DEMONIACAL POSSESSION

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 26, 1892

DEMONIACAL POSSESSION.

In speaking of those who characterize the demoniacal possession in the time of Christ as mere disease, Rev. Dr. S. P. Sprecher, of Cleveland, O., says in a sermon preached on Mark 5:1-20, and reported in the Cleveland Plaindealer of October 17:—

Jesus Christ believed in these possessions. He does not in this case merely use popular language without committing himself to the popular belief. Neither does he use a word which has changed in meaning. This is sometimes done. . . . But this is not the way Christ speaks of these possessions. He addresses the evil spirits and commands them to come forth. He speaks of demoniacs not as persons insane, but as enthralled by evil spirits. He addresses the evil spirit as distinct from the man.

And more than all this testimony God's word has declared that such manifestations will constitute one of the workings of the last days. See 1 Tim. 4:1-3; Rev. 16:13, 14; Isa. 8:19, 20. We see the fulfillment of this in part in Modern Spiritualism.

He further says, after quoting from James Freeman Clarke, and also from Mr. Huxley, who declares that such a belief is not unscientific:—

But men like Mr. Clarke who are among the most intelligent and learned believe that such possessions even now take place. With all the light of modern science about them they believe that they have met with cases which cannot be explained without assuming possessions of evil spirits.