Orthodox Spiritualism

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 24, 1908

Orthodox Spiritualism

THE pastor of the leading Methodist church in Washington, D. C., has been delivering a series of sermons on the “All-Surrounding Spirit World.” While declaring, “We have no sympathy with modern Spiritualism,” referring thereby to spirit-rappings, materializations, spiritualistic photography, etc., this pastor really admits the essential principles of Spiritualism; namely, the conscious existence of the soul as an entity separate from the body, and the ability of such disembodied spirits to communicate with those in the flesh. His words are these:—

While we no more believe in modern Spiritualism than do we believe in necromancy or astrology or in the impostures of the old-time divination, yet we hold the Bible doctrine that our world is incasedin a spirit-world, and that the two worlds so mingle that life in the one interpenetrates life in the other. Our world is the thoroughfare of the spirits of the departed. We can see no reason why we who are yet embodied may not be visited in helpful ways by those who have passed out into the larger life. “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” Their faces now and then may break through the mists; their voices now and then may whisper across the border to give us cheer and courage. Such a belief is grounded in the Bible.

It is only by the utter perversion of the Scriptures that they can be made to countenance any such teaching as this, and no better example of such a perversion is needed than in the application of the text quoted, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” which, as the connection plainly shows (Heb. 1:13, 14), applies to angels, and not to the spirits of dead persons. Such discourses as this pastor is preaching constitute the most effective teaching of spiritualism.