religion, that ever found foothold +on the earth;—the most seductive, hence the most dangerous, +form of sensualism that ever cursed a nation, age, or people. +I was a medium about eight years, during which time I made +three thousand speeches, and traveled over several different +countries, proclaiming its new gospel. I now regret that so +much excellent breath was wasted, and that my health of +mind and body was well nigh ruined. I have only begun +to regain both since I totally abandoned it, and to-day had +rather see the cholera in my house, than be a spiritual +medium.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">As a trance speaker, I became widely known; and now +aver that during the entire eight years of my mediumship, I +firmly and sacredly confess that I had not the control of my +own mind, as I now have, one twentieth of the time; and +before man and high heaven I most solemnly declare that I +do not now believe that during the whole eight years, I was +sane for thirty-six consecutive hours, in consequence of the +trance and the susceptibility thereto.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>For seven years I held daily intercourse with what purported +to be my mother's spirit. I am now fully persuaded +that it was nothing but an evil spirit, an infernal demon, +<pb n='105'/><anchor id='Pg105'/> +who, in that guise, gained my soul's confidence, and led me +to the very brink of ruin. We read in Scripture of demoniac +possession, as well as abnormal spiritual action. Both facts +exist, provable to-day; I am positive the former does. A. J. +Davis and his clique of Harmonialists say there are no evil +spirits. I emphatically deny the statement. Five of my +friends destroyed themselves, and I attempted it, by direct +spiritual influences. Every crime in the calendar has been +committed by mortal movers of viewless beings. Adultery, +fornication, suicides, desertions, unjust divorces, prostitution, +abortion, insanity, are not evils, I suppose. I charge +all these to this scientific Spiritualism. It has also broken +up families, squandered fortunes, tempted and destroyed +the weak. It has banished peace from happy families, +separated husbands and wives, and shattered the intellect +of thousands.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +The following is an extract from the writings of +J. F. Whitney, editor of the New York <hi rend='italic'>Pathfinder</hi>. +His view of the subject accords with that of Dr. +Randolph:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">Now, after a long and constant watchfulness, seeing for +months and for years its progress and its practical workings +upon its devotees, its believers, and its mediums, we are compelled +to speak our honest conviction, which is, that the manifestations +coming through the acknowledged mediums, who +are designated as rapping, tipping, writing, and entranced +mediums, have a baneful influence upon believers, and create +discord and confusion; that the generality of these teachings +inculcate false ideas, approve of selfish individual acts, and +endorse theories and principles, which, when carried out, +debase and make men little better than the brute. These are +among the fruits of Modern Spiritualism, and we do not hesitate +to say that we believe if these manifestations are continued +to be received, and to be as little understood as they are, +and have been since they made their appearance at Rochester, +and mortals are to be deceived by their false, fascinating, +and snakelike charming powers, which go with them, the +day will come when the world will require the appearance of +<pb n='106'/><anchor id='Pg106'/> +another Saviour to redeem the world from its departing from +Christ's warnings.... Seeing, as we have, the gradual +progress it makes with its believers, particularly its mediums, +from lives of morality to those of sensuality and immorality, +gradually and cautiously undermining the foundation of +good principles, we look back with amazement to the radical +change which a few months will bring about in individuals; +for its tendency is to approve and endorse each individual act +and character, however good or bad these acts may be....</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>We desire to send forth our warning voice, and if our +humble position as the head of a public journal, our known +advocacy of Spiritualism, our experience, and the conspicuous +part we have played among its believers, the honesty and +the fearlessness with which we have defended the subject, +will weigh anything in our favor, we desire that our opinions +may be received, and those who are moving passively down +the rushing rapids to destruction should pause, ere it be too +late, and save themselves from the blasting influence which +those manifestations are causing.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +Every one who knows anything about Spiritualism +has heard of Cora Hatch, who traveled extensively, +and manifested her powers as an extemporaneous +lecturer before astonished multitudes. One of her +husbands, Dr. Hatch, renounced Spiritualism, and +the following is from the testimony he bore concerning +it:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">The most damning iniquities are everywhere perpetrated +in spiritual circles, a very small percentage of which +ever comes to public attention. I care not whether it be spiritual +or mundane, the facts exist, and should demand the +attention and condemnation of an intelligent community.... +The abrogation of marriage, bigamy, accompanied by +robbery, theft, rape, are all chargeable upon Spiritualism. +I most solemnly affirm that I do not believe that there has, +during the last five hundred years, arisen any people who are +guilty of so great a variety of crimes and indecencies as the +Spiritualists of America.</q> +</quote> + +<pb n='107'/><anchor id='Pg107'/> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>For a long time I was swallowed up in its whirlpool of +excitement, and comparatively paid but little attention to +its evils, believing that much good might result from the +opening of the avenues of Spiritual intercourse. But during +the past eight months I have devoted my attention to critical +investigation of its moral, social, and religious bearing, and I +stand appalled before the revelations of its awful and damning +realities.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +Much testimony of this nature might be given +from those who have had similar experiences and +equally favorable facilities for judging of the character +of Spiritualism. We present only a few extracts more. +</p> + +<p> +Dr. Wm. B. Potter of New York, in an article +under the head of <q>Astounding Facts,</q> and also in +a tract entitled, <q>Spiritualism as It Is,</q> gives the +result of his experience and observations. His testimony +is the more valuable, since he writes not +from the standpoint of one who has renounced Spiritualism, +whose feelings may for the time be overwrought, +and his language stronger than would be +used in calmer moments. When he wrote, he was +still an advocate of Spiritualism, and spoke as a friend +who would, if possible, induce Spiritualists to reform +their faith and their manner of living. He says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">Fifteen years of critical study of Spiritual literature, an +extensive acquaintance with the leading Spiritualists, and a +patient, systematic, and thorough examination of the manifestations +for many years, enable us to speak from actual +knowledge, definitely and positively, of <q>Spiritualism as It +Is.</q> Spiritual literature is full of the most insidious and +seductive doctrines, calculated to undermine the very foundations +of morality and virtue, and lead to the most unbridled +licentiousness.</q> +</quote> + +<pb n='108'/><anchor id='Pg108'/> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">We are told that <q>we must have charity,</q> that it is +wrong to blame any one, that we must not expose iniquity, +as <q>it will harden the guilty,</q> that <q>none should be punished,</q> +that <q>man is a machine, and not to blame for his conduct,</q> +that <q>there is no high, no low, no good, no bad,</q> that <q>sin is a +lesser degree of righteousness,</q> that <q>nothing we can do can +injure the soul or retard its progress,</q> that <q>those who act the +worst will progress the fastest,</q> that <q>lying is right, slavery is +right, murder is right, adultery is right,</q> that <q>whatever is, +is right.</q></q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Hardly can you find a Spiritualist book, paper, lecture, +or communication that does not contain some of these pernicious +doctrines; in disguise, if not openly. Hundreds of +families have been broken up, and many affectionate wives +deserted by <q>affinity-seeking</q> husbands. Many once devoted +wives have been seduced, and left their husbands and tender, +helpless children, to follow some <q>higher attraction.</q> Many +well-disposed but simple-minded girls have been deluded +by <q>affinity</q> notions, and led off by <q>affinity hunters,</q> to be +deserted in a few months, with blasted reputations, or led +to deeds still more dark and criminal, to hide their shame.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +The same writer also mentions a fact which shows +where the responsibility of all this looseness of morals +belongs. He says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>At the National Spiritual Convention at Chicago, called +to consider the question of a national organization, the only +plan approved by the committee, especially provided that no +charge should ever be entertained against any member, and +that any person, without any regard to his or her moral character, +might become a member.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +The fact that no plan could find approval which +did not provide that they should never be blamed +nor called to account for any of their deeds, shows +on what points they felt the most anxious, and +plainly proves that they belong to the class of which +Christ spoke, who loved darkness rather than light, +<pb n='109'/><anchor id='Pg109'/> +and who would not come to the light lest their deeds +should be reproved. John 3:19-21. +</p> + +<p> +It is unpleasant to wade through pools of filth, +and we therefore spare the reader quotations from +those Spiritualists who have not only avowed the +most revolting practices of free love, but openly +advocated the same, and endeavored to induce others +to come out likewise, on the ground that they were +only honestly and publicly admitting what the others +believed and practiced in secret. For the same +reason we pass by the notorious Woodhull and +Claflin, and Hull and Jamieson episodes, in this field, +which, in the illustration and language of another, +<q>burst upon the country like a rotten egg three +thousand miles in diameter!</q> +</p> + +<p> +It may be said that these things are in the past +and the situation has now greatly changed. For the +benefit of those who thus flatter themselves we introduce +one more quotation. It is from <q>The Law of +Psychic Phenomena,</q> by T. J. Hudson (A. C. +McClurg & Co., Chicago, 1894). The language is +candid and conciliatory, and the author cannot be +accused of any undue prejudice on the question of +which he speaks. On page 335, he says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>I do not charge Spiritualists as a class with being advocates +of the doctrines of free love. On the contrary, I am +aware that, as a class, they hold the marriage relation in sacred +regard. I cannot forget, however, that but a few years +ago some of their leading advocates and mediums proclaimed +the doctrine of free love in all its hideous deformity from +every platform in the land. Nor do I fail to remember that +the better class of Spiritualists everywhere repudiated the +<pb n='110'/><anchor id='Pg110'/> +doctrine, and denounced its advocates and exemplars. Nevertheless +the moral virus took effect here and there all over the +country, and it is doing its deadly work in secret in many an +otherwise happy home. And <emph>I charge a large and constantly +growing class of professional mediums with being the leading +propagandists</emph> of the doctrine of <emph>free love</emph>. They infest every +community in the land, and it is well known to all men and +women who are dissatisfied or unhappy in their marriage +relations, that they can always find sympathy by consulting +the average medium, and can, moreover, find justification for +illicit love by invoking the spirits of the dead through such +mediums.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +We have italicized that passage in the foregoing +which shows that the deadly evil is still working in +secret, and that a large and constantly growing +number of professionals are aiding and abetting the +iniquity. +</p> + +</div> + +<div> +<index index="toc"/> +<head>Dangers Of Mediumship.</head> + +<p> +A few testimonies will show that when one gives +himself or herself up to the control of the spirits, +such ones take a most perilous position. The spirits +insist on their victims becoming passive, ceasing to +resist, and yielding their whole wills to them. Some +of their persuasive words are these: <q>Come in confidence +to us;</q> <q>Let our teachings deeply impress +you;</q> <q>You must not doubt what we say;</q> +<q>Learn of us;</q> <q>Obey our directions and you will +be benefited;</q> <q>Seek to obtain knowledge of us;</q> +<q>Have faith in us;</q> <q>Fear not to obey;</q> <q>Obey +us and you will be greatly blessed;</q> etc., etc. +Mesmerists operate in the same way. They gain +control of their subjects in the same way that the +spirits mesmerize their mediums, and when under +<pb n='111'/><anchor id='Pg111'/> +their control, the spirits cause them to see whatever +they bring before them, and hear according to their +wills, and do as they bid. And the things they suppose +they see and hear, and what they are to do, are +only such things as exist in the mind of the mesmerizing +power. The subject is completely at the mercy +of the invisible agency; and to put one's self there +is a most heaven-daring and hazardous act. Mr. +Hudson (<q>Law of Psychic Phenomena,</q> p. 336) +says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>To the young whose characters are not formed, and to +those whose notions of morality are loose, the dangers of +mediumship are <emph>appalling</emph>.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +To further gain the confidence of mortals, the +spirits claim to be the ones who answer their +prayers. In <q>Automatic Writing,</q> p. 142, we +have this:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ques.