THIS MODERN SAULS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9571, 18 August 1909, Page 5

THIS MODERN SAULS.

(To the Editor). Sir, —When we are told that all spiritualistic phenomena is utter fraud, I sometimes wonder whether those who are so determined ot force their opinions down the throats of others have ever read the Bible. It is true that in many cases leaders of religious thought are hostile to spiritualism, but then the general attitude of the churches is invaiiably ' conservative. Ido not say that this is not a right attitude for the churches to adopt, but it is one t'aat scarcely places them in a position to come to a satisfactory conclusion ' as to the phenomena aforementioned. Do the dead return to life? Is it possible for them to I communicate by earthly mediums to other human beings? Let me quote as follows: s "The said Saul unto his servants, seek me a wjman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go , to her, and enquire of her. j And his servants said to him, I Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor. And Saul disguised himself and j put on other raiment and he went and two men with him and they came to the woman by night: And he said 1 pray thee divine unto me by the familiar spirit and bring me him up whom I shall name unto thee. And the woman said unto him. Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards out of the lands: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life to cause me to die? And Saul swoi-e to her by the Lord, saying, As the Lord liveth, there shali no punishment happen to thee for this thing. Then said the woman, Whom shall 1 bring unto thee. And he said, Bring me up Samuel. And when the woman saw Samuel she cried with a loud voice: and I the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me?'for thou art Saul. And the king said unto her, Be not afraid, for what sawest thou And the woman said unto Saul, 1 saw gods ascending out of the earth. And he said unto her, What'form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up, and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped I with his face to the ground, and lowed himself."—L Samuel, 8 chap., ver. 7-15. I do not know whether the wizard of En-dor was ever fined in ihe Melbourne Police Court, but it w-mld, all the same, be unreasonable to suppose that shej was of a particularly good character. I would, also, point out that though Saul "went by night,*' he still had implicit faith in the wizard, or witch, of En-dor. The truth of the seance cannot be doubted, for the account of it is given in the Bible! The translators . of the Bible possibly approved of 1 British/'witch hunts, but if the Bible \ were re-translated to-day we shoulc j probably read instead of "wizard" i the words "spirit medium."—l am i | tC CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALIST.