SPIRITUALISM.

Southland Times, Issue 1579, 17 May 1872, Page 3

SPIRITUALISM.

Sib, — He would be awarded but a moderate share of mental acumen who, advocating a bad , cause, would allow his audience to perceive that he wished them to believe a lie. The man of sharp intellect would, by a subtle process of reasoning, make his audience unconsciously swallow the lie concealed in a mass of perverted truth. Por example, suppose it possible that Satan announced a lecture to be delivered by himself, for the purpose of explaining that, far from being a fiend, he was a holy being, loving and caring for the aoula of men, do you think it likely that he would appear on the platform, a sable monster supported on cows' legs, adorned with barbed tail and horns, and vomiting fire and brimatone ? Catch him so atupid! Would he not rather present himself in the form of a doubly-refined, highly educated and amiable gentleman, who would send away his audience highly delighted, and quite unconscious of the, fact that a fiend who desired their destruction had just addressed them ? Query — Does it never occur to spiritualists and other anti-christians that they may possibly be the dupes of the mightiest and subtlest evil genius in existence ? I happen to be one of what Mr Smith charitably designates " the unenlightened few" who believe in the plenary inspiration of the Bible, and therefore I believe in the existence of the great adversary of men's souls, called the Devil. 1 believe also that that mighty evil spirit met his match in human form only once in the peraon of Jeaua Christ; and that Christ ia the Captain of our Salvation and the conqueror of the Devil for all who trust in Him. And when I, as a believer in the Bible, where, in John xiv. and 6, Chriat himself says, " I am the way, the truth, and the life ; no man cometh unto the Father but by me," assert, that every religion which professes to be Christless is of the Devil, I am on safe ground, because such assertion ia in accordance with the Word of God. The religion called apiritualiam is a Christless one, therefore it is of the Devil, and if it is founded on direct communication with spirits, I assert that they are evil ones, and defy all the spiritualists in the world to prove to the contrary. No doubt his satanic majesty knows how to suit himself to the times. To Bible believers •piritualism standa forth a masterly manoeuvre of a consummate general and arch-deceiver, who knowing that Jesus Chriat is the way and the only way of salvation to man , would resort to any and every expedient if only he might succeed in leading hia intended victims aside from that only way. " Satan himself is tranaformed into an angel of light, therefore it in no great thing if hia ministers aiao be transformed aa the ministers of righteouaness" — 2 Cor. xi. 14. " Now the spirit apeaketh expresaly that in the latter times some shaU depart from the faith, giving heed to aeducing apirita and doctrines of devils"— l Tim. iv. 1. — I am, &c, Aira-SPIBITIST. 13th May, 1872. P.S. Mr James Smith, lately Editor of the Australasian, himself proclaims that when lecturing on spiritualism he is only tho mouthpiece of a higher power. I believe him. The substance of his lectures, which, as reported, abound in fatal inconsistencies, does not, so much as the selection of a man of Mr Smith's attainments to be a medium of communication with man, exhibit the wonderful subtlety of the great genius of whom he ia apparently the dupe. «