Untitled article by Uriah Smith

Publishing Committee · Rochester, N. Y. · Sep 27, 1853

By their fruits ye shall know them.

By Uriah Smith

THESE were the words of our Saviour to his disciples, warning them to beware of false prophets which should come to them in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly were ravening wolves. It places in our hands at once a criterion by which we may try the doctrines of men to see of what manner of spirit they are. By this each false theory becomes its own detecter. By their fruits ye shall know them, is the immutable decree of Heaven, and men cannot evade it. Grapes will not grow on thorns, nor figs on thistles; the fruits will speak for themselves and no artifice of man can make them lie.

If there ever was an age of the world in which people had need to make use of this criterion and search for truth as for hid treasures, it seems to be the present, when we are assailed on all sides by the superstitions of men, seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. To illustrate our subject we introduce a specimen of the fruits of spiritualism. It is an extract from an article in the Spiritual Telegraph for Aug. 13th, 1853, entitled, Wrestling with a Spirit. It says:—

“At another time several friends had come together to witness the strange power that seemed to be at work at the house of Brother J. A. While the rapping was going on, one of the company denounced the whole thing, said he did not believe it was Spirits, or if it was, they could not rap and move tables, etc.—And he defied and dared the Spirits, saying he could throw down or whip any Spirit. The Doctor then inquired of the Spirit that was rapping at the time if he could wrestle; he said he could. The Spirit was then asked if he was willing to wrestle and show fight with that gentleman; he said he was. The brave man then told the Spirit to follow him out into the yard, and started; all the circle rising from the table, when it commenced moving toward the man, rose from the floor and hit him several hard blows before he reached the door, which hastened his steps; and as he passed out, the table, or rather stand, was thrown at him, only missing him a little, striking the door facing about midway, denting and scarring the facing, bursting off the top of the stand, breaking the legs, splitting the upright post, leaving indentations as though bullets and shot had been fired into it, the medium not touching it, only following close after, and out into the yard, where the spirit-fighter had arrived unhurt.

But now commenced a new struggle: he began striking, jumping as though he was contending with flesh and blood, manifesting all the signs of determined bravery, and to fight it out to the last. He was several times thrown hard on the ground, then struggled and re-gained his feet, and down he would come again. This mode of testing the invisibles continued until the Spirit’s adversary was sorely wounded, and worried out of breath and physical strength. He finally re-gained his foot-hold and made a hasty retreat into the house up a flight of stairs, taking to himself a private room, closing the door after him, ‘declaring that he never wanted to fight Spirits any more, and that if they let him alone he would let them alone;’ the Spirit not pursuing a fleeing foe, for I presume they are too noble for that. Thus ended the contest between a man in the flesh and one out of it.”

By this we are reminded of an occurrence which took place in the days of the apostles, recorded in Acts xix, 13–16. “Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was, leaped on them, and over-came them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”

It is universally admitted that like agents produce like results; hence, like spirits will do like works; and if the spirits, which, in the days of the apostles, would leap on men, and overcome them and oblige them to flee naked and wounded, were evil, as Luke (who was the writer of the Acts) plainly declares, it follows that those who will do the same works in the nineteenth century are no less evil. By their fruits, says Christ ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Matt. vii, 15, 16, 19. It is a natural and reasonable conclusion, that those who would “show fight” in the days of Paul, and those who will do so at the present time, belong to the same class.

Said the spirit, Jesus I know and Paul I know; but who are ye? It appears then that the spirits will know with whom they have to deal; and herein lies our safety: that we possess enough of the power and spirit of God to be able to resist their influence.—Here is the promise: “And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; . . . and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Mark xvi, 17, 18.

At this age when the world is fast being drawn in to the great whirlpool of spiritualism, when Satan is working with all power and lying wonders, we do well to take heed to the Apostle’s warning: “Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness (margin, wicked spirits) in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Eph. vi, 10,-13.

Then can we say as did the seventy whom Jesus sent out, when they returned with joy, saying, “Lord even the devils are subject unto us through thy name;” though in this we are commanded not to rejoice, but rather rejoice that our names are written in heaven.

Rochester, N. Y., Sept. 19th, 1853. U. S.