The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-12-20
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
sPIRITUALISM.

This is one of the family of "isms," about
which many of the readers of the Central
know but little. The operations OF its pro-
pagators have, SO far, been confined mostly
to the Northern and Western States. Among
us, table-tipping has been practised in many
places, but generally by young people, tor
amusement. There are few in the South who
have been led to embrace spiritualism as
serious belief, and long may it be so. Still,
we do not know how soon we may be brought
into contact with this error through the
travelling lecturers and mediums who 90 far
and near to gain proselytes, and we had bet
ter arm ourselves with some definite opinions
upon which to act, when called to do so. In
order to do this it is altogether unnecessary
either to have the phenomena of spiritual
ism explained, or to understand its philoso-
ply, so-called. 1t seems only necessary to
know certain facts which We may easi!
about this strange belief in order to deter
mine whence it is, and what our duty is,
when called upon to subscribe to it. They
tell us for example that they can hold com
municaton with the departed spirits of the
dead. The mediums will put US in COM
munication with the spirits of our departed
friends, and as proof that no deception is
practiced will give us notes in their hand
writing. The "test-mediums," as they are
called, in the course of their lectures, call
up persons indiscriminately from the audi
ence, and tell their character, their creed,
together with many incidents in their history
which occurred years before, going into
minutia as to places, dates, and events. All
these and many other wonders they perform
or profess to perform. If you ask US how
they do them, we answer that we. do not
know, and do not think it material that we
should. Some who have aimed to explain
them upon natural principles, have charged
all the phenomena to the account of electric
ity, and have thus left US as much in the
dark as ever. A physician somewhere in
the North declared, recently, that mediums
were diseased, and that he could cure them,
but he did not tell US their disease If he
meant madness, he has probably come nearer
to a solution of the vexed question than any
body else. But we do not care for explana-
tions. The spiritualists declare to us that
they can commune with disembodied spirits,
and in spite of all the appearances against
US, we declare point-bank that they cannot.
The assertion is made. confidently because
we believe it sustained by the infallible word
of God We do not forget that the witch
,nf Endor called up Samuel at the request of
King Saul. Bat-we remember very well
4 that she was utterly astonished and dread
fully frightened at the result of her witch
craft She had thought to play Oft the
"Medlam" on Saul, and as the mouth-piece
of our invisible Samuel, tell him what he de-
sired, but was disconnected by the interposi-
ton of God, who made the veritable Samuel
to appear. But suppose this Interpretation
to be wrong, and that this witch could com
mune with the spirits of the departed, we
have still gained all we desire in the argu-
ment; for such communion was expressly
forbidden by divine commandments, and is
still, even if the name is changed from witch
to mediums or spiritualist. 1t is evident,
however, that the Scriptures do emphatical'
ly discountenance the idea that such COM
munon between the living and the dead is
possible; so emphatically indeed that no one
who believes the Scriptures can believe
spiritualism. Hence many eminent commen,
tators on this ground, and from the account
as given in Sam. xviii chapter, deny that
Samuel appeared to Saul at all, but main
tain that it was Satan Stimulating him. Tried
by Scripture therefore, spirituaism is lie
however wonderful and inexplicable it may
be-.
But spiritualism is no less lie in what il
does not believe, than in what it does be-
lieve. 1t believes in communion with de-
parted spirits. 1t cannot therefore, and We
find as q matter of fact, that it does not be
lieve in he Bible This is not all; it hates
the Bible, and worse still, it hates the Goo
of the Bible, with cordiality and refine
; ment of hatred which can only be described
as devilish. This phenomenon, if we may
so call it, of spiritualism, throws flood o
light upon it. 1t Identifies it with the spirit
: ualism of the ancient heather called vari
ously, necromancy, divination, witchcraft
sorcery, &c., and condemned so unequvocal
: ly by the word of God. We are willing t
allow that there is much trickery and sligh
of hand used in spiritualism; that in man
u instances ingenious mechanical devices hav
been resorted to-, to produce so-called spirit
ual phenomena; but we do not believe thi
o is all of spiritualism. When we look at tn
It effects produced upon those who have en-
b braced it as belief, or religion, they ar
too frightful, too uniform, to be accounte
e for by trivial causes, or even by the invour
d tary action of electricity; or indeed by tn
J. single or combined action of any natur'
cause or causes, whether brought to bea
l. voluntarily or involuntarily. We do solemn
,e believe that the devil is at the bottom of th
s whole business, as we are assured he was
the witchcraft of the Scriptures. If no