Pharaoh's Quandery

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Feb 7, 1884

Pharaoh's Quandery.

It seems quite probable that Pharoah might have listened to the message of Moses with some degree of interest, when he saw the miracles which were wrought, had not the magicians, with their enchantments, counterfeited the miracles, and thus strengthened the king in his opposition to the word of the Lord. The miracles were given on purpose to convince both Pharaoh and the children of Israel of the divine mission of Moses. But when "the magicians did so with their enchantments," there was power against power, miracle against miracle, and of course Pharaoh chose the side and accepted the miracles which left him free to gratify his own selfish feelings.

Paul makes use of this circumstance to point out the dangers of "the last days," in 2 Tim. 3. "Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth." The magicians might have talked, have argued, and persuaded, but they would probably have had but little influence without the miracles. If they were convincing when wrought by Moses, were they not equally convincing when wrought by the magicians?

The magicians had almost everything on their side favorable to success. Pharaoh not only did not know the Lord, but it was as greatly against his interest as his inclination to let the people go. Israel was a source of wealth to Egypt. They were many, and their unpaid labor was not lightly to be given up. It is not difficult to see that Pharaoh would gladly hail any evidence which would fortify him against the message delivered by Moses.

And so it is in the last days—the days where Paul locates the work of those who imitate Jannes and Jambres in resisting the truth. Our Saviour himself speaks of the same facts, and locates them in the same times. Just preceding his second coming, false Christs and false prophets shall arise, and they shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect: Matt. 24. Here, again, we see that it is not in their speeches, their arguments, but in their signs and wonders that the power of their deception lies. And again in Rev. 13 and 14, in a prophecy which includes the appearing of the Son of man to reap the harvest of the earth; a prophecy of a power which is represented by a beast having two horns like a lamb, it is said: "And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by those miracles which he had power to do." In every case the strength of the deception is laid in the miracles. Compare 2 Thess. 2.

We have no doubt that the great bulk of the deceptive signs and wonders of these last days is found in Spiritualism. Nor have we any doubt that many pretended mediums have been exposed, who affected a power which they did not possess. But even this serves the purpose of the arch deceiver, because it throws thousands off their guard, and leads them to believe that it is all a pretentious, but really harmless, humbug, calculated to deceive only the ignorant and credulous. By this means a great many are induced to slight the evidence of its power and nature, and thus the deception is allowed to work and prosper with little opposition.

But they should consider that many have been convinced who were neither ignorant nor credulous. We may name such men as Doctors Hare and Crookes, who were convinced only after long and thorough experimenting. And scores of others, able and patient in their investigations, might be classed with them. Gov. Tallmadge, Judge Edmonds, and many scores of that class, were never converted to the tenets of Spiritualism except by the evidence of an unseen and unknown power. Rev. A. D. Mayo, in a sermon, indorsed Spiritualism as the means of teaching great and needed truth. He said:—

"I look upon the alliance of this movement with mesmerism as accidental and temporary. The tipping tables and rattling wainscots will, in good time, be left with other prodigies, in the hands of curious men of scientific leisure for experiment; but this great cry of the popular heart after a rational faith in immortality will shiver numberless churches, and burst the bonds of many a man now enfolded in materialism or petrified into theological marble. We shall learn out of it what it means in the nineteenth century to believe in the immortality of the soul."

The editor of the Spiritual Age better understood the relation of table-tipping, etc., to this new theory—he knew that from such a diversity of views as is taught by the spirits, it would be impossible to reduce a system that any reasoning mind could embrace, and that all Spiritualists confidently and necessarily appeal to the evidence of physical power as the groundwork of their theory. The editor remarked:—

"In discussing the subject of Spiritualism, the able author takes very comprehensive views of its developments and ultimate uses, regarding it as a 'great cry of the popular heart after a rational faith in immortality.' He seems, however, to have overlooked the fact that this rapping, 'tipping of tables, and rattling of wainscots,' is fast reducing our faith in immortality, hitherto but conjectural, to a scientific verity, and thus constituting it that 'rational faith' which the popular heart of the nineteenth century demands."

By reference to the reports of the committees appointed to examine the Fox girls, and to inquire into the causes of the rappings, as well as to the experience of Gov. Tallmadge and others, it will be seen that Spiritualism arose and spread, not by the influence of the truths taught, but by the air of "mystery" which was thrown around it; solely by the evidence that the "raps" were not produced by the mediums. The editor is doubtless right. By these alone their faith is reduced to a verity. The same is clearly shown by a writer in the Spiritual Clarion, as follows:—

"Old skeptics who had stood the battery of a thousand pulpits, have surrendered at the tipping of a spirit hand on their unconscious tables. . . . . The little pine wainscot that shook the air in a small room in Rochester has echoed to the ends of the earth, and shakes old creeds like the judgment thunders."

