Spiritualism
457
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 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 that 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.
[553]
Many endeavor to account for spiritual manifestations by attribut-
ing 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 exhi-
bitions of supernatural power. The mysterious rapping with which
modern Spiritualism began was not the result of human trickery or
cunning, but was 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.
Paul testifies that before the second advent of Christ there will be
similar manifestations of Satanic power. The coming of the Lord is