The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1888-05-03

a tendency TO lead people OIL nom their
right Judgment, and 10 ilgtil into them
fanaticism that is revolving to the natural
mind"
II not only ruins its disciples, but it
ruins the mediums also, only give it time.
The Gadaraean swine, on the banks of
the Lake Of Galilee, no sooner became
spiritual mediums than down they went
in an avalanche OF pork, TO the cohster-
nation of all the herdsmen. The office
OF medium is bad for man, bad for
woman, bad lor beast.
bring against this delusion q more
fearful indit tment it ruins the soul
immortal. First, it makes a man quar-
ter of an inlidel then it makes him half
an infdel; then it makes him whole in
fidel. The whole system, as l conceive
it, is founded on the lnsulficiency OF the
word of God as a revelation God says
the Bible is enough for you 10 know
about the future world. You say it is
not enough, and there is where you and
the ! ord differ. You clear the table,
you shove aside the Bible, you put your
hand on the table, and say "NoW let
spirits OF the future world come and tell
me something the Bible has not told
me-" And although the Scriptures say
"Add thou not unto his words, lest he
reprove thee, and thou be found liar"
YOU risk it, and say "Come back. spirit
OF my departed father; come back, spirit
of my departed mother of my compan-
ions, OF my little child, and tell me some
things l cont know about you and
about the unseen world" If God is
ever slapped luare in the face, it is
when a spiritual medium puts down her
hand ON the table invoking spirits de-
parted to make a revelation. God has
told you all you ought to know, and how
dare you be prying into that which is
none OF your business You cannot
keep the Bible in one hand and Spirit
ualism in the other. One or the other
will slip out of your grasp, depend
upon it.
Spiritualism is adverse to the Bible in
the fact that it has in these last days
called from the future world CHRISTIAN
men to testify against Christianity. It's
mediums call back Lorenzo Dow, the
celebrated evangelist, and Lorenzo Dow
testi6es that Christians are idolators
Spiritualsn calls back Tom Paine, and
he testlnes that he is stopping in the
same house in Heaven with John Bunyan
They call back John Wesley, and he
testlfies against the Christian religion
which he al his life gloriously preached
Andrew Jackson Davis the greatest OF
| all the Spirltualists, comes to the front
and declares that the New Testament is
but ''the dismal echo of barbaric age"
and the biDle only 'one OF the pen and
ink relics OF Christianity They attempt
to substitute the writings of Swedenberg,
and Andrew Jackson Davis, and other
religious balderdash, in the place of this
old Bible. l have in my house book
which was used in this very city in the
public service of Spiritualists. 1t is well
worn with much service. l open that
book, and it says: "What is our baptism?
Answer Frequent ablutions of water.
| What is our inspiration? Plenty OF fresh
air and sunlight. What is our prayer
Abundant physical exercise. What is
our love-feast? A clear conscience and
| sound sleep" And find from the same
book that the chief item in their public
worship is gymnastic exercise, and that
whenever they want to rouse up their
souls to a very high pitch of devotion
they sing page slxty-fve: 81 he night has
gathered up her moonlit fringes;" :" or
| page sixteen: Come to the woods
uolBhO' 1Ou say yOu are uOG SuCn u
fool as that; but you will be if you keep
on in the track you have started.
But" says s)me one, "wouldn't it be
of advantA se to hear from the future
word? Lon't you think it would
strengthen Christians There are a
great many Materiallsts who do not be-
heve there are souls; but ii spirits from
the future worl / should knock and talk
over to us, they would be persuaded"
To that | answer, in the ringing words of
the Son OF God: "If they believe not
Moses and the prophets, neither will
they be persuaded through one rose from
the dead
Now l believe, under God, that this
sermon will save many from disease. in
sanity, and perdition. believe these
are the days OF which the apostle spoke
when he said: "In the latter times some
shall depart from the faith, giving heed
to seduciug spirits" l think my
audit nee, as well as other audiences in
this day, need to have reiterated in their
hearing the passages / quoted some
minutes ago: "There shall not be among
| you consulter OF familiar spirits, or
wizard, or necromancer; for they that
do these things are an abomination unto
the Lord" AMI "The soul that turnetn
after such as have familiar spirits | will
set myself against them, and they shall
be cut off from their people"
But l invite you this morning to
Christian seance, monday seance. This
congregation is only one great family
Here is the church table. Come around
the church table, take your seats for
this great Christian seance, put your
Bible on the table, PIT your hands on the
top of the Bible, and then listen and
hear If there are any voices coming from
the eternal world. think there are.
Listen Secret things belong unto the
Lord our God, but things that are re-
vealed belong unto us and to our chill
dren." Surely that is a voice from the
spirit world But before you rise from
| this Christian seance, | want you to
promise me you will be satisfied with the
Divine revelation until the light OF the
eternal throne breaks upon your vision.
Do not 90 after the witch of En-dor. Bo
not sit down at taole rappings,
either in sport or in dead earnest
Have your table so we'll made and their
legs so even that they will not tip and
rattle. If the table must move let it be
under the Offices Of industrious house
wifery. Teach your children there are
no ghosts to be seen or heard in this
world save those which walk on two feet
or four, human or bestial. Remember
that Spiritualism at the best is a useless
thing; for if it tells what the Bible
reveals it is a super luity, and ii it
tells what the Bible does not reveal,
it is a lie. Instead of going out to
get other people to tell four fortuue,
tell your own fortune by putting your
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