ARE THE DEAD COMMUNI. CATING ?

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1825, 4 August 1906, Page 2

ARE THE DEAD COMMUNI. CATING ?

(To the Editor Gisborne Times.) Sir, —Tho following from a publication just to hand should bo of groat interest to your leaders

Spiritism, it would appear, is beoom« ing popular. Scientists, who formerly wore most sceptica', have, after a searching investigation, established two facts—first, that phenomena of an objective and tangible character do really take place; and secondly, that these are governed by certain intelligences. The whole qus3tion is, What is the naturo of these intelligences ? Are they human ‘2 The writer of the article referred to recently proceeds to show that these intelligences are not what they pretend to be. That the phenomena take place is admitted ; that communications are made is not denied, but that these come from tho departed is absolutely false. Wo have no doubt that Satanio agencies are at work in the spiritism of to day, as they unquestionably will be in the coming period of Antichrist’s presenoe (see 2 Tbess. ii.) 1. “It is c:rlain that tho identity of the communicating ioteliigenoo has not been established. Although , , . in prac I tioally every instance the entities claim to bo the spirits of departed men and women, it is certain that that claim has invariably broken down 2. “ It is a known and admitted characterise of the intelligences that they attempt to personate deceased individuals. . . . But wo meet with . . , tie most heartless deception that the imagination can conceive. \ 3. “ Tb,e moral oharaolpr of the rpani testing intelligences is invariably of a low order. ... In numerous instances

this moral depravity is Dot immediately apparont, . , . bat it almost always discloses itself in the end. 4 “ The general moral and pbysioa' effeot of spiritistic praotioes upon the investigators is a dUaßtrous ono. . . , The fiequent reptti ion of the process 1 ads to complete physical prostration. . . . With but fetv exceptions the coos:quencos of frequent sittings are fata!. . . . As far back es 1871 Dr. Forbes I

Winslow wrote : ' Ton thousand unfortU' nate people are at the present time confined iu lunatio asylums on account o; havmg tampered with tbs supernatural.’ 5. 11 The teaching imparted by the in

telligenors is who’ly contradictory in character. . . . There is' unanimity on one point only ;' . '. . it is the eubvereicn of faith in Christ' os a divine Person th >t the spirit messages ultimately aim at. ... From personal letters

wlrch have reached me it is ovident that ■ the writer had in each ring’s instance lost 3 his faith in Christianity, and wa3 suffering t the keenest grief and disappointment in r c resequence.” Thai o can bene question that all that is real in spiritism is an energy of Satan. It will presently sweep apostate Christendom before it liko thistledown before tha winl Meanwhile the true Christian is safe only ts he cleaves close to Chris*, and yields implicit obedience to tho Word of God. Let every young Christian study prayer* I fully 1 John iv. 1-7. Wo thoro fiad four things that will safeguard us in these last perilous days. First, “ the Person of Christ ” (vers. ], 2). Every docirino and practice that assails His glory or attaeks His person is of Satan, and must be utterly refused. Srcond, “the possession of the divine nature,” ‘Yo aro of God ’ (ver. 3). The one born of God has a nature that instinctively shrieks from evil. Third, “ tho Spiiit of God ” indwelling the believer is a power greater than that of Satan (vo -. 4), Fouitb, “ tho Word of God” through the apostles (ver. b). Submission to this is a true mark of the child of God. 11 Hereby know we tha spitif of truth and the spirit of orrer,” —I am, etc., ; VOX.