</hi>—Will our friends tell us whether from +their point of view, there is any real efficacy in prayer?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q><hi rend='italic'>Ans.</hi> [by spirits].—Shall not <q>a soul's sincere +desire</q> arouse in discarnate and free spirits effort to make that sincere +desire a reality? What good can come from aspirations +on mortal planes, save through the efforts to make those +aspirations realized on spiritual planes, by the will of freed +spirits?</q> +</quote> + +<p> +Mediums are unable to resist the powers of the +unseen world when once under their control. +Professor Brittan (<q>Telegraphic Answer to Mahan,</q> +p. 10), concerning mediumship, says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>We may further add in this connection that the trance +mediums for spirit intercourse are equally irresponsible. +Many of them are totally unable to resist the powers which +come to them from the invisible and unknown realms.</q> +</quote> + +<pb n='112'/><anchor id='Pg112'/> + +<p> +Dr. Randolph (<q>Dealings with the Dead,</q> +p. 150) shows the dangers of mediumship, as follows:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>I saw that one great cause of the moral looseness of +thousands of sensitive-nerved people on earth, resulted from +the infernal possessions and obsessions of their persons by +delegations from those realms of darkness and (to all but +themselves) unmitigated horror. A sensitive man or woman—no +matter how virtuously inclined—may, unless by constant +prayer and watchfulness they prevent it and keep the +will active and the sphere entire, be led into the most +abominable practices and habits.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +This same writer, in the same work, pp. 108, +109, says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Those ill-meaning ones who live just beyond the threshold, +often obtain their ends by subtly infusing a semi-sense +of volitional power into the minds of their intended victims, +so that at last they come to believe themselves to be self-acting, +when in fact they are the merest shuttlecocks bandied +about between the battledores of knavish devils on one side, +and devilish knaves upon the other, and between the two the +poor fallen wretches are nearly heart-reft and destroyed.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +A work by A. J. Davis called <q>The Diakka, and +their Earthly Victims,</q> mentions the nature of these +denizens of the spirit world, and their wonderful +location. The country (to speak after the manner +of men) which they inhabit, is so large that it would +require not less than 1,803,026 diameters of the +earth to span its longitudinal extent. This he had +from a spirit he calls James Victor Wilson, a +profound mathematician! This space is occupied +by spirits who have passed from earth, who are +<q>morally deficient, and affectionally unclean.</q>—<hi rend='italic'>Page</hi> +<pb n='113'/><anchor id='Pg113'/> +7. The same spirit, Wilson, describes the +diakka as those <q>who take insane delight in playing +parts, in juggling tricks, in personating opposite +characters to whom prayers and profane utterances +are of equi-value; surcharged with a passion for lyrical +narrations; one whose every attitude is instinct +with the schemes of specious reasoning, sophistry, +pride, pleasure, wit, subtle convivialities; a boundless +disbeliever, one who thinks that all private life +will end in the all-consuming self-love of God.</q>—<hi rend='italic'>Page +13.</hi> On page 13 he says further of them, that +they are <q>never resting, never satisfied with life, +often amusing themselves with jugglery and tricky +witticisms, invariably victimizing others; secretly +tormenting mediums, causing them to exaggerate in +speech, and to falsify in acts; unlocking and unbolting +the street doors of your bosom and memory; +pointing your feet into wrong paths, and far more.</q> +</p> + +<p> +What this <q>far more</q> is, we are left to conjecture. +The advertisement of this book says that +it is <q>an explanation of much that is false and +repulsive in Spiritualism.</q> W. F. Jamieson, in a +Spiritualist paper, called these diakka <q>a troop +of devils,</q> and quoted Judge Carter as saying: +<q>There is one thing clear, that these diakka, or +fantastic or mixed spirits, are very numerous and +abundant, and take any and every opportunity of +obtruding themselves.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Hudson Tuttle, author of <q>Life in Two Spheres</q> +and other Spiritualistic works, speaks of <q>a communication, +through a noted medium, to Gerald +<pb n='114'/><anchor id='Pg114'/> +Massey from his <q>dog Pip,</q> the said Pip <q>licking +the slate and writing with a good degree of intelligence.</q></q> +He adds, <q>Mr. Davis would say that +<q>Pip</q> was a <q>diakka,</q> and to-morrow he will communicate +as George Washington, Theodore Parker, +or Balaam's ass. This diakka is flesh, fish, or fowl, +as you may desire.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Some idea of how the spirits sometimes torment +the mediums, as hinted at above, may be gained +from the following instance. In <q>Astounding Facts +from the Spirit World,</q> pp. 253, 254, Dr. Gridley +describes the case of a medium sixty years of age, +living near him in Southampton, Mass. The sufferings +inflicted upon him <q>in two months at the hands +of evil spirits would fill a volume of five hundred +pages.</q> Of these sufferings, the following are +specimens:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>They forbade his eating, to the very point of starvation. +He was a perfect skeleton; they compelled him to walk day +and night, with intermissions, to be sure, as their avowed +object was to torment him as much and as long as possible. +They swore by everything sacred and profane, that they +would knock his brains out, always accompanying their +threats with blows on the forehead or temples, like that of a +mallet in the hands of a powerful man, with this difference, +however; the latter would have made him unconscious, while +in full consciousness he now endured the indescribable agony +of those heavy and oft-repeated blows; they declared they +would skin him alive; that he must go to New York and be +dissected by inches, all of which he fully believed. They +declared that they would bore holes into his brain, when he +instantly felt the action suited to the word, as though a dozen +augers were being turned at once into his very skull; this +done, they would fill his brain with bugs and worms to eat it +out, when their gnawing would instantly commence. +<pb n='115'/><anchor id='Pg115'/> +These spirits would pinch and pound him, twitch him up +and throw him down, yell and blaspheme, and use the most +obscene language that mortals can conceive; they would +declare that they were Christ in one breath, and devils in the +next; they would tie him head to foot for a long time together +in a most excruciating posture; declare they would wring +his neck off because he doubted or refused obedience.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +Who can doubt that such spirits are the angels of +the evil one himself? Dr. Gridley in the same work, +p. 19, gives the experience of another medium, for +the truthfulness of which he offers the fullest +proof:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>We have seen the medium evidently possessed by +Irishmen and Dutchmen of the lowest grade—heard him +repeat Joshua's drunken prayers [Joshua was a strong but +brutish man he had known in life], exactly like the original,—imitate +his drunkenness in word and deed—try to repeat, +or rather act over his most brutal deeds (from which for +decency's sake, he was instantly restrained by extraordinary +exertion and severe rebuke)—snap and grate his teeth most +furiously, strike and swear, while his eyes flashed like the +fires of an orthodox perdition. We have heard him hiss, and +seen him writhe his body like the serpent when crawling, +and dart out his tongue, and play it exactly like that reptile. +These exhibitions were intermingled with the most wrangling +and horrible convulsions.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +These descriptions, it would seem, ought to be +enough to strike terror to any heart at the thought +of being a medium. But there is yet another phase +of the subject that should not be passed by. These +fallen spirits who are engineering the work of Spiritualism, +to maintain their <q>assumed characters,</q> and +<q>play their parts</q> like the aforesaid diakka, represent +that disembodied spirits <q>just over the threshold,</q> +still retain the characteristics they bore in life, such +<pb n='116'/><anchor id='Pg116'/> +as a disposition to sensuality and licentiousness, love +of rum, tobacco, and other vices, and that they can, +by causing the medium to plunge excessively into +these things, thereby still gratify their own propensities +to indulge in them. The following sketch by +Hudson Tuttle, a very popular author among Spiritualists, +is somewhat lengthy, but the idea could not +better be presented than by giving it entire. In +<q>Life in Two Spheres,</q> pp. 35-37, he says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">Reader, have you ever entered the respectable saloon? +Have you ever watched the stupid stare of the inebriate when +the eye grew less and less lustrous, slowly closing, the muscles +relaxing, and the victim of appetite sinking over on the floor +in beastly drunkenness? Oh, how dense the fumes of mingled +tobacco and alcohol! Oh, what misery confined in those +walls! If you have witnessed such scenes, then we need +describe no further. If you have not, then you had not +better hear the tale of woe. Imagine to yourselves a bar-room +with all its sots, and their number multiplied indefinitely, +while conscience-seared and bloated fiends stand +behind the bar, from whence they deal out death and damnation, +and the picture is complete. <emph>One has just arrived +from earth.</emph> He is yet uninitiated in the mysteries and miseries +of those which, like hungry lions, await him. He died +while intoxicated—was frozen while lying in the gutter, and +consequently is attracted toward this society. He possessed +a good intellect, but it was shattered beyond repair by his +debauches.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><q>Ye ar' a fresh one, aint ye?</q> coarsely queried a sot, +just then particularly communicative.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><q>Why, yes, I have just died, as they call it, and 'taint +so bad a change after all; only I suppose there'll be dry times +here for the want of something stimulant.</q></q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><q>Not so dry; lots of that all the time, and jolly times too.</q></q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><q>Drink! Can you drink, then?</q></q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><q>Yes, we just can, and feel as nice as you please. But +all can't, not unless they find one on earth just like them. +<pb n='117'/><anchor id='Pg117'/> +You go to earth, and mix with your chums; and when you +find one whose thoughts you can read, he's your man. Form +a connection with him, and when he gets to feeling <emph>good</emph>, +you'll feel so too.—There, do you understand me? I always +tell all fresh ones the glorious news, for how they would suffer +if it wasn't for this blessed thing.</q></q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><q>I'll try, no mistake.</q></q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q><q>Here's a covey,</q> spoke an ulcerous-looking being; <q>he's +of our stripe. Tim, did you hear what an infernal scrape I +got into last night? No, you didn't. Well, I went to our +friend Fred's; he didn't want to drink when I found him; +his dimes looked so extremely large. Well, I <emph>destroyed that +feeling</emph>, and made him think he was dry. He drank, and +drank, more than I wanted him to, until I was so drunk that +I could not break my connection with him, or control his +mind. He undertook to go home, fell into the snow, and +came near freezing to death. I suffered awfully, ten times +as much as when I died.</q>... Reader, we draw the curtain +over scenes like these, such as are daily occurring in this +society.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +In these cases the whole evil of the indulgences +of course falls upon the mediums; and who would +wish to assume personal relation with such a world, +and be forced to bear in their own bodies the evils +of the unhallowed indulgences of unseen spirits, +against their will? +</p> + +<p> +Other scenes represented as taking place in +the spirit land, are most grotesque and silly and +would be taken as a burlesque upon Spiritualism, +were they not put forth in all gravity by the friends +and advocates of that so-called new revelation. +Thus Judge Edmunds, giving an account of what he +had seen in the spirit world, mentions the case of an +old woman busy churning, who promised him, if he +would call again, a drink of buttermilk; he speaks +<pb n='118'/><anchor id='Pg118'/> +of men fighting, of courtezans trying to continue +their lewd conduct; of a mischievous boy who split +a dog's tail open, and put a stick in it, just to witness +its misery; of the owner of the dog, who, attracted +by its cries, discovered the cause, and beat +the boy, who fled, but was pursued and beaten and +kicked far up the road. See Edmund's <q>Spiritualism,</q> +Vol. II, pp. 135-144, 181, 182, 186, 189. +Surely here are the diakka playing their pranks in +all their glory. +</p> + +</div> + +<div> +<index index="toc"/> +<head>Miscellaneous Teaching.</head> + +<p> +On the leading points of faith as held by Christians +generally, quotations have been given to show +sufficiently what the spirits teach, and the object +they are trying to effect. But the reader will be +interested to learn what they teach on some other +points which incidentally appear in their communications. +</p> + +<p> +Spiritualists object most strenuously to the idea of +unconsciousness in death, or to the Bible declaration, +<q>The dead know not anything.</q> But the spirits +themselves teach this very thing. Thus Judge Edmunds, +Vol. II, Appendix B, p. 524, quotes the +confession of a spirit that he was totally unconscious +for a time, he could not tell how long, and awoke to +consciousness gradually; and that the state of unconsciousness +differs with different persons, depending +on circumstances. A. J. Davis admits that Professor +Webster was eight days and a half unconscious.—<hi rend='italic'><q>Death +and the After Life,</q> pp. 18, 19.