,,modern ,,spiritualism ,a ,,subject ,,of ,,prophecy ,,and ,a ,,sign ,,of ,,the ,,times4 ,,by ,,uriah ,,smith ,,the ,,review ,,and ,,herald ,,publishing ,,co4 #ahif4 ,,contents ,preface4 ,chapter ,one4 ,opening ,thought4 ,a ,manifestation of ,power4 ,a ,manifestation of ,intelligence4 ,the ,progress of ,spiritualism4 ,chapter ,two4 ,what is the ,agency in ,question8 ,credentials of the ,bible4 ,an ,impossibility4 ,the ,soul ,not ,immortal4 ,chapter ,three4 ,the ,dead ,unconscious4 ,chapter ,four4 ,they ,are ,evil ,angels4 ,warnings ,against ,evil ,spirits4 ,chapter ,five4 ,what ,the ,spirits ,teach4 ,they ,deny ,all ,distinction ,between ,right ,and ,wrong4 ,dangers ,of ,mediumship4 ,miscellaneous ,teaching4 ,spirits ,cannot ,be ,identified4 ,chapter ,six4 ,its ,promises3 ,how ,fulfilled4 ,chapter ,seven4 ,spiritualism ,a ,subject ,of ,prophecy4 ,conclusion4 ,index ,of ,authors ,referred ,to4 ,index ,of ,books1 ,papers1 ,etc41 ,quoted4 ,index ,of ,texts ,of ,scripture ,illustrated ,or ,explained4 ,footnotes ,,preface4 ,for nearly fifty years ,spiritualism has been before the world4 ,this surely is time enough to enable it to show its character by its fruits4 8,by their fruits ye shall know them10 is a rule that admits of no exceptions4 ,if evil fruits appear1 the tree is corrupt4 ,spiritualism has made unbounded promises of good4 ,it has claimed to be the long-promised second coming of ,christ2 the opening of a new era among mankind2 the rosy portal of a golden age1 when all men should be reformed1 evil disappear1 and the renovation of society cause the hearts of men to leap for joy1 and the earth to blossom as the rose4 ,has it fulfilled all1 or any1 of these promises8 ,if not1 is it not a deception8 and if a deception1 considering its wide-spread influence1 and the number of its adherents1 is it not one of the most gigantic and appalling deceptions that has ever fallen upon ,christendom8 ,the ,bible in the plainest terms1 declares that in the last days malign influences will be let loose upon the world2 false pretensions will be urged upon the minds of men2 and deceptions1 backed up by preternatural signs and wonders1 will develop to such a degree of strength1 that1 if it were possible1 they would deceive the very elect4 ,is it possible that ,spiritualism may be the very development of evil1 against which this warning is directed8 ,to investigate these questions1 and to show by unimpeachable testimony1 what ,spiritualism is1 and the place it holds among the psychological movements of the present day1 is the object of these pages4 ,not a few books have been written against ,spiritualism2 but most of them endeavor to account for it on the ground of human jugglery and imposture1 or on natural principles1 the discovery of a new and heretofore occult force in nature1 etc41 from which great things may be expected in the future4 ,but rarely has any one discussed it from the standpoint of prophecy1 and the testimony of the ,scriptures1 the only point of view1 as we believe1 from which its true origin1 nature1 and tendency1 can be ascertained4 ,many features in the work of ,spiritualism would seem to indicate that the source from which it springs is far from good2 but it is based upon a church dogma1 firmly established through all ,christendom1 which in many minds is of sufficient weight to overbalance considerations that would otherwise be considered ample grounds for shunning or renouncing it4 ,it is therefore the more necessary that the reader1 in examining this question1 should let the bonds that have heretofore bound him to preconceived opinions1 sit loose upon him1 and that he should put himself in the mood of ,dr4 ,channing when he said3 8,i must choose to receive the truth1 no matter how it bears upon myself1 and must follow it no matter where it leads1 from what party it severs me1 or to what party it allies40 ,and he should remember also1 as the eminent and pious ,dr4 ,vinet once sagaciously observed1 that 8even now1 after eighteen centuries of ,christianity1 we are very probably involved in some enormous error1 of which ,christianity will1 in some future time1 make us ashamed40 ,in view1 therefore1 of the importance of this question1 and the tremendous issues that hang on the decisions we may make in these perilous times1 we feel justified even in adjuring the reader to canvass this subject with an inflexible determination to learn the truth1 and then to follow it wherever it may lead4 ,u4 ,s4 ,battle ,creek1 ,mich41 #ahig4 ,chapter ,one4 ,,opening ,,thought4 ,what think ye8 ,whence is it--from heaven or of men8 ,such was the nature of the question addressed by our ,saviour to the men of his time1 concerning the baptism of ,john4 ,it is the crucial question by which to test every system that comes to us in the garb of religion3 ,is it from heaven or of men8 ,and if a true answer to the question can be found1 it must determine our attitude toward it2 for if it is from heaven1 it challenges at once our acceptance and profound regard1 but if it is of men1 sooner or later1 in this world or in the world to come1 it will be destroyed with all its followers2 for our ,saviour has declared that every plant which our heavenly ,father has not planted shall be rooted up4 ,matt4 #ae3ac4 ,to those who do not believe in any 8heavenly ,father10 nor in 8,christ the ,saviour10 nor in any 8revealed word of ,god10 we would say that these points will be assumed in this work rather than directly argued1 though many incidental proofs will appear1 to which we trust our friends will be pleased to give some consideration4 ,but we address ourselves particularly to those who still have faith in ,god the ,father of all2 in his divine ,son1 our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 through whose blood we have redemption2 in the ,bible as the inspired revelation of ,god's will2 and in the ,holy ,spirit as the enlightener of the mind1 and the sanctifier of the soul4 ,to all those to whom this position is common ground1 the ,bible will be the standard of authority1 and the court of last appeal1 in the study upon which we now enter4 ,a ,manifestation of ,power4 ,spiritualism cannot be disposed of with a sneer4 ,a toss of the head and a cry of 8humbug10 will not suffice to meet its claims and the testimony of careful1 conservative men who have studied thoroughly into the genuineness of its manifestations1 and have sought for the secret of its power1 and have become satisfied as to the one1 and been wholly baffled as to the other4 ,that there have been abundant instances of attempted fraud1 deception1 jugglery1 and imposition1 is not to be denied4 ,but this does not by any means set aside the fact that there have been manifestations of more than human power1 the evidence for which has never been impeached4 ,the detection of a few sham mediums1 who are trying to impose upon the credulity of the public1 for money1 may satisfy the careless and unthinking1 that the whole affair is a humbug4 ,such will dismiss the matter from their minds1 and depart1 easier subjects to be captured by the movement when some manifestation appears for which they can find no explanation4 ,but the more thoughtful and careful observers well know that the exposure of these mountebanks does not account for the numberless manifestations of power1 and the steady current of phenomena1 utterly inexplicable on any human hypothesis1 which have attended the movement from the beginning4 ,the ,philadelphia ,north ,american1 of ,july #ca1 #ahhe1 published a communication from ,thomas ,r4 ,hazard1 in which he says3-- 8,but ,spiritualism1 whatever may be thought of it1 must be recognized as a fact4 ,it is one of the characteristic intellectual or emotional phenomena of the times1 and as such1 it is deserving of a more serious examination than it has yet received4 ,there are those who say it is all humbug1 and that everything outside of the ordinary course which takes place at the so-called sances1 is the direct result of fraudulent and deliberative imposture2 in short1 that every ,spiritualist must be either a fool or a knave4 ,the serious objection to this hypothesis is that the explanation is almost as difficult of belief as the occurrences which it explains4 ,there must certainly be some ,spiritualists who are both honest and intelligent2 and if the manifestations at the sances were altogether and invariably fraudulent1 surely the whole thing must have collapsed long before this2 and the ,seybert ,commission1 which finds it necessary to extend its investigations over an indefinite period1 which will certainly not be less than a year1 would have been able to sweep the delusion away in short order40 ,the phenomena are so well known1 that it is unnecessary to recount them here4 ,among them may be mentioned such achievements as these3 ,various articles have been transported from place to place1 without human hands1 but by the agency of so-called spirits only2 beautiful music has been produced independently of human agency1 with and without the aid of visible instruments2 many well-attested cases of healing have been presented2 persons have been carried through the air by the spirits in the presence of many witnesses2 tables have been suspended in the air with several persons upon them2 purported spirits have presented themselves in bodily form and talked with an audible voice2 and all this not once or twice merely1 but times without number1 as may be gathered from the records of ,spiritualism1 all through its history4 ,a few particular instances1 as samples1 it may be allowable to notice3 ,not many years since1 ,joseph ,cook made his memorable tour around the world4 ,in ,europe he met the famous ,german philosopher1 ,professor ,zllner4 ,mr4 ,zllner had been carefully investigating the phenomena of ,spiritualism1 and assured ,mr4 ,cook of the following occurrences as facts1 under his own observation3 ,knots had been found tied in the middle of cords1 by some invisible agency1 while both ends were made securely fast1 so that they could not be tampered with2 messages were written between doubly and trebly sealed slates2 coin had passed through a table in a manner to illustrate the suspension of the laws of impenetrability of matter2 straps of leather were knotted under his own hand2 the impression of two feet was given on sooted paper pasted inside of two sealed slates2 whole and uninjured wooden rings were placed around the standard of a card table1 over either end of which they could by no possibility be slipped2 and finally the table itself1 a heavy beechen structure1 wholly disappeared1 and then fell from the top of the room where ,professor ,zllner and his friends were sitting4 ,in further confirmation of the fact that real spiritualistic manifestations are no sleight-of-hand performances1 we cite the case of ,harry ,kellar1 a professional performer1 as given in 8,nineteenth ,century ,miracles10 p4 #bac4 ,the sance was held with the medium1 ,eglinton1 in ,calcutta1 ,india1 ,jan4 #be1 #ahhb4 ,he says3-- 8,it is needless to say that ,i went as a skeptic2 but ,i must own that ,i have come away utterly unable to explain by any natural means the phenomena that ,i witnessed on ,tuesday evening40 ,he then describes the particulars of the sance4 ,an intelligence1 purporting to be the spirit of one ,geary1 gave a communication4 ,mr4 ,kellar did not recognize the name nor recall the man4 ,the message was repeated1 with the added circumstances of the time and particulars of a previous meeting1 when ,mr4 ,kellar recalled the events1 and1 much to his surprise1 the whole matter came clearly to his recollection4 ,he then adds3-- 8,i still remain a skeptic as regards ,spiritualism1 but ,i repeat my inability to explain or account for what must have been an intelligent force which produced the writing on the slate1 which1 if my senses are to be relied on1 was in no way the result of trickery or sleight-of-hand40 ,another instance from 8,home ,circle10 p4 #be1 is that of ,mr4 ,bellachini1 also a professional conjuror1 of ,berlin1 ,germany4 ,his interview was with the celebrated medium1 ,mr4 ,slade4 ,from his testimony we quote the following3-- 8,i have not1 in the smallest degree1 found anything to be produced by prestidigitative manifestations or mechanical apparatus2 and any explanation of the experiments which took place under the circumstances and conditions then obtaining1 by any reference to prestidigitation1 is absolutely impossible4 ,i declare1 moreover1 the published opinions of laymen as to the #8,how' of this subject1 to be premature1 and according to my views and experience1 false and one-sided40--,dated1 ,berlin1 ,dec4 #f1 #ahgg4 ,when professional conjurors bear such testimony as this1 while it does not prove ,spiritualism to be what it claims to be1 it does disprove the humbug theory4 ,in addition to this1 it appears that two propositions1 one of #bjjj1 and the other of #ejjj1 have been offered to the one who claimed to be able to duplicate all the manifestations of ,spiritualism1 to duplicate two well-authenticated tests2 but the challenge has never been accepted1 nor the reward claimed4 ,see ,religio-,philosophical ,journal1 of ,jan4 #ae1 #ahha1 and ,january1 #ahhc4 ,a writer in the ,spiritual ,clarion1 in an article on 8,the ,millennium of ,spiritualism10 bears the following testimony in regard to the power and strength of the movement3-- 8,this revelation has been with a power1 a might1 that if divested of its almost universal benevolence1 had been a terror to the very soul2 the hair of the very bravest had stood on end1 and his chilled blood had crept back upon his heart1 at the sights and sounds of its inexplicable phenomena4 ,it comes with foretokening and warning4 ,it has been1 from the very first1 its own best prophet1 and step by step1 it has foretold the progress it would make4 ,it comes1 too1 most triumphant4 ,no faith before it ever took such a victorious stand in its very infancy4 ,it has swept like a hurricane of fire through the land1 compelling faith from the baffled scoffer1 and the most determined doubter40 ,dr4 ,w4 ,f4 ,barrett1 ,professor of ,experimental ,physics in the ,royal ,college of ,dublin1 says3-- 8,it is well known to those who have made the phenomena of ,spiritualism the subject of prolonged and careful inquiry1 in the spirit of exact and unimpassioned scientific research1 that beneath a repellent mass of imposture and delusion there remain certain inexplicable and startling facts which science can neither explain away nor deny40--8,automatic1 or ,spirit1 ,writing10 p4 #aa 7#ahif74 ,in the ,arena of ,november1 #ahib1 p4 #fhh1 ,mr4 ,m4 ,j4 ,savage1 the noted ,unitarian minister of ,boston1 says3-- 8,next comes what are ordinarily classed together as #8mediumistic phenomena4' ,the most important of these are psychometry1 #8vision' of #8spirit' forms1 claimed communications by means of rappings1 table movements1 automatic writing1 independent writing1 trance speaking1 etc4 ,with them also ought to be noted what are generally called physical phenomena1 though in most cases1 since they are intelligibly directed1 the use of the word #8physical1' without this qualification1 might be misleading4 ,these physical phenomena include such facts as the movement of material objects by other than the ordinary muscular force1 the making objects heavier or lighter when tested by the scales1 the playing on musical instruments by some invisible power1 etc4444 ,now all of these referred to 7with the exception of independent writing1 and materialization7 ,i know to be genuine4 ,i do not at all mean by this that ,i know that the #8spiritualistic' interpretation of them is the true one4 ,i mean only that they are genuine phenomena2 that they have occurred2 that they are not tricks or the result of fraud40 ,in the ,forum of ,december1 #ahhi1 p4 #dee1 the same writer describes his experience at the house of a friend with whom he had been acquainted eight or ten years4 ,when about to depart1 he thought he would try an experiment4 ,he says3-- 8,she and ,i stood at opposite ends of the table at which we had been sitting4 ,both of us having placed the tips of our fingers lightly on the top of the table1 ,i spoke1 as if addressing some unseen force connected with the table1 and said3 #8,now ,i must go2 will you not accompany me to the door8' ,the door was ten or fifteen feet distant1 and was closed4 ,the table started4 ,it had no casters1 and in order to make it move as it did1 we should have had to go behind and push it4 ,as a matter of fact we led it1 while it accompanied us all the way1 and struck against the door with considerable force40 ,from the same article1 p4 #def1 we quote again3-- 8,i add one more experiment of my own4 ,i sat one day in a heavy1 stuffed armchair4 ,the psychic sat beside me1 and laying his hand on the back of the chair1 gradually raised it4 ,immediately ,i felt and saw myself1 chair and all1 lifted into the air at least one foot from the floor4 ,there was no uneven motion implying any sense of effort on the part of the lifting force2 and ,i was gently lowered again to the carpet4 ,this was in broad light1 in a hotel parlor1 and in presence of a keen-eyed lawyer friend4 ,i could plainly watch the whole thing4 ,no man living could have lifted me in such a position1 and besides1 ,i saw that the psychic made not the slightest apparent effort4 ,nor was there any machinery or preparation of any kind4 ,my companion1 the lawyer1 on going away1 speaking in reference to the whole sitting1 said3 #8,i've seen enough evidence to hang every man in the ,state--enough to prove anything excepting this4' 8,professor ,crookes1 of ,london1 relates having seen and heard an accordion played on while it was enclosed in a wire net-work1 and not touched by any visible hand4 ,i have seen an approach to the same thing4 ,in daylight ,i have seen a man hold an accordion in the air1 not more than three feet away from me4 ,he held it by one hand1 grasping the side opposite to that on which the keys were fixed4 ,in this position1 it1 or something1 played long tunes1 the side containing the keys being pushed in and drawn out without any contact that ,i could see4 ,i then said1 #8,will it not play for me8' ,the reply was1 #8,i don't know3 you can try it4' ,i then took the accordion in my hands4 ,there was no music2 but what did occur was quite as inexplicable to me1 and quite as convincing as a display of some kind of power4 ,i know not how to express it1 except by saying that the accordion was seized as if by some one trying to take it away from me4 ,to test this power1 ,i grasped the instrument with both hands4 ,the struggle was as real as though my antagonist was another man4 ,i succeeded in keeping it1 but only by the most strenuous efforts4 8,on another occasion ,i was sitting with a #8medium4' ,i was too far away for him to reach me1 even had he tried1 which he did not do2 for he sat perfectly quiet4 ,my knees were not under the table1 but were where ,i could see them plainly4 ,suddenly my right knee was grasped as by a hand4 ,it was a firm grip4 ,i could feel the print and pressure of all the fingers4 ,i said not a word of the strange sensation1 but quietly put my right hand down and clasped my knee in order to see if ,i could feel anything on my hand4 ,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 wrist4 ,when this was reached1 ,i felt a series of clear1 distinct1 and definite pats1 as though made by a hand of fleshy vigor4 ,i made no motion to indicate what was going on1 and said not a word until the sensation had passed4 ,all this while ,i was carefully watching my hand1 for it was plain daylight1 and it was in full view2 but ,i saw nothing40 ,we need not multiply evidence on this point4 ,a remark by ,t4 ,j4 ,hudson 78,law of ,psychic ,phenomena10 p4 #bjf1 ,mc,clurg ,co41 ,chicago1 #ahid7 may fitly close this division of the subject4 ,he says3-- 8,i will not waste time1 however1 by attempting to prove by experiments of my own1 or of others1 that such phenomena do occur4 ,it is too late for that4 ,the facts are too well known to the civilized world to require proof at this time4 ,the man who denies the phenomena of spiritism to-day is not entitled to be called a skeptic1 he is simply ignorant2 and it would be a hopeless task to attempt to enlighten him40 ,a ,manifestation of ,intelligence4 ,from the testimony already given it is evident that there is connected with ,spiritualism an agency that is able to manifest power and strength beyond anything that human beings1 unaided1 are able to exert4 ,it is just as evident that the same agency possesses intelligence beyond the power of human minds4 ,indeed1 this was the very feature that first brought it to the attention of the public4 ,spiritualism1 as the reader is doubtless aware1 originated in the family of ,mr4 ,john ,d4 ,fox1 in ,hydesville1 near ,rochester1 ,n4 ,y41 in the spring of #ahdh4 ,robert ,dale ,owen1 in his work called 8,footfalls on the ,boundary of ,another ,world10 p4 #bij1 has given a full narration of the circumstances attending this remarkable event4 ,the particulars1 he states1 he had from ,mrs4 ,fox1 and her two daughters1 ,margaret and ,kate1 and son1 ,david4 ,the attention of the family had been attracted by strange noises which finally assumed the form of raps1 or muffled footfalls1 and became very annoying4 ,chairs were sometimes moved from their places1 and this was once also the case with the dining-room table4 ,heard occasionally during ,february1 the disturbance so increased during the latter part of ,march1 as seriously to break the nightly repose of the family4 ,but as these annoyances occurred only in the night-time1 all the family hoped that soon1 by some means1 the mystery would be cleared away4 ,they did not abandon this hope till ,friday1 the #cast of ,march1 #ahdh4 ,wearied by a succession of sleepless nights1 the family retired early1 hoping for a respite from the disturbances that had harassed them4 ,in this they were doomed to especial disappointment4 ,we can do no better than to let ,mr4 ,owen continue the narrative1 in his own words3-- 8,the parents had removed the children's beds into their bedroom1 and strictly enjoined them not to talk of noises1 even if they heard them4 ,but scarcely had the mother seen them safely in bed1 and was retiring to rest herself1 when the children cried out1 #8,here they are again6' ,the mother chided them1 and lay down4 ,thereupon the noises became louder and more startling4 ,the children sat up in bed4 ,mrs4 ,fox called her husband4 ,the night being windy1 it was suggested to him that it might be the rattling of the sashes4 ,he tried several to see if they were loose4 ,kate1 the younger girl1 happened to remark that as often as her father shook a window-sash1 the noises seemed to reply4 ,being a lively child1 and in a measure accustomed to what was going on1 she turned to where the noise was1 snapped her fingers1 and called out1 #8,here1 old ,splitfoot1 do as ,i do6' ,the knocking instantly responded4 8,that was the very commencement4 ,who can tell where the end will be8 8,i do not mean that it was ,kate ,fox1 who thus1 in childish jest1 first discovered that these mysterious sounds seemed instinct with intelligence4 ,mr4 ,mompesson1 two hundred years ago1 had already observed a similar phenomenon4 ,glanvil had verified it4 ,so had ,wesley1 and his children4 ,so we have seen1 and others4 ,but in all these cases the matter rested there and the observation was not prosecuted further4 ,as1 previous to the invention of the steam engine1 sundry observers had trodden the very threshold of the discovery and there stopped1 so in this case1 where the royal chaplain1 disciple though he was of the inductive philosophy1 and where the founder of ,methodism1 admitting1 as he did1 the probabilities of ultramundane interference1 were both at fault1 a ,yankee girl1 but nine years old1 following up more in sport than in earnest1 a chance observation1 became the instigator of a movement which1 whatever its true character1 has had its influence throughout the civilized world4 ,the spark had been ignited1--once at least two centuries ago2 but it had died each time without effect4 ,it kindled no flame till the middle of the nineteenth century4 8,and yet how trifling the step from the observation at ,tedworth to the discovery at ,hydesville6 ,mr4 ,mompesson1 in bed with his little daughter 7about ,kate's age71 whom the sound seemed chiefly to follow1 #8observed that it would exactly answer1 in drumming1 anything that was beaten or called for4' ,but his curiosity led him no further4 8,not so ,kate ,fox4 ,she tried1 by silently bringing together her thumb and forefinger2 whether she could obtain a response4 ,yes6 ,it could see1 then1 as well as hear4 ,she called her mother4 #8,only look1 mother1' she said1 bringing together again her finger and thumb1 as before4 ,and as often as she repeated the noiseless motion1 just as often responded the raps4 8,this at once arrested her mother's attention4 #8,count ten1' she said1 addressing the noise4 ,ten strokes1 distinctly given6 #8,how old is my daughter ,margaret8' ,twelve strokes4 #8,and ,kate8' ,nine4 #8,what can all this mean8' was ,mrs4 ,fox's thought4 ,who was answering her8 ,was it only some mysterious echo of her own thought8 ,but the next question which she put seemed to refute the idea4 #8,how many children have ,i8' she asked aloud4 ,seven strokes4 #8,ah6' she thought1 #8it can blunder sometimes4' ,and then aloud1 #8,try again4' ,still the number of raps was seven4 ,of a sudden a thought crossed ,mrs4 ,fox's mind4 #8,are they all alive8' she asked4 ,silence for answer4 #8,how many are living8' ,six strokes4 #8,how many are dead8' ,a single stroke4 ,she had lost a child4 8,then she asked1 #8,are you a man8' ,no answer4 #8,are you a spirit8' ,it rapped4 #8,may my neighbors hear1 if ,i call them8' ,it rapped again4 8,thereupon she asked her husband to call her neighbor1 a ,mrs4 ,redfield1 who came in laughing4 ,but her cheer was soon changed4 ,the answers to her inquiries were as prompt and pertinent1 as they had been to those of ,mrs4 ,fox4 ,she was struck with awe2 and when1 in reply to a question about the number of her children1 by rapping four1 instead of three1 as she expected1 it reminded her of a little daughter1 ,mary1 whom she had recently lost1 the mother burst into tears40 ,we have introduced this narrative thus at length not only because it is interesting in itself1 but because it is of special interest that all the particulars of the origin1 or beginning1 of such a movement as this1 should be well understood4 ,the following paragraph will explain how it came to be called 8,the ,rochester ,knockings10 under which name it first became widely known4 ,it is from the 8,report of the #cgth ,anniversary of ,modern ,spiritualism10 held in ,brooklyn1 ,n4 ,y41 ,march #ca1 #ahhe1 and reported in the ,banner of ,light1 the #beth of the following month3-- 8,after a song by ,j4 ,t4 ,lillie1 ,mrs4 ,leah ,fox ,underhill1 the elder of the three ,fox sisters 7who was on our platform71 was requested to speak4 ,mrs4 ,underhill said that she was not a public speaker1 but would answer any questions from the audience1 and in response to these questions told in a graphic manner how the spirits came to their humble home in ,hydesville1 in #ahdh2 how on the #cast of ,march the first intelligent communication from the spirit world came through the raps2 how the family had been annoyed by the manifestations1 and by the notoriety that followed2 how the younger sisters1 ,catherine and ,margaret1 were taken to ,rochester1 where she lived1 by their mother1 hoping that this great and apparent calamity might pass from them2 how their father and mother prayed that this cup might be taken away1 but the phenomena became more marked and violent2 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 ,rochester1 of different sizes1 approximating to the ages and sizes of the family1 and these were lined with a pink color1 and they were told that unless they made this great fact known1 they would all speedily die1 and enter the spirit-world4 8,gladly would they all have accepted this penalty for their disobedience in not making this truth known to the world4 ,she told how they were compelled to hire ,corinthian ,hall in ,rochester2 how several public meetings were held in ,rochester1 culminating in the selection of a committee of prominent infidels1 who1 after submitting the ,fox children to the most severe tests1--they being disrobed in the presence of a committee of ladies1--reported in their favor4444 ,all the time she was on our platform1 there was a continuous rapping by the spirits in response to what was being said by the several speakers1 also in response to the singing1 and all our exercises40 ,in the same volume of the ,forum from which quotations have already been made1 ,m4 ,j4 ,savage states many facts which have a determinate bearing on the point now under consideration2 namely1 the intelligence manifested in the spiritual phenomena4 ,from these we quote a few4 ,he says 7p4 #deb and onward73-- 8,i am in possession of quite a large body of apparent facts that ,i do not know what to do with4444 ,that certain things to me inexplicable have occurred1 ,i believe4 ,the negative opinion of some one with whom no such things have occurred1 will not satisfy me4444 ,i am ready to submit some specimens of those things that constitute my problem4 ,they can be only specimens2 for a detailed account of even half of those ,i have laid by1 would stretch to the limits of a book4 8,a merchant ship bound for ,new ,york was on her homeward voyage4 ,she