The New York herald., 1876-01-17
PARK CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
THE SIN oF w1TcHoRAFT AND MODERN SPIRIT


THE SIN OF wITCHCRAFT AND MODERN SPIRIT
UAIIsM.
At the Park Congregational church. in Brooklyn,
yesterday the Rev. Matthew Hale Smith preached
a sermon based the Sunday school lesson,
l. Samuel, xv, 23-'For rebellion is the sin
Of wtchcraft" " The teachers OF the Sunday school
had, he said requested the sermon for the
reason that wtchcraft and sorcery enter largely
into the new range of international lessons for
the coming month. witchcraft, he said, was recog
nized in its various names in all parts OF the Bible.
Moses forbade that witch should live in the land.
Under the law wizard stoned to death Passing
rapidly through scrptural record OF witchcra he
camo TO speak OF modern spirituaism saying that in
all ages down TO the present have be-
witched the people by lying words, and have
lined their pouches with gold through plous frauds
The vilest and most shallow, he felt, that which
disgraces the nneneenth century and passes under
the Of SpritualIsm. il had trap doors, double
hoored boxes cabinets, ropes, brass bands, ghosty
hands with performers who like the sorcerers in the
days Of Isalah 'peep and mutter in the dark" pre-
tending 10 call mp the dead and hold with the
departed doing no good throwing light on no dark
life. Mothers coming back to their children with no
word Of caution, no warning to keep them from evil
word Of instruction TO guide them through the
stern duties OF life fatty contradictng the words OF
Jesus that "the dead cannot pass the boundaries OF
tho two worlds nor convey warning 70 sne living
from the dead fhe particular and unit
form influence OF this modern witchcran was, he
SAID sinful and deplorable it made the word of God
OF no effect it nung lie in the teeth Of Jesus our
Lord It's breath was like the sirocco, that blasted
everything which IL blew II blasted spiritual
life broke up the household, ruined many denom-
inations and threw the sands OF Sahara every
green and bright thing that blooms It's infatuation
was ruinous to business prosperity He said he had
met a man in his walks in New York who was
supposed TO be millionaire. He had money TO
invest and a medium selected 10 aid In making
the investment The spirits Of Clay Webster and
Calhoun were invoked TO give an opinion on the
matter Webster never knew much about investing
money and he seemed to know less than he did be-
fore he exchanged worlds The investment OF course
was ruinous and in poverty and in penury the man
now ueads his solitary way New York Turn away, be
said. from these shows TRY the spirits and see
whether they be OF Cod" II they do not confess the
Lord they from the Devil Put on the whole
armor Of God and with the sword OF the spirit turn the
wiles OF the Devil Tho words OF Jesus, he said,
would tell them ali they would know about the de-
parted until 1.-THE peary gates swing inward and they
crossed the ghtterng threshold Take that these
willy systems do not beguile you as the serpent be
.guiled Eve with his subtlety Say rather with the
ecstatic poet-
should all the forms that devise
Assault my faith with tire acherous ART
I'D call them vanity and lies,
~ 1el.S 1NA hAnW