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 PIRIT-POSSESSION. 
 
 A TREATISE UPON MODERN SPIRITUALISM. 
 
 COMPUISINU 
 
 ifbe Experiences and Theories of a "Retired" Spirit- 
 Medium. 
 
 BY HENRV M. HUGUNIN. 
 
 Now the Spirit jsueakcth expressly, that in the latter times 
 some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits 
 and doctrines of devils. — 1 Timothy iv., 1. 
 
 SYCAMORE, ILL. 
 BAKER & ARNOLD. 
 
 1878. 
 
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SPIEIT-POSSESS 
 
 A TREATISE UPON MODERN SPIEITUALISM. 
 
 COMPRISINO 
 
 The Ezperiences and Theories of a "Retired" Spirit- 
 Medium. 
 
 BY HENRY M. HUGUNIK. 
 
 Now the Spirit speaketli expressly, that in tiie latter times 
 «ome shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seduoiBg epiriU 
 and doctrines of devils. — 1 Timothy iv., i. 
 
^^N-S^^ 
 
 .Vv% 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1878, 
 
 By baker & ARNOLD, 
 
 Jn the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. 
 
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 <^ 
 
 INTRODUCTOEY. 
 
 " Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him, or the 
 aon of man, that thou visitest him? ^'— David. 
 
 Man is a mystery. Of all created things, perhaps, he is 
 the greatest mystery to himself. Viewed in the light of the 
 fall of Adam and the atonement of Jesus Christ, he is the 
 most astonishing being that the mind can imagine — a wonder 
 to the angels. 
 
 The Bible speaks of man as having a body, spirit and soul, 
 (1 Thessalonians v., 23.) The body is the sensual part, the 
 shell, which dies and is left to decay. It is fitted only for the 
 life that now is, and man is responsible to God, who made him, 
 for the right use of the body, as well as for the condition of 
 the soul at the hour of death. But he is to be judged princi- 
 pally for the deeds committed by the body, through its mem- 
 bers. 
 
 The spirit and the soul are properly the man, in or out of 
 the body, investing it with life, intelligence and responsibility. 
 At the resurrection of the dead, man will rise with a spiritual 
 body, (1 Corinthians xv., 44,) something, perhaps like that of 
 an angel's, without a trace of corruption in it. " It is sown in 
 corruption ; it is raised in incorruption." The spirit and the 
 soul will occupy it as they do the earthly body, with the differ 
 ence that the raised body will not be fitted for such a life aa 
 we now live on earth, any more than the body that we now 
 have is fitted ior the heavenly life — "flesh and blood cannot 
 inherit the kingdom of God." 
 
IV. INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 The eyeSj ears and other organs of a living man are so man^ 
 instruments, or implements, by which his soal and spirit help 
 him to work his way through the world. When the spirit and 
 soul leave the body of flesh, these outward organs are of no 
 more use than if they had never existed. The man has gone 
 into another world, (not so far from this, perhaps, as many per- 
 sons imagine, but unseen and unheard — I was going to add, 
 unfelt, but I think that hardly true — by our carnal organs), 
 and his house or body, is left unto his surviving friends deso- 
 late and worthless, except to memory. His labors are ended, 
 his earthly account closed up, and his life henceforth is eternal^ 
 either for joy or misery. 
 
 The soul is that part of man, derived from God alone^ 
 which more closely resembles the Creator than any other. It 
 is that part of man which is the most susceptible to sin, which 
 is the most easily injured, which is to suffer or rejoice through 
 eternity, according to its condition when it leaves the body 
 with the spirit. If it is saved and purified before death, the 
 most vivid imagination can have but a faint idea of the peace 
 joy and glory it is capable of enjoying in heaven, or of the, 
 bitter misery that awaits it eternally in hell if it is not 
 redeemed in this life, through the precious blood of Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
SPIRIT- POSSESSION. 
 
 I HATE been requested to write upon the nature and 
 developments of modern Spiritualism. At the outset, I 
 desire that no sect, society, or individual, except myself, 
 be held responsible for any opinion or theory advanced 
 therein. I desire, also, to state what I believe to be 
 true, as gathered from my personal experience as a 
 spirit-medium, the records of human history, the Word 
 of God, and the revelations of the spirits themselves. 
 
 First, 1 class modern Spiritualism with the supernat- 
 ural phenomena of the ancients, known as sorcery and 
 witchcraft, which notably flourished in Egypt and Ca- 
 naan in the days of Moses, and in other ages and 
 places. . It occupied a prominent position in history in 
 the time of Moses, while he was laboring with Pharaoh 
 for the release of the Israelites from their Egyptian 
 bondage, as recorded in the early chapters of Exodus ; 
 ^nd in several portions of the Bible we find particular 
 mention of similar demonstrations. Among the most 
 remarkable ancient Spiritualists, Mr. Daniels mentions 
 Jannes and Jambres, ( the Egyptian sorcerers who with- 
 stood Moses) ; Balaam, the soothsayer ; the woman of 
 Endor ; the pythonic damsel of Philippi ; Elymas, the 
 sorcerer, and Simon Magus. This latter individual, a 
 very prominent Spiritualist declared, was *' a prince 
 among the workers of spiritual miracles." His history 
 is written in Acts viii. 9-23. Some of the false proph- 
 ets of the Bible, it is also claimed with considerable 
 
SPIRIT- POSSESSION . 
 
 arrogance, were " often as really inspired as the Lord's, 
 prophets, though by a widely different agency." The 
 latter were inspired by the Holy <jrhost, and the former 
 by evil spirits. In the history of Ahab, ( 2 Chronicles 
 xviii.), is a case of the real inspiration of 400 prophets 
 by a lying spirit, by which Ahab was deceived and des- 
 troyed in judgment for his wickedness. On the other 
 hand, Jehoshaphat was not so deluded. He inquired 
 for " a prophet of the Lord " besides, that he might in-^ 
 quire of him. 
 
 The earlier modern Spiritualists considered Spiritu- 
 alism a revival of ancient sorcery, which Webster's Dic- 
 tionary defines as "magic witchcraft; or divination with 
 the assistance of evil spirits." Ex-Governor Talmadge, 
 of New York, declared: "Now all the magic, the mys- 
 teries, the witchcraft, and necromancy of the ancient 
 world, from the time of the Delphic oracle, are explained 
 by these modern investigations." Judge Edmonds, 
 Andrew Jackson Davis, Charles Partridge and other 
 noted Spiritualists also expressed a similar belief 
 
 A witch is defined as a "woman who practices di- 
 vination by the aid of evil spirits ; one who is possessed 
 with a divining spirit, or has one in her ; one who exerts 
 supernatural power by the assistance of a familiar 
 spirit;" in other words, she is a developing spirit-me- 
 dium. Judge Edmonds wrote : "About two hundred 
 years ago, under the administration of the wisest of the 
 English judges, hundreds were tried and executed for 
 the crime of witchcraft .... And Barrinoton, 
 in his observations on the statutes of '20, Henry VI., 
 says that 30,000 people were burned for witchcraft with- 
 in 150 years." 
 
