Dear Mr. Editor,—
Should you deem the following brief remarks suitable for your pages, a few details as to what gave rise to them may be of interest to your readers; and that all should be on their guard against this soul-destroying delusion of Satan’s is the earnest prayer of the writer.
One Sunday night, at the close of a gospel meeting of unusual interest, I was told by a friend that three young ladies were waiting outside, and were wishing to ask me what my views were as to spiritualism. On being introduced, their question was put—my answer was, that while much, no doubt, was mere trickery, there was nevertheless, some that was real, and that part I looked upon as Satanic.
They asked if that was my honest conviction, to which I replied that it was; and then followed a conversation, in which some of the points in the accompanying “remarks” were gone into.
It was their habit to meet together once a week, and consult the spirits as to the explanation of any passage in scripture that presented a difficulty, &c, opening their meeting with prayer and the reading of the Bible.
They seemed to have some difficulty in accepting that it was Satanic, because the advice given them by the spirits was so good, and they were never afraid of the scriptures.
At the close of the interview, I urged upon them, if they still persisted in going on with it, to apply the tests that the word enjoins in 1 Cor. 12:22Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. (1 Corinthians 12:2), and 1 John 4:11Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1), &c. They promised that they would, at the same time saying that they had no doubt but that the spirits would give them a perfectly satisfactory answer.
The following evening they had their usual weekly séance, which led to the giving up of the whole thing. The details of that night’s interview with the spirits were terrible, and I believe positively of Satan. At its close they bade the spirits farewell, saying, “We have done with you forever.” The reply was, “You think you have, but we shall torment you forever and ever.”
It appears that these young ladies only got to the hall that Sunday night when the address was nearly finished, and just as they entered they heard the words, “If your sins are not forgiven before you die, they never will be forgiven at all.”
They said to one another, “Either that man is telling us a lie, or the spirits have deceived us.” Through infinite mercy they were led to the discovery that Satan had been deceiving them, and was leading them on to eternal ruin, holding out the false hope of salvation after death.
May every reader of these and the following lines take to heart the solemn words which first led to their awakening, and with the same blessed result!
From Lev. 19:31; 20:2731Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:31)
27A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them. (Leviticus 20:27); Deut. 18:10-1210There 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, 11Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12For 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. (Deuteronomy 18:10‑12), we learn what God’s thoughts are as to consulting the spirits or the dead—all that do so are an abomination unto Him. This in itself ought to be sufficient for every child of God, and should make all such shrink from having any connection with that which professes to have dealings with the spirits, and that quite apart from the question of whether those spirits are good or bad—“a consulter with spirits,” “a consulter of the dead (necromancer),” says Deut. 18; and we are not here told that good spirits are an exception.
That the consulting of the spirits and the dead, &c, was common among the heathen, is clear from such a passage as Deut. 18 Having lost the true knowledge of God, they sought to make up for the loss in this way, by bringing in a supernatural power, which was really that of Satan, the god of this world. (2 Cor. 4:44In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:4).)
But as for the people of God, they were “not suffered so to do.” (Deut. 18:1414For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do. (Deuteronomy 18:14).) Hence Saul, on coming to the throne of Israel, had exterminated, or nearly so, all in Israel; God having provided for His people a better way, or better ways, of learning His mind.
God spoke in times past in dreams, through prophets directly inspired by His Spirit, also in the priesthood by Urim and Thummim. And it was the failure of all these means, owing to Saul’s own sin, that led him to seek for a woman with a familiar spirit (one that evokes the spirits) in 1 Sam. 28, the resorting to which was also one of the grounds of his death, as a judgment at the hands of God. “For asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it.” (1 Chron. 10:1313So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it; (1 Chronicles 10:13).)