was in the ,indian ,ocean4 ,the captain was engaged to be married to a lady living in ,new ,england4 ,one day early in the afternoon he came1 pale and excited1 to one of his mates1 and exclaimed1 #8,tom1 ,kate has just died6 ,i have seen her die6' ,the mate looked at him in amazement1 not knowing what to make of such talk4 ,but the captain went on and described the whole scene--the room1 her appearance1 how she died1 and all the circumstances4 ,so real was it to him1 and such was the effect on him1 of his grief1 that for two or three weeks1 he was carefully watched lest he should do violence to himself4 ,it was more than one hundred and fifty days before the ship reached her harbor4 ,during all this time no news was received from home4 ,but when at last the ship arrived at ,new ,york1 it was found that ,kate did die at the time and under the circumstances seen and described by the captain off the coast of ,india4 ,this is only one case out of hundreds4 ,what does it mean8 ,coincidence8 ,just happened so8 ,this might be said of one2 but a hundred of such coincidences become inexplicable40 ,the following is another instance mentioned by the same writer3-- 8,i went to the house of a woman in ,new ,york4 ,she was not a professional4 ,we had never seen each other before4 ,we took seats in the parlor for a talk1 ,i not looking for any manifestation4 ,raps began4 ,i do not say whether they were really where they seemed to be or not2 ,i know right well that the judgment is subject to illusion through the senses4 ,but ,i was told a #8spirit friend' was present2 and soon the name1 time1 and place of death1 etc41 were given me4 ,it was the name of a friend ,i had once known intimately4 ,but twenty years had passed since the old intimacy2 she had lived in another ,state2 ,i am certain that she and the psychic had never known or even heard of each other4 ,she had died within a few months40 ,mr4 ,savage then gives examples where the power in question was exclusively mental3-- 8,the first time ,i was ever in the presence of a particular psychic1 she went into a trance4 ,she had never seen1 and1 so far as ,i know1 had never had any way of hearing of my father1 who had died some years previously4 ,when ,i was a boy1 he always called me by a special name that was never used by any other member of the family4 ,in later years he hardly ever used it4 ,but the entranced psychic said3 #8,an old gentleman is here1' and she described certain very marked peculiarities4 ,then she added3 #8,he says he is your father1 and he calls you ----1' using the old childhood name of mine40 ,again1 same page3-- 8,one case more1 only1 will ,i mention under this head4 ,a most intimate friend of my youth had recently died4 ,she had lived in another ,state1 and the psychic did not know that such a person had ever existed4 ,we were sitting alone when this old friend announced her presence4 ,it was in this way3 ,a letter of two pages was automatically written1 addressed to me4 ,i thought to myself as ,i read it1--,i did not speak1--#8,were it possible1 ,i should feel sure she had written this4' ,i then said1 as though speaking to her1 #8,will you not give me your name8' ,it was given1 both maiden and married name4 ,i then began a conversation lasting over an hour1 which seemed as real as any ,i ever have with my friends4 ,she told me of her children1 of her sisters4 ,we talked over the events of boyhood and girlhood4 ,i asked her if she remembered a book we used to read together1 and she gave me the author's name4 ,i asked again if she remembered the particular poem we were both specially fond of1 and she named it at once4 ,in the letter that was written1 and in much of the conversation1 there were apparent hints of identity1 little touches and peculiarities that would mean much to an acquaintance1 but nothing to a stranger4 ,i could not but be much impressed4 ,now in this case1 ,i know that the psychic never knew of this person's existence1 and of course not of our acquaintance40 ,mr4 ,savage then mentions cases which he calls still more inexplicable1 because the information conveyed was not known either to the psychic 7which seems to be the new name for medium7 or to himself4 ,he says3-- 8,but one more case dare ,i take the space for1 though the budget is only opened4 ,this one did not happen to me1 but it is so hedged about and checked off1 that its evidential value in a scientific way is absolutely perfect4 ,the names of some of the parties concerned would be recognized in two hemispheres4 ,a lady and gentleman visited a psychic4 ,the gentleman was the lady's brother-in-law4 ,the lady had an aunt who was ill in a city two or three hundred miles away4 ,when the psychic had become entranced1 the lady asked her if she had any impression as to the condition of her aunt4 ,the reply was1 #8,no4' ,but before the sitting was over1 the psychic exclaimed1 #8,why1 your aunt is here6 ,she has already passed away4' #8,this cannot be true1' said the lady2 #8there must be a mistake4 ,if she had died1 they would have telegraphed us immediately4' #8,but1' the psychic insisted1 #8she is here4 ,and she explains that she died about two o'clock this morning4 ,she also says that a telegram has been sent1 and you will find it at the house on your return4' 8,here seemed a clear case for a test4 ,so while the lady started for her home1 her brother-in-law called at the house of a friend and told the story4 ,while there the husband came in4 ,having been away for some hours he had not heard of any telegram4 ,but the friend seated himself at his desk and wrote out a careful account1 which all three signed on the spot4 ,when they reached home1--two or three miles away1--there was the telegram confirming the fact and the time of the aunt's death1 precisely as the psychic had told them4 8,here are most wonderful facts4 ,how shall they be accounted for8 ,i have not trusted my memory for these things1 but have made careful record at the time4 ,i know many other records of a similar kind kept by others4 ,they are kept private4 ,why8 ,the late ,rev4 ,j4 ,g4 ,wood1 of ,england1 the world-famous naturalist1 once said to me3 #8,i am glad to talk of these things to any one who has a right to know4 ,but ,i used to call everybody a fool who had anything to do with them2 and with a smile--8,i do not enjoy being called a fool40 ' 8,psychic and other societies that advertise for strange phenomena1 must learn that at least a respectful treatment is to be accorded1 or people will not lay bare their secret souls4 ,and then1 in the very nature of the case1 these experiments concern matters of the most personal nature4 ,many of the most striking cases people will not make public4 ,in some of those above related1 ,i have had so to veil facts1 that they do not appear as remarkable as they really are4 ,the whole cannot be told40 ,a quotation from this same writer 78,automatic ,writing10 page #ad71 says3-- 8,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 intelligence4 ,i hold that as the only tenable theory ,i am acquainted with40 ,in the same work 7page #ai71 the author1 ,mrs4 ,s4 ,a4 ,underwood1 as the result of her communications from spirits1 says3-- 8,detailed statements of facts unknown to either of us that is1 herself and her #8control'1 but which weeks afterward were learned to be correct1 have been written1 and repeated again and again1 when disbelieved and contradicted by us40 ,on this point1 also1 as on the preceding1 testimony need not be multiplied4 ,the facts are too well known and too generally admitted to warrant the devotion of further space to a presentation of the evidence4 ,the question must soon be met1 ,what is the source of the power and intelligence thus manifested8 ,but this may properly be held in abeyance till we take a glance at3 ,the ,progress of ,spiritualism4 during the fifty years of its modern history4 ,it began in a way to excite the wonder and curiosity of the people1 the very elements that would give wings to its progress through the land4 ,men suddenly found their thoughts careering through new channels4 ,an unseen world seemed to make known its presence and invite investigation4 ,as the phenomena claimed to be due to the direct agency of spirits1 the movement naturally assumed the name of 8,spiritualism40 ,it was then hailed by multitudes as a new and living teacher1 come to clear up uncertainties and to dispel doubts from the minds of men4 ,at least an irrepressible curiosity was everywhere excited to know what the new 8ism0 would teach concerning that invisible world which it professed to have come to open to the knowledge of mankind4 ,everywhere men sought by what means they could come into communication with the spirit realm4 ,into whatever place the news entered1 circles were formed1 and the number of converts outstripped the pen of the enroller4 ,it gathered adherents from every walk of life--from the higher classes as well as the lower2 the educated1 cultured1 and refined1 as well as the uncultivated and ignorant2 from ministers1 lawyers1 physicians1 judges1 teachers1 government officials1 and all the professions4 ,but the individuals thus interested1 being of too diverse and independent views to agree upon any permanent basis for organization1 the data for numerical statistics are difficult to procure4 ,various estimates1 however1 of their numbers have been formed4 ,as long ago as #ahgf1 computations of the number of ,spiritualists in the ,united ,states ranged from #c1jjj1jjj by ,hepworth ,dixon1 to #aj1jjj1jjj by the ,roman ,catholic council at ,baltimore4 ,only five years from the time the first convert to ,modern ,spiritualism appeared1 ,judge ,edmonds1 himself an enthusiastic convert1 said of their numbers3-- 8,besides the undistinguished multitudes1 there are many now of high standing and talent ranked among them1--doctors1 lawyers1 and clergymen in great numbers1 a ,protestant bishop1 the learned and reverend president of a college1 judges of our higher courts1 members of ,congress1 foreign ambassadors1 and ex-members of the ,united ,states ,senate40 ,up to the present time1 it is not probable that the number of ,spiritualists has been much reduced by apostasies from the faith1 if such it may be called2 while the movement itself has been growing more prominent and becoming more widely known every year4 ,the conclusion would therefore inevitably follow that its adherents must now be more numerous than ever before4 ,a letter addressed by the writer to the publishers of the ,philosophical ,journal1 ,chicago1 on this point1 received the following reply1 dated ,dec4 #bd1 #ahie3-- 8,being unorganized1 largely1 no reliable figures can be given4 ,many thousands are in the churches1 and are counted there4 ,it is claimed that there are about five million in the ,united ,states1 and over fifty million in the world40 ,the ,christian at ,work of ,aug4 #ag1 #ahgf1 under the head of 8,witches and ,fools10 said3-- 8,but we do not know how many judges1 bankers1 merchants1 prominent men in nearly every occupation in life1 there are1 who make it a constant practice to visit clairvoyants1 sightseers1 and so-called ,spiritual mediums2 yet it can scarcely be doubted that their name is legion2 that not only the unreligious man1 but professing ,christians1 men and women1 are in the habit of consulting spirits from the vasty deep for information concerning both the dead and the living4 ,many who pass for intelligent people1 who would be shocked to have their ,christianity called in question1 are constantly engaged in this disreputable business40 ,the following appeared some years ago1 in the ,san ,francisco ,chronicle3-- 8,until quite recently1 science has coldly ignored the alleged phenomena of ,spiritualism1 and treated ,andrew ,jackson ,davis1 ,home1 and the ,davenport brothers1 as if they belonged to the common fraternity of showmen and mountebanks4 ,but now there has come a most noteworthy change4 ,we learn from such high authority as the ,fortnightly ,review that ,alfred ,r4 ,wallace1 ,f4 ,r4 ,s42 ,william ,crookes1 ,f4 ,r4 ,s4 and editor of the ,quarterly ,journal of ,science2 ,w4 ,h4 ,harrison1 ,f4 ,r4 ,s4 and president of the ,british ,ethnological ,society1 with others occupying a high position in the scientific and literary world1 have been seriously investigating the phenomena of spiritism4 ,the report which those learned gentlemen make is simply astounding4 ,there is no fairy tale1 no story of myth or miracle1 that is more incredible than their narrative4 ,they tell us in grave and sober speech1 that the spirit of a girl who died a hundred years ago1 appeared to them in visible form4 ,she talked with them1 gave them locks of her hair1 pieces of her dress1 and her autograph4 ,they saw her in bodily presence1 felt her person1 heard her voice2 she entered the room in which they were1 and disappeared without the opening of a door4 ,the savants declare that they have had numerous interviews with her under conditions forbidding the idea of trickery or imposture4 8,now that men eminent in the scientific world have taken up the investigation1 ,spiritualism has entered upon a new phase4 ,it can no longer be treated with silent contempt4 ,mr4 ,wallace's articles in the ,fortnightly have attracted general attention1 and many of the leading ,english reviews and newspapers are discussing the matter4 ,the ,new ,york ,world devotes three columns of its space to a summary of the last article in the ,fortnightly1 and declares editorially that the #8phenomena' thus attested #8deserve the rigid scientific examination which ,mr4 ,wallace invites for them4' ,this is treating the matter in the right way4 ,let all the well-attested facts be collected1 and then let us see what conclusions they justify4 ,if spirit communication is a fact1 it is certainly a most interesting one4 ,in the language which the ,world attributes to ,john ,bright1 #8,if it is a fact1 it is the one besides which every other fact of human existence sinks into insignificance4' 0 ,one of the reasons why it would be quite impossible to state the number of real ,spiritualists in our land to-day has already been hinted at in a foregoing extract4 ,it is that 8many thousands10 and we think the number might in all probability be raised to millions1 who are in reality ,spiritualists1 do not go by that name4 ,they are in the various churches1 and are counted there4 ,yet they believe the phenomena of ,spiritualism1 accept its teachings in their own minds1 and quietly and constantly1 as the ,christian at ,work avers1 consult clairvoyants and mediums1 in quest of knowledge4 ,the grosser features of the teachings of ,spiritualism which were painfully prominent in its earlier stages1 which there is no reason to believe are discountenanced or abandoned either in theory or practice1 are relegated to an invisible background1 while in its outward aspect it now poses in the attitude of piety and the garb of religion4 ,it even professes to adopt some of the more prominent and popular doctrines of ,christianity4 ,in this phase the average churchgoer cannot see why he may not accept all that ,spiritualism has to give1 and still retain his denominational relationship4 ,besides this1 the coming to light1 every now and then1 of the fact that some person of national or world-wide fame is a ,spiritualist1 adds popularity and gives a new impetus to the movement4 ,such instances may be named as the founder of the ,leland ,stanford ,university1 of ,california2 the widow of ex-,vice-,president ,hendricks1 of ,indiana1 who1 it is said1 is carrying on some very successful financial transactions by direction from the spirit world2 and ,mr4 ,w4 ,t4 ,stead1 ,london editor of the ,review of ,reviews1 who1 in #ahic started a new quarterly1 called ,the ,border ,land1 to be devoted to the advocacy of the philosophy of ,spiritualism1 which he had then but recently espoused4 ,in other countries it has invaded the ranks of the nobility1 and even seated itself on the thrones of monarchs4 ,the late royal houses of ,france1 ,spain1 and ,russia are said1 by current rumor1 to have sought the spirits for knowledge4 ,no cause could covet more rapid and wide-spread success than this has enjoyed4 ,chapter ,two4 ,,what ,,is ,,the ,,agency ,,in ,,question8 ,having now shown that there are connected with ,spiritualism supermundane phenomena that cannot be denied1 and equally evident superhuman intelligence1 sufficient to give to the movement unprecedented recognition in all the world1 the way is open for the most important question that can be raised concerning it1 and one which now demands an answer2 and that is1 ,what is the agency by which these phenomena are produced1 and by which this intelligence is manifested8 ,this question must be examined with the utmost care1 and1 if possible1 a decision be reached of the most assuring certainty2 for1 as ,mr4 ,m4 ,j4 ,savage says1 8,spiritualism is either a grand truth or a most lamentable delusion40 ,it is proper that the claim which ,spiritualism puts forth for itself1 in this regard1 should first be heard4 ,this is so well known that it scarcely need be stated4 ,it is that there is in every human being a soul1 or spirit1 which constitutes the real person2 that this soul1 or spirit1 is immortal2 that it manifests itself through a tangible body during this earth life1 and when that body dies1 passes unscathed into the unseen world1 into an enlarged sphere of life1 activity1 and intelligence2 that in this sphere it can still take cognizance of earthly things1 and communicate with those still in the flesh1 respecting scenes which it has left1 and those more interesting conditions still veiled from mortal sight2 that it is by these disembodied1 or 8discarnated0 spirits that raps are given1 objects moved1 intelligence manifested1 secrets revealed1 slates written1 voices uttered1 faces shown1 and epistles addressed to mortals1 as friend would write to friend4 ,if this be true1 it opens what would indeed be considered a grand avenue of consolation to bereaved hearts1 by giving them evidence that their departed friends still lived2 that they recognized1 loved1 and accompanied them1 and delighted still to counsel and instruct them4 ,if not true1 it is a masterpiece of superhuman craft and cunning2 for it takes ,christendom on the side where it is least guarded2 as the view is everywhere held that the dead are conscious1 and the only question would be as to their power to communicate with persons still living in the body2 and it throws its arms around the individual when the heart is the most tender1 when plunged into a condition in which every pang of bereaved sorrow1 every tie of affection1 and every throb of love1 press him to crave with all his being that communication with the dead may be proved a fact1 and to constrain him to accept the doctrine1 unless kept from it by some power stronger than the cords that bind heart to heart in deathless love4 ,if it be a deception1 it occupies a vantage ground before which men may well tremble4 ,but1 as has been already stated1 the question is here to be discussed from the standpoint of the ,bible2 the ,bible is to be taken as the standard of authority by which all conflicting claims respecting the nature of man1 must be decided4 ,the authenticity of the ,scriptures1 in reference to those who deny their authority1 is an antecedent question1 into the discussion of which it is not the province of this little work to enter4 ,a word1 however1 by way of digression1 may be allowed in reference to its authorship4 ,credentials of the ,bible4 #a4 ,the ,bible claims to be the word of ,god4 ,those who wrote it assert that they wrote as they 8were moved by the ,holy ,ghost20 and they append to what they utter1 a 8,thus saith the ,lord40 #b4 ,if it is not what it claims to be1 it is an imposture invented by deceivers and liars4 #c4 ,good men would not deceive and lie2 therefore they were not the ones who invented the ,bible4 #d4 ,if1 therefore1 it was invented by men at all1 it must have been invented by bad men4 #e4 ,all liars and religious impostors are bad men2 but-- #f4 ,the ,bible repeatedly and most explicitly forbids lying and imposture1 under the threatening of most condign punishment4 #g4 ,would1 therefore1 liars and impostors invent a book which more than any other book ever written1 denounces lying and imposture1 thus condemning themselves to the severest judgments of ,god1 and at last to eternal death8 #h4 ,if1 then1 the ,bible is not the invention of good men1--because such men would not lie and deceive2 nor of evil men1--because such men would not condemn themselves2 nor of good or evil angels1 for the same reasons1 who else can be its author1 but he who claims to be1 that is1 the living ,god8 #i4 ,if1 therefore1 from the very nature of the case1 it must be ,god's book1 why not believe it1 and obey it8 ,to return3 ,appeal is therefore made to the ,bible2 and the object is to learn what the ,bible teaches about ,spiritualism4 ,when the claim is put forth that it is the disembodied spirits of dead men who make the communications1 the ,bible reader is at once aware of a conflict of claims4 ,in times when the ,bible was written1 there were practices among men which went under the names of 8enchantment10 8sorcery10 8witchcraft10 8necromancy10 8divination10 8consulting with familiar spirits10 etc4 ,these practices were all more or less related1 but some of them bear an unmistakable meaning4 ,thus1 8necromancy0 is defined to mean 8a pretended communication with the dead40 ,a 8familiar spirit0 was 8a spirit or demon supposed to attend on an individual1 or to come at his call2 the invisible agent of a necromancer's will40--,century ,dictionary4 ,spiritualists do not deny that their intercourse with the invisible world comes under some1 at least1 of these heads4 ,but all such practices the ,bible explicitly forbids4 ,deut4 #ah3i-ab3 8,there shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire1 or that useth divination1 or an observer of times1 or an enchanter1 or a witch1 or a charmer1 or a consulter with familiar spirits1 or a wizard1 or a necromancer4 ,for all that do these things are an abomination unto the ,lord40 ,lev4 #ai3ca3 8,regard not them that have familiar spirits1 neither seek after wizards1 to be defiled by them3 ,i am the ,lord your ,god40 ,see also1 #b ,kings #ba3b1 #f1 #i1 #aa2 ,rev4 #ba3h2 ,gal4 #e3ai-ba2 ,acts #af3af-ah2 etc4 ,thus plainly in both the ,old and ,new ,testaments1 are these practices forbidden4 ,an ,impossibility4 ,but why does the ,bible forbid such practices as necromancy1 or a 8pretended0 communication with the dead8--,because it would be only a pretense at best2 for such communication is impossible4 ,the dead are unconscious in their graves1 and have no power to communicate with the living4 ,let this truth be once established1 and it is the death-blow to the claims of ,spiritualism1 in the cases of all who will receive it4 ,allusion has already been made to a popular and wide-spread dogma in the ,christian church which furnishes a basis for ,spiritualism4 ,it is that the soul is immortal1 and that the dead are conscious4 ,spirits make known their presence1 and claim to be the spirits of persons who have once lived here in human bodies4 ,now if the ,bible teaches that there is no such thing as a disembodied human spirit1 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 spirit4 ,any spirit seeking the attention of men in this life1 and claiming to be what the ,bible says does not exist1 comes with a falsehood on its lips or in its raps1 if the ,bible is true1 and thus reveals its real character to be that of a deceiver4 ,in this case the ,bible believer is armed against the imposture4 ,no man likes to be fooled4 ,no matter therefore how nice the communicating intelligence may seem1 how many true things it may say1 or how many good things it may promise1 the conviction cannot be evaded that no real good can be intended or conferred by any spirit1 or whatever it may be1 masquerading under the garb of falsehood1 or pretending to be what it is not4 ,on such a foundation no stable superstructure can be reared4 ,it becomes a death-trap1 sure to collapse and involve in ruin all those who trust therein4 ,it is very desirable that the reader comprehend the full importance of the doctrine1 as related to this subject1 that the dead are unconscious and that they have no power to communicate with the living4 ,this being established1 it sweeps away at one stroke the entire foundation of ,spiritualism4 ,evidence will now be presented to show that this is a ,bible doctrine2 and wherever this is received1 the fabric of ,spiritualism from base to finial falls2 it cannot possibly stand4 ,but where the doctrine prevails that only the thin veil that limits our mortal vision1 separates us from a world full of the conscious1 intelligent spirits of those who have departed this life1 ,spiritualism has the field1 beyond the possibility of dislodgment4 ,when one believes that he has disembodied spirit friends all about him1 how can he question that they are able to communicate with him8 and when some unseen intelligence makes its presence known1 and claims to be one of those friends1 and refers to facts or scenes1 known only to them two1 how can the living dispute the claim8 ,how can he refuse to accept a claim1 which1 on his own hypothesis1 there is no conceivable reason to deny8 ,but if the spirits are not what they claim to be1 how shall the inexplicable phenomena attending their manifestations be explained8--,the ,bible brings to view other agencies1 not the so-called spirits of the departed1 to whose working all that has ever been manifested which to mortal vision is mysterious and inexplicable1 may be justly attributed4 ,the ,soul ,not ,immortal4 ,spiritualism declares it to be the great object of its mission1 to prove the immortality of the soul1 which1 it says1 is not taught in the ,scriptures with sufficient clearness1 and is not otherwise demonstrated4 ,it well attributes to the ,scriptures a lack of plain teaching in support of that dogma2 and it would have stated more truth1 if it had said that the ,scriptures nowhere countenance such a doctrine at all4 ,but1 it is said1 the ,scriptures are full of the terms1 8soul0 and 8spirit40 ,very true2 but they nowhere use those terms to designate such a part of man as in common parlance1 and in popular theology1 they have come to mean4 ,the fact is1 the popular concept of the 8soul0 and 8spirit0 has been formulated entirely outside the ,bible4 ,sedulously1 unremittingly1 for six thousand years1 the idea has been inculcated in the minds of men1 from the cradle to the grave1 that man is a dual being1 consisting of an outward body which dies1 and an inward being called 8soul10 or 8spirit10 which does not die1 but passes to higher spirit life1 when the body goes into the grave4 ,the father of this doctrine is rarely referred to by its believers1 as authority1 possibly through a little feeling of embarrassment as to its parentage2 for he it was who announced it to our first parents in these words3 8,ye shall not surely die60 ,gen4 #c3d4 ,when men began to die1 it was a shrewd stroke of policy on the part of him who had promised them that they should not die1 to try to prove to those who remained that the others had not really died1 but only changed conditions4 ,it is no marvel that he should try to make men believe that they possessed an immaterial1 immortal entity that could not die2 but1 in view of the ghastly experiences of the passing years1 it is the marvel of marvels that he should have succeeded so well4 ,the trouble now is that men take these meanings which have been devised and fostered into stupendous strength outside the pale of ,bible teaching1 and attach them to the ,bible terms of 8soul0 and 8spirit40 ,in other words1 the mongrel pago-papal theology which has grown up in ,christendom1 lets the ,bible furnish the terms1 and paganism the definitions4 ,but from the ,bible standpoint1 these definitions do not belong there2 they are foreign to the truth1 and the ,bible does not recognize them4 ,they are as much out of place as was the inventor of them himself in the garden of ,eden4 ,let the ,bible furnish its own definitions to its own terms1 and all will be clear4 ,the opinion of ,john ,milton1 the celebrated author of ,paradise ,lost1 is worthy of note4 ,in his 8,treatise on ,christian ,doctrine10 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #bej1 #bea1 he says3-- 8,man is a living being1 intrinsically and properly one individual1 not compound and separable1 not1 according to the common opinion1 made up and framed of two distinct and different natures1 as of body and soul1 but the whole man is soul1 and the soul1 man2 that is to say1 a body or substance1 individual1 animated1 sensitive1 and rational40 ,in this sense the word is employed many times2 but whoever will trace the use of the words 8soul0 and 8spirit0 through the ,bible1 will find them applied also to a great variety of objects2 as1 person1 mind1 heart1 body 7in the expression 8a dead body071 will1 lust1 appetite1 breath1 creature1 pleasure1 desire1 anger1 courage1 blast1 etc41 etc41 in all nearly fifty different ways4 ,but it is a fact which should be especially noted1 that in not a single instance is there the least hint given that anything expressed by these terms is capable of existing for a single moment1 as a conscious entity1 or in any other condition1 without the body6 ,this being so1 none of these1 according to the ,bible1 are the agency claimed to be present in ,spiritualism4 ,another fact in reference to this point1 should be allowed its