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XI.
Life Only In Christ
Chapter 117
:
Spiritualism
1. WHAT is Spiritualism
defined to be?
"A belief that departed spirits hold
intercourse with mortals by means of physical
phenomena, as by rapping, or during abnormal
mental states, as in trances, or the like,
commonly manifested through a medium; spiritism."-
Webster.
Spiritism: "The theory that mediumistic
phenomena "are caused by spirits of the dead."-
Webster.
NOTE.-"The very central truth of
Spiritualism is the power and possibility of
spirit return, under certain conditions, to
communicate with those in the material
form."- N. F. Ravlin, Spiritualistic
lecturer, of California.
2. Did this doctrine
exist in ancient times?
"Regard not them that have
familiar spirits, neither seek after
wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the
Lord your God." Lev. 19:31.
NOTE.-"The phenomenal aspect of modern
Spiritualism reproduces all essential principles
of the magic, witchcraft, and sorcery of the
past. The same powers are involved, the same
intelligences are operating."- F. F. Morse,
in "Practical Occultism," page 85.
3. How does God regard
sorcerers?
"And I will come near to you to
judgment; and I will be a swift witness
against the sorcerers." Mal. 3:5.
4. What does He say of
the teachings of enchanters and sorcerers?
"Therefore harken not ye to. . . your
enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, . . . for
they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you
far from your land." Jer. 27:9,10.
NOTES.-Rev. F. B. Meyer, of England, gives
the following warning against dabbling in
Spiritualism: "I have known several families
that have been cursed by having recourse to
clairvoyants and mediums. There are grave
dangers in these things; and when occult
powers are used for selfish ends, it is
possible for men and women to be filled with
evil spirits. as was the girl at Philippi.
People are fools to play with the dregs of
the spirit world."- Present Truth, Sept.
7, 1911.
"I am perfectly certain that the whole
movement known as modem Spiritualism is in
the hands and under the direction of the
father of evil spirits; in other words, is
thoroughly and unmistakably diabolical."-
Dr. C. Williams, of London, England.
5. Before their
entrance into Canaan, what instruction did Moses
give Israel concerning these things?
"When thou art come into the land
which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt
not learn to do after the abominations of those
nations. There shall not be found among you
anyone 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
familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
For all that do these things are an abomination
unto the Lord: and because of these abominations
the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before
thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy
God." Deut. 18:9-13.
NOTES.-Whoever consults or has to do with
mediums or any who profess to receive
instruction or communications from the
spirits of the dead, disregards this plain
instruction, and places himself upon the
enemy's ground. Ever since Satan told that
first lie in Eden, when he denied that death
would be the result of sin, in the very face
of death itself he, working upon man's
natural dread of death and upon his distress
at the thought of being separated from loved
ones, has been endeavoring to persuade men
to believe that the dead are not dead, and
that men do not die. Idolatry, heathenism,
Spiritualism, occultism, and the whole brood
of false isms of this kind, it will be
noticed, deal very largely with death. This,
of itself, indicates their origin, and
should be a warning to all to let them
alone- to have nothing whatever to do with
them. They are from beneath, and not from
above. However promising or pleasing they
may be at first, they are downward and
destructive in their tendency, and
ultimately lead away from God, into unbelief
of His Word and into sin. They promise life
by denying death, and apparently "make good"
Satan's lie m Eden, through the ministration
and manifestations of evil angels
representing themselves to be the spirits of
the dead.
In a sermon on "Spiritualism an Imposture,"
Rev. T. De Witt Talmage said: "Spiritualism
takes advantage of those who are weak and
morbid with trouble. We lose a friend. The
house is dark, the world is dark, the future
seems dark. If we had, in our rebellion and
weakness, the power to marshal a host and
recapture our loved one, we should marshal
the host. Spiritualism comes in at that
moment, when we are all worn out by
watching,- all worn out, body, mind, and
soul,- and says: 'Now I will open that door;
you shall hear the voices. Take your places
around the table; all be quiet now.' . . .
O, I hate Spiritualism, because it takes
advantage of people when they are weak, and
worn out, and morbid under life's
bereavements and sorrows! . . . If
Spiritualism had its way, it would turn the
world into a pandemonium of carnality. It is
an unclean and adulterous system."
6. Under the theocracy
of Israel, what was the law concerning witches
and those who had familiar spirits?
"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to
live." Ex. 22:18. "A man also or woman that hath
a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall
surely be put to death." Lev. 20:27.
NOTE.-This shows how dangerous and deadly
everything of this character is in God's
sight.
7. With what is
witchcraft classed by Paul, and what does he say
to those who are guilty of such things?
"Idolatry , witchcraft; hatred,
variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions,
heresies. . . . I have also told you in time
past, that they which do such things shall not
inherit the kingdom of God." Gal. 5:20-23.
8. What should one do
if asked to inquire of a familiar spirit?
"And when they shall say unto you,
Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and
unto wizards that peep, and that mutter:
should not a people seek unto their God? for
the living to the dead?" Isa.
8:19.
NOTE.-Giving the sense of this passage, Dr.
Adam Clarke says: "Should not a nation seek
unto its God? Why should you seek unto the
dead concerning the living?" But this is
exactly what Spiritualism teaches men to
do,- to seek unto the dead concerning
the living.
9. What instruction
does the apostle John give touching this
subject?
"Beloved, believe not every spirit,
but try the spirits whether they are of God."
1 John 4:1.
10. By what are we to
try them?
"To the law and to the testimony:
if they speak not according to this word, it is
because there is no light in them." Isa. 8:20.
11. Should we allow
ourselves to be influenced by signs or wonders
performed by those who would try to lead us away
from God and His law?
"If there arise among you a prophet,
or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign
or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to
pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us
go after other gods, which thou hast not known,
and let us serve them; thou shalt not harken
unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer
of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth
you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God
with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye
shall wall after the Lord your God, and fear
Him, and keep His commandments, and obey His
voice." Deut. 13:1-4.
12. How much do the
dead know of what is going on among men?
"Thou changest his countenance, and
sendest him away. His sons come to honor, and
he knoweth it not; and they are brought low,
but he perceiveth it not of them." Job
14:20,21.
13. Do the dead know
anything?
"For the living know that they shall die: but
the dead know not anything." Eccl. 9:5. "His
breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth;
in that very day his thoughts perish."
Ps. 146:4.
14. What scripture
forever precludes the idea that the dead come
back to earth to communicate with the living?
"Also their love, and their hatred,
and their envy, is now perished; neither have
they any more a portion forever in anything that
is done under the sun." Eccl. 9:6.
15. Then when miracles
are performed by spirits purporting to be those
of our dead friends, to what shall we attribute
them?
"For they are the spirits of devils, working
miracles." Rev. 16:14.
16. What will be one
characteristic of last-day apostasies?
"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." 1 Tim. 4:1.
NOTES.-The following items illustrate a
condition widely prevalent:-
"'A lawyer with a national reputation, well
known to me,' said J. L. Hall, of New York,
'never begins the preparation of a difficult
case without getting "advice from the other
side," as he describes the search. . . .
Another distinguished man of New York City
once asserted to me that he had his familiar
spirit with which he talked as freely as
with a human companion.'"- Washington
Herald, May 8, 1911.
A noted Brooklyn divine some years ago, not
realizing that he was voicing Spiritualistic
views, gave expression to the following:
"What are our departed Christian friends,
who in this world had their joy in the
healing art, doing now?- Busy at their old
business. No sickness in heaven, but plenty
of sickness on earth."- Christian Herald,
July 8,1882.
