r»^ •>-•'- «i^. ** j^.. *^ ,i; /^- /*■ ■• - m. ■ ::
*^{Si, mim.
-^m/ -3.1,
;r'w' ^::?^ . ^'^^
■:Miv\j::W
*::#
.r.,; t .
0
|
U.S.A. |
i |
||||
|
REGOIM RULE CO. 1 |
uuHum |
|
— "{jj'""" ^IP |
|||
|
1 — en — I^H |
**»^'t:.* |
||
|
1 1 ^H |
' # |
IF ioBkIk j^^lB' ^H |
|
|
«:*2 |
|||
|
**» |
|||
|
— """^^^Bl^H |
HHai |
i-r'-'i |
|
|
^" U.S./I. ^H |
|||
|
— A ^— |mh |
i^lBH^ |
fe* .-■ |
|
|
p. ^ ^=B| |
|||
|
JHyHB JNK IHRT- |
|||
|
— j^m |
r*****jf 11 |
»: t.:i;:f-.:~ t'*i
« -l-:.:-, f:
3
m^,:Mzm
X^-^
5
■M- . It'
mn^m
.r:;^''»^"-l
''"I'l^'ll""^^
'•% ^-i;- ^% ^^^' :# . '% .% ■% M # •* ^^ •■#■ ^ -# m If-. *' ^' ,. '^
.<..,'^ ^i*.***^ '>..'^ «;=«>** ft«« ■**^. 4.?. ^'^.^^^^^^^^ .ft* .^^ .'•*;: ' -m * ■= .«■ • f'^' ,'w. ilS--, .'Sf i-J
* '^' ifi:""-#- ■ ,^ T 1' ^^: bzm^ :'■&
i
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.
Chap. Copyright No.
Shelf3.F-.\04a. ^(^^
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
i
^i
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from The Library of Congress
http://www.archive.org/details/modernspiritualiOOsmit
iri
^T"
* Mtij^h -*— ***y»»»-
,,...^^^^,^
THE FIRST MEDIUM. (Gen. 3 : 1-5.)
MODERN.
Spiritualism
A SUBJECT OF
PROPHECY AND A SIGN
OF THE TIMES
By URIAH SMITH.
,&
REVIEW AND HERALD PUBLISHING CO.,
Battle Creek, Mich. Atlanta, Ga,
1896.
Entered according to Act of Congress, In the year IHiW, l»y
The Review and Herald Publishing Co.,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Entered also at Stationers' Hall, London, England.
PREFACE.
FOR nearly fifty years Spiritualism has been before the world. This surely is time enoup;h to enable it to show its character by its fruits. '' By tht'ir fruits ye shall know them," is a rule that admits of no exceptions. If evil fruits a])})ear, the tree is corrupt.
Spiritualism has nuide 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 ])ortal 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.
Has it fulfilled all, or any, of these promises? If not, is it not a deception i and if a deception, considering its wide-spread influence, and the num- ber of its adherents, is it n(jt one of the most gigantic and appalling deceptions that has ever fallen upon Christendom 'i 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 decep- tions, 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.
4 PREFACE.
Is it possible that Spiritualism may be the very development of evil, against which this warning is directed ?
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 Spiritu- alism ; 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 projDhecy, 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.
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 over- balance considerations that would otherwise be con- sidered 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: "I must choose to receive the truth, no matter how it bears., upon myself, and must follow it no matter
I'KKKACK.
wliere it IcikIs, from what party it severs me, or to what j)arty it allies." And he should remember also, as the eminent and ])ious Dr. Vinet once sagaciously observed, that "even now, after eig:hteen centuries of Christianity, wo arc very probably involved in some enormous eri-or, of which Christianity will, in some future time, make us ashamed.''
In view, therefore, (tf 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 adjnrlng the reader to canvass this subject with an inflexible determination to learn the truth, and then to follow it wherever it niav lead. PruLTSuKRs.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER ONE.
I'AOK.
Ojiening Thought — A Manifestation of Power — A Mani- festation of Tntf'lligonco— The Progress of Spiritualism !»
(^HAPTEE TWO.
What Is the Agency in Question? — Credentials of llie
l^iblo — An Impossibility — The Soul not Immorlal . ^i
CHAPTER THREE.
The (lead 1 iiiconscious 43
('[[APTER POrU. They Are Evil Angels — \\'arnin!.-s Against Kvil Si)irits (>."♦
CHAPTKli Pn K.
What thr Spirits Teach — They Deny all Distinction be- tween Right and AVrong— Dangers of Mediumship —
Miscellaneous Teaching — Spirits Cannot Re Idcnti- tic-.l '7^
( 11 APT K 11 SIX. Its Promises: How Fnltille.l 125
('1P\PTKH SKVKX.
Spiritualism a Sul\ie(t of ]*rophecy — Conchisiow . 1-'>1
in
I L LUST-RAT I O/MS.
-*-
The First Medium. Frontispiece. The Medium of Endor . .52
Isaiah Reproving Those Who Seek to the Dead for Knowl- edge 74
Demoniacs of Matt. 8 : 28 . 114
Modern SpiRiiuAUsn.
CHAPTER ONE.
OPENING THOUGHT.
WHAT think ye ( Whence is it — from heaven or of men i ISnch was the nature of the ques- tion 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 lieaven or of men? And if a true answer to the question can be found, it must determine our atti- tude 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 fol- lowers ; for our Saviour has declared that every ])lunt which our heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted up. Matt. IT) : 13.
To those who do not believe in any "heavenly Father," nor in "(Hu-ist the Saviour," nor in any "revealed word of God," we would say that these points will be assumed in this work rather than
[!>1
10 MODEKN Sl^lKITUALISM.
•lirectlj argued, though many incidental proofs will appear, to which we trust our friends will be pleased to give sonic consideration. But we address our- selves 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 redemp- tion ; 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,
A MANIFESTATION OF POWER.
Spiritualism cannot be disposed of with a sneer, A toss of the head and a cry of " humbug," will not suffice to meet its claims and the testimony of care- ful, 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 imposi- tion, is not to be denied. But this does not by any means set aside the fact that there have been mani- festations of more than human power, the evidence for which has never been impeached. The detection of a few sham mediians, 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
A MANIKKSIATION <>K I'oWKlv. I J
from tlicir iimikIh, and depart, easier isnhjecls lo })o (rapture(l ])\ tlu^ nKtvenieiit wlieii some manit'esta- ti<»ii appears for wliicli fliey can tiiid no explanation. But the more tliou^litful and careful ohsei'vers well know that the exposure of these mountebanks does not account for the numberless manifestations of power, and the steady cm-rent of phenomena, utterly inexplicable on any human hypothesis, which have attended the movement from the beginning.
The Philadelphia North American, of July 81, I'^S,-), published a communication from Thomas R. Hazard, in which he says : —
"Rut Spiritualism, whatever may bf thought of it, must be recogiiizt'tl as a I'act. It is one of the characteristic intel- lectual or emotional phenomena of the times, and as such, it is deservinjr of a more serious examination than it has yet receiv<>d. There are those who say it is all humbujj, and that everything,' outside of the ordinary course which takes ))lace at the so-called stances, is the direct result of fraudu- lent and deliberative imposture; in short, that every Spiri- tualist must l>e either a fool or a knave. The serious objection to this hypothesis is that the explanation is almost as ditVicull 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 stances were altojreth(!r and invariably fraudulent, surely the whole thing must have collapsed long before this; and the Seyberl Com- mi.ssion, which finds it necessary to extend its investigations over an indefinite period, which will certainly not be less than a year, would ha\i' l>een ,ihle to sweep the delusion away in short order."
The phenomena are so well known, that it is unnecessary to recount them here. Among them may be mentioned such achievements as these : Vari- ous articles have been transported from place to
1^ MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
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 ; per- sons have been carried through the air by tlie 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.
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 Zollner. Mr. Zollner had been carefully investigating the phenomena of Spiritualism, and assured Mr. Cook of the following occurrences as facts, under his own observation : Knots had beon 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 illus- trate 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
A MAMKKSTATION VV J'oWKK. I'd
annmd tlu- stundard of a card tahlc, over either end of wliicu they couhl by no jxtssihility ))o slipped ; and tinally thv^ tal)le itself, a heavy beechen struc- ture, wholly dis:ij)peare(l, and then fell from the top of the room where Professor ZoUner and his friends were sitting.
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 "Nineteenth ('entury Miracles," ]). 2i:i. The seance was held with tli'.^ medium, Eglinton, in Calcutta, India, Jan. 25, 1S82. lie says : —
"It is lu'cdli'ss to say tliat 1 went as a skeptic : l)ut I must own that I have come away utterly unable to explain by any natural means the phenomena that I witnessed on Tuesday evening."
He then describes the particuhirs of the seance. 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 mes- sage 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 sur- prise, the whole matter came clearly to his recollec- tion. He then adds : —
"I still remain a skeptic as rejjards Spiritualism, but I repeat my inability to exiilain or account for what must have been an intellij,'ent force which i)roduced the writin?]: on the slate, which, if my senses are to be i\'lie(l on, was in no way the resnlt of tricker\- or slei-rht-yf-haiul."
14 . MODERN SPIKITUALISM.
Another instance from "Home Circle,"' p. 25, is that of Mr. BeUachini, also a professional con- jm'or, of Berlin, Germany. His interview was with the celebrated medimn, Mr. Slade. From his testi- mony we quote the following : —
"I have not, in the smallest degree, found anything to be produced by ; prestidigitative manifestations or m<'ehanical apparatus ; and any explanation of the experiments which took place under the circumstances and conditions then obtaining, by any reference to prestidi^ntation, is (ibf<oluteli/ impondble, I declare, moreover, the published oi^inions of laymen as to the "How" of this subject, to be premature, and according to my views and experience, false and one- sided."—Bated, Berlin, Bee. 6, 1S77.
When professional conjm-ors bear such testimony as this, while it does not prove Spiritualism to be what it claims to be, it does disprove the hmnbng theory.
In addition to this, it appears that two proposi- tions, 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 chal- lenge has never been accepted, nor the reward claimed, ^qq Heligio-PJulosoj^hicalJournal, of Jan. 15, 1881, and January, 1883.
A writer in the &]){ritual Clarion^ in an article on "The Millennium of Spiritualism," bears the following testimony in regard to the power and strength of the movement : —
" This revelation has been with a power, a might, that if divested of its almost universal benevolence, had been a terror
A AIANIKKSTATION t)K J'oWKK. 1.")
to the VLTV soul ; llu' hair of (hf vtn-y brnvest hail stood on (.Mid, and his chilU-d blood luid cr»'pt 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 lirst, its own bi'st 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 swej)t like a hurricane of fire through the land, compelling faith from the batlled scoffer, and th(> most determined doubter."
Dr. AV. F. l)aiT('tt, I'lot'cssor of K.xpi-riiiKMital l*hysics in tlio lutyal Collcgcj of Dublin, says: —
" It is well known to those who have made the phenomena of Spiritualism the subject of prolonged and careful inciuiry, in the spirit of exact and unimpassioned scientific research, that beneath a repi'llent mass of imposture and delusion there remain certain inexplicable and startling facts which science can neither explain away nor deny." — '■^ Atitomatir^ or Spirit Writing," p. 11. {IS'M.)
Til the Anna of November, l!SH2, p. ()8S, Mr, ^r. »l. Savage, tlie noted Unitarian minister of Boston, says : —
"Next comes what are ordinarily classfd together as 'mediumistic phenomena.' The most important of these are ])sychometry, 'vision' of 'spirit' forms, claimed com- munications by means <.f rappings, table movements, auto- matic ■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 intellii,nbly directed, the u.se of the -word 'physical,' without this qualification, might be misleading. These physical phe- nomena 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. . . . K;)W all of these referred to (with the exception of independent writing, and materialization) I know to be
It) MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
genuine. I do not at all mean by this that I know that the 'spiritualistic' interpretation of them is tlie true one. I mean only that they are genuine phenomena; that they have occurred; that they are not tricks or the result of fraud."
In the Formn 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 : —
" 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: 'Now I must go; will you not accompany me to the door?' 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 accom- panied us all the way, and struck against the door with considerable force."
From the same article, p. 456, we quote again : —
"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 awa3% speaking in reference to the whole sitting, said : ' I 've seen enough evidence to hang every man in the State — enough to prove anything exceptinrj this.''
A MANIFESTATION OF POWER. l7
"Professor Crookes, of London, relates having seen and heard an accordion played on wliilc 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 awaj' 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 contain- ing the keys being pushed in and drawn out without any con- tact that I could see. I then said, ' Will it not play for me '! ' The reply was, 'I don't know: you can try it.' 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 con- vincing 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 eti'orts.
"On another occasion I was sitting with a 'medium.' 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 th.e 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."
We need not multiply evidence on this point. A remark by T. J. Hudson ("Law of Psychic Plie- 2
18 MODEKN SPIRITUALISM.
iiomena,"' p. 206, Mc Clurg & Co., Chicago, 1894) may fitly close this division of the subject. He says : —
"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."
A MANIFESTATION OF INTELLIGENCE.
From the testimony already given it is evident that there is connected with Spiritualism an agency that is able to manifest power and strength be- yond 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, origi- nated in the family of Mr. John D. Fox, in Hydes- ville, near Rochester, N. Y., in the spring of 1848. Robert Dale Owen, in his work called ' ' Footfalls on the Boundary of Another World," 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, Mar- garet and Kate, and son, David. The attention of the family had been attracted by strange noises which finally assumed the form of raps, or mufiied footfalls, and became very annoying. Chairs were
A MANIFESTATION OK INTELLKJKNCE. l!)
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 i)art of March, as seriously to break the nightly repose of the family. ])Ut 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 JVIarch, 1S4S. AVcaric'd by a succession of sleepless nights, the faiuily retired early, h<)i)ing for a resj)ite 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 nar- rative, in his own words : —
•' Th(! pun-nts had removed the chiklren's beds into thoir bedroom, and strictly onjoincd tliem nut to talk of noist^s, even if they heard them. Hut scarcely had the mother seen them safely in bed, and was retiring to rest herself, when the children cried out, 'Here they arc again!' The mother chicled thi'm, and la,y down. Thereupon the noises bi'Came louder and more startling. The children sat up in bed. Mr.s. 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, ' Here, old Splitfoot, do as I do ! ' The knock- ing instantly responded.
" That iras the very eoynmenremeiit. Who nni tell irhere tJie end trill be ?
"I do not mean that it was Kate Fox, wlio thus, in childish jest, first discovered tliat these mysterious .sounds
^0 MODEEt? SPIEITtTALISM.
seemed instinct witli intelligence. Mr. Mompesson, two hun- dred years ago, had alreadj' 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 farther. 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.
"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, ' observed that it would exactly answer, in drumming, anything that was beaten or called for.' But his curiosity led him no further.
"Not so Kate Fox. She tried, by silently bringing to- gether her thumb and forefinger ; whether she could obtain a response. Yes ! It could see, then, as well as hear. She called her mother. 'Only look, mother,' 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.
"This at once arrested her mother's attention. 'Count ten,' she said, addressing the noise. Ten strokes, distinctly given ! ' How old is my daughter Margaret ? ' Twelve strokes. 'And Kate?' Nine. 'What can all this mean?' 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. ' How many children have I ? ' she asked aloud. Seven Strokes. 'Ah!' she thought, 'it can blunder sometimes.'
A MANIFESTATION OF INTELLIGENCE. 21
And then aloud, 'Try af^ain.' Still the number of raps was seven. Of a sudden a thuugcht crossed Mrs. Fox's mind. 'Are they all alive ? ' she asked. Silence for answer. ' How many are living ? ' Six strokes. ' How many are dead ? ' A single stroke. She had lost a child.
"Then she asked, 'Are you a man ?' No answer. 'Are you a spirit '.' ' It rapped. 'May my neighbors hear, if I call them ? ' It rapped again.
"Thereupon she asked her husband to call her neighbor, a Mrs. Rcdfield, who came in laughing. But her cheer Avas sof)n changed. Tiie answers to lur 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."
We have introduced this narrative thus at length not only because it is interestinu^ in itself, but be- cause 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 e.xplain how it came to be called "The Kochester Knockings," under which name it first became widely known. It is from the ' ' Report of the P.Tth Anniversary of Modern Spiritualism,'' held in Brooklyn, N. Y., March 31, 1885, and re])ortt'd in the Bdiimr of Li(/hf, the 2r)tli of the following month: — ■
"After a song by J. T. Lillie, Mrs. Leah Fox T'nderhill, the elder of the three Fox sisters (who was on our platform), was r(>quested to speak. Mrs. Underbill said, that she was not a public speaker, but would answer any questions from the audience, and iu resixmse to these questions told in a graphic manner how the si)irits came to their humble home in Hydesville, in 1848; how on the 31st of March the first intelligent communication from the spirit world came
22 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
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.
"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 piiblic 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. ... AH 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."
In the same volume of the Forum 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) : —
"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
A MANIFESTATION OK INTKLM(JKN(JK. 23
occurred, will nut satisfy mc. ... I am ready to submit some spi'cimt'iis 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.
" A merchant ship bound for New York was on her home- ward 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 afti'rnooii he came pale and excited to one of his mates and e.xclaimed, ' Tom, Kate has just died 1 I have seen her die !' The mate looked at him in amazement, not knowing what to make of such talk. But the captain went oa 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 ? .Tust happened so ' This might bo said of one ; but a hundred of such coincidences become inexplicable."
The following is another instance mentioned by tlie same writer : —
" 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 jiarlor for a talk, I not looking for any manifestation. Raps began. I do not say whether they were really where they seemed to bo or not ; I know right well that the judgment is subject to illusion through the senses. But I was told a 'spirit friend' 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
24 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
psychic had never known or even heard of each other. She had died within a few months."
Mr. Savage then gives examples where the power in question was exclusively mental : —
"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 : ' An old gentleman is here,' and she described certain very marked peculiarities. Then she added : ' He says he is your father, and he calls j'ou ,' using the old childhood name of mine."
Again, same page : —
" 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 — 'Were it possible, I should feel sure she had writ- ten this.' I then said, as though speaking to her, 'Will j^ou not give me your name ?' 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 boj-hood and girlhood. I asked her if she remembered a book we used to read together, and she gave me the avithor's name. I asked again if she remem- bered 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
A MANIFESTATION OF INTELLIGENCE. 25
the psychic novcr kntnv of this piTSon's pxistonrc, nnd uf course not uf our ac(^u;iiiilauce."'
]V[r Savage then mentions cases which lie calls still more inexplicable, because the information con- veyed was not known either to the psychic (which seems to be the new name for medium) or to liim- self. He says : - — -
" But one more case dare I talce the space foi, though the budget is onlj' opened. Tliis one did not happen to me, but it is so hedged about and checked otf, tluit its evidential value in a scientific way is absolutely perfect. Tl\o uames of some of tlio parties concerned irotild he rccof/tiiztd in two heuiispheres. 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 tliree hundred mih^s away. Wlicn the psychic had become entranced, the lady asked her if slie had any impression as to the condition of her aunt. The reply was, 'Xo.' But before the sitting was over, the psychic e.vclaimed, 'Why, your aunt is here I She has al- ready passed away.' 'This cannot be true,' said tlie lady; 'there must be a mistake. If she had died, they would have telegraphed us immediately.' 'But,' the psychic insisted, 'she is here. A'nd 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 tlie house on your return.'
"Tlcre 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 tlie story. While tliere the husband came in. Having been away for some hours he had not heard of any telegram. But the friend seated himself at hi« 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 tlie fact and tiie time of the aunt's deatli, i)recisely as tlie psychic had told them.