decisive bearing4 ,the question now under investigation is1 ,is the soul immortal1 as ,spiritualism has taken upon itself to teach1 and claims to demonstrate8 ,the ,bible is found to be so lavish in the use of the terms 8soul0 and 8spirit10 that these words occur in the aggregate1 seventeen hundred times4 ,seventeen hundred times1 by way of description1 analysis1 narrative1 historical facts1 or declarations of what they can do1 or suffer1 the ,bible has something to say about 8soul0 and 8spirit40 ,the most important question to be settled concerning them1 certainly1 is whether they are immortal or not4 ,will not the ,bible1 so freely treating of these terms1 answer this question8 ,very strange1 indeed1 if it does not4 ,but does it once affirm that either the soul or the spirit is immortal8--,not once6 ,does it ever apply to them the terms 8eternal10 8deathless10 8neverdying10 or any word that bears the necessary meaning of immortal8--,not in a single instance4 ,does it apply to them any term from which even an inference1 necessary or remote1 can be drawn that they are immortal8 ,even reduced to this attenuated form1 the answer is still an emphatic and overwhelming1 ,no6 ,well1 then1 does it say anything about the nature and capabilities of existence of that which it denominates soul or spirit8--,yes2 it says the soul is in danger of the grave1 may die1 be destroyed1 killed1 and that the spirit may be wounded1 cut off1 preserved1 and so1 conversely1 made to perish4 ,it is sometimes claimed that it is not necessary that the ,bible should affirm the immortality of the soul1 because it is so self-evident a fact that it is taken for granted4 ,but no one surely can suppose that the immortality of the soul is more self-evident than that of ,jehovah2 yet the ,bible has seen fit to affirm his immortality in most direct terms4 #a ,tim4 #a3ag3 8,now unto the ,king eternal1 immortal1 invisible1 the only wise ,god1 be honor and glory forever and ever4 ,amen40 #a ,tim4 #f3af3 8,who only hath immortality1 dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto2 whom no man hath seen1 nor can see3 to whom be honor and power everlasting4 ,amen40 ,let1 then1 similar ,bible testimony be found concerning the soul2 that is1 that it is 8immortal10 or 8hath immortality10 and the taken-for-granted device will not be needed4 ,chapter ,three4 ,,the ,,dead ,,unconscious4 ,from the fact now established that the soul is not immortal1 it would follow as an inevitable conclusion1 that the dead are not conscious in the intermediate state1 and consequently cannot act the part attributed to them in modern ,spiritualism4 ,but there are some positive statements to which the reader's attention should be called1 and some instances supposed to prove the conscious state which should be noticed4 #a4 ,the ,dead ,know not ,anything4--,as a sample of the way the ,bible speaks upon this question1 let the reader turn to the words of ,solomon1 in ,eccl4 #i3e1 #f1 #aj3 8,for the living know that they shall die3 but the dead know not anything1 neither have they any more a reward2 for the memory of them is forgotten4 ,also their love1 and their hatred1 and their envy1 is now perished2 neither have they any more a portion for ever in anything that is done under the sun4444 ,whatsoever thy hand findeth to do1 do it with thy might2 for there is no work1 nor device1 nor knowledge1 nor wisdom1 in the grave1 whither thou goest40 ,this language is addressed to the real1 living1 intelligent1 responsible man2 and how could it be plainer8 ,on the hypothesis of the commonly believed distinction between the soul and the body1 this must be addressed to the soul2 for the body considered as the mere material instrument through which the soul acts1 is not supposed of itself to know anything4 ,the body1 as a body1 independent of the soul1 does not know that it shall die2 but it is that which knows1 while one is alive1 that it shall die--it is that same intelligent being that1 when dead1 knows not anything4 ,but the spirits in ,spiritualism do know many things in their condition2 therefore they are not those who have once lived on this earth1 and passed off through death2 for such1 once dead1 this scripture affirms1 know not anything--they are in a condition in which there is 8no work1 nor device1 nor knowledge1 nor wisdom40 ,this is a plain1 straightforward1 literal statement2 there is no mistaking its meaning2 and if it is true1 then it is not true that the unseen agents working through ,spiritualism1 are the spirits of the dead4 #b4 ,the ,spirit ,returns to ,god4--,another passage from the same writer and the same book1 may recur to the mind of the reader1 as expressing a different and contradictory thought4 ,eccl4 #ab3g4 8,then shall the dust return to the earth as it was3 and the spirit shall return unto ,god who gave it40 ,a careful analysis of this passage reveals no support for ,spiritualism2 for it does not say that the spirit1 on returning to ,god1 is conscious1 or is capable of coming back and communicating with mortals4 ,it is not denied that different component parts enter into the constitution of man2 and that these parts may be separated4 ,solomon himself may therefore tell us what he means by the term 8spirit0 which he here uses4 ,he employs the same word in chapter4 #c3ba of this same book1 but says that beasts have it as well as men4 ,and then in verse #ai1 he explains what he means1 by saying that they 7man and the lower animals7 all have one breath4 ,the record of man's creation in ,gen4 #b3g1 shows that a vitalizing principle1 called the 8breath of life10 was necessary to be imparted to the organized body1 before man became a living being2 and this breath of life1 as common to man and to all breathing animals1 is described in ,gen4 #g3ba1 #bb1 by the term 7ruahh71 the same word that is used for 8breath10 in ,eccl4 #c3ai1 8spirit10 in verse #ba1 and 8the spirit10 which ,god gave to man1 and which returns to ,god1 in chapter #ab3g4 ,thus it is clear that reference is here made simply to the 8breath of life0 which ,god at first imparted to man1 to make him a living being1 and which he withdraws to himself1 in the hour of man's death4 ,job states the same fact1 and describes the process1 in chapter #cd3ad1 #ae3 8,if he ,god set his heart upon man1 if he gather unto himself his man's spirit same word and his breath2 444 man shall turn again unto dust40 ,no one can fail to see here that ,job refers to the same event of which ,solomon speaks4 ,and at this point the question may as well be raised1 and answered1 ,whence comes this spirit which is claimed to be the real man1 capable of an independent and superior existence without the body8 ,bodies come into existence by natural generation2 but whence comes the spirit8 ,is it a part of the body8 ,if so1 it cannot be immortal2 for 8that which is born of the flesh is flesh40 ,john #c3f4 ,is it supplied to human beings at birth8 ,if so1 is there a great storehouse1 somewhere1 of souls and spirits1 ready-made1 from which the supply is drawn as fast as wanted in this world8 ,and if so1 further1 is it to be concluded that all spirits have had a pre-existence8 and then what was their condition in that state8 ,and again1 how does it happen1 on this supposition1 that this spirit in each individual exhibits so largely the mental and moral traits of the earthly parents8 ,these hypotheses not being very satisfactory1 will it be claimed that ,god creates these spirits as fast as children are born to need them8 and if so1 who brings them down just in the nick of time8 and by what process are they incarnated8 ,but if ,god has1 by special act1 created a soul or spirit for every member of the human family since ,adam1 is it not a contradiction of ,gen4 #b3b1 which declares that all ,god's work of creation1 so far as it pertains to this world1 was completed by the close of the first week of time8 ,again1 how many of the inhabitants of this earth are the offspring of abandoned criminality2 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 heaven1 to be thrust into such vile tenements1 and doomed to a life of wretchedness and woe at the bidding of defiant lust8 ,the irreverence of the question will be pardoned as an exposure of the absurdity of that theory which necessitates it4 #c4 ,the ,spirits of ,just ,men ,made ,perfect4--,this expression is found in ,heb4 #ab3bc1 and seems1 by some1 to recognize the idea that spirits can exist without the body1 and are to be treated as separate entities4 ,thus interpreted it might appear to give some support to ,spiritualism4 ,but it will by no means bear such an interpretation4 ,the apostle is contrasting the privileges of ,christians in the present dispensation1 with the situation of believers before the coming of ,christ4 ,what he sets forth are blessings to be enjoyed in the present tense4 ,yes1 says one1 that is just what ,i believe3 ,we are come to spirits2 they are all about us1 and tip and talk and write for us at our pleasure4 ,but hold6 nothing is affirmed of spirits separately4 ,the whole idea must be taken in4 ,it is the 8spirits of just men made perfect20 and the participle 8made perfect0 agrees with 8just men10 or literally 8the just made perfect0 7 71 not with 8spirits40 ,it is the men who are made perfect to whom we are said to have come4 ,but there are only two localities and two periods1 in which men are anywhere in the ,scriptures said to be made perfect4 ,one is in this life and on this earth1 and refers to religious experience 78,be ye therefore perfect1 even as your ,father which is in heaven is perfect072 the other is not relative1 but actual and absolute1 and refers to the future immortal state when all the people of ,god will enter upon eternal life together 78,god having provided some better thing for us1 that they the ancient worthies without us should not be made perfect40 ,heb4 #aa3dj74 ,thus1 taken in either of the only two ways possible1 the text furnishes no proof of ,spiritualism4 ,it doubtless refers to the present state1 the expression1 8spirits of just men10 being simply a periphrasis for 8just men10 the same as the expression1 8the ,god of the spirits of all flesh0 7,num4 #af3bb71 means simply 8the ,god of all flesh10 and the words 8your whole spirit1 and soul1 and body0 7#a ,thess4 #e3bc71 means simply the whole person4 #d4 ,spirits in ,prison4--,the apostle ,peter uses an expression1 which1 though perhaps not often quoted in direct defense of ,spiritualism1 is relied upon extensively in behalf of the doctrine of the conscious state of the dead1 which1 as already shown1 is the essential basis of ,spiritualism4 ,and such texts as these are here noticed to show to the general reader1 that the ,bible contains no testimony in behalf of that doctrine1 but positively forbids it1 as further quotations will soon be introduced to show4 ,the passage now in question is #a ,peter #c3ai1 where1 speaking of ,christ1 it says3 8,by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison40 ,by the use of strong assumption1 and some lofty flights of the imagination1 and keeping in the background the real intent of the passage1 a picture of rather a lively time in the spirit world1 can be constructed out of this testimony4 ,thus the spirits are said to be the disembodied spirits of those who were destroyed by the flood4 ,see context4 ,they were in 8prison10 that is1 in hell4 ,when ,christ was put to death upon the cross1 he immediately went by his disembodied spirit1 down into hell and preached to those conscious intelligent spirits who were there1 and continued that work till the third day when he was himself raised from the dead4 ,a thought will show that this picture is wrong1 7#a7 in the time1 7#b7 in the condition of the people1 7#c7 in the acting agent1 and 7#d7 in the end to be attained4 ,thus1 when ,christ had been put to death1 he was 8quickened0 7or made alive71 says the record1 8by the ,spirit40 ,this was certainly not a personal disembodied spirit1 but that divine agency so often referred to in the ,scriptures4 8,by which10 that is1 this ,spirit of ,god1 he went and preached4 ,then he did not go personally on this work4 ,the 8spirits0 were the antediluvians2 for they were those who were disobedient in the days of ,noah4 ,now when were they preached to8 ,verse #bj plainly tells us it was 8when once the longsuffering of ,god waited in the days of ,noah40 ,in accordance with these statements now let another picture be presented3 ,christ1 by his ,spirit which was in ,noah 7#a ,peter #a3aa71 and thus through ,noah1 preached to the spirits1 or persons1 in ,noah's time1 who were disobedient1 in order to save all from the coming flood who would believe4 ,they were said to be 8in prison10 though still living1 because they were shut up under condemnation1 and had only one hundred and twenty years granted them in which to repent or perish4 ,thus ,christ was commissioned to preach to men said to be in prison1 because in darkness1 error1 and condemnation1 though they were still living in the flesh4 ,isa4 #fa3a4 ,dr4 ,adam ,clarke1 the eminent ,methodist commentator 7in loco71 places the going and preaching of ,christ in the days of ,noah1 and by the ministry of ,noah for one hundred and twenty years1 and not during the time while he lay in the grave4 ,then he says3-- 8,the word 7spirits7 is supposed to render this view of the subject improbable1 because this must mean disembodied spirits2 but this certainly does not follow2 for the spirits of just men made perfect 7,heb4 #ab3bc71 certainly means righteous men1 and men still in the church militant3 and the ,father of spirits 7,heb4 #ab3i7 means men still in the body2 and the ,god of the spirits of all flesh 7,num4 #af3bb and #bg3af71 means men1 not in a disembodied state407#a7 #e4 ,cannot ,kill the ,soul4--8,fear not them which kill the body1 but are not able to kill the soul3 but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell40 ,matt4 #aj3bh4 ,we know what it is to kill the body2 and by association of ideas1 it seems quite natural to form a like conception of the soul as something that can be treated in the same way4 ,then if the soul cannot be killed like the body1 the conclusion seems easy of adoption that it lives right on1 with all sensations preserved1 as it was with the body before its death4 ,if it were not for the pagan definition of 8soul10 which here comes in to change the current of thought1 such conclusions drawn from this text would not be so prevalent2 and a little attention to the scope of ,christ's teaching here will readily correct the misapprehension4 ,this is brought out clearly in verse #ci3 8,he that findeth his life shall lose it3 and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it40 ,this is easily understood4 ,no one will question what it is to lose his life2 and ,christ says that he who will do this for his sake1 shall find it4 ,any one who has been put to death for his faith in the gospel has 8lost his life0 7had the body killed7 for ,christ's sake4 ,but ,christ says1 ,do not fear them1 even if they do this4 ,why8--,because ye shall find it--the life you lost4 ,when shall we find it8--,in the resurrection4 ,john #f3dj2 ,rev4 #bj3d-f4 ,the expression1 8shall find it10 thus becomes the exact equivalent of the words1 8are not able to kill the soul20 that is1 are not able to destroy1 or prevent us from gaining that life he has promised1 if we suffer men1 for his sake1 to 8kill the body10 or deprive us of our present life4 ,the correctness of this view is demonstrated by the word employed in these instances4 ,that word is 7psuche74 ,it is properly rendered 8life0 in verse #ci1 and improperly rendered 8soul0 in verse #bh4 ,this lesson1 that men should be willing to lose their life for ,christ's sake1 was considered so important that it is again mentioned in ,matthew1 and reiterated with emphasis by ,mark1 ,luke1 and ,john2 and they all use this same word 1 which is rendered 8life40 ,in one instance only in all these parallel passages have the translators rendered it 8soul20 and that is ,matt4 #aj3bh1 where it is the source of all the misunderstanding on that text4 #f4 ,souls ,under the ,altar4--,as a part of the events of the fifth seal as described in ,rev4 #f3i-aa1 ,john says he saw the souls of the martyrs under the altar1 and heard them crying for vengeance4 ,if they could do that1 it is asked1 cannot disembodied souls now communicate with the living8 ,not to enter into a full exposition of this scripture1 and the inconsistencies such a view would involve1 it is sufficient to ask if these were like the communicating spirits of the present day4 ,how many communications have ever been received by modern ,spiritualists from souls confined under an altar8 ,in glowing symbolism1 ,john saw the dead martyrs1 as if slain at the foot of the altar2 and by the figure of personification a voice was given to them1 just as ,abel's blood cried to ,god for vengeance upon his guilty brother 7,gen4 #d3aj71 and just as the stone is said to cry out of the wall1 and the beam out of the timber to answer it4 ,hab4 #b3aa4 #g4 ,the ,medium of ,endor4--,aside from the direct teaching of the ,scriptures1 it is still held by some that there are scenes narrated in the ,bible which show that the dead must be conscious4 ,the first of these is the case of ,saul and the woman of ,endor1 whom he consulted in order to communicate with the prophet ,samuel1 as narrated in #a ,samuel #bh4 ,here1 it must be confessed1 is brought to view an actual case of spirit manifestation1 a specimen of ancient necromancy2 for the conditions1 method of procedure1 and results1 were just such as pertain to the same work in our own day4 ,but then1 as now1 there was no truth nor good in it1 as a brief review of the narrative will show4 7#a7 ,samuel was dead4 7#b7 ,saul was sore pressed by the ,philistines4 ,verse #e4 7#c7 ,god had departed from him4 ,verse #d4 7#d7 ,he had cut off those who had familiar spirits and wizards1 out of the land1 because ,god had forbidden their presence in the ,jewish theocracy1 as an abomination4 ,verse #c2 ,lev4 #ai3ca4 7#e7 ,yet in his extremity he had recourse to a woman with a familiar spirit1 found at ,endor4 ,verse #g4 7#f7 ,she asked whom she should bring up1 and ,saul answered1 ,samuel4 ,verse #aa4 7#g7 ,saul was disguised1 but the familiar spirit told the woman it was ,saul1 and she cried out in alarm4 ,verse #ab4 7#h7 ,saul reassured her1 and the woman went on with the sance4 ,verse #aj4 7#i7 ,she announced a presence coming 7not from heaven1 nor the spheres1 but7 up out of the earth1 and at ,saul's request gave a description of him1 showing that ,saul did not himself see the form4 ,verse #ac4 7#aj7 ,saul 8perceived0 that it was ,samuel 7not by actual sight1 but from the woman's description2 for the ,hebrew and the ,septuagint1 1 signify to know1 or perceive1 by an operation of the mind47 ,verse #ad4 7#aa7 ,the woman supposed it was ,samuel2 ,saul supposed it was ,samuel2 and that personation is1 then1 by the law of appearance1 spoken of1 in whatever it said or did1 as ,samuel2 as1 8,samuel said to ,saul10 etc4 ,verse #ae4 7#ab7 ,was ,samuel really there as an immortal soul1 a disembodied spirit1 or as one raised from the dead8--,no2 because 7a7 immortal souls do not come up out of the ground1 wrapped in mantles1 and complain of being disquieted and brought up2 7b7 ,samuel was a holy prophet1 and if he was conscious in the spirit world1 he would not present himself at the summons of a woman who was practicing arts which ,god had forbidden2 7c7 ,god having departed from ,saul1 and having refused to communicate with him on account of his sins1 would not now suffer his servant ,samuel to grant him the desired communication through a channel which he had pronounced an abomination2 7d7 ,samuel was not present by a resurrection1 for the ,devil could not raise him1 and ,god certainly would not1 for such a purpose2 besides ,samuel was buried at ,ramah1 and could not be raised at ,endor2 7e7 ,it was only the woman's familiar spirit1 personating ,samuel as he used to appear when alive--an aged man clothed with a mantle4 ,his object was to make both the woman and ,saul believe it was ,samuel1 when it was not1 just as communicating spirits to-day try to palm themselves off for what they are not4 ,as a specimen of ancient ,spiritualism1 this case is no particular honor to their cause2 and as a proof of the immortality of the soul1 and the conscious state of the dead1 it is a minus quantity4 #h4 ,the ,transfiguration4--,jesus took three of his disciples1 ,peter1 ,james1 and ,john1 apart into a high mountain1 and was transfigured before them2 his face became as the sun1 and his raiment was white as the light1 just as it will be in the future kingdom of glory1 which this scene was designed to represent4 ,and there then appeared ,moses and ,elias talking with ,christ4 ,but ,moses had died in the land of ,moab nearly fifteen hundred years before1 and it is at once concluded that the only way to account for his appearance on this occasion1 is to suppose that he was still alive in the spirit world1 and could appear in a disembodied state1 and talk with ,jesus as here represented4 ,but such a conclusion is by no means necessary4 ,jesus was there in person1 ,elias was there in person2 for he had not died1 but had been translated bodily from this earth4 ,now it would be altogether incongruous to suppose that the third member of this glorious trio1 apparently just as real as the others1 was only a disembodied spirit2 an immaterial phantom4 ,unless the whole scene was merely a vision brought before the minds of the disciples1 ,moses was as really there1 in his own proper person1 as ,jesus and ,elias4 ,but there is no way in which he could thus be present1 except by means of a resurrection from the dead2 and that he had been raised1 and was there as a representative of the resurrection1 is proved1 first by his actual presence on this occasion1 and secondly1 by the fact that ,michael 7,christ1 who is 8the resurrection and the life10 ,john #aa3be7 disputed with the ,devil 7who has the power of death1 ,heb4 #b3ad7 about the body of ,moses4 ,jude #i4 ,there could be no other possible ground of controversy about the body of ,moses except whether or not ,christ should give it life before the general resurrection4 ,but ,christ rebuked the ,devil4 ,christ was not thwarted in this contest1 but gave his servant life2 and thus ,moses could appear personally upon the mount4 ,this makes the scene complete as a representation of the kingdom of ,god1 as ,peter says it was 7#b ,peter #a3af-ah72 namely1 ,christ the glorified ,king1 ,elias representing those who will be translated without seeing death1 and ,moses representing those who will be raised from the dead4 ,these two classes embrace all the happy subjects of that kingdom4 ,this view of the matter is not peculiar to this book4 ,dr4 ,adam ,clarke1 on ,matt4 #ag3c1 says3 8,the body of ,moses was probably raised again1 as a pledge of the resurrection407#b7 ,and ,olshausen says3 8,for if we assume the reality of the resurrection of the body1 and its glorification1--truths which assuredly belong to the system of ,christian doctrine1--the whole occurrence presents no essential difficulties4 ,the appearance of ,moses and ,elias1 which is usually held to be the most unintelligible point in it1 is as easily conceived of as possible1 if we admit their bodily glorification40 ,those passages which speak of ,christ as the 8first-fruits10 the 8first-born from the dead10 the 8first-born among many brethren10 8of every creature10 etc41 refer only to the chief and pivotal importance of his own resurrection1 as related to all others2 and ,acts #bf3bc does not declare that ,christ should be the first one to be raised from the dead1 but that he first1 by a resurrection from the dead1 should show light to the ,gentiles4 7,see the ,greek of this passage47 ,these scriptures therefore prove no objection to the idea that ,moses had been raised from the dead1 and as a victor over the grave1 appeared with ,christ upon the mount4 ,thus another supposed stronghold affords no refuge for the conscious-state theory1 or for ,spiritualism4 #i4 ,the ,rich ,man and ,lazarus4--,with the features of this parable1 as found in ,luke #af1 which is supposed to prove the dead conscious1 and ,spiritualism possible1 the reader is doubtless familiar4 ,it should ever be borne in mind that this is a parable2 and in a parable1 neither the parties nor the scenes are to be taken literally1 and hence no doctrines can be built upon such symbolic representations4 ,but not only is it a parable1 but it is a parable based upon traditions largely entertained by the ,jews themselves in the time of ,christ4 ,thus ,t4 ,j4 ,hudson 78,law of ,psychic ,phenomena10 p4 #che7 says3-- 8,it is a historical fact1 nevertheless1 that before the advent of ,jesus1 the ,jews had become imbued with the ,greek doctrine of ,hades1 which was an intermediate waiting station between this life and the judgment4 ,in this were situated both ,paradise and ,gehenna1 the one on the right1 and the other on the left1 and into these two compartments the spirits of the dead were separated1 according to their deserts4 ,jesus found this doctrine already in existence1 and in enforcing his moral precepts in his parables1 he employed the symbols which the people understood1 neither denying nor affirming their literal verity40 ,thus ,christ appealed to the people on their own ground4 ,he took the views and traditions which he found already among them1 and arranged them into a parable in such a way as to rebuke their covetousness1 correct their notions that prosperity and riches in this life are tokens of the favor and approbation of ,god1 and condemn their departure from the teachings of ,moses and the prophets4 ,as a parable1 it is not designed to show the state of the dead1 and the conditions that prevail in the spirit world4 ,but if any persist that it is not a parable1 but a presentation of actual fact1 then the scene is laid1 not in the intermediate state1 but beyond the resurrection2 for it is after the angels had carried ,lazarus into ,abraham's bosom4 ,but the angels do not bear any one anywhere away from this earth1 till the second coming of ,christ and the resurrection of the dead4 ,matt4 #bd3cj1 #ca2 #a ,thess4 #d3ae-ag4 ,finding no support in this portion of scripture for the conscious-state theory1 with its spiritualistic possibilities1 appeal is next made by the friends of that theory to the case of-- #aj4 ,the ,thief on the ,cross4--,luke #bc3ci-dc4 ,when one of the malefactors who were crucified with ,jesus1 requested to be remembered when he should come into his kingdom1 according to the record in the common version1 the ,lord replied1 8,to-day shalt thou be with me in paradise40 ,to go from death into paradise the same day1 means to go into the spirit world without a body1 or discarnated1 as ,spiritualists claim4 ,and so it would be if such was ,christ's promise to the thief2 but it was not4 ,the little adverb 8to-day0 holds the balance of power as to the meaning of this text4 ,if it qualifies ,christ's words1 8,verily ,i say unto thee10 it gives one idea2 if it qualifies the words1 8,thou shalt be with me in paradise10 we have another and very different idea4 ,and how shall the question of its relationship be decided8--,it can be done only by the punctuation4 ,here another difficulty confronts us2 for the ,greek was originally written in a solid line of letters1 without any punctuation1 or even division into words4 ,such being the case1 the punctuation1 and the relation of the qualifying word 8to-day10 must be determined by the context4 ,now it is a fact that ,christ did not go to paradise that day4 ,he died1 and was placed in the tomb1 and the third day rose from the dead4 ,mary was the first to meet him1 and sought to worship him4 ,but he said1 8,touch me not1 for ,i am not yet ascended to my ,father40 ,john #bj3ag4 ,paradise is where the ,father is 7see #b ,cor4 #ab3b-d2 ,rev4 #b3g2 #bb3a1 #b71 and if ,christ had not been to his ,father when ,mary met him the third day after his crucifixion1 he had not then been to paradise2 therefore it is not possible that he made a promise to the thief on the day of his crucifixion1 that he should be with him that day in paradise4 ,but further1 the day of the crucifixion was the day before the ,sabbath2 and it was not lawful to leave criminals on the cross during that day4 ,john #ai3ca4 ,if they were still living when the time came to take them from the cross1 they were taken down1 and their legs were broken to prevent their escape4 ,the soldiers on this occasion broke the legs of the two thieves1 because they were still alive2 8but when they came to ,jesus and saw that he was dead already1 they brake not his legs40 ,verses #cb1 #cc4 ,the thief therefore lived over into the next day4 ,thus there are two absolutely insuperable objections against allowing the adverb1 8to-day10 to qualify ,christ's promise1 8,thou shalt be with me in paradise30 7#a7 ,christ did not go to paradise that day2 and 7#b7 ,the thief did not die that day4 ,before these facts the conscious-state argument built upon this incident1 vanishes into thin air4 ,just place the comma 7a punctuation mark not invented till #adij7 after 8to-day0 instead of before it1 and let that word qualify the verb 8say0 and emphasize the time when it was spoken1 and all is harmonious4 ,the thief's request did not pertain to that day1 but looked forward to the time when ,christ should come into his kingdom2 and ,christ's promise did not pertain to that day1 but to the time in the thief's