 In our own country, the records of the Salem (Mass.) 
 
SPIRIT-POSSESSION. 
 
 witchcraft point out to us the horrors and evil results of 
 the ancient systems of necromancy and sorcery repro- 
 duced and demonstrated, bringing distrust, confusioii 
 and violent deaths into a peaceful communitv. And yet 
 the earlier American Spiritualists claimed that Spiritu- 
 alism is but a revival of the supernatural phenomena of 
 ancient sorcery and witchcraft. 
 
 For one, I indorse their claim in this respect. 
 
 As regards the supernatural element in sorcery, witch- 
 craft and Spiritualism, it is useless to deny its existence. 
 No medical, religious, or philosophical reasoning can suc- 
 cessfully controvert the supernatural character of spirit- 
 manifestations. Medicine and religion will serve t© 
 strengthen our physical and mental humanity, and brace 
 it up to resist the influences of evil spirits, but the evil 
 influences will continue to exist, although their power 
 over the nervous systems of men is checked. Even m 
 this age of the world, amid all the materialism and "phil- 
 osophy" that encompass us, the supernatural does still 
 hold its sway over the minds and bodies of men. 
 
 Wliat is the supernatural ? It is that which produces 
 a natural event, or efl'ect, during the apparent suspen- 
 sion or reversion of natural laws, or which causes a sur- 
 prising result by the introduction of ah unknown influ- 
 ence The supernatural must either originate with one 
 of the two great forces at work in the world — good and 
 evil — and its eff'ects must partake of the nature of one or 
 the other of these forces. For instance, the miracles 
 performed by Jannes and Jambres in the Egyptian pal- 
 ace were in opposition t6 those performed by Moses and 
 Aaron. Thelatterwere influenced by the Spirit of God; 
 the former were opposed to God, being in the inte?est of 
 paganism and oppression. The miracles of Jesus and 
 
8 SPIRIT POSSESS [ON. 
 
 ■his disciples were all performed in the interest of benev- 
 olence, and for good purposes ; those of the soothsayers 
 and magicians (as in the case of Sceva's seven sons, in 
 Acts xix., 13-16, and Simon, in Acts viii., 5-28,) were 
 evidently actuated by a love of money or personal popu- 
 larity. 
 
 In the scriptures, the devil, or that evil force that is 
 arrayed against God and all his goodness, i^ spoken of 
 as "the prince of this world," or ''the prince of the pow- 
 er of the air," showing us how very intimately his in- 
 fluence is brought to bear upon things earthly, and par- 
 ticularly upon things human. This influence began to 
 be felt in the garden of Eden, where it wrought the fall of 
 man, and that influence has always been felt, with tre- 
 mendous force, in the propagation of temptations and 
 ijrime ever since. 
 
 If I am asked why God permits such a wicked spirit to 
 influence men in this way, instead of destroying it at 
 one blow, as he might, I shall reply that I do not know ; 
 nor is it my business to search for the reason, or encour- 
 age others to do so. It is sufficient for me to know that 
 Ood can and^does destroy the evil spirit in any and all 
 persons who repent of their natural wickedness, and 
 iienceforth wholly devote themselves and all they have 
 to his service, trusting in his Son Jesus Christ as their 
 only salvation, and living up to all the spiritual light 
 that they possess, as set forth in the Bible. Whoever 
 does this, and seeks earnestly and sincerely for purity of 
 life and heart, will find himself delivered from all further 
 dominion of the devil, so long as he maintains his faith 
 and obedience to God. 
 
 The history of the world shows that the fascinations 
 ©f the supernatural, without regard to good or evil, have 
 
SPIRIT- POSSESSION. 
 
 led men into the worship of many strange gods. - While 
 most nations worship beings of superior excellence (real 
 or fancied), whose love and favor they desire, the Chi- 
 nese worship the devil, seeking to secure his good will, 
 so that he will do them no harm. 
 
 The great God of heaven hag best revealed himself to 
 us through the Bible. Men may puzzle their brains 
 with the dogmas of all the "philosophers," from the old 
 and wise serpent in Adam's paradise, down to Tyndall 
 and Huxley, and then know less of God than a poor, 
 ignorant servant who reads her Bible and converses 
 often with her Creator in the privacy of her closet. 
 
 But when men cast away the Bible and its teachings, 
 as things of little worth, the devil steps in with some 
 device to excite their curiosity, mislead them into error, 
 and confirm them in false, delusive and ruinous doctrines. 
 This was the way in whicti he commenced with Eve, and 
 he has been doing business in this manner ever since, 
 with similar results. When certain men began to scout 
 the truths of the Bible and cry out for other doctrines 
 that would better suit them (by allowing them to indulge 
 their carnal propensities without restraint), the devil 
 introduced modern Spiritualism, in this century, just as 
 he inveigled King Saul into a similar sorcery with the 
 woman of Endor. It was the death of Saul, and Spirit- 
 ualism has destroyed thousands of its followers, and sent 
 them to perdition, by its delusive and unholy opposition 
 to the only means which God has provided to secure 
 everlasting peace and blessedness. 
 
 Let us now examine the manner in which the devil 
 and the evil spirits whom he controls, be they unearthly 
 demons or the departed spirits of wicked men and wo- 
 men, contrive to influence living people and turn them 
 
10 SPIRIT- POSSESSION. 
 
 into pliable instruments, to deceive others by spirit me- 
 diumship. 
 
 There is a science called "biology," or "animal mag- 
 netism" — sometimes incorrectly styled "psychology," — 
 which, twenty-five years ago, was rather extensively 
 practiced in private and public, in this country, creating 
 much wonder and amusement by its remarkable mani- 
 festations or phenomena. By it one person, possessing 
 more "magnetism," or "will power," growing out of 
 certain physical conditions, (which I think have never 
 been satisfactorily explained), can, by particular manipu- 
 lations, attain perfect control of the body, members and 
 mind of another person, causing the latter individual to 
 say and do things silently or verbally suggested by the 
 "operator," in the most complete and involuntary man- 
 ner. In this condition the "subject" loses his entire 
 will, and has no power to resist that of the "operator,*' 
 whose influence is felt not only near by, but, in some 
 cases, when a considerable distance separates them. 
 The body is not only in subjection to the "operator," but 
 the imagination and the mental faculties are all controlled 
 by him, sometimes to a degree that destroys the power 
 of the 'subject" to identify himself In his infatuation, 
 he sees, smells, tastes, hears and moves as the"operator" 
 directs, however wisely or ridiculously. The same glass 
 of water may be made to taste like coffee, beer, ardent 
 spirits, etc., to the "subject," as his "operator" shall 
 dictate. It is a dangerous science to trifle with, as it 
 puts the "subject" so completely under the direction of 
 another person and so destroys the "subject's" own voli- 
 tion that he or she is in danger of being helplessly drawn 
 into evil and hurtful practices. There is one advantage 
 which most persons possess in pursuing this science of 
 
SPIRIT-POSSESSION. 11 
 
 "animal magnetism" — their own consent to become the 
 "subject," or victim, is required before the "charmer" 
 can overcome thera. Resistance is safety. 
 
