Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-04-28
snritualism.
A subscriber shbdoes not exactly agree with
the doctrines Of spiritualism, wishes us to give
place to the following expose

place to the following expose
In view Of the testimonies given in relation /
to spirit manifestations, we are constrained 70
believe that they are given sy spirits ~ - NV
possible to believe that 50 many men OF uie,'il
guished intelligence, Judgment and cahuoa,
could be deceived By q mere cneat OF 'fioAi o..
'rhese monifestat;ons have endured tho closest
scrutiny. and mostthorough investigation, and
yet what is called the Cause q SPT''"d"Ssnm' 10
advancing more and still more rapidly Ahoso
who can, under such circumstances, receive tnc
testimony OF those who cry, " luilous,
/" trickery,' &C., afe more to BE- charged WIN
crcduiity, than the most ardent oplritu'iis''
CHARACTERS oFTHE SPIRITS.
Tho question now arises, What kind OF spirits
are these? Are they what they profess to De-
namely, the spirits ol the dead We answer
They are not and give the following reasons
a. They profess to he commissioned by
God to visit this world to communicate instruc-
ton for the benefit u mankind. That this isl
not 50 is evident from the fact that God has
forbidden necromancy in his word. Deut.
XVIII, IL; lisa. viii, -. And admitting that
the dead know a thoDsand times more than the
living, it is certain that God does not commits
sion them to come to tits world to lead men toI
break the divine comBand.
(2) They cannot bb spirits Of the Dead be-
cause the Bible teaches that the dead have not
knowledge. g For the living know that they
shall die; but the dcRd know not anything,
neither have they any more reward ; for the
memory OF them is fofgotten. Also their love,
and their hatred, and their envy, is now per-
ished; neither have Grey any more IL poition
forever in anything that il donc under the sun. >
Says David. f" Lei NV soul live, and it shall
praise thee" Ps. cxix, IT'S. Why David =
Cannot your soul praise God when separated
from the body, and you are dead and buried =
Let him answer: Tho dead praise not the
Lord, neither any that go down in silence. v
Ps. CIV, II.
These manifestations cannot be from the
Spirit Of God, neither can they be good angels
ministerng unto certain ones, from the fact
that they profess to be something else; ant
the Spirit of God and good angels will tell thu
truth. Then what ar5 they? We answer
They are lying spirits, the messengers of thu
father OF lies. The ladt that they are very nu
tmerous is no objection to this view. l'hv vi
clean spirit that was cast out of the man from
among the tombs by our Lord, answered, " NJ,
name is legion for We are many" Mark v
l-l3. That the Devil has angels or messenger
to go at his bidding and carry out his purpose
5 is evident FROM the following texts And tn
, angels which kept not their first estate, bu
left their own Meditation, he hath reserved il
, everlasting chains, under darkness, unto til
judgment of the great day" Jude, verse 6.
Y - And there was war in heaven Michat
s and his angels fought against the dragon an
the dragon fought, and his angels, and PR
vailed not; neither Was their place found an
> more in heaven. And the great dragon wa
Q cast out, the old serpent called the Devil, an
Q Satan, which decciy4tll the whole world
4 was cast out INTO the earth, and his angels wei
cast out with him." Matt. xii, 10 " The
o shall he say unto them on the left hand, d.
n part from me, ye cursed into everlasting fir
prepared for the Devil and his angels" Mat
XIV, Al. Now when these spirits visit indlviC
uals, protesting to be the spirit of Paul, Pete
John or James of the Patrmrchs. Prophets
1t DR.. Franklin. Washington, Paine, Calhoun,
Il some dear friend, or perhaps lovely infant r
+ Gently buried, they come with lie in the
mouths 1t is no such thing Behold the d
J. coption Job says of the dead, d" His sol
/, come to honor, and he kaopeth il not: and thu
u are brought low, but he perceiueh 1t not
4 them." job xiv, q. But these spirits test
', that they know all about the condition of Il
u living.
n. --.. Solomon rays.of tiV Fad +" Neither ha
/ they any more portiox forever in anythil
6 that is done under the sln.'' Eccl tx, g..
But these spirits, in many cases, act Il We
c conspicuous part in W hat is done under t
= sun They rap, write, blay on musical instr
ments, and move chairs, tables, &C.
!, David in speaking Of man says g His brea
~ goeth forth he returneth to his earth in Nh
D. very day his thoughts perish" Ps. cxlvi, H.
g Here are three inspired witnesses perfect
N agreeing IN their testimonies that the dead hd
. not hn0lrledge. Therefore the testimony
IL these rupplng and writing spirits, in regard
e themselves, is false, and the reader must allie
,e us to cali them lying spirits.
1T They say one great object Of their manifest
/, tons is to convince the world of the immorti
III ty of the SOUL that all men have mmortalit
Is But the Bible plainly teaches that that immt
I'd tality, eternal life, is the gift of God throu,
ar Jesus Christ, and consequently, conditional
:. '' The wages of sin is death but the gift
y GOO is eternal life through Jesus Christ o
1t Lord Romans vi. %, Who will render
+ every man according to his deeds to them W
ID by patient continuanceln well-doing, seek
glory, and honor, and inrnortahty; etern
I'd life RIM. ii, 6, 7. Certainly, God does n
$, require man to seek for immortality if all M
s. now possess it
es Paul says to Timothy +" Which in his tim
he shall shew, who is the blessed, and the on
IL Potentate the King of kings, and Lord
'g lords, acho only hath Immortality, &c. lii
is vi, Is, l6.
o. These spirits teach that all men possess il
mortality; but st. Paul teaches that it is pit
t. Sessed by tie King of kings and Lord OF lor
III only and that Christ has brought life ~
immortality to light through the gospel r. Til
ts l., Is and that it is tt be put on at the soul
9 OF the last trump, at te second appearing
% Christ. Cor. XIV, 52-- 81.
g Although these Spirits generally appear We
good and pous, and profess that their mlssl
is to improve the spiritual good OF mankln
yet it is evident that they are commissioned
t. the great author of lies from the manner tn
% treat the word of God
! The holy Apostle says; 8 All scripture
IL given by inspiration of God, and IS proitat
m for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, Tor
he struction in righteousness that the man
SO God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished IN
= all good works. 2'lim. iii, l6, II. b
u, these spirits teach that the Sacred Volume
al imperfect, and that they have come to CORE
It its errors. That it istquite out OF date,
at light being eclipsed by the glory of these col
II muncations from the spirit world, The tru
~ is, that the Bible doctrine of life and immort'
e. ity alone through Jesus Christ, and that conc
II, tional, is perfectly destructive of their who
of philosophy; therefore they declare the Bible
~ not purely the word Of God.
vi [coNcLuDEn NEXT WEEK.,
o. INTEREsTING--the war of the "Cow Boy
ar land the q Qnad z hhits y NOW GOlng on In I'll