The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-13

Wiling TO give ltS natural meaning TO the
language OF Scripture. Any criticism which
explains away the acts Of the Eg yptian sor-
cerers will explain away the works of Moses
as well. If their rods did not become ser
pents, neither did Aarons rod become a
serpent and swallow up the other rods. If
the enchanters did not bring up frogs, neither
did Moses 1t was by greater wonders, beyond
what the wizards were able to do by the help
of their demons, that Moses convinced them
he was sent from God and they said, "This
is the finger of Cod"
1t was in this way that Nicodemus was con-
vinced that Jesus Christ came from God, for
he said:-"No man can do these miracles that
Thou dOest except that God be with him."
He believed, as all the Jews of this day, that
great wonders could be done by those pos
sessed by demons: but, said he 'No man can
do these miracles without divine help"
The way in which the Bible speaks of these
things shows that the inspired writer's regarded
them as realities:-"A consulter with familiar
SpiritS"-"A man or woman that hath a tdmi-
liar pirif soul that turneth after such
as hare familiar spirits" Such expressions as
these, and they are very numerous, prove that
some really had familiar spirits, and were not
mere pretenders. Necromancy, witchcraft, sor-
Gerry, and the like are constantly spoken of in
sacred Scripture as realities, and not hint is
given of deception.
Nooern Spi1iWalism and Ancient Necromancy
are tie same Hing.
Spiritualism claims to be- AND IS communion
with the spirits of the dead.
The Witch of Endor claimed to have COM
munion with the Dead and that claim is
sustained by the Bible.
Abundance of other proof of the identity of
ancient sOrcery and modern Spirituasm might
be given, but for the present we will take the
concessions and claims of prominent Spirit
ualists and mediums themselves.
Governor Tallmadge says:-"All the magic,
the mysteries, the witchcraft, and necromancy
of the ancient world are explained by these
modern Investigations"
Judge Edmunds says:-"Both sacred and
profane history is full of accounts of what we
are now witnessing, and the history of Salem
witchcraft is but an account of spiritual mani
festations."
Allan Putnam, Unitarian clergyman and
spirtualist, says-"That oracles, sooth-
saying, and witchcraft of past ages were kin
dred to the manifestations of our day. l most
fully believe"
Andrew Jackson Davis, the Poughkeepsie
seer, bears the same testimony.
Charles Partridge, publisher of the Spiritual
Telegraph, said, when speaking of the Witch
of EndOr, "Call her a witch, or what you WILL
she was a medium for the spirits"
Rev. Cl) Uriah Clark says:-"Saul became
much annoyed by the mediums, and issued
decree that they all should be put to death,
but afterwards when in trouble, went off
under cover of night to consult medium"
Mr.. Britain, a spritualst editor, says:-
| "SimOn Magus was of all men Prince among
the workers of spiritual miracles"
Thus we see that Cd Ancient Necromdncy
udS a reality, condemned by God, and punished
with death; that (2) Ancient Necromancy and
Modern Spirituaiism are the same thing, because
they claim to be, and are, communion with
! the spirits of the dead, and because the iden-
| - o1o oil list
Now (3) Ancient Necromancy 'CaS part Of
! heather aUOrShtp.
''The gods of the Pagans," says an author,
! 'twere the spirits of the dead: having once
animated human bodies, and being supposed
still to retain human passions and appetites,
! they were believed in this state of dedication
to feel the same sensual desires which they
had felt on earth, and to pursue the same
means for their qualification"
This was written to account for the character
of the heather gods, and without reference to
the subject of the present discussion.
DR.. Campbell says:-"Al Pagan antiquity
affirms that from Titan and Saturn, the poetic
progeny of Coelus and Terra, down to Nscu-
lapius, Proteus, and Minos, all their di0inities
were qhoStS Of dead men, and were so regarded
by the most erudite of the Pagans themselves
Thus Spiritualism and Witchcraft are the
same and both the foundations of heathenism.
This identity is shown also by some quotations
from the revelations of inspired mediums.
Mr.. L. j. Mathews, speaking by inspiration,
says:-"The progression of the different races
and families of men are doubtless influenced
by different gods, and some of them of very
different dispositions from each other, but all
under the control of higher gods"
After rdiculng the idea of praying to an
Infinite God, he says-''I believe in praying
most fervently both by raising up our hearts
and minds to the gods, as | believe the gods ar,
bat finite beings, and capable of being influenced
by mental emotions. Pray, pray, l say, in
tensey to the highest guardian spirit or god
that can benefit you"
The spirit of J. p. Greaves says:-"There il
no supreme spirit, each spirit is god The
{ Dedication of heroes and sages is no delusion
g Man is his own maker and own Judge"
S Jonathan Rooms says:-"D Divinity commences
, with the first stage of developed human
spirits" He goes on to say that they become
: more and more divine until the highest circl
O of developed human spirits becomes ga JON
o ruling gOdhedd."
+ 1t is plain, we think, by these things hav
been shown that ancient SOrcery and Spiritual
g ism are the same that POlytheism, or tn
O worship of many gods, is the natural result c
S both that the whole system is at utter vari
}, ance with God and the Bible, which condemn
IS the practice as worthy of death 1t was 81
of no ordinary character that called forth fror
70 the Divine Lawgiver such penalties as these:-
ii ''Thou shalt not suffer witch to live" 9Th
q soul that turneth after such as have familia
h spirits and after wizards, will set my fac
h against that soul and will cut him off frOI
is among his people," ga man, also, or a woman
IS that hath a familiar spirit or that is wizar
t. shall surely be put to death"
le In view of these passages, we cannot hel