SPIRITUALISM.

Temuka Leader, Issue 154, 14 August 1886, Page 2

SPIRITUALISM.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—'There are some important points to which I crave space to draw attention, which, so far as I have seen the correspondence on this subject, seem to have been overlooked. Mr Gibson in his first long letter, in criticising Mr Cecil’s lecture, dealt wholly'with the prohibition in Leviticus. He either does not know, or overlooks the fact, that spiritualism is still more minutely described and forbidden in Deut. xviii, Here divination, observing of times, enchantment, witchcraft, charming, consulting with evil spirits, wizirdry, and necromancy are all prohibited. Necromancy is the part of spiritualism, so-called, that is, I believe, the most abominable in the sight of God. Necromancy means seeking the dead,.or asking questions of the dead. These things were not only forbidden to the Jews, but, that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of, these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out before thee." There is just one other passage in the Old Testament I w ill refer to, -as I see Mr Cecil has noticed one or two in the New. In I. Sam. 28, “Saul,” we read, “ put away those that had fami'iar spirits out of the land." la this, we, see, he did what was right. At verse 7, we find he, himself, “ seeks for a woman that hath a familiar spirit,” and the remaining ’ nineteen verses are taken up with narrating Saul’s consultation of this woman. lathis he sinned grievously, adding to the transgression by which he had already lost the kingdom, and bringing about his own death as a divine judgment. See I. Chron, x., 13, “ So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit to inquire of it; and inquired not of the Lord: therefore Ho slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David, tho son of Jesse.” Those who reverence Holy Scripture will be satisfied that necromancy is displeasing to God, and must ha hurtful to those who practice it. I desire to take this opportunity of warning all who may read these lines against spiritualism. Especially ought young people to be made aware that such avenues of knowledge are closed by divine command. Instead of the true

religion (that of Jesus Christ), the deluded victims of a curiosity that leads them into forbidden ground are treated to a compound of freethought, necromancy, and jugglery. Its danger lies in its assumption of religious phrases, filched from Holy Scripture ; but there is abundance of proof that the Scripture itself is used for the purpose of,ridiculing and vilifying Christianity. The old Maoris and the natives of the South Seas in their days of darkness had their spifitifts ; but surely we, with our privileges, ought to be ashamed of such things done-in-darkness, and practice the more excellent way made known to up.— l am, etc., Li«ht. August 7, 1886. '.