 In a similar manner, it has been conceived, evil 
 spirits, unseen, but pressing about the unregenerate, are 
 permitted to magnetize the bodies and spirits of living 
 persons who seek to communicate with them, and whose 
 physical organizations are fitted to become spirit-medi- 
 ums. Happily, all persons are not. Certain conditions 
 of the nervous system, temperament and mental organi- 
 zation are requisite for mediumship, as well as necessary 
 in a "good subject" for the success of "animal magnet- 
 ism." In the days of Jesus upon earth, it was said, that 
 the evil spirits entered into the man, and it may be that 
 the modern spirit-medium is similarly demonized. I am 
 not prepared to state by which of the two processes 
 named the spirits control the mediums, but incline to a. 
 belief that both methods are possibly used, for the devil 
 leaves no stone unturned to ruin the souls of men. 
 But, as in "animal -magnetism," resistance to spirit in- 
 fluence is a strong safeguard, especially if the divii^e 
 help is prayerfully sought. This latter fact is a signifi- 
 cant indication that modern Spiritualism, in its nature 
 and tendencies, is not in harmony with the interests of 
 God's kingdom. 
 
 Recurring again to the Spiritualism mentioned in the 
 Bible, I am inclined to believe that the demoniacal pos- 
 session, in many instances recorded by the Evangelists 
 as healed by our Lord Jesus Christ during his life on 
 earth, partook largely of the nature of spirit-mediumship. 
 Notably we have a case, a marked case, indeed, in the 
 naked man among the tombs oi Gadara, (Mark v.), who 
 was tormented by a legion of devils, or unclean spirits 
 
12 SPIRIT-POSSESSION. 
 
 "—"daimon," or de^nons ; not Satan, or Diabolus, " the 
 father of lies," but evil spirits less potent, yet, perhaps, 
 quite as malevolent. 
 
 " When I read of the number of demons in particular 
 persons," says a distinguished commentator, "and see 
 their actions expressly distinguished from those of the 
 man possessed ; conversations held by the demons about 
 their disposal after their expulsion, and accounts given 
 how they were actually disposed of; when I find desires 
 and passions ascribed peculiarly to them, and similitudes , 
 taken from their manners and customs, it is impossible for 
 me to deny their existence without admitting that the 
 sacred historians were themselves deceived in regard to 
 them, or intended to deceive their readers." 
 
 Another scriptural writer says : "The universal opin- 
 ion in the East is, that devils have the power to enter 
 into and take possession of men in the same sense as we 
 understand it to have been the case, as described by the 
 sacred writers. I have often seen the poor objects who 
 were believed to be under demoniacal influence, and cer- 
 tainly, in some instances, I found it no easy matter to 
 account for their conduct on natural principles ; I have 
 seen them writhe and tear themselves in the most frantic 
 manner." 
 
 Now, whether the evil spirit enters into, or only mag- 
 netizes the medium, or victim, the result appears to be 
 the same — the "subject" loses his own will and is over- 
 come by the power and will of his tormentor, physically 
 and mentally. 
 
 The will being overcome, the medium becomes a 
 fanatic. Judge Edmonds, the great Spiritualist, in a 
 public lecture, said : " We have to contend against our 
 own fanaticism : for I assure you, from my own experi. 
 
SPIRIT-POSSESSION. 
 
 ence and observation, that the fascination of this inter- 
 course is so great that its tendency is to lead men away 
 from their proper judgment, and instil a spirit of fanati- 
 cism most revolting to the calm and natural mind." 
 
 With regard to the phenomena of Spiritualism as man- 
 ifested by strongly developed mediums, it must be admit- 
 ted that as they are supernaturally affected and governed 
 by other powers than those of living human beings, 
 the wonderful performances of which Spiritualists boast 
 in their seances are not all to be classed as " humbugs.** 
 The opinion is sometimes expressed that " Spiritualists 
 do not perform the wonders which they profess to do." 
 Certainly not, always, for there are pretenders in all 
 professions, as well as true performers. One of the most 
 wonderful manifestations of modern spirit-mediums is to 
 produce the appearance of " materialized spirits." In 
 the tenth century, of the Greek Spiritualists, it was 
 written : " Goetia, or witchcraft, is a certain art 
 respecting material and terrestrial demons, whose images 
 it causes to become visible to the spectators of this art 
 And some of these demons it leads up, as it were, from 
 Hades, but others it draws down from on high, andjthese 
 too, such as are of an evil species. This art, therefore, 
 causes certain phantastic images to appear before the 
 spectators." 
 
 Again says Dr. Gumming, of London : " Whatever 
 God does in the world, Satan always gets up something 
 very like it, because his hope of progress is by deception* 
 We may quote the miracles of the magicians of Egypt. 
 Satan got up hi? miracles too — perhaps real, at le<ast 
 supernatural ones." 
 
 When Aaron's rod was changed into a serpent before 
 Pharaoh, by the power of God, the Egyptian magiciang 
 
14 SPIRITPOSSESSION. 
 
 "cast down every man his rod, and they became ser- 
 pents ;" as this was a contest between God and evil, and 
 God was helping Aaron, it is a fair inference that wicked 
 influences were helping these magicians ; "but Aaron's 
 rod swallowed up their rods," and evil was defeated, as 
 it always will be when it fights against God. Then 
 Moses and Aaron turned all the waters of the river into 
 blood ; " and the magicians of Egypt did so with their 
 enchantments." And, afterwards, the magicians 
 "brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt," as Aaron 
 had also. But when Aaron brought upon the Egyptians 
 the plague of lice, by the divine power, the magicians 
 failed to repeat this miracle, and said to Pharaoh, ^^This 
 is the finger of Grod.'' The evil spirits were unable to 
 cope with such a wonder as that. (Exodus vii., viii.) 
 
 It is written that "false Christs and false prophets 
 shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it 
 were possible, they shall deceive the very elect," (Math- 
 ew xxiv., 24.) And the beast, (in Revelation xiii., 13), 
 it is said, "doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire 
 to come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of 
 men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth 
 by the means of those miracles which he had 
 power to do in the sight of the beast." Paul wrote also, 
 in his second letter to the Thessalonians, (ii., 1, 10), 
 that "the man of sin, the son of perdition" was to be 
 revealed "after the working of Satan with all power and 
 signs and lying wonders, and with all the deceivableness 
 of unrighteousness in them that perish." The inspired 
 Revelator, also, (xvi., 14,) speaks of "the spirits of dev- 
 ils" (demons) working miracles which go forth unto the 
 kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather 
 them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." 
 
