Copyright
1994 Ellen G. White Estate, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume Four
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Spiritualism
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Chapter XXIX. <EB
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Spiritualism. <EB
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The
doctrine of natural immortality has prepared the way for modern Spiritualism.
If the dead are admitted to the presence of God and holy angels, and privileged
with knowledge far exceeding what they before possessed, why should they
not return to the earth to enlighten and instruct the living? How can those
who believe in man's consciousness in death reject what comes to them as
divine light communicated by glorified spirits? Here is a channel regarded
as sacred, through which Satan works for the accomplishment of his purposes.
The fallen angels who do his bidding appear as messengers from the spirit
world. While professing to bring the living into communication with the
dead, Satan exercises his bewitching influence upon their minds.
He
has power even to bring before men the appearance of their departed friends.
The counterfeit is perfect; the familiar look, the words, the tone, are
reproduced with marvelous distinctness. Many are comforted with the assurance
that their loved ones are enjoying the bliss of Heaven; and without suspicion
of danger, they give ear to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.
When
they have been led to believe that the dead actually return to communicate
with them, Satan
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causes
those to appear who went into the grave unprepared. They claim to be happy
in Heaven, and even to occupy exalted positions there; and thus the error
is widely taught, that no difference is made between the righteous and
the wicked. The pretended visitants from the world of spirits sometimes
utter cautions and warnings which prove to be correct. Then, as confidence
is gained, they present doctrines which directly undermine faith in the
Scriptures. With an appearance of deep interest in the well-being of their
friends on earth, they insinuate the most dangerous errors. The fact that
they state some truths, and are able at times to foretell future events,
gives to their statements an appearance of reliability; and their false
teachings are accepted by the multitudes as readily, and believed as implicitly,
as if they were the most sacred truths of the Bible. The law of God is
set aside, the Spirit of grace despised, the blood of the covenant counted
an unholy thing. The spirits deny the divinity of Christ, and place even
the Creator on a level with themselves. Thus under a new disguise the great
rebel still carries forward his warfare against God, begun in Heaven, and
for nearly six thousand years continued upon the earth.
Many
endeavor to account for spiritual manifestations by attributing them wholly
to fraud and sleight of hand on the part of the medium. But while it is
true that the results of trickery have often been palmed off as genuine
manifestations, there have been, also, marked exhibitions of supernatural
power. The mysterious rapping with which modern Spiritualism began was
not the result of human trickery
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or
cunning, but the direct work of evil angels, who thus introduced one of
the most successful of soul-destroying delusions. Many will be ensnared
through the belief that Spiritualism is a merely human imposture; when
brought face to face with manifestations which they cannot but regard as
supernatural, they will be deceived, and will be led to accept them as
the great power of God.
These
persons overlook the testimony of the Scriptures concerning the wonders
wrought by Satan and his agents. It was by Satanic aid that Pharaoh's magicians
were enabled to counterfeit the work of God. The apostle John, describing
the miracle-working power that will be manifested in the last days, declares:
"He doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on
the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth
by the means of those miracles which he had power to do."[1 REV. 13:13,
14.] No mere impostures are here brought to view. Men are deceived by the
miracles which Satan's agents have power to do, not which they pretend
to do.
The
very name of witchcraft is now held in contempt. The claim that men can
hold intercourse with evil spirits is regarded as a fable of the Dark Ages.
But Spiritualism, which numbers its converts by hundreds of thousands,
yea, by millions, which has made its way into scientific circles, which
has invaded churches, and has found favor in legislative bodies, and even
in the courts of kings--this mammoth deception is but a revival in a new
disguise of the witchcraft condemned and prohibited of old.
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Satan
beguiles men now, as he beguiled Eve in Eden, by exciting a desire to obtain
forbidden knowledge. "Ye shall be as gods," he declares, "knowing good
and evil." But the wisdom which Spiritualism imparts is that described
by the apostle James, which "descendeth not from above, but is earthly,
sensual, devilish."[1 JAS. 3:15.]
