p. 24 | Spiritualism by John Byington

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 1, 1856

Spiritualism.

By John Byington

BRO. SMITH:—We should not be ignorant of the devices of the enemy in these last days. A man who was a school-mate with me in Vermont—a man of good natural and acquired abilities, and has been a Methodist preacher for twenty years, called on me, saying he had left his family in Wisconsin, going out as Abram did, not knowing whither he went. By conversing with him a little, I soon found he was a modern Spiritualist. He said the Bible as a whole was not a revelation from God. Paul wrote much from his own tradition and not from revelation. He thought the second coming of Christ took place about the time modern Spiritualism commenced, and we have had all the second coming of Christ we shall ever have. He thought men were not to blame for doing as they did, for they did not know any better, but a greater light or a new dispensation was being given them. I found he had become so wise by conversing with the spirits, it was in vain to present Bible truth to him.

How are the mighty fallen! Never was there a time when close watching was more necessary than the present. The Devil's agents are awake to their work, and up and doing. It is time we all awake. The dreadful day draws near. John Byington.

P. S. The gentleman above referred to was a great tobacco eater, and was asked if the spirits had taught him it was wrong to use it. He replied the spirits had told him it was right for him to use tobacco. He said the mansions the Saviour was going to prepare were spiritual circles, and he was in the sixth circle. J. B.