request2 so he did not falsify it by not going to his ,father for three days afterward4 ,the thief is quietly slumbering in the tomb2 but ,christ is soon coming into his kingdom4 ,then the thief will be remembered1 be raised from the dead1 and be with ,christ in that paradise into which he will then introduce all his people4 ,thus all is as clear as a sunbeam1 when the text is freed from the bungling tinkering of men4 ,the strongest texts and incidents which are appealed to in defense of the conscious-state theory1 have now been examined4 ,if these do not sustain it1 nothing can be found in the ,bible which will sustain it4 ,all are easily harmonized with these4 ,thus in ,paul's desire to 8depart and be with ,christ0 7,phil4 #a3bc71 he does not there tell us when he will be with ,christ2 but he does tell us in many other places2 and it is at the resurrection and the coming of ,christ4 ,phil4 #c3aa2 #a ,thess4 #d3af1 #ag4 ,when he speaks of our being clothed upon with our house from heaven 7#b ,cor4 #e3b71 he tells us that it is when 8mortality0 is 8swallowed up of life40 ,but that is only at the last trump4 #a ,cor4 #ae3ea-ed4 ,if we are told about the woman who had had seven husbands 7,matt4 #bb3bc-bh71 no hint is given of any reunion till after the resurrection4 ,if ,god calls himself 8not the ,god of the dead1 but of the living0 7,matt4 #bb3cb71 it is because he speaks of 8those things that be not as though they were0 7,rom4 #d3ag71 and the worthies of whom this is spoken1 are sure to live again 7,heb4 #aa3ae1 #af71 and hence are now spoken of as alive in his sight1 because they are so in his purpose4 ,texts which speak of the departure and return of the soul 7,gen4 #ce3ah2 #a ,kings #ag3ba1 #bb71 are referable to the 8breath of life10 which is the meaning of the word in these instances rendered 8soul40 ,three passages only have been referred to1 which declare positively that the dead know not anything4 ,it was thought preferable to answer certain objections1 before introducing further direct testimony4 ,but there are many such passages1 a few more of which will now be presented1 as a fitting conclusion to this branch of the subject4 ,the reader's careful attention is invited to a few of the various texts1 and the conclusions that follow therefrom4 #a4 ,death and ,sleep4--,death1 in numerous passages is compared to sleep1 in contrast with the wakeful condition4 ,see ,ps4 #ac3c2 ,job #g3ba2 ,john #aa3aa2 ,acts #g3fj2 #a ,cor4 #aa3cj2 #ae3ea2 #a ,thess4 #d3ad2 etc4 ,but there is only one feature in sleep by virtue of which it can be taken as a figure of death2 and that is1 the condition of unconsciousness which shuts up the avenues of one's senses to all one's environment4 ,if one is not thus unconscious in death1 the figure is false1 and the comparison illogical and misleading4 #b4 ,thoughts ,perish4--,so ,david testifies3 8,put not your trust in princes1 nor in the son of man1 in whom there is no help4 ,his breath goeth forth1 he returneth to his earth2 in that very day his thoughts perish40 ,ps4 #adf3c1 #d4 ,the word 8thoughts0 does not here mean simply the projects and purposes one has in view1 which do often fail1 when the author of them dies1 but it is from a root which means the act of thinking1 the operation of the mind2 and in death1 that entirely ceases4 ,it cannot therefore be the dead who come out of the unseen with such intelligence as is shown in ,spiritualism4 #c4 ,job's ,statement4--,speaking of a dead man1 ,job 7#ad3ba7 says3 8,his sons come to honor1 and he knoweth it not2 and they are brought low1 but he perceiveth it not of them40 ,if the dead cannot take cognizance of matters of so much interest as these1 how can they communicate with the living as the spirits do8 #d4 ,no ,remembrance of ,god4--,david1 in ,ps4 #f3e and #aae3ag1 again testifies3 8,for in death there is no remembrance of thee3 in the grave who shall give thee thanks80 8,the dead praise not the ,lord1 neither any that go down into silence40 ,is it possible that any righteous man1 if he is living and conscious after going into the grave1 would not praise and give thanks to the ,lord8 #e4 ,hezekiah's ,testimony4--,hezekiah was sick unto death4 ,isa4 #ch3a4 ,but he prayed1 and the ,lord added to his days fifteen years4 ,verse #e4 ,for this he praised the ,lord1 and gave his reasons for so doing in the following words 7verses #ah1 #ai73 8,for the grave cannot praise thee1 death cannot celebrate thee3 they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth4 ,the living1 the living1 he shall praise thee1 as ,i do this day40 ,this is a clear affirmation that in death he would not be able to do what he was able to do while living4 #f4 ,new ,testament ,evidence4--,the ,new ,testament bears a corresponding testimony on this subject4 ,none will be saved except such as ,christ raises up at the last day4 ,john #f3ci1 #dj4 ,no one is to receive any reward before the resurrection4 ,luke #ad3ad2 #b ,tim4 #d3h4 ,no one can enter ,god's kingdom before being judged2 but there is no execution of judgment before the coming of ,christ4 #b ,tim4 #d3a2 ,acts #ag3ca2 ,luke #ai3ce2 etc4 ,if there is no avenue to a future life by a resurrection1 then all who have gone down in death are perished4 #a ,cor4 #ae3ah4 ,such texts utterly forbid the idea of consciousness and activity1 on the part of any of the human family1 in death4 ,this part of the subject need not be carried further4 ,it has been dwelt upon so fully simply because of its determinate bearing on the question under discussion4 ,spiritualism rests its whole title to credence on the claim that the intelligences which manifest themselves are the spirits of the dead4 ,the ,bible says that they are not the spirits of the dead4 ,then if the ,bible is true1 the whole system rests upon deception and falsehood4 ,no one who believes this will tamper with ,spiritualism4 ,one cannot have ,spiritualism and the ,bible1 too4 ,one or the other must be given up4 ,but he who still holds on to the theory that the dead are conscious1 contrary to the testimony of the ,scriptures has no shield against the ,spiritualistic delusion1 and the danger is that he will sooner or later throw the ,bible away4 ,chapter ,four4 ,,they ,,are ,,evil ,,angels4 ,as the ,bible plainly shows what the spirits which communicate are not1 it just as clearly reveals also what they are2 so that in no particular is one left to conjecture or guesswork4 ,there is an order of beings brought to view in the ,scriptures1 above man but lower than ,god or ,christ1 called 8angels40 ,no ,bible believer questions the existence of such beings4 ,it is sometimes asserted that angels are departed human spirits2 but this cannot be2 for they appear upon the stage of action before a single human being had died1 or a disembodied spirit could have existed4 ,when the world was created1 ,job declares that 8the morning stars sang together1 and all the sons of ,god shouted for joy40 ,these are two of the names applied to these beings1 but they are also known by a number of others4 ,they are #afg times called angels2 #fa times1 angel of the ,lord2 #h times1 angel of ,god2 #ag times1 his angels2 #da times1 cherub and cherubim4 ,there are also such names as seraphim1 chariots1 ,god's hosts1 watchers1 holy ones1 thrones1 dominions1 principalities and powers1--all referring to the different orders of these heavenly beings4 ,a part of this host fell into sin1 and thereby became evil1 or fallen1 angels4 ,a reasonable statement of how this came about can be given1 but no reason for the act itself4 ,sin cannot be explained4 ,to explain it would be to give a reason for it2 and to give a reason for it would be to excuse it2 and then it would cease to be sin4 ,in the beginning a condition existed which was in itself right and essential2 but which nevertheless made sin possible4 ,it is one of the inevitable conditions of the highest glory of ,god1 that all his creatures should serve him from choice1 under the law of love1 and not by compulsion1 as a machine1 under the law of necessity4 ,to secure this end1 they must be made free moral agents4 ,thus to angels was given the freedom of the will1 the same as to man4 ,they were in a state of purity and happiness1 with every condition favorable for a continuance in that condition2 but in the free choices of their free wills1 they of course had the power1 if they should unaccountably see fit so to use it1 to turn away from truth and right1 and rebel against ,god4 ,this some of them did4 ,so we find ,jude speaking of 8the angels that kept not their first estate0 7,jude #f71 and ,peter1 of 8the angels that sinned0 7#b ,peter #b3d72 and these they further declare1 were cast down to ,tartarus1 and are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness1 unto the judgment of the great day4 ,there must have been to this rebellion an instigator and leader2 and we accordingly find the ,bible speaking of such a personage2 the whole company being described as 8the ,devil and his angels40 ,our ,lord pointed out this leader in evil1 and his work1 in ,john #h3dd3 8,ye are of your ,father the ,devil1 and the lusts of your father ye will do4 ,he was a murderer from the beginning1 and abode not in the truth1 because there is no truth in him4 ,when he speaketh a lie1 he speaketh of his own3 for he is a liar and the father of it40 ,this reveals the great facts in his case4 ,he abode not in the truth4 ,then he was once in the truth2 and as he is a liar1 and the father of it1 he was the first one to depart from truth and introduce falsehood and evil into the universe of ,god4 ,in ,isaiah 7#ad3ab-ad7 this being is addressed as ,lucifer1 or the day-star2 and the prophet exclaims1 8,how art thou fallen from heaven1 #j ,lucifer1 son of the morning6 how art thou cut down to the ground1 which didst weaken the nations60 ,the following verses indicate that the nature of his transgression was self-exaltation and pride of heart3 8,for thou hast said in thine heart1 ,i will ascend into heaven1 ,i will exalt my throne above the stars of ,god3 ,i will sit also upon the mount of the congregation1 in the sides of the north3 ,i will ascend above the heights of the clouds2 ,i will be like the ,most ,high40 ,paul1 in #a ,tim4 #c3f1 intimates that it was this pride that caused the ruin of this once holy being4 ,of an elder he says that he must not be a novice1 8lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the ,devil10 or that sin for which the ,devil was condemned4 ,in ,ezekiel #bh1 ,satan is again spoken of under the pseudonym of 8the prince of ,tyrus40 ,verse #b shows his pride3 8,because thine heart is lifted up1 and thou hast said1 ,i am a ,god1 ,i sit in the seat of ,god10 etc4 ,verses #ab-ae describe his beauty1 wisdom1 and apparel1 and his exalted office as a high cherub1 before his sin and fall4 ,verse #ae reads3 8,thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day thou wast created1 till iniquity was found in thee40 ,these passages give us a sufficient idea of the origin of ,satan and how such an incarnation of evil has come to exist4 ,the ,tartarus into which he and his angels were cast1 according to ,peter1 is defined by leading lexicographers1 as meaning the dark1 void1 interplanetary spaces1 surrounding the world4 ,using the serpent as a medium1 this apostate angel1 thus cast out1 plied our first parents with his temptation by preaching to them the immortality of the soul1 8,thou shalt not surely die10 and alas6 seduced them also into rebellion4 ,the dominion which was given to ,adam 7,gen4 #a3bh71 ,adam thus alienated to ,satan1 by becoming his servant2 for ,paul says1 8,know ye not1 that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey1 his servants ye are to whom ye obey80 ,rom4 #f3af4 ,now1 consequently1 such titles as 8prince of this world10 8prince of the power of the air10 8god of this world10 etc41 are applied to him1 because he has by fraud usurped that place4 ,john #ad3cj2 ,eph4 #b3b2 #b ,cor4 #d3d4 ,he1 of course1 employs 8his angels0 to co-operate with him in his nefarious work4 ,thus clearly do we have set before us just the agencies1--the ,devil and his angels1--which are adapted1 both by nature and inclination1 to carry on just such a work as is seen in ,spiritualism4 ,but how do we know1 some one may ask1 but that ,spiritualism is the work of the good angels8--,we know that it is not1 because good angels do not lie4 ,they never would come to men1 professing to be the spirits of their dead friends1 and imitate and personate them to deceive1 knowing that the mediums did not know1 and could not ascertain that they were altogether another and different order of beings4 ,but the evil angels1 led by the father of lies1 and cradled1 and drilled1 and skilled1 and polished1 in the school of lying1 would be delighted to deceive men in this very way1 by pretending to be their dead friends1 and then by working upon their affections and love for the ones they could skilfully personate1 bring them under their influence and lead them captive at their will4 ,these evil angels are experts in deception4 ,they have had six thousand years' experience4 ,they are well acquainted with the human family4 ,they can read character4 ,they study temperament4 ,they acquaint themselves minutely with personal history4 ,they know a thousand things which only they and the individual they are trying to ensnare1 are aware of4 ,they know many things beyond the knowledge of men4 ,they can easily carry the news of the decease of a friend1 and the description of a death-bed scene1 to other friends thousands of miles away1 and months before the truth through ordinary channels can reach them1 so that when it is verified1 their influence over them may be increased4 7,see page #bc47 ,there is nothing that has yet taken place1 of however inexplicable a nature1 and nothing which even the imagination may anticipate1 which is not1 and will not be1 easily attributable to these unseen angels4 ,they are lying spirits2 for the fundamental principle on which they are acting is a lie2 but they tell enough truth to sway and captivate the minds of men4 ,it matters not how sacred the field in which they tread1 nor how hallowed the associations which they invade1 they press into every spot where it is possible1 by spinning another thread1 to strengthen their web of deception4 ,and in what dulcet and siren tones they woo their victims to lay aside all resistance to their influence1 to become receptive and passive1 and yield themselves to their control2 and when they have them thus helpless in their arms1 they deliberately and cruelly instil into their minds the virus of ungovernable lust1 the leprosy of unconquerable rebellion against the government of ,heaven4 ,that this language does not misrepresent nor slander them1 will be shown from their own testimony1 before the close of this book4 ,the thought is not overlooked that many even of those who do not profess to be ,spiritualists1 deny the existence of any such being as a personal ,devil1 or of personal evil angels1 his agents4 ,he is no doubt well pleased with this1 as such people can the more easily be made the victims of his wiles4 ,but these same persons would no doubt acknowledge the existence1 as real beings1 of ,god1 ,christ1 and the good angels4 ,this fact being established1 by parity of reasoning the ,devil and his angels become real beings also4 ,the same arguments which show that ,god and ,christ exist as personal beings may be used to show that the ,devil and his angels are personal beings also4 ,he who denies that there is a personal ,devil1 must be prepared also to deny that there is a personal ,christ4 ,so far as the argument for personal existence is concerned1 ,christ and good angels stand on one side of the equation1 and the ,devil and his angels on the other2 and whoever would rub out the one1 must rub out the other also4 ,christ said that he 8beheld ,satan as lightning fall from heaven40 ,luke #aj3ah4 ,john in the ,revelation 7#ab3g7 beheld a war in heaven4 8,michael ,christ and his angels fought against the dragon ,satan2 and the dragon fought1 and his angels40 ,on the ground that there is no ,devil1 this would be a wonderful battle--,christ and his angels1 who are real beings1 fighting furiously against myths and nonentities which have not even the substance of a phantom4 ,to endorse the doctrine of a personal ,devil1 is not to endorse the grossly absurd caricatures conjured up by morbid imaginations1 and popular theology1--a being with bat's wings1 horns1 hoofs1 and a dart-pointed tail4 ,yet upon such pictorial fables he doubtless looks with complacency2 as they are calculated still further to destroy faith in his existence1 and enable him the better to cover his tracks and carry on his work among men4 ,nevertheless the only rational hypothesis on which to account for the present condition of this world 7which every one must admit is full of devilishness71 the existence of evil1 and the presence of sickness1 suffering1 and death1 is the account the ,bible gives us of fallen angels and fallen men4 ,unfallen angels are beings of mighty power4 ,one of them slew in one night #ahe1jjj ,assyrians 7#b ,kings #ai3ce72 and the one who appeared at the time of ,christ's resurrection had a countenance like the lightning1 and raiment white as snow1 and before him the keepers of the tomb fell like dead men4 ,matt4 #bh3c1 #d4 ,a fall from their high estate1 though it would impair their strength and power1 cannot be supposed to have wholly deprived them of these qualities2 therefore the fallen angels still have capabilities far superior to those of men4 ,the only defense mankind has against them is found in ,christ1 who circumscribes their power 7for they are kept in chains1 #b ,peter #b3d71 and makes provision by which we may resist them4 ,eph4 #f3aa2 ,james #d3f-h2 #a ,john #e3ah4 ,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 itself1 fully show its nature1 and manifest its works1 to all created intelligences1 so that when it shall finally be wiped out of existence1 with all its originators1 aiders1 and abetters1 as in ,god's purpose it is to be 7,rev4 #bj3ad1 #ae2 #b ,peter #c3g1 #ac2 ,rev4 #e3ac71 there will ever after remain an object-lesson sufficient to safe-guard the universe against a repetition of the evil4 ,only some #fjjj years are allotted to this work of evil2 and #fjjj years are as nothing compared with eternity4 ,warnings ,against ,evil ,spirits4 ,the ,scriptures plainly point out the working of these agents of wickedness1 and warn us against them4 ,in #a ,tim4 #d3a1 we read3 8,now the ,spirit speaketh expressly1 that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith1 giving heed to seducing spirits1 and doctrines of devils40 ,this shows that these spirits make it an object to seduce1 or deceive1 to draw men away from the true faith1 and cause them to receive1 instead1 the doctrines they teach1 which are called 8doctrines of devils20 and this scripture is written to put men on their guard against them4 ,again ,paul says3 8,for we wrestle not against flesh and blood1 but against principalities1 against powers1 against the rulers of the darkness of this world1 against spiritual wickedness margin1 #8wicked spirits' in high places40 ,eph4 #f3ab4 ,and he adjures his readers to put on the whole armor of ,god to be able to resist them4 ,the apostle ,peter exhorts to the same purpose3 8,be sober1 be vigilant2 because your adversary the devil1 as a roaring lion1 walketh about1 seeking whom he may devour3 whom resist steadfast in the faith40 #a ,peter #e3h1 #i4 ,if our ears do not deceive us1 a good deal of this roaring is heard in the ranks of ,spiritualists1 where1 by invisible rapping1 agitated furniture1 clairvoyance1 clairaudience1 writing1 speaking1 marvels1 and wonders1 he seeks to set the world on tiptoe of curiosity and expectation1 and bewilder men into a departure from the faith and the acceptance of the doctrines of devils4 ,he is cunning enough not to 8roar0 in a way to frighten and repel1 but only to attract attention1 and lead multitudes1 through an overweening curiosity and wonder at the marvels1 to come thoughtlessly within the sphere of his influence4 ,the prophet ,isaiah also has something to say directly upon this subject3 8,and when they shall say unto you1 ,seek unto them that have familiar spirits1 and unto wizards that peep1 and that mutter3 should not a people seek unto their ,god8 for the living to the dead80 ,isa4 #h3ai4 ,that is1 is it consistent for living people to go to dead ones for their knowledge8 ,the following verse shows where we should go for light and truth3 8,to the law and to the testimony3 if they speak not according to this word1 it is because there is no light in them40 ,the time has certainly come when many are saying just what the text points out1 and seeking to the dead1 to familiar spirits1 and wizards1 for knowledge4 ,those practices which in the ,bible are enumerated as 8charming10 8enchantment10 8sorcery10 8witchcraft10 8necromancy10 8divination10 8consulting with familiar spirits10 etc41 are more or less related1 and are all really from one source4 ,so in modern times different names indicate substantially the same thing4 ,thus ,mr4 ,hudson1 in 8,psychic ,phenomena10 p4 v1 says3-- 8,it has1 however1 long been felt by the ablest thinkers of our time that all psychic manifestations of the human intellect1 normal or abnormal1 whether designated by the name of mesmerism1 hypnotism1 somnambulism1 trance1 spiritism1 demonology1 miracle1 mental therapeutics1 genius1 or insanity1 are in some way related40 ,seven1 at least1 of the foregoing names are no doubt in the warp and woof of ,spiritualism2 and he might have added mind-reading and ,christian ,science4 ,and ,spiritualists admit that their work is the same as that described by the ,bible terms above quoted4 ,thus1 ,allen ,putnam1 a ,spiritualistic writer1 says3-- 8,the doctrine that the oracles1 soothsaying1 and witchcraft of past ages were kindred to these manifestations of our day1 ,i1 for one1 most fully believe40 ,in a pamphlet by the same author1 entitled1 8,mesmerism1 ,spiritualism1 ,witchcraft1 and ,miracle10 p4 #f1 he says3-- 8,as seen by me now1 ,mesmerism1 ,spiritualism1 ,witchcraft1 ,miracles1 all belong to one family1 all have a common root1 and are developed by the same laws40 ,to all these1 therefore1 the text under notice 7,isa4 #h3ai1 #bj7 applies4 ,we are to bring them to the standard of 8the law and the testimony10 and 8if they speak not according to this word 444 there is no light in them40 ,the living should not seek to the dead4 ,in ,rev4 #af3ac1 #ad1 the same spirits are again brought to view1 and called 8unclean spirits10 and 8spirits of devils40 ,their last work of deception is to go forth to the kings of the earth1 and of the whole world1 to gather them to the battle of the great day of ,god ,almighty4 ,thus all that is revealed of them from beginning to end 7and scriptures might be multiplied on the point7 furnishes the most cogent reason why all should be keenly awake to their existence and their work1 and be ever watchful against their influence and approach4 ,chapter ,five4 ,,what ,,the ,,spirits ,,teach4 ,it has been shown in the preceding chapters that the unseen 8controls0 7the beings who control the mediums7 in ,spiritualism1 are not the spirits of the dead1 but are fallen angels or spirits of devils4 ,this fact will be confirmed by a brief glance at some of their teachings2 for we are to remember that if they speak not according to the law and the testimony there is no light in them4 ,it matters not that what they teach may be supported by signs and wonders beyond the comprehension of the human mind4 ,that is no guarantee of truth2 for such phenomena are to be wrought1 as will soon be shown1 to prove a lie4 ,the ,lord anciently put his people on their guard in this respect4 ,deut4 #ac3a-c1 #e3 8,if there arise among you a prophet1 or a dreamer of dreams1 and giveth thee a sign or a wonder1 and the sign or the wonder come to pass1 whereof he spake unto thee1 saying1 ,let us go after other gods1 which thou hast not known1 and let us serve them2 thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet1 or that dreamer of dreams3 for the ,lord your ,god proveth you1 to know whether ye love the ,lord your ,god with all your heart and with all your soul40 8,and that prophet1 or that dreamer of dreams1 shall be put to death2 because he hath spoken to turn you away from the ,lord your ,god1 444 out of the way which the ,lord thy ,god commanded thee to walk in40 ,thus the fact that one who professed to be a prophet could perform a sign or wonder1 showing his connection with some unseen power1 was not enough to shield him from condemnation and punishment1 if what he undertook to prove by that sign or wonder was contrary to the truth1 and tended to lead away from ,god4 ,the teaching of any system is an important part of the fruit it bears2 and by that1 according to our ,lord's own rule1 we are to judge it1 and not by any power or mighty works connected with it1 however wonderful they may be4 8',tis not the broad phylactery ,nor stubborn fasts1 nor stated prayers ,that make us saints4 ,we judge the tree ,by what it bears40 --,alice ,carey4 ,it is therefore pertinent to look sufficiently at the teachings of the spirits to ascertain their character4 ,here we shall find some most damaging testimony2 for-- #a4 ,they ,deny ,god4--,it is no pleasure to transcribe the utterances of practical atheism2 yet enough should be given to show what they teach on the great fundamental principles of ,christianity4 ,at a sance1 reported in the ,banner of ,light1 ,july #aa1 #ahfh1 the following questions were addressed to the spirits1 and the accompanying answers received3-- 8,ques4--,it is said in the ,bible that man is made in the image of ,god4 ,please tell us what that image is4 8,ans4--,he is made in the image of everything that ever was1 that is1 or that ever shall be4 ,he holds within his caliber everything that exists1 that ever has existed1 or that ever will exist4 ,now1 ,god is included in this4 ,if he exists at all1 he exists everywhere 7and we have taken in everything71 every place1 every name1 every condition4 ,i believe that the human stands above all things else1 and holds within its embrace all the past1 present1 and future4 ,in this sense he is created and exists in the image of ,god4 8,q4--,what is ,god essentially8 8,a4--,everything4 ,essentially you are ,god1 and ,i am ,god--the flowers1 the grass1 the pebbles1 the stars1 the moon1 the sun1 everything is ,god40 ,the ,devil1 through the serpent in the garden1 taught ,adam and ,eve that the soul is immortal1 and has transfused the same idea very successfully through paganism1 ,romanism1 and ,protestantism2 but he also said1 8,ye shall be as gods20 and now1 it seems1 he is trying to make the world swallow this other leg of his falsehood2 but by putting it forth under the form of the old pagan pantheism1 that everything is ,god1 and ,god is everything1 he betrays the lie he uttered in ,eden2 for in that case1 ,adam and ,eve were no more gods after they ate than they were before4 ,another sance1 reported in the ,banner about twenty years later than the one quoted above1 ,april #bh1 #ahhh2 an inquirer addressed to the 8spirits0 a question about ,god1 and received answer1 a portion of which is presented below3-- 8,ques4--,some ,spiritualists1 ,i learn1 believe in a ,god2 otherwise they would not pray to him--taking for granted that there is such a being4 ,please enlighten us4 8,ans4--,we have yet to come in contact with a thorough ,spiritualist1 one who understands something of spiritual life and the revelations made by returning spirits1 who directly believes in a personal ,god4 ,true1 many ,spiritualists and many returning spirits offer their invocations to the #8,great ,supreme ,spirit of all life and intelligence1' not because they expect to change the order of law1 or to come into direct communication with1 or nearness to1 a ,great ,supreme ,being1 clothed in the image of man1 but because they desire to enter an atmosphere of harmony1 to uplift their own souls to a plane of thought which will bring spiritual inspiration to their minds4 ,we make a distinction between that ,great ,supreme ,overruling ,force which we may call the ,superior ,spirit of ,intelligence1 ,wisdom1 and ,love1 and the personal ,deity1 clothed in the image of man1 gigantic in stature1 jealous and revengeful by nature1 which has been set up and worshiped as the ,christian ,jehovah4 ,we know of no ,spiritualist--let us repeat it--who believes in such a personal ,god2 but we can believe and accept the idea1 though it may pass beyond almost our finite comprehension1 that there is a grand universal ,spirit permeating all forms of existence2 that this great source of light1 of activity and vitality vibrates with intelligence1 and that it is superior to all organic forms1 however grand they may prove to be40 ,the same views have been taught all along by the 8spirits0 of ,spiritualism1 as could be shown by extracts dating as far back as #aheh1 only ten years after the 8,rochester ,knockings40 ,and though ,spiritualism is now assuming more of the sedate speech of organized ,christianity1 the spirits do not modify their teaching in respect to ,god4 ,in 8,automatic1 or ,spirit1 ,writing10 p4 #adh 7#ahif71 are given many messages from the spirits through the mediumship of ,mrs4 ,s4 ,a4 ,underwood1 wife of the editor of the ,philosophical ,journal1 ,chicago4 ,the 8spirits0 set forth their teaching in answer to questions by the medium1 some of which have reference