The
prince of darkness has a masterly mind, and he skillfully adapts his temptations
to men of every variety of condition and culture. He works "with all deceivableness
of unrighteousness" to gain control of the children of men; but he can
accomplish his object only as they voluntarily yield to his temptations.
Those who place themselves in his power by indulging their evil traits
of character, little realize where their course will end. The tempter accomplishes
their ruin, and then employs them to ruin others.
To
those who regard themselves as educated and refined, Satan addresses himself
by exciting the imagination to lofty flights in forbidden fields, leading
them to take so great pride in their superior wisdom that in their hearts
they despise the Eternal One. To this class the great deceiver presents
Spiritualism in its more refined and intellectual aspects, and he thus
succeeds in drawing many into his snare. He who could appear clothed with
the brightness of the heavenly seraphs before Christ in the wilderness
of temptation, comes to men in the most attractive manner, as an angel
of light. He appeals to the reason by the presentation of elevating themes,
he delights the fancy with enrapturing
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scenes,
and he enlists the affections by his eloquent portrayals of love and charity.
That mighty being who could take the world's Redeemer to an exceedingly
high mountain, and bring before him all the kingdoms of the earth and the
glory of them, will present his temptations to men in a manner to pervert
the senses of all who are not shielded by divine power.
To
the self-indulgent, the pleasure-loving, the sensual, the grosser forms
of Spiritualism are adapted; and multitudes eagerly accept teachings that
leave them at liberty to follow the inclinations of the carnal heart. Satan
studies every indication of the frailty of human nature, he marks the sins
which each individual is inclined to commit, and then he takes care that
opportunities shall not be wanting to gratify the tendency to evil. He
tempts men to excess in that which is in itself lawful, causing them through
intemperance to weaken physical, mental, and moral power. He was destroyed
and is destroying thousands through the indulgence of the passions, thus
brutalizing the entire nature of man. When the people are led to believe
that desire is the highest law, that liberty is license, and that man is
accountable only to himself, who can wonder that corruption and depravity
teem on every hand? The reins of self-control are laid upon the neck of
lust, the powers of mind and soul are made subject to the animal propensities,
and Satan exultingly sweeps into his net thousands who profess to be followers
of Christ.
But
none need be deceived by the lying claims of Spiritualism. God has given
the world sufficient light to enable them to discover the snare. If there
were
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no
other evidence, it should be enough for the Christian that the spirits
make no difference between righteousness and sin, between the noblest and
purest of the apostles of Christ and the most corrupt of the servants of
Satan. By representing the basest of men as in Heaven, and highly exalted
there, Satan virtually declares to the world, No matter how wicked you
are; no matter whether you believe or disbelieve God and the Bible. Live
as you please; Heaven is your home.
Moreover,
the apostles, as personated by these lying spirits, are made to contradict
what they wrote at the dictation of the Holy Spirit when on earth. They
deny the divine origin of the Bible, and thus tear away the foundation
of the Christian's hope, and put out the light that reveals the way to
Heaven.
Satan
is making the world believe that the Bible is a mere fiction, or at least
a book suited to the infancy of the race, but now to be lightly regarded,
or cast aside as obsolete. And to take the place of the word of God he
holds out spiritual manifestations. Here is a channel wholly under his
control; by this means he can make the world believe what he will. The
book that is to judge him and his followers he puts into the shade, just
where he wants it; the Saviour of the world he makes to be no more than
a common man. And as the Romish guard that watched the tomb of Jesus spread
the lying report which the priests and elders put into their mouths to
disprove his resurrection, so do the believers in spiritual manifestations
try to make it appear that there is nothing miraculous in the circumstances
of our Saviour's life. After thus seeking to put Jesus
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in
the background, they call attention to their own miracles, declaring that
these far exceed the works of Christ.
Says
the prophet Isaiah: "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? To the law
and to the testimony. If they speak not according to this word, it is because
there is no light in them."[1 ISA. 8:19, 20.] If men had been willing to
receive the truth so plainly stated in the Scriptures, that the dead know
not anything, they would see in the claims and manifestations of Spiritualism
the working of Satan with power and signs and lying wonders. But rather
than yield the liberty so agreeable to the carnal heart, and renounce the
sins which they love, the multitudes close their eyes to the light, and
walk straight on, regardless of warnings, while Satan weaves his snares
about them, and they become his prey. "Because they received not the love
of the truth, that they might be saved," therefore "God shall send them
strong delusion, that they should believe a lie."[2 2 THESS. 2:10, 11.]
