THE NATURE AND TENDENCY OF MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
By John Harvey Kellogg
THE subject of "Modern Spiritualism" has in a measure ceased to be a novelty; for, though it is an infant in years, in the few years of its existence it has grown to such an extent that very few, if any, can be ignorant of the fact of its existence, or even of the phenomena through which it has been developed, and by which it is sustained. The following testimony from a writer in the Spiritual Clarion in an article entitled "the Millennium of Spiritualism" is faithful in regard to the manner of its rise, and is also interesting as showing the feelings of its devotees. He says, "This revelation has been with a power, a might, that if divested of its almost universal benevolence had been a terror to the very soul; the hair of the very bravest had stood on end, and his chilled blood had crept back upon his heart, at the sights and sounds of its inexplicable phenomena.
"It comes with foretokening, with warning. It has been from the very first, its own best prophet, and step by step it has foretold the progress it would make. It comes, too, most triumphant. No faith before it ever took such a victorious stand, in its very infancy. It has swept like a hurricane of fire through the land, compelling faith from the baffled scoffer, and the most determined doubter." In giving a Bible view of Spiritualism it will be necessary to briefly notice the time and place of its rise, in order to perfectly identify it. Our main object, however, will be to point out its origin and tendency as shown by the word of God. In the prophecies, kingdoms or governments are symbolized by beasts. The four universal governments which have existed since the days of Nebuchadnezzar, viz., Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome, were represented by a lion, bear, leopard, and a dreadful and terrible beast, in Dan. vii. Compare chapters ii, and vii, and notice particularly chap. ii, 38-40; v, 28, 31; viii, 20, 21; Luke ii, 1. In Rev. xiii, 1-8 is given the description of a beast, having the characteristics of all the beasts of Dan. vii, showing clearly that it occupies the same dominion of the four monarchies of Daniel's vision, and is the last form of the Roman Empire, under Papal rule, commencing A. D. 538. Another beast is described in Rev. xiii, 11-17, which we think is a symbol of the government of the United States of America. The evidence that this symbol refers to the United States is given at length in works published in the Review and Herald Office, Battle Creek, Mich. To those who wish to examine the scripture we would offer the following suggestions on this subject: 1. It has two horns like a lamb, in contrast with the horns of the first beast which have crowns on them. 2. It speaks like a dragon. It is hypocritical, its practice being inconsistent with its profession. By referring to Dan. vii, we find that the Roman Catholic church is symbolized by a little horn diverse from the others; hence, an ecclesiastical power is symbolized by a horn. And we consider that the two horns are the civil and ecclesiastical powers of this nation. That hypocrisy has characterized both these powers from the very rise of this nation to the present time, we prove thus: (1.) While the government is professedly based on the principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the full and complete equality of all mankind, and their right by creation to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, it enslaves millions, depriving them of all these unalienable rights, and placing their lives in the hands of their owners: and this without any higher authority than their own selfishness, and against the dictates of humanity and of God's word. (2.) While it professes to grant perfect freedom in regard to religion, it virtually sustains, by recognizing, the observance of the first day of the week, and will not sustain the observance of the seventh day which God has sanctified and commanded us to keep, nor will it vindicate the rights of those who keep the fourth commandment of the Decalogue. Thus the Pennsylvania courts have decided that her stringent Sunday laws are not unconstitutional. (3.) While the churches of this land profess the most enlarged benevolence, and the purest Christianity, as bodies they have become accessories to the sin of slaveholding by fellowshiping it in their bodies, and apologizing for it before the world; and this to such an extent that Dr. Barnes' saying has become a proverb, that the American churches are the bulwarks of American slavery, and that there is no power out of the church that could sustain it one hour if it was not sustained in it. (4.) When the Puritans came to this country to avoid the persecution of the old world, their professed intention was to found a government without a king and a church, without a pope, thus ensuring to all, civil and religious liberty; but their acts were inconsistent with this profession, many of their laws being arbitrary and tyrannical: insomuch that they bitterly persecuted the Quakers and the Baptists. The State of Maryland afterward enacted laws against the Catholics. (5.) The churches have formed an alliance with the civil power, and receive government aid, and support, which is ensured to them by charters; by which charters they become political bodies, or parts of the government, and acknowledge their obligation to sustain the laws of the land, and often to such a length as to remind one of the declaration of the Jews when similarly situated, "We have no king but Cæsar." These points are sufficient to show the perfect fulfillment of this prophecy, though much more might be added. 