"Here are most wonderful facts. How shall they be accounted for ".' I have not trusted my memory for these things, but iiave made careful record at tlie time. I know
26 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
many other records of a similiar kind kept by others. They are kept private. Why ? The kite Rev, J. G. Y/ood, of England, the •world-famous naturalist, once said to me : ' 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 any- thing to do with them ; and ' with a smile — 'I do not enjoy being called a fool.'
"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."
A quotation from this same writer ( ' ' Automatic Writing," page 14), says: — -
"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."
In tlie same work (page 19), the author, Mrs. S. A. Underwood, as the result of her communica- tions from spirits, says : — -
"Detailed statements of facts unknown to either of us [that is, herself and her " control "], but which weeks after- ward were learned to be correct, have been written, and re- jjeated agaiu and again, when disbelieved and contradicted by us."
On this point, also, as on the preceding, testi- mony 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
TIIK I'ROORESS OF Sl'IKITUALISM, 27
evidence. llw. qxwxtion muM soon, he met^ Whaf is f/w- source of the 'poiner and infdiigcnee thns monl- psted f But this may properly be held in abeyance till Nve take a glance at
THE PROGRESS OF SPIRITUALISM
during the iifty years of its modern history. It bc'-an in a way to excite the wonder and curiosity of the peoi)le, the very elements that would give wings to its progress through the land. Men sud- denly found their thoughts careering through new channels. An unseen world seemed to make known its presence and invite investigation. As the phe- nomena clahned to be due to the direct agency of spirits, the movement natnrally assumed the name of "Spiritualism." It was then hailed by multi- tudes as a new and living teacher, come to clear up uncertainties and to dispel doubts from the minds of men. At least an irrei)ressible curiosity was every- where excited to know what the new "ism" would teach concerning that invisible world, which it pro- fessed 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. Iiito 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 igno- rant ; from ministers, lawyers, physicians, judges.
28 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
teachers, government officials, and all the profes- sions. 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, Yari- ous estunates, 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 : — ■
"Besides the undistinguished multitudes, there are many now of higli standing and talent ranked among them, — doc- tors, 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."
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 grow- ing more prominent and becoming more widely known every year. The conclusion would there- fore inevitably follow that its adherents must now be more numerous than ever before. A letter addressed by the writer to the publishers of the Philoso]?Jiical Jouroial^ Chicago, on this point, received the following reply, dated Dec. 24, 1895:^
THE TKOGRESS OF SPIRITUALISM. 2^
"Being unorganized, largely, no reliable figures can be given. Many tliousands are in the churches, and are counted there. Ji is chinned that there are about five million in the United States, and over fifty million in the world."
The ('}irif<t!<iii ((t ir<>/7i; of Aug. IT, 1ST<'>, luuler the licad uf " AVitclies and Fools," siiid:^ —
"But we do not know liow many judges, bankers, mer- chants, prominent men in nearly every occupation in Hie, there are, who make it a constant practice to visit clairvoy- ants, sight-seers, and so-called Spiritual mediums ; yet it can scarcely be doubted tliat their name is legion ; that not only tlie unreligious man, but professing Christians, men and women, are in tho habit of consulting spirits from tlie vasty de( p for information concerning botli the dead and the living. Many who pass for intelligent pcoiile, who would be shocked to have their Christianity called in question, are constantly engaged in this disreputable business."
Tlio following a])|)e:iro(l some years ago, in tlic San Francisco C'JwoiucIc : ■ — •
'* Until quite recently, scii-nce lias coldly ignored the alleged i>henomena of Spiritualibm, and treati^d Andrew Jack- son Davis, Home, and the Davenport brothers, as if tiny belonged to the common fraternity of showmen and mounte- banks. But now there has come a most noteworthy change. We learn from such high authority as the Forfniijhily litriew that Alfred 11. Wallace, F. R. S. "William Crookes, F. II. S., and editor of the Qiuirtcrly Journal of Science ; W. H. Har- rison, F. R. S. and president of the British Ethnological Society, with othei-s occupying a high position in the scien- tific and literary world, have been serious!}'- investigating the pli(>nomena of spiritism. Tiie 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 luirrative. They tell us in grave and sober six-ech, that the spirit of a girl wlio died a iuindred years ago, api)eared to tlimi in visible form. Siie talked with them, gave them locks of her hair, pii'ci-s of lu-r dress, and her autograph. They
30 Modern spiEiTUALiSM.
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.
"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 FortniglMy have attracted gen- eral attention, and many of the leading English reviews and newspapers are discussing the matter. The New York World devotes three columns of its space to a summary of the last article in the Fortnightly, and declares editorially that the 'phenomena' thus attested 'deserve the rigid scientific examination which Mr. Wallace invites for them.' 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, ' If it is a fact, it is the one beside which every other fact of human existence sinks into insig- nificance.' "
One of the reasons why it would be quite impos- sible to state the number of real Spiritualists in our land to-day has already been hinted at in a foregoing extract. It is that "many thousands," 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 phe- nomena of Spiritualism, accept its teachings in their own minds, and quietly and constantly, as the Chris- tian at Work avers, consult clairvoyants and mediums, in quest of knowledge. The grosser features of the teachings of Spiritualism which were painfully promi- nent in its earlier stages, which there is no reason
THE 1*K()(;KKSS of Sl'IKI'll'AI.ISM. •>!
to believe are disrouiitcnanced or ubundoncd either ill theory or ]»ractice, are releji;ated to an invisible background, while iu its outward aspect it now poses in the attitude of piety and the garb of religion. It even professes to ado})t some of the more prominent and po]nilar doctrines of Christianity. In this phase the average churchgoer cannot see why he may not accept all that S])iritualism has to give, and still retain his denominational relationship. Besides this, the coming to light, every now and then, of the fact that Borne person of national or world-wide fame is a Si)iritualist, adds popularity and gives a new impetus to the nu)vement. Such instances may be named as the fcumder of the Leland Stanford Uni- versity, of California, the widow of ex-Yice-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 Bcrlew of Remeici<^ who, in 1893 started a new quarterly, called The Border Jjuxl, to be devoted to the advocacy of the philoso- phy 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 moimrchs. The late royal houses of France, Spain, and Kussia, are said, by current rumor, to have sought to the s])irits for knowledge. Xo cause could covet more rai)id and wide-s])read success than this has enjoyed.
CHAPTER TWO
WHAT IS THE AGENCY IN QUESTION?
HAYING now shown that there are connected with Spu'itualism supermundane phenomena that cannot be denied, and equally evident superhuman intelligence, sufficient to give to the movement un- precedented 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 cer- tainty; for, as Mr. M. J. Savage says, " Spiritu- alism is either a grand truth or a most lamentable delusion."
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 svhen that body dies, passes unscathed into the unseen world, into an enlarged sphere of life, activity, and
[32]
WHAT IS THE AGENCY IN QUESTION i 33
intelligence ; tluit in this sphere it can still take cog- nizance of earthly things, and communicate with those still in the tiesh, respecting scenes which it has left, and those more interesting conditions still veiled from mortal sight ; that it is by these disembodied, or "discariiated " spirits that raps are given, objects moved, intelligence manifested, secrets revealed, slates written, voices uttered, faces shown, and epis- tles 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 accom])anied them, and delighted still to counsel and instruct them. If not true, it is a mas- terpiece 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 ])()wcr 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, un- less 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. 3
34 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
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 clamis 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 dis- cussion of which it is not the provmce of this little work to enter. A word, however, by way of digression, may be allowed in reference to its authorship.
CREDENTIALS OF THE BIBLE.
1. The Bible claims to be the word of God. Those who wrote it assert that they wrote as they " were moved by the Holy Ghost ; " and they append to what they utter, a " Thus saitli the Lord."
2. If it is not what it claims to be, it is an ivipos- ture invented by deceivers and liars.
3. Good men would not deceive and lie ; there- fore they were not the ones who invented the Bible.
4. If, therefore, it was invented by men at all, it must have been invented by Ijad men.
5. All liars and religious impostors are bad men ; but — -
6. The Bible repeatedly and most explicitly for- bids lying and imposture, under the threatening of most condign punishment.
7. Would, therefore, liars and impostors invent a book which more than any other book ever written, denounces lying and imposture, thus condemning
CREDENTIALS OF THE BIULE. 35
tlioniselves to the severest judgments of God, and at last to eternal death i
S. Jf, 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 clahns to be, that is, the living (iod ?
U. If, therefore, from the very nature of the case, it nnist be God's book, why not believe it, and t)bey it i
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 ])ut forth that it is the disembodied si)irit8 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 "enchant- ment, " ' ' sorcery, " " witchcraft, " " necronumcy, ' ' "divination," "consulting with familiar spirits," etc. These practices were all more or less related, but some of them bear an unmistakable meaning. Thus, " necromancy " is defined to mean " a pre- tended communication with the dead. " A ' ' familiar spirit" was "a spirit or demon supposed to attend on an individual, or to come at his call ; the invisi- ble agent of a necromancer's will." — Century Dio tionavij. Spiritualists do not deny that their inter- course with the invisible world comes under some, at
36 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
least, of tliese heads. But all such practices the Bible explicitly forbids,
Deut. 18:9-12: "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. fainiUar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord." Lev. 19 : 31 : "Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God." 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.
AN inPOSSIBILITY.
But why does the Bible forbid such practices as necromancy, or a " pretended ' ' communication with the dead 1 — 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
AN IMl'OSSIHILITV. , 37
here iii liunian IjckHcs. 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 ra})s, 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 iin])osture. No man likes to be fooled. No matter therefore how nice the communicating intelligence may seem, how many true things it nuiy say, or how many good things it may promise, the conviction cannot be evaded tliat no real good can be intended or con- ferred by any 8])irit, or whatever it may be, masquer- ading 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.
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 swee])S away at one stroke the entire foundation of Spiritualism. Evidence will now be presented to show that this is a Bible doc- trine ; and wherever this is received, the fa})ric of Spiritualism from base to finial falls ; it cannot
38 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
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 possibil- ity 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 attend- ing 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 at- tributed.
THE SOUL NOT IMMORTAL.
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 demon- strated. It well attributes to the Scriptures a lack of plain teaching in support of that dogma ; and it would have stated niore truth, if it had said that the
THE SOUL NOT IMMORTAL. 39
Scriptures nowhere countenance such a doctrine at all. But, it is said, the Scriptures are full of the terms, " soul " and "spirit." Very true ; but they nowhere use those terms to designate such a part of man as in common parlance, and in popular the- ology, they have come to mean. The fact is, the popular concept of the "soul" and "spirit" has been formulated entirely outside the Bible. Sedu- lously, 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 " soul," or "spirit," which does not die, but passes to higher spirit life, when the body goes into the grave. The father of this doc- trine is rarely referred to by its believers, as author- ity, possibly through a little feeling of embarrassment as to its parentage ; for lie it was who announced it to our first parents in these words: "Ye shall not surely die ! " Gen, 3:4. When men began to die, it was a shrewd stroke of policy on the })art of him who had promised them that they should not die, to try to i)rove to those who remained that the ( thers had not really died, but only changed condi- tions. It is no marvel that he should try to make men believe that they possessed an immaterial, im- mortal 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 nicu take these meaninijs which have been devised and fostered into
40 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
stupendous strength outside the pale of Bible teach- ing, and attach them to the Bible terms of "soul " and ' ' spirit. ' ' 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, i-s worthy of note. In his "Treatise on Christian Doctrine," Vol. I, pp. 250, 251, he says : —
"Man is a living being, intrinsically and properly one individual, not compound and separable, not, according to the common oj)inion, 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 saj', a body or substance, individual, animated, sensitive, and rational."
In this sense the word is employed many times ; but whoever will trace the use of the words "soul" and "spirit" through the Bible, will find them applied also to a great variety of objects ; as, person, mind, heart, body (in the expression " a dead body "), 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 tli,at anything expressed by these
THE SOUL NOT 1M.MOKTAL. 41
terms is capable of existing for a single moment, as a conscious entity, or in any other condition, 'i/u't/i- out the hidij ! This being so, none of these, accord- ing to the Bible, are the agency claimed to be present in (Spiritualism.
Anothei- fact in reference to this point, should l)e allowed its decisive bearing. The (juestion now under investigation is. Is the soul immortal, as Spir- itualism luis taken upon itself to teach, and claims to demonstrate? The Bible is found to be so lavish in the use of the terms "soul" and "spirit," that these words occur in the aggregate, seventeen liniidrcd tiiiirs. Seventeen hundred times, by way of descrip- tion, analysis, narrative, historical facts, or declara- tions of what they can do, or suffer, the Bible has something to say about "soul" and "sj)irit. " The most important <piestion to be settled concerning them, certainly, is whether they are immortal or not. Will not the Bible, so freely treating of these terms, answ^er this question ? Yery strange, indeed, if it does not. But does it once affirm that either the soul or the spirit is immortal? — JS^ot once! Does it ever apply to them the terms "eternal," "death- less," " neverdying, " or any word that bears the necessary meaning of immortal? — Not in a single instance. Does it apj)ly 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 em])hatic and overwhelming, So! Well, then, does it say amjtJiiiKj about the nature and capabilities of exist-
42 MODERN SPIKITUALISM.
ence 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 oflf, preserved, and so, conversely, made to perish.
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 : ' ' Now unto the King eternal, immortal^ invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." 1 Tim. 6 : 16 : *'Who only hath immortality^ dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto ; whom no man hath seen, nor can see : to whom be honor and power everlast- ing. Amen." Let, then, similar Bible testimony be found concerning the soul ; that is, that it is "immortal," or "hath immortality," and the taken- for-granted device will not be needed.
CHAPTER THREE
. THE DEAD UNCONSCIOUS.
pROM tlie fact now established tliat the soul is -I 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 S])iritualism. But there are some positive statements to which the reader's attention should be called, and some instances sup])<>sed to prove the conscious state which should be noticed.
1. Hie Dead Knov) vot Anything. — As a sample of the way the Bi1)le S])eaks ni>on this que&tion, let the reader turn to the words of Solomon, in Eccl. 9 :5, 0, 10 : <'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."
This language is addressed to the real, living, intelligent, responsible man ; and hov/ could it be
[43]
44 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
plainer ? On the hypothesis of the commonly be- lieved 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 tlie 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 scrij)ture affirms, know not anything — they are in a condition in which there is "no work, nor de- vice, nor knowledge,' nor wisdom." This is a plain, straightforward, literal statement ; there is no mis- taking its meaning ; and if it is true, then it is not true that the unseen agents working through Spirit- ualism, are the spirits of the dead.
2. The Spirit Returns to God. — Another pas- sage from the same writer, and the same book may recur to the mind of the reader, as exj)res8ing a different and contradictory thought. Eccl. 12 : 7 : " Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was : and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." 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
THE DEAD I'NCONSCIOUS. - io
the constitution of man ; and tliat these parts may he sc'iiaratod. Solomon himself may therefoi'C tell us what he means by the term "spirit" which he here uses. He emi)loys 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 Jl>, he e\- ])lains what he means, by saying that they (man and tliG lower animals) (//I liave one Jji't-atli. The record of man's creation in Gen. 2 : 7, shows that a vitalizhig principle, called the " breath of life,'' was necessary to be imj)arted to the organized body, be- fore 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 nn [ruahh)^ the same word that is used for "breath," in Eccl. 3:11), " s])irit," in verse 21, and "the spirit," which God gave to man, and which returns to God, in chapter 12 : 7. Thus it is clear that ref- erence is here nuule simply to the "breath of life" 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, antl describes the process, in chapter 34 : 14, 1.5 : "If he [God] set his heart upon man, if he gather imto ////y/.sr//his [man's] S])ii'it [same word] and his breath; . . . man shall turn again unto dust. " No one can fail to see here that Job refers to the same event of wdiich Solomon speaks.
And at this point the (picstion may as well be raised, and answered, "Whence conies this spirit which is claimed to be the real man, capable of an
46 MODERN spmrruALiSM.
independent and superior existence without the body ? Bodies come into existence by natural gen- eration ; but whence comes the spirit ? Is it a part of the body ? If so, it cannot be immortal ; for "that which is born of the flesh is flesh." 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 incar- nated ? 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 all God's work of creation, so far as it pertains to this world, was coinjolcted 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
THE DKAD UNCONSCIOUS., 47
defiant lust i The irreverence of the (juestion will be piirdoned as an exposure of the absurdity of that theory which necessitates it.
8, T/ie S2>ti'its of Jii,st Men Mule Perfect. — This expression is found in Heb. \'l : 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 supi)ort to Spiritualism. But it will by no means bear such an interpretation. The apostle is contrasting the ])rivileges of Christians in the ])resent dispensation, with the situation of believers before-the coming of Christ. What he sets forth are blessings to be enjoyed in the ])resent 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 aftirnicd of spirits separately. The whole idea must be taken in. It is the " spirits of jimt ■men made perfect ; " and the participle "made perfect" agrees with "just men," or literally "the just made i)erfect " (dtKuiuv TETtleMiihuv)^ not with " Spirits. " It is the /y<t7i 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 expe- rience (" J>e ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect ") ; the other is not relative, but actual and absolute, and refers to the future immortal state when all the people of God
48 MODEEN SPIRITUALISM.
will enter upon eternal life together ( ' ' God having provided some better thing for us, that they [the ancient worthies] without us should not be made 'perfect.'' 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, " spirits of just men," being simply a periphrasis for "just men," the same as the expression, ' ' the God of the spirits of all flesh " (Num. 10 : 22), means simply "the God of all flesh," and the words "your whole spirit, and soul, and body" (1 Thess. 5:23), means simply the whole person.
4. Sj)lrits in Prison. — 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 gen- eral 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 : " By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison." 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 testmiony. Thus the spirits are said to be
THE DKAD UNCONSCIOUS. 49
the diseiiibodic'd s])irits of those who were destroyed l)y the' Hood. See context. They were in "prison,''' that is, in hell. When Christ was put to death upon the cross, he immediately went by Ids disembodied sjtii-it, down into liell 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, (8) in the acting agent, and (4j in the end to be attainea. Thus, wdien Christ had been put to death, he was " quickened "' (or made alive), says the record, "by the Spirit." This was cer- tainly not a personal disembodied spirit, but that divine agency so often referred to in the Scriptures. "By which," that is, this Spirit of God, he went and preached. Then he did not go personally on this work. The " spirits " were the antediluvians ; for they were those who were disobedient in the days of Noah. Now when were they preached to 'i Verse 20 plainly tells us it was ^'■whoi once the longsuffering of God waited hi the days of JSfonh.'''' In accordance with these statements now let another picture be presented : Christ, by his Spirit which was in Koah (1 Peter 1 rll), and thus through Noah, preached to the spirits, or persons, in Noah's thne, who were dis(jbedient, in order to save all from the coming Hood who would believe. They were said to be "in])rison," though still living, because they were shut up under condemnation, and had only one hundred and twenty years granted them in which to 4
50 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
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 (^m loco), places the going and preaching of Christ in the days of Noah, and by the ministry of JSToah for one hundred and twenty years, and not during the time while he lay in the grave. Then he says : —
"The word Trvevftaci (spirits) is supposed to render this view of the subject improbable, because this must mean dis- embodied spirits ; but this certainly does not follow ; for the spirits of just men made perfect (Heb. 12:23), certainly means righteous men, and men still in, the church militant :■ and the Father of spirits (Heb. 12 : 9) means men still in the body; and the God of the spirits of all flesh (Num. 10 : 22 and 27 : 16), means men, not in a disembodied state." ^
5. Cannot lull the aSouI. — "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." 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 concep- tion 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 "soul" which here comes in to change the current of thought, such
1 Original edition.
THE DEAD TTNCONSCIOUS. 51
conclusions drawn fi-om this text would not be so })revalent; and a little attention to the scojje of Cln-ist's teachiii<r hero will readily correct the niisap- l)rehension. This is brought out clearly, in verye ;5!> : "He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it/' 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 "lost his life" (had the body killed) f(U' 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 (> : 4(i ; Be v. 20 : ^-(i. The ex- pression "shall find it" thus becomes the exact equivalent of the words "are not able to kill the soul; " that is, are not able to destroy, or prevent us from gaining that life he has promised, if we suflfer men, for his sake, to "kill the body," or dei,rive us of our present life. The correctness of this view is demonstrated by the word employed in these in- stances. That word is V'MV (psHchr). It is properly rendered "life" in verse 3!>, and improperly ren- dered "soul," 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 men- tioned in Matthew, and reiterated with emphasis by Mark, Luke, and John; and they all use this same word V^^v, which is rendered "life." In one in- stance only in all these parallel passages have the
62 MODERN SPlElTUALTSM.
translators rendered it ' ' soul ; ' ' and that is Matt. 10 : 28, where it is the source of all the misunder- standing on that text.
