Witchcraft—sorcery—“spiritualism”—for this great evil has many names, is very ancient. Early in the history of the race, when men turned their backs upon God, they sought to get into communication with the invisible world by illicit means. Satan was, of course, their instructor in this, for thereby he gained ears which should have been ever open to the voice of God. Deuteronomy 18 is stern in its commands to the people of Israel to deal unsparingly with this great evil when they got into the promised land. They would find Canaan full of it, but God's own people must neither learn it nor spare it.
This evil has an increasing fascination for men as the ages pass, and as the end draws near. Men have a natural desire to know something of the life beyond, and it is alleged that spiritualism is a ready means of acquiring first-hand information from departed relatives and friends. It is even said that these are eager to communicate with us, but this is not borne out by the story before us, the only true record of a departed man ever speaking again to persons on earth. Samuel positively rebuked Saul for disturbing him. “Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up?”