</hi> +</p> + +<pb n='119'/><anchor id='Pg119'/> + +<p> +Through Mrs. Conant, medium, in <hi rend='italic'>Banner of Light</hi>, +June 3, 1865, we have this information: <q>It is +said that some spirits require a thousand years to +awake to consciousness. Is this true?—Yes, this +is true.</q> In <q>Automatic Writing,</q> p. 93, the +spirits teach the same thing to-day. If others deny +such statements, it only shows that their testimony +is contradictory and therefore unreliable. +</p> + +<p> +Again, the Bible doctrine that the incorrigibly +wicked must cease from conscious existence, is denounced +by Spiritualists; but on this point the +spirits confess also:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ques.</hi>—Do I understand you to say that a +diakka is one who believes in ultimate annihilation?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ans.</hi>—Only yesterday one said to a lady +medium, signing himself <q>Swedenborg,</q> this: <q>Whatsoever is, has been, +will be, or may be, <emph>that</emph> <hi rend='smallcaps'>I am</hi>, and private +life is but the aggregative phantasms of thinking throblets rushing in their +rising onward to the central heart of eternal +death.</q></q>—<hi rend='italic'><q>Diakka</q> +p. 11.</hi> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Q.</hi>—Does every human being continue life on +higher planes?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q><hi rend='italic'>A.</hi>—Shall not all who are abortions die?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Q.</hi>—Do you mean that some born on this plane +may spiritually die from lack of force to persist?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q><hi rend='italic'>A.</hi>—Yes—both women and men are born into the +divine humanity who must necessarily perish, because they +have not sufficient soul strength to persist.</q>—<hi rend='italic'><q>Automatic +Writing,</q> pp. 101, 102.</hi> +</quote> + +<p> +There is, it seems, a purgatory in the spirit +world. In answer to a question, a spirit replied:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>There is a sphere in spirit life allotted to those who +leave the earthly plane in spiritual ignorance, which is <emph>not +pleasing</emph> to dwell upon, yet which is absolutely necessary to +spiritual soul growth.</q>—<hi rend='italic'>Id., p. 90.</hi> +</quote> + +<pb n='120'/><anchor id='Pg120'/> + +<p> +Spiritualism is claimed to settle the question of +immortality; but the spirits confess themselves +ignorant of it:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ques.</hi>—On your plane do you arrive at +certainty in regard to immortality?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q><hi rend='italic'>Ans.</hi>—We here are as <emph>ignorant as you are</emph> +as to the ultimate of existence. Immortality is still an <emph>undetermined issue</emph>. +One life at a time seems as pertinent with us as with +you.</q>—<hi rend='italic'>Id., p. 103.</hi> +</quote> + +<p> +The spirits' heaven, it seems, is not so desirable +a place that it prevents their being homesick. +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ques.</hi>—Why are you homesick?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q><hi rend='italic'>Ans.</hi>—Have not found out the real reason; things are +so different from former ideas.</q>—<hi rend='italic'>Id., p. 111.</hi> +</quote> + +<p> +Spirits are not allowed to tell too much about +their condition, as the following question and answer +show:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ques.</hi>—Can't you tell us what makes +it pleasanter,—describe so we can understand?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q><hi rend='italic'>Ans.</hi>—You'll find out as I did—<emph>'gainst +the rules here to tell</emph>.... Just be patient—it's all easy enough when you +learn how. I was puzzled, but it all seems straight enough +now.</q>—<hi rend='italic'>Id., p. 115.</hi> +</quote> + +<p> +They teach the pre-existence of souls, and the +old pagan doctrines of the reincarnation of souls, +and the final absorption of all into Nirvana. A +spirit having answered that all had been asserted in +some other form, questions and answers followed +from which we quote:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Q.</hi>—Is that statement an intimation of the +truth of reincarnation?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q><hi rend='italic'>A.</hi>—Souls of all who have preceded you are centered +in you in spite of your childish protests. Ask not of those +<pb n='121'/><anchor id='Pg121'/> +predecessors; for they yet live in you, and you in them.... +Long ago you and I went over the ground under eminent +names.... Were not we together when Socrates and +Aspasia talked?</q>—<hi rend='italic'>Id., pp. 151, 152.</hi> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Q.</hi>—Can you tell us, at least, whether +spirit, as a whole or in its individual atoms, exists eternally?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q><hi rend='italic'>A.</hi>—Yes; spirit as a whole is +eternal—exists—did exist—by force of Powers you cannot understand. +But you as individual, self-conscious, atomistic particles of spirit +wholeness, are not eternal, and must return to the Primal +Source.</q>—<hi rend='italic'>Id., p. 133.</hi> +</quote> + +</div> + +<div> +<index index="toc"/> +<head>Spirits Cannot Be Identified.</head> + +<p> +Having now sufficiently examined the teaching of +the spirits, a final question arises in regard to them, +whether it is possible to identify them, and determine +with any absolute certainty whether they are +the spirits of the particular individuals they claim to +be, or even spirits of the dead at all, or not. It +should be distinctly borne in mind, always, that evil +angels, whose existence has been proved from the +Bible, whose nature and delight is to deceive, can +walk the earth unseen, imitate and personate any individual, +and reveal their characteristics of thought, +writing, acts, form, and features, and make so perfect +a counterfeit as to defy detection. How, then, can +it be told what spirit it is, even though it shows the +face and features of some well-known friend? On +this topic, as on preceding questions, Spiritualists +themselves may produce the evidence. President +Mahan (<q>Discussion with Tiffany and Rhen,</q> p. 13) +remarks:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Certain experiments have been made, in order to determine +whether spirits are present. Individuals go in as +<pb n='122'/><anchor id='Pg122'/> +inquirers, and get definite answers—in the first place, from +<emph>departed spirits</emph> of persons <emph>yet living</emph>; in the second place, +from departed spirits of persons who <emph>never existed</emph> here or anywhere +else; in the third place, from the departed spirits of brute +beasts.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +When it is considered, as already noted, that +spirits do their work through mesmeric power, it is +easy to understand how the medium is made to believe +that such and such a spirit is communicating +when it is not so at all. This question of identity +came up in the very early stages of Spiritualism, and +is no nearer settled, on their own confession, now +than then. A Mr. Hobart, in 1856, who claimed to +be the first Spiritualist in Michigan, made the following +admission:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>The spirit sometimes <emph>assumes</emph> the name of an individual +belonging to the same church, to induce them to hear. This +is necessary with some who are so bigoted they would not +believe unless a name was assumed which they respected.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +An article in the <hi rend='italic'>Spiritual Telegraph</hi>, of July 11, +1857, begins as follows:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>The question is continually being asked, especially by +novitiates in spiritual investigations, How shall we know +that the spirits who communicate with us are really the ones +whom they purport to be?... In giving the results of our +own experience and observation upon this subject, we would +premise that spirits unquestionably can, and often do, personate +other spirits, and that, too, often with such perfection +as, for the time being, to defy every effort to detect +the deception.... If direct tests are demanded at all, we +would recommend that they be asked for the purpose of +proving that the manifesting influence is that of <emph>a spirit</emph>, +rather than to prove what <emph>particular</emph> spirit is the agent of its +production.</q> +</quote> + +<pb n='123'/><anchor id='Pg123'/> + +<p> +This is an entire begging of the whole matter in +question; for it is not denied that it is <emph>a</emph> spirit; we +want to know what <emph>particular</emph> spirit it is; but for +that we must not ask; for it cannot be ascertained. +The same article states that other and lower spirits +often crowd in and take the place of the spirit communicating, +without the knowledge of the medium. +We might also quote <q>Spiritualism as It Is,</q> p. 14, +that <q>not one per cent. of the manifestations have +had a higher origin than the first and second spheres, +which are filled with low, ignorant, deceptive, mischievous, +selfish, egotistical spirits;</q> and <q>Dealings +with the Dead,</q> p. 225, that <q>the fact is, good +spirits do not appear one tenth as often as imagined.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Jan. 7, 1888, the following appeared in the <hi rend='italic'>Banner +of Light</hi>:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ques.</hi>—What is the cause of our receiving +inconsistent and untruthful communications? Does the blame, if any +there is, rest with us or the controlling intelligence?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q><hi rend='italic'>Ans.</hi>—There are spirits who delight in imposing upon +mortals; they realize their power outside of material things, +and that those who seek knowledge from them <emph>cannot see nor +get hold of them</emph>; therefore to an extent they exercise a certain +power over those mortals who approach; and if the mortals +are themselves tricky by nature, insincere, ready to take advantage +of others, whether it be at the time of sitting or in +their daily life, rest assured they may be imposed upon by +spirits from the other side who occupy a like plane of existence +with themselves.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +Mediums themselves will not trust the spirits, +according to statements made as late as 1896. +Mrs. S. A. Underwood, medium, in <q>Automatic +Writing,</q> p. 55, says:— +</p> + +<pb n='124'/><anchor id='Pg124'/> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>With all my experience in it, I would not to-day venture +upon any change, business venture, friendship, or line of conduct, +advised from this source, unless my own common material +sense endorsed it. Indeed, I would not take as fact any +of its even reasonable advice without question, because it is +not reliable as a guide in earthly affairs.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +Spirit communication, then, certainly does not +amount to much as a heavenly instructor, a celestial +guide to enlighten the ignorance of men. Whatever +we know ourselves, we may rely upon; all else is +uncertain. Again, on p. 56, she says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Then the assumption of great names by apparently +common-place minds is a very strange thing. I was horrified +and annoyed when this occurred under my own hand, because +that is one of the things which disgusted me with spiritual +messages before this writing came to me, as I had occasionally +glanced over such messages. When I protested against +such assumption, I was told that <q>Elaine and Guinevere</q> +were not real beings, but types. So somewhere in our sphere +are spirits who embody cleverness in creations of their own +fancy, and adopt names suited to that fancy.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +Thus the spirits themselves confess that the names +they often assume are not those of real beings, but +typical and fanciful. Nothing more, it would seem, +is necessary to complete the condemnation of Spiritualism, +so far as its own nature is concerned. When +in addition to all else, it appears that the spirits cannot +be identified; that the whole underlying claim +that the spirits are the spirits of the dead, must itself +be assumed; and that, too, in the face of the numberless +known falsehoods and deceptions that are constantly +issuing from the unseen realm,—there is +nothing left for it to stand upon. +</p> + +</div> + +</div> + +<pb n='125'/><anchor id='Pg125'/> + +<div rend="page-break-before: always"> +<index index="toc" level1="Chapter Six. Its Promises: How Fulfilled."/> +<index index="pdf" level1="Chapter Six."/> +<head type="sub">Chapter Six.</head> +<head>Its Promises: How Fulfilled.</head> + +<p> +It is fair to call Spiritualism to account as to the +fulfilment of the promises involved in its challenge +to the world when it stepped upon the stage of +action. No movement ever opened with more magnificent +promises. It posed before the world as an +angel of heavenly light. It claimed to be the second +coming of Christ. It claimed to have been sent to +regenerate mankind, and renovate the world. We +give herewith a few of its spirit-inspired pretensions. +Its <q>Declaration of Principles,</q> Article 20, says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>The hearty and intelligent convictions of these truths +[the teachings of spirits] tend to energize the soul in all that +is good and elevating, and to restrain from all that is evil and +impure, ... to quicken all philanthropic impulses, stimulating +to enlightened and unselfish labors for universal good.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +In behalf of the cause of woman it says:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Spiritualism has done more for the advancement of true +womanhood than the Church or any of its accessories.</q>—<hi rend='italic'>Dr. +Watson, in Banner of Light, April 16, 1887.</hi> +</quote> + +<p> +Miss A. L. Lull, in the <hi rend='italic'>Religio-Philosophical +Journal</hi> of Jan. 23, 1886, said:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Spiritualism is the saviour of humanity, because it +is reaching out toward the criminal, and in its effort to lift +<pb n='126'/><anchor id='Pg126'/> +humanity to a higher plane, it is laying the foundation for +future generations.... Spiritualism comes to cleanse out +the dregs and wretchedness of humanity.