6. Souls Under the Altar. — 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 covild 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 incon- sistencies 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 1 In glowing symbol- ism, 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. -l : 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.
7. The Medium of Endor. — 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
THK DKAI) UNCONSCIOtJS. 53
ancu'iit iiecronuuicy ; for tJio (-(mditions, mctliod of procoduro, and ivsults, were just sueli 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 riiilistines. Yerse 5. (8) God had departed from him. Yerse 4. (4) He had cut off those who liad familiar spirits and wizards, out of the land, because God had for- bidden their presence in the Jewish theocracy, as an abominati(m. Yerse 3 ; Lev. 19:31. (5) Yet in his extremity ho had recourse to a woman with a familiar spirit, found ai Endor, Yerse 7. ((>) She asked whom she should bring up, and Saul answered, Samuel. Averse 11. (7) Saul was dis- guised, but the familiar spirit told the woman it was Saul, and slie cried out in alarm. Yerse 12. (8) Saul reassured her, and the woman went on with the seance. Averse 10. (9) She announced a pres- ence coming (not from heaven, nor the spheres, but) np out of the earth, and at SauPs request gave a description of him, showing that Saul did not him- self see the form. Averse 13. (lo) Saul "per- ceived" that it was Sanuiel (not by actual sight, but fron'i the woman's description ; for the Hebrew >'i; and the Septuagint, ytyw-xTK.:,, signify to know, or percci^-e, by an operation of the mind.) Yerse 14. (11) The woman supposed it was Samuel ; Saul supposed it was Samuel ; and that personation is, then, by the law of appearance, si>oken of, in what- ever it said or did, as Samuel ; as, '< Samuel said to
54 MODERN SPIKITUALISM.
Saul," etc. Verse 15. (12) Was Samuel really there as an immortal soul, a disembodied spirit, or as one raised from the dead ? — No ; because (c() im- mortal souls do not come up out of the ground, wrapped in mantles, and complain of being dis- quieted and brought up ; (Jj) 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 for- bidden ; (e) 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; (f7) 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 Ramali, and could not be raised at Endor; {(") It was only the woman's familiar spirit, person- ating 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 Spiritual- ism, 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.
8. The TTcmsfiguration. ■ — Jesus took three of his disciples, Peter, James, and John, apart into a
TIIK DKAI) UNCONSCIOUS.
lii^^li luounttiin, and was ti-ans%ure(l before them ; his face became as tlie sun, and his raiment was white as tlie light, just as it will be in the future kingdom of glory, which this scene was designed to rei)resent. And there then ap])eared 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 tliis occasion, is to suppose tliat he was still alive in the spirit world, and could ai)pear in a disembodied state, and talk with Jesus as here represented. But such a condusion is by no means necessary. Jesus was there in person, Elias was there in pdrson ; for he Iiad not died, but had been translated bodily from this earth. Now it would be altogether incongi-uous to suppose that the third member of this glOrious trio, apparently just as real as the others, was only a diseml)0(liod si)irit, an inmuiterial phantom. Unless the whole scene was merely a vision brought before the minds of the disciples, Moses was as really there, in In's own proper poi-son, as Jesus and Elias. But there is no way in Mhich lie could thus be present, except by means of a resurrection from the dead ; and that lie had been raised, and was there as a representative of the resurrection, is proved, first by his actual ])resence on this occasion, and secondly, by the fact that Michael (Christ, who is ''the resur- rection and the life," John 11:25) disputed with the J)evil (who has the power of death, Ileb. 2:14) al)out the body of JMoses. Jude 9. Th-re could be
56 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
no other possible ground of controversy about the hody 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: "The body of Moses was probably raised again, as a pledge of the resurrection."^ And Olshausen says: "For if we assume the reality of the restirrection of the hody^ 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 easily conceived of as possible, if we admit their bodily glorification.'*'
Those passages which speak of Christ as the " first fruits, " the "first born from the dead," the " first born among many brethren," " of every crea- ture," etc., refer only to the chief and pivotal im-
1 Original edition. Not found in the mutilated edition, revised by Pr. Curry.
TIIK DKAI) UNCONSCIOUS. 57
portanco <»t" his own resurrection, as related to all others; and Acts 2<) : 23 does not declare that Christ should be the first one to be raised from the dead, but that lie first, by a resurrection from the dead, should show lifj^ht 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, ap- peared with Christ upon the mount. Thus another supposed stronghold affords no refuge for the con- scious-state theory, or for Spiritualism.
0. The Rich Man and Lazarus. — With the fea- tures of this parable, as found in Luke 16, which is su)»i)Osed to prove the dead conscious, and S])irit- ualism possible, the reader is doubtless familiar. It should ever be borne in mind that this is a pai-able; and in a parable, neither the parties nor the scenes are to be taken literally, and hence no doctrines can be built U])on such symbolic representations. But not only is it a parable, but it is a parable based U])on traditions largely entertained by the Jews themselves in the time of (-hrist. Thus T. J. Hudson ("Law of Psychic Phenomena,"' ]>. 385; says: —
"It is a historical fact, novertheloss, lliat beforn the ad- vent of Jesus, the Jews had become imbued with the Greek doctrine of Hades, which was an intermediate waiting station between this life and tiie judgment. In this were situated both Paradise and Gelienna, 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
58 MODERN SPIKITUALISM.
his moral precepts in his parables, he emploj^ed the symbols which the people understood, neither denying nor affirming their literal verity."
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 covetous- ness, 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 para- ble, 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 pre- sentation 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 —
10. The TJiief on the Cross. —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, ' ' To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise. ' ' To
THK DKAI) UNCONSCIOUS. 50
go from (U'lith into panulisc the saiDO duv, means to go into tlie spirit world witliont a IxkIv, or discar- natcd, as Spiritualists claim. And so it would be if such was Christ's jiromise t(^ tlm thief ; hut it was not.
The little adverb "to-day" holds the balance of power as to the meaning of this text. If it quali- ties Christ's words, "Verily 1 say unto thee,'' it gives one idea; if it qualities the words, "Thou shalt be with nic in paradise," we have another and very ditt'erent idea. And how shall the question of its relationship be decided? — It can be done only by the punctuation.
Hero another ditticulty confronts us ; for the Greek was originally written in a solid line of let- ters, without any punctuation, or even division into words. Such" being the case, the i)unctuation, and the relation of the qualifying word "to-day," must be determined by the context. Now it is a fact that Christ did not go to paradise that day. He died, and was placted in the t(unb, and the third day rose from the dead. Mary w^as tlie tirst to meet him, and sought to worship him. But he said, "Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father." John 20: 17. Paradise is wdiere the Father is (see 2 Cor. 12:2-4; Kev. 2:7; 2-2: 1, 2), and if Christ had not l)een to his Father when Mary met him the third day after his crucitixion, he had not then been to ])ara- dise; therefore it is not possible that he made a ])roniise to the tliief on the day of his crucitixion, that he should be with him tlud day in paradise.
60 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
But further, the day of the crucifixion was the daj 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 ; ' ' but when they came to Jesus and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs." Yerses 32, 33. The thief therefore lived over into the next day.
Thus there are two absolutely insuperable objec- tions against allowing the adverb, "to-day," to qualify Christ's promise, " Tliou shalt be with me in paradise: " (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 "to-day" instead of before it, and let that word qualify the verb "say" 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
THE DEAD UNCONSCIOUS. ♦) I
romcmbered, bo i-aisod from the tU-ad, and be witli Christ ill that paradise; into which lie will then introduce all his ])eo|)k'. Thus all is as ck-ar as a sunbeam, when the text is freed from the bungling tinkering of men.
The strongest texts and incidents which are ap- pealed 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 "depart and be with Christ" (Phil. 1 : 2;i), he does not there tell us v'hcn he will be with Christ; but he does tell us in many other i)laces; and it is at the resurrection and the coming of Christ. Phil. 8:11; 1 Thess. 4 : l<i, 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 "mortality " is "swallowed up of life." But that is only at the last trump. 1 Cor. 15:61-o4. 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 "not the God of the dead, but of the living " (Matt. 22 : 82), it is because he speaks of "those things that be not as though they were " (Kom. 4 : IT), and the worthies of whom this is spoken, are sure to live again (lleb. 11 : 15, Iti), and hence are now spoken of as alive in his sight, because they are so in his purpose. Texts which speak of the dejjarture and return of the soul (Gen. 85:18; 1 Kings 17:21, 22), are referable to the
^^ MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
"breath of life," which is the meaning of the word in these instances rendered "souh"
Three passages only have been referred to, which declare positively that the dead know not anything. It was thought preferable to answer certain objec- tions, 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.
1. Death and A7c-(^>.— Death, in numerous pas- sages is compared to sleep, in contrast with the wakeful condition. See Ps. 18 : 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.
2. Thoughts Perish.— ^o David testifies: "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he feturneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish." Ps. 146:3, 4. The word "thoughts" 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;
TIIK DKAl) UNCUNSCJOUS. 63
and in dciith, that entirely ceases. It cannot there- fore be the dead who come out of the unseen with such intelligence as is shown in Si)iritualisni.
:^. .A///.S' Sttdeinent. — Speaking of a dead man, ,Iob (14:21) says: "His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but 1>g ]»erceiveth it n(.t of them." If the dead cannot take cognizance of matters of so much interest as these, how can they communicate witli the living as the sj)nMts do^
4. Xo Eememhrance of God. — David, in Ps. 0:5 and 115:17, again tcstities : "For in death there is no remembrance of thee : in the grave who shall irive thee thanks? " " The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that'g<» down into silence."" Is it possible that any righteinis man, if ho is living and conscious after going into the grave, would not praise and give thanks to the Lord?
5. UvzdJaliS Testimony. — Ilezekiah was sick unto death. Isa. ;5.S : 1. But he prayed, and the Lord added to his days fifteen years. Yerse 5. For this he j)raised the Lord, and gave his reasons for so doing in the following WM)rds (verses 18, l!»): " P'or the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that go down into the i)it can- not hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day." This is a clear affirmation that in death he would not be able to do what he was able to do while living.
6. Neto Testammt Evidence. — The New Testa- ment bears a corresponding testimony on this sub-
64 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
ject. 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 exe- cution 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.
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 not 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, con- trary 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.
CHAPTER FOUR
THEY ARE EVIL ANQELS.
AS the Bil)l(! ])laiiily shows wliat the sjtirits which C'oinimniicate are nnf^ it just as clearly reveals also what they arc; so that in no particular is one left to conjecture or guesswork. There is an order of beini2;8 brought to view in the Scriptures, above man but lower than God or Christ, called " angels." 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 huiium being had died, or a disembodied spirit could have existed. AVhen the world was created, Job declares that " tlu; morning st.irs sang together, and all the Sons of (iod shouted for joy.'' These are two of the names ai)])lied 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 chei'ul)im. There are also such names as seraphim, chariots, God's hosts, watchers, holy ones, thrones, dominions, ])rincipalitie8 and powers, ^ all refen-ing to the ditiereiit orders of these heavenly beings.
A part of this host fell into sin, and thereby became evil, or fallen angels. A reasonal)le state- 5 [ «:, ]
66 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
ment 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 essen- tial; 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 com- pulsion, 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 favor- able 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 w^e find Jude speaking of " the angels that kept not their first estate" (Jude 6), and Peter, of "the angels that sinned " (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.
There must have been to this rebellion an insti- gator and leader; and we accordingly find the Bible speaking of such a personage; the whole company being described as "the Devil and his angels." Our Lord pointed out this leader in evil, and his
THEY AKE EVIL ANGELS. 67
work, in John 8 : 44 : <' Ye are of your Father the Devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the bei::iniiiiig, and ai)ode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he si)eaketh a lie, he sjyeaketh of liis own: for he is a liar and the father of it." This reveals the ^reat facts in his case. lie 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 de|)art from truth and introduce falsehood and evil into the universe of God.
In Isaiah (14 : 12-14) this- i)eing is addressed as Lucifer, or the day-star; and the ])roi)het exclaims, "How art thou fallen from Ir.'uven, O Lucifer, son of the morning ! liow art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! '' The fid- lowing verses indicate that the nature of his trans- gression was self-exaltation and pride of heart: '^For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my thi-one above the stars of (rod: I will sit also ui)on the mount of the con- gregation, in the sides of the north : I will ascend above the lieights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High." Paul, in 1 Tim. 3 : ('>, intimates that it was this pride that caused the ruin of this once holy being. Of an elder ]ie says tluit he must not be a novice, "lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil," or that sin for which the Devil was condemned.
In Ezekiel 28, Satan is again spoken of ujider the pseudonym of "the prince of Tyrus." Verse 2
68 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
shows his pride : ' ' Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God," etc. Verses 12^15 describe his beauty, wisdom, and apparel, aud his exalted office as a high cherub, before his sin and fall. Yerse 15 reads : ' ' Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee."
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 tempta- tion by preaching to them the immortality of the soul, " Thou slialt not surely die," and alas! seduced them also into rebellion. The dominion which was given to Adam (Gen. 1 : 28) he thus alienated to Satan, by becoming his servant; for Paul says, ' ' Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey?" Kom. 6:16. Now, consequently, such titles as "prince of this world," "prince of the power of the air," "god of this world," 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 "his angels" to co-operate with him in his nefarious work.
Thus clearly do we have set before us just the agencies, — the Devil and his angels, — which are
THEY AKK KVIL ANGELS. 69
adapted, both by nature and inclination, to carry on just such a woi-k as is seen in lSj)iritualisin. lint how do we know, some one may ask, but that Spir- ituaUsm 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 s])irits of their dead friends, and imitate and person- ate tliem to deceive, knowing that the mediums did not know, and could not ascertain that they were altogether another and diti'erent 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 mtm in this very way, by^ pretending to be their dead friends, and then by working u])on their alfections and love for the ones they could skilfully personate, bi'ing them under their influence and lead them cap- tive at their will.
These evil angels are ex])erts in deception. They have had six thousand years' experience. They are well acquainted with the hunum family. They can read character. They study temperament. They ac(juaint themselves minutely witli personal history. They know a thousand things which only they and the individual they are trying to ensnare, are aware (►f. They know many things beyond the knowledge of men. They can easily carry the news of the •decease of a friend, ami the description of a death- l>i'd scene, to other friends thousands of miles away, and iiHUiths before the ti'uth through ordinary chan- nels can reach them, so that when it is verified, their influence over them may be increased. (See page lill)
70 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
There is nothing that has yet taken place, of how ever inexplicable a nature, and nothing whicli 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.
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 them- selves to their control ; and when they have them thus helpless in their arms, they deliberately and cruelly instil into their minds the virus of ungov- ernable lust, the leprosy of unconquerable rebellion against the government of Heaven. That this lan- guage does not misrepresent nor slander them, will be shown from their own testimony, before the close of this book.
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
THKV AKK K\ll. AN(fKI,S.. 71
good an<^ol8. This fact boiiig cstablislu'd, hy parity of roasoiiiiif^ tlio ])(^vil and liis aiigc^ls become real boinsi;s also. The same ariijumeiits which show that God and Christ exist as personal beings may be used to show that the Devil and his angels are pca-sonal beings also. He who denies that there is a personal Devil, mnst be prepared also to deny that there is a personal C'hrist. So far as the argument for })ersonal existence is concerned, Christ and good angels stand on one side of the CMjuation, and the J)evil and his angels on the other; and whoever would rub out the one, must rub out the other also.
Christ said that he "beheld Satan as lightning fall from lieaven. " Luke 10 : is. John in the Jieve- lation (1:2:7) beheld a war in Jieaven. ''JMichael [Christ] and his angels fought against the dragon [Satan] ; and the dragon fought, and his angels.'*' On tlie ground that there is no Devil, this would be a wonderfid battle — (Mu'ist and his angels, who are real beings, fighting furiously against myths and nonentities which have not even the substance of a phantom.
To endorse the doctrine of a ]>ersonal Devil, is not to endorse the grossly absurd caricatures conjured up by morbid imaginations, and po])ular 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 exist- ence, and enable him the better to cover his tracks and carry on his work among men. Nevertheless
72 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
the only rational hypothesis on which to account for the present condition of this world (which every one must admit is full of devil ishness), 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. ITnfallen angels are beings of mighty power. One of them slew in one night 185,0<»0 Assyrians (3 Kings 19:35); and the one who appeared at the time of Christ's resurrection had a countenance like the lightning, and raiment v/hite 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 ilwm 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. Ei>h 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 : 11, 15; 2 Peter 3 : 7, 13; Rev. 5 : 13), there will ever after remain an object-lesson sufiicient to safe- guard the universe against a repetition of the evil.
WAKNINiiS AOAlN!<r KVIL SITKITS.
73
Only some OiMtO yoars are allotted to tins work of evil; ami (JOtio yearn are as iiotliiiii;' coiiiparcd witii eternity.
WARNINGS AGAINST EVIL SPIRITS.
The Seri])ture8 ])laiiily point out the working of these ajjenta of wickedness, and warn us against them. In 1 Tim. 4 : 1, we read : <' 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." This shows that these spirits make it an ohject to seduce, or deceive, to draw men away from the ti-ue faith, and cause them to receive, instead, the doctrines they teach, which are called "doctrines of devils;" and this scri])ture is written to ]>ut men on their guard against them.
Again Tanl says: <'Forwe wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the riders of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness [margin, "wicked spirits"] in high places." Eph. 6 : 1'2. And he adjures his readers to put on the whole armor of God to be able to resist them.
The a})ostle Peter exhorts to the same purpose: " Be sober, be vigilant ; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist stedfast in the faith." 1 Peter 5:8, D. If our ears do not deceive us, a good deal of this roaring is heard in the ranks of Spiritualists, where, by invisible raj)- ping, agitated furniture, clairvoyance, clairaudience,
74 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
writing, speaking, marvels, and wonders, he seeks to set the world on tiptoe of curiosity and expecta- tion, and bewilder men into a departure from the faith and the acceptance of the doctrines of devils. He is cunning enough not to ' ' roar " 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.
