Describing Mars by F.

Signs Publishing Co. · Melbourne, Victoria · Jun 28, 1920

FromAustraliasian Signs of the Times, Vol. 35, No. 26.

Describing Mars

By F.

SCIENTIFIC circles are much interested at the present time in the discussion of the possibility of communicating with the planet Mars. As we might expect, Spiritualism is claiming to be a great factor in the linking up of the planets, and spiritualistic journals are publishing extraordinary stories about the dwellers in other worlds. Shortly after the death of Professor Lowell, the celebrated astronomer, says Lieut.-Col. E. S. West in the Progressive Thinker, a “personality” spoke to him (through a medium) as follows:—

“Good evening. Lowell is my name. I told the world that I believed Mars was inhabited; now I know it is true. The man who was just trying to speak to you was a Martian. I am told that a number of spirits from Mars have visited the Earth.”

I then asked if he was able to understand what the spirit was saying, and he replied: “Yes; thought is the universal medium of communication in spirit life. This man has told me a great deal about the planet Mars.”

“Can you describe this spirit?” I asked, and he replied: “He is a very short, heavy-set man, a large head, and has been very muscular. He has dark, thick hair.”

I asked him to tell me what he had learned about the planet Mars. He said: “I am informed that it is more highly developed in every way than the Earth. Its people are very strong and healthy; most of them live to old age. They have little sickness, and few deaths from accident. There is a communal form of government. Everybody works. They are very industrious and happy. Electricity is used for lighting and some other purposes, but most of their power is derived from atomic and magnetic forces.”

“Have you visited Mars?” I asked.

“No, I have not. I am told that some have, but that it takes a long time for spirits of this world to understand the laws, and develop to the point where this would be possible.”

To the Bible student the above incident savours of the counterfeit and the deceptive, for not only would we expect the sinless inhabitants of other worlds to be free from all cares, sicknesses, and death, but we know for a surety that, whoever else was the speaker, it was not Professor Lowell. The eminent astronomer is dead, and if he knows not anything, if he has no part in anything that is done under the sun, if he has no memory (which is the Bible description of the dead),—then the message which purports to come from the professor comes from an impersonator.

By this very count, Spiritualism proves itself a mighty deception, one of the instrumentalities of the great deceiver, Satan.

He who would be faithful to Jehovah must abandon the idea that this great “ism” which is sweeping across the world is part of the great plan of salvation. F.