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +Mrs. Cora L. V. Richmond, in a mediumistic discourse +reported in the <hi rend='italic'>Banner of Light</hi>, April 3, +1886, said:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>The Great Reformer of the world is Spiritualism.... +When modern Spiritualism made its appearance, it said in +so many words, I come to reform the world.... Spiritualism +came to put the ax at the root of the tree of human +evil, it came to decide upon the most important and vital +thing connected with existence; <hi rend='italic'>i. e.</hi>, Is man only an evanescent, +material, earthly being, or is he immortal?... Spiritualism +came to reform death, to resolve it into life; came to +reform fear, to resolve it into trust and knowledge; came to +reform the darkness which rests upon humanity concerning +the nature of man's existence.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +In the same paper, April 6, 1887, was given the +following prediction of the future of Spiritualism:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Modern Spiritualism will grow, and deepen, and broaden, +and strengthen, until all false creeds and dogmas shall be +swept from the earth—when faith shall be buried in knowledge, +when war shall be known no more, when universal +brotherhood shall prevail to bless mankind.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +In <q>Nineteenth Century Miracles,</q> p. 79, M. +Jaubert speaks as follows:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Affirm to your people that man never dies, that his +immortality is proved, not by books but by material and +tangible facts, of which every one can convince himself; that +anon our houses of correction, and our prisons, will disappear; +suicide will be erased from our mortuary tables; and nobly +borne, the calamities of earth shall no longer produce madness.</q> +</quote> + +<pb n='127'/><anchor id='Pg127'/> + +<p> +Mrs. R. S. Lillie, in a speech at the Thirty-eighth +Anniversary services in Horticultural Hall, Boston, +Mass., and reported in the <hi rend='italic'>Banner of Light</hi>, of +April, 1886, said:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Christianity never had a Pentecost to be compared with +modern Spiritualism. The latter is as far in advance of the +former, as the electric light is in advance of the tallow dip of +the past; for it is nineteen centuries ahead of it.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +These are most astounding claims; and if there +is any truth in them, Spiritualism ought to have +shown itself as a great uplifting moral power, provided +it has been able to get any foothold among the +people. We therefore inquire what its success has +been. On this point Professor Keck, at the Thirty-ninth +Anniversary of Modern Spiritualism, at +Bridgeport, Conn. (<hi rend='italic'>Banner of Light</hi>, April 9, +1887), said:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>It [Spiritualism] has made converts of more scientific +men and profound thinkers than any other sect in the world. +In thirty-nine years it has grown to ten or fifteen millions of +believers, with thousands of mediums, a literature printed in +every known language, and converts in every quarter of the +globe.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +With all these facilities and all this success, it +surely has been able to make good its claims, and +fulfil its promises, if its nature is such as it assumes, +and its promises are good for anything; and its +course should be marked by a great decrease of +crime, by the promotion of virtue and a general +improvement in the moral tone of society, wherever +it has gone. For nearly fifty years it has now been +operating in the world; and with all its glowing +<pb n='128'/><anchor id='Pg128'/> +professions of what it was able to do, and its millions +of converts, <q>energized to all that is good and elevating,</q> +its impress for good should everywhere be seen. +</p> + +<p> +But what are the facts?—Just the reverse of +what has been promised. Free love, which is free +lust, has followed in its wake; homes have been +ruined, families scattered, characters blighted; while +insanity and suicide have been the fate, or the last +resort, of too many of its victims. And outside of +its own ranks, in the world at large, the fifty years +since the advent of Spiritualism have been years of +increase of crime and every evil in a fast growing +ratio. Liquor drinking, tobacco using, gambling, +prostitution, defalcations, robberies, bribery, municipal +corruption, divorces, thefts, insanity, suicide, +and murder, have increased in far more rapid ratio +than the population itself. +</p> + +<p> +The reader will remember the testimony of Dr. +Randolph, p. 105, that five of his friends destroyed +themselves, and he attempted it for himself, by direct +spirit influences. The Philadelphia <hi rend='italic'>Record</hi>, of Feb. +17, 1894, speaks of the suicide of May Brooklyn in +San Francisco, Cal.:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>The letters and papers left by the dead woman show +plainly that in her grief over the death of Lovecraft she had +dabbled in Spiritualism, and had finally reached the conclusion +that her only chance of happiness lay in joining her +lover in the other world.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +A few figures, as samples, will be given just to +emphasize the general statements. The following is +from the Chicago <hi rend='italic'>Tribune</hi> of Jan. 1, 1893:— +</p> + +<pb n='129'/><anchor id='Pg129'/> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>The number of persons who have committed suicide in +the United States during the year (1892), as gathered from +telegraph and mail report to the <hi rend='italic'>Tribune</hi>, is 3860, as compared +with 3331 last year (1891), 2640 in 1890, and 2224 in +1889. The total is much larger than that of any of the +eleven preceding years.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +The <hi rend='italic'>Christian Reformer</hi> gives the following +figures of murders, suicides, and embezzlements +from 1891-1893:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">Murders in 1893, 6615; increase over 1891 of 709.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre">Suicides in 1893, 4436; increase over 1892, 576; 1891, 1105.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Funds embezzled in 1893, $19,929,692; increase of 100 +per cent. over 1892.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +It may be asked, What has this to do with Spiritualism?—It +is a test of the value of its promises. +Spiritualism has been posing for fifty years as the +<q>world's reformer,</q> the great energizing, uplifting +force to elevate mankind, the mighty power +which has come to empty our workhouses and +prisons, abolish suicides and all crime, the <q>electric +light</q> compared with the <q>tallow dip</q> of the +gospel. And yet with all these claims, with its +millions of adherents, and the funds and influence at +its command, it is allowing, year by year, crime to +increase much faster than the population. Now if +Spiritualism was the purifying, renovating power +which it claims to be, such results could not have +been seen. It is very evident, that, as a power in +the world in behalf of righteousness and humanity, +it has been of no account; and as between the forces +of good and evil, its weight has been on the side of +evil instead of good. It is thus that the author of +<pb n='130'/><anchor id='Pg130'/> +Spiritualism, the father of deception, fulfils the +promises made through that channel to deceive +mankind. What organized, aggressive efforts against +evil has Spiritualism ever shown? Where are its +schools and colleges? Where are its hospitals and +benevolent institutions? Where are its organized +charities? and what are its millions of members +doing to relieve suffering and distress, and turn men +to better ways of living? The very aspect it presents +to the world to-day, stamps the brand of Cain +upon its brow. The Boston <hi rend='italic'>Herald</hi> of Dec. 17, +1874, said:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Let Spiritualism produce some idea, utter some word, +or perform some deed, which will have novelty, and yet be of +manifest value to the human race, and it will make good its +claims to our serious consideration. But it has not done this. +For nearly thirty years it has been before the world in its +present shape, and in all that time, with all its asserted command +of earthly and superterrestrial knowledge, it has never +done an act, or breathed a syllable, or supplied an idea which +had any value as a contribution to the welfare of the race, or +to its stock of knowledge. Its messages from learned men +who are dead, have been the silliest bosh; its stories about +life upon the planets are wretched guesses, many of which +can be proved false by the astronomer; its visions have +frightened scores of people into madhouses, and made semi-lunatics +of hundreds of others.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +If this charge was good as late as 1874, it is +equally so at the present time. And thus are we +forced to the conclusion that Spiritualism, judged by +the light of its fair promises, is one of the most +lamentable of delusions, and most stupendous of +failures. +</p> + +</div> + +<pb n='131'/><anchor id='Pg131'/> + +<div rend="page-break-before: always"> +<index index="toc" level1="Chapter Seven. Spiritualism A Subject Of Prophecy."/> +<index index="pdf" level1="Chapter Seven."/> +<head type="sub">Chapter Seven.</head> +<head>Spiritualism A Subject Of Prophecy.</head> + +<p> +We come now to one of the most timely and +important features of this whole subject; for +God in his word has foretold and forewarned the +world of the movement here passing under review. +He has made known the time when it should appear, +the character it would bear, and the work it is to do. +He has also connected this with the great event of +all-overshadowing importance to this world, of which +it is a startling sign and sure precursor; namely, +the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We +ask the special attention of the reader to this part of +the subject. +</p> + +<p> +A word of digression may be allowed as to the +place which prophecy holds in the word of God. +Prophecy is that feature of the sacred volume which +constitutes it a lamp to our feet and a light to our +path. Ps. 119:105; 2 Peter 1:19. It is that +which enables that word to be a guide to the hosts +of Israel through the weary journey and the gloomy +shades of time, giving to every era its <q>present +truth,</q> and showing the progress of the slow-revolving +ages toward the great consummation. It +<pb n='132'/><anchor id='Pg132'/> +is the golden credential which the Bible holds up to +the world of its genuineness and authenticity. +</p> + +<p> +Prophecy is peculiar to the Christian Scriptures. +No other so-called sacred books contain this feature. +It is not found in the Vedas, Shasters, or Puranas of +the Hindus, nor the Zend Avestas of the Parsees, +nor the Kojiki Nohonki, of the Shintos of Japan, +nor the law books of Manu, nor the Koran of the +Mohammedans, nor the Kan-Ying-Peen or Tao-Te-King +of the Chinese, nor the Tripitakas of the +Buddhists. The reason is obvious. Neither the +minds of men nor of angels, either good or bad, can +read the future. Divine omniscience alone can see +the end from the beginning and foretell the great +events that shall mark the history of the world, and +affect the interests of the church. It is this that +stamps the Bible as divine, and lifts it immeasurably +above all other books. It is indeed passing strange +that all cannot see this. Instead of being a book +that grows obsolete and out of date with the passing +years, like the productions of men, it is the only +book ever seen upon the earth which is ever abreast +of the times in every age, and lifts the veil of the +future before him who honestly and reverently seeks +its pages for a knowledge of the truth. Those +who ignore or despise the prophecies, rob the Bible +of one of the brightest stars in its crown of +glory. +</p> + +<p> +To be entitled to claim credit as divine, any +book or system should be able to show that it can +correctly foretell the future. The spirits see this, +<pb n='133'/><anchor id='Pg133'/> +and, knowing that they cannot do it, discountenance +and discourage all such efforts. Here is a little of +their teaching on the subject:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ques.</hi>—Why are so many predictions made through +mediums, which prove false?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Ans.</hi>—Wonderful <emph>guesses</emph> +are sometimes made by daring spirits.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Q.</hi>—Can you tell us anything of the future?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>A.</hi>—Pharos says you must not ask questions +of the future—spirits who <emph>prophesy</emph> are <emph>not +good</emph> spirits.</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q rend="pre"><hi rend='italic'>Q.</hi>—Do you mean that it is not best for us to +know the future?</q> +</quote> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q><hi rend='italic'>A.</hi>—Souls on your plane are undergoing discipline, and +it would cost more than it is worth to foretell the future of +your state.</q>—<hi rend='italic'><q>Automatic Writing,</q> pp. 141, 142.</hi> +</quote> + +<p> +Spiritualists rail at God for prohibiting from Adam +and Eve, in the garden, the tree of the knowledge +of good and evil, to keep them in ignorance. What +will they say to these spirits who coolly answer that +<q>it would cost more than it is worth</q> to give them +any knowledge of future events? This, perhaps, +they will consider all right because it isn't God who +says it. +</p> + +<p> +1. Let us then see what God has said of the time +and work and significance of Spiritualism. Over +seven hundred years before Christ, the prophet +Isaiah wrote of our time, as follows: <q>And when +they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have +familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep and that +mutter, should not a people seek unto their God? +for the living to the dead? To the law and to the +testimony; if they speak not according to this word, +it is because there is no light in them.