Spiritualism and Fiction

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 7, 1909

Spiritualism and Fiction

THERE is such an appetite now for anything which deals with the occult that writers of fiction are beginning to exploit Spiritualism in some one of its varied phases. Referring to what is described as “the advance of the novelist into the shadow world of Spiritualism,” the Independent gives expression to its views thus:—

It is to be hoped that such phenomena as Mr. Garland describes, will find their proper place in fiction, if they must be exploited at all, and that his theories may never be widely tested in real life. For, when the time comes in which any man of good or evil intentions can develop in himself enough of this psychic force to say to the Flat-Iron Building, “Go and fall into the sea!” and she goeth, we shall have something worse than anarchy with which to contend. And this is the logic of Mr. Garland’s position. If a table can be made to move an inch without the use of physical force, simply by the will of a medium, by developing the same power the mountains may be made to skip like rams, and nothing that is will be lasting, or beyond the awful power of mind to destroy.

It is perfectly evident that the way is being rapidly prepared for Spiritualism to act its part in the closing days of the controversy between Christ and Satan. Only those who are enlightened by the teachings of the Scriptures upon this subject will escape the great deception.