R. F. COTTRELL by Roswell F. Cottrell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 1, 1875

R. F. COTTRELL

By Roswell F. Cottrell

Spiritism.

In a recent discourse, H. W. Beecher is reported as saying in reference to a man who gave him encouraging words while a student at college, “He is dead now and hears me, and I thank him.” How appropriate just at that moment would have been three distinct knocks which might have been heard by all. But the demons, as well as men, let slip some favorable opportunities for making an impression. Perhaps they were careless, thinking all would go right, and there was no special need of exercising a guardian care.

Toward the close he said, “I do not wonder when the earthly part fades away that the spirit does sometimes catch a glance of the invisible. Children when dying hold out their hands to their mothers that have gone before, and mothers call upon their children. Like the bird that has hopped up from branch to branch until it has reached the top of the tree, it pours forth one song and springs into the far away; so a soul having scaled the hight of earthly communion, springs into the full companionship of God when life ceases.”

Where, in the Scriptures, is found a parallel to such language, if not in these words: “Ye shall not surely die;” but “ye shall be as gods”? Am I referred to Paul desiring to “depart and be with Christ”? The apostle did not teach that he should be immediately with Christ at his departure, but has told us plainly when the dead in Christ shall be with the Lord, namely; at the return of Christ and the resurrection of the dead. 1 Thess. 4:13-18. See also John. 14:1-3; 1 John 3:2; and 2 Tim. 4:6-8.

But the religious literature and funeral sermons of the present day are so full of such ideas as the above, that children imbibe from infancy this unscriptural and unreasonable doctrine concerning the dead, and regard their dead friends as guardian angels, and talk of their looking down from Heaven upon them and hearing their prayers. Why not, then, pray to them, as the Catholics to Mary and the saints, since they as gods can hear them? Perhaps some do. If the above report is correct, Mr. Beecher did publicly set the example of giving thanks to the dead, asserting his faith that they hear. Shall we not cease to wonder that the heathen had their groves and high places for the worship of Baalim?