TO THE LAW AND TO THE TESTIMONY.
By Augusta Moore
THE following article, prefaced by the editorial note printed in brackets, appeared in the New York Evangelist of November 3:— [The recent disclosures of Mrs. Kane, one of the original "Fox Girls," here in New York, give interest to the views expressed by our correspondent, whether the reader accords with them or not. That they have much scriptural support, no student of the sacred volume can deny.—ED. Evangelist.] That Sadducees and the sort of Christians who try to explain away all that is supernatural in the Holy Scriptures, should take the ground that there is not, and cannot be, anything supernatural in the manifestations of Spiritualism, and even that all who truly believe they have held communication with, and seen, the spirits of the departed, are insane, is not strange; but that those who believe the Bible statements of things should hold to such a position, is strange indeed. The Scripture view of this matter is that demons did possess human beings, and that they will again in the last days. When every feature of the old demonology is reproduced in modern Spiritualism (besides many added features), why not accept the most simple and probable view regarding it? Perhaps the chief reason may be that faith in a real, personal Satan, is almost dead. But our Lord believed in him; so did the apostles; so did the single-hearted and devoted Christians of the present day. He does not like to have people believe in him. One of his "wiles" is to hide himself from the mind of man. Thus he can the more easily influence him; for of a Satan in21whom he does not believe, a man will not "beware." The apostles frequently besought Christians to guard against Satan's wiles. They were not "ignorant of his devices," as people now are. But he is still "prince of this world," "power of the air," and "the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience," whether we believe it or not. Our Lord never intimated that Satan claimed more than (by deposing man, and taking his place in the dominion of earth) he possessed, when he promised to give him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. In the days of Pharaoh there was one form of possession; in the days of Christ, another. Among the heathen, now, is found what our missionaries believe to be demoniacal possession. For this age of intellect and comparative refinement, the gross forms of spiritism would not do; therefore Satan adapts his management to "the spirit of the times." "Spiritism" is his last card. The longings of bereaved human hearts seem to be met by it, and the instinctive curiosity of the mind regarding the invisible world is fed, if not satisfied, thereby. Satan knows much of the invisible world, and far more than we do of this world. He can tell the truth, though he is the father of lies, and he does tell it when he can make it the means of gaining the confidence of people, so that they will then swallow his lies. The "manifestations" of the god of this world having amazed and comforted the mourner, he turns more and more to the power that lifts the veil from that which God, for wise purposes, has hidden, and generally he ends by discarding the Bible as behind the age, and trusting wholly to the "miracles" of Satan and his demons, who personate his dead friends. Why should anyone who believes the Bible doubt that spiritism is demonism? In what way could Satan lure more victims into his net? The wholesale denial of any possible manifestation from the other world, the ridicule of all belief in such things, that even among Christians has, since the Salem witchcraft time, been growing and growing, have not resulted well in all cases. Edward Bickersteth, in his "Principalities and Powers in Heavenly Places," wrote, in 1842: "Looking at the signs of the times, and the long neglect and unnatural denial of all angelic ministration, or spiritual influence, and at the express predictions of false Christs and false prophets, who shall show signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they should deceive the very elect; and that when men receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved, for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they may believe a lie; I cannot but think there is a painful prospect of a sudden recoil from the present unbelief and misbelief to an unnatural and undistinguishing credulity, when antichrist shall appear in his latest form, 'with signs and lying wonders.'" "Antichrist!" And is not that just what the spiritism that has so overrun the earth is? "Against Christ" it is indeed, though some of its followers make maudlin professions of love to him, even while they are living in "the larger liberty of free love." I would I did not know this to be true. I wish the churches held no such persons. Men may cry, "Trickery! only the 'insane' ever see spirits," and such like; but they are not "wise," and they will thus save no soul. Trickery and fraud undoubtedly there are in spiritism, as well as in other real things. Was there ever imitation of what was not? Would the New Testament warn men of unclean demons, possessing miracle-working power, who were to "go forth" under the sixth vial, if they were but myths and fables? Verily, "we shall do well to measure, so far as we can, the extent of that power which is coming against us." There are witnesses to these manifestations who are true as man can be, who are sane as man can be; they are men of good sense and good judgment, and in no way inferior to those who discredit them. Their testimony would be taken in any court of justice. They are men in all walks of life; men of science and learning, doctors, ministers, judges; men of prudent, business minds, discerning, hard to delude—not all spiritists, but all feeling satisfied that some power beyond human produces the phenomena which they see, hear, and feel. Now if all these persons have been "tricked" into believing that all the manifestations they have witnessed, not only in "circles" and "seances," but in their own homes, where there was no one to cheat them, why, then, this is the greatest wonder of all. One of the noblest men I ever knew, generous, faithful, and hard-headed—a business man who had once rejoiced in the Christian's hope—was led away by the wonders that we all knew were real. But he would not be guided by what the word of God said regarding them—and he is dead. Oh, if the people were but faithfully taught and trained in the clear and simple truth of Scripture regarding this fell delusion sweeping over the whole earth!—Augusta Moore.