The prophet Isaiah also has something to say directly upon this subject : *■ ' And when they shall say unto you. Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and tliat mutter : should not a people seek unto their God ? for the living to the dead ? " 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 : "To the law and to the testimony : if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." 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 knowl- edge. Those practices which in the Bible are enumerated as "charming," "enchantment," "sor- cery," "witchcraft," "necromancy," "divination," " consulting with familiar spirits," etc., are more or less related, and are all really from one source. So in modern times different names indicate substan- tially the same thing. Thus Mr. Hudson, in <' Psychic Phenomena," p. v, says: — ■
WARNINGS AiJAmST EVIL Sl'IRITS. 75
" Tt has, hovvover, lonj,' been fell by the iiblcst thinkers of our time tliat all i)sychic man ili'stat ions of the luimaii in- U'llcct, normal or abnormal, wlu'thcr dcsifniatt'd by llit" name of mesmerism, hypnotism, somnambulism, trance, spiritism, demonolojjy, miracle, mental therapeutics, genius, or insanity, are in some way related."
Seven, at least, of the foregoiiijj; names are no doubt in the warj) and woof of Spiritualism; and he might have added mind -rcadino; and Christian Seience. And Si)iritualists admit that their work is the same as that described by the Bible terms above quoted. Thus, Allen Putnam, a Spiritualistic writer, says : —
"The doctrine that the oracles, soothsaying, and witch- craft of past ages were kinthed to these manifestations of our day, I, for one, most fully l)elieve."
In a pam]»hlet by the same autlior, entitled, "Mesmerism, Si»iritiialism, Witchcraft, and Mira- cle," p. <», he says : —
"As seen by me now. Mesmerism, Spiritualism, Witch- craft, Miracles, all belong to one family, all have a common root, and are developed by the same laws."
To all these, therefore, the text under notice (Isa. 8: 11>, l^»>) applies. We are to bring them to the standard of ''the law and the testimony,'" and "if they s]* 'uk not according to this witrd , . . there is no liglit in them." The living shoidd n(»t seek to the dead.
In Rev, 1«; : 13, 14, the same spirits are again brought to view, and called ''unclean spirits," and "spirits of devils.'' Their last work of deception is to go forth to the kings of the earth, and of the
76 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty. Thus all that is re- vealed of them from beginning to end (and scrip- tures 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.
CHAPTER FIVE
WHAT THE SPIRITS TEACH.
IT lias ])t'on sliowu in tlio itrcccdiiii!: ch ii»ters that the iinseen '' controls "' {{ha beiii'.s who control tlie inc'diurns) in Spirituulisni, are not the siiirits of tlie dead, but are fallen ani;els or spirits of devils. This fact will be contirmcd by a brief glance at some of their teachings ; iar we are to renieinhcr that if thev speak not according to the law and the testi- mony th -re is no light in them. It matters not that what they teacli may l)e supported by signs and wonders beyond tlie coin]ircliension of the human mind. That is no guarantee of truth; for such phe- nojnena are to be wrought, as will soon be shown, to prove a lie. The Lord anciently ])ut his people on their guard in this respect. Dent. 13 : 1 ,3, 5 : "If there arise am-j-ig you a ])ro])lK't, or a dreamer of dreams, luid giveth th, e a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go a'ter other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them ; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that proi)het, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God ])rovrth you, to kn(.w whether ye love the Lord your God with all yoiu- heart aiul with all your soul." " And that prophet, or that dreamer of
[77]
YS MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
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."
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 pun- ishment, 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,
" ' T is not the broad phylactery
Nor stubborn fasts, nor stated prayers That make us saints. We judge the tree By what it bears."
— Alice Carey.
It is therefore pertinent to look sufficiently at the teachings of the spirits to ascertain their char- acter. Here we shall find some most damaging testimony; for —
1. They Deny God. — It is no pleasure to tran- scribe the utterances of practical atheism ; yet enough should be given to show what they teach on the great fundamental principles of Christianity. At a seance, reported in the Banner of Light, July 11, 1868, the following questions were addressed to the spirits, and the accompanying answers received: — •
" Qiies. — It is said in the Bible that man is made in the image of God. Please tell us what that image is.
WHAl' THE SPmU'S TEACH. YS
" Ant<. — He is made in the image of everything that ever was, that is, or tiiat ever shall be. He holds within his caliber everything that exists, that ever has existed, or that ever will exist. Now, God is inchub-d in this. If he exists at all, he exists everywhere (and we have taken in everything), every place, «'very name, every condition. I bi'lit-ve that tbc human stands above all things else, and holds within its i-mbrace all tlie past, present, and future. In this sense lie is cre.it(>d and exists in the image of (Jod.
" (^. — What is (Jod essentially'.'
" vi. — Kverything. Kssiutially you are God, and I am (Jod — the tlowers, the grass, tlu' pebbles, the stars, the moon, the sun, everything is God."
Tlie Devil, tliroiijjjli the serpent in tlie garden, tanglit Adam and Eve that tlie sold is immortal, and has transfused the same idea very successfully through ])aganism, llymanism, and Protestantism; hut he also said, " Ye shall he as gods ; " 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.
Another seance, reported in the Banner about twenty years later than the one quoted above, April 28, 1888; an incjuirer addressed to the "spirits" a question about God, and received answer, a portion of which is presented below : —
^* Ques. — Some Spiritualists, I U*arn, believe in a God: otherwi.se they would not pray to him — taking for granted that there is such a being. Please enlighten us.
" Ans. — We have yet to come in contact with a thorough Spiritualist, one who understands something of spiritual life and the revelations made b\' returning spirits, who directly
80 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
believes in a personal God. True, many Spiritualists and many returning spirits offer their invocations to the 'Great Supreme Spirit of all life and intelligence,' 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 Spiri- tualist— 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."
The same views have been taught all along by the " spirits " of Spiritualism, as could be shown by extracts dating as far back as ISoS, only ten years after the '^ Rochester Knockings." 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 "Automatic, or Spirit Writing," p. 148 (1896), are given many messages from the spirits through the mediumship of Mrs. S. A. Underwood, wife of the editor of the Ph,'doso])hlcal Jou/rnal^ Chicago. The " spirits " set forth their teaching in answer to ques- tions by the medium, some of which have reference to God though his name is not used. Thus on page 118, this conversation is given : —
WllAt tHE Sl'lRlTS TEACU. . SI
'■• Qiif)*.— Yon often in these communications speak of the bindiiij;- laws of spiritual life — tiiat because of them you cannot jrive us such and such information, etc. Now who makes those laws, and whence came they; and how are they taught?
"^n«.— Thou say'st ' who ' — therefore we cannot an- swer. Go back to the first (juestion and ask one at a time.
" Q. — Well, wiu) makes the laws ?
"-.4. — Spirits are not bondag^ed by persons.
" Q. — Then how do you come to know those laws ?
""1- — Pharos will now answer. Spiritual laws are spiri- tually perceived, as soon as the physical perceptions are got rid of.
" 9. — Could you e.vplain to us those laws ?
"-4. — 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."
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 per- tain to the source or authorship of the "laws of spiritual life;" and this would generally be under- stood to be God. But on a technicality the spirits refuse to answer. The question is made plainer, and the answer is that "spirits are not bondaged hy p<r.s(m,s; " that is to say that spirits have noth- ing to do with personalities, and that no personal being has anything to do with those laws. There is therefore uo Clod who formulates and promulgates them. ' No wonder the question followed how they came to know these laws; and it was a very conve- nient answer that we will know when we get there u
82 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
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 un- derstand 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 ' ' grand whole, ' ' whatever that may be, they give the name of the ' ' All of Being. ' ' In answer to a question concerning "personalities," they are called ' ' atoms emanating from the same source — parts of the great All of Being, partaking of the general characteristics of the grand whole. ' ' — - Page 1J^9.
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 re- sponsible 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 biing those who have per- verted views of God back to a right conception of
WHAT TUK SI'IRITS TEACH. 83
till' groat Friend of sinners, as he has revealed him- self in his holy word.
2. Th, 11 l),inj Jr.siis CJin'sf. — Christ is revealed as the divine Son of the P'ather; and to deny that he was or is any more than any other man is surely to vleny him; and the scripture says that "whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father/' 1 John 2 : 23. The followinc; is what the " spirits'"' began to teach in the earliest stages of Spiritualism concerning Christ : —
"What i.s the iticaniii-,' of the word Christ? — 'T is not, as ^'i'ticraily supiKiscd, tiic Son of the Creator of ail tliinf^s. Any just and perfect being is Christ. The crucifixion of Christ is nothing more than the crucifixion of the s|)irit, wiiich all liave to contend with before becoming perfect and righteous. The miraculous conception of Christ is merely a fabulous talc." — li^pintual I'oleyraph, JVo. 37.
How fully does this declaration that any good man is Christ oi)en 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 Tratk Seekt^r contained these words : " It shall be the organ through which the christs of the last dispensation will choose to speak."
A little later, July 11>, 1,S02, there was published in the Banner of L!</ht a lecture on Sj)iritualism by Mrs. C. L. V. Hatch, in which she spoke of Christ as follows : —
"Of Jesus of Nazareth, personally, wc have but little to say. Certain it is, we Hnd sufficient that is divine in his life and teaciiings, wiihout professing to believe in the fables (.f
84
MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
theologians respecting his birth and parentage. We are con tent 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, un warped by educational bias, would ever profess to believe in such a monstrous figment, which only shows the blindness of superstitious prejudice."
Here is something twenty-four years later. A seance reported in the Banner of Light, Oct. 9, 1886, gives the following question and answer:
" §Mes.— Do 'spirits' generally believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ; that he was the Son of God; that he was cruci- fied, dead, and buried, and rose again the third day for the saving of all who should believe in him ?
". !;?,«.— 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 man- kind, in the accepted understanding of that term."
Some years ago a class was formed in Kew York City for the purpose of investigating what is called the spiritual philosophy. Before that class, Dr. Weisse said : —
"Friend Orton seems to make rather light of the com- munications from spirits concerning Christ. It seems, never- theless, 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 do not contradict me.'''
NVIIAT 'iriK SIMKITS TKACII. 85
Tlio ])('cnliar insult licro jiurposely ofTered to tlic Saviour will be appreciated when it is noted that at about the same time the spirits located Thomas Paine, the well-known ske])tic, in the seventh sphei-e, one sphere above that of Christ. Hie must therefore have progressed very rapidly, seeing he so quickly surpassed Christ, who had over 1700 years the start of hiiM,
JJefore the same class Dr. Hare is re])orted to have spoken as follows, which we give without assuming any res])onsi])ility for ihe s])ii'itual gram- mar therein exhibited : —
" ITc said lli;it lie had be(Mi thus protocted from doccj)- tioii by tht' spirilsof Wjishin<jU)ii and Franklin, and that thi'y had broufi'lit .losus Clirist to him, witli whom he had also communicated. He had first, repelled him as an impostor; but became co!ivinced afterward that it was really him. He related that he had learned from that lu.^^h and holy spirit, that he was not the character that Christendom had repre sented him to be, and not responsible for the errors connecti'd with liis name, but that he was, while on earth, a medium of liiuh and extradrdinary jxjwers, and that it was solely through his m<'(liumislic capabilities that he attained so n:reat knowl- edge, and was enabled to practice such appariMit wonders.'*
When Christ was u])on earth, it was envy, jeal- ousy, and mali(?e 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 heai-ts of the Pharisees with their malignant sjiirit, is the same one, as we have seen, who is working through the powers of darkness in the unseen woi-ld to-day. Any way to degrade Christ in the minds of men to a level wnth,
8(3 MODEKN SPIRITUALISM.
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.
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 {Banner of Light, June 4), the spirits were questioned as follows : —
" Ques. — Have j'ou ever seen Confucius or Zoroaster?
^' Ans. — Yes, many times.
" Q. — In tlie order of degree, wliich stands %\\e higher in moral excellence — -Jesus Christ, Confucius, or Zoroaster?
" A. — Confucius stands in morality higher than the other two. . . . Jesus himself claims to have been inspired to a large extent, b}^ this same Confucius. And if we are to place reliance ujwn the records concerning each individual, we shall find that Jesus spoke the truth when he tells us that he was inspired by Confucius."
Indeed! Where are the records referred to? Where and when did Jesus "speak" the words attributed to him 1 And where does he tell ufi, 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 Jiohj medium. We wonder what standard of holiness and perfection the spirits can have.
But still later, in 1896, we find the spirits putting forth the same teaching in reference to Jesus Christ. In "Automatic, or Spirit Writing," pp. 148, 149, we have this : —
WHAT TIIK SIMKI'I'S TKAc'lF. 87
" (Jiiis. — T)() you accept Jesus !is tlie model (if spiritual kuowleUj^e?
"^rt*. — Shall you give us a b(>tter example?
"Q. — Well, we are willing Id accept liim as o )|' many,
but not as chief.
"-■I. — Change lh(> name. Call him by other names — Buddha, Krishna, or Moliamiiieil, tiie spirit is one — is ever and ever the same. Spirit is one, not many, however often the name is changed.
*' Q. — Were not .lesus, liuddha, and Mohammed distinct pers(jnalilies?
"A. — No more than all atoms emanatiiiL' from tiie same source — parts of the great All of Ueing, paiiaking (d' llie general characteristics of the grand whole — hut yielding to environments, showed marked iiidi\idualism, sucli as tJie force of the times in wlii(di they ajiix-ared would create in their characters.
" Q. — Are these leatfers of r(digious thought not distinct individualities now?
" .1. — -NO, not on spiritual plani'S, which do not recognize any now."
Tlius they persist in denyhiii^ that Jesus liolds any pre-ciiiitient position as a religious teaclicr. He may as well be called ]^iid<llia, Krishna, or Mohammed as Jesus. They are all the same sjiirit, all atoms of the great "All of Beinij;, "" all as much alike as three dro])S 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 : "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is anti- christ that denieth the Fnthi'r and the Son. " 1 John 2:22. Again, "Every spirit thtit coufesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of
88 MODERN SPIRITUALISM,
God." 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 individu- alism while on this earth, and have now become absorbed in the " great whole " in the spirit world. Thus, as Jude says (verse 4), they deny "the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ."
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 "Keverend" des- canting on these themes in a manner to show them- selves 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 there- from to give heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils. 1 Tim. 4 : 1.
One R. P. Wilson, to whose name is attached the ministerial title, in his lectui'es on ' ' Spiritual Science," said : —
"Although as a believer in true spiritual philosophy, we cannot receive the orthodox views of salvation, yet we recog-
WU.Vr Tllh: SIMKITS TEACH. 89
ni/.i- tho birtli of a Saviour aiul Rodofmor into tlic universal hearts of liumanily, wherei/i trul// the diity is iiirdrnatc, dwt'll- iufr in tiie interior of man's spirit. We believe that each soul of man is l)orn with his or her Saviour within them; for as man is an emlxuliment of the universe in epitome, he con- tains in his central nature an incarnation of deity. The perm of immortal unfoldinjiS resides within the si)irit of it, which needs only appropriate conditions to call forth the ex- panding;' and ele\ating powers of tiie suul."
Ill "Spiritual Scieiico Demonstrated," p. 229, Dr. llaro said : — •
"Since my spirit sister's translation to the s])heres, she has risen from the fifth to tlie sixth spliere. It has been alleyed by her that her ascent was retarded by her belief in the atonement."
A "spirit'" ealliiigiiiinself Deacon John Norton, as reported in the Ilanncv of Lujlit^ said : —
"I used to believe in the atonement; T honestly believed that Christ dit'd to save the world, and that by and through his death all must be saved if saved at ail. Now I see that this is folly — it cannot be so. The liirht throuirh Christ, the Holy One, shone in darkness; the darl<ness could not compre- hend it; and thus it cnu-ified the btxly, and Christ died a martyr. lie was not called in that way, that by the shed- din<j of his blood, the vast multitude comin<r after him should fuid 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."
Tn the pantheism of S])iritualism, every object in nature, tlie tiny flower, tlie pebbles, the trees, the l)ir<ls and bees, are worthy to be worshi])ed as much as Christ. In one breath the spirits extol him as a most ])erfect man, pre-eminent in goodness and
90 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
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 incon- sistencies show that Christ is a miracle which evil men and evil angels know not how to dispose of. 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 thes 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 : —
"I must look for the coming of my Lord in my own affection. He must come in tlie ck)Hds of my spiritual heavens, or he cannot come for any benefit to me."
And through Mrs. Conant, a famous medium of
the early days of Spiritualism, the controlling spirit
said : —
"This second coming of Christ means simpl}' the second coming of truths that are not themselves new, that have always existed. . . . He said, ' When I come again, I shall not be known to you.' Spiritualism is that second coming of Christ." — Banner of Light, Nor. IS, 1S65.
But the Bible description of this event is, the revelation of the Lord himself in the clouds of
"WHAT TIIK Pl'IKITS TEACH." !>!
heaven in the ghiry of tlie Fatlier, the I'everberatinj^ shout of triumph, tlie voice of the archangel, tlio trump of (lod, the Hash of his presence like that of the lightniny:, the wailing of the tribes of the earth, as they thus behold him, while unj>rei)ared to mecl him, and the resurrection of the righteous dead. And where and when have these inseparable accom- paniments of that event been seen? They do nol occur when a ])erson 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 ac- complished.
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 tlie 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: —
"One remark I cannot, help making,— Tlie doctrine of the resuiTt'ction appears to liave been tiioufjht of much more consequence amonj? the primitive Christians than it is now ! How is tliis? — Tlie apostles were continually insisting on it. and exciting the followers of (Jod to diligence, obedience, and cheerfulness through it. And their successors in the present day seldom mention it! So th(^ apostles preached, and so the primitive Christians believed; so we preach and so our hearers
92 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
believe. TliQre is not a doctrine in tlie 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." — 0)i 1 Cor-
rintJiwns 15 {original edition).^
Ill view of the way the Bible has been treated by its professed friends, it is no wonder that infidelity prevails, and Spu-itualism prospers.
3. They Deny the B!hle.~ThQ 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 (" Spiritual Science Dem- onstrated," p. 209) says: —
" The Old Testament does not impart a knowledge of immortality, without which religion were worthless. The notions derived from the gospels are vague, disgusting, inac- curate, and difficult to believe."
As to the Old Testament, it would seem doubtful whether Mr. Hare ever read far enough to find (1) Job exclaiming : "For I know that my liedeemcr 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" (or, as the margin reads : ' ' My reins within me are con- sumed with earnest desire [for that day];" or (2) David : "I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with
* 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 v/hich Dr. Clarke did not ri^ake, and sentiments which he did not believe. It is no less than a crime to treat a dead man's work in this luanner.
WHAT TIIK sriHITS TEACH. > 93
thy likeness : " or (;'>) Isaiali: ''Thy dead men shall live, too-etlui- with mv dead bodv shall thev arise. Awake and siiii;-, yo tliat dwell in the dust;"' or (4) Ezekiel : "■Behold, O my people, I will open vour graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves ; " or (.")) Daniel : "Many of them that sleep in the dust of tlie eartli shall awake, some to ever- lasting life, and some to sliatne and everlasting con- tempt;"' and (<)) Hosea : "I will ransom them from the ]»()wer of the grave, I will i-edeem them from death."' Job VJ : 25-27; Ps. 17 : IT); Isa. 20 : 19; E/x'. 87 : 12; Dan. 12 : 2; Hosea 18 : 14. And as for the New Testament, it is no doubt " disgusting " to many Spiritualists to 'read that " the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderei-s, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burnetii with tire and brimstone : which is the second death;"' and that without the city "are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and nnu-derers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie."' Kev. 21 :s; 22: 15.
