In view of the testimonies already given, (which are not one hundredth part of what might be given,) we are constrained to believe that the manifestations are caused by spirits. It is not possible to believe that so many men of distinguished intelligence, judgment and apparent candor, could be deceived by a mere cheat, or trick, and then engage with such ardor to deceive others. These manifestations have endured the closest scrutiny, and most thorough investigation, and yet what is called, the cause of Spiritualism is advancing more and still more rapidly. Those who can, under such circumstances, receive the testimony of those who cry 'Humbug,' 'trickery,' &c., are more to be charged with credulity, than the most ardent Spiritualist.
The question now arises, what kind of spirits are these? Are they what they profess to be, namely, the spirits of the dead? We answer, they are not; and give the following reasons:
(1) They profess to be commissioned by God to visit this world to communicate instruction for the benefit of mankind. That this is not so is evident from the fact that God has forbidden necromancy in his word. Deut. xviii, 11; Isa. viii, 19. And admitting that the dead know a thousand times more than the living, it is certain that God does not commission them to come to this world to lead men to break the divine command.
(2) They cannot be spirits of the dead, because the Bible teaches that the dead have not knowledge. 'For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.' Eccl. ix, 5, 6.
Says David: 'Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee.' Ps. cxix, 175. Why David! Cannot your soul praise God when separated from the body, and you are dead and buried? Let him answer: 'The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.' Ps. cxv, 17.
These manifestations cannot be from the Spirit of God, neither can they be good angels, ministering unto certain ones, from the fact that they profess to be something else; and the Spirit of God and good angels will tell the truth. Then what are they? We answer: they are lying spirits, the messengers of the father of lies. The fact that they are very numerous is no objection to this view.—The unclean spirit that was cast out of the man from among the tombs, by our Lord, answered, 'My name is legion; for we are many.' Mark v, 1-13. That the Devil has angels or messengers to go at his bidding, and carry out his purposes is evident from the following texts: 'And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day.' Jude, verse 6.
'And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.—And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.' Matt. xii, 7-9. 'Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his angels.' Matt. xxv, 41. Now when these spirits visit individuals, professing to be the spirit of Paul, Peter, John or James; of the Patriarchs, Prophets; Dr. Franklin, Washington, Paine, Calhoun, or some dear friend, or perhaps a lovely infant recently buried, they come with a lie in their mouths. It is no such thing! Behold the deception! Job says of the dead: 'His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.' Job xiv, 21. These spirits testify that they know all about the condition of the living. Now if the testimony of the patient man of God, of old, be true, are not these spirits liars?
Solomon says of the dead: 'Neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.' Eccl. ix, 6. But these spirits, in many cases, act a very conspicuous part in what is done under the sun. They rap, write, play on musical instruments, and move chairs, tables, &c. Then these spirits do lie abominably in saying they are the spirits of the dead. With the word of God to sustain us, we fearlessly make this charge against the whole race of these invisible demons.
David in speaking of man says: 'His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.' Ps. cxlvi, 4. Here are three inspired witnesses perfectly agreeing in their testimonies that the dead have not knowledge.—Therefore, the testimony of these rapping and writing spirits, in regard to themselves, is false, and the reader must allow us to call them lying spirits.
They say one great object of their manifestations, is, to convince the world of the immortality of the soul, that all men have immortality. But the Bible plainly teaches that immortality, or, eternal life, (which is the same thing,) is the gift of God through Jesus Christ, and, consequently, conditional. 'The wages of sin is death; But the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.' Rom. vi, 23. 'Who will render to every man according to his deeds; to them who by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, and honor, and immortality; eternal life.' Rom. ii, 6, 7. Certainly, God does not require man to seek for immortality, if all men now possess it!
Paul says to Timothy: 'Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and the only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who only hath immortality, &c. 1 Tim. vi, 15, 16.—
These spirits teach that all men possess immortality; but St. Paul teaches that it is possessed by the King of kings and Lord of lords only; and that Christ has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel; [2 Tim. i, 10.] and that it is to be put on at the sound of the last trump, at the second appearing of Christ. 1 Cor. xv, 52-54.