p. 211 | Modern Spiritualism by Editor

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jul 17, 1879

Modern Spiritualism.

By Editor

(Continued.)

THE origin and existence of the devil is not such a mystery as some appear to believe. We do not believe that God ever created a devil, or a wicked man. But men exist, with the power and will to do evil. "God made man upright," but he became wicked by his own will and actions; and so of the devil. We hold that the only reasonable view is that of the Scriptures; that God creates intelligences, giving them power and freedom to act, without which they could form no character at all; and holds them accountable for the exercise of that power in the actions performed, and vindicates justice by bringing them to judgment. There are expressions in Eze. 28, which can refer to no other being than the devil, by which we learn that he was created a "covering cherub," perfect and beautiful. But he fell because of pride. When Moses made the sanctuary, he was directed to make cherubim, and place them on the mercy-seat over the ark, their wings overshadowing the mercy-seat. Heb. 9:5. The Lord promised to meet with them "between the two cherubim." Ex. 25:22. As all this was a shadow and example of heavenly things, a visible representation of the sanctuary and true tabernacle in Heaven, which the Lord pitched, and not man (Heb. 8:1-5; see also Eze., chapters 1-10), we here learn the exalted position occupied, and consequently the great power possessed, by a covering cherub. In Eze. 28, the prince of Tyrus is declared to be a man; the king of Tyrus was a covering cherub. This may well be applied to Satan, who is "the Prince of this world," and who makes use of wicked earthly powers to accomplish his purposes; he was afterward represented by the Roman power (Rev. 12), as it was then his special instrument of wickedness. 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 the Scriptures affirm that angels have fallen; that there was more than human power exerted through the magicians of Egypt; and Satan is said to work miracles "with power, and signs, and lying wonders."

Sorcery and witchcraft are the works of the devil. It was by his power that the magicians of Egypt wrought, and Paul affirms that "so" the truth will be resisted in the last days. And the existence of the devil is not only denied by some, but his whole work is denied; even those who profess faith in the Bible contend that there is no such thing as witchcraft, and that a belief in its existence is a relic of the superstition of the dark ages. But God said, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." Ex. 22:18. This proves that witches did exist, or else God commanded them to put to death such as had no being, to suppose which would be absurd. Paul also teaches, in Gal. 5, that witchcraft is one of the works of the flesh as much as envy, hatred, drunkenness, and murder. Thus the fact of its existence is established by both Testaments.

Again in Lev. 19:26, they were forbidden to use enchantments; and verse 31 says, "Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them." And in chap. 20:6, the Lord said he would cut off the soul that turned after wizards, and such as have familiar spirits. Also in verse 27, a wizard and such as had familiar spirits, either men or women, were to be put to death.

According to the definitions of the words witch, wizard, sorcerer, enchanter, &c., we will give, these various works are closely allied to one another, or are all parts of the same, differing more in degree than in nature. This, with the fact that they all stand related to Spiritualism, is recognized and acknowledged by Spiritualists themselves. Allen Putnam, a Spiritualistic writer says:—

"The doctrine that the oracles, soothsaying, and witchcraft of past ages were kindred to these manifestations of our day, I, for one, most fully believe."

In a pamphlet written by him, entitled, "Mesmerism, Spiritualism, Witchcraft, and Miracle," he says:—

"As seen by me now, Mesmerism, Spiritualism, Witchcraft, Miracles, all belong to one family, all have a common root, and are developed by the same laws." Page 6.

We have testimonies to the same extent Judge Edmonds, Charles Partridge, Uriah Clark, &c.

Most of these works are named in Deut. 18:9-12, which reads as follows:—

"When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord."

The following definitions are copied from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary:—

WITCHCRAFT. The practices of witches; sorcery; enchantments; intercourse with the devil; power more than natural.

SORCERY. Magic; enchantment; witchcraft; divination by the assistance or supposed assistance of evil spirits; or the power of commanding evil spirits.

ENCHANTMENT. The act of producing certain wonderful effects by the invocation or aid of demons, or the agency of certain supposed spirits; the use of magic arts, spells, or charms; incantations.

DIVINATIONS. The act of divining; a foretelling future events, or discovering things secret or obscure, or by the aid of superior beings; or by other than human means.

NECROMANCY. Properly the art of revealing future events by means of a pretended communication with the dead.

FAMILIAR SPIRIT. A demon or evil spirit supposed to attend at a call.

But Israel did not keep free from these abominations. King Saul consulted a familiar spirit when the Lord rejected him, and would not answer him. It is no uncommon thing in these days for those to seek to familiar or evil spirits, who never ask counsel of the Lord, and who have no reverence for his word. Also Manasseh, who was very wicked, and in whose reign Israel was taken captive by the Assyrians, did "evil in the sight of the Lord, like unto the abominations of the heathen, . . . he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards; he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger." 2 Chron. 33:2-6.

Writers and speakers on Spiritualism have undertaken to show that this restriction was placed upon the Jews alone, and given in a law especially for them; and that in this dispensation neither Jews nor Gentiles are holden to it. Woodman, in his reply to Dwight, says:—

"So if intercourse with departed spirits was prohibited by the Old Testament, that circumstance would furnish no presumption that it was wrong." Page 77.

And Edmonds, replying to Bp. Hopkins, says:—

"It is true that in the law of Moses, there are injunctions against dealing with witches, or those having familiar spirits. But does the Rev. prelate mean that his Christian hearers shall understand that the law is still binding upon us?" Page 12.

This is equivalent to a direct declaration by both Woodman and Edmonds that witchcraft and kindred works are not forbidden or wrong at this time. But all efforts to evade the testimony of the Scriptures on this point are met and disapproved by the following facts: (1) The Lord called them "the abominations of the heathen;" and after naming them, said: "For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord; and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee." Deut. 18:12. By this we learn that these things were wrong in all, and not in the Jews alone. (2) The New Testament and sorcerers are condemned in the New Testament. Rev. 21:8. Sorcery is witchcraft; see Webster. This overthrows the position of the Judge. Again, in Gal. 5:19-21, witchcraft and other abominations are mentioned, and the apostle says that "They which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Elymas, the sorcerer, a false prophet, withstood the apostles, and tried to turn away others from the faith. This is ever their intent. To him Paul said: "O full of all subtlety, and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness." Acts 13:6-11. This language is applicable to all sorcerers, and their co-workers, according to the testimony of the Bible respecting their works. See Acts 8:5-11; 16:16-18.

The theory that "Whatever is, is right," is a favorite one with Spiritualists; but, traced to its conclusion, it is the merest absurdity. Right and wrong are relative terms, and when any course of action is morally binding, the opposite is necessarily forbidden. If it is right to love my neighbor, it cannot also be right to hate him; if it is right to regard his life, it cannot be right to kill him. The whole theory is a perversion of terms, obliterating moral distinctions, and is but a flimsy justification of an evil life.

EDITOR.