SPIRITUALISM.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 69, 20 February 1884, Page 3

SPIRITUALISM.

Rev. R. Savin's Opinion.

'At Wellington Wesley Church, on Sunday evening last, the Eev. It. Bavin delivered a most impressive sermon, his text being taken from St. Luke's gospel, vi., 31, " And he said unto them if they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead." He reminded reminded his hearers that Holy Writ was sent to us for our edification, and should guide the human race through all the difficulties and shoals of everyday life. After referring to the fact that if :«he world refused to listen to the word of God, he remarked that it would be more impossible for th m to be convinced even '^though onerose from the dead;" and he instanced as a striking example, and one which cvur Lord had ipossibly m view while giviug the parable of the rich man and the beggar Lazarus, the miracle of his rising from the spirit world His beloved one Lazarus. At the conclusion of his sermon, Mr Bavin said his text struck a blow at the claims aud pretensions of what was known m Old Testament Scripture as Necromancy, and m modern times as spiritualism, or, as he preferred to call it, spiritism. It was the fashion with many to pooh pooh the phenomena of this development, and to declare they had no foundation m fact. Many asserted tlat the whole system, was a cjclusion and a fraud. v ow, he had no* doubt whatever, it wan possible to hold communication with departed, spirits ; otherwise why d}d GM forbid the practice ? He could at least claim Scriptural authority that the system knpwn us modern spiritism was possible a,nd had an actual existence ; but he had likewise the sanction of Sprip^e

m saying it was an unhallowed and fia bidden thing. It might not be at once evident why God had forbidden it ; but the -ystein, if such it might be called, had now been long enough before the world to examine it by its fruits, and what did they find ? Had ever one life been changed by it from sin to purity. Had one soul over been led by it fiora selfishness, greed, and evil practice, to become a humble /ollower of the Lord Jes-is Christ ? ; Not one. Let them look at the whole matter m the light of divine truth, and they would see how strikingly the text wes confirmed. "If men hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."