The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-05-27

they die they arr really more alive
than when they were alive,
This Is the fundamental doctrine OF
the demons. Think how many false
doctrines that have troubled Us arr
based upon the thought that the dead
are alivel Aud remember what tho
Bible says: namely The dead know
not anything CEcclesiastes 9.N. The
wages OF sin is death" not eternal tor.
ment anywhere (Romans d.23li and,
THE soul that sinneth, II shall die"
! Ezekiel 1874. 10, II we had believed
! the Bible. We would have been spared
the nonsense, the fear. the torture, tho
delusions. which have troubled Us.
But we neglected Gods Word and took
the word Of Satan, the Serpent
These doctrines of demons include
| Purgatory aud masses to get out Of
Purgatory They include the work OF
spirit mediums; for as bishops aud
priests are deceived, SO are mediums.
| They verify think that they are com
munlcating with dead humans, where
as the Bible makes clear that they are
being deceived by the fallen angels.
| the demons, who know all about our
dead friends, and through these me.
dIums try TO Impress upon us that our
friends are alive, thus giving the only
confirmation there Is to Satau's lie that
the dead are alive. Poor creatures
who come under the influence OF evil
spirits tell us distinctly that the spirits
who once claimed TO be their dead
friends declare plainly, after getting
control of these unfortunates, that they
are demons, and then proceed TO terrify
their Victims by telling that they Will
soon have them in eternal torture.
Why Would Demons So Teach7
At first thought II would appear as
though Satan would not favor any
thing telling about future trouble; and
thus many are deceived into thinking
that whatever tells OF the goodness
and love OF God must be a deception
of the Devil. Let us notice carefully
the line of the Adversary's attack. He
skilfully uses preachers, eyangelists
and the profane-all-to tell about Hell
and devils. and the creeds TO tell that
all that Is Gods Plan. Thus effectual-
ly he puts barrier between God and
the people, and drives them from God
and from the Bible.
Have not these doctrines of devils"
led thinking people away from God
and religion into social fiurries and
nonsense? Have not some men been
led to plunge into business, others into
novel reading, theater-going, drinking,
carousing, gaming anything to keep
their minds off the most important
things, the things Of God, the things
which the Bible teaches? Surely IL IL
so. And yet there are thousands Of
ministers who are preaching I1ell-fire
torment but who do not believe word
of what they say, and who think they
are doing 1t to keep people from going
into sin. Do they think that they are
wiser than God? Do they expect to
hear the Masters "Well done, good
and faithful servant" for having Sian
dered Gods name, His character and
Message, for having deceived the peo-
pie, when He plainly told them that
the Truth alone will sanctify?
/ sympathize with the preachers;
they are in a terrible place, as the
Apostle describes in our text Speak
ing lies in hypocrisy; having their con.
science scared with q hot iron Only
/ badly scared conscience could APP
prove Of the slanderng of Almighty
Tod and the representing of Him as
being worse than the worst of all hui
nan beings worse than the worst OF
lewis we could possibly imagine. IL
would be hard matter for these gen
lemen, so long looked up to as stand
rd-bearers for God and the Truth, TO
ONE humblS down from their pedes
ais and tell the people plainly, We
ave been decelving you all, or at least
ave been keeping you in ignorance OF
he Truth, for the sake Of the salaries
We received. A few, we may surely
xpect, will do this. They are coming
carer and nearer TO the point every
minute. But they will be few. The
majority will brazen the matter out.
dding falsehood to hypocrisy. How
ad. And every day that they delay
, step out on the side of Truth will
lake their case the worse. The peo-
lie are becoming enlightened. and are
head Of the preachers In knowledge Of
cd and honesty Of thought aud word
Quite recently / heard from young
IAN, who went to his pastor saying.
Do you really believe In Hell fire as
Re punishment for SIM" The answer
as, "Yes, certainly. Of course-we all
," Then the young man told what
: had been thinking; and as he was
ayng the minister's study the latter
1t his hand on the young mans shout
n, saying. George. do not believe
eternal torment. but you know we
ust preach IT, Otherwise, We would
, out with our denominations and
eeds, out Of everything; and perhaps
e people would be the worse off
What a shameful position. Surely