</q> +</p> + +<pb n='134'/><anchor id='Pg134'/> + +<p> +Here is certainly a prophecy that a time would +come when just such a work as Spiritualism is now doing +would be a distinguishing feature of the age. The +present must be the time referred to, because it has +never been so in any past age; and the present meets +the specifications in every particular. It shows that +the only safety for any one now is to seek unto his +God, and make the law and the testimony, the word +of God, the great standard by which to try all spirits. +1 John 4:1. And another great event is directly +connected with this, that is, the second coming of +Christ; for according to verses 16-18, the disciples +are then looking for him. +</p> + +<p> +2. Matt. 24:24: <q>For there shall arise false +Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great +signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, +they shall deceive the very elect.</q> +</p> + +<p> +A deception of no ordinary power is here brought +to view. It really results in the division of Christendom; +for all but the elect are carried away by it. +In its own claims, Spiritualism fulfils the <q>Christs</q> +and <q>prophets</q> part of the declaration, claiming of +course to be true, while the Bible says it is <q>false.</q> +The signs and wonders are beginning to be seen +in the many <q>inexplicable</q> phenomena attending +Spiritualism. But many more startling exhibitions, +as will be presently shown, are yet to appear. We +charge upon Spiritualism, so far, the fulfilment of +this prophecy. But mark! this occurs when the +Son of man is about to appear <q>as the lightning +cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the +<pb n='135'/><anchor id='Pg135'/> +west</q> (verse 27); and it is one of the prominent +signs of that event. See the prophecy from verse +23 to verse 35. Mark and Luke also dwell upon the +same prediction, as gathered from the lips of our +Lord himself. +</p> + +<p> +3. Heb. 10:28, 29: <q>He that despised Moses' +law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. +Of how much sorer punishment, suppose +ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden +under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the +blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, +an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the +Spirit of grace?</q> +</p> + +<p> +It is the bold stand which Spiritualism has taken +against Christ and the atonement, that makes this +scripture applicable to that work. The apostle is +speaking of the times when the great <q>day is approaching</q> +(verse 25); when it is but a little while, +and he that shall come, will come and will not tarry +(verse 37), and the introduction of verse 29, in such +a connection, becomes a prophecy that such an outbreak +against Christ and his atoning work would be +seen when he is about to come again. And the fulfilment +we are now beholding in Spiritualism. +</p> + +<p> +4. Rev. 12:12: <q>Woe to the inhabiters of the +earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down +unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth +that he hath but a short time.</q> +</p> + +<p> +This scripture locates itself. It is when Satan +knows that he has but a little time to work, and +hence it must be in the last days. At this time he +<pb n='136'/><anchor id='Pg136'/> +descends upon the world in an avalanche of wrath. +<q>Wrath</q> is a misleading term. The words θυμόν μέγαν +signify the strongest and most intense emotion of the +mind. If the object is to accomplish some particular +end, they would indicate the most intense, concentrated, +energetic, and persistent efforts to that purpose, +using every means, and bringing to bear every +influence to reach the result in question. Satan, as +we have seen, has an object in deceiving the human +family, as far as possible, to their destruction, by +signs and wonders. In this work, according to the +prophecy before us, he will go to the extent of his +power, and show his most potent signs. Bringing +the supposed forms and features of the dead before +living witnesses, is his most successful method at the +present time. But as this work is, as yet, done +largely in the dark, it gives more room for jugglery +and imposition. The time will come, however, when, +in open light, counterfeit materializations of the dead +will swarm on earth, and deceive, if it were possible, +the very elect—<hi rend='italic'>i.e.</hi>, all who cannot meet the +deception with the potent weapon—<q>It is written, +The dead know not anything, neither have they any +more a portion forever [in the present state of things] +in anything that is done under the sun.</q> +</p> + +<p> +5. Rev. 13:13, 14: <q>And he doeth great wonders, +so that he maketh fire come down from heaven +on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth +them that dwell on the earth by the means of those +miracles which he had power to do.</q> +</p> + +<p> +This prophecy relates to some earthly government +represented by a symbol with two horns like a lamb. +<pb n='137'/><anchor id='Pg137'/> +Verse 11. It is part of a prophecy beginning with +chapter twelve, and ending with verse 5 of chapter +fourteen. It is not the place here to introduce an +exposition of this prophecy. It is only necessary to +state that the position taken is that the lamblike +symbol represents our own government, the United +States of America.<note place='foot'>For a full argument on this point, +fortified by testimony, the application of which is beyond question, +see works treating on the United States as a subject of prophecy, +for sale by the International Tract Society, Battle Creek, Mich.</note> +And the great wonders that he +does, apply to the marvelous manifestations of Spiritualism. +It is a significant fact that Spiritualism +arose in this country, thus fitting itself exactly to the +prophecy. The climax of the wonders brought to +view in the text, making <q>fire come down from +heaven on the earth in the sight of men,</q> has not +yet been reached. More is therefore to be developed. +Yea, this wonder-working power is to go forward +till that which, in the time of Elijah, was +the test between the false god Baal and the Lord +Jehovah, is brought to pass, and fire is made to come +down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. +And the sad feature of this case will be that the multitudes, +not perceiving the change of issue, will take +the act down here to be a test of truth, as it was in +the days of Elijah. +</p> + +<p> +Taken in connection with other portions of the +book of Revelation, this prophecy reveals clearly +what the agency that works the miracles is. The +dragon, representing paganism (Rev. 12:3, 4); the +beast, representing the papacy (Rev. 13:1-10); and +the lamblike symbol, representing Protestantism, +<pb n='138'/><anchor id='Pg138'/> +or more specifically, Protestant America (Rev. +13:11-17), constitute the symbols of this prophecy. +For convenience, let us designate them as <hi rend='italic'>A</hi>, +<hi rend='italic'>B</hi>, and <hi rend='italic'>C</hi>; +respectively. <hi rend='italic'>C</hi> works his miracles in sight of +<hi rend='italic'>B</hi>; <hi rend='italic'>B</hi> and <hi rend='italic'>C</hi> +are again brought to view in Rev. 19:20, and there <hi rend='italic'>C</hi> is +called <q>the false prophet.</q> We know +the false prophet here is the same as <hi rend='italic'>C</hi>, because he +works miracles before <hi rend='italic'>B</hi>, the same as <hi rend='italic'>C</hi> +does in chapter 13:14. All together, <hi rend='italic'>A</hi>, +<hi rend='italic'>B</hi>, and <hi rend='italic'>C</hi> are brought to view +in Rev. 16:13, and unclean spirits like frogs are +said to come out of their mouths; and then verse 14 +tells what they are: <q>For they are spirits of devils, +working miracles.</q> This, then, not the spirits of +dead men, is the agency that works the miracles of +chapter 13:13, 14. We follow the subject so far, +at this point, merely to identify the agency that +works the miracles, and shall have more to say upon +it. But before passing, we would remind the reader +that here also the subject is connected with the second +coming of Christ; for the prophecy of Revelation +13 ends with the redemption of the church +which immediately follows. Rev. 14:1-5. +</p> + +<p> +6. 2 Thess. 2:9-12: <q>Even him, whose coming +is after the working of Satan, with all power and +signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness +of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they +received not the love of the truth, that they might +be saved. And for this cause God shall send them +strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that +they all might be damned who believed not the truth, +but had pleasure in unrighteousness.</q> +</p> + +<pb n='139'/><anchor id='Pg139'/> + +<p> +Here, again, we have the great fact brought out +with still more startling emphasis, that there is to be +a great outbreaking of Satanic power among men, +just before and up to, the coming of Christ. And +if we already see the preliminary and even far-advanced +working of this power in Spiritualism, the +world should stand aghast at the perils of the times +in which we live. The coming of Christ is brought +to view in verse 8, and verse 9 states that at that +time Satan will be working with all power. The +common version is calculated to obscure this passage. +The words <q>even him</q> (verse 9) are wrongly and +unnecessarily supplied. Literally rendered, the last +clause of verse 8, and the first of verse 9 would read +as follows: <q>Whom the Lord ... shall destroy +with the brightness of his [Christ's] coming; of +whom [Christ] the coming is, after [or at the time +of] the working of Satan,</q> etc. The word <q>after</q> +is from, the Greek κατα (<hi rend='italic'>kata</hi>), which when referring +to time, as in this case, does not mean <q>after or +according to,</q> but <q>within the range of, during, in +the course of, at, about,</q> as in 2 Tim. 4:1, where +it is rendered <q>at.</q> +</p> + +<p> +So here is a plain declaration that at the very +time when Christ comes Satan will be working in +the hight of his power, by signs and lying wonders +(wonders to prove a lie) to keep the people under falsehood +and deception. Verses 10-12 tell who his victims +are, and why they become such: they are those +who preferred the pleasures of sin to the practice of +righteousness, and so would not receive the truth, +<pb n='140'/><anchor id='Pg140'/> +nor the love of it. In all such cases God's throne is +clear. He always, as in this case, sets truth first +before the people, gives them a chance, and calls +upon them to embrace it, and be saved. But when +men, as free moral agents, whom God will not force +into his kingdom, refuse to receive the truth, shut +their eyes, close their ears, and steel their hearts +against it, and find their pleasure in unrighteousness, +in going in just the opposite direction;—what can +God do for them? We leave the skeptic himself to +answer. For more years than Spiritualism, in its +present phase, has been before the world, several +religious bodies have made a specialty of the great +Bible truth concerning the state of the dead, and +life only in Christ, which effectually shields all those +who receive it against the rapping delusion. +</p> + +<p> +7. Rev. 18:2: <q>And he cried mightily with a +strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is +fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and +the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every +unclean and hateful bird.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Among the many predictions given in the word +of God touching the last days, is one which foretokens +a wide-spread and lamentable declension in +the religious world. The phrase which embodies it, +is the one just quoted, <q>Babylon is fallen.</q> The +term <q>Babylon</q> is not intended nor used as a term +of reproach, but rather as a descriptive word setting +forth the very undesirable condition of <q>mixture</q> +and <q>confusion</q> in the religious world. It is certainly +not the Lord's will, who prayed that all his +<pb n='141'/><anchor id='Pg141'/> +people should be one, that scores or hundreds of +divisions and sects should exist within his church. +That is owing, exclaims the Catholic, to the Protestant +rule of private judgment. It is not. It is +owing to that Pandora's box of mystical interpretation +placed in the church by old Origen, that prince +of mischief-makers. By this method, which has +no method and no standard, the interpretations of +God's word will ever be as various and numerous +as the whims and fancies that may find a place in +the minds of men. +</p> + +<p> +But all this confusion must be remedied in that +church which will be ready for the second advent; +for no people will be prepared for translation but +such as worship the Lord in both <emph>spirit</emph> and <emph>truth</emph>. +To bring the church to this point, a call has been +sent to Christendom in the special truths for this +time. Most turn away, but some are taking the +stand to which these circumstances summon them. +The process is simple. It is but to read and obey +God's word in the light of what is called the literal +rule of interpretation. No other rule would ever +have been thought of, if the Devil had let the +minds of men alone. By this rule the true Sabbath +would always have been maintained a perfect safeguard +against idolatry in the earth; the law would +have held its place as a perfect, immutable, and +eternal rule of conduct, a safeguard against the +antinomianism of all ages and the Spiritualism of +to-day; the view that the dead remain unconscious in +the grave till the resurrection, would always have +<pb n='142'/><anchor id='Pg142'/> +been held, and then there could have been no purgatory, +no masses for the dead, no Mariolatry, no +saint worship—in short, no Roman Catholicism, and +no Universalism, nor Spiritualism; the true nature of +the coming and kingdom of Christ would not have +been lost sight of, and the peace and safety fable of +a temporal millennium never could have existed. +</p> + +<p> +To say nothing of other errors that would be corrected, +suppose all Christendom stood together on +these four simple truths, how much division could +there have been in the Christian world? A second +denomination could not have existed. And what +would have been the condition of things?—As +different from the present condition as one can well +imagine—no paganism, no Roman Catholicism, no +Protestantism, no multiplied sects, no Spiritualism,—but +Christianity, broad, united, free, and glorious. +Some are taking their stand on these truths, and +so will be shielded from the delusions of these last +days, for which the way, by ages of superstition and +error, has been so artfully prepared. Every one +must stand upon them who is governed by the literal +rule of interpretation; for they are read in so many +words out of the sacred volume itself. But the +churches generally reject them, often with bitterness, +scorn, and contempt, and some even with persecution. +And this is why Babylon has fallen. +</p> + +<p> +That organization, called in Rev. 17:5: <q>Mystery, +Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and +Abominations of the Earth,</q> has been very generally +applied by Protestants to the Roman Catholic +<pb n='143'/><anchor id='Pg143'/> +Church; but if that church is the mother, who are +the daughters? This question has been asked for +many years. Alexander Campbell said:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>The worshiping establishments now in operation +throughout Christendom, incased and cemented by their +voluminous confessions of faith, and their ecclesiastical constitutions, +are not churches of Jesus Christ, but the legitimate +daughters of that mother of harlots—the Church of +Rome.