to ,god1 though his name is not used4 ,thus on page #adh1 this conversation is given3-- 8,ques4--,you often in these communications speak of the binding laws of spiritual life--that because of them you cannot give us such and such information1 etc4 ,now who makes those laws1 and whence came they1 and how are they taught8 8,ans4--,thou say'st #8who'--therefore we cannot answer4 ,go back to the first question and ask one at a time4 8,q4--,well1 who makes the laws8 8,a4--,spirits are not bondaged by persons4 8,q4--,then how do you come to know those laws8 8,a4--,pharos will now answer4 ,spiritual laws are spiritually perceived1 as soon as the physical perceptions are got rid of4 8,q4--,could you explain to us those laws8 8,a4--,courses of teaching from our side are as necessary for you to understand even the rudimentary laws of ,being1 as courses in your colleges2 and guessed-at spirit knowledge from your bounded view must always fail in accurate wording40 ,it will be perceived that the answers to these questions are1 from the beginning1 evasive2 but the real idea entertained clearly shines through the thin veil drawn over to conceal it4 ,the questions pertain to the source1 or authorship1 of the 8laws of spiritual life20 and this would generally be understood to be ,god4 ,but on a technicality the spirits refuse to answer4 ,the question is made plainer1 and the answer is that 8spirits are not bondaged by persons20 that is to say that spirits have nothing to do with personalities1 and that no personal being has anything to do with those laws4 ,there is therefore no ,god who formulates and promulgates them4 ,no wonder the question followed1 how they came to know these laws2 and it was a very convenient answer that we will know when we get there and have lost all physical perceptions4 ,a desire for some explanation of those laws is met with the not very satisfactory information that they 7the spirits7 would have to give those in our sphere a course of teaching1 like a college course1 before we could understand even the rudimentary laws of ,being4 ,the only thing clear in all this is that there is no ,god2 at least no personal ,god such as the ,bible reveals4 ,to the 8grand whole10 whatever that may be1 they give the name of the 8,all of ,being40 ,in answer to a question concerning 8personalities10 they are called 8atoms emanating from the same source--parts of the great ,all of ,being1 partaking of the general characteristics of the grand whole40--,page #adi4 ,reader1 how does all this compare in your own mind with the ,god of the ,bible1 the ,creator of all things1 the loving ,father of us all1 who has for his creatures more tender regard and pity than a father can feel for his own children1 whose very name and nature is ,love1 and who has purposed infinite good for all men1 and will carry it out unless they1 as free moral agents1 by their own sin1 prevent his doing for them what he desires to do8 ,the ,bible is not responsible for the aspersions cast upon ,god by a false theology1 which misrepresent his character and give occasion for the charges of vindictiveness and vengeance and awful tyranny1 so freely made by fallen angels and wicked men4 ,they do not belong to him who is the source of all goodness and mercy2 and we would labor to bring those who have perverted views of ,god back to a right conception of the great ,friend of sinners1 as he has revealed himself in his holy word4 #b4 ,they ,deny ,jesus ,christ4--,christ is revealed as the divine ,son of the ,father2 and to deny that he was or is any more than any other man is surely to deny him2 and the scripture says that 8whosoever denieth the ,son1 the same hath not the ,father40 #a ,john #b3bc4 ,the following is what the 8spirits0 began to teach in the earliest stages of ,spiritualism concerning ,christ3-- 8,what is the meaning of the word ,christ8--',tis not1 as generally supposed1 the ,son of the ,creator of all things4 ,any just and perfect being is ,christ4 ,the crucifixion of ,christ is nothing more than the crucifixion of the spirit1 which all have to contend with before becoming perfect and righteous4 ,the miraculous conception of ,christ is merely a fabulous tale40--,spiritual ,telegraph1 ,no4 #cg4 ,how fully does this declaration that any good man is ,christ open the way for the fulfilment of the ,saviour's prophecy that in the last days many false ,christs and false prophets shall arise1 and shall deceive many4 ,see ,matt4 #bd3bd4 ,a prospectus of the ,truth ,seeker contained these words3 8,it shall be the organ through which the christs of the last dispensation will choose to speak40 ,a little later1 ,july #ai1 #ahfb1 there was published in the ,banner of ,light a lecture on ,spiritualism by ,mrs4 ,c4 ,l4 ,v4 ,hatch1 in which she spoke of ,christ as follows3-- 8,of ,jesus of ,nazareth1 personally1 we have but little to say4 ,certain it is1 we find sufficient that is divine in his life and teachings1 without professing to believe in the fables of theologians respecting his birth and parentage4 ,we are content to take the simple record as it stands1 and to regard him as the son of ,joseph and ,mary1 endowed with such purity and harmony of character as fitted him to be the ,apostle and ,revelator of the highest wisdom ever taught to man4 ,it is the fundamental article in the creed of modern ,christianity1 that ,jesus was divine in his nature1 and of miraculous origin and nativity4 ,now1 no human being of ordinary intelligence1 unwarped by educational bias1 would ever profess to believe in such a monstrous figment1 which only shows the blindness of superstitious prejudice40 ,here is something twenty-four years later4 ,a sance reported in the ,banner of ,light1 ,oct4 #i1 #ahhf1 gives the following questions and answer3-- 8,ques4--,do #8spirits' generally believe in the divinity of ,jesus ,christ2 that he was the ,son of ,god2 that he was crucified1 dead1 and buried1 and rose again the third day for the saving of all who should believe in him8 8,ans4--,no2 spirits generally--advanced spirits1 those who are intelligent1 having studied deeply into the principles of life--do not accept the theory of the divinity of ,jesus ,christ2 they do not believe that he was crucified for mankind1 in the accepted understanding of that term40 ,some years ago a class was formed in ,new ,york ,city for the purpose of investigating what is called the spiritual philosophy4 ,before that class1 ,dr4 ,weisse said3-- 8,friend ,orton seems to make rather light of the communications from spirits concerning ,christ4 ,it seems1 nevertheless1 that all the testimony received from advanced spirits only shows that ,christ was a medium and reformer in ,judea2 that he now is an advanced spirit in the sixth sphere2 but that he never claimed to be ,god1 and does not at present4 ,i have had two communications to that effect4 ,i have also read some that ,dr4 ,hare had4 ,if ,i am wrong in my views of the ,bible1 ,i should like to know it1 for the spirits and mediums do not contradict me40 ,the peculiar insult here purposely offered to the ,saviour will be appreciated when it is noted that at about the same time the spirits located ,thomas ,paine1 the well-known skeptic1 in the seventh sphere1 one sphere above that of ,christ4 ,he must therefore have progressed very rapidly1 seeing he so quickly surpassed ,christ1 who had over #agjj years the start of him4 ,before the same class ,dr4 ,hare is reported to have spoken as follows1 which we give without assuming any responsibility for the spiritual grammar therein exhibited3-- 8,he said that he had been thus protected from deception by the spirits of ,washington and ,franklin1 and that they had brought ,jesus ,christ to him1 with whom he had also communicated4 ,he had first repelled him as an impostor2 but became convinced afterward that it was really him4 ,he related that he had learned from that high and holy spirit1 that he was not the character that ,christendom had represented him to be1 and not responsible for the errors connected with his name1 but that he was1 while on earth1 a medium of high and extraordinary powers1 and that it was solely through his mediumistic capabilities that he attained so great knowledge1 and was enabled to practice such apparent wonders40 ,when ,christ was upon earth1 it was envy1 jealousy1 and malice that moved the ,pharisees against him 7,matt #bg3ah72 and it seems that he is followed by the same feelings in the spirit world4 ,this is natural2 for he who fired the hearts of the ,pharisees with their malignant spirit1 is the same one1 as we have seen1 who is working through the powers of darkness in the unseen world to-day4 ,any way to degrade ,christ in the minds of men to a level with1 or below1 the mediums of our time1 and make it appear that they can do as great wonders as he1 seems to be the object in view4 ,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 world1 as ,buddha1 ,confucius1 ,zoroaster1 etc4 ,thus1 at a seance held in #ahfd 7,banner of ,light1 ,june #d71 the spirits were questioned as follows3-- 8,ques4--,have you ever seen ,confucius or ,zoroaster8 8,ans4--,yes1 many times4 8,q4--,in the order of degree1 which stands the higher in moral excellence--,jesus ,christ1 ,confucius1 or ,zoroaster8 8,a4--,confucius stands in morality higher than the other two4444 ,jesus himself claims to have been inspired to a large extent1 by this same ,confucius4 ,and if we are to place reliance upon the records concerning each individual1 we shall find that ,jesus spoke the truth when he tells us that he was inspired by ,confucius40 ,indeed6 ,where are the records referred to8 ,where and when did ,jesus 8speak0 the words attributed to him8 ,and where does he tell us1 that he was inspired by ,confucius8 ,so we are to believe1 are we1 that the gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 is only a rehash of what was originally wrought out in the brain of ,confucius1 and not words fresh from the fountain of light given him by his ,father in heaven1 to speak1 as he claimed them to be8 ,yet he was a high and holy medium4 ,we wonder what standard of holiness and perfection the spirits can have4 ,but still later1 in #ahif1 we find the spirits putting forth the same teaching in reference to ,jesus ,christ4 ,in 8,automatic1 or ,spirit ,writing10 pp4 #adh1 #adi1 we have this3-- 8,ques4--,do you accept ,jesus as the model of spiritual knowledge8 8,ans4--,shall you give us a better example8 8,q4--,well1 we are willing to accept him as one of many1 but not as chief4 8,a4--,change the name4 ,call him by other names--,buddha1 ,krishna1 or ,mohammed1 the spirit is one--is ever and ever the same4 ,spirit is one1 not many1 however often the name is changed4 8,q4--,were not ,jesus1 ,buddha1 and ,mohammed distinct personalities8 8,a4--,no more than all atoms emanating from the same source--parts of the great ,all of ,being1 partaking of the general characteristics of the grand whole--but yielding to environments1 showed marked individualism1 such as the force of the times in which they appeared would create in their characters4 8,q4--,are these leaders of religious thought not distinct individualities now8 8,a4--,no1 not on spiritual planes1 which do not recognize any now40 ,thus they persist in denying that ,jesus holds any pre-eminent position as a religious teacher4 ,he may as well be called ,buddha1 ,krishna1 or ,mohammed as ,jesus4 ,they are all the same spirit1 all atoms of the great 8,all of ,being10 all as much alike as three drops of water from the same ocean1 and what is more bewildering still1 they have now all lost their individuality in the spirit world4 ,how1 then1 can it be told that ,christ is in the sixth sphere1 and ,paine in the seventh8 ,such teachers1 though they may claim to be good spirits1 are branded as antichrist by both ,john and ,jude4 ,john says3 8,who is a liar but he that denieth that ,jesus is the ,christ8 ,he is antichrist that denieth the ,father and the ,son40 #a ,john #b3bb4 ,again1 8,every spirit that confesseth not that ,jesus ,christ is come in the flesh is not of ,god40 #a ,john #d3c4 ,according to the spirits1 ,jesus ,christ has no more come in the flesh than have ,buddha1 ,mohammed1 ,confucius1 ,zoroaster1 or any other religious teacher4 ,they all simply yielded to their environments1 and showed marked individualism while on this earth1 and have now become absorbed in the 8great whole0 in the spirit world4 ,thus1 as ,jude says 7verse #d71 they deny 8the only ,lord ,god1 and our ,lord ,jesus ,christ40 ,so much for their denial of ,christ in his person4 ,they also deny him in his offices2 for to deny and ridicule what he came to do1 is one of the most effectual ways of denying him4 ,the great work of ,christ was the shedding of his blood to atone for the sins of the world2 and the spirits are particularly bitter in denouncing that idea4 ,if such sentiments were uttered only by open and professed scoffers1 it would not do so much harm2 but it is not unusual to find those bearing the title of 8,reverend0 descanting on these themes in a manner to show themselves antichrist1 according to the definition of that term by ,john4 ,and even this need not surprise us2 for the sure word of prophecy has foretold that some who have once held the true faith will depart therefrom to give heed to seducing spirits1 and doctrines of devils4 #a ,tim4 #d3a4 ,one ,r4 ,p4 ,wilson1 to whose name is attached the ministerial title1 in his lectures on 8,spiritual ,science10 said3-- 8,although as a believer in true spiritual philosophy1 we cannot receive the orthodox views of salvation1 yet we recognize the birth of a ,saviour and ,redeemer into the universal hearts of humanity1 wherein truly the deity is incarnate1 dwelling in the interior of man's spirit4 ,we believe that each soul of man is born with his or her ,saviour within them2 for as man is an embodiment of the universe in epitome1 he contains in his central nature an incarnation of deity4 ,the germ of immortal unfoldings resides within the spirit of it1 which needs only appropriate conditions to call forth the expanding and elevating powers of the soul40 ,in 8,spiritual ,science ,demonstrated10 p4 #bbi1 ,dr4 ,hare said3-- 8,since my spirit sister's translation to the spheres1 she has risen from the fifth to the sixth sphere4 ,it has been alleged by her that her ascent was retarded by her belief in the atonement40 ,a 8spirit0 calling himself ,deacon ,john ,norton1 as reported in the ,banner of ,light1 said3-- 8,i used to believe in the atonement2 ,i honestly believed that ,christ died to save the world1 and that by and through his death all must be saved if saved at all4 ,now ,i see that this is folly--it cannot be so4 ,the light through ,christ1 the ,holy ,one1 shone in darkness2 the darkness could not comprehend it2 and thus it crucified the body1 and ,christ died a martyr4 ,he was not called in that way1 that by the shedding of his blood1 the vast multitude coming after him should find salvation4 ,everything in nature proves this false4 ,they tell me here that ,christ was the most perfect man of his time4 ,i am told here also that he is worthy to be worshiped1 because of his goodness2 and where man finds goodness he may worship4 ,god's face is seen in the violet1 and man may well worship this tiny flower40 ,in the pantheism of ,spiritualism1 every object in nature1 the tiny flower1 the pebbles1 the trees1 the birds and bees1 are worthy to be worshiped as much as ,christ4 ,in one breath the spirits extol him as a most perfect man1 pre-eminent in goodness and worthy to be worshiped1 and in the next1 place him in a position which would make him the greatest fraud and impostor that ever lived4 ,such inconsistencies show that ,christ is a miracle which evil men and evil angels know not how to dispose of4 ,as they deny ,christ1 they must1 logically1 deny the doctrine of his second coming4 ,this doctrine is made of especial importance and prominence in the ,new ,testament4 ,the nature of that coming1 its manner1 and the circumstances attending it are so fully described1 that no one who adopts the ,bible view can possibly be deceived by false christs4 ,but the church and the world have been turned away from the true doctrine of the second advent1 and the way is thus prepared for the great deceptions of the last days4 ,spiritualism is one of these1 and claims that it is itself that second coming4 ,joel ,tiffany1 a former celebrated teacher of ,spiritualism1 has said3-- 8,i must look for the coming of my ,lord in my own affection4 ,he must come in the clouds of my spiritual heavens1 or he cannot come for any benefit to me40 ,and through ,mrs4 ,conant1 a famous medium of the early days of ,spiritualism1 the controlling spirit said3-- 8,this second coming of ,christ means simply the second coming of truths that are not themselves new1 that have always existed4444 ,he said1 #8,when ,i come again1 ,i shall not be known to you4' ,spiritualism is that second coming of ,christ40--,banner of ,light1 ,nov4 #ah1 #ahfe4 ,but the ,bible description of this event is1 the revelation of the ,lord himself in the clouds of heaven in the glory of the ,father1 the reverberating shout of triumph1 the voice of the archangel1 the trump of ,god1 the flash of his presence like that of the lightning1 the wailing of the tribes of the earth1 as they thus behold him1 while unprepared to meet him1 and the resurrection of the righteous dead4 ,and where and when have these inseparable accompaniments of that event been seen8 ,they do not occur when a person is converted from sin1 nor do they occur in the dying chamber1 nor have they occurred in ,spiritualism2 and until they do take place1 the second coming of ,christ is not accomplished4 ,many seek to dispose of such testimony as this1 by making it all figurative1 or meeting it with a bold denial1 as in the case of the resurrection of the body4 ,and the way has been too well prepared for this condition of things1 by much of the teaching of popular orthodoxy1 which turns the early records of the ,bible into childish allegory1 perverts the true doctrine of the coming and kingdom of ,christ1 and denies the resurrection of the dead1 by destroying its necessity through the immortality of the soul4 ,on the vital point of the resurrection1 ,dr4 ,clarke makes this noteworthy remark3-- 8,one remark ,i cannot help making1--,the doctrine of the resurrection appears to have been thought of much more consequence among the primitive ,christians than it is now6 ,how is this8--,the apostles were continually insisting on it1 and exciting the followers of ,god to diligence1 obedience1 and cheerfulness through it4 ,and their successors in the present day seldom mention it6 ,so the apostles preached1 and so the primitive ,christians believed2 so we preach and so our hearers believe4 ,there is not a doctrine in the gospel on which more stress is laid2 and there is not a doctrine in the present system of preaching which is treated with more neglect40--,on #a ,corinthians #ae 7original edition747#c7 ,in view of the way the ,bible has been treated by its professed friends1 it is no wonder that infidelity prevails1 and ,spiritualism prospers4 #c4 ,they ,deny the ,bible4--,the denial of ,god and ,christ1 as set forth above is1 of course1 a denial of the ,bible2 and not much need therefore be added on this point4 ,we quote only a few representative utterances4 ,doctor ,hare 78,spiritual ,science ,demonstrated10 p4 #bji7 says3-- 8,the ,old ,testament does not impart a knowledge of immortality1 without which religion were worthless4 ,the notions derived from the gospels are vague1 disgusting1 inaccurate1 and difficult to believe40 ,as to the ,old ,testament1 it would seem doubtful whether ,mr4 ,hare ever read far enough to find 7#a7 ,job exclaiming3 8,for ,i know that my ,redeemer liveth1 and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth3 and though after my skin worms destroy this body1 yet in my flesh shall ,i see ,god3 whom ,i shall see for myself1 and mine eyes shall behold1 and not another2 though my reins be consumed within me0 7or1 as the margin reads3 8,my reins within me are consumed with earnest desire for that day207 or 7#b7 ,david3 8,i shall be satisfied1 when ,i awake1 with thy likeness20 or 7#c7 ,isaiah3 8,thy dead men shall live1 together with my dead body shall they arise4 ,awake and sing1 ye that dwell in the dust20 or 7#d7 ,ezekiel3 8,behold1 ,o my people1 ,i will open your graves1 and cause you to come up out of your graves20 or 7#e7 ,daniel3 8,many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake1 some to everlasting life1 and some to shame and everlasting contempt20 and 7#f7 ,hosea3 8,i will ransom them from the power of the grave1 ,i will redeem them from death40 ,job #ai3be-bg2 ,ps4 #ag3ae2 ,isa4 #bf3ai2 ,eze4 #cg3ab2 ,dan4 #ab3b2 ,hosea #ac3ad4 ,and as for the ,new ,testament1 it is no doubt 8disgusting0 to many ,spiritualists to read that 8the fearful1 and unbelieving1 and the abominable1 and murderers1 and whoremongers1 and sorcerers1 and idolaters1 and all liars1 shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone3 which is the second death20 and that without the city 8are dogs1 and sorcerers1 and whoremongers1 and murderers1 and idolaters1 and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie40 ,rev4 #ba3h2 #bb3ae4 ,communications from spirits are offered in place of the ,bible as a better source of instruction1 the ,bible being denounced1 as above quoted1 as 8vague1 inaccurate1 and difficult to believe40 ,a brief comparison of the two will furnish pertinent evidence on this point4 ,take1 on the ,bible side1 for example1 a portion of the record of creation 7,gen4 #a3a-e73-- 8,in the beginning ,god created the heaven and the earth4 ,and the earth was without form1 and void2 and darkness was upon the face of the deep4 ,and the ,spirit of ,god moved upon the face of the waters4 ,and ,god said1 ,let there be light3 and there was light4 ,and ,god saw the light1 that it was good3 and ,god divided the light from the darkness4 ,and ,god called the light ,day1 and the darkness he called ,night4 ,and the evening and the morning were the first day40 ,the facts stated in this record1 the profoundest minds can never comprehend2 the language in which they are expressed1 a little child can understand4 ,the statements are plain and simple1 a perfect model of perspicuous narrative4 ,place by the side of this an account of the same event1 as given us from the 8spheres40 ,the spirits have undertaken to produce a new ,bible1 beginning1 like the old1 with the creation2 and this is the way it starts out1 through the mediumship of 8,rev40 ,t4 ,l4 ,harris3-- 8#a4 ,in the beginning ,god1 the ,life in ,god1 the ,lord in ,god1 the ,holy ,procedure1 inhabited the dome1 which1 burning in magnificence primeval1 and revolving in prismatic and undulatory spiral1 appeared1 and was the pavilion of the ,spirit3 ,in glory inexhaustible and inconceivable1 in movement spherical1 unfolded in harmonious procedure disclosive4 8#b4 ,and ,god said1 ,let good be manifest6 and good unfolded and moral-mental germs1 ovariums of heavens1 descended from the ,procedure4 ,and the dome of disclosive magnificence was heaven1 and the expanded glory beneath was the germ of creation4 ,and the divine ,procedure inbreathed upon the disclosure1 and the disclosure became the universe40 ,we will inflict no more of this 8undulatory spiral0 nonsense on the reader4 ,he now has both records before him1 and can judge for himself which is the more worthy of his regard4 ,there have been ,spiritualists who1 writing in their normal state1 and not yet fully divorced from the influence of their former education1 have acknowledged the authenticity of the ,bible1 and the doctrines of ,jesus as recorded in the gospels4 ,but these1 it is claimed1 are to be understood according to a spiritual meaning which underlies the letter2 and this spiritual meaning generally turns out to be contrary to the letter1 which is a virtual denial of the record itself4 ,but the quotations here given 7only a specimen of the multitudes that might be presented7 are given on the authority of the 8spirits10 whose teachings are what we wish to ascertain4 ,they ,deny ,all ,distinction ,between ,right ,and ,wrong4 ,there is implanted in the hearts of men by nature1 a sense of right and a sense of wrong4 ,even those who know not ,god1 nor ,christ1 nor the gospel1 possess this power of discrimination4 ,this is what ,paul1 in ,rom4 #b3ae1 calls 8the work of the law written in their hearts1 their conscience also bearing witness1 and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another40 ,that this distinction should now be denied by a class in a civilized community1 professing to be advanced thinkers and teachers1 among whom are found the learned1 the refined1 and the professedly pious1 shows that we have fallen upon strange times4 ,to be sure1 many of them talk fluently of the beauty and perfection of divine laws2 but in the sense in which they would have them understood1 they rob them of all characteristics of law4 ,the first great essential of law is authority2 but this they take away from it2 the next is penalty for its violation2 but this they deny1 and thus degrade the law to a mere piece of advice4 ,the 8,healing of the ,nations10 an authoritative work among ,spiritualists1 pp4 #afc1 #afd1 says3-- 8,thus thy body needs no laws1 having been in its creation supplied with all that could be necessary for its government4 ,thy spirit is above all laws1 and above all essences which flow therein4 ,god created thy spirit from within his own1 and surely the ,creator of law is above it2 the ,creator of essences must be above all essence created4 ,and if thou hast what may be or might be termed laws1 they are always subservient to thy spirit4 ,good men need no laws1 and laws will do bad or ignorant men no good4 ,if a man be above law1 he should never be governed by it4 ,if he be below1 what good can dead1 dry words do him8 8,true knowledge removeth all laws from power by placing the spirit of man above it40 ,a correspondent of the ,telegraph said of this work1 8,the ,healing of the ,nations30-- 8,according to its teaching1 no place is found in the universe for divine wrath and vengeance4 ,all are alike and forever the object of ,god's love1 pity1 and tender care--the difference between the two extremes of human character on earth1 being as a mere atom when compared with perfect wisdom40 ,this is a favorite comparison with them1--that the difference between ,god and the best of men is so much greater than the extremes of character among men1--the most upright and the most wicked1--that the latter is a mere atom1 and not accounted of in ,god's sight4 ,that there is an infinite difference between ,god and the best of men1 is all true2 for ,god is infinite in all his attributes1 and man is very imperfect at the best4 ,but to argue from this that ,god is inferior to man1 so that he cannot discern difference in character here1 even as man can plainly discern it1 seems but mad-house reasoning4 ,what would we think of the man who had the same regard for the thief as for the honest man1 for the murderer as for the philanthropist8 ,to ignore such distinctions as even men are able to discern would destroy the stability of all human governments2 what then would be the effect on the divine government8 ,god has given his law--holy1 just1 and good--to men1 and commanded obedience4 ,he has attached the penalty to disobedience3 8,the soul that sinneth1 it shall die10 8,the wages of sin is death40 ,eze4 #ah3bj2 ,rom4 #f3bc4 ,and in the judgment1 the distinction ,god makes in character will be plainly declared2 for he will set the righteous on his right hand1 but the wicked on the left4 ,matt4 #be3cb1 #cc4 ,this view of the failure of law1 and the absence of all human accountability1 naturally leads to a bold denial of sin and the existence of crime4 ,the 8,healing of the ,nations10 p4 #afi1 says3 8,unto ,god there is no error2 all is comparatively good40 ,the same work says that ,god views error as 8undeveloped good40 ,a4 ,j4 ,davis 78,nature of ,divine ,revelation10 p4 #eba7 says3 8,sin1 indeed1 in the common acceptation of that term1 does not really exist40 ,a discourse from ,j4 ,s4 ,loveland1 once a minister1 reported in the ,banner of ,light1 contained this paragraph3-- 8,with ,god there is no crime2 with man there is4 ,crime does not displease ,god1 but it does man4 ,god is in the darkest crime1 as in the highest possible holiness4 ,he is equally pleased in either case4 ,both harmonize equally with his attributes--they are only different sides of the same ,deity40 ,in 8,automatic ,writing0 7#ahif71 p4 #aci1 a question was asked concerning evil1 meaning sin and crimes among men4 ,the spirit answered that these were conditions of progress1 and were so necessary to elevation that they were to be welcomed1 not hated4 ,the questions and answers are as follows3-- 8,ques4--,can you give us any information in regard to the so-called ,devil--once so firmly believed in8 8,ans4--,devil is a word used to conjure with4 8,q4--,well1 then1 as the word itself doubtless arose from the word #8evil1' which means to us unhappiness1 can you give us an explanation of the existence of evil8 8,a4--,evil--as you who are the greatest sufferers from it1 name one of the conditions of progress--is as necessary1 aye1 more so1 than what you call good1 to your and our elevation to higher spheres4 ,it is not to be hated1 but welcomed4 ,it is the winnowing of the grain from the chaff4 ,children of truth1 don't worry over what to you seems evil2 soon you will be of us