SPIRIT-POSSESSION. 15 
 
 Finally, Paul wrote to Timtohy (first Epistle, iv., 1,) 
 "that in the latter times some shall depart from the 
 faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of 
 devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy." How many of the 
 spirit-mediums are hypocrites, pretending to do those 
 things which they do not, is uncertain ; but even Satan 
 himself is a hypocrite, often passing himself off as " an 
 angel of light," (2 Corinthians xi., 14.) 
 
 That the evil spirits desire to communicate with every 
 living human being whom they can influence and seduce, 
 is pretty well understood, and the methods which they 
 use are as novel as they are numerous, and often so 
 absurd as to appear ridiculous to well-balanced minds. 
 That some of these efforts so convince men of the reality 
 of spirit-revelations do not disgust those whose curiosity 
 concerning Spiritualism leads them within the influence 
 of the charmed "circle," is simply because they are 
 infatuated with the novelty and fascination of seeking to 
 converse with departed friends. It is wonderfully fasci- 
 nating, especially the hope of becoming fully developed 
 as a spirit-medium, and without realizing the danger, 
 hundreds plunge into the bewildering, forbidden and 
 unholy pleasures of spirit-communication. 
 
 The danger is in being so easily deceived. The won- 
 derful uncertainty attending spirit-communication ren- 
 ders it perplexing, even when the medium is honest. Let 
 me illustrate by a simple example. Suppose that a 
 seeker after communications from the dead sits down 
 with the spirit-medium in a room by themselves, separ- 
 ated by a thin partition from another room. What is 
 done in that other room is unseen by the medium and 
 hi» customer. The questions are asked by the medium 
 v.erbally, and the spirit-answers made by a system of 
 
1 6 SPIRIT POSSESSION. 
 
 raps, as in the early days of modern Spiritualism. The 
 answers may, or may not, be satisfactory to the customer, 
 but they are regularly rapped out upon the partition 
 between the rooms ; still I defy the medium or his cus- 
 tomer to determine with any degree of certainty whether 
 the raps are made by disembodied spirits, (and by how 
 many of them,) or by half a dozen mischievous and 
 shrewd young men and women behind the partition. In 
 either case there is nothing trustworthy in the mode or 
 matter of the communications ; and this fact alone ought 
 to prevent even weak-headed and sentimental persons 
 from indulging in the delights of spirit-communication. 
 
 Even with writing or speaking spirit-mediums, be they 
 ever so "good" and genuine, the uncertainty is the same. 
 The spirits are vacillating, and perhaps two or three may 
 be influencing the medium — the man in the tombs at 
 Gadara had a "legion" at one time working upon him 
 — and in such a case the communications might be unsat- 
 isfactory, or "badly mixed" — ^bewildering, not to say 
 false. One spirit can write or rap so like another, that 
 who writes the communication — friend or demon — an 
 innocent seeker after spirit-truths will not be able to 
 determine. 
 
 Of the "dark seances" — the flying guitars, music in 
 the air, bell-ringing, rope- tying, and other mysterious 
 demonstrations, I know nothing by experience, but I 
 believe that such things may be. The devil prefers dark- 
 ness to light, and I have witnessed so many singular 
 things — delusive and real — in spirit-manifestations that 
 I believe many others are possible with the children and 
 associates of Satan, either in the body or out of it. 
 
 As to the prophesies made by and to spirit-mediums, 
 no dependence can be placed upon them. As well might 
 
'iPIRiT- POSSESSION. 
 
 one patronize the common fortune-tellers in the slums of 
 our great cities, in the hope of obtaining a truthful rev- 
 elation of the future. A horrifying instance of the- 
 deceitful character of spirit-prophesies came under my 
 personal observation. One of the rankest Spiritualists 
 in America, with whom I was intimately acquainted, in 
 the spring of 1865, said in my presence that the spirits' 
 had promised him twenty-two years more of life in the 
 flesh, adding that he was sorry for it, he was in. suck 
 haste to join his friends in the spirit world. In Decem«> 
 ber, 1866, he perished in a burning building in Wauke- 
 gan, Illinois, being almost entirely consumed by the 
 flames into which he fell. 
 
 I have spoken of the wonderful fascination that fast- 
 ens upon the receiver of spirit-communictions. It soon 
 absorbs all the time, faculties, hopes, fears, and desires' 
 of its devotee, and herein lies one of the greatest dan- 
 gers of Spiritualism. Infatuated by communion with' 
 the unseen inhabitants of the hidden world, the medium" 
 loses his or her interest in the things pertaining to every- 
 day life on earth. A soft and pleasing atmosphere: 
 appears to surround them. The realities of flesh and' 
 blood are lost in ideal dreaming, and there is no incen- 
 tive to break away from a state of existence so agreeable^ 
 no matter how monstrous are the delusions practiced by 
 the spirits. This is one reason why so few persons who 
 have once yielded to the charms of sipritual intercourse 
 can ever be reached and drawn away from it by the invi- 
 tations or warnings of the Bible. 
 
 Their consciences are as callous as if seared with a hot 
 iron ; sin has to them lost its wickedness, and they are^ 
 willing dupes to unseen beings who delight to control 
 rheir every faculty. Very seldom has a full-fledged 
 
18 SPIRIT-POSSESSION. 
 
 Spiritualist ever been able to comprehend the necessity 
 and blessedness of the religion of Jesus Christ, and 
 urithdraw from the morbid condition into which he has 
 fallen. Some there are, however, whose prayers to be 
 delivered from the fearful state into which they have 
 wandered have been graciously heard by the great God 
 of the universe, and they have been restored to liberty 
 of will and body. My own is a case in point. 
 
 As intimated on a previous page, it was my pleasure 
 and priviles^e, several years ago, to investigate the phe- 
 nomena of modern Spiritualism under all the advantages 
 of a remarkably high condition of mediumship. 1 pro- 
 pose, before entering upon a history of that investiga- 
 tion, to make a brief statement of my spiritual condi- 
 . tion previous to my experiences in the supernatural. 
 
 In 1850 or 1851 — a few years after the "Rochester 
 knockings" had startled the world and laid the founda- 
 tion of modern Spiritualism — a noted Spiritualist in Illi- 
 nois one day told me that "if I only dared," I might 
 become a spirit-medium. It seems that there are out- 
 ward marks by which good material for the spirits to 
 work upon can be readily recognized by the initiated. 
 Eor months, at intervals, he presented the phenomena 
 of Spiritualism to me as the evidence of something that 
 lie considered a great advantage — the communications 
 ^f the dead to the living. At that period I did not 
 ■''dare" to become a spirit-medium, as he suggested. I 
 was afraid of it as something strange and unnatural, and 
 it seemed, too, to run contrary to the Bible, for the 
 Spiritualists did not appear to be pure men, and they had 
 little real regard for the doctrines of the Scriptures. At 
 that time my ideas of religion were very crude and unset- 
 iled. The early religious training of years in Sunday 
 
SPIRIT- POSSESSION. 19 
 
 schools and churches, and a kind mother's admonitions, 
 had well -nigh heen smothered by a foolish and irreligious 
 life, hut there did remain in my heart a respect for the 
 Bible and the lessons of infancy, and I think now that 
 the Holy Ghost strove to restrain me, even in my 
 unsaved condition, from casting myself into the untried 
 and mysterious whirlpool of Spiritualism. At least I 
 did not become very enthusiastic for or against it, 
 although frequently hearing much of its real or pre- 
 tended wonders, and I came to regard it almost with 
 indifference. Several of my family were led to believe 
 in it more or less, but I still held myself aloof. The 
 personal experiences of Mr. Parsons, a pious minister of 
 the gospel, who had secretly become a voluntary medium 
 in order to investigate the virtues of Spiritualism, pub- 
 licly related in a lecture, also served to prejudice me in 
 a degree against it. He openly pronounced it the work 
 of the devil, and that fact served to strengthen me in 
 opposition to its fascinations. 
 