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +Lorenzo Dow said:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>We read not only of Babylon, but of the whore of +Babylon, styled the mother of harlots, which is supposed to +mean the Romish church. If she be a mother, who are her +daughters? It must be the corrupt national established +churches that came out of her.</q> +</quote> + +<p> +The great sin charged against Babylon, is unlawful +connection with the kings of the earth. The +church should be entirely free from the state. But +now the churches of America, which have for long +years borne so noble a part, are clamoring for a +union with the state, calling for a recognition of +God's name in the Constitution, and God's law in +the courts, and that the government be run on +Christian lines. Old, antiquated laws which they +find upon the statute books of various States, they +are beginning to use to persecute those who differ in +belief with them; and they seek for the enactment +of more stringent Sunday laws for the same purpose. +And when they shall succeed in getting full control +of the state, they will have severed the last link +that has held them to their high estate, show +themselves true members of the Babylonian family, +<pb n='144'/><anchor id='Pg144'/> +and sink in spirit and practice to the level of the +elder Rome. +</p> + +<p> +Rev. 14:8 was fulfilled in 1844.<note place='foot'>See +works on the three messages of Revelation 14, for sale by +the International Tract Society, Battle Creek, Mich.</note> Since then +the churches have been going down in spirituality +and godliness, catering more and more to the world, +indulging in carnal amusements, festivals, wife auctions, +and kissing bees, to the very border line of +decency, but especially filling up with the influences +mentioned in Rev. 18:2, till the leaven of Spiritualism +is fast penetrating the whole mass. Yet there +are a multitude of God's people connected with these +churches, who deplore the situation, and for whom +a crisis is approaching. The cry is again to be +raised, <q>Babylon is fallen, come out of her my +people.</q> We verily believe the time has come +when that call should be made and heeded; for a +little further progress in the evil path upon which +we have entered, will surely provoke the just judgments +of heaven. Verses 4, 5. +</p> + +<p> +8. 2 Tim. 3:8: <q>Now as Jannes and Jambres +withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: +men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the +faith.</q> +</p> + +<p> +The first five verses of this chapter portray a dark +list of eighteen sins which will characterize professed +Christians in the last days; for those who bear the +characters described, have a <emph>form of godliness</emph>, but +deny the power thereof. The three following verses +plainly describe certain members of the spiritualistic +<pb n='145'/><anchor id='Pg145'/> +fraternity; and they are said to be of the same sort. +This prophecy therefore becomes parallel to that +which has just been examined. The fall of Babylon +prepares the popular churches for Spiritualism. Here +the practice of these sins in the churches, makes +them of the same sort with Spiritualists, so that they +fraternize well together. Jannes and Jambres withstood +Moses by the wonders they were able to +perform; so these will resist the truth through the +wonders of Spiritualism. And this is in the last +days where we now are. So Babylon's fall just +precedes the coming of Christ. +</p> + +<p> +9. Rev. 16:14: <q>For they are the spirits of +devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the +kings of the earth and of the whole world, to +gather them to the battle of that great day of +God Almighty.</q> +</p> + +<p> +The work of the spirits reaches its climax in the +scene here brought to view. Their last mission is +to go to the kings of the earth to gather them to +the battle of that great day of God Almighty. In +this conflict, so far as this earth is concerned, the +great controversy between Christ and Satan closes +in the triumph of Him who rides forth on a white +horse at the head of the white-horsed armies of +heaven. The beast and false prophet are hurled +into a lake of fire, and the remnant, the kings of +the earth and their armies, are slain by the sword +of him upon whose vesture is inscribed the all-conquering +title, <q>King of kings and Lord of +lords.</q> Rev. 19:11-21. +</p> + +<pb n='146'/><anchor id='Pg146'/> + +<p> +But before these spirits can thus influence the +kings of the earth, they must make their way to +them and bring them under their control. They +have already shown great facility in this work, giving +promise of what they will be able to do in the +near future. A work by Hudson Tuttle, <q>What Is +Spiritualism?</q> p. 6, names the following among the +late and living crowned heads, nobility, etc., who +have been supporters of Spiritualism:— +</p> + +<quote rend="display"> +<q>Emperor Alexander, of Russia; Louis Napoleon, of +France; Queen Victoria, of England; Prince and Princess +Metternich; Prince Wittgenstein, Lieutenant Aide-de-camp +to the emperor of Russia; Hon. Alexander Axahof, Russian +Imperial Councilor, St. Petersburg, Russia; Baron Guldenstuble, +of Paris; Baron Von Schick, of Austria; Baron Von +Dirkinck, of Holmfield, Holstein; Le Comte de Bullet, of +Paris; Duke of Leuchtenberg, of Germany. Of England +there are Lord Lyndhurst, Lord Lindsay, Lord Adare, Lord +Dunraven, Sir W. Trevilyan, Countess Carthness, Sir T. Willshire, +Lady Cowper, Sir Charles Napier, Sir Charles Isham, +Bart., Colonel E. B. Wilbraham, of the English army,</q> etc. +</quote> + +<p> +The late Alexander III, of Russia, and the queen +of Spain are also reckoned among the number. +Thus, so far as the agency of the spirits is concerned, +there is nothing in the way of the speedy +fulfilment of Rev. 16:14. +</p> + +</div> + +<div> +<index index="toc"/> +<index index="pdf"/> +<head>Conclusion.</head> + +<p> +The reader now has before him, in brief, the main +outlines of this momentous subject. +</p> + +<p> +1. Spiritualism, so far as its phenomena are concerned, +is not humbug and trickery, but a real manifestation +of power and intelligence. +</p> + +<pb n='147'/><anchor id='Pg147'/> + +<p> +2. But the marvels and wonders are not performed +by the spirits of the dead. +</p> + +<p> +3. Evil spirits step in and counterfeit what are +supposed to be the spirits of the dead, in which +men have been taught to believe, simulating points +of identity to any minute particular that may be +required. +</p> + +<p> +4. Besides starting on this false assumption, all +their teaching shows that they are agents of evil, +not of good, and their work is to degrade, not +elevate. +</p> + +<p> +5. The world by long resistance of the truth, has +prepared the way for this deception, which the spirit +that worketh in the children of disobedience is not +slow to improve. +</p> + +<p> +6. Even the churches of Christ, by rejection of +the truth, are preparing themselves for the same +snare. +</p> + +<p> +7. The Scriptures have plainly pointed out this +great outbreak of the working of Satan, and invariably +connected it with the last days and the second +coming of Christ. +</p> + +<p> +8. Spiritualism is thus a subject of prophecy, +and an infallible sign and precursor of the soon-coming +end. +</p> + +<p> +9. The great day of the Lord is near and hasteth +greatly; and all things now call upon all men to +prepare for its eternal decisions. +</p> + +<p> +Is this the lesson? Who will heed it and thus +escape the delusions and perils of these last days, +and be finally saved in the kingdom of heaven? +</p> + +</div> + +<pb n='149'/><anchor id='Pg149'/> + +<div> +<index index="toc"/> +<index index="pdf"/> +<head>Index Of Authors Referred To.</head> + +<p> +Alexander, Emperor, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Axahof, Hon. Alexander, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Adare, Lord, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Alexander III., <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Bellachini, Mr., <ref target="Pg014">14</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Barrett, Dr. W. F., <ref target="Pg015">15</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Bright, John, <ref target="Pg030">30</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Buddha, <ref target="Pg086">86</ref>, <ref target="Pg087">87</ref>, <ref target="Pg088">88</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Brittan, Professor, <ref target="Pg111">111</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Brooklyn, May, <ref target="Pg128">128</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Channing, Dr., <ref target="Pg004">4</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Cook, Joseph, <ref target="Pg012">12</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Crookes, Professor, <ref target="Pg017">17</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Crookes, Wm., F. R. S., <ref target="Pg029">29</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Clarke, Dr. Adam, <ref target="Pg050">50</ref>, <ref target="Pg056">56</ref>, <ref target="Pg091">91</ref>, <ref target="Pg092">92</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Carey, Alice, <ref target="Pg078">78</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Confucius, <ref target="Pg086">86</ref>, <ref target="Pg088">88</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Conant, Mrs., <ref target="Pg090">90</ref>, <ref target="Pg119">119</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Curry, Dr., <ref target="Pg056">56</ref>, <ref target="Pg092">92</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Claflin, Mr., <ref target="Pg109">109</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Carter, Judge, <ref target="Pg113">113</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Campbell, Alexander, <ref target="Pg143">143</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Carthness, Countess, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Cowper, Lady, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Dixon, Hepworth, <ref target="Pg028">28</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Davis, A. J., <ref target="Pg029">29</ref>, <ref target="Pg097">97</ref>, <ref target="Pg100">100</ref>, <ref target="Pg105">105</ref>, <ref target="Pg112">112</ref>, <ref target="Pg114">114</ref>, <ref target="Pg118">118</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Davenport, Messrs., <ref target="Pg029">29</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Dow, Lorenzo, <ref target="Pg143">143</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Dunraven, Lord, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +De Bullet, Le Compte, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Eglinton, Mr., <ref target="Pg013">13</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Edmunds, Judge, <ref target="Pg028">28</ref>, <ref target="Pg117">117</ref>, <ref target="Pg118">118</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Fox, John D., <ref target="Pg018">18</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Fox, Mrs., <ref target="Pg018">18</ref>, <ref target="Pg019">19</ref>, <ref target="Pg020">20</ref>, <ref target="Pg021">21</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Fox, Margaret, <ref target="Pg018">18</ref>, <ref target="Pg020">20</ref>, <ref target="Pg022">22</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Fox, Kate, <ref target="Pg018">18</ref>, <ref target="Pg019">19</ref>, <ref target="Pg020">20</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Fox, David, <ref target="Pg018">18</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Fox, Mary, <ref target="Pg021">21</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Fox, Catharine, <ref target="Pg022">22</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Franklin, Benjamin, <ref target="Pg085">85</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Geary, Mr., <ref target="Pg013">13</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Glanvil, Mr., <ref target="Pg020">20</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Gridley, Dr., <ref target="Pg114">114</ref>, <ref target="Pg115">115</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Guldenstuble, Baron, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Hazard, Thos. R., <ref target="Pg011">11</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Harrison, W. H., F. R. S., <ref target="Pg029">29</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Home, Mr., <ref target="Pg029">29</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Hendricks, Mrs., <ref target="Pg031">31</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Hatch, Mrs. C. L. V., <ref target="Pg083">83</ref>, <ref target="Pg106">106</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Hare, Dr., <ref target="Pg084">84</ref>, <ref target="Pg085">85</ref>, <ref target="Pg089">89</ref>, <ref target="Pg092">92</ref>, <ref target="Pg099">99</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Harris, <q>Rev.