3. He exercises all the power of the first beast. This cannot mean that its jurisdiction extends over the same dominion, for they exist cotemporaneously. The two-horned beast works before, or in the sight of the first beast, and causes the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast. It must therefore signify that the power exercised by the two is the same in kind. That which characterized the first beast from all that preceded it in an especial manner was that its ecclesiastical power controlled or directed the acts of the civil power. In the above remarks we have shown that the two powers do unite, or mutually sustain and support each other in this land; that the churches enjoy privileges and immunities not enjoyed by any other class of citizens, or any other corporate bodies. This, of course, does not extend to all indiscriminately, as some are oppressed to gratify the prejudices of others. This we consider a very clear point in this prophecy. 4. He doeth great wonders. And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast. Miracles are of two kinds—true and false. As there are false christs, true and false prophets, and true and false apostles, so there are true miracles wrought to attest and spread the truth, and also those to deceive and overthrow the truth: lying wonders. The two-horned beast works miracles to deceive; the consequence is that an image is made to the first beast, and all are compelled to worship it. By reference to chap. xiv, 6-15, it will be seen that three messages, a commandment, an annunciation, and a warning, are given immediately preceding the coming of the Son of man to reap the harvest of the earth. These messages, of course, are designed to prepare God's people for that great event. The last message, the warning, is based upon the facts brought to view in chap. xiii, respecting the worship of the beast and his image. This clearly shows that these miracles are wrought and the worship of the image is enforced in the last days, just previous to the coming of Christ; and as the messages of the angels of Rev. xiv, are designed to prepare the people of God "to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord," which day and battle are soon to come, so these miracles are wrought during the time of the18proclamation of the messages, to deceive the world, and turn away their minds from the truth. This, then, is clearly a work of the last days. As an effort has been made to give the expression, "the last days," a latitude of meaning that is evidently not designed in the scriptures, and as we must carefully examine some texts especially referring to the last days, we will notice here, that in all the New Testament writings it refers to the days immediately preceding the coming of Christ, and the close of this dispensation. The following points of proof will sustain this position: (1.) The "last day" is when Christ comes. Proof. In 1 Thess. iv, 14-17, it is declared positively that the righteous dead will be raised at the coming of Christ. Also compare Matt. xxiv, 30, 31, with 1 Cor. xv, 51-54. In John vi, 39, 40, 44, and 54, the Saviour declares that those to whom he gives eternal life he will raise up at the last day. Thus it is "at the last day" that Christ comes, the trumpet sounds, the righteous dead are raised incorruptible, and the living changed from mortality to immortality. (2.) "The last days," comprehend more than "the last day," but must necessarily stand in immediate connection with it, and also embrace it. As the last days can have no successors, so no days can possibly intervene between "the last day," and "the last days." The scriptures also bear on this point. In Matt. xxiv, 11-14, the following is shown. 1. False christs and false prophets shall arise. 2. Iniquity shall abound, and the love of many shall wax cold. 3. The gospel shall be preached in all the world for a witness to the nations. 4. Then shall the end come. The same facts are set forth in 1 Tim. iii, which is a prophecy respecting the last days. 1. The last days shall be perilous. 2. Men having a form of godliness shall deny the power thereof. 3. The truth will be resisted as in the days of Moses, which brings to view the false prophets, as will be shown by an examination of the text. 4. The godly shall suffer persecution, which recognizes the endurance unto the end, as in Matt. xxiv, 13. Having clearly located the prophecy of Paul in 1 Tim. iii, near and at the coming of the Lord, which is just after the close of the present dispensation, we will notice the 8th verse particularly. "Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth." So, denotes, in like manner. In the last days, near the coming of Christ, the truth will be resisted by certain ones after the manner that Moses was withstood by his opponents. It will be impossible for us to recognize the fulfillment of this prophecy unless we understand the manner in which it will be fulfilled. This is given in the scripture account of the mission of Moses. When God called Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, and to go before Pharaoh, he excused himself, first, because of his unworthiness, and afterward because they would not believe him; for he said, "Behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee." Ex. iv, 1. The Lord then told him