C'Ommunications from spirits are otfered hi place of the Bible as a better source of instruction, the Bible being denounced, as above (pioteil, as " vagae, inaccurate, and difficult to believe." A brief com- parison of the two will furnish pertinent evidence on this ]M)int. Take, on the Bible side, for example, a portion of the record of creation (Gen. 1 : 1-5) : —
"In llio bi'gimiing God crcutod tin- Ikmvoii aiul the earth. And the furth was wilhoul lorni, and void ; and darkness was
94 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
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."
The facts stated in this record, the profoundest minds can never comprehend ; the language in wliich 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 "spheres." The spirits have undertaken to pro- duce a new Bible, beginning, like the old, with the creation; and this is the way it starts out, through the mediumship of "Rev." T. L. Harris: — ■
"1. In the beginning God, the Life in God, the Lord in God, the Holy Procedure, inhabited the dome, which, burn- ing in magnificence x)rimeval, and revolving in prismatic and undulatory spiral, appeared, and was the pavilion of the Spirit: In glory inexhaustible and inconceivable, in move- ment spherical, unfolded in harmonious procedure disclosive.
' ' 2. And God said. Let good be manifest ! and good unfolded and moral-mental germs, ovariumsof 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."
We will inflict no more of this ' ' undulatory spiral " 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
NO DISTINCTION 15ETWKKN ItKiHT AND WRONCi. 95
former education, liavo acknowledged the authen- ticity of the Bible, and the doctrines <»f Je.sus as recorded in the gonpels. But these, it is claimed, are to be understood according to a spiritual mean- ing which underlies the letter; and this spiritual meaning generally turns out t(^ be contrary to the letter, which is a virtual denial of the record itself. But the quotations here given ( only a specimen of the nndtitudes that might be presented ) are given on the authority of the " si^irits," whose teachings are what we wish to ascertain.
THEY DENY ALL DISTINCTION BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG.
There is implanted in the hearts (»f men by nature, a sense of right and a sense of wrong. Even those who know not God, nor C-hrist, nor the gospel, possess this power of discrimiiuition. This is what Baul, in Ifom. 2 : IT), calls "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," That this distinction should now be denied by a class in a civilized com- munity, 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 Hucntly of the beauty and perfection of divine laws; ])ut in the sense in which they would have them understood, they rob them of all charac- teristics of law. The first great essential of law is
96 Modern spiRiTtJALisM.
authority; but this they takeaway 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 "Healing of the Nations," an authoritative work among Spiritualists, pp. 163, 16i, says: —
" Thus thy body needs no laws, having been in its crea- tion supplied Willi all that could be necessary for its govern- ment. Thj^ 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 sub- servient 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?
"True knowledge removeth all laws from power by plac- ing the spirit of man above it."
A correspondent of the Telegraph said of this work, " The Healing of the Nations : " ■ — -
"According to its teaching, no place is found in the uni- verse for divine wrath and vengeance. All are alike and for- ever the object of God's love, pity, and tender care — ■ the dif- ference between the two extremes of human character on earth, being as a mere atom when compared with perfect wisdom."
This is a favorite comparison with them, — that the difference between God and the best of men is GO 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 aninfinite 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
NO DISTINCTION 15KTWEEN RIGHT AND AVKONlJ. f»7
God is inferior to man, so tluit lio cannot discern difference in character liere, even as man can plainly discern it, seems but mad-house reasoning. What would we think of the man mIio had the same regard for the thief as for the lionest man, for the mur- derer as for the philanthroj»ist ? To ignore such distinctions as even men are able to discern would
destroy the stability of all human govci-nments;
what then would be the effect on the divine govern- ment ? God has given his hiw — holy, just, and good — to men, and commanded obedience. He has attached the penalty to disobedience: "The soul that sinrietli, it shall die," "The wages of sin is death/' Eze. IS : 20"; Kom. 6:2:5. And in the judgment, the distinction God makes in character will be plainly declared; for he will set the righteous on his right liand, but the wicked on the left. Matt.
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 "Healing of the Nations,"' ]). 1<)U, says: "Unto God there is no error; all is comparatively good. " The same work says that God views error as "un- developed good." A. J. Davis ( "Nature of Divine Revelation,'' p. 521) says: "Sin, indeed, in the common acceptation of that term, does not really exist.''
A discom-se from J. S. Loveland, once a min- ister, reported in the Ji<i inter <>/ L!<f/if, contained this paragi-ajih : — 7
98 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
"With God there is no crime; with man tliere is. Crime does not displease God, but it does man. God is in tlie dark- est crime, as in tlie higliest possible holiness. He is equally pleased in either case. Both harmcjnize equally with his attributes — they are only different sides of the same Deity."
In "Automatic Writing" (1896), p. 139, a ques- tion 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 fol- lows : —
" Ques. — Can you give us any information in regard to the so-called Uevil — once so firmly believed in? •
" Ans. — Devil is a word used to conjure with.
"Q, — Well, then, as the word itself doubtless arose from the word "evil," which means to us unhappiness, can you give us an explanation of the existence of evil?
"^1. — 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 eleva- tion 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.
" ^. — 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?
"A. — Percipients of the grand whole of Being can un- derstand but may not state to those on your plane, the under- lying good making itself asserted even through such dreadful manifestations of human imperfections as the crimes you name.
"When asked why certain wrongs were allowed to be perpetuated,, this answer was given: —
KO r)IsriN( rioN IJK'rWEEN KIGHT AND WKONCi. 1)1)
"ThcTO is a law of psychical cssfiice wiiich makes nec- essary all these ephemeral entanglements which lo you seem so severe, anil you will yet sec I'rom your own standpoint of reason wlij' such hardsliips must bo endured by (luest-ioninj,'^ souls on the hijihway of pnij^ress.
" ^^>. — Hut i\o }ou from your vantage ground of larger knowledge grow careless tiiat such injustice is done?
" .1. — AVe do care, but cannot remedy.
" Q. — Why cant you remedy?
".1. — Bi'cause humanity is i)ut an embryo of existence.
" Q. — If you can perceive the trials and sorrows of mor- tals, and can interfere to save them, why do you not more often do so?
".I. — When undeveloped souls pay the price of di'vejop- ment, we staml aloof, and lit tin- play go t)n. Interference will do no good."
Ill view of such a coiifossioii, what becomes of the many chiims put foi'th l)y 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 (hmger 'i These say that those terrible crimes (and this would include all crimes) are all necessary, that they are tending to deveh){) souls, and bring them to higher Sj>heres, and thus are just as laii(la])le as good actions ; so they settle back in a gleefid mood, and " let the play go on : " let wicked men cidtivate and develop and practice their evil propensities and the innocent sutfer. Well may men pray to be delivered from such a spirit assembly as that.
In "Healing of the Nations," }>. -lo2. Dr. Hare says : —
"That anything shonid, even for an instant, be contrary to his will, is inconsisleiit with iiis fori'sighl and ornnipo-
100 MODERN SPiRITUALiSM.
tency. It would be a miracle that anything counter to his will should exist."
A lecture on the ' ' Philosophy of Reform, ' ' given by A. J. Davis, in New York Citv, bears testimony to the same effect ; —
"In the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, it is affirmed that sin is the transgression of the law. But by an exami- nation 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."
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 re- sponsible, forgetting that God is long-suffering, and bears long with vessels of wrath fitted for destruc- tion, before they pass beyond the limits of his mercy and perish. But Mr. Davis says further : — ■■
"Reformers need to understand that war is as natural to one stage of human development as peace is natural to an- other. 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 com- plaint— of attributing ' evil ' 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."
NO DISTINCTION BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG. 101
Tlio J>ible savs, ''Woe unto tlicni tliat call evil ^ood, and ^ood evil; that ])iit darkness for light and liirlit for darkness." Isa. .5:20. And it makes another declaration which finds abundant confirma- tion in the s(Mitinients quoted above : " ]3ecause sen- tence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the s(nis of men is fully set in them to do evil." Eccl. S:ll.
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 ecpially good, they try to make the -way a little broader and easier for men to give full rei;i to all the propensities and inclinations of an evil heart, by teaching that there is no Lawgiver and Judge before whom men must apj)ear to gi\e an acconut of their deeds, but that they are responsible to themselves alone, and must give account only to their own natures. Thus Hon. J. 13. Hall, in a lecture reported in the Bi inner of Lights Feb. 0, 1864, said : —
"I believe (liat man is amenable In no law iioti written upon liis own nature, no matter by whom given. . . . Hy his own nature lie must be tried — by his own acts he must stand or fall. True, man must give an account to (}od for all his tleeds ; but how? — Solely by giving account to his own nature — to himself."
At a stance reported in the Banner of LUjld^ May 2S, 18()4r, the following (juestion was proposed, and the answer was by the communicating spirit : —
" QucH. — To whom or to what is the soul accountable? ".•1//.V. — To no Deity outsiiie the ri-alm of its own being, Certaiiii\ ; to no Uod which is a creation of fancy; to no
102 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
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."
The "Healing of the Nations," p. 74, says : — "Man is his own saviour, his own redeemer. He is his own judge — in his own scales weighed."
A little over twenty years after the birth of Spiritualism, Aug. 25, 1868, the Fifth National Convention of Spiritualists was held in Corinthian hall, Kochester, N. Y., at which a formal "Declara- tion of Principles ' ' was set forth. From the seventh and eighth paragraphs, under principle 20, we quote the following : —
" Seventh, To stimulate the mind to the largest investiga- tion . . . that we may be qualified to judge for ourselves what is right and true. Mgfdh, To deliver from all bondage to autlwrity, whether vested in creed, book, or church, except that of received truth."
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 Chi'ist, 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
NO DISTlNOTiON liKTWKKN KUiUT AN'I) WRONG. 103
liave coininittod tlioinsclvos to these vi(nvs; con- sequently but little of the legitimate fruit as yet appeai-s; but take human nature as it is and suppose all the inhabitants of this land to act on these prin- ciples, and then what would we have? — A pande- monium, a scene of anarcliy, riot, bloodshed, and all do])tli8 of rottenness and corruption — in short, a hell so much worse than that to which the Devil is popularly assigned, tluit he would at once change his location and here take up his abode.
That this statement is none too strong, will ap- pear as we look a moment at some of the results which have already developed themselves among the friends of such views, and as their inevital)le fruit. The tendency can by no possibility be otherwise than to atheism, and all immorality. As lias 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 resj)ectability and religion assumed. Most of the quotations thcrefoi-o date some years back, and would be charitably with- held were there any evidence of reform either pres- ent or prospective. But where or wlien have these principles ever been officially repudiated, and evi- dence given that the conseipient practices had been abandoned? That there are many Spiritualists of upright ajid moral lives, and honorable members of society, in the best sense of that term, we gladly believe; but is not this because thoy are living above
104 MODERN SPIRITUALISM,
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. Ran- dolph, author of a work "Dealings with the Dead," was eight years a medium, then renounced Spir- itualism 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: —
"I enter the arena as the champion of common sense, against what in my soul I believe to be the most tremendous enemj' of God, morals, ^d 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 onh' 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.
"As a trance speaker, I became widely known ; and now aver that during the entire eight j'ears 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.
" For seven years I held daily intercourse with what pur- ported to be my mother's spirit. I am now fully persuaded that it was nothing but an evil spirit, an infernal demon.
NO DISTINCTION liETWEEN KIUIIT ANI) WKONO. 105
who, in that iruisH, <jfaim'tl my soul's confidenct'. jiiid led me to tiic very brink of ruin. \\'(' road in Scripture of demoniac possession, as well as abnormal si)iritual action. IJolh lads e.xist. provable to-day; I am positive the f(»rmer does. A. ,1 Davis and his cliipie (»f Harmonialists say there are no evil spirits. I emphatically deny the statement. Five of my friends destroyed them.selvt'S, and I attempted it, by direct spiritual inlluences. Every crime in the calendar has been committed by mortal movers of viewless bein<;s. Adultery, fornication, suicides, desertions, unjust divorces, prostitu- tion, abort i(m, insanity, are not evils, I supi)Ose. I cliarye all these to this scientific Spiritualism. It has also brolcen up families, S([uandered fortunes, tempted and destroyed the weak. It has biinished ])eace from happy families, separated husbands and wives, and shatlert-d the intellect of thousands."
Tlie following is aii extract from the writings of J. F. Whitney, editor of the New York Pufhtiudcr. His view of the subject accords with that of Dr. Kaiulolpli: —
" Now, after a long and constant watchfulness, seeing for months and for years its projjress and its practical workings upon its devotees, its believers, and its mediums, we are com- pelled to speak our honest conviction, which is, that the mani- festations coining through the acknowledged mediums, who are designated as rapping, tipping, writing, and entranced mediums, have a baneful inHuence upon belit>vers, and create disc(trd and confusion; that the generality of these teachings inculcate false ideas, approve of sellish individual acts, and endorse theories and principles, which, Avhen carried out. debase and make men little better than the brute. These are among the fruits of Modern Spiritualism, and we do not hesi- tate to say that we believe if these manifestations are contin- ued to be received, and to be as little understood as they are. and have been since they made tlieir appearance at Roches- ter, 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 recpiire the appearance of
106 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
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 immoral- ity, 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. . . . "We desire to send forth our warning voice, and if our humble position as the head of a public journal, oiir known advocacy of Spiritualism, our experience, and the conspicu- ous 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- rajiids to destruction should pause, ere it be too late, and save themselves from the blasting influence which those manifestations are causing."
Every one .who knows anything about Spu'itualism has heard of Cora Platch, 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 concern- ing it : —
"The most damning iniquities are everywhere perpe- trated in spiritual circles, a verj' small percentage of which ever comes to public attention. I care not whether it be spi- ritual or mundane, the facts exist, and should demand the attention and condemnation of an intelligent com m unit}'. . . . The abrogation of marriage, bigamy, accompanied bj' robbery, theft, rape, are all chargeable upon Spiritualism. 1 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 variet.y of crimes and indecencies as the Spiritualists of America.
NO I)ISTIN(TK>N HETWKEN KKJIIT AND WR(>N(;. |0(
" For a lonir tinn- I was swallowed u|) in ils wliirl])0()l ol excitenii'iil, and comparalivcly i)aid but Utile alti-iition to its evils, bclieviiij,' that much <;-ood mijJiht result from the opening' of the aveiuies of Spiritual intercourse. Hut during the past eight months I have devoted my attention to critical investigation of its moral, social, and religious bearing, and I stand appalh'd before the revelations of its awful and damn- ing realities."
Much testimony of this nature iiiii;ht 1)^' fi,-iven from those who have liad similar experiences and ecjually favorable facilities for judging of the cliar- acter of Spiritmilism. We present only a fevv^ ex- tracts more.
Dr. Wm. B. Potter of New York, in an article under the liead of "Astounding Facts,"* and also in a tract entitled, " Sj)iritualisni as It Is," gives the result of liis experience and observations. His tes- timony is the more valuahle, since lie writes n(»t from tlie stand})oint of one who has renouiu'ed Spir- itualism, whose feelings may for the time be over- wrought, and liis language stronger than would be used in calmer moments. When he wrote, he was still an advocate of S})iritualism, and spoke as a friend who would, if possible, induce S])iritualists to reform tlieir faith and tlnur manner of living. He says : —
" Fifteen years of critical study of Spiritual literature, an extensive ac4uaintauce with the leading Spiritualists, aiul a patient, systematic, and thorough examination of th(> mani- festations for many years, enable us to speak from actual knowledge, definitely and positively, of 'Spiritualism as It Is.' Si)iritual literature is full of the most insidioi\s and seductive doctrines, calculated to undermine the very foun- dations of morality and virtue, and lead to the most un- bridled licentiousness.
108 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
"We are told that 'we must have charity,' that it is wrong to blame any one, that we must not expose iniquity, as 'it will harden the guilty,' that ' none should be punished,' that 'man is a machine, and not to blame for his conduct,' that ' there is no high, no low, no good, no bad,' that ' sin is a lesser degree of righteousness,' that 'nothing we can do can injure the soul or retard its progress,' that ' those who act the worst will progress the fastest,' that 'lying is right, slavery is right, murder is right, adultery is right,' that 'whatever is, is right.'
"Hardly can you find a Spiritualist book, paper, lecture, or communication that does not contain some of these per- nicious doctrines ; in disguise, if not openly. Hundreds of families have been broken up, and many affectionate wives deserted by ' affinity-seeking ' husbands. Many once devoted wives have been seduced, and left their husbands and tender, helpless children, to follow some 'higher attraction.' Manj' well-disposed but simple-minded girls have been deluded by 'affinity' notions, and led off by ' affinity hunters,' to be deserted in a few months, with blasted reputations, or led to deeds still more dark and criminal, to hide their shame."
The same writer also mentions a fact which shows where tlie responsibility of all this looseness of morals belongs. He says : — -
*' At the National Spiritual Convention at Chicago, called to consider the question of a national organization, the onlj'^ 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 char- acter, might become a member."
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,
NO DISTINCTION UKTWKKN KKiHT AM> WRONO. 101)
and who would not come to tlui light h'st tlicir deeds shouhl l)e reproved. John 3 : 1!) 21.
It is unpleasant to wade through pools of lilth, and we therefore spare the reader quotations from those Si)iritiialists who luive not only avowed the most revolting practices of free lovc^, but openly advocated the same, and endeavored to induce others to come out likewise, on the gr(nind that they were only honestly and publicly admitting what the others believed and practiced in secret. For the same reason wo ])ass by the notorious Woodhull and Clatlin, and Hull and Jamieson e])isodes, in this field, which, in the illustration and language of another, ''burst ujton the country like a rotten egg three thousand miles iii diameter I ''
It may be said that these things are in the past and the situation has now gi-eatly changed. For the benefit of those who thus Hatter themselves we intro- duce one more ouotation. It is from ''The J^aw of Psychic Phenomena," by T. J. Hudson (A. C. McClurgife Co., Chicago, 1S1»4). The language is candid and conciliatory, and the author cannot be accused of any undue prejudice on the question of which he S]>eaks. On page ''V.]!y, he says: —
"I do not elijir<r<' Spiritualists as a class with being advo- catt'S of the doctrines of fnte love. On tlie contrary, I am aware that, as a class, they hold the marriage relation in sa- cred 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 belter class of Spiritualists everywhere repudiated tlie
lio
MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
doctrine, and denounced its advocates and exemplars. Never- theless 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 / charge a large and constantly growing class of professional mediums with being the leading jjropngandists of the doctrine of free love. 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."
Wo 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.
DANGERS OF MEDIUHSHIP.
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 : " Come in con- fidence to us; " "Let our teachings deeply impress you ; " " You must not doubt what we say ; ' ' " Learn of us; " " Obey our directions and you will be benefited; " " Seek to obtain knowledge of us; " "Have faith in us; " " Fear not to obey; " " Obey us and you will be greatly blessed; " 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
danctEks ok MKDICMSHII'. 1 1 1
tlic'ir cdiiti-ol, the spii-its cause tlu-in to see whatever ihev hriiii:; hefore iheiii, uiid licar aeconJiiit^ to their wills, aiul do as they hitl. And the tliiii<;s tliev sii|)- pose tiiey s;-e and hciiv, und what they arc; to do, are only such things as exist in the mind of the mesmer- izing power. The suhject is coiuj)letely at the; mercy of the invisihlo agency; and to put one's self there is a most heaven-daring and hazardous act. Mr. Hudson c^Law of Tsychic Phenomena,'' j). '-V-'S) says : —
'•To thr y(iun<i- whosi' chanictors arc not formed, and to those wliosc notions of morality arc loose, the dan2:i'rs of m^'sliuMisliip .•ire njijinl/iin/."
