SPIRITUALISM AND THE FUTURE ANTI-CHRIST.
Rationalism and Socialism are ripening the world for a climax. Recent writers assure us that in Protestant Germany "reason proudly sits in the chair of faith, and the natural powers of man are ended with the attributes of Divinity." What does this point to but the elevation or pantheising of our race? "Ye are as gods," says Satan, as preparatory to placing one man above every god. What more common than to hear such expressions as the following: "The divine ideality of man;" "the exploded idea of God;" "the coming new development;" "the higher theology of the future;" "Christianity is doomed," etc.? It is perhaps no wonder that, taking advantage of such sentiments as these, a well-known writer in the Westminster Review should recently have asserted that Spiritualism, or the "new revelation," is the only religion of the future. This brings us to the consideration of this last sign of the times, as it affects the question of unfulfilled prophecy. The apostle distinctly mentions that at the close of the age, or dispensation, there shall be a revival of what in all ages of the world has been termed necromancy, or dealing with familiar spirits. "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils," or teachings of demons. (1 Tim. 4). The fact cannot be too distinctly insisted upon, that Spiritualism contains in itself the germ of the antichristian system. The slow and stealthy strides by which it has crept into the world have been the ruin of thousands; and if to-day the "new delusion" counts its votaries by tens of thousands, we have only ourselves to blame. Rightly or wrongly, the majority of people have hitherto mocked and underrated its claims to attention. The future antichrist will arise on the world as the apostle of progress—the prophet of humanity; he will appeal to all classes and to all religions. Moreover, it is probable that a distracted and chaotic world will be found ripe and ready to bow down to its claims and worship him as the Saviour of mankind. For this supreme moment Satan has apparently been long preparing. The Spiritualists boldly assert that, in the "coming regeneration," the present state of society, and all existing creeds and religions, will be swept away by a personage whom they call the "Comforter," who is shortly to appear in order to heal the wounds of our afflicted race. A Spiritualistic medium, speaking under supernatural, or rather infranatural, influences said:— "There will be great and astounding manifestations within the next few years; innumerable sorrows are in reserve for earth's inhabitants; but beyond is the prospect of a brighter day, when among the blessings the least shall be communion with the spirits of the pure and the good. Some years will pass before a great change; but another century will not commence before this great change will be wrought. I may not reveal more now. The spirit manifestations will astound the world. Day after day spirits continually watch the progress of the new light—then will the great day of jubilee come, and all the sorrows of the past be done away. These things presage the coming of a glorious future—the coming of a 'new Messiah.'" (!) The reason why the religious world has been so slow to recognize the fearful nature and origin of modern Spiritualism is because the phenomena have been kept, for the most part, confined to certain strict and select circles. In this may be seen the manifest finger of the Evil One. Under cover of silly and profane phenomena (table-turnings, rapping, levitations, and the like), this last—and most accursed—delusion has been foisted on mankind. It has silently but surely crept into the remotest villages and hamlets; and there is not a considerable town in this country where the "cause," as it is termed, has not its adherents, its circles, and seance-chambers. Not long ago it was heard of in the Azores. We affirm that this hideous mockery of a new religion is gathering together its forces, unknown to the multitude, for a world-wide upheaval—a gigantic confederacy—the excesses and blasphemies of which what tongue can tell, what pen describe, but which will be an accompaniment of the latter-day great tribulation foretold in Daniel 12:1, and Matthew 24:21, to be associated with the second advent of Christ and the millennium.—Christian Herald.