The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-02-21

what st. Paul meals when he turned
to rebuke the young woman who had
The power of divination. and command
ed the evil spirits TO come out Of her.
acts 1G:lG-1S.l Let them explain why
her soothsayins representations were
at an end. when once the evil spirit
was gone forth. Let us also remember
that there is not Il suggestion any
where in the Bible that these evil spir-
its were ever human beings i'm any sense
of the word. or at any time. Let us
all remember that these are the same
evil spirits dealt with ut the time Of
the Deluge.
immediately after the Flood. they
began their attack upon humanity,
their attack upon the Truth. their en-
deavor TO make humanity believe the
lie-that the dead are not dead. TO
whatever extent they succeeded in so
deceiving humanity they prepared man
kind prOportonately To lie their dupes.
The goal of their ambition is posses
sion. and everything else is accessory.
Spirit mediums recognize the demon
character of the spirits communicating
through them: and they dread them
and warn each other against the dan
ger Of allowing their wills TO come
completely under spirit influence,
knowing that surely the result will be
possession. denomination. And this in
our day is called insanity. although
many physicians realize the difference.
and candidly say that not one-half the
cases i'm an insane asylum are due to
functional disorder. The majority are
cases of possession by evil spirits.
Suggestion, Diversion, Impression, Pos
session.
These are the four steps along which
those who do not put themselves under
the guidance of the Lord are in danger
Of being led by the demons. And ev-
cry step OF the way should be fought
with a determination of the will. il
the "wiles of the Adversary" would be
escaped. The vacant. unOccupied,
mind is the more open to suggestions
Of the demons. The purposeful, ear
nest, energetic. have Il protection in
their activity.
But if suggestions. or imaginations.
have been entertained the second step
may soon follow diversions The mind
will he diverted from the lines OF
thOugit-study. prayer. or what not.
The power Of suggestion becomes so
strong as to interfere with proper
thinking and reasoning.
This leads on to the third step--im-
preston. Some are naturally more i'm
questionable than are others. and can
receive pr0mptings. or suggestions,
from the evil spirits with 50 little diff
ficuty that they do not realize the
source Of the impression. but rather
wonder il it Is a power of their own.
Really it is the outside power impress
them under occult influence.
Finally comes the last stage-pOsses-
sion-when the evil spirit gets full
power and control of the VIII. and ig-
nOres the human will entirely. This is
not always accomplished without more
ing years. In the struggle. sometimes
by clairaudient powers. sometimes
through mediums. the spirits will seek
more and more the confidence Of the
dnpe If he be inclined toward evil.
the leadings will be that way. If he
have a religious tendency, he will be
cOunseled to pray or read the Bible.
then be chded, the object always be-
ing to bring him into full submission
OF his mind. in manner that none
should yield himself. except to the Al
mighty; whom the evil spirits some
times personate in their speech.
Witches, Wizards and Neeroma neers.
Many today laugh at the stories of
witchcraft handed down from the past.
Quite probably some executed as
witches may have been good people.
misunderstood by their neighbors. This
does not, however, alter the fact that
witches. wizards and necrOmancers are
not mere myths. The Bible tells us Of
them as realities. and explains the
demon power operating through them.
In olden times. the Divine Law for
babe any witch, wizard or NEGRO
mancer lone claiming to have cOmmu-
nications from the dead) TO live in the
land of Israel, or to practise their
black arts. deuteronomy 1S:9-14l
Through the Prophet the Lord asks the
people why the living should seek unto
those who peep and mutter and claim
to have communication with the dead
for wisdom, knowledge. guidance,
etc.l, and not unto the living God?
should not a people seek unto their
God?"-Isaiah $40, 20.
We all remember the story of the
Witch of Endor, and how King Saul.
when he could not have communica-
ton with the Lord. sought communica-
ton with Samuel the Prophet. who
was dead. Saul saw nothing and
heard nothing. The witch described to
him an old man with a mantle. and
Saul recognized the description as cor
responding with that of the Prophet
Samuel. The witch was guided by the
demons. however much she might have
supposed that the visions she saw and
the words she heard were from the
dead Prophet. The prophecies were
all from the evil spirits. the demons.
q Samuel 2S:1-19; Chronicles 1918.
40 So in all heather lands. the de-
mons have had to do with the people
The lesson to Gods people is full
10 Id t,.in ott To