 Sixteen years of irreligious life passed away, yet I 
 was still restrained in a few things by my early lessons. 
 In all those years I was nearly as indifferent to the 
 blandishments of Spiritualism as I was to vital religion. 
 I had several reasons for believing it a snare and delu- 
 sion, and, if I remember rightly, what I read and heard 
 about it only served to convince me of its unsatisfactory 
 and uncertain character. Through surrounding circum- 
 stances, I had drifted, too, towards Universalism ; but 
 I came to consider Spiritualism of very little account, 
 if not ridiculous, whatever reality its phenomena pos- 
 sessed. 
 
 Four years I was an invalid, with my nervous system 
 unstrung and my body poisoned with strong medicines, 
 
20 SPIRIT-POSSESSION. 
 
 which had not proved to be remedies. I was on the 
 verge of paralysis, when, through the providence of 
 God, I found a doctor who soon started me on the high 
 road to health. I mention these facts because it was 
 during my recovery, and when my nerves had nearly 
 recovered their normal strength, that Spiritualism was 
 presented to me in a way that led me to regard it with 
 a new interest. 
 
 I approach this portion of my subject with a feeling 
 of humility, because of the weakness that led me to 
 tamper with things that I had reason to believe were 
 unclean, and partly because I hardly expect to be able 
 to explain to the satisfaction of the reader some of the 
 phenomena which I personally witnessed and in which I 
 participated. But the confession of this weakness and 
 the trouble into which it led me may restrain others who 
 are tempted to meddle with Spiritualism from yielding 
 to its fascinating and soul-destroying delusions. 
 
 In the spring of 1869, an elderly lady whom I had 
 long known and respected, whose integrity I could not 
 doubt, (intelligent, refined, and a member of an ortho- 
 dox church), confided to me the secret that she had a 
 t^ble in her house which would answer questions and 
 follow her about the room. Of such things I had heard 
 before, but never witnessed, having had neither sufficient 
 curiosity nor confidence to visit more than one spiritual 
 "circle"— and that had proved a failure. The lady fur- 
 ther said that however skeptical she might be concerning 
 Spiritualism, she could not doubt the evidence of her 
 own senses. She also invited me to witness the same 
 phenomena at her home. I did so. The table, when 
 our hands were laid upon it, would answer "yes" to a 
 question from either of us, by tipping over into our laps, 
 
SPIRIT- POSSESSION. 21 
 
 and when the answer was "no," the table simplj ^^n^- 
 gled on its legs. It was rather amusing to witness this 
 intelligence, and if the answers were not always satis- 
 factory, the table — a small but not a very light one — was 
 a great deal more prompt to answer and more willing to 
 communicate with us than many Sunday-school schol- 
 ars are when catechised about their lessons. When the 
 lady rose from the sofa on which we sat, the table fol- 
 lowed her a short distance, but not to the extent to which 
 she said it had on other occasions. 
 
 This event so excited my curiosity, and secured my 
 interest in Spiritualism, that I lost the dread of becom- 
 ing a medium, and began to look upon spirit-communica- 
 tion with much favor. Still I did not mingle with Spirit- 
 ualists, or visit their "circles," but in a private manner 
 sought to obtain intelligence from the spirit- world. 1 did 
 think I would explain to the reader the method by which 
 I became a writing medium, but I will not, lest the curi- 
 osity of some heedless person might lead him or her to 
 use the same means, and intentionally, or inadvertently, 
 develop into a spirit-medium, and reap sorrow and des- 
 truction. 
 
 The development in my case was rapid and remark- 
 able, and soon became perfect. The communications 
 (of which I shall have more to say hereafter) became 
 continuous, as if some one was writing long and frequent 
 letters to me, I felt proud of this new accomplishment, 
 and rashly informed my friends. At once their curiosity 
 and opposition were aroused — the latter sufficiently to 
 awaken in me a spirit of independence and encourage 
 me to continue to receive spirit-communications. I may 
 say here that I had clear evidence that tlie communica- 
 tions which I received were not dictated by my own 
 
22 SPIRIT-POSSESSION. 
 
 mind, and seemed to be independent of m j own thoughts, 
 as if some other person was passing his ideas through my 
 mind and nerves to the hand with which I wrote. 
 
 I had by this time become intensely magnetized by 
 the spirits. I use this term because my condition thea 
 was very similar to that which I had previously expe- 
 rienced when under the influence of animal magnetism. 
 (See page 12.) This was spiritual magnetism. I had 
 reached a point where I seemed to live in two worlds at 
 once — the terrestrial and the spiritual. I had enough 
 of the earthly, with my natural senses, to transact reg- 
 ular business every day, but my mind and nervous sys- 
 tem were greatly etherealized (if I may so express it), 
 and the tendency was to communicate with the spirits 
 whenever relaxation from business permitted. When 
 under the influence of animal magnetism, I had been 
 enabled to see visions of real objects, and this power was 
 again given to me. The spirits were very sociable with 
 me, and conversed freely and naturally about ordinary 
 earthly topics, frequently introducing new names and. 
 theories of which I had seldom or never heard. The 
 fascination of this intercourse was very great, and the 
 spirits appeared anxious to extend it to my heart's 
 desire. They were iveaving the net for my soul. 
 
 My condition (for I made no great secret of it) 
 attracted the attention of several friends in the flesh, 
 and I was faithfully warned to desist from spirit commu- 
 nication. Even the lady who owned the tipping-table 
 solemnly counseled me to relinquish Spiritualism as- 
 something dangerous ; but I was infatuated, and grew 
 angry under these repeated cautions. The idea upper- 
 most in my mind was this ; Connecting the possibility 
 of spirit-communication with that of religion, I deter-^ 
 
SPIRIT-POSSESSION. 23. 
 
