The Worthington advance., 1878-12-05
HPIRITUdLNM.

EDITOR ADVANCE: 1t seems that a
considerable interest is being awaken
ed among the readers of the ADVANCE
on the subject Of Spiritualsm, and
since your paper has a Free Column" )"
will offer few thoughts.
Twill say in the first place that 1 be-
lieve in Spiritualism, i. e., l believe it
is reality, and not all a humbug and
a farce.
I will say further, that 1 believe the
Bible to be the 'Word of God" and it
is in the light of that word that l
would examine this subject, and l in
vite the attention of all Bible believers.
Scientists have acknowledged that it
is beyond the limits of science-to ac-
count for the mysteries Of Spiritualism.
Its phenomena are beyond the limits of
all known laws that govern scientific
research. So. unless the Bible will
furnish us some light on the subject,
we will be left in the dark, unless we
take the testimony of the spirits them
selves, which does not always agree.
Now, the Bible furnishes us Il test
by which one may ''try the splrits,"
John 1, 3, And every spirit that con-
fssseth not that Jesus Christ is not
come in the flesh is not of God" What
do the spirits teach through Spiritual
ism Oh this point? They tell US that
Christ was simply good medium and
il good man and nothing more; that it
is not necessary to salvation to have
faith in him as the Son Of God; in fact ,
each man is his own God and his own
Savior. It this be a fact, we have no
need Of Christ rs our Savior, and the
Bible itself is q huge lie and All out
rageous humbug. All who are ac-
qnaintedwith Spiritualism know that its
great aim and object is to overthrow the
teachings of the Bible, and to all Bible
believers, this should be sufficient evil
dence of the source from which it
comes.
For this purpose the Son of God
was manifested that he might destroy
the works Of the devil,' John, 3. s,
| Modern Spiritualism is but another
| phase OF the great controversy' that
has been going Oh for nearly six hund-
red years. The principal. or main doc
trine Of the side of error is the same as
that first given IN Eden, viz, "Thou
shalt not surely die" And confident.
ly believe, that the wide spread and
almost universal belief among christi.
ans and the world in an inherent, nev.
er-dying, or immortal unity in man
commonly called soul and spirit) is
what has given such an impetus tc
Spiritt'alism. So that they now claim
from 10000, ,O0O to 10000, 900 adherents
Indeed why should not the spirits re-
turn and commune with friends. il
such be the condition of man in death;
But what do the Scriptures teach on
this point? Eccl, 8, Sc: For the liy
ing know that they shall die; but the
dead know not anything. Also theil
love, and their hatred, and their eny,
is now perished; neither have they an7
more portion for ever in anything
that is done under the SUM-" tPleast
read the 10th verse Of the same chapt.
rs. l06: 4, speaking of man says: *'Hi:
breath goeth forth, he returneth to the
earth; in that very day his thought:
PERISH" Job II: 81 reads thus: ssHi.
sons cometh to honor and lie knowet}
it not; and they are brought low bu1
ne perceiveth it not of them." w,
might multiply proofs that the condi
ton OF man III death is one of inactivit,
OF mind as we'll as body. It is we'll rep
resented by perfect sleep, and sleep is
common term used in speaking o.
death. II then, in death, our thoughts