and will understand1 and be rejoiced that what you call evil persists and works as leaven in the great work of mind versus matter4 8,q4--,but it seems to us impossible that brutal crimes like murder1 assassinations1 or great catastrophes1 by which the innocent are made to suffer at the hands of malicious and cruel persons1 should work for ultimate good8 8,a4--,percipients of the grand whole of ,being can understand but may not state to those on your plane1 the underlying good making itself asserted even through such dreadful manifestations of human imperfections as the crimes you name4 8,when asked why certain wrongs were allowed to be perpetuated1 this answer was given3-- 8,there is a law of psychical essence which makes necessary all these ephemeral entanglements which to you seem so severe1 and you will yet see from your own standpoint of reason why such hardships must be endured by questioning souls on the highway of progress4 8,q4--,but do you from your vantage ground of larger knowledge grow careless that such injustice is done8 8,a4--,we do care1 but cannot remedy4 8,q4--,why can't you remedy8 8,a4--,because humanity is but an embryo of existence4 8,q4--,if you can perceive the trials and sorrows of mortals1 and can interfere to save them1 why do you not more often do so8 8,a4--,when undeveloped souls pay the price of development1 we stand aloof1 and let the play go on4 ,interference will do no good40 ,in view of such a confession1 what becomes of the many claims put forth by other spirits that they are ever hovering near their friends to assist and guard them1 to help and inspire them1 and keep them from evil and danger8 ,these say that those terrible crimes 7and this would include all crimes7 are all necessary1 that they are tending to develop souls1 and bring them to higher spheres1 and thus are just as laudable as good actions2 so they settle back in a gleeful mood1 and 8let the play go on20 let wicked men cultivate and develop and practice their evil propensities1 and the innocent suffer4 ,well may men pray to be delivered from such a spirit assembly as that4 ,in 8,healing of the ,nations10 p4 #djb1 ,dr4 ,hare says3-- 8,that anything should1 even for an instant1 be contrary to his will1 is inconsistent with his foresight and omnipotency4 ,it would be a miracle that anything counter to his will should exist40 ,a lecture on the 8,philosophy of ,reform10 given by ,a4 ,j4 ,davis1 in ,new ,york ,city1 bears testimony to the same effect3-- 8,in the ,hebrew and ,christian ,scriptures1 it is affirmed that sin is the transgression of the law4 ,but by an examination of nature1 the true and only ,bible1 it will be seen that this statement is erroneous4 ,it gives a wrong idea of both man and law4444 ,it will be found impossible for man to transgress a law of ,god40 ,thus they very illogically assume that if ,god has the will or the power to prevent evil1 it could not exist1 and therefore1 if there is such a ,god1 he is responsible1 forgetting that ,god is long-suffering1 and bears long with vessels of wrath fitted for destruction1 before they pass beyond the limits of his mercy and perish4 ,but ,mr4 ,davis says further3-- 8,reformers need to understand that war is as natural to one stage of human development as peace is natural to another4 ,my brother has the spirit of revenge4 ,shall ,i call him a demon8 ,is not his spirit natural to his condition8 ,war is not evil or repulsive except to a man of peace4 ,who made the non-resistant8 ,polygamy is as natural to one stage of development as oranges are natural to the ,south4 ,shall ,i grow indignant1 and because ,i am a monogamist1 condemn my kinsman of yore8 ,who made him8 ,who made me8 ,we both came up under the confluence of social and political circumstances2 and we both represent our conditions and our teachers4 ,the doctrine of blame and praise is natural only to an unphilosophical condition of mind4 ,the spirit of complaint--of attributing #8evil' to this and that plane of society--is natural2 but is natural only to undeveloped minds4 ,it is a profanation--a sort of atheism of which ,i would not be guilty40 ,the ,bible says1 8,woe unto them that call evil good1 and good evil2 that put darkness for light and light for darkness40 ,isa4 #e3bj4 ,and it makes another declaration which finds abundant confirmation in the sentiments quoted above3 8,because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily1 therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil40 ,eccl4 #h3aa4 ,having thus attempted to destroy in the minds of men all distinction between good and evil1 all being alike in ,god's sight1 and all equally good1 they try to make the way a little broader and easier for men to give full rein to all the propensities and inclinations of an evil heart1 by teaching that there is no ,lawgiver and ,judge before whom men must appear to give an account of their deeds1 but that they are responsible to themselves alone1 and must give account only to their own natures4 ,thus ,hon4 ,j4 ,b4 ,hall1 in a lecture reported in the ,banner of ,light1 ,feb4 #f1 #ahfd1 said3-- 8,i believe that man is amenable to no law not written upon his own nature1 no matter by whom given4444 ,by his own nature he must be tried--by his own acts he must stand or fall4 ,true1 man must give an account to ,god for all his deeds2 but how8--,solely by giving account to his own nature--to himself40 ,at a sance reported in the ,banner of ,light1 ,may #bh1 #ahfd1 the following question was proposed1 and the answer was by the communicating spirit3-- 8,ques4--,to whom or to what is the soul accountable8 8,ans4--,to no ,deity outside the realm of its own being1 certainly2 to no ,god which is a creation of fancy2 to no ,deity who dwells in a far-off heaven1 and sits upon a white throne2 to no ,jesus of ,nazareth2 to no patron saint2 to no personality2 to no principle outside our own individual selves40 ,the 8,healing of the ,nations10 p4 #gd1 says3-- 8,man is his own saviour1 his own redeemer4 ,he is his own judge--in his own scales weighed40 ,a little over twenty years after the birth of ,spiritualism1 ,aug4 #be1 #ahfh1 the ,fifth ,national ,convention of ,spiritualists was held in ,corinthian hall1 ,rochester1 ,n4 ,y41 at which a formal 8,declaration of ,principles0 was set forth4 ,from the seventh and eighth paragraphs1 under principle #bj1 we quote the following3-- 8,seventh1 ,to stimulate the mind to the largest investigation 444 that we may be qualified to judge for ourselves what is right and true4 ,eighth1 ,to deliver from all bondage to authority1 whether vested in creed1 book1 or church1 except that of received truth40 ,this is the same principle of man's responsibility to no one but himself1 authoritatively adopted4 ,what a picture have we now before us6 ,destroy man's belief in1 and reverence for1 ,god and ,christ1 as they do2 lead him to ridicule the atonement1 the only remedy for sin2 make him disbelieve the ,bible2 take away from his mind all distinction between right and wrong1 and assure him that he is accountable to no one but himself2 and how better could one prepare the way to turn men into demons4 ,all this the spirits1 by their teaching1 seek to do4 ,and can any one fail to foresee the result8 ,comparatively a small proportion of the inhabitants of this country have committed themselves to these views2 consequently but little of the legitimate fruit as yet appears2 but take human nature as it is and suppose all the inhabitants of this land to act on these principles1 and then what would we have8--,a pandemonium1 a scene of anarchy1 riot1 bloodshed1 and all depths of rottenness and corruption--in short1 a hell so much worse than that to which the ,devil is popularly assigned1 that he would at once change his location and here take up his abode4 ,that this statement is none too strong1 will appear as we look a moment at some of the results which have already developed themselves among the friends of such views1 and as their inevitable fruit4 ,the tendency can by no possibility be otherwise than to atheism and all immorality4 ,as has been already remarked1 the repulsive features were made much more prominent in the early stages of ,spiritualism than at the present time4 ,they are now held in the background4 ,the literature touching these points has been remodeled1 and an air of respectability and religion assumed4 ,most of the quotations therefore date some years back1 and would be charitably withheld were there any evidence of reform either present or prospective4 ,but where or when have these principles ever been officially repudiated1 and evidence given that the consequent practices had been abandoned8 ,that there are many ,spiritualists of upright and moral lives1 and honorable members of society1 in the best sense of that term1 we gladly believe2 but is not this because they are living above their principles2 and due1 not to the influence1 but rather to the non-influence of real ,spiritualism upon their lives8 ,the quotations given are from those who have been prominent among ,spiritualists as authors and speakers4 ,if they overdraw the picture1 the responsibility is with them4 ,dr4 ,b4 ,p4 ,randolph1 author of a work 8,dealings with the ,dead10 was eight years a medium1 then renounced ,spiritualism long enough to expose its character1 then returned to it again1 unable to break entirely away from the spell it has fastened upon him4 ,he gives his opinion of it in the following scathing words3-- 8,i enter the arena as the champion of common sense1 against what in my soul ,i believe to be the most tremendous enemy of ,god1 morals1 and religion1 that ever found foothold on the earth2--the most seductive1 hence the most dangerous1 form of sensualism that ever cursed a nation1 age1 or people4 ,i was a medium about eight years1 during which time ,i made three thousand speeches1 and traveled over several different countries1 proclaiming its new gospel4 ,i now regret that so much excellent breath was wasted1 and that my health of mind and body was well nigh ruined4 ,i have only begun to regain both since ,i totally abandoned it1 and to-day had rather see the cholera in my house1 than be a spiritual medium4 8,as a trance speaker1 ,i became widely known2 and now aver that during the entire eight years of my mediumship1 ,i firmly and sacredly confess that ,i had not the control of my own mind1 as ,i now have1 one twentieth of the time2 and before man and high heaven ,i most solemnly declare that ,i do not now believe that during the whole eight years1 ,i was sane for thirty-six consecutive hours1 in consequence of the trance and the susceptibility thereto4 8,for seven years ,i held daily intercourse with what purported to be my mother's spirit4 ,i am now fully persuaded that it was nothing but an evil spirit1 an infernal demon1 who1 in that guise1 gained my soul's confidence1 and led me to the very brink of ruin4 ,we read in ,scripture of demoniac possession1 as well as abnormal spiritual action4 ,both facts exist1 provable to-day2 ,i am positive the former does4 ,a4 ,j4 ,davis and his clique of ,harmonialists say there are no evil spirits4 ,i emphatically deny the statement4 ,five of my friends destroyed themselves1 and ,i attempted it1 by direct spiritual influences4 ,every crime in the calendar has been committed by mortal movers of viewless beings4 ,adultery1 fornication1 suicides1 desertions1 unjust divorces1 prostitution1 abortion1 insanity1 are not evils1 ,i suppose4 ,i charge all these to this scientific ,spiritualism4 ,it has also broken up families1 squandered fortunes1 tempted and destroyed the weak4 ,it has banished peace from happy families1 separated husbands and wives1 and shattered the intellect of thousands40 ,the following is an extract from the writings of ,j4 ,f4 ,whitney1 editor of the ,new ,york ,pathfinder4 ,his view of the subject accords with that of ,dr4 ,randolph3-- 8,now1 after a long and constant watchfulness1 seeing for months and for years its progress and its practical workings upon its devotees1 its believers1 and its mediums1 we are compelled to speak our honest conviction1 which is1 that the manifestations coming through the acknowledged mediums1 who are designated as rapping1 tipping1 writing1 and entranced mediums1 have a baneful influence upon believers1 and create discord and confusion2 that the generality of these teachings inculcate false ideas1 approve of selfish individual acts1 and endorse theories and principles1 which1 when carried out1 debase and make men little better than the brute4 ,these are among the fruits of ,modern ,spiritualism1 and we do not hesitate to say that we believe if these manifestations are continued to be received1 and to be as little understood as they are1 and have been since they made their appearance at ,rochester1 and mortals are to be deceived by their false1 fascinating1 and snakelike charming powers1 which go with them1 the day will come when the world will require the appearance of another ,saviour to redeem the world from its departing from ,christ's warnings4444 ,seeing1 as we have1 the gradual progress it makes with its believers1 particularly its mediums1 from lives of morality to those of sensuality and immorality1 gradually and cautiously undermining the foundation of good principles1 we look back with amazement to the radical change which a few months will bring about in individuals2 for its tendency is to approve and endorse each individual act and character1 however good or bad these acts may be4444 8,we desire to send forth our warning voice1 and if our humble position as the head of a public journal1 our known advocacy of ,spiritualism1 our experience1 and the conspicuous part we have played among its believers1 the honesty and the fearlessness with which we have defended the subject1 will weigh anything in our favor1 we desire that our opinions may be received1 and those who are moving passively down the rushing rapids to destruction should pause1 ere it be too late1 and save themselves from the blasting influence which those manifestations are causing40 ,every one who knows anything about ,spiritualism has heard of ,cora ,hatch1 who traveled extensively1 and manifested her powers as an extemporaneous lecturer before astonished multitudes4 ,one of her husbands1 ,dr4 ,hatch1 renounced ,spiritualism1 and the following is from the testimony he bore concerning it3-- 8,the most damning iniquities are everywhere perpetrated in spiritual circles1 a very small percentage of which ever comes to public attention4 ,i care not whether it be spiritual or mundane1 the facts exist1 and should demand the attention and condemnation of an intelligent community4444 ,the abrogation of marriage1 bigamy1 accompanied by robbery1 theft1 rape1 are all chargeable upon ,spiritualism4 ,i most solemnly affirm that ,i do not believe that there has1 during the last five hundred years1 arisen any people who are guilty of so great a variety of crimes and indecencies as the ,spiritualists of ,america4 8,for a long time ,i was swallowed up in its whirlpool of excitement1 and comparatively paid but little attention to its evils1 believing that much good might result from the opening of the avenues of ,spiritual intercourse4 ,but during the past eight months ,i have devoted my attention to critical investigation of its moral1 social1 and religious bearing1 and ,i stand appalled before the revelations of its awful and damning realities40 ,much testimony of this nature might be given from those who have had similar experiences and equally favorable facilities for judging of the character of ,spiritualism4 ,we present only a few extracts more4 ,dr4 ,wm4 ,b4 ,potter of ,new ,york1 in an article under the head of 8,astounding ,facts10 and also in a tract entitled1 8,spiritualism as ,it ,is10 gives the result of his experience and observations4 ,his testimony is the more valuable1 since he writes not from the standpoint of one who has renounced ,spiritualism1 whose feelings may for the time be overwrought1 and his language stronger than would be used in calmer moments4 ,when he wrote1 he was still an advocate of ,spiritualism1 and spoke as a friend who would1 if possible1 induce ,spiritualists to reform their faith and their manner of living4 ,he says3-- 8,fifteen years of critical study of ,spiritual literature1 an extensive acquaintance with the leading ,spiritualists1 and a patient1 systematic1 and thorough examination of the manifestations for many years1 enable us to speak from actual knowledge1 definitely and positively1 of #8,spiritualism as ,it ,is4' ,spiritual literature is full of the most insidious and seductive doctrines1 calculated to undermine the very foundations of morality and virtue1 and lead to the most unbridled licentiousness4 8,we are told that #8we must have charity1' that it is wrong to blame any one1 that we must not expose iniquity1 as #8it will harden the guilty1' that #8none should be punished1' that #8man is a machine1 and not to blame for his conduct1' that #8there is no high1 no low1 no good1 no bad1' that #8sin is a lesser degree of righteousness1' that #8nothing we can do can injure the soul or retard its progress1' that #8those who act the worst will progress the fastest1' that #8lying is right1 slavery is right1 murder is right1 adultery is right1' that #8whatever is1 is right4' 8,hardly can you find a ,spiritualist book1 paper1 lecture1 or communication that does not contain some of these pernicious doctrines2 in disguise1 if not openly4 ,hundreds of families have been broken up1 and many affectionate wives deserted by #8affinity-seeking' husbands4 ,many once devoted wives have been seduced1 and left their husbands and tender1 helpless children1 to follow some #8higher attraction4' ,many well-disposed but simple-minded girls have been deluded by #8affinity' notions1 and led off by #8affinity hunters1' to be deserted in a few months1 with blasted reputations1 or led to deeds still more dark and criminal1 to hide their shame40 ,the same writer also mentions a fact which shows where the responsibility of all this looseness of morals belongs4 ,he says3-- 8,at the ,national ,spiritual ,convention at ,chicago1 called to consider the question of a national organization1 the only plan approved by the committee1 especially provided that no charge should ever be entertained against any member1 and that any person1 without any regard to his or her moral character1 might become a member40 ,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 deeds1 shows on what points they felt the most anxious1 and plainly proves that they belong to the class of which ,christ spoke1 who loved darkness rather than light1 and who would not come to the light lest their deeds should be reproved4 ,john #c3ai-ba4 ,it is unpleasant to wade through pools of filth1 and we therefore spare the reader quotations from those ,spiritualists who have not only avowed the most revolting practices of free love1 but openly advocated the same1 and endeavored to induce others to come out likewise1 on the ground that they were only honestly and publicly admitting what the others believed and practiced in secret4 ,for the same reason we pass by the notorious ,woodhull and ,claflin1 and ,hull and ,jamieson episodes1 in this field1 which1 in the illustration and language of another1 8burst upon the country like a rotten egg three thousand miles in diameter60 ,it may be said that these things are in the past and the situation has now greatly changed4 ,for the benefit of those who thus flatter themselves we introduce one more quotation4 ,it is from 8,the ,law of ,psychic ,phenomena10 by ,t4 ,j4 ,hudson 7,a4 ,c4 ,mc,clurg ,co41 ,chicago1 #ahid74 ,the language is candid and conciliatory1 and the author cannot be accused of any undue prejudice on the question of which he speaks4 ,on page #cce1 he says3-- 8,i do not charge ,spiritualists as a class with being advocates of the doctrines of free love4 ,on the contrary1 ,i am aware that1 as a class1 they hold the marriage relation in sacred regard4 ,i cannot forget1 however1 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 land4 ,nor do ,i fail to remember that the better class of ,spiritualists everywhere repudiated the doctrine1 and denounced its advocates and exemplars4 ,nevertheless the moral virus took effect here and there all over the country1 and it is doing its deadly work in secret in many an otherwise happy home4 ,and ,i charge a large and constantly growing class of professional mediums with being the leading propagandists of the doctrine of free love4 ,they infest every community in the land1 and it is well known to all men and women who are dissatisfied or unhappy in their marriage relations1 that they can always find sympathy by consulting the average medium1 and can1 moreover1 find justification for illicit love by invoking the spirits of the dead through such mediums40 ,we have italicized that passage in the foregoing which shows that the deadly evil is still working in secret1 and that a large and constantly growing number of professionals are aiding and abetting the iniquity4 ,dangers ,of ,mediumship4 ,a few testimonies will show that when one gives himself or herself up to the control of the spirits1 such ones take a most perilous position4 ,the spirits insist on their victims becoming passive1 ceasing to resist1 and yielding their whole wills to them4 ,some of their persuasive words are these3 8,come in confidence to us20 8,let our teachings deeply impress you20 8,you must not doubt what we say20 8,learn of us20 8,obey our directions and you will be benefited20 8,seek to obtain knowledge of us20 8,have faith in us20 8,fear not to obey20 8,obey us and you will be greatly blessed20 etc41 etc4 ,mesmerists operate in the same way4 ,they gain control of their subjects in the same way that the spirits mesmerize their mediums1 and when under their control1 the spirits cause them to see whatever they bring before them1 and hear according to their wills1 and do as they bid4 ,and the things they suppose they see and hear1 and what they are to do1 are only such things as exist in the mind of the mesmerizing power4 ,the subject is completely at the mercy of the invisible agency2 and to put one's self there is a most heaven-daring and hazardous act4 ,mr4 ,hudson 78,law of ,psychic ,phenomena10 p4 #ccf7 says3-- 8,to the young whose characters are not formed1 and to those whose notions of morality are loose1 the dangers of mediumship are appalling40 ,to further gain the confidence of mortals1 the spirits claim to be the ones who answer their prayers4 ,in 8,automatic ,writing10 p4 #adb1 we have this3-- 8,ques4--,will our friends tell us whether from their point of view1 there is any real efficacy in prayer8 8,ans4 by spirits4--,shall not #8a soul's sincere desire' arouse in discarnate and free spirits effort to make that sincere desire a reality8 ,what good can come from aspirations on mortal planes1 save through the efforts to make those aspirations realized on spiritual planes1 by the will of freed spirits80 ,mediums are unable to resist the powers of the unseen world when once under their control4 ,professor ,brittan 78,telegraphic ,answer to ,mahan10 p4 #aj71 concerning mediumship1 says3-- 8,we may further add in this connection that the trance mediums for spirit intercourse are equally irresponsible4 ,many of them are totally unable to resist the powers which come to them from the invisible and unknown realms40 ,dr4 ,randolph 78,dealings with the ,dead10 p4 #aej7 shows the dangers of mediumship1 as follows3-- 8,i saw that one great cause of the moral looseness of thousands of sensitive-nerved people on earth1 resulted from the infernal possessions and obsessions of their persons by delegations from those realms of darkness and 7to all but themselves7 unmitigated horror4 ,a sensitive man or woman--no matter how virtuously inclined--may1 unless by constant prayer and watchfulness they prevent it and keep the will active and the sphere entire1 be led into the most abominable practices and habits40 ,this same writer1 in the same work1 pp4 #ajh1 #aji1 says3-- 8,those ill-meaning ones who live just beyond the threshold1 often obtain their ends by subtly infusing a semi-sense of volitional power into the minds of their intended victims1 so that at last they come to believe themselves to be self-acting1 when in fact they are the merest shuttlecocks bandied about between the battledores of knavish devils on one side1 and devilish knaves upon the other1 and between the two the poor fallen wretches are nearly heart-reft and destroyed40 ,a work by ,a4 ,j4 ,davis called 8,the ,diakka1 and their ,earthly ,victims10 mentions the nature of these denizens of the spirit world1 and their wonderful location4 ,the country 7to speak after the manner of men7 which they inhabit1 is so large that it would require not less than #a1hjc1jbf diameters of the earth to span its longitudinal extent4 ,this he had from a spirit he calls ,james ,victor ,wilson1 a profound mathematician6 ,this space is occupied by spirits who have passed from earth1 who are 8morally deficient1 and affectionally unclean40--,page #g4 ,the same spirit1 ,wilson1 describes the diakka as those 8who take insane delight in playing parts1 in juggling tricks1 in personating opposite characters to whom prayers and profane utterances are of equi-value2 surcharged with a passion for lyrical narrations2 one whose every attitude is instinct with the schemes of specious reasoning1 sophistry1 pride1 pleasure1 wit1 subtle convivialities2 a boundless disbeliever1 one who thinks that all private life will end in the all-consuming self-love of ,god40--,page #ac4 ,on page #ac he says further of them1 that they are 8never resting1 never satisfied with life1 often amusing themselves with jugglery and tricky witticisms1 invariably victimizing others2 secretly tormenting mediums1 causing them to exaggerate in speech1 and to falsify in acts2 unlocking and unbolting the street doors of your bosom and memory2 pointing your feet into wrong paths1 and far more40 ,what this 8far more0 is1 we are left to conjecture4 ,the advertisement of this book says that it is 8an explanation of much that is false and repulsive in ,spiritualism40 ,w4 ,f4 ,jamieson1 in a ,spiritualist paper1 called these diakka 8a troop of devils10 and quoted ,judge ,carter as saying3 8,there is one thing clear1 that these diakka1 or fantastic or mixed spirits1 are very numerous and abundant1 and take any and every opportunity of obtruding themselves40 ,hudson ,tuttle1 author of 8,life in ,two ,spheres0 and other ,spiritualistic works1 speaks of 8a communication1 through a noted medium1 to ,gerald ,massey from his #8dog ,pip1' the said ,pip #8licking the slate and writing with a good degree of intelligence4' 0 ,he adds1 8,mr4 ,davis would say that #8,pip' was a #8diakka1' and to-morrow he will communicate as ,george ,washington1 ,theodore ,parker1 or ,balaam's ass4 ,this diakka is flesh1 fish1 or fowl1 as you may desire40 ,some idea of how the spirits sometimes torment the mediums1 as hinted at above1 may be gained from the following instance4 ,in 8,astounding ,facts from the ,spirit ,world10 pp4 #bec1 #bed1 ,dr4 ,gridley describes the case of a medium sixty years of age1 living near him in ,southampton1 ,mass4 ,the sufferings inflicted upon him 8in two months at the hands of evil spirits would fill a volume of five hundred pages40 ,of these sufferings1 the following are specimens3-- 8,they forbade his eating1 to the very point of starvation4 ,he was a perfect skeleton2 they compelled him to walk day and night1 with intermissions1 to be sure1 as their avowed object was to torment him as much and as long as possible4 ,they swore by everything sacred and profane1 that they would knock his brains out1 always accompanying their threats with blows on the forehead or temples1 like that of a mallet in the hands of a powerful man1 with this difference1 however2 the latter would have made him unconscious1 while in full consciousness he now endured the indescribable agony of those heavy and oft-repeated blows2 they declared they would skin him alive2 that he must go to ,new ,york and be dissected by inches1 all of which he fully believed4 ,they declared that they would bore holes into his brain1 when he instantly felt the action suited to the word1 as though a dozen augers were being turned at once into his very skull2 this done1 they would fill his brain with bugs and worms to eat it out1 when their gnawing would instantly commence4 ,these spirits would pinch and pound him1 twitch him up and throw him down1 yell and blaspheme1 and use the most obscene language that mortals can conceive2 they would declare that they were ,christ in one breath1 and devils in the next2 they would tie him head to foot for a long time together in a most excruciating posture2 declare they would wring his neck off because he doubted or refused obedience40 ,who can doubt that such spirits are the angels of the evil one himself8 ,dr4 ,gridley in the same work1 p4 #ai1 gives the experience of another medium1 for the truthfulness of which he offers the fullest proof3-- 8,we have seen the medium evidently possessed by ,irishmen and ,dutchmen of the lowest grade--heard him repeat ,joshua's drunken prayers ,joshua was a strong but brutish man he had known in life1 exactly like the original1--imitate his drunkenness in word and deed--try to repeat1 or rather act over his most brutal deeds 7from which for decency's sake1 he was instantly restrained by extraordinary exertion and severe rebuke7--snap and grate his teeth most furiously1 strike and swear1 while