Evidently the witch of Endor was not accustomed to bring up the dead, from her surprise at the appearance of Samuel: the spirit which she and all of her class professed to consult was a demon which personated the one desired. Her alarm at seeing Samuel, whom she herself does not appear to recognize, makes it clear that something unusual had taken place. It was God who interposed in this case to bring up Samuel in reality from the dead, who pronounces from Jehovah (the Lord) the solemn judgment about to fall upon Saul. It is noteworthy that Saul in verse 15 says, “God is departed from me,” with no sense of relationship, which is, as we all know, contained in the appellation (the Lord) used by Samuel in the verses that follow. To Saul it was simply God,: In another passage, Isa. 8:19, 2019And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? 20To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isaiah 8:19‑20), we are told that a people should seek unto their God, and the question is put (as though in surprise that any should be so foolish) for the living to the dead? That a people should seek unto their God was right enough, but for the living to seek unto the dead was inexcusable folly; and then we are referred to the law and the testimony, which contain the revealed mind of God, and by which we can measure all other pretended communications from Him or any other source.
Coming now to the New Testament, we find abundant proof of people being possessed with unclean spirits, who in many places are called demons; see for example Mark 5:1-211And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 4Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. 5And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. 6But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, 7And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. 8For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. 9And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. 10And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 12And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. 14And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. 15And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. 16And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. 17And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. 18And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. 19Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. 20And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel. 21And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea. (Mark 5:1‑21); Matt. 8:16, 28-3416When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: (Matthew 8:16)
28And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. 29And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? 30And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. 31So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. 32And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. 33And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. 34And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts. (Matthew 8:28‑34).
Furthermore, lest any should imagine that these demons are only the spirits of the departed, such a passage as Mark 3:22-3022And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. 23And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? 24And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. 27No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. 28Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: 29But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: 30Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit. (Mark 3:22‑30) makes it plain that these demons were directly Satanic, for when the scribes say, He casteth out demons by the prince of demons, the Lord asks, How can Satan cast out Satan?
This is of importance to note, because some affirm that these demons or spirits were the spirits of departed people; the Lord, however, distinctly tells us that they were Satanic We may add that the use of the expression “spirits” proves nothing as to their being the spirits of the departed dead, because scripture uses the term in reference to angels (Heb. 1:77And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. (Hebrews 1:7)) and demons (Mark 3:1111And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. (Mark 3:11), &c), as well as to men, whether the just (Heb. 12:2323To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, (Hebrews 12:23)) or the wicked. (1 Pet. 3:1919By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; (1 Peter 3:19).) And herein lies the distinction between these and mere brute beasts. The beast, besides having a material body, is said to be or to have a living soul (Gen. 1:2020And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. (Genesis 1:20), margin), in other words, it has animal life, but has no intelligent relationship with God, which latter belongs to all those who possess a spirit.
Eccles. 3:2121Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? (Ecclesiastes 3:21) is no exception, the word there translated “spirit” being the merely general one signifying “breath” (ver. 19); but even here, without going further into the passage, the distinction is drawn between the breath of the beast, which goeth downward to the earth, and is mere breath, and that of man, which goeth upward, and which, though outwardly only the same breath, is in reality much more, and returns to God who gave it (Eccles. 12:77Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. (Ecclesiastes 12:7)), instead of to the earth.
That these demons of which we have spoken had power is also evident, for it required power to cast them out, a power which of course the Lord Himself possessed, and was able to confer upon His disciples (Mark 3:1515And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: (Mark 3:15); Luke 9:11Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. (Luke 9:1); Matt. 10:88Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. (Matthew 10:8)), that power being divine. (Matt. 12:2828But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. (Matthew 12:28).) We are little aware of the power of Satan; he is called the prince of the power of the air. (Eph, ii. 2.) True Christians are delivered from the power of darkness (Col, 1. 13),.an expression used by the blessed Lord in Luke 22:5353When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness. (Luke 22:53), when all the power of the enemy, the prince of this world, was gathering and being concentrated against Him, heading and leading on too the enmity of wicked men against Himself at those closing moments of His life.
When sinners are converted they are turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Sateen unto God. (Acts 26:1818To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. (Acts 26:18).) May every child of God have an increased sense of the great adversary in whose grasp he once was held so tightly, and against whose wiles he always requires to be on the watch to the end of his earthly path, and for which he has to put on the whole armor of God! And may this increase to the sense of how great the grace and mighty the power that could, and that did deliver from such an adversary, and that is still needed to carry us safely to the scene where all trace of that adversary’s presence will have gone forever.