T> furthei- giiu tlie confidence of mortals, the s]>i;'i;,4 clai.u to ])0 the ones who answer their ])rayers. In ''Automatic Writing," }>. 142, we h.ive this : —
" Qiii'x. — Will our friends tell us whether from I heir iioiiit of view, there is any real ellicacy in prayer '!
"Ann. [by spirits]. — Shall not 'a soul's sincere desire' arouse in discarnate and free- spirits effort to malic that sin- c^-re desire a reality ? What ,n'ood can come from asi)irations on mortal i)lanes, save li\roui;li tlie efforts to make those aspirations realized on spiritual i)lanes, by the will of freed spirits ? "
Mediums are unal)le to resist the ])owers of the
unseen world wheu onco under their control.
Professor Prittan ( " Telegraphic Answer to Mahan,"
p. 1(.>), concerning mediun.iship, says : —
"We may furtlu-r add in this connection that tin- trance mediums for spirit intercourse arc equally irresponsible. Many of tlu-m are totally unable to resist the powers which come to thein fnuii the in\ isibii' and unknown realms."
11^ MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
Dr. Kandolph ("Dealings with the Dead," p. 150) shows the dangers of mediumship, as fol- lows : —
"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 con- stant prayer and watchfulness they prevent it and keep the will active and the sphere entire, be led into the most abominable practices and habits."
This same writer, in the same work, pp. 108, 109, says : —
" Those ill-meaning ones who live just beyond the thresh- old, 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-act- ing, 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."
A work by A. J. Davis called "The Diakka, and their Earthly Yictims," mentions the natm-e 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 "morally deficient, and affectionally unclean." —
DANGERS oF xMEDJUMSllIJ'. H'^
Ptiijc 7. The same spirit, Wilson, describes the diakka as those ''who take insane delight in playing parts, in juggling tricks, in personathig opposite characters to whom j)ra_vers and profane utterances are of equi-value; surcharged with a passion for lyr- ical narrations; one whose every attitude is insthict with the schemes of specious reasoning, sophistry, pride, pleasure, wit, subtle convivialities; a bound- less disbeliever, one who thinks that all private life
will end in the all-consuming self-love of God."
J^a(/, hi. On page 18 he says further of them, that they are "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 unbolt- ing the street doors of your bosom and memory; pointing your feet into wrong paths, and far more."
What this "far more" is, we are left to con- jecture. The advertisement of this book says that it is "an explanation of much that is false and repulsive in S}>iritualism." AV\ F. Jamieson, in a Spiritualist paper, called these diakka "a trooj) of devils," and quoted ffudge Carter as saying: "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."
Hudson Tuttle, author of " Life in Two Spheres," and other S])iritualistic works, speaks of "a com- munication, through a noted medium, to Gerald «
114 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
Massey from his 'dog Pip,' the said Pip 'licking the slate and writing witli a good degree of intelli- gence.'" He adds, "Mr. Davis would say that ' Pip ' was a ' diakka, ' and to-morrow he will com- municate as George Washington, Theodore Parker, or Balaam's ass. This diakka is flesh, fish, or fowl, as you may desire."
Some idea of how the spirits sometimes torment the mediums, as hinted at above, may be gained from the following instance. In ' ' Astounding Facts from the Spirit World," pp. 253, 254, Dr. Gridley describes the case of a medium sixty years of age, living near him in Southampton, Mass. The suffer- ings inflicted upon him ' ' in two months at the hands of evil spirits would fill a volume of five hundred pages." Of these sufferings, the following are specimens : —
" They forbade his eating, to tlie very point of starvation. He was a perfect sls;eleton ; 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 bloAvs; 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. . . .
^
s
1)AN(;EKS of MEDIUMSHIP. 115
Thivsf spirits would i)iiifli and pound him, twitch him up and throw him down, ydl and bhisi)lit'mi', and us<' the most oltsccnL' lanjriia^iv tlial mortals can conceive; they would deciarc tiiat they wt-ic Christ in one breath, and devils in the next: they woukl tw. him head to foot for a long time together in a most excruciating posture; declare they would wring iiis neck off because he doubted or refused obedience."
Wlio can doubt that such spirits are the angels of the evil one himself^ Dr. Gridlev in the same work, jt. lit, gives the experience of another inediuni, for the truthfulness of which he offers the fullest proof : —
"We liave seen the meiliiim evidently possessed by Irishmen and Dutchmen of the h.vvest grade — JieartI 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 hkss. and seen him writhe his body like the serpent when crawling, and dart out his tongue, and play it exactly li-ke that reptile. These exhibitions were intermingled with the most wrangling and horrible convulsions."
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 (»f the subject that shotild not be passed by. These fallen spirits who are engineering the work of 8})iri- tualism, to nuiintain their ''assumed characters," and " play their parts " like the aforesaid diakka, represent that disembodied spirits "just over the threshold," still retain the characteristics they bore in life, such
110 MODERN SPmiTUALlSM.
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 propen- sities to indulge in them. The following sketch by Hudson Tuttle, a very popular author among Spiri- tualists, is somewhat lengthy, but the idea could not better be presented than by giving it entire. In "Life in Two Spheres," pp. 35-37, he says: —
"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 beastlj' 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 multiplii^d indefi- nitely, while conscience-seared and bloated fiends stand behind the bar, from whence they deal out death and dam- nation, and the picture is complete. One has junt arrived from earth. He is yet uninitiated in the mysteries and mis- eries of those which, like hungry lions, await him. He died while intoxicated — was frozen while lying m the gutter, and consequently is attracted toward this society. He possessed a good intellect, but it was shattered beyond repair by his debauches.
"'Ye ar' a fresh one, aint ye?' coarsely queried a sot, just then particularly communicative.
" 'Why, yes, I have just died, as they call it, and 'taint so bad a change after all; only I suppose there 'U be dry times here for the want of something stimulant.'
" 'Not so dry; lots of that all the time, and jolly times too.'
" ' Drink ! Can you drink, then? '
" '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.
DANOKRS OK MEDTUMSITIP. 117
You gro to oarth, and mix with your chums; and wln-n you find oni- whose liiouglils you can read, he 's your man. Form a connection with him, and wImii lie ^-ets lu I'ecliiii^' f/ooil, you Ml feel so too. — Tliero, do you understmid nie? 1 always "tell all fresh ones the fi;!()rious news, lor iiow they-wouid sull'er if it was n't for this hlessed thing.'
" ' I '11 try, no mistake.'
" ' Here 's a covey,' spoke an ulcerous-looking heing; he 's of (»ur stripe. Tim, did you hear what an infernal .scrape 1 g(tt into l.isl nigiit"? No, you didn't. Well, I went to our friend Fred's: lie didn't want to drink when I found him; his dimes looked so e.xtremtdy large. AVell, 1 drxtrot/td tlmt ffdinff, and made him think he was dry. He draid<, and drank, more than 1 wanted him to, until 1 was so drunk that I could not hreak my connection with him, or control his mind. He undertook to go home, fell into the snow, and came near freezing to death. 1 suffered awfully, ten times as mudi as when I die(l.' . . . Reader, we draw the curtain over scenes like these, such as are daily occurring in this society."
Ill these cases the whole evil of tlie iiuhilgences of course falls upon the iiiediunis; aiul who would wish to assume personal relation with such a world, and be forced to bear in their own Ixalies the evils of the nnhallowed indulgences of unseen spirits, against their will i
Other scenes represented as taking ]»lace in the spirit land, are most grotesque and silly and would be taken as a bin"les(jue u]>on Spiritualism, were thev not }nit 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 spii-it world, mentions the case of an old woman busy chiu'iiing, who promised him, if he would call again, a drink of buttermilk ; he speaks
118 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
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 wit- ness its misery; of the owner of the dog, who at- tracted 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 "Spiritual- ism," Vol. II, pp. 135-144, 181, 182, 186, 189. Surely here are the diakka playing their pranks in all their glory.
MISCELLANEOUS TEACHING.
On the leading points of faith as held by Chris- tians 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 communi- cations.
Spiritualists object most strenuously to the idea of unconsciousness in death, or to the Bible declaration, ' ' The dead know not anything. ' ' But the spirits themselves teach this very thing. Thus Judge Ed- munds, Yol. 11, 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 uncon- siousness differs with difl'erent persons, depending on circumstances. A. J. Davis admits that Pro- fessor Webster was eight days and a half uncon- scious.— '•^ Death and the After Life,'''' p2?. 18, 19.
MTSCEIJ.ANEOUS TEA('nTN(}. 119
Throug;li Mrs. Conant, medium, in lUtnner of Liijlii^ June 3, 1805, we have this iiit'onuatioii : "It is said that some spirits require a tliousand years to awake to consciousness. Is this true''? — Yes, this is true.'' In "Automatic Writing," p. U8, the s])irits teach the same tiling to-day. If others deny such statements, it only shows that their testimony is contradictory and therefore unreliahle.
Again, the Bihle docti'ine that the incorrigibly wicked must cease from conscious cxisk'nce, is de- nounced by S])iritualists ; but on this ]toint the spirits confess also: —
" (^wf-y. — Do I lUMlurstuiKl you to say tlial a diakka is one who believes in ultirniitc anniiiilalion'.''
" .■l/<.v. — Only yt'stiTilay oni' said to a lady mi'ditiin, siuii- iiii; himself ' Sweden borp,' tliis: ' Whatsoever is. lias been, will bf, (IV may be, tlud I am, and i)i'iva1e liff is hul llu' airpreyativf pliantasms of lhiid<inp: throblcts rushiiiL;- in tlu-ir risinii' onwai-d to the central heart of eternal deatli."" — '• I Hit I, I. a " p. 11.
'(^. — Does every human beine; continue lilV on higher ])lanes'.'
•'.1. — Shall not all who are abortions die'.'
" f/ — Do yon mean that some born on tliis jilanr may spiritually die from lack of force to persist?
" .•!. — Yi'S — both wonuMi and men are born into the di\ ini' humanity who must necessarily perish, because tiiey have not sutlicient Soul strenstli tt> persist." — '• Autontiitir WritiiKj" pp. 101. 10..'.
'^riiere is, it seems, a purgatory in the sj)irit world. In answer to a (juestion, a spirit replied : —
"There is a sphere in spirit lifi- allotted to those who h'avf the earthly plane in spiritual ii^niorance, which is not iiliiLsiiKi to dwell upon, yet which is absolutely necessary to sjiiritual soul growth. — /</., ji. 90.
120 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
Spiritualism is claimed to settle the question of immortality ; but the spirits confess themselves ignorant of it : —
" Ques. — On your plane do you arrive at certaint}- in regard to immortality?
'■'■ Ans. — We here are as ignorant as you arc as to the ulti- mate of existenc(\ Immortality is still an undetevhiined isnue. One life at a time seems as pertinent with us as with you." — Id., p. 103.
The spirits' heaven, it seems, is not so desirable a place that it prevents their being homesick.
" Ques. — Why are you homesick?
"J.«s.— Have not found out the real reason; things are so different fromiormer ideas." — Id., p. 111.
Spirits are not allowed to tell too much about their condition, as the following question and answer show : —
" Ques. — Can't you tell us what makes it pleasanter, — describe so we can understand ?
"^4^/.S'. — You '11 find out as I did — 'gainst the rules here to tell. . . . Just be patient — it's all easy enough when you learn how. 1 was puzzled, but it all seems straight enough now." — Id., p. 115.
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, cpiestions and answers followed from which we quote : — -
" Q. — Is that statement an intimation of llie truth of reincarnation?
"^.— Souls of all who have preceded yt)u are centered in you in spite of your childish protests. Asli not of those
SPIRITS CANNOT ]{K IDENTIFIED. 121
jtri'decossors : for they y»'t live in you, and you in tlicm. . , . l^onjr Hfio you and 1 went over tlu' ffround und( r eminent nanus. . . . AVcre not we toiretlier wiu-ii Socrates and Aspasia talked?" — hi., pp. 1'>1, J')2.
" Q. — Can you tell us, at least, whether spirit, as a whole, or in its individual atoms, exists eternally?
"A. — Yes; spirit as a whole is eternal — exists — did exist — 1)y force of Powers you cannot uiitlcrstand. liut you as individual, self-conscious, atomistic particles of spirit wholeness, are not eternal, and mutst return to the Primal Source." — /</., -J), l.i.i.
SPIRITS CANNOT BE IDENTIFIED.
llaviiiu' now siifficii'iitlv exuiiiiut'd the teacliiiiif of tlio .spifits, :i tinal question arist's in regard to them, whetlier it is ]>ossil)lo^ to identify them, and deter- mine with any al)S(»hito certainty whether they are the sjtirits of the paiticiilar indi\ iduals tliey chum to he, or even sjtirits of the dead at all, or not. It should he distinctly home in mind, always, that evil angels whose existence lias heen ])ro\ed from the Bihle, whose natm-e and delight is to deceive, can walk the earth unseen, imitate and personate any in- dixidual, and reveal their characteristics of thought, writing, acts, f(»rm, and features, and make so perfect a count 'i-feit as to defy detection. How, then, c.nn it be told what spirit it is, even though it shows the face and features of some well-known friend i On this topic, as on })receding questions, ISjMi'itualists themsehcs may ]iroduce the evidence, President jMahaii (*' Discussion with Titi'any and Khen,"' ]». 13) remarks : --
"Certain experiments have been made, in order to de- termine wlieilier spirits are present. Individuals .!,'o in as
122 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
inquirers, and get definite answers — in tlie first place, from departed spirits of persons yd lirina; in tlie second place, from departed spirits of persons who nerer existed here or anywhere else; in the third i:)lace, from the departed spirits of brute beasts."
When it is considered, as already notod, that spirits do their work through mosnieric power, it is easy to understand how the medium is made to be- lieve 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. Hobai-t, in ISSd, who claimed to be the first Spiritualist iu Michigan, made the fol- lowing admission : —
" Tli(^ spirit sometimes assumes the name of an individual belonging to tlie same church, to induce them to hear. This is necessary with some who are so bigoted the}^ would not believe unless a name was assumed which the_y respected."
An article in the Spirit aid Telegraph, of July 11, 1857, begins as follows : —
"The question is continually being asked, especially b}' novitiates in spiritual inveijtigations. How shall we know that the spirits who communicate with us are really tlie on.'s 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, per- sonate other spirits, and tluit, too, often with such perfec- tion as, for the time being, to defy every effort to detect the deception. ... If direct tests are demanded at all, we would recommend tliat they be aslced for the purpose of proving that the manifesting influence is that of a spirit, rather than to prove -^'Ivdil jjurticular spirit is the agent of its production."
sriKii's cANNor i;k idkniiukd. I'A')
This is an cntiri' bc^<!;iiig of the wliole iiuitter in question; for it is not denied tliat it is ff s})irit; \vj want to know wiiat jy//'f/'ri//<//- spirit it is; but for that "we must not ask: for it eannot be ascertained. Tlie same ai-ticle states that other and lower spirits often crowd in and take the ])lace of the spirit coni- municMtini;-, without the knowledge of the medium. We might also quote " Si)iritualism as It Is," p. 11, that '^Liot one per cent, of the manifestations have had a liigher origin than the first and second spheres, which are filled \vith low, ignorant, deceptive, mis- chievous, selfish, egotistical spirits;" and "Deal- ings with the Deul," p. 2-25, that "the fact is, good spirits do not a]>]>c'arone tenth as often as imagined."
Jan. T, ISSS, the following ajtpeui'ed in the B in- ner uf Lujlii : —
" O/^v. — What is till' cuusc of our r('Ct'iviii<r, incoiisist iit, ami u;il nil lifiil cominuiiifaUoiis? Docs %\\\i blamt', it any llirrc is, rrst wilh us or tlii; control liii;ar inlcllif^t'iico?
'•.I. /.v. — Thi-re are spirits wlio dclii^lit in imposiuj^ upon mortals; tlu'y realize their power outside of material thinj^s. and that those who seek knowledjre from Ihem cannot see i.or (/it Jiold ofthfin; therefore to an extent thry cxeroisi' a certain power over those mortals who approach; and if the mortals are tlicmsclvcs tricky by nature, insincere, ready to take ad- vantai^'e of others, whether it 1)e at the time of sitting,' or in their daily life, rest assured hhey may he imposed upon hy s|»irits from theotlu'r side wlio oci'upy a like iilane of exist- ence wilh themseh'es."
^1 '(Hums tht'inselves will not trust the spirits, accirding t> statemi'iils in:itl;' as late as isitn. Mi-^. S. A. Underwood, nudiimi, i:i " Automatic Writing," ]». 5;"), says: —
124 MODEEN SPIRITUALISM.
"With all my experience in it. I would ncU to-daj' venture upon any change, business venture, friendship, or line of con- duct, advised from this source, unless my own common ma- terial 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."
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 : —
"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 di.sgiisted me with spiritual messages before this writing came to me, as I had occasion- ally glanced over such messages. When I protested against such assumptit)n, I was told that 'Elaine and Guinevere' 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."
Thus the spirits themselve.s confess that the names they often assume are not those of r^al heings, but typical and fanciful. Nothing more, it would seem, is necessary to complete the condemnation of Spiri- tualism, so far as its own nature is concerned. When in addition to all else, it appears that the spirits can- not 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 number- less known falsehoods and deceptions that are con- stantly issuing from the unseen realm, — there is nothing left for it to stand upon.
CHAPTER SIX
ITS PROMISES: HOW FULFILLED.
IT is fair to call S|iiritualisin tt> account as to tlie t'liltilnieiit of the ]»i'oiiiiscs involved in its clial- \vu<>^(i to tlio ^v<tl•l(l when it stei>]>e<l n|>oii the stao;e of action. No movement ever opened \vith more mag- nificent 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 "Declaration of Principles," Article 20, says : —
"The hearty aiifl iiit<»lli(jen( convictions of these truths [tiif ti'achinf,'s of spirits] tend to energize the sonl in ail that is fiood and elevatintr, and to restrain from all that is evil and impure. . . . to (luicken all pliilanthropic impulses, stimu- hitin;,' to enliffhtened and unselfish labors for universal good."
In behalf of the cause of woman it says : —
••spiritualism has done more for the advancement of true womanhood than the Church or any^of its accessories." — Dr. W((f.'<'iii. ill, Bdiiiur of ]J(jIit, Ajiril lU, 1S.S7.
Miss A. L. Lull, in the RiVkjio- PJi'ilo^opltkal JoxriKil oi i'cxn. 2;5, isstl, said: —
'•spiritualism is the saviour of luimanity, bi'cause it is reaching out toward the criminal, and in its etfort to lift
[12.3]
126 MODEEN SPIRITUALISM.
humanity to a higher plane, it is laying the foundation for future generations. . . . Spiritualism comes to cleanse out the dregs and wretchedness of humanity."
Mrs. Cora L. V. Rieliinond, in a mediiimistic dis- course reported in the Banner of Lights April 3, 1886, said : —
" 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. . . . Spir- itualism 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; ^. e., Is man only an evanes- cent, material, earthly being, or is he immortal? . . . Spir- itualism 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."
In the same paper, April 6, 188 7, was given the following prediction of the future of Spiritualism : —
" 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 knowl- edge, when war shall be known no more, when universal brotherhood shall i:»revail to bless mankind."
In "Nineteenth Century Miracles," p. 70, M. Jaubert speaks as follows : —
"AtBrm to your peojJe 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 ; th-at 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 mad- ness."
IIS I'KOMISKS : HOW FrLFILLKl).