his eyes flashed like the fires of an orthodox perdition4 ,we have heard him hiss1 and seen him writhe his body like the serpent when crawling1 and dart out his tongue1 and play it exactly like that reptile4 ,these exhibitions were intermingled with the most wrangling and horrible convulsions40 ,these descriptions1 it would seem1 ought to be enough to strike terror to any heart at the thought of being a medium4 ,but there is yet another phase of the subject that should not be passed by4 ,these fallen spirits who are engineering the work of ,spiritualism1 to maintain their 8assumed characters10 and 8play their parts0 like the aforesaid diakka1 represent that disembodied spirits 8just over the threshold10 still retain the characteristics they bore in life1 such as a disposition to sensuality and licentiousness1 love of rum1 tobacco1 and other vices1 and that they can1 by causing the medium to plunge excessively into these things1 thereby still gratify their own propensities to indulge in them4 ,the following sketch by ,hudson ,tuttle1 a very popular author among ,spiritualists1 is somewhat lengthy1 but the idea could not better be presented than by giving it entire4 ,in 8,life in ,two ,spheres10 pp4 #ce-cg1 he says3-- 8,reader1 have you ever entered the respectable saloon8 ,have you ever watched the stupid stare of the inebriate when the eye grew less and less lustrous1 slowly closing1 the muscles relaxing1 and the victim of appetite sinking over on the floor in beastly drunkenness8 ,oh1 how dense the fumes of mingled tobacco and alcohol6 ,oh1 what misery confined in those walls6 ,if you have witnessed such scenes1 then we need describe no further4 ,if you have not1 then you had not better hear the tale of woe4 ,imagine to yourselves a bar-room with all its sots1 and their number multiplied indefinitely1 while conscience-seared and bloated fiends stand behind the bar1 from whence they deal out death and damnation1 and the picture is complete4 ,one has just arrived from earth4 ,he is yet uninitiated in the mysteries and miseries of those which1 like hungry lions1 await him4 ,he died while intoxicated--was frozen while lying in the gutter1 and consequently is attracted toward this society4 ,he possessed a good intellect1 but it was shattered beyond repair by his debauches4 8 #8,ye ar' a fresh one1 aint ye8' coarsely queried a sot1 just then particularly communicative4 8 #8,why1 yes1 ,i have just died1 as they call it1 and 'taint so bad a change after all2 only ,i suppose there'll be dry times here for the want of something stimulant4' 8 #8,not so dry2 lots of that all the time1 and jolly times too4' 8 #8,drink6 ,can you drink1 then8' 8 #8,yes1 we just can1 and feel as nice as you please4 ,but all can't1 not unless they find one on earth just like them4 ,you go to earth1 and mix with your chums2 and when you find one whose thoughts you can read1 he's your man4 ,form a connection with him1 and when he gets to feeling good1 you'll feel so too4--,there1 do you understand me8 ,i always tell all fresh ones the glorious news1 for how they would suffer if it wasn't for this blessed thing4' 8 #8,i'll try1 no mistake4' 8 #8,here's a covey1' spoke an ulcerous-looking being2 #8he's of our stripe4 ,tim1 did you hear what an infernal scrape ,i got into last night8 ,no1 you didn't4 ,well1 ,i went to our friend ,fred's2 he didn't want to drink when ,i found him2 his dimes looked so extremely large4 ,well1 ,i destroyed that feeling1 and made him think he was dry4 ,he drank1 and drank1 more than ,i wanted him to1 until ,i was so drunk that ,i could not break my connection with him1 or control his mind4 ,he undertook to go home1 fell into the snow1 and came near freezing to death4 ,i suffered awfully1 ten times as much as when ,i died4'444 ,reader1 we draw the curtain over scenes like these1 such as are daily occurring in this society40 ,in these cases the whole evil of the indulgences of course falls upon the mediums2 and who would wish to assume personal relation with such a world1 and be forced to bear in their own bodies the evils of the unhallowed indulgences of unseen spirits1 against their will8 ,other scenes represented as taking place in the spirit land1 are most grotesque and silly and would be taken as a burlesque upon ,spiritualism1 were they not put forth in all gravity by the friends and advocates of that so-called new revelation4 ,thus ,judge ,edmunds1 giving an account of what he had seen in the spirit world1 mentions the case of an old woman busy churning1 who promised him1 if he would call again1 a drink of buttermilk2 he speaks of men fighting1 of courtezans trying to continue their lewd conduct2 of a mischievous boy who split a dog's tail open1 and put a stick in it1 just to witness its misery2 of the owner of the dog1 who1 attracted by its cries1 discovered the cause1 and beat the boy1 who fled1 but was pursued and beaten and kicked far up the road4 ,see ,edmund's 8,spiritualism10 ,vol4 ,,ii1 pp4 #ace-add1 #aha1 #ahb1 #ahf1 #ahi4 ,surely here are the diakka playing their pranks in all their glory4 ,miscellaneous ,teaching4 ,on the leading points of faith as held by ,christians generally1 quotations have been given to show sufficiently what the spirits teach1 and the object they are trying to effect4 ,but the reader will be interested to learn what they teach on some other points which incidentally appear in their communications4 ,spiritualists object most strenuously to the idea of unconsciousness in death1 or to the ,bible declaration1 8,the dead know not anything40 ,but the spirits themselves teach this very thing4 ,thus ,judge ,edmunds1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 ,appendix ,b1 p4 #ebd1 quotes the confession of a spirit that he was totally unconscious for a time1 he could not tell how long1 and awoke to consciousness gradually2 and that the state of unconsciousness differs with different persons1 depending on circumstances4 ,a4 ,j4 ,davis admits that ,professor ,webster was eight days and a half unconscious4--8,death and the ,after ,life10 pp4 #ah1 #ai4 ,through ,mrs4 ,conant1 medium1 in ,banner of ,light1 ,june #c1 #ahfe1 we have this information3 8,it is said that some spirits require a thousand years to awake to consciousness4 ,is this true8--,yes1 this is true40 ,in 8,automatic ,writing10 p4 #ic1 the spirits teach the same thing to-day4 ,if others deny such statements1 it only shows that their testimony is contradictory and therefore unreliable4 ,again1 the ,bible doctrine that the incorrigibly wicked must cease from conscious existence1 is denounced by ,spiritualists2 but on this point the spirits confess also3-- 8,ques4--,do ,i understand you to say that a diakka is one who believes in ultimate annihilation8 8,ans4--,only yesterday one said to a lady medium1 signing himself #8,swedenborg1' this3 #8,whatsoever is1 has been1 will be1 or may be1 that ,i ,,am1 and private life is but the aggregative phantasms of thinking throblets rushing in their rising onward to the central heart of eternal death4'--8,diakka0 p4 #aa4 8,q4--,does every human being continue life on higher planes8 8,a4--,shall not all who are abortions die80 8,q4--,do you mean that some born on this plane may spiritually die from lack of force to persist8 8,a4--,yes--both women and men are born into the divine humanity who must necessarily perish1 because they have not sufficient soul strength to persist40--8,automatic ,writing10 pp4 #aja1 #ajb4 ,there is1 it seems1 a purgatory in the spirit world4 ,in answer to a question1 a spirit replied3-- 8,there is a sphere in spirit life allotted to those who leave the earthly plane in spiritual ignorance1 which is not pleasing to dwell upon1 yet which is absolutely necessary to spiritual soul growth40--,id41 p4 #ij4 ,spiritualism is claimed to settle the question of immortality2 but the spirits confess themselves ignorant of it3-- 8,ques4--,on your plane do you arrive at certainty in regard to immortality8 8,ans4--,we here are as ignorant as you are as to the ultimate of existence4 ,immortality is still an undetermined issue4 ,one life at a time seems as pertinent with us as with you40--,id41 p4 #ajc4 ,the spirits' heaven1 it seems1 is not so desirable a place that it prevents their being homesick4 8,ques4--,why are you homesick8 8,ans4--,have not found out the real reason2 things are so different from former ideas40--,id41 p4 #aaa4 ,spirits are not allowed to tell too much about their condition1 as the following question and answer show3-- 8,ques4--,can't you tell us what makes it pleasanter1--describe so we can understand8 8,ans4--,you'll find out as ,i did--'gainst the rules here to tell4444 ,just be patient--it's all easy enough when you learn how4 ,i was puzzled1 but it all seems straight enough now40--,id41 p4 #aae4 ,they teach the pre-existence of souls1 and the old pagan doctrines of the reincarnation of souls1 and the final absorption of all into ,nirvana4 ,a spirit having answered that all had been asserted in some other form1 questions and answers followed from which we quote3-- 8,q4--,is that statement an intimation of the truth of reincarnation8 8,a4--,souls of all who have preceded you are centered in you in spite of your childish protests4 ,ask not of those predecessors2 for they yet live in you1 and you in them4444 ,long ago you and ,i went over the ground under eminent names4444 ,were not we together when ,socrates and ,aspasia talked80--,id41 pp4 #aea1 #aeb4 8,q4--,can you tell us1 at least1 whether spirit1 as a whole or in its individual atoms1 exists eternally8 8,a4--,yes2 spirit as a whole is eternal--exists--did exist--by force of ,powers you cannot understand4 ,but you as individual1 self-conscious1 atomistic particles of spirit wholeness1 are not eternal1 and must return to the ,primal ,source40--,id41 p4 #acc4 ,spirits ,cannot ,be ,identified4 ,having now sufficiently examined the teaching of the spirits1 a final question arises in regard to them1 whether it is possible to identify them1 and determine with any absolute certainty whether they are the spirits of the particular individuals they claim to be1 or even spirits of the dead at all1 or not4 ,it should be distinctly borne in mind1 always1 that evil angels1 whose existence has been proved from the ,bible1 whose nature and delight is to deceive1 can walk the earth unseen1 imitate and personate any individual1 and reveal their characteristics of thought1 writing1 acts1 form1 and features1 and make so perfect a counterfeit as to defy detection4 ,how1 then1 can it be told what spirit it is1 even though it shows the face and features of some well-known friend8 ,on this topic1 as on preceding questions1 ,spiritualists themselves may produce the evidence4 ,president ,mahan 78,discussion with ,tiffany and ,rhen10 p4 #ac7 remarks3-- 8,certain experiments have been made1 in order to determine whether spirits are present4 ,individuals go in as inquirers1 and get definite answers--in the first place1 from departed spirits of persons yet living2 in the second place1 from departed spirits of persons who never existed here or anywhere else2 in the third place1 from the departed spirits of brute beasts40 ,when it is considered1 as already noted1 that spirits do their work through mesmeric power1 it is easy to understand how the medium is made to believe that such and such a spirit is communicating when it is not so at all4 ,this question of identity came up in the very early stages of ,spiritualism1 and is no nearer settled1 on their own confession1 now than then4 ,a ,mr4 ,hobart1 in #ahef1 who claimed to be the first ,spiritualist in ,michigan1 made the following admission3-- 8,the spirit sometimes assumes the name of an individual belonging to the same church1 to induce them to hear4 ,this is necessary with some who are so bigoted they would not believe unless a name was assumed which they respected40 ,an article in the ,spiritual ,telegraph1 of ,july #aa1 #aheg1 begins as follows3-- 8,the question is continually being asked1 especially by novitiates in spiritual investigations1 ,how shall we know that the spirits who communicate with us are really the ones whom they purport to be8444 ,in giving the results of our own experience and observation upon this subject1 we would premise that spirits unquestionably can1 and often do1 personate other spirits1 and that1 too1 often with such perfection as1 for the time being1 to defy every effort to detect the deception4444 ,if direct tests are demanded at all1 we would recommend that they be asked for the purpose of proving that the manifesting influence is that of a spirit1 rather than to prove what particular spirit is the agent of its production40 ,this is an entire begging of the whole matter in question2 for it is not denied that it is a spirit2 we want to know what particular spirit it is2 but for that we must not ask2 for it cannot be ascertained4 ,the same article states that other and lower spirits often crowd in and take the place of the spirit communicating1 without the knowledge of the medium4 ,we might also quote 8,spiritualism as ,it ,is10 p4 #ad1 that 8not one per cent4 of the manifestations have had a higher origin than the first and second spheres1 which are filled with low1 ignorant1 deceptive1 mischievous1 selfish1 egotistical spirits20 and 8,dealings with the ,dead10 p4 #bbe1 that 8the fact is1 good spirits do not appear one tenth as often as imagined40 ,jan4 #g1 #ahhh1 the following appeared in the ,banner of ,light3-- 8,ques4--,what is the cause of our receiving inconsistent and untruthful communications8 ,does the blame1 if any there is1 rest with us or the controlling intelligence8 8,ans4--,there are spirits who delight in imposing upon mortals2 they realize their power outside of material things1 and that those who seek knowledge from them cannot see nor get hold of them2 therefore to an extent they exercise a certain power over those mortals who approach2 and if the mortals are themselves tricky by nature1 insincere1 ready to take advantage of others1 whether it be at the time of sitting or in their daily life1 rest assured they may be imposed upon by spirits from the other side who occupy a like plane of existence with themselves40 ,mediums themselves will not trust the spirits1 according to statements made as late as #ahif4 ,mrs4 ,s4 ,a4 ,underwood1 medium1 in 8,automatic ,writing10 p4 #ee1 says3-- 8,with all my experience in it1 ,i would not to-day venture upon any change1 business venture1 friendship1 or line of conduct1 advised from this source1 unless my own common material sense endorsed it4 ,indeed1 ,i would not take as fact any of its even reasonable advice without question1 because it is not reliable as a guide in earthly affairs40 ,spirit communication1 then1 certainly does not amount to much as a heavenly instructor1 a celestial guide to enlighten the ignorance of men4 ,whatever we know ourselves1 we may rely upon2 all else is uncertain4 ,again1 on p4 #ef1 she says3-- 8,then the assumption of great names by apparently common-place minds is a very strange thing4 ,i was horrified and annoyed when this occurred under my own hand1 because that is one of the things which disgusted me with spiritual messages before this writing came to me1 as ,i had occasionally glanced over such messages4 ,when ,i protested against such assumption1 ,i was told that #8,elaine and ,guinevere' were not real beings1 but types4 ,so somewhere in our sphere are spirits who embody cleverness in creations of their own fancy1 and adopt names suited to that fancy40 ,thus the spirits themselves confess that the names they often assume are not those of real beings1 but typical and fanciful4 ,nothing more1 it would seem1 is necessary to complete the condemnation of ,spiritualism1 so far as its own nature is concerned4 ,when in addition to all else1 it appears that the spirits cannot be identified2 that the whole underlying claim that the spirits are the spirits of the dead1 must itself be assumed2 and that1 too1 in the face of the numberless known falsehoods and deceptions that are constantly issuing from the unseen realm1--there is nothing left for it to stand upon4 ,chapter ,six4 ,,its ,,promises3 ,,how ,,fulfilled4 ,it is fair to call ,spiritualism to account as to the fulfilment of the promises involved in its challenge to the world when it stepped upon the stage of action4 ,no movement ever opened with more magnificent promises4 ,it posed before the world as an angel of heavenly light4 ,it claimed to be the second coming of ,christ4 ,it claimed to have been sent to regenerate mankind1 and renovate the world4 ,we give herewith a few of its spirit-inspired pretensions4 ,its 8,declaration of ,principles10 ,article #bj1 says3-- 8,the hearty and intelligent convictions of these truths the teachings of spirits tend to energize the soul in all that is good and elevating1 and to restrain from all that is evil and impure1 444 to quicken all philanthropic impulses1 stimulating to enlightened and unselfish labors for universal good40 ,in behalf of the cause of woman it says3-- 8,spiritualism has done more for the advancement of true womanhood than the ,church or any of its accessories40--,dr4 ,watson1 in ,banner of ,light1 ,april #af1 #ahhg4 ,miss ,a4 ,l4 ,lull1 in the ,religio-,philosophical ,journal of ,jan4 #bc1 #ahhf1 said3-- 8,spiritualism is the saviour of humanity1 because it is reaching out toward the criminal1 and in its effort to lift humanity to a higher plane1 it is laying the foundation for future generations4444 ,spiritualism comes to cleanse out the dregs and wretchedness of humanity40 ,mrs4 ,cora ,l4 ,v4 ,richmond1 in a mediumistic discourse reported in the ,banner of ,light1 ,april #c1 #ahhf1 said3-- 8,the ,great ,reformer of the world is ,spiritualism4444 ,when modern ,spiritualism made its appearance1 it said in so many words1 ,i come to reform the world4444 ,spiritualism came to put the ax at the root of the tree of human evil1 it came to decide upon the most important and vital thing connected with existence2 i4 e41 ,is man only an evanescent1 material1 earthly being1 or is he immortal8444 ,spiritualism came to reform death1 to resolve it into life2 came to reform fear1 to resolve it into trust and knowledge2 came to reform the darkness which rests upon humanity concerning the nature of man's existence40 ,in the same paper1 ,april #f1 #ahhg1 was given the following prediction of the future of ,spiritualism3-- 8,modern ,spiritualism will grow1 and deepen1 and broaden1 and strengthen1 until all false creeds and dogmas shall be swept from the earth--when faith shall be buried in knowledge1 when war shall be known no more1 when universal brotherhood shall prevail to bless mankind40 ,in 8,nineteenth ,century ,miracles10 p4 #gi1 ,m4 ,jaubert speaks as follows3-- 8,affirm to your people that man never dies1 that his immortality is proved1 not by books but by material and tangible facts1 of which every one can convince himself2 that anon our houses of correction1 and our prisons1 will disappear2 suicide will be erased from our mortuary tables2 and nobly borne1 the calamities of earth shall no longer produce madness40 ,mrs4 ,r4 ,s4 ,lillie1 in a speech at the ,thirty-eighth ,anniversary services in ,horticultural ,hall1 ,boston1 ,mass41 and reported in the ,banner of ,light1 of ,april1 #ahhf1 said3-- 8,christianity never had a ,pentecost to be compared with modern ,spiritualism4 ,the latter is as far in advance of the former1 as the electric light is in advance of the tallow dip of the past2 for it is nineteen centuries ahead of it40 ,these are most astounding claims2 and if there is any truth in them1 ,spiritualism ought to have shown itself as a great uplifting moral power1 provided it has been able to get any foothold among the people4 ,we therefore inquire what its success has been4 ,on this point ,professor ,keck1 at the ,thirty-ninth ,anniversary of ,modern ,spiritualism1 at ,bridgeport1 ,conn4 7,banner of ,light1 ,april #i1 #ahhg71 said3-- 8,it ,spiritualism has made converts of more scientific men and profound thinkers than any other sect in the world4 ,in thirty-nine years it has grown to ten or fifteen millions of believers1 with thousands of mediums1 a literature printed in every known language1 and converts in every quarter of the globe40 ,with all these facilities and all this success1 it surely has been able to make good its claims1 and fulfil its promises1 if its nature is such as it assumes1 and its promises are good for anything2 and its course should be marked by a great decrease of crime1 by the promotion of virtue and a general improvement in the moral tone of society1 wherever it has gone4 ,for nearly fifty years it has now been operating in the world2 and with all its glowing professions of what it was able to do1 and its millions of converts1 8energized to all that is good and elevating10 its impress for good should everywhere be seen4 ,but what are the facts8--,just the reverse of what has been promised4 ,free love1 which is free lust1 has followed in its wake2 homes have been ruined1 families scattered1 characters blighted2 while insanity and suicide have been the fate1 or the last resort1 of too many of its victims4 ,and outside of its own ranks1 in the world at large1 the fifty years since the advent of ,spiritualism have been years of increase of crime and every evil in a fast growing ratio4 ,liquor drinking1 tobacco using1 gambling1 prostitution1 defalcations1 robberies1 bribery1 municipal corruption1 divorces1 thefts1 insanity1 suicide1 and murder1 have increased in far more rapid ratio than the population itself4 ,the reader will remember the testimony of ,dr4 ,randolph1 p4 #aje1 that five of his friends destroyed themselves1 and he attempted it for himself1 by direct spirit influences4 ,the ,philadelphia ,record1 of ,feb4 #ag1 #ahid1 speaks of the suicide of ,may ,brooklyn in ,san ,francisco1 ,cal43-- 8,the letters and papers left by the dead woman show plainly that in her grief over the death of ,lovecraft she had dabbled in ,spiritualism1 and had finally reached the conclusion that her only chance of happiness lay in joining her lover in the other world40 ,a few figures1 as samples1 will be given just to emphasize the general statements4 ,the following is from the ,chicago ,tribune of ,jan4 #a1 #ahic3-- 8,the number of persons who have committed suicide in the ,united ,states during the year 7#ahib71 as gathered from telegraph and mail report to the ,tribune1 is #chfj1 as compared with #ccca last year 7#ahia71 #bfdj in #ahij1 and #bbbd in #ahhi4 ,the total is much larger than that of any of the eleven preceding years40 ,the ,christian ,reformer gives the following figures of murders1 suicides1 and embezzlements from #ahia-ahic3-- 8,murders in #ahic1 #ffae2 increase over #ahia of #gji4 8,suicides in #ahic1 #ddcf2 increase over #ahib1 #egf2 #ahia1 #aaje4 8,funds embezzled in #ahic1 #ai1ibi1fib2 increase of #ajj per cent4 over #ahib40 ,it may be asked1 ,what has this to do with ,spiritualism8--,it is a test of the value of its promises4 ,spiritualism has been posing for fifty years as the 8world's reformer10 the great energizing1 uplifting force to elevate mankind1 the mighty power which has come to empty our workhouses and prisons1 abolish suicides and all crime1 the 8electric light0 compared with the 8tallow dip0 of the gospel4 ,and yet with all these claims1 with its millions of adherents1 and the funds and influence at its command1 it is allowing1 year by year1 crime to increase much faster than the population4 ,now if ,spiritualism was the purifying1 renovating power which it claims to be1 such results could not have been seen4 ,it is very evident1 that1 as a power in the world in behalf of righteousness and humanity1 it has been of no account2 and as between the forces of good and evil1 its weight has been on the side of evil instead of good4 ,it is thus that the author of ,spiritualism1 the father of deception1 fulfils the promises made through that channel to deceive mankind4 ,what organized1 aggressive efforts against evil has ,spiritualism ever shown8 ,where are its schools and colleges8 ,where are its hospitals and benevolent institutions8 ,where are its organized charities8 and what are its millions of members doing to relieve suffering and distress1 and turn men to better ways of living8 ,the very aspect it presents to the world to-day1 stamps the brand of ,cain upon its brow4 ,the ,boston ,herald of ,dec4 #ag1 #ahgd1 said3-- 8,let ,spiritualism produce some idea1 utter some word1 or perform some deed1 which will have novelty1 and yet be of manifest value to the human race1 and it will make good its claims to our serious consideration4 ,but it has not done this4 ,for nearly thirty years it has been before the world in its present shape1 and in all that time1 with all its asserted command of earthly and superterrestrial knowledge1 it has never done an act1 or breathed a syllable1 or supplied an idea which had any value as a contribution to the welfare of the race1 or to its stock of knowledge4 ,its messages from learned men who are dead1 have been the silliest bosh2 its stories about life upon the planets are wretched guesses1 many of which can be proved false by the astronomer2 its visions have frightened scores of people into madhouses1 and made semi-lunatics of hundreds of others40 ,if this charge was good as late as #ahgd1 it is equally so at the present time4 ,and thus are we forced to the conclusion that ,spiritualism1 judged by the light of its fair promises1 is one of the most lamentable of delusions1 and most stupendous of failures4 ,chapter ,seven4 ,,spiritualism ,a ,,subject ,,of ,,prophecy4 ,we come now to one of the most timely and important features of this whole subject2 for ,god in his word has foretold and forewarned the world of the movement here passing under review4 ,he has made known the time when it should appear1 the character it would bear1 and the work it is to do4 ,he has also connected this with the great event of all-overshadowing importance to this world1 of which it is a startling sign and sure precursor2 namely1 the second coming of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,we ask the special attention of the reader to this part of the subject4 ,a word of digression may be allowed as to the place which prophecy holds in the word of ,god4 ,prophecy is that feature of the sacred volume which constitutes it a lamp to our feet and a light to our path4 ,ps4 #aai3aje2 #b ,peter #a3ai4 ,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 time1 giving to every era its 8present truth10 and showing the progress of the slow-revolving ages toward the great consummation4 ,it is the golden credential which the ,bible holds up to the world of its genuineness and authenticity4 ,prophecy is peculiar to the ,christian ,scriptures4 ,no other so-called sacred books contain this feature4 ,it is not found in the ,vedas1 ,shasters1 or ,puranas of the ,hindus1 nor the ,zend ,avestas of the ,parsees1 nor the ,kojiki ,nohonki1 of the ,shintos of ,japan1 nor the law books of ,manu1 nor the ,koran of the ,mohammedans1 nor the ,kan-,ying-,peen or ,tao-,te-,king of the ,chinese1 nor the ,tripitakas of the ,buddhists4 ,the reason is obvious4 ,neither the minds of men nor of angels1 either good or bad1 can read the future4 ,divine omniscience alone can see the end from the beginning and foretell the great events that shall mark the history of the world1 and affect the interests of the church4 ,it is this that stamps the ,bible as divine1 and lifts it immeasurably above all other books4 ,it is indeed passing strange that all cannot see this4 ,instead of being a book that grows obsolete and out of date with the passing years1 like the productions of men1 it is the only book ever seen upon the earth which is ever abreast of the times in every age1 and lifts the veil of the future before him who honestly and reverently seeks its pages for a knowledge of the truth4 ,those who ignore or despise the prophecies1 rob the ,bible of one of the brightest stars in its crown of glory4 ,to be entitled to claim credit as divine1 any book or system should be able to show that it can correctly foretell the future4 ,the spirits see this1 and1 knowing that they cannot do it1 discountenance and discourage all such efforts4 ,here is a little of their teaching on the subject3-- 8,ques4--,why are so many predictions made through mediums1 which prove false8 8,ans4--,wonderful guesses are sometimes made by daring spirits4 8,q4--,can you tell us anything of the future8 8,a4--,pharos says you must not ask questions of the future--spirits who prophesy are not good spirits4 8,q4--,do you mean that it is not best for us to know the future8 8,a4--,souls on your plane are undergoing discipline1 and it would cost more than it is worth to foretell the future of your state40--8,automatic ,writing10 pp4 #ada1 #adb4 ,spiritualists rail at ,god for prohibiting from ,adam and ,eve1 in the garden1 the tree of the knowledge of good and evil1 to keep them in ignorance4 ,what will they say to these spirits who coolly answer that 8it would cost more than it is worth0 to give them any knowledge of future events8 ,this1 perhaps1 they will consider all right because it isn't ,god who says it4 #a4 ,let us then see what ,god has said of the time and work and significance of ,spiritualism4 ,over seven hundred years before ,christ1 the prophet ,isaiah wrote of our time1 as follows3 8,and when they shall say unto you1 ,seek unto them that have familiar spirits1 and unto wizards that peep and that mutter1 should not a people seek unto their ,god8 for the living to the