SPIRITUALISM.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 September 1922, Page 10

SPIRITUALISM.

ITS RELATION TO “THE BATTLE OF THE GREAT DAY.” (By Rev. Curow.) Many are the forms of human influence through which Satan works to bind his captive. One writer has tersely eaid: “Man takes delight in dreaming of what may be, in hoping for what is not, and in building future air castles that never materialise.” But our God takes pleasure in unfolding the mysteries of both time and Eternity. Jehovah looks into the future, and to mankind declares the end from the beginning. This marks one of the many differences between divinity and frail humanity. Spiritualism claims to get messages from the departed. Jehovah tells us in advance: “They are the spirit of devils working miracles.” “Spirits that go out to control the kings of the whole earth, to assemble them for the battle which is to take place on the great day of God, the Ruler of All.”

Dr. F. Maack, of Hamburg, says: “In Berlin alone there are probably ten thousand Spiritualists, among them exalted and Court personages, four hundred mediums, and from fifteen to twenty societies.” He wrote in 1910: “Can we wonder whether the German promoters of the Great War were led on by these spirits of devils.” We need not judging the war by its fruits. War began with the prince of devils, and every phase of it is devilish. Though under the direction of God it i<s used as a judgment. The following Scripture is to the point: “flow much more when I send my four sore judgments, the sword, famine, the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off man and beast?” Demons may -be the agents employed, for both demons and demon possessed delight in war. In North America there are said to be sixteen million adherents of Spiritualism, while in the whole world it was computed in 1594 that there were sixty million modern Spiritualists, with two hundred journals exclusively devoted to the propaganda of this awful system. Add to these the demonized races of China, Japan, India, the countless tribes of the Dark Continent, the savage hordes of the Soudan, the demon possessed firewalkers of the South Sea Islands, and you complete roughly the picture of Spiritualism covering the earth with darkness. “Satan delights in war, for it excites the worst passions of the soul, and then sweeps into Eternity its victims steeped in vice and blood.” God hates war—“hands that shed innocent blood.” He has demonstrated its folly and wickedness. In B.C. 1451, at the'Battle of the Five Kings, the spirit of demons led them against the hosts of God, and the armoury of heaven was put into action, and the record says: “There were more who died with the rain of hail than Israel slew with the sword” (Josh., 10:11). Another demonstration, B.C. 714, in Sennacherib, the Assyrian King. It reads: “Then the Angel of the Lord went forth and smote in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty five thousand. Behold, they were all dead corpses.” Men have failed to learn these lessons. And the last demonstration draws on apace. The time is when men and nations are talking peace and safety. Then sudden destruction shall come upon them and they shall not escape.” (I. These. 5:3). This battle is Heaven’s proclamation. The agents are the spirits of devils working marvels. What are the omens of this great battle of the day of God Almighty? What do we see and hear? We read of wars of the future, the horrors of air attacks, with little or no means of defence; deadly gases which threaten to exterminate populous cities. Again I read: “The next war; A fascinating vision: The use of wireless; Steer planes and ships.” Well might England’s noble Premier appeal to the churches. The horrors of war which ho had seen had made him vow to consecrate his remaining energies to make it impossible for humanity again to pass through the. fire of torment, cruelty, horror and squalor of war. But our text says they wil] fight again. Wicked spirits gather round thee, legions of the foes of God. To gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty. “Ami that great day is near and hasteneth greatly, for it stands written: ‘Behold, I come as a thief.’ ”