127
J\lrs. Ji. S. Lillie, in a s|htc1i at the Tliirty-ci^litli
aimivcrfsarv services in llorticiiltiii'al Hall, Boston,
Mass., and reported in the Iiiininr of Ln/ht^ of
April, iNS'!, said : —
••C'hristi;inity ncvtT luid a IN-iitt'Cost to he CDmpart'il with moilern Spiritualism. The latter is as far in advance of the former, as the electric light is in advance of tin' tallow <lip of the past; for it is nineteen centuries ahead of it."
These are most astounding claims ; and if there is any ti-uth in them, Si)iritiialism ought to have shown itself as a great u])lifting moral power, pro- vided it has been able to get any foothold among the peo])le. We therefore inquire what its success has been. On this point Professor Keck, at the Thirty- ninth Anniversary of Modern Spiritualism, at Bridgeport, Conn. [Banner of L/)//if, April *J, issT), said : —
■'ll [Spiritualism] has made converts of more scii-ntitic men and profound thinkers than any other sect in the world. In thirty-nine years it has grown to ti'n or fifteen millions of believers, with thousands of mediums, a literature printed in every known language, and converts in evt-ry (juarter of the globe."
With all these facilities and all this success, it surely has been able to make good its claims, and fuliil its promises, if its nature is such as it assimies, and its promises are good for anything ; and its course should be nuirked 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. ¥ov nearly fifty years it has now been operating in the world; and with all its glowing
i^2S MODERN SPIKITUALISM.
professions of wliat it was able to do, and its millions of converts, ' ' energized to all that is good and eleva- ting, ' ' its impress for good should everywhere be seen.
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, munici- pal corruption, divorces, thefts, insanity, suicide, and murder, have increased in far more rapid ratio than the population itself.
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 Rerord^ of Feb. 17, 1894, speaks of the suicide of May Brooklyn in San Francisco, Cal. : —
"The letters and papers left by the dead woman show Ijlainly that in her grief over the death of Lovecraft she had dabbled in Spiritualism, and had finally reached the conclu- sion that her only chance of happiness lay in joining her lover in the other world."
A few figures, as samples, will be given just to emphasize the general statements. The following is from the Chicago Tribune of Jan, J, 1S'J3 : —
ITS I'ROMISES : HOW FULFILJLED. 129
"The number of persons who have committed ■sui'^ide in tlif United States during the yeur (18^:2), as gathered from telegraph and mail report to the Trihuiif, is 88(50, as rom- parcd with '^VM last year (1891), 2640 in 1890, and 2224 in 1889. The total is much larger than that of any of tiic eleven preceding years."
The Christian Reformer gives the following figures of murders, suicides, and embezzlements from 1801 to 1898 : —
"Murders in 189^, 0615; increas.- over 1891 of 709. " Suici(his in 189:5, 4486; inereasr over 1S92, 576; 1891, 1105. "Funds embezzled in 1898, $19,929,692; increase of 100 per cent, over 1892."
It may be asked, What has this to do with Spir- itualism '\ — It is a teist of the value of its promises. y})iritualism has been posing for fifty years as the ''World's Keformer," the great energizing, uplift- ing force to elevate mankind, the mighty power which has come to empty our workliouses and prisons, abolish suicides and all crime, the ' ' electric light" compared with the "tallow dip" 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
ISO MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
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 pre- sents to the world to-day, stamps the brand of Cain upon its brow. The Boston Herald of Dec. 17, 1874, said : —
"Let Spiritualism produce some idea, utter some word, or perform some deed, wliich 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 com- mand of earthly and suj^er-terrestrial knowledge, it has never done an act, or breathed a syllable, or supplied an idea wlaich 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."
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.
CHAPTER SEVEN
W
SPIRITUALISM A SUBJECT OF PROPHECY.
/E come now to one of tlie most timely aiu]
important features of this whole subject; for God in his word has foretold and forewarned the world of the movement here passing under review. lie has made known the time when it should appear, tlie character it would bear, and the work it is to do. lie 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 i)art of the subject.
A woi-d of digression may be allowed as to the place which ])rophecy 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 thne, giving to every era its "present truth,'' and showing the progress of the slow- revolving ages toward the great consummation. It
[131]
132 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
is the golden credential which the Bible holds up to the world of its genuineness and authenticity.
Prophecy is peculiar to the Christian Scriptures. No other so-called sacred books contain this feature. It is not found in the Yedas, 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.
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.
SPIRITUALISM A SUIJ.IKCT OF PKOl'HKCY. ]')'.">
aiul, knowinoj that tliov cannot do it, discountenance and discourage all such eti'orts. Here is a little of their teaching on the subject : —
" Qut'.i. — Why are so many prt'dictions madi' throuf^h modiums, whicli prove false?
".I//.V. — Wonderful guesses are sometimes made by darinj^ spirits.
" Q. — Can you tfll us anyth.ing of tlie future?
'■-I. — JMiaros says you must not asl< (]uestioiis of tlu- lutun — spirits who prop/iesy are vof rjood spirits
'• Q. — Do you mean tliat it is not hi-st for us to know tiit- future?
" .1. — Souls on your plane are undergoing,' discipline, and it would cost more than it is worth to foretell the future of your state." — " Atiior/Kiti'c Wvitinii," pp. I4I, IJ^i.
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. AVhat will they say to these spirits, who coolly answer that " it w^ould cost more than it is worth " to give them any knowledge of future events ? This, perhaps, they will consider all right because it isn't (iod who says it.
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: "And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar sjnrits, 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.""
134 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
Here is certainly a prophecy that a time would come when just such a work as Spiritualism is now do- ing 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.
2. Matt. 24:24: "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."
A deception of no ordinary power is here brought to view. It really results in the division of Chris- tendom; for all but the elect are carried away by it. In its own claims. Spiritualism fulfils the " Christs " and "prophets " part of the declaration, claiming of course to be true, while the Bible says it is "false." The signs and wonders are beginning to be seen in the many ' ' inexplicable ' ' 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, ' ' as the lightning Cometh, out of the east, and shineth even unto the
Sl'IKITUALISM A SUBJECT OF I'UOl'IIKCV. 135
west"' (verso 27); aud it is one of the prominent signs of tluit 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.
3. Heb. 10-28, 29 : "He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three wit- nesses. Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall ho ho thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wheroM^ith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spii'it of grace? "
It is the bold stand which Spiritualism has taken against Christ and the atonement, that makes this scri])turo applicable to that work. The apostle is speaking of the times when the great " day is ap- proaching" (verse 25); when it is but a little while, and ho that shall come, will come and will not tarry (verso 37), and the inti'oduction of verse 29, in such a Connection, becomes a prophecy that such an out- break against Christ and his atoning; work would be seen when he is about to come again. And the ful- filment wo are now beholding in S])iritualism.
4. Rev. 12:12: " Woe to the inhabiters of the earth aud of the sea ! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that ho liatli but a short time."
This scripture locates itself. It is when Satan knows that ho has but a little time to work, and henco it must be in the last davs. At this time he
136 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
descends upon the world in an avalanche of wrath. "Wrath" is a misleading term. The words ^v/i6v /leyav 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, concen- trated, energetic, and persistent efforts to that pur- pose, using every means, and bringing to bear every influence to reach the result in question. Satan, as we have seen, has an object to deceive 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 bis 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 pos- sible, the very elect — i. e., all who cannot meet the deception with the potent weapon — "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. ' '
5. Rev. 13 : 13, 14: "And he doeth great won- ders, 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."
This prophecy relates to some earthly government represented by a symbol with two horns like a lamb.
SPIRITUALISM A SUBJECT OF I'KOPIIECY. 137
Yersc 11. It is part of a prophecy l)eginning with chapter t\vel\e, and ending with verse 5 of chapter fourteen. It is n(»t tlie ])lace here to introduce an exposition of this prophecy. It is only necessary to state that the position taken is that the lamblike symbol rei)resents our own government, the United States of America.^ And the great wonders that he does, apply to the marvelous manifestations of S])iri- tualism. It is a significant fact that S})iritualism arose in this country, thus fitting itself exactly to the prophecy. The climax of the wonders brought to view in the text, making "fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men," has not yet been reached. More is therefore to be devel- oped. Yea, this wonder-working power is to go for- ward 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 mul- titudes, not pei-ceiving the change of issue, will take the act down here to be a test of truth, as it was in the days of Elijah.
Taken in connection with other portions of the book of Revelation, this pro])hecy 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); aiul the lamblike symbol, representing rrotestantism,
1 For a full argument on this point, fortified by testimony, tlie iipplli-ation of wliifh is beyond question, see works treating on the Uuilt'd States as a subject of propliecy, for sale by the luternationul Tract Society, l^attle Creeli, Micli.
138 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
or more specifically, Protestant America (Rev. 13 : 11-17 ), constitute the symbols of this prophecy. For convenience, let us designate them as A, B, and (7, respectively. O works his miracles in sight of £/ B and C'are again brought to view in Rev. 19 : 20, and there C \% called "the false prophet." We know the false prophet here is the same as C^ because he works miracles before B^ the same as C does in chapter 13 : 14. All together, A^ B, and 6'' 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 : " For they are spirits of devils, working miracles." 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 sec- ond coming of Christ; for the prophecy of Reve- lation 13 ends with the redemption of the church which immediately follows. Rev. 14 : 1-5.
6. 2 Thess. 2 : 9-12 : "Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceiveableness 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."
SPIRITUALISM A SUBJECT {>V I'ICOIMIKCV. 189
Here, again, we luive the great fact brouglit 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-ad- vanced 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 S, and verse 9 states that at tiiat time Satan will be working with all power. The common version is calculated to obscure this passage. The words "even him" (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 : " 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," etc. The word "after " is from the Greek Kara (b/f(/), which when referring to time, as in this case, does not mean " after or according to," but "within the range of, during, in the course of, at, about," as in 2 Tim. 4 : 1, where it is rendered "at."
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 false- hood and deception. Verses 10-12 tell who his vic- tims are, and why they become such: they are those who i^referred the pleasures of sin to the practice of righteousness, and so would not receive the truth.
140 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
nor tlie 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.
7. Rev. 18 : 2: "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."
Among the many predictions given in the word of God touching the last days, is one which fore- tokens a wide-spread and lamentable declension in the religious world. The phrase which embodies it, is the one just quoted, "Babylon is fallen." The term " Babylon " is not intended nor used as a term of reproach, but rather as a descriptive word setting forth the very undesirable condition of ' ' mixture ' ' and "confusion" in the religious world. It is cer- tainly not the Lord's will, who prayed that all hi§
SPIRITUALISM A SUBJECT OF PROPHECY. 141
people sliould be one, that scores or hundreds of divisions and sects should exist within his church. That is owing, exclaims the Catholic, to the Prot- estant rule of private judgment. It is not. It is owing to that Pandora's box of mystical interpreta- tion 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.
Put all this confusion must be remedied in tiiat 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 sj^irit and truth . 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 arc 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 safe- guard against idolatry in the earth; the law would liavc 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
142 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
been held, and then there could have been no pur- gatory, 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.
To say nothing of other errors that would be cor- rected, 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 persecu- tion. And this is why Babylon has fallen.
That organization, called in Rev. 17:5: "Mys- tery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth," has been very gener- ally applied by Protestants to the Roman Catholic
BPIKrn'AI.ISM A i^L'HJECT OF I'UOl'HEOY. 148
Chnrcli; l)iit if tluit cliurch is tlie motlicr, who are the (hiiiiihtiTs ^ Tliis question has been asked for many years. Alexander Campbell said : —
"The worshiping establishments now in opL-rution tiiroujihout (Jhristentlom, incased and cemented by tlicir voluminous confessions of faith, and their ecclesiastical con- stitutions, are not churches of Jesus Christ, but the lefi-iti- niate daughters of that mother of harlots — the Church of Rome."
Lorenzo Dow said : —
"We read not only of Babylon, but of the whore of P.abylon, 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."
The great sin charged against Babylon, is unlaw- ful connection with the kings of the earth. The church should be entirely free from the state. But now the churches of America, which liave 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 u]>on 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.
144 Modern spiritualism.
and sink in spirit and practice to the level of the elder Kome.
Rev. 14 : 8 was fulfilled in 1844.* 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 auc- tions, 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 Spiritu- alism 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, ' ' Babylon is fallen, come out of her my people." 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 judg- ments of heaven. Yerses 4, 5.
8. 2 Tim. 3:8: ''Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth : men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith."
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 form of godliness^ but deny the power thereof. The three following verses plainly describe certain members of the spiritualistic
1 See works on the Three Messages of Revelation 14, for sale by he International Tract Society, Battle Creek, Mich.
Sl'IKI'll AI.ISM A ^^L"H.IK(T OK I'l:oj'IIK( V. 145
f riiteriiity ; and tliey nrv i^aid to he of tlie saiiic soi't. This prophecy therefore becoiiicH parallel to that which has just been examined. The fall of Babylon prepares the popular churches for 8])iritualisin. 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 Janibres with- stood 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.
9. Rev. 10 : 14 : " 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."
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 the 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 hm-led into a lake of fire, and the remnant, the kings of the earth and their armies, are slain by the sword of him \ipon whose vesture is inscribed the all- conquering title, ''King of kings and Lord of lords." Rev. 1<J: 11-21. lu
146 MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
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, giv- ing promise of what they will be able to do in the near future. A work by Hudson Tuttle, ' ' What Is Spiritualism? "p. 6, names the following among the late and living crowned heads, nobility, etc., who have been supporters of Spiritualism : —
" Emperor Alexander, of Russia; Louis Napoleon, of France; Queen Victoria, of England; Prince and Princess Metternich; Prince Wittgenstein, Lieutenant Aid-de-Camp to the Emperor of Russia; Hon. Alexander Axahof, Russian Imperial Councilor, St. Petersburg, Russia; Baron Gulden- stuble, of Paris; Baron Von Schick, of Austria; Baron Von Dirkinck, of Holmfleld, Holstein; Le Compte de Bullet, of Paris ; Duke of Leuchtenberg, of Germany. Of England there are Lord Lyndhurst, Lord Lindsay, Lord Adare, Lord Dunraven, Sir W. Trevilj^an, Countess Carthness, Sir T. Will- shire, Lady Cowper, Sir Charles Napier, Sir Charles Isham, Bart., Colonel E. B. Wilbraham of the English army," etc.
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 con- cerned, there is nothing in the way of the speedy fulfilment of Rev, If) : 14.
CONCLUSION.
The reader now has before him, in brief, the main outlines of this momentous subject.
1. Spiritualism, so far as its phenomena are con- cerned, is not humbug and trickery, but a real mani- festation of power and intelligence.
CONCLUSION. , 147
2. But tlio nmrvels and wonders are not per- formed l)y the spirits of the dead.
3. Evil spirits step in and counterfeit what are supposed to be tlie spirits of tlie dead, in which men have been taught to believe, simulating points of identity to any minute particular that may be required.
4. Besides starting on this false assumption, all tlieir teaching shows that they are agents of evil, not of good, and their work is to degrade, not elevate.
i). The woi'ld bv 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.
<>. Even the churches of Christ, bv rejection of the truth, are preparing themselves for the same snai'e.
7. The Scriptures have plainly ]»ointed out this great outbreak of tlu^ working of Satan, and invari- ably connected it with the last days and the second coming of Christ.
JS. Spiritualism is thus a subject of prophecy, and an infallible sign and precursor of the soon- coming end.
\K Thji great day of the Lord is near and hasteth greatly; and 'all things now call upon all men to prepare for its eternal decisions.
Is this the lesson ? Who will heed it and thus esca|>e the delusions and peri^.s ( 1' ihese last days, and be finally saved in the kingdom of heaven?
INDEX OF AUTHORS REFERRED TO.
Paoe.
Alexander, Emperor 14(i
Axahof, Hon. Alexander 14(5
Adare. Lord 14(5
Alexander III 14fi
IJellachini, Mr 14
Barrett. Dr. W. V 15
Hriorht, John 30
Buddha HG, 87, 88
Brittan, Professor Ill
Brooklyn, May 128
Channing, l)r 4
Cook, .Io.seph 12
Crookes, Professor 17
Crookes, Wm., F. R. S. . . 29 Clarke, Dr. Adam. .iO. 50. J) 1,92
Oarev, Alice 78
Confucius 8(5, 88
Conant, Mrs !»0, 11!)
Curry, Dr 56, 92
Claflin, Mr 109
Cartt'r, .Iudo:e 11.'?
Campbell, Alexander.... 143
Carthness, Counte.ss 146
Cowper, Lady 146
Dixon, Hepworth 28
Davis, A., J
29,97. 100, 105, 112, 114, 118
Davenport, Messrs 29
Dow, Lorenzo 143
Dunraven, Lord 146
De Bullet. Le Comtr I 16
Eplinton. Air 13
Kdmunds. .Indjr.' 28. II ;, 118
Fox. Jolm D 18
Fox. Mrs 18. 19.20. 21
Fox, Margaret. ... 18, 20, 22
I'.UiK.
Fox, Kate 18, 19, 20
Fox, David 18
Fox, Mary 21
Fox. Catiiarint' 22
Franklin. Benjamin 85
Geary, Mr 13
(ilanvil. Mr 20
(iridley. Dr 114, 115
Guldenstuble, Baron .... 146
Hazard, Thos. R 11
Harrison. W. H.. F. R. S. 29
Home, Mr 29
Hendricks, Mrs 31
Hatch, Mrs. C. L. V., 83, 106
Hare, Dr.... 84.85,89,92, 99
Harris, "Rev." T. L 94
Hall, Hon. J. ii KH
Hatch, Dr 106
Hudson,T.J.,17,57,74.109, 11!
Hull, Moses 109
Hobart, Mr 122
Isham. Sir Charles 146
.lamieson, W. F 109, 113
.Taubert. M 126
Keller, Harvy 13
Krishna 87
Keck, Professor. ... . 127
Lillir, .l.T 21
Loveliind. ,1. S 97
Lull. .Miss A. L 125
Lillie. Mrs. R. S 127
Leuchtenberg, Duke.... 14(5
Lyndhurst, Lord 146
Lindsay, I^ord 146
[149]
150
INDEX OF AUTHORS.
Mompesson, Mr 20
Milton, John 40
Mohammed 87, 88
Massey, Gerald 114
Mahan, Pres 121
Metternich, Prince 146
Metternich, Princess. .. . 146
Norton, Deacon John. ... 89
Napoleon, Louis 146
Napier, Sir Charles ...... 146
Owen, Robert Dale 18, 19
Olshausen, Dr 56
Orton, Mr 84
Origan 141
Putnam, Allen 75
Paine, Thomas ,.. 85, 87
Potter, Dr. AVilliam 15... 107
Parker, Theodore 114
Queen of Spain , . 146
Redfield, Mrs 21
Randolph, Dr. B. P
104, 105, 112, 128
Richmond,Mrs.CoraL.V. 126
Slade, Mr 14
Savage, M. J., 15,22.24.25. 32
Stead, W. T.... 31
Stanford. Leland 31
Tiffany. Joel 90
Tuttle, Hudson, 113, 116, 146 Trevilyan, Sir W 146
Underhill, Leah Fox. ... 21 Underwood. Mrs. S. A. . . 26, 80, 123
Vinet. Dr 5
Victoria, Queen 146
Von Schick, Baron 146
Von Dirkinck, Baron. .. . 146
Wesley, Mr 20
Wood, Rev. J. G 26
Wallace,F.R.S., Alfred R.