</q> T. L., <ref target="Pg094">94</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Hall, Hon. J. B., <ref target="Pg101">101</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Hatch, Dr., <ref target="Pg106">106</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Hudson, T. J., <ref target="Pg017">17</ref>, <ref target="Pg057">57</ref>, <ref target="Pg074">74</ref>, <ref target="Pg109">109</ref>, <ref target="Pg111">111</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Hull, Moses, <ref target="Pg109">109</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Hobart, Mr., <ref target="Pg122">122</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Isham, Sir Charles, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Jamieson, W. F., <ref target="Pg109">109</ref>, <ref target="Pg113">113</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Jaubert, M., <ref target="Pg126">126</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Keller, Harvy, <ref target="Pg013">13</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Krishna, <ref target="Pg087">87</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Keck, Professor, <ref target="Pg127">127</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Lillie, J. T., <ref target="Pg021">21</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Loveland, J. S., <ref target="Pg097">97</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Lull, Miss A. L., <ref target="Pg125">125</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Lillie, Mrs. R. S., <ref target="Pg127">127</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Leuchtenberg, Duke, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Lyndhurst, Lord, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Lindsay, Lord, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<pb n='150'/><anchor id='Pg150'/> + +<p> +Mompesson, Mr., <ref target="Pg020">20</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Milton, John, <ref target="Pg040">40</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Mohammed, <ref target="Pg087">87</ref>, <ref target="Pg088">88</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Massey, Gerald, <ref target="Pg114">114</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Mahan, Pres., <ref target="Pg121">121</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Metternich, Prince, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Metternich, Princess, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Norton, Deacon John, <ref target="Pg089">89</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Napoleon, Louis, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Napier, Sir Charles, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Owen, Robert Dale, <ref target="Pg018">18</ref>, <ref target="Pg019">19</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Olshausen, Dr., <ref target="Pg056">56</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Orton, Mr., <ref target="Pg084">84</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Origen, <ref target="Pg141">141</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Putnam, Allen, <ref target="Pg075">75</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Paine, Thomas, <ref target="Pg085">85</ref>, <ref target="Pg087">87</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Potter, Dr. William B., <ref target="Pg107">107</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Parker, Theodore, <ref target="Pg114">114</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Queen of Spain, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Redfield, Mrs., <ref target="Pg021">21</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Randolph, Dr. B. P., <ref target="Pg104">104</ref>, <ref target="Pg105">105</ref>, <ref target="Pg112">112</ref>, <ref target="Pg128">128</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Richmond, Mrs. Cora L. V., <ref target="Pg126">126</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Slade, Mr., <ref target="Pg014">14</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Savage, M. J., <ref target="Pg015">15</ref>, <ref target="Pg022">22</ref>, <ref target="Pg024">24</ref>, <ref target="Pg025">25</ref>, <ref target="Pg032">32</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Stead, W. T., <ref target="Pg031">31</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Stanford, Leland, <ref target="Pg031">31</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Tiffany, Joel, <ref target="Pg090">90</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Tuttle, Hudson, <ref target="Pg113">113</ref>, <ref target="Pg116">116</ref>, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Trevilyan, Sir W., <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Underhill, Leah Fox, <ref target="Pg021">21</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Underwood, Mrs. S. A., <ref target="Pg026">26</ref>, <ref target="Pg080">80</ref>, <ref target="Pg123">123</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Vinet, Dr., <ref target="Pg005">5</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Victoria, Queen, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Von Schick, Baron, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Von Dirkinck, Baron, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Wesley, Mr., <ref target="Pg020">20</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Wood, Rev. J. G., <ref target="Pg026">26</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Wallace, Alfred R. F. R. S., <ref target="Pg029">29</ref>, <ref target="Pg030">30</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Weisse, Dr., <ref target="Pg084">84</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Washington, George, <ref target="Pg085">85</ref>, <ref target="Pg114">114</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Wilson, R. P., <ref target="Pg088">88</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Whitney, J. F., <ref target="Pg105">105</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Woodhull, Mrs., <ref target="Pg109">109</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Wilson, James Victor, <ref target="Pg112">112</ref>, <ref target="Pg113">113</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Webster, Professor, <ref target="Pg118">118</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Watson, Dr., <ref target="Pg125">125</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Wittgenstein, Prince, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Willshire, Sir T., <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Wilbraham, Col. E. B., <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Zöllner, Professor, <ref target="Pg012">12</ref>, <ref target="Pg013">13</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Zoroaster, <ref target="Pg068">68</ref>, <ref target="Pg088">88</ref> +</p> + +</div> + +<pb n='151'/><anchor id='Pg151'/> + +<div> +<index index="toc"/> +<index index="pdf"/> +<head>Index Of Books, Papers, Etc., Quoted.</head> + +<p> +Automatic or Spirit Writing, <ref target="Pg015">15</ref>, <ref target="Pg026">26</ref>, <ref target="Pg080">80</ref>, <ref target="Pg086">86</ref>, <ref target="Pg098">98</ref>, <ref target="Pg111">111</ref>, <ref target="Pg119">119</ref>, <ref target="Pg120">120</ref>, <ref target="Pg121">121</ref>, <ref target="Pg123">123</ref>, <ref target="Pg124">124</ref>, <ref target="Pg133">133</ref> +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='italic'>Arena</hi>, The, <ref target="Pg015">15</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Astounding Facts from the Spirit World, <ref target="Pg114">114</ref> +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='italic'>Banner of Light</hi>, <ref target="Pg021">21</ref>, <ref target="Pg078">78</ref>, <ref target="Pg079">79</ref>, <ref target="Pg083">83</ref>, <ref target="Pg084">84</ref>, <ref target="Pg086">86</ref>, <ref target="Pg089">89</ref>, <ref target="Pg090">90</ref>, <ref target="Pg097">97</ref>, <ref target="Pg101">101</ref>, <ref target="Pg119">119</ref>, <ref target="Pg123">123</ref>, <ref target="Pg125">125</ref>, <ref target="Pg126">126</ref>, <ref target="Pg127">127</ref> +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='italic'>Christian at Work</hi>, The, <ref target="Pg029">29</ref>, <ref target="Pg030">30</ref> +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='italic'>Chronicle</hi>, San Francisco <ref target="Pg029">29</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Century Dictionary, <ref target="Pg035">35</ref> +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='italic'>Christian Reformer</hi>, The, <ref target="Pg129">129</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Declaration of Principles of the Spiritualists, <ref target="Pg102">102</ref>, <ref target="Pg125">125</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Dealings with the Dead, <ref target="Pg104">104</ref>, <ref target="Pg112">112</ref>, <ref target="Pg123">123</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Death and the After Life, <ref target="Pg118">118</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Discussion with Tiffany and Rhen, <ref target="Pg121">121</ref> +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='italic'>Forum</hi>, The, <ref target="Pg016">16</ref>, <ref target="Pg022">22</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Footfalls on the Boundary of Another World, <ref target="Pg018">18</ref> +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='italic'>Fortnightly Review</hi>, <ref target="Pg029">29</ref>, <ref target="Pg030">30</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Home Circle, <ref target="Pg014">14</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Healing of the Nations, <ref target="Pg096">96</ref>, <ref target="Pg097">97</ref>, <ref target="Pg099">99</ref>, <ref target="Pg102">102</ref> +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='italic'>Herald</hi>, Boston, <ref target="Pg130">130</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Kojiki Nohonki, <ref target="Pg132">132</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Koran, <ref target="Pg132">132</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Kan-Ying-Peen, <ref target="Pg132">132</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Law of Physic Phenomena, <ref target="Pg017">17</ref>, <ref target="Pg057">57</ref>, <ref target="Pg074">74</ref>, <ref target="Pg109">109</ref>, <ref target="Pg111">111</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Life in Two Spheres, <ref target="Pg113">113</ref>, <ref target="Pg116">116</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Law Books of Manu, <ref target="Pg132">132</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Mesmerism, Spiritualism, Witchcraft, and Miracles, <ref target="Pg075">75</ref> +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='italic'>North American</hi>, Philadelphia, <ref target="Pg011">11</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Nineteenth Century Miracles, <ref target="Pg013">13</ref>, <ref target="Pg126">126</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Nature of Divine Revelation, <ref target="Pg097">97</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Paradise Lost, <ref target="Pg040">40</ref> +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='italic'>Pathfinder</hi>, New York, <ref target="Pg105">105</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Purana, <ref target="Pg132">132</ref> +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='italic'>Quarterly Journal of Science</hi>, <ref target="Pg029">29</ref> +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='italic'>Religio-Philosophical Journal</hi>, <ref target="Pg014">14</ref>, <ref target="Pg028">28</ref>, <ref target="Pg080">80</ref>, <ref target="Pg125">125</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Report of the 37th Anniversary of Modern Spiritualism, <ref target="Pg021">21</ref> +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='italic'>Review of Reviews</hi>, <ref target="Pg031">31</ref> +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='italic'>Record</hi>, Philadelphia, <ref target="Pg128">128</ref> +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='italic'>Spiritual Clarion</hi>, <ref target="Pg014">14</ref> +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='italic'>Spiritual Telegraph</hi>, <ref target="Pg083">83</ref>, <ref target="Pg096">96</ref>, <ref target="Pg122">122</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Spiritual Science Demonstrated, <ref target="Pg089">89</ref>, <ref target="Pg092">92</ref> +</p> + +<pb n='152'/><anchor id='Pg152'/> + +<p> +Spiritualism as It Is, <ref target="Pg107">107</ref>, <ref target="Pg108">108</ref>, <ref target="Pg123">123</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Spiritualism <ref target="Pg118">118</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Shaster, <ref target="Pg132">132</ref> +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='italic'>The Border Land</hi>, <ref target="Pg031">31</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Treatise on Christian Doctrine, <ref target="Pg040">40</ref> +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='italic'>Truth Seeker</hi>, <ref target="Pg083">83</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Telegraphic Answer to Mahan, <ref target="Pg111">111</ref> +</p> + +<p> +The Diakka and their Earthly Victims, <ref target="Pg112">112</ref>, <ref target="Pg113">113</ref> +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='italic'>Tribune</hi>, Chicago, <ref target="Pg128">128</ref>, <ref target="Pg129">129</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Tao-Te-King, <ref target="Pg132">132</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Tripitaka, <ref target="Pg132">132</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Veda, <ref target="Pg132">132</ref> +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='italic'>World</hi>, New York, <ref target="Pg030">30</ref> +</p> + +<p> +What Is Spiritualism, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref> +</p> + +<p> +Zend Avesta, <ref target="Pg132">132</ref> +</p> + +</div> + +<pb n='153'/><anchor id='Pg153'/> + +<div> +<index index="toc"/> +<index index="pdf"/> +<head>Index Of Texts Of Scripture Illustrated Or Explained.</head> + +<lg> +<l>GENESIS.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">1:1-5, <ref target="Pg093">93</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">1:28, <ref target="Pg068">68</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">2:2, <ref target="Pg046">46</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">2:7, <ref target="Pg045">45</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">3:4, <ref target="Pg039">39</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">4:10, <ref target="Pg052">52</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">7:21, <ref target="Pg022">22</ref>, <ref target="Pg045">45</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">35:18, <ref target="Pg061">61</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>LEVITICUS.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">19:31, <ref target="Pg036">36</ref>, <ref target="Pg053">53</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>NUMBERS.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">16:22, <ref target="Pg048">48</ref>, <ref target="Pg050">50</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">27:16, <ref target="Pg050">50</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>DEUTERONOMY.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">13:1-3, <ref target="Pg005">5</ref>, <ref target="Pg077">77</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">18:9-12, <ref target="Pg036">36</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>1 SAMUEL.