Let us now see what the New Testament says on the subject, weighing over the evidences as we proceed. " Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit in the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil" (Matt. 4:11Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. (Matthew 4:1)).
This proves that there is a personal Devil. Indeed, only one person is called in Scripture the Devil, the Greek word meaning the accuser. Demon is really the correct description of the myriad fallen spirits who own Satan as their prince (see Matt. 12:2424But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. (Matthew 12:24)). The perusal of Matt. 4 I-II further proves Satan's knowledge of Scripture, and his use, or rather misuse, of it, even for his own evil ends. So we may not be surprised if his agents, the demons, exhort their dupes to read the Bible, or if Spiritualistic books craftily quote from the Bible, when it suits their purpose. " They brought unto Him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and He healed them " (Matt. 4:2424And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. (Matthew 4:24)).
This passage is most important, as from it and other scriptures it is plain that demon-possession is distinct from disease, though the two are often, and naturally, present together; for disease is the product of sin. It has been contended that demon-possession and lunacy are the same, but this scripture shatters that contention, as it differentiates between them.
"There met Him two possessed with devils... and, 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?... So the devils besought Him, saying, If Thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. And 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 into a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters " (Matt. 8:28-3228And 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. (Matthew 8:28‑32)). "And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying Let us alone; what have we to do with Thee, Thou. Jesus of Nazareth? art Thou come to destroy us? I know Thee who Thou art, the Holy One of God" (Mark 1:23, 2423And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. (Mark 1:23‑24)).
These passages prove that demons know and recognize the authority of the Lord Jesus as the Son of God-a Divine Person-that they are aware of their future, and dread it. Yet they seduce their victims into a belief that Jesus was and is not divine, and that there is no hell to dread.
In The Banner of Life (Nov. 4th, 1865) it was reported that at a seance, the controlling spirit through the medium Mrs. Connant, was asked, " Do you know of any such spirit as a person we call the Devil? " "We certainly do," was the reply, "and yet this same Devil is our God, our Father." The truth slips out in spite of themselves. "Ye are of your father the Devil " (John 8:4444Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:44)). "Jesus... rebuked the foul spirit saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sure, and came out of him " (Mark 9:2525When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. (Mark 9:25). 26). Babylon... is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird " (Rev. 18:22And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. (Revelation 18:2)).
From these scriptures and the preceding one (Mark 1:23,24,23And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. (Mark 1:23‑24) we learn the unclean character of these seducing spirits. Further, that they are strong and sullen and vicious, and can hurt their victims physically to a dangerous degree. This is corroborated by the testimony of those who have tampered with Spiritualism. Often such began by having exalted and beautiful thoughts, and ended with unclean and foul thoughts and language being pressed upon them,. and by experiencing rough treatment at the hands of the demons.
The case is cited of a Nonconformist minister, who took up automatic writing. At first the communications were pure, and expressed in beautiful language. After a time they became mixed with obscene language. Then he heard voices, and things so preyed upon his mind that he became insane, and died in three months, raving mad, on the very day, or thereabouts, that he was to lay the stone of a certain building.
The following well-known passage from Spiritualistic literature is very significant:-
"They come, THE DOOR ONCE OPEN, in crowds, in riotous invasion. They run, they leap, they fly, they gesticulate, they sing, they whoop, and they curse ... Mind, body, soul, memory and imagination- nay the very heart-are polluted by the ghostly CANAILLE."
May God preserve writer and reader from ever opening the door to such diabolical wickedness; or if opened already in the case of any reader of these lines, may he or she seek the power of Him Who is stronger than the strong man armed, even of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who alone is able to deliver. "Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils" (Luke 8:22And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, (Luke 8:2)). " And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him" (Luke 8:3030And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him. (Luke 8:30)).
Here is evidence that more than one demon may take possession of the human body. Mediums admit that at times several spirits control them, and hence the incoherency of the messages. They describe how one spirit, more impudent and masterful than the rest, will often assert full control, and, as it were, switch off the others. "A certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us... the same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation.... But Paul being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of the Lord Jesus [Jesus Christ, N.T.] to come out of her. And he came out the same hour " (Acts 16:16-1816And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation. 18And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. (Acts 16:16‑18)).
" Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus, I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man, in whom the evil spirit was, leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of the house naked and wounded" (Acts 19:13-1613Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. 14And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 15And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 16And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. (Acts 19:13‑16)).
The contrast between these scriptures is deeply instructive. The damsel, possessed by the evil spirit, advertises Paul and his companions as "servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation." Her conduct very like that of modern mediums, who advise the reading of the Bible and prayer, did not deceive the Apostle. Observe how the Apostle uses the name of One Whom he knew, and about Whose lordship he had no question; whereas the exorcists, mere imitators, said, "We adjure thee by Jesus Whom Paul preacheth," that is, One of Whom they knew nothing for themselves. The consequences were disastrous; for instead of resisting the demon, and the evil spirit fleeing, as in Paul's case of exorcism, the demon urged his victim to deeds of violence. The would-be exorcists, seven of them, were roughly handled, their clothes torn off their backs, their bodies wounded, and they scarce escaped with their lives. " The things which the Gentiles [heathen] sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God; and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils... ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and of the table of devils" (1 Cor. 10:20, 2120But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. 21Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. (1 Corinthians 10:20‑21)).
