Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1853-05-28
From the Messenger and Recorder.
SPIRITUAL RAPPINGS."
BRASpoNvlLLE, Preston co. Va.
May Is, 1853.
aIr. Mountain Messenger

publication ii you deem u wot'hy OF
place please insert it. ! viii, in the fea'
of The Lord, though in weakness, give my
views on Spirit Rappings. That they are
sinful, and an abomination TO the Lord
there can be 10 doubt, and that such things
were practised by the Pagan nations of sht
earth even before the giving Of the law b,
Moses, is eviden. from many passages o
Scripture. Tho praclised under diileren
names, yet BY the same spirit; and this
practice has now come 10 us by the name
Of Spiritual Rappins' By reference tr
Dsut. 1s: 9, II, we find that God has pos
Iilively forbidden his people to practise the
denominations and sins, such as diyina,ion,
or on observer Of times, or an enchantel,
or witch, or q charmer, or consultel
with familiar spirits, or wizard, or a
necromancer. This shows conclusive[y
thai the same denominations were practis'
ed under different names, yet being the
same sin and under the influence Of the
same spirit; and were the law now given
| presume it would be added, "a spiritual
rapper,' as it is added, verse l2, for all Of
these things are an abomination to the
Lord, and because Of these abominRtious
the Lord thy God doth drive them out be-
fore thee. -s
God has laid this sin open, and set it in
its true light, to be "an abomination" to
him, and in consequence Of its being COM
milted by the nations he drsve them out
Of the land, to make way for bis people
and for the observance Of his holy law
And SO will he cast out from his presence
all such, as well as al! workers Of iniquity
at the day Of final account, aud give place
for bis people in his presence to enjoy e.
ternal life. Now let us inquire what is
the sin in the above-named denominations?
What is it to be diviner, an enchanter,
or witch? What is witch? A wo.
man who by compact with the devil prac-
tises sorcery or entertainments. Wha, is
q wizari? A conjuter or enchanter-a
sorcerer. Who is an enchanter, a sorcer.
er, or magician! One who has spirits OF
demons d, his command. Who is ne.
cromancer? One who ,pretends to foretel
future events by holding converse with
departed spirits. Whois a Spiritual Rap
pera One who pretends TO hold commu-
nication with the spirits Of the dead. All
these run in parallel. and are exceeding
sinful, because they are of the devil, who
is liar and the father Of all lies; and all
who willully do these denominations are
servants Of the devil, and communicate
his lies and decsptions to credulous peo-
Pile, deceiving themselves as well as their
fellow mes and committing that sin
which is an abominution to the Lord.
Nov as regards the devil, or any OF his
fallen angels, which believe TO be the
familiar spirits spoken Of,-for them to
hold converse, through man, with the spi,
ri,s ofthe dead is utterly impossible, from
the fact ,hat,h devil has no control over
the spirits Of the dead, whether good OF
bad. If the devil had the control over the
spirits Of the wicked, who are departed,
he would soon reyolutionize this globe
with an invisible enemy. We read in
Eccles. l2: Z, "Then shall the dust return
to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall
return 10 God who gave it," AS q con-
victed criminal is remanded back to the
officer, TO take charge Of him until exc,
cution day, SO are the spirits Of the dead
KEEP. by Almighty God until Judgment
day. Hence whenever the necromancel
or spiritual rapper says he has converse
with the spirits of the dead, and receives
communications from them, he is telling
one Of the DEVILS lies, and should be held
in adherence by all, for it is an abomi,
nation in The sight Of God.
Well, says one, is there no. nantes.
tation Of the presence Of something in.
I
visible when the SO called medium pro-
duces raps und knocks upon the 'ablo ol
bench? Dyes, there is truth in this; bu,
the raps are not produced by the spirit Of
o dear departed friend or relation. By
whom then? By none but the familiar
spirit, who serves the necromancer, or SC
called medium, to do this abomination-
BY his personating or representing the
spirit Of the departed one, who is called
up; and Ills is all that this fallen ansoI
cun do, aud not whit more. Fur ex
ample, the woman Of Endor wos witch
She 6aA familiar spirit, aud unto he'
Saul went to enquire, but moi until the
| Lord l,aL refused 10 answer him eithel
by dlruln., the URN, or by prophets
What IN object Of pity was poor dsobe
dienl Saul! Forsaken Of God, he is go
ing 10 Tie devil for counsel He come'
to this wunun-now mark well the ad
dress. Divine unto me by the fumilia
spirit, and bring me him up whom | sllul