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">Chap. 28, <ref target="Pg052">52</ref>, <ref target="Pg053">53</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>1 KINGS.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">4:1, <ref target="Pg073">73</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">17:21, 22, <ref target="Pg061">61</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>2 KINGS.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">19:35, <ref target="Pg072">72</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">21:2, 6, <ref target="Pg009">9</ref>, <ref target="Pg011">11</ref>, <ref target="Pg036">36</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>JOB.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">7:21, <ref target="Pg062">62</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">14:21, <ref target="Pg063">63</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">19:25-27, <ref target="Pg093">93</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">34: 14, 15, <ref target="Pg045">45</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>PSALMS.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">6:5, <ref target="Pg063">63</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">13:3, <ref target="Pg062">62</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">17:15, <ref target="Pg093">93</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">115:17, <ref target="Pg063">63</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">119:105, <ref target="Pg131">131</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">146:3, 4, <ref target="Pg062">62</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>ECCLESIASTES.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">3:19, 21, <ref target="Pg045">45</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">8:11, <ref target="Pg101">101</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">9:5, 6, 10, <ref target="Pg043">43</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">12:7, <ref target="Pg044">44</ref>, <ref target="Pg045">45</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>ISAIAH.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">5:20, <ref target="Pg101">101</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">8:19, <ref target="Pg074">74</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">8:19, 20, <ref target="Pg075">75</ref>, <ref target="Pg133">133</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">14:12-14, <ref target="Pg067">67</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">26:19, <ref target="Pg093">93</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">38:1, 5, 18, 19, <ref target="Pg063">63</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">61:1, <ref target="Pg050">50</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>EZEKIEL.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">18:20, <ref target="Pg097">97</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">28:, <ref target="Pg067">67</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">28:2, 12-15, <ref target="Pg068">68</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">37:12, <ref target="Pg093">93</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>DANIEL.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">11:2, <ref target="Pg093">93</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>HOSEA.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">13:14, <ref target="Pg093">93</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>HABAKKUK.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">2:11, <ref target="Pg052">52</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>MATTHEW.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">10:28, <ref target="Pg050">50</ref>, <ref target="Pg051">51</ref>, <ref target="Pg052">52</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">10:39, <ref target="Pg051">51</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">15:13, <ref target="Pg009">9</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">17:3, <ref target="Pg056">56</ref></l> +<pb n='154'/><anchor id='Pg154'/> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">22:23-28, 32, <ref target="Pg061">61</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">24:23-35, <ref target="Pg135">135</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">24:24, <ref target="Pg083">83</ref>, <ref target="Pg134">134</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">24:30, 31, <ref target="Pg058">58</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">25:32, 33, <ref target="Pg097">97</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">27:18, <ref target="Pg085">85</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">28:3, 4, <ref target="Pg072">72</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>LUKE.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">10:18, <ref target="Pg071">71</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">14:14, <ref target="Pg064">64</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">16:, <ref target="Pg057">57</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">19:35, <ref target="Pg064">64</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">23:39-43, <ref target="Pg058">58</ref>, <ref target="Pg059">59</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>JOHN.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">3:6, <ref target="Pg046">46</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">3:19-21, <ref target="Pg109">109</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">6:39,40, <ref target="Pg064">64</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">6:40, <ref target="Pg051">51</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">8:44, <ref target="Pg067">67</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">11:11, <ref target="Pg062">62</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">11:25, <ref target="Pg055">55</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">14:30, <ref target="Pg068">68</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">19:31-33, <ref target="Pg060">60</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">20:17, <ref target="Pg059">59</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>ACTS.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">7:60, <ref target="Pg062">62</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">16:16-18, <ref target="Pg036">36</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">17:31, <ref target="Pg064">64</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">26:23, <ref target="Pg057">57</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>ROMANS.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">2:15, <ref target="Pg095">95</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">4:17, <ref target="Pg061">61</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">6:16, <ref target="Pg068">68</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">6:23, <ref target="Pg097">97</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>1 CORINTHIANS.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">11:30, <ref target="Pg062">62</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">15:, <ref target="Pg092">92</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">15:18, <ref target="Pg064">64</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">15:51, <ref target="Pg062">62</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">15:51-54, <ref target="Pg061">61</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>2 CORINTHIANS.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">4:4, <ref target="Pg068">68</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">5:2, <ref target="Pg061">61</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">12:2-4, <ref target="Pg059">59</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>GALATIANS.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">5:19-21, <ref target="Pg036">36</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>EPHESIANS.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">2:2, <ref target="Pg068">68</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">6:11, <ref target="Pg072">72</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">6:12, <ref target="Pg073">73</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>PHILIPPIANS.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">3:11, <ref target="Pg061">61</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">1:23, <ref target="Pg061">61</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>1 THESSALONIANS.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">4:14, <ref target="Pg062">62</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">4:15-17, <ref target="Pg058">58</ref>, <ref target="Pg061">61</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">5:23, <ref target="Pg048">48</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>2 THESSALONIANS.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">2:8,9, <ref target="Pg139">139</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">2:9-12, <ref target="Pg138">138</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>1 TIMOTHY.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">1:17, <ref target="Pg042">42</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">3:6, <ref target="Pg067">67</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">4:1, <ref target="Pg073">73</ref>, <ref target="Pg088">88</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">6:16 <ref target="Pg042">42</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>2 TIMOTHY.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">3:8, <ref target="Pg144">144</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">4:1, 8, <ref target="Pg064">64</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">4:1, 10-12, <ref target="Pg139">139</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>HEBREWS.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">2:14, <ref target="Pg055">55</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">10:25-29, <ref target="Pg135">135</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">11:15, 16, <ref target="Pg061">61</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">11:40, <ref target="Pg048">48</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">12:9, <ref target="Pg023">23</ref>, <ref target="Pg050">50</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">12:23, <ref target="Pg047">47</ref>, <ref target="Pg050">50</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>JAMES.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">4:6-8, <ref target="Pg072">72</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>1 PETER.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">1:11, <ref target="Pg049">49</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">3:19, <ref target="Pg048">48</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">3:20, <ref target="Pg049">49</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">5:8, 9, <ref target="Pg073">73</ref></l> +</lg> + +<pb n='155'/><anchor id='Pg155'/> + +<lg> +<l>2 PETER.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">1:16-18, <ref target="Pg056">56</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">1:19, <ref target="Pg131">131</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">2:4, <ref target="Pg066">66</ref>, <ref target="Pg072">72</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">3:7, <ref target="Pg013">13</ref>, <ref target="Pg072">72</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>1 JOHN.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">2:22, <ref target="Pg087">87</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">2:23, <ref target="Pg083">83</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">4:1, 16-18, <ref target="Pg134">134</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">4:3, <ref target="Pg088">88</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">5:18, <ref target="Pg072">72</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>JUDE.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">Verse 4, <ref target="Pg088">88</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">" 6, <ref target="Pg066">66</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">" 9, <ref target="Pg055">55</ref></l> +</lg> + +<lg> +<l>REVELATION.</l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">2:7, <ref target="Pg059">59</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">5:13, <ref target="Pg072">72</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">6:9-11, <ref target="Pg052">52</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">12:3, 4, <ref target="Pg137">137</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">12:7, <ref target="Pg071">71</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">12:12, <ref target="Pg135">135</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">13:1-10, <ref target="Pg137">137</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">13:11, 13, 14, <ref target="Pg136">136</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">13:11-17, <ref target="Pg138">138</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">14:1-5, <ref target="Pg138">138</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">14:8, <ref target="Pg144">144</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">16:13, 14, <ref target="Pg075">75</ref>, <ref target="Pg138">138</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">16:14, <ref target="Pg145">145</ref>, <ref target="Pg146">146</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">17:5, <ref target="Pg142">142</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">18:2, <ref target="Pg140">140</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">18:2, 4, 5, <ref target="Pg144">144</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">19:11-21, <ref target="Pg145">145</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">19:20, <ref target="Pg138">138</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">20:4-6, <ref target="Pg051">51</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">20:14, 15, <ref target="Pg072">72</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">21:8, <ref target="Pg036">36</ref>, <ref target="Pg093">93</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">22:1, 2, <ref target="Pg059">59</ref></l> +<l rend="margin-left: 2">22:15, <ref target="Pg093">93</ref></l> +</lg> +</div> +</body> +<back rend="page-break-before: right"> + <div id="footnotes"> + <index index="toc" /> + <index index="pdf" /> + <head>Footnotes</head> + <divGen type="footnotes"/> + </div> + <div rend="page-break-before: right"> + <divGen type="pgfooter" /> + </div> +</back> +</text> +</TEI.2> |