As regards the spirits of the dead, nowhere in scripture do we find such a thought as the possibility of man in his present material form holding any intercourse with them; on the contrary, the Lord is said to have the keys of hades and of death; it is therefore in His power, and His alone, to release the spirits, and if scripture is to be our guide, He uses the keys on two occasions, and on two occasions only, namely, at the first resurrection for the saints, and at the second, just before the great white throne, for the wicked. Meanwhile, the spirit of the saint is with the Lord (2 Cor. 5), and so far as we as alive on the earth are concerned, is “departed” (Phil. 1:2323For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: (Philippians 1:23)), while that of the wicked is “in prison” (1 Pet. 3:1919By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; (1 Peter 3:19)), and hence not at liberty to be called up when required.
But in those days, even as in our own, people professed to get and to give communications from the spirits, and the children of God are put on their guard against any such thing—they are to try the spirits, not by consulting them, but by putting them to the test as to whether they would confess Jesus Christ come in flesh, not merely confess that He is come in the flesh, but confess or own Him as come in flesh. In each of these verses (1 John 4:22Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: (1 John 4:2), 3 John 1:77Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. (3 John 7)) the words should run, “ confess Jesus Christ come in flesh,” and not confess that Jesus Christ is come in flesh. Demons will not voluntarily own that Jesus is Lord, though this confession will be wrung from them at the end in judgment. (Phil. 2:1010That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; (Philippians 2:10).)
There were false prophets then who were under Satanic influence, even as there were true prophets, who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God (2 Pet. 1:22Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, (2 Peter 1:2)1 Cor. 12:10, 1110To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. (1 Corinthians 12:10‑11)); but notice that whenever it is a divinely inspired prophet it is always spoken of as the Spirit of God, and not the spirits. There may be diversities of gifts but the same Spirit, that is, the Spirit of God. This is of great importance for the true child of God to remember, for he is indwelt by the Spirit (1 Cor. 6:1919What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19), &c), led of the Spirit (Rom. 8:1414For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14)), taught of the Spirit (John 14:26; 16:1326But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26)
13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. (John 16:13) Cor. 2:9-16); and hence is independent of all spiritualistic revelations, pretended or real.
We are satisfied that the whole system of spiritualism is anti-scriptural, and a snare of Satan’s, from which every Christian ought to turn away. Its revival in these closing days of the history of Christendom is no surprise, but an actual fulfillment of the scriptures, for “the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of demons.” (1 Tim. 4:11Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; (1 Timothy 4:1).)
We are aware that many in these days have gone in for the thing in an apparently pious and religious manner, opening their meetings with prayer and interrogating the spirits on scripture subjects, and we have been told by some that the advice given by the spirits was so good as to preclude the possibility of its being Satanic. To all such we would say, Be not deceived, “for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:1414And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (2 Corinthians 11:14)), and he could come to the Lord with an “it is written” at the temptation in the wilderness, to be exposed and defeated again by the selfsame word which he had handled deceitfully.
Many have been drawn into this snare of Satan’s through tampering with it as a sort of pastime—possibly not even at first believing in it as a reality, until convinced by unmistakable proofs, they have given themselves up to its power; but instead of this being of God, we are convinced that it is but the forerunner of those Satanic signs, or lying wonders, which will accompany the presence of the Antichrist at possibly no very distant period. (See 2 Thess. 2:9, 109Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (2 Thessalonians 2:9‑10).) Their object is to deceive, and the awful end for all those who abandon themselves to it will be judgment and perdition. (2 Thess. 2:11, 1211And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:11‑12).)
Let no one suppose that spiritualism is all sham and trickery—no doubt much that professes to be real can be easily exposed and accounted for; but, on the other hand, we have come in contact with not a few, on whose word we can thoroughly rely, and who had been completely under its power for a time, but through grace were afterward delivered from it, and their testimony leaves no doubt on our mind of its solemn reality and Satanic origin.
One word more, and not the least important, the spirits hold out a hope of salvation after death for those who have died rejecters of Christ—indeed, they teach universal salvation, and this, in common with all the other forms of error in these last days, strikes a blow at the atoning work of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. In scripture we read that “by one offering he hath perfected forever” &c. (Heb. 10:1414For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14)), whereas the spirits say that after death even the wicked will be perfected by passing through various stages, occupying a longer or shorter period according to circumstances. “To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isa. 8:2020To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isaiah 8:20).)
Α. Η. B.