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The Coming of Satan

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International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 2, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 34.

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The Coming of Satan.

By B. R. Nordyke

THAT Satan has power to transform himself into “an angel of light” is shown by Paul in 2 Cor. 11: 14. And the apostle also warns us to beware of any other gospel than the word of God. In Gal. 1: 8, he says: “But though we, or an angel from Heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”
The editor of this “avant-courier of the new spiritual dispensation,” the World’s Advance-Thought, April 5, 1886, comments editorially upon the question of “A Coming Messiah,” as follows:—
“In a recent Harmony Hall lecture on ‘The Messianic Idea,’ the necessity for a new messiah, and the certainty of his early advent, were philosophically considered, as well as prophetically proclaimed.
“The messianic idea is involved in the theory that all the phenomena of spiritual manifestations, however diverse and widely separated, may be referred to a single mediumistic source of distribution. . . . The time has already come for logically arranging the authenticated facts which shall demonstrate it.
“The mere suggestion of the idea that through one medium the spiritual lights and forces may be transmitted that control the destinies of a world, or worlds, as a great city may be illuminated by lights transmitted from one central point, will lead to new channels of thought on the subject; and many, and especially a certain class of mediums, will scout and ridicule it; but I will venture the opinion that the controlling intelligences of the greatest of the inspirational speakers will, when questioned in regard to it, either indorse it as true, or relegate it back to mortals for further consideration on their part—which would be to say, in effect, ‘It is true, but we do not deem it expedient to unqualifiedly tell you so now.’
“Apply the test, my friends. The unanimity of the immortals’ answers may thrill the world with the promise of a new messiah.
“There are regular cycles of spiritual progress, of truth unfoldments; and we are now passing from one into another. Another ‘Sun of Righteousness’ is called for on earth, and the messenger cannot be far off whose life mission it shall be to practically illustrate the new truths that will be vouchsafed. He will not be a more racial messiah, to which class belonged Buddha, Zoroaster, Pythagoras, and Mahomet; nor a half-world messiah, as was the great Nazarene; but steam locomotion and lightning communication, and the harmonizing influences of commercial intercourse, have made a whole-world messiah possible, and such the next one shall be. Though themselves ignorant of the fact, as a body, the great and multiplying army of mediums are his avant-couriers.
“Why have not our inspirational mediums told us this before?’ you will ask. I answer, because you would have received the answer from their lips, as you now do from mine, with incredulity; and then, in the general course of spiritual education it has not heretofore been necessary to make the fact known.
“Do you not understand that to fail to grasp the messianic idea is to be blind to the fact disclosed all along the line of modern spiritual manifestations, that a designing intelligence is behind all the external evidences of immortality that you have received—that all would be anarchy and confusion without a unity of direction somewhere?”
Judge H. A. Maguire, in a lecture delivered in Harmony Hall, Salem, Oregon, is reported thus:—
“I say, ‘as one having authority,’ Spiritualists, and all, may see a hope, that shall be a realization to this very generation, of the higher spiritual forces getting control over and governing all the institutions of earth. Silently and invisibly to the worldly-wise, these forces have been, and are being, under the direction of a divine intelligence, extended into every department and station of human life, and the culmination is near at hand,—the ushering in of a new messiah and a new spiritual dispensation.
“These mystical batteries of Spiritual power, to which all material forces are subordinate, have been planted in all the strongholds of injustice and ignorance on the face of the earth, and the time cometh on apace when they will pour forth their regenerative energies like rivers of consuming fire. Then hypocrisy will be unmasked in the temples of worship; injustice and corruption will be banished from the councils of State, and the children of men will enjoy such meeds of peace and happiness as they never knew before. This is the voice of living prophecy, as true as ever fell from lips of prophets in olden times.
“In this enlightened age, when woman’s influence is felt co-equally with man’s in all the relations of life, as many female spirits appear as male ones. The coming messiah will represent the liberal spirit of the age, and be a positive assurance of more important advances in the future. The central jewel of his crown royal shall be the star of progress.
“What do you think, here let me ask, of the ancient oracles, which were patronized by the wisest and greatest of the olden times? That their influence was powerful over the destinies of individuals and nations, and that it was maintained through ages of time, is a well-authenticated historical fact; and it comes down to us as a mystery, which, like the Bible mysteries, can only be solved by Modern Spiritualism. Mediums were the priests and priestesses who made temples sacred and famed as sources of inspirational knowledge in the past ages. That almost every word and action of the life of Socrates was advised by his guardian spirit is so well established that to deny the fact is equivalent to denying his very existence. A reliable ancient historian records that Cæsar’s ghost twice appeared to Brutus—first at Sardis, and then on the field of Philippi. Human history outside the Bible dispensations is filled with such examples. Mahomet wrote the Koran automatically, when he was in conditions of trance, and his mind was illuminated by spiritual influx.”
The editor of the World’s Advance-Thought seems to consider that his paper is the special “forerunner” of what we believe to be his Satanic majesty, and that the Pacific Coast will be the first to receive a knowledge of the so-called “spiritual truth.” He says:—
“Oregon is one of the few countries of this earth that was acquired to civilization through peaceful diplomacy; and that is one of the great reasons that the magnetic conditions are peculiarly favorable for transmitting the light of the new spiritual dispensation from Oregon.”
“Intelligent design is impressed on all God’s works. All the messiahs of the past that we know of through history and its traditions, made their advent in localities near the center of the population of all that was known of the world by the people among whom they appeared. The regions along the Mediterranean have given birth to many messiahs, and for the reason that from localities thereabout the light could be radiated into the three continents of Europe, Asia, and Africa. The Pacific Coast of North America is now the most available region for the dissemination of spiritual truths.”
Now is the time for Christians to heed the admonition of Jesus found in Matt. 24: 4, 24–27: “Take heed that no man deceive you.” “For there shall arise false christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth; behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”
And the angel in Rev. 18: 23, says: “For by their sorceries were all nations deceived.” Rev. 16: 14 tells us plainly who these sorcerers are: “For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles;” and they are to “go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world.” And again, Rev. 13: 13, 14 says, that “he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do.”
And Paul says of it:—
“Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
B. R. NORDYKE.