 * ' '■ ■ » 
 
 mined (having now the power) to discover whatever of 
 GOOD Spiritualism possessed. In this respect I became 
 its champion ; and no sooner did I reach this determin- 
 ation than the spirit of evil and his emissaries took a 
 deeper and fuller control of my human faculties, bodily 
 and mental. 1 had given myself away to the spirits. 
 To overcome me to a greater degree was in their power,, 
 and they did so. I became more etheralized, or spirit- 
 ualized, and unfit longer to do worldly business. I ne 
 longer needed the pencil to receive their communications. 
 From that time they spoke with me face to face, unseen 
 and unheard by all around except myself My natural 
 senses remained, and on ordinary topics I conversed 
 with friends in the flesh quite rationally, but there was 
 such a, preponderance of spirit-control that ordinary 
 topics were secondary. I was doing business in the 
 spirit-world more than in this, and my thoughts — yeay 
 my very life, was absorbed in the mysteries and delusions- 
 that thronged about me. 
 
 For about three months I was in the power of the 
 spirits, having a dual existence, and greatly tormented 
 by their contradictory and unsatisfactory operations ; 
 but as I had sought their companionship for no evil pur- 
 pose, and had grace enough given me from on high t© 
 call upon the Lord Jesus Christ to pity me in my miser- 
 able and helpless condition, Ifelt that the spirits were 
 often restrained from doing me extreme injury by a power 
 that was mightier than themselves. Still they tor- 
 mented me to a very severe extent. I desired to be 
 freed from them. I lost much of my confidence in them, 
 and their blasphemy and uncleanness shocked me. Bat 
 they were my constant companions. / could not get rid 
 of them. They tempted me to suicide and murder, and 
 to other sins. I was fearfully beset and bewildered and 
 
24 SPIRIT-POSSESSION. 
 
 deluded. There was no human help fo7' me. But 
 almost from the very first I had been inspired (as it were 
 hj G-od himself) to make friends with the Lord Jesas 
 Christ — the result, I think, of my early religious teach- 
 ings in the Sunday-school — who had delivered so many 
 from the evil spirits that overcame them, during his 
 jearthly life. Amid the phenomena, delusions and filth 
 of Spiritualism, I prayed almost constantly for help to 
 *^the One mighty to save." The reader will remember 
 ^e object with which I plunged into spirit-medium ship 
 - — to ascertain what good it possessed. 1 found out. It 
 is the same goodness that exists in the "outer darkness" 
 of the Bible, I am not going to enlarge npon the wick- 
 edness that was poured upon me like vials of wrath by 
 the spirits because I would not yield and be as wicked 
 as themselves. I praise God to day, and I expect to 
 through time and eternity, for the divine care and watch- 
 fulness that he accorded to me. Giving me faith to 
 trust in his mighty power to deliver, bidding me hope, 
 yet withholding deliverance until he was pleased to send 
 it in all its fullness, in his own good time, he still 
 restrained the spirits from doing me any important 
 injury. It is true they led me into some extravagances 
 of action, and to believe, in a measure, a few of their 
 -delusions, often combining religion and deviltry in a most 
 ■surprising manner; but, after all, heyond a certain extent, 
 they could not influence me. A higher power controlled 
 them. One day, after they had been peculiarly annoy- 
 ing, they threatened to kill me, and, tired of their tor- 
 ments, I told them to do it. At once there wa^ a tempo- 
 rary peace, as if they had been suddenly driven back. 
 Often they reviled me, once telling me that my prayers 
 •had not been heard in heaven for six weeks. On one 
 
SPIRIT POSSESSION. 25 
 
 ©ccasion, I intimated a resolution to send for a godly 
 minister to come and pray with me, and they threatened 
 if I did, to tear the house down before morning. I sent 
 for him ; he came, and durino; the night they seemed to 
 be more restrained than usual in their demonstrations. 
 
 I was now really at war with the spirits — not trusting 
 in anything or anybody to deliver me from them except 
 the Lord, yet opposincr them and their efforts to overcome 
 me. If I yielded to them in the least, even for a mo- 
 ment, they would take advantage of it in some way to de- 
 ceive me; if I opposed them, they tormented me, their 
 power sometimes extending to my body as well as to the 
 mind. But still I prayed in faith, believing that deliv- 
 erance would come. 
 
 Almost every sin that I had ever committed of any 
 
 importance the spirits paraded before me, so that I could 
 read it as out of a book. They instituted courts to try 
 me (or pretended to), in which God the Father was sup- 
 posed to be the Judge ; but the trials were nonsense and 
 awfully blasphemous. One good effect arose from this. I 
 began to hate wickedness in myself and everywhere — I 
 was disgusted with it, and sick of it ; and then I contin- 
 ued praying earnestly to be delivered from the spirits 
 
 and all sin. Oh, how I hated it in all its forms ! 
 
 I believe that at one time Satan himself, hearing my 
 
 prayers, and finding me so bitterly opposed to his ser- 
 vants and wickedness, and being in danger of losing so 
 faithful a servant of his as I had been in the past, came 
 to the aid of the spirits to overcome me if possible. 
 There was more of malignity, horrifying blasphemy and 
 awful delusion manifested against me than before ; but I 
 praise God for the grace that led me to have a deeper 
 faith and hope in Christ in that trying hour ; and I have 
 reason to believe that then God and the devil fought for 
 
26 SPIRIT-POSSESSION. 
 
 the possession of my soul, and that He who never 
 lost a battle drove away my mortal enemy. I felt that 
 I was in awful peril, yet no new harm came to me. The 
 very language of the Bible was apparently changed by 
 the evil one, as if to destroy my confidence in it and in 
 God himself. But with the dreadful temptation I 
 received new grace, even under the bewilderment that 
 beset me, and clung to Jesus through it all. 
 
 After a season of these varied and wonderful experi- 
 ences, I began to receive intimations from God and from 
 the spirits (as I think now after the lapse of years) that 
 my deliverance was near at hand, I had been among 
 the spirits for about three moivths, and tried in body and 
 mind to a certain degree by their^ constant warfare upon 
 me, but not permanently injured in either, and enjoying 
 very good physical health. I had exercised by taking 
 long and frequent walks, and been nourished by health- 
 ful food ; I had thoroughly repented of every sin and 
 become a believer and follower of Jesus, who had been 
 my Friend through all, and 1 felt that I was really soon 
 to be delivered from the labyrinth of wickedness and 
 mystery in which I had existed for so many weeks. 
 One morning I was asked by an unseen ar\d mysterious 
 associate (I know not whom) to give my promise never 
 more to have anything to do with Spiritualism. It may 
 have been a messenger from the Lord, or from my spirit- 
 ual enemy — I know not ; but a positiv^e answer seemed 
 to be required. That promise I solemnly gave, and have 
 solemnly kept for seven years, and by the grace of God 
 I shall keep it until I am called into the world of spirits. 
 I think it was either on that day or the next that my 
 communication with the spirits ceased, and I v/as at lib- 
 erty, filled with praise and joy at God's deliverance of 
 
SPIRIT POSSESSION. 2T 
 
 my soul from the peril through which I had so marvel- 
 ously passed. From that hour I have been a Christian., 
 