This passage proves that behind heathendom, idol worship, sun worship, etc., there is demon-power; that really heathendom, with its frightfully wicked, base, and voluptuous customs, is a vast system of Spiritualism. When the shrieking babe is cast by the frenzied mother under the wheels of Juggernaut and crushed to death, it is a form of Spiritualism, where the Devil can come out more boldly in his true and hideous ways. We can easily trace common features between ancient and modern Spiritualism.- it is one cult, protean in form, suiting itself to its environments. Missionaries in India and heathen lands are in a position to confirm to the full what I here so briefly allude to.
Heathendom-idolatry- "the table of demons "-is a system of Satan whereby his victims are ensnared by pandering to their lusts on the one hand, and taking advantage of their ignorance and superstitions to keep them in the bondage of fear on the other. The reading of "Pastor Hsi," a book'' describing the labors for the Lord of a learned converted Chinaman, well illustrates the above. Incidents in his life make luminous the expression "table of demons," and show that demon-possession is well known and understood in heathen lands.
In these lands it is necessary for Satan to act less grossly and to adopt specious disguises. So we have fiances, planchettes, palmistry, hypnotism, mesmerism, astrology, horoscope reading, etc., etc. Some palmists simply trick the public; but I am convinced they often serve as "decoy ducks" for Spiritualism. They thrive in big cities and at seaside places and pleasure resorts, where they trap the unwary, and relieve the foolish of their money. In hypnotism, mesmerism, etc., it is necessary to yield yourself to the hypnotizer or mesmerizer, as resistance renders you proof against their powers. Does this not remind the reader of "Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you "?
We will conclude with two quotations taken from the last book of the Bible. They are specially applicable to Modern Spiritualism, which, by the way, claims its birthday as being March 31St, 1848, and the place of its birth, Hydesville, Wayne County, N.Y., U.S.A., but is in reality only another form of that which is almost as old as the world's history, and will go on to its close. "And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues, yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone and of wood:... neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts" (Rev. 9:20, 2120And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: 21Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. (Revelation 9:20‑21)). "They are the spirits of devils, working miracles" (Rev. 16:1414For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. (Revelation 16:14))
Rev. 9:20, 2120And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: 21Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. (Revelation 9:20‑21) clearly identifies the worship of demons with that of idols of gold, etc., and shows how violence and immorality are its accompaniments; whilst Rev. 16:1414For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. (Revelation 16:14) adds the power of working miracles.
The reader has now before him most ample testimony from Scripture as to the source of Spiritualism, its wickedness and powers, and of the utter condemnation meted out to it by God.
We have seen how the blessed Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, when on earth, went about " healing all that were oppressed of the Devil," showing what He thought of Spiritualism, and how He acted towards it. Yet, spite of such plain testimony, Dr. Wisse, a noted Spiritualist, said "All testimony received from advanced spirits only shows that Christ was a medium or reformer in Judea, that He is now an advanced spirit in the sixth sphere, but that He never claimed to be God, and does not at present."
Evidently the Pharisees clearly understood that the Lord Jesus claimed to be God, when they said, "For a good work we stone Thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that Thou, being a man, makest Thyself God" (John 10:3333The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. (John 10:33)).
Dr. Hare, a scientist and Spiritualist, says: "The spirits of Washington and Franklin had brought Jesus Christ to him, with whom he had communicated, and had learned from that high and holy spirit that He was not the character Christendom represented Him to be, but that He was while on earth a medium of high and extraordinary powers, and that it was solely through His mediumistic capabilities that He attained so great knowledge and was enabled to practice such apparent wonders."
Could profanity go further? It may be asked what utility can there be in reproducing such blasphemy? If, thereby, people are warned and saved from tampering with such evil, it will be ample compensation for the pain of wading through a mass of defiling stuff, and transcribing some of it.
The late Gerald Massey, poet, and Spiritualist, wrote:- "I do not find that Christ claimed for Himself more than He held out as possible for others. When He identified Himself with the Father, it was in the oneness of mediumship. He was the great Medium or Mediator." Then all I can say is, if Gerald Massey ever read the Bible, he read it with culpable carelessness, or else made an utterly dishonest use of his reading. The Lord Jesus again and again claimed for Himself that which He could share with none other. "For there is one God, and ONE MEDIATOR between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus; Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time" (1 Tim. 2:5, 65For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. (1 Timothy 2:5‑6)), shatters the whole of his contention. The daring profanity of confounding Medium and Mediator is awful. A blow against redemption is thus aimed. It is not scholarship or philosophy, but profanity and knavery.
Nor is the late Gerald Massey alone in this attempt. Among many, we bring forward what Dr. J. M. Peebles, 4 noted Spiritualist, has written:- "As God is Spirit, that is the Infinite Spirit's presence acting by the law of mediation, the Apostle [Paul] with a singular clearness of perception pronounced the Nazarene a Mediator i.e. a Medium-between God and man."
We may well ask, Why cannot Spiritualists leave Christ's name alone? They are bound to write about Him. They seem impelled to endeavor to get His support for their system. They treat the New Testament as tradition and speculative theology, and yet speak of its principal Character in terms of highest respect and awe. It only proves most conclusively to my mind that Spiritualists feel the reality of Christianity and of Christ, and are forced to these attentions. They are not continually fighting against Mahommedanism and Brahminism and the like. For either the Lord Jesus was what He said He was, or words fail to describe the blasphemy of His claims. Spiritualists deny these claims, and yet describe. Him as the most wonderful medium the world has ever seen. It is all childish chatter. That such nonsense should deceive so largely only proves what Scripture states again and again, the awful power of Satan and his legions.