Those
who oppose the teachings of Spiritualism are assailing, not men alone,
but Satan and his angels. They have entered upon a contest against principalities
and powers and wicked spirits in high places. Satan will not yield one
inch of ground except as he is driven back by the power of heavenly messengers.
The people of God should be able to meet him, as did our Saviour, with
the words, "It is written." Satan can quote Scripture now as in the days
of
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Christ,
and he will pervert its teachings to sustain his delusions. But the plain
statements of the Bible will furnish weapons powerful in every conflict.
Those
who would stand in this time of peril must understand the testimony of
the Scriptures concerning the nature of man and the state of the dead;
for in the near future many will be confronted by the spirits of devils
personating beloved relatives or friends, and declaring the most dangerous
heresies. These visitants will appeal to our tenderest sympathies, and
will work miracles to sustain their pretensions. We must be prepared to
withstand them with the Bible truth that the dead know not anything, and
that they who thus appear are the spirits of devils.
Just
before us is the "hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world,
to try them that dwell upon the earth."[1 REV. 3:10.] All whose faith is
not firmly established upon the word of God will be deceived and overcome.
But to those who earnestly seek a knowledge of the truth, thus doing what
they can to prepare for the conflict, the God of truth will be a sure defense.
"Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee,"
is the Saviour's promise. He would sooner send every angel out of Heaven
to protect his people, than leave one soul that trusts in him to be overcome
by Satan.
The
prophet Isaiah brings to view the fearful deception which will come upon
the wicked, causing them to count themselves secure from the judgments
of God: "We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement.
When the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto
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us;
for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves."[1
ISA. 28:15.] In the class here described are included those who in their
stubborn impenitence comfort themselves with the assurance that there is
to be no punishment for the sinner; that all mankind, it matters not how
corrupt, are to be exalted to Heaven to become as the angels of God. But
still more emphatically are those making a covenant with death and an agreement
with hell, who renounce the truths which Heaven has provided as a defense
for the righteous in the day of trouble, and accept the refuge of lies
offered by Satan in its stead, --the delusive pretensions of Spiritualism.
Marvelous
beyond expression is the blindness of the people of this generation. Thousands
reject the word of God as unworthy of belief, and with eager confidence
receive the deceptions of Satan. Skeptics and scoffers with great clamor
denounce the bigotry of those who contend for the faith of prophets and
apostles, and they divert themselves by holding up to ridicule the solemn
declarations of the Scriptures concerning Christ and the plan of salvation,
and the retribution to be visited upon the rejecters of the truth. They
affect great pity for minds so narrow, weak, and superstitious as to acknowledge
the claims of God, and obey the requirements of his law. They manifest
as much assurance as if, indeed, they had made a covenant with death and
an agreement with hell,--as if they had erected an impassable, impenetrable
barrier between themselves and the vengeance of God. Nothing can arouse
their fears. So fully have they yielded to the
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tempter,
so closely are they united with him, and so thoroughly imbued with his
spirit, that they have no power and no inclination to break away from his
snare.
Long
has Satan been preparing for his final effort to deceive the world. The
foundation of his work was laid by the assurance given to Eve in Eden,
"Ye shall not surely die." "In the day that ye eat thereof, then your eyes
shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." Little
by little he has prepared the way for his master-piece of deception in
the development of Spiritualism. He has not yet reached the full accomplishment
of his designs; but it will be reached in the last remnant of time, and
the world will be swept into the ranks of this delusion. They are fast
being lulled into a fatal security, to be awakened only by the outpouring
of the wrath of God.
Saith
the Lord God: "Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness
to the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the
waters shall overflow the hiding-place. And your covenant with death shall
be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand. When the
overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by
it."[1 ISA. 28:17, 18.]
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