The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-03-11
Spirits.

1
of beings like ourselves-though with
out bodies-seems to be universal. And
we find such beings referred to all
through the Bible. God is a spirit.
Christ promised and sent to his disciples
tbe Holy Spirit as another Comforter"
The holy angels are spoken of as spirits.
So are Satan and his angels. So are the
souls of those who have died. There can
be no doubt that we are surrounded by
hosts of unseen intelligences, some good
and some evil. all of whom are deeply
interested in us, and do more or less to
help or hinder us in our heavenward
Journey. We are all too much inclined
to forget or ignore this fact, and to live
as if the world of sense we're the only
which we ought to care for. Hencei if
modern spiritualism recalls our attention
to this neglected facts, its errers and evil
may be overruled forgood. Let us dwell
briefly upon some things we know about
spirits.
l. They are very numerous. The an
gels that stood around Gods throne
when John went up through the open
door into heaven were "ten thousand
times ten thousand and thousands Of
thousands" And they were only small
part of the whole number. Myriads, no
doubt, were traversing the universe, do
ing the will of their Lord. The redeem
ed from earth at that time were "a mul.
titude that no man could NUMBER" and
how great it must be to day. Bryant
says in his "Thanatopsis"
Call that tread
The globe are but handful to the tribes
That sumber in its bosom."
But the souls or spirits Of those count
less hosts are in the spirit world. Dur
ing the nearly 6,00O years since Adam
was created there have been nearly two
hundred generations. The number of
the dead therefore can not be less than
fifty times that ofthe living. This would
give a population of 7,5OO,OOO,000 that
the earth had added to the myriads who
are invisible to US. Well, then, may we
SPEAK of dying as "goiug over to the
majority"
2. They are intensely active. How
wonderfully q mind works, even when
shut up in body? Who, then, can i'm.
agine the speed and power Of disem-
bodied mind? Spirits travel as thought
travels.
8. Some of these spirits are deeply
interested in US, and especially in those
of US who are christians. Paul says that
the holy angels desire to look into the
mysteries Of the gospel; that they are
"all ministcring spirits sent forth to
minister for them who shall be heirs of
salvation" And that to the principal
ties and powers in the heavenly places
shall be made known by the Church the
manifold wisdom of God. But there are
other spirits who hate US because we love
the Lord, and who do all they can to de.
ceiye and destroy US. Satan is called
the adversary, the tempter, a roaring
lion seeking whom he may devour, the
spirit that now worketh in the children
of disobedience. And Paul admonishes
us that we wrestle not against flesh and
blood, but against priucipalities, against
powers, against the rulers of darkness of
this world. against wicked spirits.
These facts are sufficient to justify and
claim far more attention to spirits than
most of us give. We smile at the story
of Luther hurling his inkstand at the
devil. But he may not have erred on
the one extreme as far as we err on the
other. live are to wrestle against wick.
ed spirits, they must be as real to US as
the angel was to Jacob at Peniel. But
while we are to have our eyes opened
and see by faith, as Elisha did, horses
and chariots of fire around US, we are not
to be afraid of spirits, or doubtful as to
the issue of the great conflict in the spir-
it world. For we should remember, first
of all, that while Satan is mighty spir'
it; while he has studied the tactics of
temptation for nearly 5000 years, and
can, when he will, transform himselfinto
an angel of light, yet he is a finite being.
He can only guess the future aud can not
foreknow it. He can be in only one
place at time. His power, though
great, is limited. He has been foiled
again and again, even by the angels (see
Dan. 13; Jude 9 and Rev. xii. y. He
was signally foiled by Christ in tue will
derness and by the cruci6xion, which he
no doubt regarded at the time as a VIC
tory. Though he is roaring lion, he
wears chain, and one end of it isin the
hand of God. Mighty and malignant as
he is, he can do only what our Heavenly
Father permits him to do. On the other
hand, the Holy Spirit is divine. He is
omnipresent and omnipotent. He knows
all things, aud he is given to abide with
us forever.
2. We should remember that God has
doubtless more angels than Satan has.
And as they are holy and in daily inter.
course with the Father of lights and the
Source of all strength, they are wiser
and stronger than the fallen spirits.
With the Holy Spirit and myriads
of ministering spirits "who excel in
strength" on our side, ne need not fear
Satan and his angels.
8. We should remember that in all
the long. contest since the Fall, between
the powers of light and darkness, every
substantial victory has been on the side
of the former. The success of wicked
men and their invisible allies has always
been temporary and more apparent than