To show the effect which these manifestations of power have on the mind, we will instance a case which came under our observation. It relates to the subject of this article. A young lady, the daughter of a man who had many years labored as a Christian minister, was healed by a medium of a disease of long standing. Of course she was an ardent Spiritualist. We tried to reason with her that the manifestation of power was no evidence of the correct position of the one through whom the power was manifested. We referred to the cases of the magicians of Egypt, the sorcerers in the days of Christ and the apostles, and to the prophecies of the Saviour, of Paul, and of John. We made the statement that our earnest inquiry should be as to the origin of the power manifested. She deliberately replied that if we proved it was of the devil, it would only increase her respect for the devil; and that she owed greater gratitude to, as being more benefited by, the devil than God. All this shows that the people are captivated by signs and powers, and by a supposed benefit received, and are led thereby to entirely overlook the fact that to God we owe our "life, and breath, and all things."

In one respect Dr. Mayo was right. Table tipping and rapping have measurably ceased; but not because the "popular heart" does not demand demonstration of the power of Spiritualism, but writing and materializing have largely taken their places. They who would not be convinced by the moving of material substances without mortal contact, yield at once to a sight of what they believe to be their lost friends.

But Spiritualism does not stand alone in the working of these deceptions. They are not all wrought in open opposition to the word of God. Mormonism grew up because of the strength of the same deception; because of its claims to the possession and exercise of "the gifts of the Spirit." They will ask, By what authority do we deny their claim? We answer, By the authority of his word who said, By their fruits ye shall know them. If the fruit is corrupt, the tree cannot be good. We follow Mormonism under Smith, Rigdon, and their associates, from Kirtland to Nauvoo, and examine their work in Missouri and Iowa, and follow their successors from Nauvoo to Salt Lake, and always and in every place the fruit is the same, corrupt, evil, and only evil. Tens of thousands joined themselves to Mormonism who were always displeased with the things which they saw, but which they supposed were accidental and unnecessary attendants upon the system, being attracted by the claim of "the power of healing," etc. They did not understand, or they overlooked the revealed truth that the gifts of the Spirit were given "for the perfecting of the saints," and where this effect was not produced the gifts were spurious, counterfeits, no matter what might be the claim or profession.

If any wish to understand what is the fruit of the gifts in the hands of the leaders of Mormonism, let them examine the management of the "Bank of Kirtland," and kindred transactions in Northeastern Ohio; the exercise of municipal authority in Nauvoo; the effect of polygamy upon society in Utah; the administration of Government in the city and Territory; let them read the history of the "Mountain Meadows Massacre," and like transactions. The claim of Mormonism to the gifts of the Spirit of God is as empty and hollow as that of Spiritualism put forth by Gov. Tallmadge and others.

The truth is that they who have the Spirit of God never go around boasting of their gifts and graces. As was once said by a Methodist minister of Ohio, "Humility is a good grace, but it does not look well on stilts!" We find people now-a-days, even among Protestants, who proclaim their own holiness and exalted sanctity with all the assurance and self-complacency of the ancient Pharisees. Even in our own city we have known them to scatter cards advertising their prayers for the sick! And some are so short-sighted as to cry out as did the followers of Simon the sorcerer, "These men are the true power of God." They regard the fervor of their prayers, but do not consider that the assurance that God hears us is found in the fact that "we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight." 1 John 3:22.

James says: "Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another that ye may be healed." Jas. 5:14-16. We have unbounded confidence in the promise of God where people walk according to the divine direction. But we have no confidence in those who advertise their power of prayer, nor do we feel under any obligation to believe that God hears prayer where the spirit of confession is lacking. With all the warnings in the word of God we must discriminate between the true and the false; between the genuine and the counterfeit.

God has abundantly shown by his prophets the position which his people must occupy in the last days. "The commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus," is their rallying cry. Rev. 14:9-12. When people come to us professing holiness, and speak slightingly of the law of God, we class them with Spiritualists and unbelievers, and turn away from them as having the form of godliness but denying the power. With them the power is in the strength of their feeling. With us it is measured by the obedience of faith, not in making void the law through faith. Rom. 3:31. "This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments." "Let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth."