IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 Hi m IIM 112.5 IIM 116 liO 2.0 i-4 III 1.6 ^'^W '/ Photographic Sciences Corporation ,\ 5V ;•<* % ^ :\ \ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14S80 (716) 872-4503 6^ .*, Lse !lf. ifo iio 11 Spiritualism, by wliatever name it may have been known, is a vory ancient wickcdncHs. Its various forms are enumerated and condemned in Uie Book of Deuteronomy, where the people of^j^ ^^.^ jj_ Hod are forbidden to have amonjr them " one that maketh his son or his danaiitor to pas^5 throuirh the firo. or that useth divination, or an olh^orver ol' times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a cliarmcr, or a c(;n«iiUer with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer; for all that do these tilings are an abomination unto the Lord." Tiiese names express different forms of the same art, n;iincly, that of seeking by supernatural means the power of prophecy, or some other superhuman cndov.'ment, and to this end using incantations, charms, invocations, physical and mental agi- tations, to procure spiritual iiillucnco or supernatural signs. The aid and interposition of spiritual beings in greater or less degree are implied in every form of this art, for which therefore, wc may accept "spiritualism,"' as the most general, though at the same time a craftily chosen term. ^^ Balaam was tlie lirst of these trangressors against the divine prerogative who is miMitionel by n;ime ; and although he ])ractised a very guaiilcd form of the art,and carefully con- cealed it under much apparent deference to God, we readily learn from history that while there was much communicatio;., tiiere was no real frieiidsliip between God and Balaani^^Thc charader of Balaam is perceived on ihe one hand from thwfetimation in which he was held by the ungodly wiia supposed him able and willing to curse the people ot Jehovah: aid mi the other from his desper- ate hypocrisy, wishing to iipp'.ai- :i ."m vant of God, and yet passionately tlesiriiig tlic jiowcr v)f injuring his people that he might have the coveted reward of his infernal art; and his ,sta(c may lie inferred from the lact that he perished by tlic sword of Jsrael amongst the eiicmics of God. whom he had tutored in the arts of seduction, to make amends for his own failure in the arts of sorcery, Simon Magus is the prince of spiritualists in New Testament times. Thert; is an entire similarity of character and disposition between tliis man and Balaam in their thirst for no- toriety and gain, and in their readiness to sacrifice to its gratifi- cation every principle of piety and truth. Tlic victims ol this vice may learn from these familiar names of its archleaders, of whom perliaps modern ' spiritualists" arc but feeble, thougii mischievous, imitators, the uatuio and ten- dency of the course on which they have entered. The apparent use which the most righteous Fovereigu of heaven and earth and hell makes of evil spirits, or t^v agents •ri * Siii.in rvpr »dn|'tfi ilic lan.'riUKi' of h's n. cut?, !o nfcrninariiy i.<. softrnra iiity " si>ifi(u<'iMn.'.' : uU the limes, "til iluse dijs **, l'4'oyii , 3 f J 4 I'UKFACK. on earth, irt a inystei-y -which can minister no coMsoiiitioM. Imt much fearful foreboding to those wlio tamper with llii.s practice. The cliaracter whicii Ave note in liahiam aucl Sinnn Mntrns, is seen with fuiishcd jierft'ction in Satan, wiio is tranrflbrmed into an angel of li.>;il;imi1' llio rcvcialioii, I'jow- ovcr cuiimiiL.ii'aleil, w > alwuv.s iVniii Viu\ liiiii.>(.'lf, ami dcrivcid all its authority Mom lli.s iiiiaiccliatf cdihiiiiiikI. Still by His IIolv Spiril i.'oL'.s llii (Miiiimiiio with man. Wo '• luivo access by . Uiiu Spirit uiitJ lilt' Father,'' uikI tilt' obji'ft r*!' rt'vclation i:i Ui l(.ach us how to r.so this privili'^o, vi/,. by tiio WunI of (Jod and by prayer. To hold iiitu: cu!ir.-.u with the Father of our st)irils, throu^ii (.'hrist by tlio Holy Spirit, is the essf.'iict' of true relij^ioii, and the hii;hest happiaess of which we are eapulile in the present itatc. The ne.\t ordc;' of spiritual beings to whom we are related are the angels, both fallen aiid unfallen. " lie inaketh His angels jHtjirits aiKl his ministers a Ihiminir lire." I he iiittrcour.-e ofnun wPth the liol;/ (iix/ils has been in two ways; (irst when they appeared in a visible lorin and delivered the divine me.-sage m human language; or liy visiitns and dreams. 'I hey are also invisible ministe.s to the children of (lOtI in their passage through this evil world ; yet not by human invoeatioM, l)UL by (Jod's af>pointment.''-' The au'jrh irho siu'.ml fell froai an estate of holiness, and for their transgression are reserved unto the jadirment ot the great dav, 'J'hey have iniieh to do with human alVairs, though in modes wliich ditVer remarkably from the interposition of the lioly angels. 'J'hev never a[)peared to men in t!:eir projter, or in any super- natural form. The v/ay in which they made their r)resence felt was by assuming a medium ; tahinu' possession of a liody of some creature belonging to this world, wi, ether of man or beast. 'I' No man, so far as we rca I in the Scriptures, was ever endowed with the power cf seeing a.i evil spirit, as acting on the scene of this world, in the same way as they have been permitted to see the holy angels. Evil spirits induenecd mer. by entering into them and jiossessing them. Satan entered into Judas, and filled the heart of Ananias; and works in the children of disobedience ; and spirits of various characters thus tormented men and women who were afterwards healed by Christ. This distinction between the good and evil spirits in their modes of acting upon men, would seem to intimate that the evil spirits by the fail became divested or unclothed of some portion of their original nature, and that this privation forms no inconsiderable portion ol their torment, and, besides the stings of conscience and fear, is perhaps the chief cause of that restlessness wliich is their attribute. IJcnce our i^ord's description o( the evil spirit going through dry places. i:eekitig rest and finding none, until he again entered the body of a man ; hence the request of the evil spirits, when cast out of the demoniac, that they might enter into other bodies, tliongh but of swine; and hence their dread at the a[»proaeh of the Sou of Uod, not because he was about to punish tiiem, but because ho was about to dis[)0ssess ihein and to send tliciu lorth to wandering and restlessness. " Art thou coum; hither to torment us before the time?"' That is. by casting them out of tlioso borrowed Iiabita- » See Collfct for St. .Nlichai I and Hit auguli. t A sir;]c;.t, swine, ini.u miil wutncn. Tlie iuvj'aiiou is to CJjJ. H mmm aHMH m i sriiUdS. ' Hdii'-- wliii'h iill'uriUMl lliciii fi kind nf piNjloflioii nrid siu.'lli'i" lor IIm^ (ilipniiitod H(!!is()ii. To lliis iigi'co lli(,' KtaloiiK'iits lliat lli(\v kopl.in i^ «. iiui tlioii- lirst oslnto, l)iit lol'i, their iiahitntioii; - nr.fl tlint tlicv nro in air, ns if rvor ro«tl('s-ly Iiovcrinj* about until tlioy (■an liiid a liiiinan lonr. f-o abaiidoiK d liy tliu >jiiiit of (jod, as to afl'ord ii vacancy lor llicir cnlrani'O; and also tiio want of any in taiicc ol a jrnod spirit takinir l)os^f'^•sion ol a man to indm-nco his fondnct. or to niakf! l:i? or^Mns of Hpcoch or other I'aculties the incMiinni of aclinir on men. a mode of pOH?csslon Aviheli would seem to he not" onlv nidawfid, l)nt, to iioi'fect creatures, naturally imjirjssiijle.t Wc liav(.' no reason to Ijelicvo that any other spirit but the Spirit r)f the Holy riod has ever possessed or dwelt in men, or spoken bv men. for a n-ood purpose. Whenever inferior s|)irits have been lepresented as so acliicj.'. tlioy have either Ijeen evil spirits, or the* representation has lieiMi an imposture. 'I lie^e consiileralions miiy show us the weight that is to be attaelu (1 to stni ]>:< of llie iipiiaritions ot evil spirits. Could thi./ a]ipcar to men ill tbcir own or in any supernatural form, they wonl 1 doiiiillc.-,- do >:o, as an ea;:y mode of accomplishing many of tlieir malicious purposes. l]ut as they can only act througii the ircdium of b'ldios already existing and pa Ijiable, such stories )nu.-t have their oii^'in in imposture, a credulous laiioy or a dis- eased brain. The thii'd and last fu'der of s])irilual beings arc the deparied spirit? of mankin.l, cither the spirits of just men made perfect, :J: as La/arus; or of evil mcii in a place of torment, as Dives. The Serintur(! gives small grounds for believing thut departed spirits hold intercourse with the world. There are but two cases which can possibly bo reirarded as exceptions: tiiat of .