p. 6 | SPREAD OF SPIRITUALISM

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 10, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 10.

SPREAD OF SPIRITUALISM.

That there is much humbug in the world called Spiritualism we verily believe; but that all the phenomena connected with it is not mere sleight-of-hand, we as truly believe. The genuine superhuman phenomena show a superior intelligence and power behind the scenes. The frauds are oftentimes equally effective not only in luring from the truth of God to a terrible delusion, unstable souls that believe the fraud to be genuine, but in prejudicing the minds of the skeptical to a belief in the supernatural.

But the coming of this very work of Spiritualism is a matter of prophetic and divine assurance. It includes more than Spiritualism. The same basic principles of Modern Spiritualism are found in various forms of occultism, in Buddhism, in Theosophy, in Christian Science, etc., isms which exalt the creature and deny the Creator; which claim faith, yet deny the faith of Jesus.

That there are many noble men and women involved in these theories, theories exotic, neurotic, and chaotic, we know. They have unwisely and unsubmissively sought light and cosmos, but found darkness and chaos. They are deceived. The overpowering evidence of mysticism and sensuousness, in absence of the knowledge of the truth, is too much for many, and they yield.

The Word of God recognizes two classes of spiritual beings. There are, first, the holy angels, created before man, God’s ministering spirits, the number of whom is “innumerable.” These are not the spirits or souls of those who have died; for they existed before man was created. Second, evil spirits, or angels. Some of the original, untried, heavenly host of angels “kept not their first estate,” but were cast down to Tartarus. These are the devils, or demons of Scripture, the angels of Satan. Here are some passages of the Word of God concerning their work in the earth, and especially in the last days:—

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils [demons].” 1 Tim. 4:1.

“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.” Matt. 24:24.

“And 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.” Rev. 13:13, 14.

“And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils [demons], working miracles; which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I [Jesus] come as a thief.” Rev. 16:13–15.

Satan’s delusive workings and our great reason of deception are thus set forth:—

“Whose [Christ’s] 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.” 2 Thess. 2:9–12.

The kings and rulers and great men of the Orient are worshipers of demons in the worship of their false gods and their offerings for the dead. Those who hold to the invocation and intercession of saints are essentially Spiritualists, and Modern Spiritualism is counting its great men among the nations of the earth by the hundreds. An instance of this follows.

One of the noted mediums of Europe at the present time is an ignorant, illiterate Italian woman, Eusapia Paladino by name. She has astonished such scientists as “Lombroso, Schiaparelli, Charles Richet, the Count de Rochas, M. Dariex, and a great number of other scientists,” who have made her a “subject of study under various conditions,” we are told by the eminent astronomer, Camille Flammarion. Mr. Flammarion himself also, on July 27, 1897, he records in the Arena for December last, “had the great satisfaction of being able to observe personally, and under the strictest test conditions, this same medium.” Mr. Flammarion declares that he had studied for thirty years the notorious mediums of the world, such as Daniel Home, Slade, Buguet, Lacroix, and “many others.” But in these investigations “as a general thing” he “had been completely disappointed.”

Among the manifestations at the seance with the Paladino woman, Mr. Flammarion notes among others the following:—

The lifting of a table from no apparent cause, in full light, during which time it was photographed.

The movement of a tripod stand to the table without contact with any visible thing. The stand even attempted climbing upon the table, exerting elastic force when resisted.

Blows were struck as of a mallet, and a spoon was lifted without contact.

Many sensations of being touched were experienced, especially by Mr. Flammarion.

Objects passed between the observers and a red lamp which burned in the room.

Paper was snatched from the table, and a pencil tossed onto the floor.

A small music box was played, and a guitar moved above the heads of the party, giving forth sound.

Putty was placed on the table, heavy blows were heard as of a mallet, and a profile of a face was found in the putty.

Of these manifestations, Mr. Flammarion says:—

It is absolutely certain that the producing cause was outside her.

Of some of them he declares:—

The chances are ninety-one in a hundred that they were genuine.

As to the explanation which this scientist gives, we quote from his article:—

1. Is it the medium herself who acts unconsciously by means of an invisible force emanating from her?

2. Is it an intelligent cause, other than herself, a being who has already lived on this earth, who draws from the medium a force which such being needs in order to act?

3. Is it a member of another order of invisible beings? For nothing warrants us in denying that other invisible beings may exist in our midst. . . .

Of the three above-proposed hypotheses, the first is that which I favor, so far at least as concerns the present seance. It must not be assumed, however, that I reject the other two. We are here on the threshold of a new and utterly unknown world. I choose the most simple hypothesis; but it is nothing more than an hypothesis. . . .

The third hypothesis, of invisible living beings in our midst, is equally defensible. . . .

To sum up, and begging the reader to excuse the length of this article, I believe we can go a little further than M. Schiaparelli, and affirm the undoubted existence of unknown forces capable of moving matter and of counteracting the action of gravity.

But Messrs. Flammarion and Schiaparelli, and all others, may know the underlying facts, not hypotheses, of the phenomena if they will go to the Word of God. They will there find that the unseen forces are not dead persons (for “the dead know not anything”), but spirits of malefic demons, sent out to delude and to destroy souls. Seek them not for the truth. “Should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living should they seek unto the dead?” Isa. 8:19, R.V.