to cast the rod that was in his hand on the ground; and he did so, and it became a serpent. Again the Lord told him to put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out it was leprous as snow; and when he put it in his bosom again, and took it out it was restored. The Lord also told him that if they would not believe these signs that he should take water and pour it on the ground, and it should become blood. These were signs to convince the children of Israel and Pharaoh that the Lord had sent Moses. When Moses presented himself before Pharaoh and gave the word of the Lord, Pharaoh answered, "Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go." Ex. v, 2. Then Moses and Aaron were directed to show these signs before the king; Aaron threw down the rod, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called the wise men, the sorcerers of Egypt, and they did so with their enchantments: they cast down their rods and they also became serpents. Chap. vii, 10-12. Thus was Pharaoh confirmed in his rebellion against God. Then Aaron was directed to take his rod and smite the waters; and he did so, and the waters were turned to blood. And the magicians did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh's heart was hardened. Verses 20-22. Next Aaron was commanded to stretch his rod over the streams, and over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. And he did so. The magicians also by their enchantments caused frogs to come up. Chap. viii, 5-7. Again Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and the dust became lice, and they were upon man and upon beast. And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, BUT THEY COULD NOT. After this the Lord directed Moses and Aaron to show six more signs, none of which were imitated by the magicians. Of these signs and plagues, ten in all, the seventh was a boil or blain upon man and beast, and the magicians could not stand before them, for it was upon them also. The question is now to be considered, by what power were these wonders wrought? And we contend that these signs were wrought by the direct power of God, and not by any power possessed by Moses or Aaron. For this belief we have several reasons. 1. They were first given to Moses to satisfy his mind, when he feared the people would not believe his word. 2. He evidently did not expect that the rod would become a serpent, for he was afraid of it, and fled from before it. 3. The Lord said, "I will multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt." Ex. vii, 2. 4. The magicians confessed, when their enchantments failed, that the finger of God was in it. 5. Each successive sign was given under the immediate direction of the Lord. 6. The whole was completed by the plague of the destruction of the first-born, a sign in which Moses and Aaron had no agency. Other considerations, such as the nature of the plagues; darkness over the land, etc., clearly show that no human power controlled these signs. Neither were they illusions or deceptions by which the people were made to suppose that they saw what they did not see in reality; for they could scarcely be mistaken in regard to the boils or blains upon their own persons, the flies and beasts, or the darkness over the land. The only conclusion that it is possible to arrive at is that these miracles were wrought by the direct power of the Lord. We have been thus particular, not because we supposed that any would deny the position assumed, but there is another question involved, which is this: did the wise men of Egypt possess any more power than Moses and Aaron? We contend that they did not in themselves possess any power to cause their rods to become serpents, nor to turn the water to blood. Neither did their rods become serpents by the same power that Aaron's did; for, first, they stood in opposition to Moses; and as Aaron's rod was changed by the power of God, he could not consistently oppose his own power by working also through the magicians. Second, the scriptures say that they were sorcerers, and worked with their enchantments, and such are condemned in both Testaments, and declared to be an abomination to the Lord. The only conclusion at which we can arrive, is, that the magicians performed these wonders by the power of Satan. Some may object that Satan does not possess such power, and some do raise an objection in this form: that it would be inconsistent in a God of wisdom and benevolence to create a devil, and give him such power. But to this we reply, that we have no idea that God ever created a devil at all; neither did God ever create a wicked man. But wicked men do exist, possessing power to do evil. God made man upright, but he became wicked by his own will and actions. And so of the devil. According to Eze. xxviii, which can refer to no other being, he was created a covering cherub, beautiful and perfect, but he fell because of his pride. When a man turns to wickedness he does not thereby become dispossessed of his strength, either mental or physical. He who is wise and strong to do good, will of course be wise and strong to do evil if he turns his powers in that direction. And as the cherubim in heaven possess far more power than men, so if they fall, their power will be greater to do evil in the same proportion. On this point we think it sufficient to add, that there was more than human power exerted through the magicians of Egypt; and the scriptures affirm that Satan works miracles, working with power, and signs, and lying wonders. J. H. W.