The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-15

:s - ~ 1eAe with wires and with
iS:;S - IS - i;,;Y;,S out-the masses find
- $500 1t difficult to believe
W j at the Bible
teaches respecting spirit phenomena. Yet,
on the other hand. there is a class grow
ingly large, which. under the name of
spritisn and psychic phenomena. are be-
Ing carried away, deceived by wicked spir-
its who pcrsonate the dead and who give,
through spirit mediums. clairvoyants. etc.
various demonstrate lions of intelligence and
OF acquaintance with human affairs. This
class, within the last ten years. has gath
cred to its number the names of some
prominent scientists, both in America and
Great Britain. These are telling the world
that they are not spiritualists, but scien-
lists. and that they are scientifically dem
onstrating gradually, with more and more
OF satisfaction. that they are In touch
with superhuman intelligences.
Giving these scientists and the spirit
mediums whom they use full credit for all
that they claim in the way of manifesto
ton and full credit for sincerity, Pastor
Russell holds that the Bible gives bet
ter explanation of the phenomena--a more
rational one and. in his opinion, the only
satisfactory explanation of the findings
of spiritualists and scientists along these
lines.
In heather lands magic and black art
arc practised and. to considerable extent.
the demons are worshipped. In China, for
instance. our ordinary flrecrackers are
manufactured and used in great quantities
In endeavor to rid themselves OF intrud-
ing spirits, who harass their lives and
even make some of them insane through
obsession; many of the insane of civilized
lands are likewise merely obsessed. st.
Paul tells us that the gods whom the
heather worship are demons and not gods
| Il Corinthians x. 2O). Again he tells OF
doctrines of demons q Timothy iv, ~.
All over heatllendom these false doctrines
| have been more or less established, taking
| one form or another to suit the condi-
| tons and prejudices of the people. And
| who will say that Christendom has not
| had its share Of these doctrines of de-
| mons? Who will say that some OF these
false doctrines did not get worked into all
! Of our creeds OF the dark ages" both
Catholic and Protestant?
Jesus Cast Out Demons
The Scriptures tell us that not onl,
/ Jesus cast out demons. but that as ar
evidence Of their authority and his au-
thorlty he gave this power to his Apostles
! when he sent them out TO preach. Every
| one Is familiar with the Bible narratives
| respecting these demons-some OF then
/ very startling For instance. our Lord.
/ visit to the country of the Gadarenes
| where he was met by a crazed man
obsessed of evil spirits. The Master ad
dressed. not the man. but the demons o
1 whom a legion had taken possession
Grazing their victim by their various an,
| contradictory suggestions AMI commands
- legion OF them were in him and the
requested that If they must come out the
be granted opportunity to go into tn
| herd of swine nearby-so anxious wer
they for earthly, sensuous life. Jesu
\ granted their request, because swine
owning was forbidden to the Jew unde
the Law. The effect of the demoniaca
obsession OF the swine was to craze tn
herd until they ran violently down steel
/ place and were choked in the sea. TIL
1 object of the demons may have been de
4 sire to reside in and obsess the swine, or
possibly, by destroying the swine, I
4 arouse indignation against Jesus (Marl
". La
Another remarkable instance was tn
! one when ST. Paul commanded the evi
spirits TO come out of the obsessed wo
man, who was soothsayer or fortune
teller and prophesied that Paul and Sila
/ were servants of God. Although the mes
sage was an endorsement of them. 81
Paul realized that an endorsement from
4. demoniac source was unworthy OF nj
4 Master and of his Gospel (Acts xvi. 1918
. Spirits today, including mediums, freel
acknowledge that many OF the spirit
which communicate through them ar
wicked spirits" and '.seducing spirits,
just as st. Paul said q Timothy 4: J.
But believing the spirits. that they repre-
sent dead human beings, the medium
naturally suppose some OF them good
The Bible alone tells that they are al
false. and that they are not human spr
its at ALL that dead men are dead an
know nothing and can communicate moth
ing. so long as they are dead. and tina
they will remain dead until the resur
rection morning. when the sleeping host
of humanity will hear the voice of tn
Son OF Man.