 I promised to relate in this connection what I found 
 in Spiritualism. In doing so I shall rather confine my- 
 self to general results than to particular phenomena. I 
 have already referred to the delusory character of these 
 phenomena, and the little confidence that can be placed^ 
 in what the spirits declare and perform. For instance, 
 not seeing the beings who guided my hand when com- 
 munications were written, it was impossible to identify 
 the controlling spirit, although I confess that I some- 
 times had an intuitive impression that it was a certain 
 individual whom I had known in this lif6 ; yet here there 
 was great room for delusion, and I may always have been 
 mistaken. When I conversed with them face to face, in. 
 a higher condition of mediumship — my spiritual hear- 
 ing being opened — it was the same, for I found they could 
 imitate the voice of one man who is still in the flesh, 
 and with whom I was formerly very intimate. I knew 
 that this person was not dead, and that he was not speak- 
 ing to me, but the imitation was very perfect. I came 
 in contact, also, with several who professed to be per- 
 sons whom I had known before they died, and whom. 
 I knew were dead. (These were, as I have reason to be- 
 lieve, people who had died in their sins.) But to this 
 day, I am not prepared to declare positively that they 
 were the persons whom they represented. They may have 
 been, but where so much of delusion existed, it was some- 
 what difficult to decide between the false and the real.. 
 And this seems to me to be the great objection to accept- 
 ing Spiritualism as a temporal or -spiritual adviser, as 
 thousands are doing, only to find themselves deceived. 
 
 One day I received a communication purporting to be 
 
28 SPIRIT- POSSESSION. 
 
 written bj a very dear departed friend from the Bible 
 place of torment, flattering me, and warning others in 
 the flesh to change their course lest they should go there 
 too when they died. As I had good reasons for believ- 
 ing that this dear friend was in glory, saved through the 
 atoning blood of Jesus Christ, and as I was still in my 
 sins, I have set down the communication in question as 
 a fraud — a forgery. I also received several communi- 
 cations of a religious character. At first they seemed 
 sincere and consistent. But one day, after writing very 
 piously, the controlling spirit finished up the communi- 
 cation with the vilest and silliest language imaginable. 
 There are hypocrites in the spirit world, whether they be 
 
 dead men or devils. 
 
 The reader may remember thai I was looking for the 
 
 good of Spiritualism, sustained and restrained, as I 
 have reason to believe, by the power of God himself, 
 and so prevented from yielding too much to the baleful 
 influences that surrounded me. Sinner as I was, I was 
 yet a believer in the truth of the Bible as coming from 
 God, (through my youthful instruction), and this fact 
 brought me into controversy with the spirits at once. 
 One day, it seemed to me, they sent a committee to 
 examine me on Christian doctrine, and new, sometimes, 
 I am impressed with the resemblance of these spirits to 
 the opposers of Jesus and his apostles while on earth, 
 or the famous French infidels. In my ignorance of 
 scripture lore and vital religion, I could not argue suc- 
 cessfully against their dogmas, and yet I was not con- 
 vinced that I was wrong in believing the Bible, (it was 
 such a comfort to me even thenV or that they were right 
 in opposing it. 
 
 1 do not propose to detail all that I found in Spirit- 
 ualism. Nothing could induce me to repeat much of 
 
SPIRIT POSSESSION. 29 
 
 the language they used, or tiie delusions which they pre- 
 pared to deceive me. Of the untruthfulness of those 
 that I encountered there could be no doubt. I found 
 them not only wicked, but possessing a supernatural 
 shrewdness that might easily mislead a human mind that 
 was unguarded as to consquences, if once brought within 
 their influence. Who is so subtle and deluding as Satan, 
 ''the father of lies?" Has he not many faithful ser- 
 vants in the flesh, and if they die in his service, will 
 they be any better in the spirit-world ? And if the 
 spirits are like those demons who destroyed the swine at 
 Gadara, fearing they should be tormented before the time, 
 (Mathew viii., 29) are we to look for truth and goodness 
 in them ? I followed the Bible rule, tried the spirits, and 
 found that those with whom I mingled were not of God. 
 
 The question has arisen, are all the spirits who com- 
 municate with men, of this evil class ? Let the spirits 
 answer this question. That good (saved) persons out of 
 the flesh might communicate with those still in the body, 
 I believe is not impossible, if the Lord should permit it; 
 but I think he seldom does. Mr. Daniels relates the 
 following in "Spiritualism not of God :" 
 
 In 1853, Mr. William B. Lanniog, of Trenton, N. J., . . 
 . . not baing fully satisfied of the real character of these 
 spirits, held the followinii; colloquy with one, through a writing 
 medium. The spirit, on being asked if it was right and bene- 
 ficial for the human race to consult these spirits, replied, "Yes, 
 it will make them happier and better." He then testified in 
 substance to the main doctrines of these spirits, and said, 
 though an unconverted man, he was happy; that departed 
 Christians were among these spirits — all were happy; there 
 was to be no resurrection of the dead, no future puoishtnent, 
 nor Div of Judgment. But on being cross-examined a little, 
 the spirit became very angry and unwilling to answer, 
 and begged to depart ; said he would go and get more spirits 
 and return. Said my frieod, "No. When you go, I want 
 
30 SPIRIT POSSESSION. 
 
 you to stay away ; but at present do you answer my questions. 
 In the name of the Lord do 1 demand it., ^ The ''happy" 
 spirit quailed, and Mr. L. proceeded : Is the Bible true ? 
 YeK 
 
 The Bible forbids necromancy and the consulting of familiar 
 spirits. Which shall I believe, you or the Bible? The 
 Bible. 
 
 Why then did you tell me that it was right and useful to 
 consult the spirits ? Because I wanted to deceive you. 
 
 What is the business of these spirits with men ? What do 
 you think it is ? 
 
 I think it is to deceive. Very well, you are correct. 
 
 Are you happy ? No, I am miserable. 
 
 Is there a hell ? Yes. 
 
 Are you in hell ? No, not yet. 
 , Do you expect to go there ? Yes. 
 
 When ? At the Day of Judgment. 
 
 Is there to be a Day of Judgment ? Yes. 
 
 Is there to be a resurrection of the dead ? Yes. 
 
 Have you any prospect of happiness ? 1 have no hope* 
 
 In the name of the Lord, is there a good spirit — the spirit 
 of a departed Christian among all of these rapping and writing 
 spirits ? A^o, not one. 
 
 Where are the spirits of departed Christians ? The Lord 
 
 HAS TAKEN THEM. 
 
 Why then did you tell my brother in Philadelphia the con- 
 trary ef all this ? Because £ wished to deceive him. 
 
 Could you deceive him ? Yes. 
 
 (The brother was a Spiritualist.) 
 
 Why could you deceive him ? Because he is a fool. 
 
 Why is he a fool ? Becaute he don't believe the Bible 
 
 Can't you deceive me ? No. 
 
 Why ? Because you believe the Bible. 
 
 Will you tell my brother what you have told me ? Yes. 
 
 I want to hear from you no more ; good-bye forever. Spirit 
 —Good-bye forever. 
 