*^amuel in the Old Teslamcnt.'tliat of Mo.-es in the >.'ew '1 estament ; and there arc not wantiuL' strong reasons ibr regarding even those as non-c .- ceptional. Ii Surely, whatever may be thought of these cases, the •Oilcetrrinn. -Sre ihr next note. X It is nnt lioro iiilridcd to rxpluin hnw the nrtturs of t'lc .iiifjds who sinned was (liminihctl lioui its o iuiniil perlcction. '^^tis pl.iin that. bo^iilcR their innocence, Ihfy lost somo prrs^>i:;il ahoilo nr ;iri.il ilvicliiiii:. 'I'he A)n)silr M I'aiil drsciibes the (Iiri^liiir. who is aPout to he divts'rd i. f his pmtuiy laloruuclc, Hie body, as shrinkiiiK from dissolutiua were it nut iliat he knows that anollier dinnicile or liraveiily hou>o will be placed aiouni his rior.udcd ."ipirit. 1 he render "11 pitc.vc ;lr inalcty bftwcen the two c;i»es. We m;iy iii:!( r d trace if further. Kor even Oic evil spirits have notrcached the compleiiiin of their m;.-rrv They arc yet vouchsafnl some respite in the presence of God, and in iiitrreoiirse wi;h men; but their rnil will be entire exclusion, and no respite day or nipht for I'vf r; and lhi» may be to them a eecond dtaili. O, deatli of drnths, when man who has eiiosrn 'he-e earliest onlc.isis of sin and shnine as his counsellors and roiiipinions, will ijn with them into the lake which burnetii with firo and brimstone, 'i'lie in ly antils. relaining ihcir own abode, hnve no desire to enter ihe bodies of olhcr creatures; and liom tl.o ubovc considerations it will appiiir that • they can have no power. * Tiint is, who have finished their course on earth. if It is impossiUIc to ground an argument in favour of ap])ariiions on the spppar- ance of Mots on the >loiirlt until we certainly hiiow wlut lipcarau of his body, rr what was the nature of the dispu'e baweon the .\rchangel and fSa'nn about his b;dy ; ,1,1,1, ,j. hut fccina that he, as well as i^lii.ih, talked with Je«us it is not incii s'stcnt with tlie divine wi.idotu and iioodiu S^ to sujip;,s» thai God, who himself burinl Mosca, shnuli i ■ . ^-•, 1 S KUMoX. •Toh ril n. 1" ,1 irciicriil tf'linr of .■^(•ripliiri! sliows tlial tin' splriln of tlic dciid arc not ppniiittod to liold intorroiir.so willi tlio livinif. Tlicrc in no exit from tlic pliico ot torment ; no wandorina^ from the place "frost. ■"■ No spirits of tiie departed Ii()v,>r around tlie liviiitj; to terrifv or ehoer or intreat tliein. Wlicii tliey leave tins world tlicy return to it no more. Stories of appiuitions were rife in tho nsrcs of ijrnoranpe and sii[)er.-ttitition; tlioy are rarely hci\rd amid tlie diffusion and proufre.-s of liirlit and krK)\vlnd;x<^ t Uo',v much do wo owe to revelation! IFow d) we ffropo in darkness and uncertainty witliout its u'liidanee ! Witlimit it wo liave no certain knowledge of tlie existeiioo of iiifelli,u:oMt Iteiii.LC-', other than man. in the universe. Wo reason, and justly, from the Ijs'orks of creation tliat there is a God, and wo nuiy imaiiine other lieinirs to exist ; fancy may people tlie universe with beings more degraded than man, as in the heathen mytliologv; and a rational philosophy may people the starrf with creatures suitod to their respective splieres ; but only revelation gives u.s certain informa' tion as to unseen boings. and that oniy so far as it behoves our happiness and salvation lo know; nothing to gratifv mere curi- osity, the chief, if not the ordy passion "Adiicii impels the natural niind to the pursuit of knowledge so far as it is njt directly re- quired for the purposes of life; lest even 'Jie Word of (fud itself siiould help lo turn away our nunds from tl e one supreme business ; which, with all its vivid payings, and Its awful silence, often liniLs human will and passion too stubborn to b'^nd. or abash. This pubject m\v well claim tlic attention of the credulou.a.:[: It is not to gratifX- an idle curiosity that it has been chosen. have raised him from the dead; and have thus honoured the prophet of the Old Tes- tament with complete nonformitf to hiH antitype, the Kre»t prophet of the New ; thus also inakinR the transfiguration a perfect exemplar of the state of Rlory, which ^ it could nnf be if Moses was only a ptiantom. while the bodies of Jesus and Elijah were Luke U. 31 ,.eai. Moses appeared "in alory;" the disembodied spirit, though perfect in rest and holiness, 'is imperfect in n.Vure. and therefore not "in glory." And were it otherwise, the caso is too eviilently exceptional, the occision too sublime, the object too impor- tant, to be dei^radcd into a precedent for apparitions in tlie ordinary sense. I will advance no theory on the caso of Samuel, except to observe that it^as a miracle, in which if Satan was an agent, he wns under the immedi.-. tu control^nd direction of God. And 1 would also ob-crve that an apparition or vnioe of a spirit, cnraing from its anpointed place of abo ie to sp-aU to hum, is a minclc— unthtPL; mire or less • nnd those who wish *.o obtain cr donee for an-? such insta^icc; miy reasona'ily he to quirc'l to 8ub»tnntitte it bv tho evidence which is ncccKsary to Drove a inirai-le, even such as that which God has been pleased to piv? us To ()b?ai.i (vrit eiilisfactdrv human cvidenceon thi^ pijiit, would I iiraifine, involve more (xtemled inquiry, more minute discrimination, and more perfect acquaintance witli pliysiciil and mi'ut.il d s- orders, than most persons can apply r i iho invc3tii?ation. And wIki will it amount in then ? And while admitting that bsliof in apparitions is adi^it'iur thinfi; from sickii g intercourse with spirits, and is a matf^r of interpretation or opinion, on whicli K>'"d men have diiftired. it may be a weighty refl«ctiou that nothing has more subscrvil the wickedness in question than the uuiiistructcd popular belief on this part of tic subject. •Luke xvi. 22 31. The great gulf, and the refusal to send Laauus back to earth. t The doctrine of Purgatory would se»m to have encouraged this belief. A sent.- ment of compisMOn made it easy to imagine that ponr souls, doomed to long to-. ments, might appear to their friends on earth who, if they had money, hud power lo sliorlen their p;iins. Avarice r»aped nil Ihu fruits. Satan'.s ihreelold cord, error, Buperstition, and crafr, is not easily bniUeii. When will men walk in the pure light of apostles and prophet.s? \ It is hardly to be hoped that the leptimony of .Scripture will weigh much with the profe&sof^ of this unhallowed att thongh repentance is not denied even to them (Acts viii. 22) : but their diavip!rit, wno haply are not too far none in ''spiritinl" delirium luuy, prrliaps, ton- to its authority. SKHMd.V. Old Tp8- thus which ^it ijah were rest and otherwise, impor- r will ...iracle, in irection of ming from or less • / he to 1p, even iiii>ract- rrdoeming work. # REMARKS. 11 r know- consult What y S'pirit, and tlie impiety ate, even e cannot d apply ost eager hI by the 3 drawn out of it mc > with without Christ ; it is the i know- c, wliich itcUigent ■s powers e iraiued t testiRc?, croature and such und glory, unto the ^ico when sterios of iencc, and if they do nly iinpor- word and 3 wonders e wonders ir hearts. 1 or proti- ininds are jli ]iroduco inilu'Mices his power, s liC guard ead astrav ito whose the word G teaching [ilain. •a The suliject we have been considering rnay well engage our deepest interest and devout meditations. It is good for the (•hristian to contemplate in this beautiful creation the infinite skill find wisdom of the Great Creator ; to appreciate the moral beauty which Christianity has brought into this world of sin and death; to meditate on a ".^aviour's love, and by faith to assure ourselves of a personal interest in His Salvatio'n ; but it is also good to ponder unseen things so far as they have been revealed ;. for so far are they not only accessible to our minds, but appoint- ed as a means of our sanctification. Thus do we obtain a m »i-e Ocut. xxix enlarged view of our redemption and wondrous state and destiny. God is not the autiior of confusion but of order. His Sovereign Hand rules all in all. All things servo Him. Even the evil spirits wait on His supreme will, and fly to execute their part in his mysterious economy. ^ By meditation and prayer we frradually discover the lines which He hath placed in limiting the functions and ministrations of his creatures, good or evil, in all parts of his dominion, and, ivhat it most behoves us to know, we shall discover our own. Then, keeping near to God in prayer, we may with adoring gratitude and love explore his manifold wisd')n and misrhty works ; on the wings of faith ascend to hoa\cn and contemplate the throne of majesty and liulit surrounded by countless beings of every order and degree fulfilling his oomn)o"ndmcnts, hearkening unto the voice of his words ; descend to hell and look on the chains of darkness, an'l the mysteries of His wrath. and vengeance; and, nearer, view the great conflict between liiiht and darkness in the world, and the infinite agents of mercy and temptation acting th'\rein ; liut all w.-irking out the Divine" will; all bearing ' their jiart, whether as children or slaves, in erecting the temple ofglorv. Ai d all, dear reader, for v.cni. We k!;ow i;othitig but^/(/s ; there hath licen revealed to us nothinir but t lis ; God is for man, and man for tJod, (Jod is the only beiiig that inspires a creature so woridrnusly saved, and man the oiilv lieinr inspired of God. The angels receive the knnwlodgr of His will by information through their natuia! facidiics. But man alone is the child of God by regeneratioi, ; the servant of God by redemption; the lover and friend of God by the ind\Aolling of the Holy l~-'pirit. ''°'' '^ ir, 2S Happv art thou Lrael ! who is like unto thee, people saved r^ut xxxin by the Lord ! -« Ppayer for the Holy Fpirit. O God, who, in thine appointed tini'-^, didst teach the hearts of thy faithful people by thv' sending to them tlie light of thy Holy k"piiit : f'vant us h\ the ti.n',e Spirit to have a riplit iu('gement in nil thinop. and cveintore to rejoice in His I.oly comfort ; through the mei'its of Jci-us Chrir-t our Saviour, who livcth and reigncth with thee, in tlie same Sjiirit, one God, M'orld without end. Amen. # If Bill ._, 12 IIYMM. Invocation of the Koi.v Snittr. Come cracions spirit, heavenly dove, With light and comfort from above ; Be Thou our guardian, Thou our guide ; O'er every thought and step preside. The light of truth to u? display. And make U3 know and choose Thy way ; Plant holy fear in every heart, That we from God may ne'er depart. Lead us lo holiness, the road Which we must take to be with God ; TiCa-^. us to Christ, the living way, Nor let us from his precepts stray. fjead us to God, our only rest. To be with Him for ever blest ; Lead us to heaven its joys to share, Fullness of joy for ever there. ADDITIONAL NOTES. :r=5«,st^ G. It has bern suopoRcd that when Sntan required Jestis to fsU down and trorahip kim, he appeared in a bodily fnrm. But, benideB that the temptation of a beini; who was, in his own peraoi, God and man, can afford little evidence as to the modes in which Satan rnmninnicates with men ^pnemtly, reason andanalofty would suggest tb« opposite in'prenee. It would little btcoine Satan's craft, eren i'' he had the power, to tempt a devout Jew to roatFrinl idolatry ; but it would well accord with his ambttioa to seek homage from him, as the invisible, Hut actual, God oftbiis world. Therecan be no reason why science i>h«uld not direct its powerfi4< lens to the d«- t«etion of aiiy of the ait< which "Spiritutlism" has called to its aid! The modern wizard, of innnxinuR profession, has indirFctly contributed his share to the overthrow of aupersiition ; his murvellnus dexterity has made it easy to percrjve how pious frauds and portentous miracles may have been ptlmed off on the vulgar ; and should science, as such, succeed in making t^ibles tinners, or gross bodies fl^at in the air, it may de'-erve our thanks for checking this moral pestilence. I believe that, where men nsetheir reason, scIpdcc is adequate to the OT.^rthrow nf many superstitions. But I am equally conviuced that if, in it* assault ugainst error, it rejects the light of revelatiiin, it will only overturn one delusion to e>'tablish another in its roim ; iLstead nf necromantic rruft and superstitious sentiment there will remain for it.'< disciples bat ibe dreary throneless dominion of materia is/n. Thus dies Satan in every way seek to make unhappy man, ever seeking ri\st and finding none, not only to inherit h'.s futu e, hut to pnriake /' A«Z.ord, g^ & WWh'% r 1