LET THEM LAUGH by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 20, 1888

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 14, No. 16.

LET THEM LAUGH.

By Editor

FROM a Spiritualist we have received a series of questions, which he evidently thinks cannot be answered without scattering to the four winds our recent articles on Spiritualism. First, he wants to know how it is that in forty years Spiritualism has made so many converts, while comparatively few accept the doctrine of our Lord's soon coming. This is easily answered. It is because the human heart naturally loves error. Ever since our first parents listened to Satan's great lie, "Thou shalt not surely die," error has been courted, while truth has had to fight its way to recognition. Says Bacon: "In general let every student of nature take this as a rule, that whatever his mind seizes and dwells upon with particular satisfaction is to be held in suspicion." The heart of man is naturally the spring of evil thoughts, and of vice, and so he is predisposed to error; if he learns to love truth, it is because some influence or power outside of himself has been brought to bear upon him. The argument that we ought to do or believe a certain thing because others do, is well adapted to sheep, which go in flocks, the hindmost following blindly whichever way the current sets; but men should "not follow a multitude to do evil."

He asks, "Did you ever investigate Spiritualism? or are you too timid?" etc. Yes, we have fully investigated Spiritualism. We claim that we know more of its nature and tendency than any Spiritualist who lives. But we are too timid to venture into it. We submit that the man who stands at the mouth of a dark cave and views its interior by the aid of an electric light, whose bright rays he causes to be reflected into it, is in a position to know more of it than the one who stumbles into it without any light. Having examined Spiritualism by the light of God's word, we are too timid to venture near it. The wolf may twit the lamb with cowardice for not coming to examine his teeth and nails; but all will agree that timidity in such a case is wisdom. We know the nature and effects of arsenic; we know that it is a deadly poison, although we were never poisoned with it.

Again, "If your Jesus is a delusion, where do you stand?" We reply, Nowhere. We are free to confess that without Jesus we are nothing. That is why we pity Spiritualists, who reject Christ. He will not fail us, and we have no fear. The implied idea that we should cast off our faith in Christ, simply because if he were not a reality our faith would be vain, and we should be lost, is most absurd. There is a man walking across the Brooklyn bridge. If that bridge should fall, what would become of him? Why, he would be killed. Suppose the bridge upon which he is walking were not a bridge at all, but were only a streak of fog, what then? Why, then of course he could not walk upon it. But because he couldn't walk there if the bridge were not there, shall he refuse to walk on the solid bridge which is there? Shall he refuse to stand upon its firm structure, because he couldn't stand upon it if it were not in existence? What nonsense! So we shall not be frightened from "the everlasting arms," because someone cries that we should fall into perdition if they were not there. That is just why we stay in that secure place; it is the only place of safety.

Finally, we are told that if we would lay aside our opposition to Spiritualism, we "would not run any risk to become the laughing stock for over two millions of converts to Spiritualism." No doubt. But we are perfectly content to be laughed at by Spiritualists, whether they be two million or two hundred million. "It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool; this also is vanity." Eccl. 7:5, 6. We would rather have their laughter than their commendation. w.