dead8 ,to the law and to the testimony2 if they speak not according to this word1 it is because there is no light in them40 ,here is certainly a prophecy that a time would come when just such a work as ,spiritualism is now doing would be a distinguishing feature of the age4 ,the present must be the time referred to1 because it has never been so in any past age2 and the present meets the specifications in every particular4 ,it shows that the only safety for any one now is to seek unto his ,god1 and make the law and the testimony1 the word of ,god1 the great standard by which to try all spirits4 #a ,john #d3a4 ,and another great event is directly connected with this1 that is1 the second coming of ,christ2 for according to verses #af-ah1 the disciples are then looking for him4 #b4 ,matt4 #bd3bd3 8,for there shall arise false ,christs1 and false prophets1 and shall show great signs and wonders2 insomuch that1 if it were possible1 they shall deceive the very elect40 ,a deception of no ordinary power is here brought to view4 ,it really results in the division of ,christendom2 for all but the elect are carried away by it4 ,in its own claims1 ,spiritualism fulfils the 8,christs0 and 8prophets0 part of the declaration1 claiming of course to be true1 while the ,bible says it is 8false40 ,the signs and wonders are beginning to be seen in the many 8inexplicable0 phenomena attending ,spiritualism4 ,but many more startling exhibitions1 as will be presently shown1 are yet to appear4 ,we charge upon ,spiritualism1 so far1 the fulfilment of this prophecy4 ,but mark6 this occurs when the ,son of man is about to appear 8as the lightning cometh out of the east1 and shineth even unto the west0 7verse #bg72 and it is one of the prominent signs of that event4 ,see the prophecy from verse #bc to verse #ce4 ,mark and ,luke also dwell upon the same prediction1 as gathered from the lips of our ,lord himself4 #c4 ,heb4 #aj3bh1 #bi3 8,he that despised ,moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses4 ,of how much sorer punishment1 suppose ye1 shall he be thought worthy1 who hath trodden under foot the ,son of ,god1 and hath counted the blood of the covenant1 wherewith he was sanctified1 an unholy thing1 and hath done despite unto the ,spirit of grace80 ,it is the bold stand which ,spiritualism has taken against ,christ and the atonement1 that makes this scripture applicable to that work4 ,the apostle is speaking of the times when the great 8day is approaching0 7verse #be72 when it is but a little while1 and he that shall come1 will come and will not tarry 7verse #cg71 and the introduction of verse #bi1 in such a connection1 becomes a prophecy that such an outbreak against ,christ and his atoning work would be seen when he is about to come again4 ,and the fulfilment we are now beholding in ,spiritualism4 #d4 ,rev4 #ab3ab3 8,woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea6 for the devil is come down unto you1 having great wrath1 because he knoweth that he hath but a short time40 ,this scripture locates itself4 ,it is when ,satan knows that he has but a little time to work1 and hence it must be in the last days4 ,at this time he descends upon the world in an avalanche of wrath4 8,wrath0 is a misleading term4 ,the words signify the strongest and most intense emotion of the mind4 ,if the object is to accomplish some particular end1 they would indicate the most intense1 concentrated1 energetic1 and persistent efforts to that purpose1 using every means1 and bringing to bear every influence to reach the result in question4 ,satan1 as we have seen1 has an object in deceiving the human family1 as far as possible1 to their destruction1 by signs and wonders4 ,in this work1 according to the prophecy before us1 he will go to the extent of his power1 and show his most potent signs4 ,bringing the supposed forms and features of the dead before living witnesses1 is his most successful method at the present time4 ,but as this work is1 as yet1 done largely in the dark1 it gives more room for jugglery and imposition4 ,the time will come1 however1 when1 in open light1 counterfeit materializations of the dead will swarm on earth1 and deceive1 if it were possible1 the very elect--i4e41 all who cannot meet the deception with the potent weapon--8,it is written1 ,the dead know not anything1 neither have they any more a portion forever in the present state of things in anything that is done under the sun40 #e4 ,rev4 #ac3ac1 #ad3 8,and he doeth great wonders1 so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men1 and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do40 ,this prophecy relates to some earthly government represented by a symbol with two horns like a lamb4 ,verse #aa4 ,it is part of a prophecy beginning with chapter twelve1 and ending with verse #e of chapter fourteen4 ,it is not the place here to introduce an exposition of this prophecy4 ,it is only necessary to state that the position taken is that the lamblike symbol represents our own government1 the ,united ,states of ,america47#d7 ,and the great wonders that he does1 apply to the marvelous manifestations of ,spiritualism4 ,it is a significant fact that ,spiritualism arose in this country1 thus fitting itself exactly to the prophecy4 ,the climax of the wonders brought to view in the text1 making 8fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men10 has not yet been reached4 ,more is therefore to be developed4 ,yea1 this wonder-working power is to go forward till that which1 in the time of ,elijah1 was the test between the false god ,baal and the ,lord ,jehovah1 is brought to pass1 and fire is made to come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men4 ,and the sad feature of this case will be that the multitudes1 not perceiving the change of issue1 will take the act down here to be a test of truth1 as it was in the days of ,elijah4 ,taken in connection with other portions of the book of ,revelation1 this prophecy reveals clearly what the agency that works the miracles is4 ,the dragon1 representing paganism 7,rev4 #ab3c1 #d72 the beast1 representing the papacy 7,rev4 #ac3a-aj72 and the lamblike symbol1 representing ,protestantism1 or more specifically1 ,protestant ,america 7,rev4 #ac3aa-ag71 constitute the symbols of this prophecy4 ,for convenience1 let us designate them as ,a1 ,b1 and ,c2 respectively4 ,c works his miracles in sight of ,b2 ,b and ,c are again brought to view in ,rev4 #ai3bj1 and there ,c is called 8the false prophet40 ,we know the false prophet here is the same as ,c1 because he works miracles before ,b1 the same as ,c does in chapter #ac3ad4 ,all together1 ,a1 ,b1 and ,c are brought to view in ,rev4 #af3ac1 and unclean spirits like frogs are said to come out of their mouths2 and then verse #ad tells what they are3 8,for they are spirits of devils1 working miracles40 ,this1 then1 not the spirits of dead men1 is the agency that works the miracles of chapter #ac3ac1 #ad4 ,we follow the subject so far1 at this point1 merely to identify the agency that works the miracles1 and shall have more to say upon it4 ,but before passing1 we would remind the reader that here also the subject is connected with the second coming of ,christ2 for the prophecy of ,revelation #ac ends with the redemption of the church which immediately follows4 ,rev4 #ad3a-e4 #f4 #b ,thess4 #b3i-ab3 8,even him1 whose coming is after the working of ,satan1 with all power and signs and lying wonders1 and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish2 because they received not the love of the truth1 that they might be saved4 ,and for this cause ,god shall send them strong delusion1 that they should believe a lie3 that they all might be damned who believed not the truth1 but had pleasure in unrighteousness40 ,here1 again1 we have the great fact brought out with still more startling emphasis1 that there is to be a great outbreaking of ,satanic power among men1 just before and up to1 the coming of ,christ4 ,and if we already see the preliminary and even far-advanced working of this power in ,spiritualism1 the world should stand aghast at the perils of the times in which we live4 ,the coming of ,christ is brought to view in verse #h1 and verse #i states that at that time ,satan will be working with all power4 ,the common version is calculated to obscure this passage4 ,the words 8even him0 7verse #i7 are wrongly and unnecessarily supplied4 ,literally rendered1 the last clause of verse #h1 and the first of verse #i would read as follows3 8,whom the ,lord 444 shall destroy with the brightness of his ,christ's coming2 of whom ,christ the coming is1 after or at the time of the working of ,satan10 etc4 ,the word 8after0 is from1 the ,greek 7kata71 which when referring to time1 as in this case1 does not mean 8after or according to10 but 8within the range of1 during1 in the course of1 at1 about10 as in #b ,tim4 #d3a1 where it is rendered 8at40 ,so here is a plain declaration that at the very time when ,christ comes ,satan will be working in the hight of his power1 by signs and lying wonders 7wonders to prove a lie7 to keep the people under falsehood and deception4 ,verses #aj-ab tell who his victims are1 and why they become such3 they are those who preferred the pleasures of sin to the practice of righteousness1 and so would not receive the truth1 nor the love of it4 ,in all such cases ,god's throne is clear4 ,he always1 as in this case1 sets truth first before the people1 gives them a chance1 and calls upon them to embrace it1 and be saved4 ,but when men1 as free moral agents1 whom ,god will not force into his kingdom1 refuse to receive the truth1 shut their eyes1 close their ears1 and steel their hearts against it1 and find their pleasure in unrighteousness1 in going in just the opposite direction2--what can ,god do for them8 ,we leave the skeptic himself to answer4 ,for more years than ,spiritualism1 in its present phase1 has been before the world1 several religious bodies have made a specialty of the great ,bible truth concerning the state of the dead1 and life only in ,christ1 which effectually shields all those who receive it against the rapping delusion4 #g4 ,rev4 #ah3b3 8,and he cried mightily with a strong voice1 saying1 ,babylon the great is fallen1 is fallen1 and is become the habitation of devils1 and the hold of every foul spirit1 and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird40 ,among the many predictions given in the word of ,god touching the last days1 is one which foretokens a wide-spread and lamentable declension in the religious world4 ,the phrase which embodies it1 is the one just quoted1 8,babylon is fallen40 ,the term 8,babylon0 is not intended nor used as a term of reproach1 but rather as a descriptive word setting forth the very undesirable condition of 8mixture0 and 8confusion0 in the religious world4 ,it is certainly not the ,lord's will1 who prayed that all his people should be one1 that scores or hundreds of divisions and sects should exist within his church4 ,that is owing1 exclaims the ,catholic1 to the ,protestant rule of private judgment4 ,it is not4 ,it is owing to that ,pandora's box of mystical interpretation placed in the church by old ,origen1 that prince of mischief-makers4 ,by this method1 which has no method and no standard1 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 men4 ,but all this confusion must be remedied in that church which will be ready for the second advent2 for no people will be prepared for translation but such as worship the ,lord in both spirit and truth4 ,to bring the church to this point1 a call has been sent to ,christendom in the special truths for this time4 ,most turn away1 but some are taking the stand to which these circumstances summon them4 ,the process is simple4 ,it is but to read and obey ,god's word in the light of what is called the literal rule of interpretation4 ,no other rule would ever have been thought of1 if the ,devil had let the minds of men alone4 ,by this rule the true ,sabbath would always have been maintained a perfect safeguard against idolatry in the earth2 the law would have held its place as a perfect1 immutable1 and eternal rule of conduct1 a safeguard against the antinomianism of all ages and the ,spiritualism of to-day2 the view that the dead remain unconscious in the grave till the resurrection1 would always have been held1 and then there could have been no purgatory1 no masses for the dead1 no ,mariolatry1 no saint worship--in short1 no ,roman ,catholicism1 and no ,universalism1 nor ,spiritualism2 the true nature of the coming and kingdom of ,christ would not have been lost sight of1 and the peace and safety fable of a temporal millennium never could have existed4 ,to say nothing of other errors that would be corrected1 suppose all ,christendom stood together on these four simple truths1 how much division could there have been in the ,christian world8 ,a second denomination could not have existed4 ,and what would have been the condition of things8--,as different from the present condition as one can well imagine--no paganism1 no ,roman ,catholicism1 no ,protestantism1 no multiplied sects1 no ,spiritualism1--but ,christianity1 broad1 united1 free1 and glorious4 ,some are taking their stand on these truths1 and so will be shielded from the delusions of these last days1 for which the way1 by ages of superstition and error1 has been so artfully prepared4 ,every one must stand upon them who is governed by the literal rule of interpretation2 for they are read in so many words out of the sacred volume itself4 ,but the churches generally reject them1 often with bitterness1 scorn1 and contempt1 and some even with persecution4 ,and this is why ,babylon has fallen4 ,that organization1 called in ,rev4 #ag3e3 8,mystery1 ,babylon the ,great1 the ,mother of ,harlots and ,abominations of the ,earth10 has been very generally applied by ,protestants to the ,roman ,catholic ,church2 but if that church is the mother1 who are the daughters8 ,this question has been asked for many years4 ,alexander ,campbell said3-- 8,the worshiping establishments now in operation throughout ,christendom1 incased and cemented by their voluminous confessions of faith1 and their ecclesiastical constitutions1 are not churches of ,jesus ,christ1 but the legitimate daughters of that mother of harlots--the ,church of ,rome40 ,lorenzo ,dow said3-- 8,we read not only of ,babylon1 but of the whore of ,babylon1 styled the mother of harlots1 which is supposed to mean the ,romish church4 ,if she be a mother1 who are her daughters8 ,it must be the corrupt national established churches that came out of her40 ,the great sin charged against ,babylon1 is unlawful connection with the kings of the earth4 ,the church should be entirely free from the state4 ,but now the churches of ,america1 which have for long years borne so noble a part1 are clamoring for a union with the state1 calling for a recognition of ,god's name in the ,constitution1 and ,god's law in the courts1 and that the government be run on ,christian lines4 ,old1 antiquated laws which they find upon the statute books of various ,states1 they are beginning to use to persecute those who differ in belief with them2 and they seek for the enactment of more stringent ,sunday laws for the same purpose4 ,and when they shall succeed in getting full control of the state1 they will have severed the last link that has held them to their high estate1 show themselves true members of the ,babylonian family1 and sink in spirit and practice to the level of the elder ,rome4 ,rev4 #ad3h was fulfilled in #ahdd47e7 ,since then the churches have been going down in spirituality and godliness1 catering more and more to the world1 indulging in carnal amusements1 festivals1 wife auctions1 and kissing bees1 to the very border line of decency1 but especially filling up with the influences mentioned in ,rev4 #ah3b1 till the leaven of ,spiritualism is fast penetrating the whole mass4 ,yet there are a multitude of ,god's people connected with these churches1 who deplore the situation1 and for whom a crisis is approaching4 ,the cry is again to be raised1 8,babylon is fallen1 come out of her my people40 ,we verily believe the time has come when that call should be made and heeded2 for a little further progress in the evil path upon which we have entered1 will surely provoke the just judgments of heaven4 ,verses #d1 #e4 #h4 #b ,tim4 #c3h3 8,now as ,jannes and ,jambres withstood ,moses1 so do these also resist the truth3 men of corrupt minds1 reprobate concerning the faith40 ,the first five verses of this chapter portray a dark list of eighteen sins which will characterize professed ,christians in the last days2 for those who bear the characters described1 have a form of godliness1 but deny the power thereof4 ,the three following verses plainly describe certain members of the spiritualistic fraternity2 and they are said to be of the same sort4 ,this prophecy therefore becomes parallel to that which has just been examined4 ,the fall of ,babylon prepares the popular churches for ,spiritualism4 ,here the practice of these sins in the churches1 makes them of the same sort with ,spiritualists1 so that they fraternize well together4 ,jannes and ,jambres withstood ,moses by the wonders they were able to perform2 so these will resist the truth through the wonders of ,spiritualism4 ,and this is in the last days where we now are4 ,so ,babylon's fall just precedes the coming of ,christ4 #i4 ,rev4 #af3ad3 8,for they are the spirits of devils1 working miracles1 which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world1 to gather them to the battle of that great day of ,god ,almighty40 ,the work of the spirits reaches its climax in the scene here brought to view4 ,their last mission is to go to the kings of the earth to gather them to the battle of that great day of ,god ,almighty4 ,in this conflict1 so far as this earth is concerned1 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 heaven4 ,the beast and false prophet are hurled into a lake of fire1 and the remnant1 the kings of the earth and their armies1 are slain by the sword of him upon whose vesture is inscribed the all-conquering title1 8,king of kings and ,lord of lords40 ,rev4 #ai3aa-ba4 ,but before these spirits can thus influence the kings of the earth1 they must make their way to them and bring them under their control4 ,they have already shown great facility in this work1 giving promise of what they will be able to do in the near future4 ,a work by ,hudson ,tuttle1 8,what ,is ,spiritualism80 p4 #f1 names the following among the late and living crowned heads1 nobility1 etc41 who have been supporters of ,spiritualism3-- 8,emperor ,alexander1 of ,russia2 ,louis ,napoleon1 of ,france2 ,queen ,victoria1 of ,england2 ,prince and ,princess ,metternich2 ,prince ,wittgenstein1 ,lieutenant ,aide-de-camp to the emperor of ,russia2 ,hon4 ,alexander ,axahof1 ,russian ,imperial ,councilor1 ,st4 ,petersburg1 ,russia2 ,baron ,guldenstuble1 of ,paris2 ,baron ,von ,schick1 of ,austria2 ,baron ,von ,dirkinck1 of ,holmfield1 ,holstein2 ,le ,comte de ,bullet1 of ,paris2 ,duke of ,leuchtenberg1 of ,germany4 ,of ,england there are ,lord ,lyndhurst1 ,lord ,lindsay1 ,lord ,adare1 ,lord ,dunraven1 ,sir ,w4 ,trevilyan1 ,countess ,carthness1 ,sir ,t4 ,willshire1 ,lady ,cowper1 ,sir ,charles ,napier1 ,sir ,charles ,isham1 ,bart41 ,colonel ,e4 ,b4 ,wilbraham1 of the ,english army10 etc4 ,the late ,alexander ,,iii1 of ,russia1 and the queen of ,spain are also reckoned among the number4 ,thus1 so far as the agency of the spirits is concerned1 there is nothing in the way of the speedy fulfilment of ,rev4 #af3ad4 ,,conclusion4 ,the reader now has before him1 in brief1 the main outlines of this momentous subject4 #a4 ,spiritualism1 so far as its phenomena are concerned1 is not humbug and trickery1 but a real manifestation of power and intelligence4 #b4 ,but the marvels and wonders are not performed by the spirits of the dead4 #c4 ,evil spirits step in and counterfeit what are supposed to be the spirits of the dead1 in which men have been taught to believe1 simulating points of identity to any minute particular that may be required4 #d4 ,besides starting on this false assumption1 all their teaching shows that they are agents of evil1 not of good1 and their work is to degrade1 not elevate4 #e4 ,the world by long resistance of the truth1 has prepared the way for this deception1 which the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience is not slow to improve4 #f4 ,even the churches of ,christ1 by rejection of the truth1 are preparing themselves for the same snare4 #g4 ,the ,scriptures have plainly pointed out this great outbreak of the working of ,satan1 and invariably connected it with the last days and the second coming of ,christ4 #h4 ,spiritualism is thus a subject of prophecy1 and an infallible sign and precursor of the soon-coming end4 #i4 ,the great day of the ,lord is near and hasteth greatly2 and all things now call upon all men to prepare for its eternal decisions4 ,is this the lesson8 ,who will heed it and thus escape the delusions and perils of these last days1 and be finally saved in the kingdom of heaven8 ,,index ,,of ,,authors ,,referred ,,to4 ,alexander1 ,emperor1 #adf ,axahof1 ,hon4 ,alexander1 #adf ,adare1 ,lord1 #adf ,alexander ,,iii41 #adf ,bellachini1 ,mr41 #ad ,barrett1 ,dr4 ,w4 ,f41 #ae ,bright1 ,john1 #cj ,buddha1 #hf1 #hg1 #hh ,brittan1 ,professor1 #aaa ,brooklyn1 ,may1 #abh ,channing1 ,dr41 #d ,cook1 ,joseph1 #ab ,crookes1 ,professor1 #ag ,crookes1 ,wm41 ,f4 ,r4 ,s41 #bi ,clarke1 ,dr4 ,adam1 #ej1 #ef1 #ia1 #ib ,carey1 ,alice1 #gh ,confucius1 #hf1 #hh ,conant1 ,mrs41 #ij1 #aai ,curry1 ,dr41 #ef1 #ib ,claflin1 ,mr41 #aji ,carter1 ,judge1 #aac ,campbell1 ,alexander1 #adc ,carthness1 ,countess1 #adf ,cowper1 ,lady1 #adf ,dixon1 ,hepworth1 #bh ,davis1 ,a4 ,j41 #bi1 #ig1 #ajj1 #aje1 #aab1 #aad1 #aah ,davenport1 ,messrs41 #bi ,dow1 ,lorenzo1 #adc ,dunraven1 ,lord1 #adf ,de ,bullet1 ,le ,compte1 #adf ,eglinton1 ,mr41 #ac ,edmunds1 ,judge1 #bh1 #aag1 #aah ,fox1 ,john ,d41 #ah ,fox1 ,mrs41 #ah1 #ai1 #bj1 #ba ,fox1 ,margaret1 #ah1 #bj1 #bb ,fox1 ,kate1 #ah1 #ai1 #bj ,fox1 ,david1 #ah ,fox1 ,mary1 #ba ,fox1 ,catharine1 #bb ,franklin1 ,benjamin1 #he ,geary1 ,mr41 #ac ,glanvil1 ,mr41 #bj ,gridley1 ,dr41 #aad1 #aae ,guldenstuble1 ,baron1 #adf ,hazard1 ,thos4 ,r41 #aa ,harrison1 ,w4 ,h41 ,f4 ,r4 ,s41 #bi ,home1 ,mr41 #bi ,hendricks1 ,mrs41 #ca ,hatch1 ,mrs4 ,c4 ,l4 ,v41 #hc1 #ajf ,hare1 ,dr41 #hd1 #he1 #hi1 #ib1 #ii ,harris1 8,rev40 ,t4 ,l41 #id ,hall1 ,hon4 ,j4 ,b41 #aja ,hatch1 ,dr41 #ajf ,hudson1 ,t4 ,j41 #ag1 #eg1 #gd1 #aji1 #aaa ,hull1 ,moses1 #aji ,hobart1 ,mr41 #abb ,isham1 ,sir ,charles1 #adf ,jamieson1 ,w4 ,f41 #aji1 #aac ,jaubert1 ,m41 #abf ,keller1 ,harvy1 #ac ,krishna1 #hg ,keck1 ,professor1 #abg ,lillie1 ,j4 ,t41 #ba ,loveland1 ,j4 ,s41 #ig ,lull1 ,miss ,a4 ,l41 #abe ,lillie1 ,mrs4 ,r4 ,s41 #abg ,leuchtenberg1 ,duke1 #adf ,lyndhurst1 ,lord1 #adf ,lindsay1 ,lord1 #adf ,mompesson1 ,mr41 #bj ,milton1 ,john1 #dj ,mohammed1 #hg1 #hh ,massey1 ,gerald1 #aad ,mahan1 ,pres41 #aba ,metternich1 ,prince1 #adf ,metternich1 ,princess1 #adf ,norton1 ,deacon ,john1 #hi ,napoleon1 ,louis1 #adf ,napier1 ,sir ,charles1 #adf ,owen1 ,robert ,dale1 #ah1 #ai ,olshausen1 ,dr41 #ef ,orton1 ,mr41 #hd ,origen1 #ada ,putnam1 ,allen1 #ge ,paine1 ,thomas1 #he1 #hg ,potter1 ,dr4 ,william ,b41 #ajg ,parker1 ,theodore1 #aad ,queen of ,spain1 #adf ,redfield1 ,mrs41 #ba ,randolph1 ,dr4 ,b4 ,p41 #ajd1 #aje1 #aab1 #abh ,richmond1 ,mrs4 ,cora ,l4 ,v41 #abf ,slade1 ,mr41 #ad ,savage1 ,m4 ,j41 #ae1 #bb1 #bd1 #be1 #cb ,stead1 ,w4 ,t41 #ca ,stanford1 ,leland1 #ca ,tiffany1 ,joel1 #ij ,tuttle1 ,hudson1 #aac1 #aaf1 #adf ,trevilyan1 ,sir ,w41 #adf ,underhill1 ,leah ,fox1 #ba ,underwood1 ,mrs4 ,s4 ,a41 #bf1 #hj1 #abc ,vinet1 ,dr41 #e ,victoria1 ,queen1 #adf ,von ,schick1 ,baron1 #adf ,von ,dirkinck1 ,baron1 #adf ,wesley1 ,mr41 #bj ,wood1 ,rev4 ,j4 ,g41 #bf ,wallace1 ,alfred ,r4 ,f4 ,r4 ,s41 #bi1 #cj ,weisse1 ,dr41 #hd ,washington1 ,george1 #he1 #aad ,wilson1 ,r4 ,p41 #hh ,whitney1 ,j4 ,f41 #aje ,woodhull1 ,mrs41 #aji ,wilson1 ,james ,victor1 #aab1 #aac ,webster1 ,professor1 #aah ,watson1 ,dr41 #abe ,wittgenstein1 ,prince1 #adf ,willshire1 ,sir ,t41 #adf ,wilbraham1 ,col4 ,e4 ,b41 #adf ,zllner1 ,professor1 #ab1 #ac ,zoroaster1 #fh1 #hh ,,index ,,of ,,books1 ,,papers1 ,,etc41 ,,quoted4 ,automatic or ,spirit ,writing1 #ae1 #bf1 #hj1 #hf1 #ih1 #aaa1 #aai1 #abj1 #aba1 #abc1 #abd1 #acc ,arena1 ,the1 #ae ,astounding ,facts from the ,spirit ,world1 #aad ,banner of ,light1 #ba1 #gh1 #gi1 #hc1 #hd1 #hf1 #hi1 #ij1 #ig1 #aja1 #aai1 #abc1 #abe1 #abf1 #abg ,christian at ,work1 ,the1 #bi1 #cj ,chronicle1 ,san ,francisco #bi ,century ,dictionary1 #ce ,christian ,reformer1 ,the1 #abi ,declaration of ,principles of the ,spiritualists1 #ajb1 #abe ,dealings with the ,dead1 #ajd1 #aab1 #abc ,death and the ,after ,life1 #aah ,discussion with ,tiffany and ,rhen1 #aba ,forum1 ,the1 #af1 #bb ,footfalls on the ,boundary of ,another ,world1 #ah ,fortnightly ,review1 #bi1 #cj ,home ,circle1 #ad ,healing of the ,nations1 #if1 #ig1 #ii1 #ajb ,herald1 ,boston1 #acj ,kojiki ,nohonki1 #acb ,koran1 #acb ,kan-,ying-,peen1 #acb ,law of ,physic ,phenomena1 #ag1 #eg1 #gd1 #aji1 #aaa ,life in ,two ,spheres1 #aac1 #aaf ,law ,books of ,manu1 #acb ,mesmerism1 ,spiritualism1 ,witchcraft1 and ,miracles1 #ge ,north ,american1 ,philadelphia1 #aa ,nineteenth ,century ,miracles1 #ac1 #abf ,nature of ,divine ,revelation1 #ig ,paradise ,lost1 #dj ,pathfinder1 ,new ,york1 #aje ,purana1 #acb ,quarterly ,journal of ,science1 #bi ,religio-,philosophical ,journal1 #ad1 #bh1 #hj1 #abe ,report of the #cgth ,anniversary of ,modern ,spiritualism1 #ba ,review of ,reviews1 #ca ,record1 ,philadelphia1 #abh ,spiritual ,clarion1 #ad ,spiritual ,telegraph1 #hc1 #if1 #abb ,spiritual ,science ,demonstrated1 #hi1 #ib ,spiritualism as ,it ,is1 #ajg1 #ajh1 #abc ,spiritualism #aah ,shaster1 #acb ,the ,border ,land1 #ca ,treatise on ,christian ,doctrine1 #dj ,truth ,seeker1 #hc ,telegraphic ,answer to ,mahan1 #aaa ,the ,diakka and their ,earthly ,victims1 #aab1 #aac ,tribune1 ,chicago1 #abh1 #abi ,tao-,te-,king1 #acb ,tripitaka1 #acb ,veda1 #acb ,world1 ,new ,york1 #cj ,what ,is ,spiritualism1 #adf ,zend ,avesta1 #acb ,,index ,,of ,,texts ,,of ,,scripture ,,illustrated ,,or ,,explained4 ,,genesis4 #a3a-e1 #ic #a3bh1 #fh #b3b1 #df #b3g1 #de #c3d1 #ci #d3aj1 #eb #g3ba1 #bb1 #de #ce3ah1 #fa ,,leviticus4 #ai3ca1 #cf1 #ec ,,numbers4 #af3bb1 #dh1 #ej #bg3af1 #ej ,,deuteronomy4 #ac3a-c1 #e1 #gg #ah3i-ab1 #cf #a ,,samuel4 ,chap4 #bh1 #eb1 #ec #a ,,kings4 #d3a1 #gc #ag3ba1 #bb1 #fa #b ,,kings4 #ai3ce1 #gb #ba3b1 #f1 #i1 #aa1 #cf ,,job4 #g3ba1 #fb #ad3ba1 #fc #ai3be-bg1 #ic #cd3 #ad1 #ae1 #de ,,psalms4 #f3e1 #fc #ac3c1 #fb #ag3ae1 #ic #aae3ag1 #fc #aai3aje1 #aca #adf3c1 #d1 #fb ,,ecclesiastes4 #c3ai1 #ba1 #de #h3aa1 #aja #i3e1 #f1 #aj1 #dc #ab3g1 #dd1 #de ,,isaiah4 #e3bj1 #aja #h3ai1 #gd #h3ai1 #bj1 #ge1 #acc #ad3ab-ad1 #fg #bf3ai1 #ic #ch3a1 #e1 #ah1 #ai1 #fc #fa3a1 #ej ,,ezekiel4 #ah3bj1 #ig #bh31 #fg #bh3b1 #ab-ae1 #fh #cg3ab1 #ic ,,daniel4 #aa3b1 #ic ,,hosea4 #ac3ad1 #ic ,,habakkuk4 #b3aa1 #eb ,,matthew4 #aj3bh1 #ej1 #ea1 #eb #aj3ci1 #ea #ae3ac1 #i #ag3c1 #ef #bb3bc-bh1 #cb1 #fa #bd3bc-ce1 #ace #bd3bd1 #hc1 #acd #bd3cj1 #ca1 #eh #be3cb1 #cc1 #ig #bg3ah1 #he #bh3c1 #d1 #gb ,,luke4 #aj3ah1 #ga #ad3ad1 #fd #af31 #eg #ai3ce1 #fd #bc3ci-dc1 #eh1 #ei ,,john4 #c3f1 #df #c3ai-ba1 #aji #f3ci1dj1 #fd #f3dj1 #ea #h3dd1 #fg #aa3aa1 #fb #aa3be1 #ee #ad3cj1 #fh #ai3ca-cc1 #fj #bj3ag1 #ei ,,acts4 #g3fj1 #fb #af3af-ah1 #cf #ag3ca1 #fd #bf3bc1 #eg ,,romans4 #b3ae1 #ie #d3ag1 #fa #f3af1 #fh #f3bc1 #ig #a ,,corinthians4 #aa3cj1 #fb #ae31 #ib #ae3ah1 #fd #ae3ea1 #fb #ae3ea-ed1 #fa #b ,,corinthians4 #d3d1 #fh #e3b1 #fa #ab3b-d1 #ei ,,galatians4 #e3ai-ba1 #cf ,,ephesians4 #b3b1 #fh #f3aa1 #gb #f3ab1 #gc ,,philippians4 #c3aa1 #fa #a3bc1 #fa #a ,,thessalonians4 #d3ad1 #fb #d3ae-ag1 #eh1 #fa #e3bc1 #dh #b ,,thessalonians4 #b3h1i1 #aci #b3i-ab1 #ach #a ,,timothy4 #a3ag1 #db #c3f1 #fg #d3a1 #gc1 #hh #f3af #db #b ,,timothy4 #c3h1 #add #d3a1 #h1 #fd #d3a1 #aj-ab1 #aci ,,hebrews4 #b3ad1 #ee #aj3be-bi1 #ace #aa3ae1 #af1 #fa #aa3dj1 #dh #ab3i1 #bc1 #ej #ab3bc1 #dg1 #ej ,,james4 #d3f-h1 #gb #a ,,peter4 #a3aa1 #di #c3ai1 #dh #c3bj1 #di #e3h1 #i1 #gc #b ,,peter4 #a3af-ah1 #ef #a3ai1 #aca #b3d1 #ff1 #gb #c3g1 #ac1 #gb #a ,,john4 #b3bb1 #hg #b3bc1 #hc #d3a1 #af-ah1 #acd #d3c1 #hh #e3ah1 #gb ,,jude4 ,verse #d1 #hh #f1 #ff #i1 #ee ,,revelation4 #b3g1 #ei #e3ac1 #gb #f3i-aa1 #eb #ab3c1 #d1 #acg #ab3g1 #ga #ab3ab1 #ace #ac3a-aj1 #acg #ac3aa1 #ac1 #ad1 #acf #ac3aa-ag1 #ach #ad3a-e1 #ach #ad3h1 #add #af3ac1 #ad1 #ge1 #ach #af3ad1 #ade1 #adf #ag3e1 #adb #ah3b1 #adj #ah3b1 #d1 #e1 #add #ai3aa-ba1 #ade #ai3bj1 #ach #bj3d-f1 #ea #bj3ad1 #ae1 #gb #ba3h1 #cf1 #ic #bb3a1 #b1 #ei #bb3ae1 #ic ,,footnotes #a ,original edition4 #b ,original edition4 ,not found in the mutilated edition1 revised by ,dr4 ,curry4 #c ,the revision of ,dr4 ,clarke's ,commentary by ,dr4 ,curry1 proves the truthfulness of what the doctor here says1 for this important passage is entirely eliminated1 and its place filled with statements which ,dr4 ,clarke did not make1 and sentiments which he did not believe4 ,it is no less than a crime to treat a dead man's work in this manner4 #d ,for a full argument on this point1 fortified by testimony1 the application of which is beyond question1 see works treating on the ,united ,states as a subject of prophecy1 for sale by the ,international ,tract ,society1 ,battle ,creek1 ,mich4 #e ,see works on the three messages of ,revelation #ad1 for sale by the ,international ,tract ,society1 ,battle ,creek1 ,mich4