29, 30
Weisse, Dr 84
Washington. George.. 85, 114
Wilson. R. P 88
Whitney. J. F 105
Woodhull. Mrs 109
Wilson, James Victor, 112, 113
Webster, Professor 118
Watson, Dr 125
Wittgenstein, Prince.... 146
Willshire, Sir T 146
Wilbraham, Col. E. B. . . 146
ZoUner, Professor 12, 13
Zoroaster 68, 88
INDEX OF BOOKS, PAPERS, ETC., QUOTED.
Facje.
Automatic or Spirit
Writing
15, 2(1 80, 86. 98, HI, ll!t, 120, 121, 123, 124. i:53
Arena, The IT)
Astouiuling Facts from
the Spirit World 114
Banner of Light
21,78, 70,
83, 84, 86, 89. 90. 97. 101,119,123,125, 126, 127
Christittnat H7>7-A-,Tho.29. 'M Chronide, San Francisco 29
Century Dictionary 35
Christian Reformer, The 129
Declaration of Principles of the Spiritualists 102, 125
Dealin"S witli the- Dead
104, 112. 123
Death and the After Life IIS
Discussion witli Tilfany
Mini lvh<'ii 1"-M
Forum, The 16. 11
Footfalls on th.- lioun- darv of Another
World 18
Fortnightly Review 29. 30
Home Circle l-^
Healing of the Nations
96. 97. 99. 102
IleraUI. Boston i:!tl
Paoe.
Kojiki Nohonki 132
Koran 1^2
Kan-Ying-Peen 132
Law of Phvsic Phenom- ena.... 17, 57, 74, 109, 111 Life in Two Spheres. 113, 116 Tiaw liooks of Mann 132
Mesmerism, Spiritualism, Witchcraft, and Mir- acles 75
North American, Phila- delphia 11
Nineteenth Cent ury
Miracles 13. 126
Nature of Divine Reve- lation ft?
Paradi.se Lost 40
Piilhlindir. New York 105
Purana 1^2
Q Id irt I rlij, Journal of Science 29 ]{(/i(/i<i- Fhiloxophical Jour-
' luil 14. 28, 80, 125
Report of the 37th Anni- versary of Modern
Spiritualism 21
Rerieir of Herieirn 31
Record, 'Philadelphia. . . . 128
Spiritual Clarion 14
Spiritual Telef/raph, 83.96, 122 Siiiritual Science Demon- strated 89. 92
[151]
152 INDEX OF BOOKS, l^APERS, ETC., QUOTED,
Spiritualism as It Is,
107, 108, 123
Spiritualism 118
Shaster 132
The Border Land 31
Treatise on Christian
Doctrine 40
Truth Seeker 83
Telegraphic Answer to
Mahan Ill
The Diakka and their
Earthly Victims, 112, 113
Tribune, Chicago 128, 129
Tao-Te-King 132
Tripitaka. 132
Veda....: , 132
World, New York 30
What Is Spiritualism 14G
Zend Avesta 132
INDEX OF TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE
ILLUSTRATED OR EXPLAINED.
I'AOE. OKNESIS.
1:1-.") 93
|
1 2 2 3 |
28 |
(i8 |
||
|
>> |
40 |
|||
|
7 |
45 |
|||
|
4 |
30 |
|||
|
4 35 |
10 |
5'> |
||
|
21. 22 18 |
45 01 |
|||
|
10 Ifi 27 13 18 Ch 4 17 10 21 |
31 |
i.Evnicrs. |
30 |
53 |
|
00 |
NT'MBEHS. |
48, |
50 |
|
|
10 |
50 |
|||
|
DK.rTEKONOMY. 1-3.5 0-12 |
77 3() |
|||
|
an. 28 |
1 s.\.\nEi,. |
5-' |
53 |
|
|
1 |
1 KIXOS. |
73 |
||
|
21, 22 35 |
01 |
|||
|
2 KINGS. |
70 |
|||
|
2. (). 0 21.... |
11 .ion. |
30 0-^ |
||
|
14 |
21.... |
0:! |
||
|
10 |
2.5-27. 14. 15 |
0"! |
||
|
34 |
15 |
|||
|
0 13 |
I'SALMS. |
(v^ |
||
|
3 |
(i2 |
Tagf..
|
17:15 |
. .. o:> |
|
115: 17 |
. . . ()3 |
|
110:105 |
. . . 131 |
|
140:3, 4 |
. . . 02 |
|
ECCI.KSIASTES. 3: 10. 21 |
. . . 45 |
|
8:11 |
... 101 |
|
0:5, 0, 10 12:7 |
. . . 43 44, 45 |
|
ISAIAH. 5:20 |
. .. 101 |
|
8: 10 |
. .. 74 |
|
8:19, 20 14:12-14 |
75, 1,33 . .. 07 |
|
26 : 10 |
93 |
|
38:1, 5. 18. 10 01 : 1 |
. . . 03 . . . .50 |
|
EZEKIKI,. 18:20 |
. . . 07 |
|
28 : |
. . . 07 |
|
28:2, 12-15. |
08 |
|
37 : 1 2 . . . |
93 |
|
1>AXIET,. 11-2 |
93 |
|
IIOSEA. 1 :j . 1 4 |
. . 93 |
|
IIARAKKIK. 2:11 |
. . . 52 |
|
MATTHKAV. 10:28 .50. 10 -30 |
51, 52 51 |
|
15 13 0 |
|
|
17:3., 50 |
[153]
154
INDEX OF TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE.
|
22 94 |
23-28, 23-35 . |
32 |
.., 61 ... 135 |
|
94 |
24 |
83, 134 |
|
|
94 |
30, 31. 32, 33. 18 |
. .. 58 |
|
|
25 |
... 97 |
||
|
27 |
... 85 |
||
|
28 |
3, 4. . . |
... 72 |
|
|
10 14 16 19 23 3 3 |
18.... |
LUKE. |
. .. 71 |
|
14.... |
... 64 |
||
|
... 57 |
|||
|
35 |
... 64 |
||
|
39-43. 6 |
JOHN. |
58, 59 ... 46 |
|
|
19-21 |
.. 109 |
||
|
6 : 39. 40 |
... 64 |
||
|
6 8 11 11 14 19 20 7 16 17 26 2 4 6 6 11 15 15 15 15 4 5 12 |
40.... |
... 51 |
|
|
44... |
... 67 |
||
|
11 |
... 62 |
||
|
25 |
... 55 |
||
|
30.... 31-33. 17 . |
... 68 ... 60 |
||
|
... 59 |
|||
|
60.... |
ACTS. |
... 62 |
|
|
16-18. 31 |
... 36 |
||
|
64 |
|||
|
23 |
. 57 |
||
|
15 |
ROM.\NS. |
. . 95 |
|
|
17 |
... 61 |
||
|
16 |
... 68 |
||
|
23 ... |
... 97 |
||
|
1 CORINTHIANS. 30 |
62 |
||
|
... 92 |
|||
|
18.... |
... 64 |
||
|
51 . . . |
. . . 62 |
||
|
51-54. 2( 4 |
... 61 |
||
|
:;ORINTHIANS |
... 68 |
||
|
2 |
... 61 |
||
|
2-4... |
. . . 59 |
GALATIANS.
5 : 19-21 36
EPHESIANS.
2:2 68
6:11 72
6:12 73
PIIILIPPIANS.
3:11 61
1:23 61
1 THESSALONIANS.
4:14 62
4:15-17 58, 61
5:23 48
2 THESSALONIANS.
2 : 8, 9 139
2:9-12 138
1 TIMOTHY.
1:17 ■. 42
3:6 67
4:1 73, 88
6:16 42
2 TIMOTHY.
3:8 144
4:1,8 64
4:1, 10-12 139
HEBREWS.
2:14 55
10:25-29 135
11 : 15, 16 61
11:40 48
12:9, 23 .50
12 : 23 47, 50
.TAMES.
4:6-8 72
1 PETER.
1:11 49
3:19 48
3 : 20 49
5 : 8, 9 73
INT>R\' OK TKXTS (>K SCRII'Tl'RE.
2 PETER.
1 : 16-18 .-,(•,
1:19 131
2:4 ()(). 72
3 : 7, 13 72
1 JOHN.
2:22 87
2:23 S.-!
4:1,16-18 i:U
4:3 88
5:18 72
JUPE.
Verse4 88
" 6 <;<)
'* 9 f).-)
•RE^^:LATTON.
3:7 5!)
5:13 72
<■.:;» 11 52
12::!. 1 i:{7
12:7 71
12:12 l'};-,
13:1-10 137
13:11, 13, 14 ]3(i
13:11-17 138
11:1-5 138
11:8 144
!(t:13, 14 75. 138
10:14 145, 14()
17:5 142
18:2 140
18:2, 4. 5 144
19:11-21 145
19:20 138
20:4-0 51
20:14, 15 72
21 :8 30, 93
22 : 1 . 2 59
22: 15 !>3
STANIIAIII) KELltlOUS PUBLICATIONS.
Any book in this list will be sent post-paid to any address.
PROPHETIC LIGHTS. This work treats of the historical prophecies of the Bible; it also gives the predictions relating to the first advent of Christ. The illustrations are beautiful and appro- priate. It is printed on an extra quality of paper, and contains nearly 200 pages. Bound in fine English cloth, with symbolical side stamp in brown and gold $1.00
HISTORY OF THE SABJATH and First Day of the Week. This volume is a mine of information on the Sabbath question. The subject is treated from a Biblical and historical standpoint. Every passage in the Bible which has any bearing on the question is examined at length. A copious index enables the reader readily to find any text quoted, or the statement of any histo- rian. This important work contains 54S pages. In pamphlet form ( three parts) , per set, 75 cts. In cloth $2.00
THE GREAT CONTROVERSY between Christ and Satan during the present dispensation. A volume of intensely interesting his- tory which begins with our Lord's great prophecy on the Mount of Olives, and outlines the history of the world down to the time when sin and sinners are no more. This remarkable work contains over 700 pages, and has 26 full-page illustrations. Elegantly printed and bound for $2.25
STEPS TO CHRIST. This little book presents in a simple and at- tractive manner the steps by which the sinner may be made complete in Christ. While the book is an excellent guide for in<iuirers and young converts, it also contains a wealth of counsel and encouragement for those who are laboring with the difficulties that beset a growing experience. This ex- cellent work has been translated into twelve languages. it>\ pages 60 cts.
THE SAINTS' INHERITANCE. The reader will here find a deeply in- teresting pamphlet of 82 pages showing that the future kingdom of Christ, with the family of the redeemed, will be in this earth, renewed, restored, and regenerated, according to numerous scriptures in the Old and New Testaments. Paper covers. 10 cts.
PATRIARCHS AND PROPHETS, or the Great Conflict between Good and Evil as illustrated in the Lives of Holy Men of Old. Begin- ning with the rebellion in heaven, this volume shows why sin was permitted, why Satan was not destroyed, and why man was tested. It also traces the conflict between good and evil down to the time of King David, and shows God's great love to man by his wonderful dealings with " holy men of old." It contains over 30 full-page illustrations, and has 760 octavo pages $2.25
HELPS TO BIBLE STUDY. A series of Bible readings, simple and easy, designed as an aid to the personal study of the Scriptures, and adapted to the use of individuals or families; also a valu- able assistant to Bible workers. The book contains about forty readings, prepared by practical Bible workers and teachers, and covers the most important subjects that pertain to the spiritual welfare of all. 125 pages 25 and 50 ClS.
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION. The most complete and comprehensive work on this subject that has been published. Starting from the period of childhood, it points out the most .successful way of preparing the mind for the work of after years. And the molding influences of home and associates are dwelt upon in the most explicit and practical way. Many perplexing prob- lems are here cleared up, and every one who has children to deal with should study this book. 256 pages 50 Cts.
THE ATONEMENT. An examination of God's remedial system in the light of nature and revelation. This work is a critical and exhaustive treatise on the plan of salvation as revealed in the Scriptures, showing its harmony with the principles of justice and mercy, its con.sistency with reason, and its final results as affecting the destiny of our race. 368 pages $1.00
THE CHARIOTS OF FIRE AND IRON; or. The Modern Railroad System treated in the light of sacred prophecy. This is an in- teresting pamphlet of 168 pages from the pen of the well-known author and scholar, D. T. Taylor 25 Cts.
HIS GLORIOUS APPEARING. An exposition of the XXIVth chapter of Matthew. This booklet of a hundred pages is an explana- tion of the Saviour's great prophecy concerning the gospel dispensation and his second coming in glory. In paper covers, 20 cts. Boards, 25 cts. Cloth 40 cts.
FACTS FOR THE TIMES. Containing historical extracts, secular and religious, from ancient and modern authors, on the live questions of the present time. This is a timely work, and is brought down to the year 1893. 340 pages 75 ct».
FROM EDEN TO EDEN. The reader will here find a captivatinjr study of the historical portions of the Scriptures. The author traces the world in its mad career from Eden lost to Kden re- stored. " From Eden to Eden " contains 264 pages and several full-page illustrations $1.00
THE MINISTRATION OF ANGELS. This interesting pamphlet treats on a subject seldom written upon, yet of great importance to the Christian. It considers very fully the origin, history, and destiny of Satan, and the ministration of those guardian angels who minister to the heirs of salvation. 144 pages. Paper covers 20 cts.
SACRED CHRONOLOGY. A new and revised edition of a little work published by the late Sylvester Bliss about forty years ago, giv- ing the chronology of the world from creation till the death of the apostle John. Also, " The Peopling of the Earth ; or, His- torical notes on the Tenth Chapter of Genesis," by A. T. Jones. A valuable reference book, which should be in the hands of ministers and Bible students $1.00
HERE AND HEREAFTER. This volume is a thorough canvass of the great question of a future existence, and the nature of man in the present life. Topically it treats on man's nature and des- tiny, the state of the dead, the reward of the righteous, and the punishment of the wicked. Ever^- text in the Bible which has a bearing on these points is considered, thus giving a very comprehensive view of this important subject. 444 pages. $1.00
PROPHECIES OF JESUS. A work of great importance. Itdwellsat length on four of the most important lines of prophecy as fol- lows: (1) On the predictions of Christ; (2) The prophecies of the apostles; (3) The prophecies of Daniel; and (4) Those given in the Apocalypse. The volume contains 566 pages and 34 full- page illustrations. In cloth binding $1.75
In more expensive bindings $2.25 and $3.75
Issued also in German.
GOSPEL WORKERS is a very practical volume of 4S0 pages. It out- lines the qualifications that should be possessed by ministers and all others who would win souls to Christ. It should be in the hands of Christian workers generally. This book can be read and studied by all classes with edification and profit. $1.00
CIVIL GOVERNMENT AND RELIGION. This pamphlet shows the re- lation that sho\ild exist between Church and State, as deduced from the Scriptures and the evidence of past centuries. The Appendix contains "The Declaration of Independence" and "The Constitution of the X'nited States," 182 i>ages 25 cts.
ADDRESSES. By Prof. Henry Drummond, with brief sketch of the author by Rev. W. J. Dawson, also an excellent portrait Contents. — I. Love; The Supreme Gift, the Greatest Thing in the World. II. The Perfected Life; the Greatest Need of the World. III. Dealing with Doubt. IV. Preparation for Learn- ing. V. The Study of the Bible. VI. " First," an Address to Boys. " The addresses are famous for their insight into the relations of Christianity to the moral life, and their direct ap- plications of the principles of Christianity to development of life spiritually." — 77?^ Boston Globe 75 cts.
THE GOSPEL IN CREATION. A finely-illustrated work which sets forth clearly and simply the relation between God's work in Creation and Redemption. This is an excellent book to fortify the minds of those who might be disturbed by the specious attacks now made against the Bible. In board covers, 25 Cts. Bound in cloth 40 Cts.
TITHING SYSTEM; or God's Plan for Supporting Laborers in his Cause. — A forcible argument, showing the obligation of the tithing system in the gospel dispensation, and an application ofits principles to the present time. 112 pages ...lOcts.
CHURCH AND STATE. A timely document upon the origin 0/ Church and State union, with the arguments and excuses for Sunday laws, laws exempting Church property from taxation, laws against blasphemy, religious tests, etc., all well considered. By James T. Ringgold, of the Baltimore Bar. 60 pages... 10 cts.
THE NONESUCH PROFESSOR IN HIS MERIDIAN SPLENDOR; or the
Singular Actions of Sanctified Christians. — By Rev. William Seeker, with an introduction by Rev. Theodore L. Cuyler, D. D.
" It is a mine of sparkling gems." — Presbyterian Observer.
" A sheaf of golden grain, ripened by grace, and sweet with the flavor of rare simplicity and holv wisdom." — The Observer.
{N. v.)
"This is a wonderful book It contains hundreds of
bright seed thoughts." — J?ev. Theodore L. Cuyler, D. D.
367 pages, cloth binding $1.00
For anything in the foregoing list address,
REVIEW AND HERALD,
BATTLE CREEK, MICH.
iKS^FuU catalogues of all the publications issued by this Pub- lishing House, in English, French, German. Danish, Swedish, Spanish, and other languages, sent free on application with stamp. Correspondence solicited.
Si- 41.'
i Z t
8
10
6
« 1
•4 .. <
rf
|
jq |
1 |
|
■ |
|
|
1 |
^^ .jT^ :^.^ M 3
, ; . t : i '^^'a
15
16
17
18
. . t j^. ...
■« : * . « = '
» f;-
r ^. « „.
ti't
.f . ". *,
r ,. «
;i ■'' f ^ i : %
, "■ «• * -f ^ ^ 'ti.
7
8
9
10
11
t ^ ^■ If
€ 't...
^1^ I'^.,
4^ : f :
^0 ,'^i ■,
•#'w-*^
t"'^'^;*^'^-/-'. ^/
i ..-# ,./*,!-" J"'
■"M.S,^^^.
*:^t
^^.#
0
OREGON
RULE
CO.
1
U.S.A.
2
)REGON RULE CO.
|
1 U.S.A. |
2 |
l| 1 l| l| 3 |
4 |
#■ ^ ,." ■ ^
^"*:.*
i.:!'
•I ■ t .1 .1-
3
4
' ~ if. .!*■■
jil'- J_ ■*#■
*^r".»:: * .i *
5
mv #
^:" «
|
mill |
Illl|lll |
nil 1111 nil nil |
nil nil nil nil |
iniiniiiniin |
nil nil |
nii(iiii |
iiii|ininnnii |
nil Hi |
'"iiiiiiijiilii |
|
|
^8 1 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
7 |
^ |
} |
11 |
■ 1 |
||
|
i^ |
1 i |
} |
4 |
i |
i |
i |
\ |
10 |
^? MM |
IIIiIiiiiIiimI,,.. |
|
iimii |
iiiiliiii |
iiiilini |
iiiiliiii nniim |
illllllillllllM |
nil nil |
nil nil |
miliiii nil 1111 |
IMlllli^lHin |
||
|
- |
■■ |
'^'lllllillll |
•1 .■.
<■•« uv ■■"■ , •;
•"" .'»• ^"'- 1-- ;1 # ' ' ^ . ■ ' »'
'l^J* '
FjWFWnwr
M ■■, u
, a . *
*.:«.«
« -.* ,
8
"wnwT
I I Ml I I I I
I'l
10
^ ■ ji g it ^ ^ ff ■«■
t' .^;"t"
;'.■•,
i . « .. _
.f..^l'"
^4'.;:*
?t ' ^' s,- - ^ - i»
•T"-r r:*
. MZ^
:i;. '*..** ....1^^/
«l^ ,«. i
T f
.^ :t
«.:^
'■ '
1 : f ^.
■^ : ^
^^ --.f *^..jr '' ^ ": t
€ f