Chapter 60—Satan’s Lying Wonders
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 tradition 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. Special 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 come in a pleasing, bewitching manner
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 archdeceiver 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
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 even willing to
make sacrifices, and debase themselves, and yield their minds to the
belief of supreme nonsense, receiving the most absurd ideas through
those whom they believe to be their dead friends. Satan has so blinded
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