 Of those who profess and practice Spiritualism, thousands 
 undoubtedly are sincere seekers after truth in forbidden places. 
 Deceived and overcome by the spirits, they are content to be 
 governed temporally and spiritually by them. The phenom- 
 ena of Spiritualism become a source of wonder to them, being 
 supernatural, and serve to strengthen their faith in the power 
 
SPIRIT-POSSESSION. 31 
 
 of the spiritSj and, afterwards, in the truth of spirit-teachings. 
 After that, these proselytes are willing to believe almost any- 
 thing, if it professes to come from the spirits of departed per- 
 sons whom they have loved and respected in this life. Here 
 is the infatuation that satisfies the minds and consciences of 
 the great mass of Spiritualists — the motive that leads them to 
 look no further for religious doctrine, and to despise whatever 
 opposes itself to their fixed devotion to the spirits. As the 
 Bible ofiers this opposition, it is rejected, and this rejection of 
 the word of God is favored, if not directly advocated, by the 
 spirits. Hence so few Spiritualists (misled and infatuated, 
 but satisfied, not realizing that they are deceived), have no 
 desire to break away from the allurements that hold them spell- 
 bound. This infatuation of Spiritualism leads bad men and 
 women in the flesh to contrive and practice counterfeit spiritua 
 phenomena ; and every little while the press teems with "ex 
 posures of another spiritual humbug," and the details are 
 widely read and denounced by those who are not Spiritualists, 
 as well as by those Spiritualists who have not been able to dis- 
 tinguish between the true and false phenomena until the coun- 
 terfeit was unmistakably exposed. 
 
 At the time when I was absorbed in Spiritualism, I was not 
 dependent upon other mediums (being a "high" one myself,) 
 nor "circles," nor "seances," or any of the machinery in use 
 among real and counterfeit Spiritualists. I associated with 
 none of these people, although several paid me brief visits, so 
 that I was not influenced by them. I dealt in a private capac- 
 ity with the spirits, without requiring the machinery used by 
 the genuine or bogus Spiritualists of these days. Therefore, 
 whatever Spiritualists may say, I feel that I am a competent 
 witness, under God, against the errors and delusions of a mys- 
 terious and soul destroying infatuation. Since then 1 have 
 opposed Modern Spiritualism for the following reasons : 
 
 First, it is expressly forbidden and denounced in the Bible, 
 under the titles of "doctrines of devils," "sorcery," "witch- 
 craft," "familiar spirit. " etc., in the following passages: 
 
iSZ SPIRIT POSSESSION. 
 
 Isaiah, viii., 19, 20 ; Leviticus, xix., 3l ; Leviticus xx., 6, 27 ; 
 Deuteronomy, xviii., 10,11 ; 1st Samuel xv., 22; 1st Chron- 
 icles, X., 13, i4.; 2d Kings, xxiii., 24 ; 2d Chronicles, xxxiii., 
 6,11 ; Isaiah, xlvii., 9, 12 ;2d Thessabnians, ii.. 9,12 : Isaiah 
 xix., 3, 4; Galatians, v., 26 ; Revelation, xxi., 8. Secondly, 
 because it denies the truth of the Bible, and reviles its teach- 
 ings. Thirdly, because it bears the stamp of demonism, while 
 endeavoring to pass itself off for something virtuous. Fourthly, 
 because it blasphemes the Creator and Ruler of the Universe, 
 and denies the existence of apersonal, all ruling God. Fifthly, 
 it rejects the divine nature and mediatorial office of Jesus 
 Christ, while some of its followers claim to have divine natures 
 themselves. Sixthly, it claims a probationary state after 
 death, while the Bible expressly denies it. Seventhly, it is a 
 delusion and a snare, misleading its devotees into silly and evil 
 actions, under the impression that they are doing and talking 
 sensibly. Eigthly, it drives hundreds into suicide, murder, 
 free-love and insanity. Ninthly, its visible phenomena, 
 although better than its teachings, are unsatisfactory and use- 
 less. Tenthly, no reliance can be placed upon what the spirite 
 say. If they are sometimes truthful, it is to excite the confi- 
 dence of those who converse with them and lead to a firmer 
 belief in what they pretend to reveal. Lastly (for these reas- 
 ons are sufficient for the purpose of this pamphlet), Jesus and 
 his apostles drove legions of demons out of the "mediums" of his 
 day, and restored them to their senses, (See Luke ix., 37-42.; 
 I do not say that all Spiritualists believe exactly alike in 
 every one of these dogmas. There have been two distinct par- 
 ties of Modern Spiritualists for sometime past — the free-b vers 
 and those who were not; and I learn that quite recently 
 another branch (stronojly opposed by the others) has declared 
 that they "recognize in Jesus of Nazareth the sp* ritual leader 
 of men, and accept his two great affirmations of love to God 
 and love to man as constituting the one ground of growth in 
 the individual, and the only and sufficient basis of human soci- 
 ety." But, as I understand them, they still reject the divinity 
 and mediatorial office of Jesus, and of course their creed is 
 sadly deficient. Still this movement may be the entering 
 wedge that shall yet aid in destroying the Spiritualistic Anti- 
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 good and to the \w\ni.—R(-Sormed Church Mestenger. 
 
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 •*It should be a con.-<tant comjmnion of the dictionaiy. The fu.i i - 
 
 than two years 'n the preparation of this work and has c nsulfed oni- Um 
 fifiyof the best authors, collecting an amount of information which :v 
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 it."— TAe Methodist. 
 
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 OFPRAYEK A!«I> I.E.iTES FKO:iI IHK 
 
 TREE OF LIFE. 
 
 By Matthew Hale Smith. 
 
 The illustrations are from real life, and it is indeed a Marvelon^t i; 
 day of l)ol<l and dfliant denial of Prayer hy pnuniiient men and Scic 
 recited in th^s book stand up as a cloud of witnesses for God. The in- 
 make the reader familiar with God K dialings in ansivt-r to prayer . 
 
 trust and l)elieve, so that tlie child of God may be strengtlieiied n tin- rn 
 iln' L<'avcs fr' n» the Tree of Life are a selection of three bundrf d sulijcct^ 
 God lias spnkfn tty the Holy <>hosf. i.'onv' nieiilly suittd to th' (liunh, t!i. ; 
 the Prayer- Meeting, the iloset and the Sunday -iSchool: a book u is >)'^lipvi(l that 
 no Cliristian would be willing to be without. It is a crown ottavo of uvtr 00*1 op. 
 Price, Extra Cloth INctn. ..1 1,, .4'J ihj 
 
 ^ Leather Library 
 
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 LIFE 
 
 OF TRl^ST. llj Oeorge lUitllor. With »ii In- 
 troduction by Francis Waylanp. Brought down '■ .. i 
 
 time, including his triple this country, by tlie Rev. i. , .< 
 
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 This book fiives a full and graphic account of onet^f the jrvt.Ttrst rcliui ■u'. w ^rks of 
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 ii in entirely sejiarate dejiartnieni • 
 
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