The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1919-11-19
Everybody's Column
Spiritualisnl
Eo The Editor:


1T requires only casual examination
Of the bible to demonstrate that the
fundamental claim of spir(tualism is
wholly without foundation or authority
The scriptures plainly declare that the
dead remain in an unconscious state
till the day Of resurrection. During
this period they neither love, nor hate
nor envy, and they have no knowledge
of anything that takes place on this
earth. ,tE4S r.,
b, When a man dies, instead of going
to heaven, or to- hell, or to some inter
mediate state, he passes into a condi'
ton Of unconscious sleep, with the
grave as his house. Says the patriarch
Job: But man dieth, and wasteth away;
yea, man giveth up the ghost, and
where is he? So man lieth down, and
riseth not; till the heavens be no more,
they shall not wake, nor be raised out
of their Sleep, o that thou wouldest
keep me secret. until the wrath be past
that thou wouldest appoint me set
time, and remember me-" Job IA: 10,
~, 10. Other scriptures show that the
dead are incapable Of exercising any
, thought whatsoever.
In Psalms LAG: 3, 4, are these words:
Put not your trust in princes, nor the
son of man, in whom there is no. help.
His breath goeth forth, he returneth
to his earth; in that very day his
thoughts perish" =,
dence, in the day of resurrection, when
the dead, both righteous and wicked,
shall be awakened out Of their sleep.
Marvel not at this; for the hour is
coming in which all that are in the
graves shall hear His voice, and shall
come forth; they that have done good,
unto the resurrection Of life; and they
that have done evil, unto the resurrec-
ton Of a damnation." John S: %, 20.
"For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with the
voice Of the archangel, and with the
trump of God; and the dead be caught
up together with them in the clouds, to
meet the Lord in the air; and so shall
we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore
comfort one another with these words"
1OThess. 4: 1913. <
In the light of these statements of
scripture it is clearly evident that the
claim of spiritualism that the dead have
power to communicate with the living,
has no foundation in the word Of God.
This, at the outset, stamps this great
movement as at variance With the
standard Of truth. H..
But II the dead are unconscious, and
thus unable to communicate with the
living, on what basis shall we account
Tor. the supernatural >pnenONleIla at
tending the manifestations Of this spir-
itualistic movement?
Throughout the history of the human
family, and as clearly revealed in the
Sacred Record, two principles-good
and evil-have been, at work. Both
have wrought by supernatural power.
One has been the representation Of God
in the world, the divine spirit of truth;
the other has been the spirit which has
wrought in the children of disobedi.
ence. One inspired the word, and
works always in harmony with its
teachings; the other denies the word,
and counterworks the plans and pur-
poses of God.
From the comparison of the great
fundamental doctrine Of spiritualism
with the scripture, it is not difficult to
determine it's classification. 1t is the
modern manifestation Of the great prin-
ciple Of evil which for long ages has
sought to enthrall the minds of men.
And it has ever borne a message pur.
porting to come from the dead, and
thus sought to establish the doctrine
that the dead are not dead. and that
the wages of sin is not death.
Yours truly,
GEO. E. TRACER.