Ephesus
193
These treatises on divination contained rules and forms of com-
munication with evil spirits. They were the regulations of the worship
of Satan—directions for soliciting his help and obtaining information
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from him. By retaining these books the disciples would have exposed
themselves to temptation; by selling them they would have placed
temptation in the way of others. They had renounced the kingdom of
darkness, and to destroy its power they did not hesitate at any sacrifice.
Thus truth triumphed over men’s prejudices and their love of money.
By this manifestation of the power of Christ, a mighty victory for
Christianity was gained in the very stronghold of superstition. The
influence of what had taken place was more widespread than even
Paul realized. From Ephesus the news was widely circulated, and a
strong impetus was given to the cause of Christ. Long after the apostle
himself had finished his course, these scenes lived in the memory of
men and were the means of winning converts to the gospel.
It is fondly supposed that heathen superstitions have disappeared
before the civilization of the twentieth century. But the word of God
and the stern testimony of facts declare that sorcery is practiced in this
age as verily as in the days of the old-time magicians. The ancient
system of magic is, in reality, the same as what is now known as
modern spiritualism. Satan is finding access to thousands of minds by
presenting himself under the guise of departed friends. The Scriptures
declare that “the dead know not anything.”
Ecclesiastes 9:5
. Their
thoughts, their love, their hatred, have perished. The dead do not
hold communion with the living. But true to his early cunning, Satan
employs this device in order to gain control of minds.
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Through spiritualism many of the sick, the bereaved, the curious,
are communicating with evil spirits. All who venture to do this are on
dangerous ground. The word of truth declares how God regards them.
In ancient times He pronounced a stern judgment on a king who had
sent for counsel to a heathen oracle: “Is it not because there is not a
God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron?
Now therefore thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not come down from
that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.”
2 Kings 1:3,
4
.
The magicians of heathen times have their counterpart in the spiri-
tualistic mediums, the clairvoyants, and the fortune-tellers of today.
The mystic voices that spoke at Endor and at Ephesus are still by their