The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-02-27

said is true, and he can't disprove it.
l may know nothing about it expert
mentally. in his estimation, but man
knows that fire burns without sticking
his hand in it.
Meetings opened with sorg, prayer
and Scripture reading!" Does that
sanctlfy the doings that follow. Lee
lures by the Spirits that are equal, if
not superior to any ever listened to in
an orthodox church." l have only one
objection to this statement, and that is,
it is not true. If he had said better
than he had ever heard | could not be-
lieve it even then, though l could be-
lieve that he seldom il ever hears ad-
dresses in an orthodox church. | can
believe, however, though sorry to do so,
that he is laboring under 'strong de-
fusion, that he should believe lie."
Christ magniied!" Think of it!
He is blasphemed; the Holy Spirit-the
Divine Teacher. whose office it is, to
take of the things of Christ and show
them unto us-is rejected and despised.
Inspiration unheld! When they de-
Ii beratelY disobey the plain command of
the Bible to avoid such evils. Read
Deut. IS. again. Humanity lifted to
higher plain of moral and religious life!
The tendency is downward.
Of course the evil spirits ruled Saul,
and there are plenty of others today in
the same condition. Perhaps l haven't
investigated the tricks and frauds of
this pernicious system, but manv others
have, and any reasonable person, pos
sessed of ordinary intelligence, may be-
lieve the testimony of competent wit
nesses; and none more capable than
those whose eyes have been opened to
the fraud, and have come out from it,
and tie stify to its true nature. have
seen things done on the platform, by
lecturers and magicians which were
more wonderful than any | have heard
of being performed by the medium in
the neighborhood. They were mys-
tifying and pronounced wonderful, yet
were admitted by the performer to be
easily explained.
Deny splritualism and you deny the
Bible!' Does he mean to say that the
Bible inculcates or sanctions such per-
formances as may be seen at seances.
If so. must say he has very, imper-
feet knowledge of the Bible. The Bible
warns against this and other counter
felt systems of religion and therein
proves its claim to inspiration. | deny
that prophets were mediums in the
sense in which such are connected with
spiritualism as he would evidently have
US believe. The prophets did not have
to resort to darkness and deceit to
practice their arts. They said VIII
they had to say open and abe
board. No darkness for them. VIII
darkness now? "Men love darkness
rather than light, because their DEEDS
ARE EVIL" We do not need to open
the door to the spirit world by means
of so called medium. If we will but
open our minds to the Holy Spirit of
God, whom the Father and the Son have
sent forth, we may receive communica-
lions which if believed and practiced,
will lift US up to the high level of being
kings and priests unto unto God, but it
will be through the medium of the
Divine Word of God, and not an egotis-
teal, presumptuous spiritualistlc medi-
UNI who may be found in the catalogue
of Deut. 18:10-11. A warning against
these or exposure of their fraudulent
tricks is evidently in the mind of
"Spirltualist Persecution, due to
jealousy and ignorance. That is an
easy way out it. We recall Proverbs
26:l2 and we hear Paul say "Be not
wise in YOUR own conceits."
| shall certainly keep sober though |
do not expect to attend any of the
seances, unless it be to investigate lest
l be found to be disobedient to the Lord.
Nor am afraid of soiling my garments,
and | would be delighted to associate
not with some, but all who are spiritual
lists, if they would become followers of
Jesus, instead of tricky medium.
God speaks in His Word, through the
Holy Spirit, and we need not medium
to toot His horn, or through it, get His
messages from supposed spirit, who
is frequently the medium or an accom-
plice. God who at sundry times and in
divers manners \spake in times past
unto the fathers by the prophets, hath
in these last days spoken unto US by
His Son.
The excitement on this subject began
in the United States in 1843. Spirit
rapping began in 1847 in Wayne county.
New York. 1t is not to be wondered at,
for it is plainly fortold that in the last
days perilous times shall come-Men
will have form of godliness yet deny
the power thereof.
l think there is hope for me, though
| do not believe in the pretenses of
spiritualism. | believe in spirits; in