Writing concerning "Communion With the
Departed," General Booth, of the Salvation
Army, said: "Through all my history, my
personal intercourse with the spirit world
has been but limited. I have not been
favored with many visions, and it is but
seldom that I dream dreams that impart
either pleasure or profit; and yet I have a
spiritual communion with the departed saints
that is not without both satisfaction and
service. And especially of late the memories
of those with whom my heart has had the
choicest communion in the past, if not the
very beings themselves, have come in upon me
as I have sat at my desk or lain wakeful on
my bed in the night-season. Amongst these,
one form, true to her mission, comes more
frequently than all besides, assuring me of
her continued partnership in my struggle for
the temporal and eternal salvation of the
multitudes- and that is my blessed, my
beautiful wife!"- War Cry, Nov. 27, 1897.
"Dr. Joseph Parker, of the City Temple,
London, has openly declared that he prayed
to his departed wife every day. He said that
he never came to the City Temple to preach
without asking her to come with him. He
further says: 'I encourage my friend to pray
to his wife, and to pray God to ask her to
come to his help. She will be more to him
than twelve legions of unknown angels."-
The Living Church, Nov. 14,1899.
"The emperor Nicholas . . . has fallen under
the influence of a Spiritualist named
Philipp, who rules the emperor to such an
extent that His Majesty makes no important
decision, even in relation to family life,
without consulting his Spiritualistic
guide."- Melbourne Age, Nov.15,1902.
In a statement given out Dec. 20, 1910, soon
after the death of Mrs. Eddy, the founder of
Christian Science, Mrs. Amelia Stetson, one
of the leaders of the Christian Science
Church of New York City, said: "Mrs. Eddy,
who was the female Christ, will return to
earth. I am watching and waiting for the
manifestation of Mrs. Eddy in the semblance
of human form. It may come today, it may
come next week, it may not come for ten
years, but it will surely come. . . . The
millennium is at hand. Mrs. Eddy is not
dead. She is still alive, and when she
appears again on earth, it will be as
herself- as Mary Baker Eddy."
"A message purporting to come from Mrs. Mary
Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian
Science, through Mr. William T. Stead, the
noted English journalist, shortly after the
formers death, says, 'There is no death; all
is life; all is freedom.'"- Signs of the
Times, Feb. 28,1911.
And soon after Mr. Stead himself went down
on the "Titanic," April 15,1912,
Spiritualists in different parts of the
world received numerous messages purporting
to have come from him.
17. How does Satan
deceive the people?
"And no marvel; for Satan himself is
transformed into an angel of light." 2
Cor. 11:14.
18. What role do his
agents assume?
"Therefore it is no great thing if
his ministers also be transformed as the
ministers of righteousness." Verse 15.
19. Will Satan and his
agents attempt to counterfeit the coming of
Christ, and work signs and wonders to confirm
their pretentious claims?
"Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here
is Christ, or there; believe it not. For
there shall arise false Christ's, and false
prophets, and shall show great signs and
wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible,
they shall deceive the very elect." Matt.
24:23,24.
20. What will be one of
the last great signs performed by this means, to
fasten men in deception?
"And he doeth great wonders, so that
he maketh fire come down from heaven on the
earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth
them that dwell on the earth by the means of
those miracles which he had power to do in the
sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on
the earth that they should make an image to the
beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did
live." Rev. 13:13,14.
21. What scripture
shows that Satan is to work with special power
and deceptive wonders just before Christ's
second coming?
"Whose coming is after the working
of Satan with all power and signs and lying
wonders, and with all deceivableness of
unrighteousness in them that perish." 2 Thess.
2:9,10. See also Rev. 12:12.
22. While many will be
deceived by these wonders, and accept of the
false Christ's that appear, what will those say
who have maintained their love for the truth,
and patiently waited for Christ's return?
"And it shall be said in that day, Lo, THIS
is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will
save us: THIS is the Lord; we have waited for
Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His
salvation." Isa. 25:9.
23. What warning has
been given us through the apostle Peter?
"Be sober, be vigilant;
because your adversary the devil, as a roaring
lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may
devour." 1 Peter 5:8.
WICKED spirits gather round thee,
Legions of those foes to God-
Principalities most mighty-
Walk unseen the earth abroad;
They are gathering to the battle,
Strengthened for the last deep strife;
Christian, arm! be watchful, ready.
Struggle manfully for life. |
