Great Distress Coming, and God’s People Not Prepared For It
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I was directed to this scripture as especially applying to modern
Spiritualism.
Colossians 2:8
. “Beware lest any man spoil you through
philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudi-
ments of the world, and not after Christ.” Thousands, I was shown,
have been spoiled through the philosophy of phrenology and animal
magnetism, and have been driven into infidelity. If the mind com-
mences to run in this channel, it is almost sure to lose its balance,
and be controlled by a demon. “Vain deceit” fills the minds of poor
mortals. They think there is such power in themselves to accomplish
great works, that they realize no necessity of a higher power. Their
principles and faith are “after the traditions of men, after the rudiments
of the world, and not after Christ.” Jesus has not taught them this
philosophy. Nothing of the kind can be found in his teachings. He did
not direct the minds of poor mortals to themselves to a power which
they possessed. He was ever directing their minds to God, the Creator
of the universe, as the source of their strength and wisdom. Especial
warning is given in
Verse 18
. “Let no man beguile you of your reward
in a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels, intruding into those
things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.”
The teachers of Spiritualism will come in a pleasing, bewitching man-
ner to deceive you, and if you listen to their fables you are beguiled by
the enemy of righteousness, and will surely lose your reward. When
once the fascinating influence of the arch deceiver overcomes you,
you are poisoned, and its deadly influence adulterates and destroys
your faith in Christ’s being the Son of God, and you cease to rely
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on the merits of his blood. Those deceived by this philosophy are
beguiled of their reward through the deceptions of Satan. They rely
upon their own merits, exercise voluntary humility, are willing to even
make sacrifices, and debase themselves, and yield their minds to the
belief of supreme non-sense, receiving the most absurd ideas through
those whom they believe to be their dead friends. Satan has so blinded
their eyes, and perverted their judgment, that they perceive not the
evil. They follow out the instructions purporting to be from their dead
friends, now angels in a higher sphere. Satan has chosen the most
certain, fascinating delusion, calculated to take hold of the sympa-
thies of those who have laid their loved ones in the grave. Evil angels
assume the form of these loved ones, and relate incidents connected
with their lives, and perform acts which their friends performed while