SPIRITISM IS A FORM OF DEMON POSSESSION

Little do men of science realize the influence of Satan in their inspiration to study the possibility of communicating with the spirit world -- the soul's appearance in a tangible form before mortals -- that the unsanctified curiosity which leads to these explorations or investigations is the condition favorable to demon possession.

God has clearly said they may not pass into nor from the realm of the dead -- there is a wide impassable gulf -- "The rich man also died and was buried; and in hell he lifted up his eyes being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, (whom he had before despised) that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime received thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and thou art tormented. And besides this between us and you there is a great gulf fixed; so that they who would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence." Luke 16:22-26. See also verses 27-31.

The abode of the departed is so fixed that they can not pass from thence to heaven or earth. Spiritism's pretended communication with the departed dead is in direct conflict with the Word of God that they can not leave their fixed abodes. For example see David's reference to the death of his child in 2nd Samuel 12 :23, "But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."

When not faked, the apparent communication with the departed loved ones is the work of demons, counterfeiting and impersonating them. Satan is greatly reviving Spiritism through the desire of broken hearted parents to communicate with their departed loved ones who were killed in the great war. But little do they dream the source of these communications and that obedience to them is the ground of surrender required by Satan for possession by evil spirits. Working as an angel of light, Satan deceives them into belief that they are highly favored of God by superior revelations. All communications with our departed dead, like consciousness of their nearness, sweet sense of their presence and fellowship, should be refused as the counterfeit and cheat of Satan intruding into realms God has forbidden.

Tell-Tale Characteristics

There are certain tell-tale marks of Spiritism which reveal its Satanic origin.

Many of the mediums are renegade professors of Christianity, apostates from Christ, who have sinned against great light and resisted great strivings of the Spirit and then, instead of humbly and penitently returning to Christ, they have given heed to the latter-day seducing spirits and doctrines of demons and have become mediums for Satan. Demon obsession and possession is the condition for making a good Spiritist, Christian Scientist, New Thoughtist, etc. Hence the prevalency among them of divorce, remarriage, and affinity. Irreverent views of God's holy institution, matrimony, has the familiar stamp of him who hates God, His Son, Word, and all Divine institutions. In a recent number of the Metropolitan there was an account of the seances of a prominent medium in Paris.

To be most effective the medium must be nude. How familiar this is to students of the Bible! The poor demoniac of Gadara, kin to the medium, also wore no clothing.

Again there must be perfect darkness. "He that doeth evil hateth the light," Jesus said, "and loves darkness because his deeds are evil," and need the cover and protection of the darkness. Light is intolerable to evil, it is insufferable. Some one thoughtlessly turned on the lights and the medium cried out in the pain. Satan, his cause, and emissaries have little use for light. "A strong light caused her to cry out."

A strange substance exudes from the medium's body -- note the serpentine characteristics of this substance -- "The substance could be felt. It was cold, damp, and sometimes slimy."

John wrote that the whole world is lying in the wicked one; asleep, reposing in the arms of Satan, its god. He frequents the various haunts of men, club, hotel, cafe, dance hail, gambling houses, vice halls, places of business and pleasures, where society assembles, victoriously directing the affairs after the counsel of his keen will -- mesmerizing and hypnotizing by his seductive spell: lulling to sleep where duty to God and man is concerned;, fascinatingly drawing to the wrong, sinful, and questionable.

In the conclusion of "The Sorrows of Satan," Marie Corelli gives a suggestive description of the activities of Satan in circles of state.

"At last, just as 'Big Ben' chimed the quarter to eleven, one man whom I instantly recognized as a well-known Cabinet minister came walking briskly towards the House then, and then only, He whom I had known as Lucio, advanced smiling. Greeting the minister cordially, in that musical rich voice I knew of old, he took his arm, -- and they both walked on, talking earnestly. I watched them till their figures receded in the moonlight, the one tall, kingly and commanding the other burly and broad and self-assertive in demeanor; -- I saw them ascend the steps, and finally disappear within the Hose of England's Imperial Government, -- Devil and Man -- together!"

ADDENDUM -- JUST BEFORE GOING TO PRESS

Just before going to press a woman murders her husband, a policeman, near our flat. He returned from duty exhausted and lay down on the couch and soon fell asleep only to be awakened by death agony from a shot from his own pistol. The murderess rushed to the street crying: "My husband is shot! My husband is shot! My husband is shot!" Alas, she had shot him! In the climax of anger, after brooding over recent quarrels, urged on by demons, in a frenzy she nerves herself to do the terrible deed and immediately after bewails the terrible crime.

The multiplicity and manner of crime shows the work of invisible evil spirits who after bedevilment of the mind (to throw into utter confusion), lead on to the commission of crime, then torment the victim with their own fear of the wrath and punishment God imposes.

Although tabooed now by the medical profession largely, and 'through ignorance or otherwise, ignored in the prosecution of crime, I predict the day will come when the influence of evil spirits will be taken into account in the treatment of both disease and crime. Belief in these destructive agents is no more incredible than belief in other invisible agencies which are none the less harmful because unseen.

So rapid is the increase of divorce in America that every other marriage ending thus is seen in the offing. Holy marriage, home and obedient children are the marks for the most malignant Satanic attacks The new freedom, when disillusionment comes, is seen to be license and the ground often for demon possession. True liberty is synonymous with subjection to all law. Paul enjoined submission, subjection and silence upon the woman not because he was narrow, but because in that direction lay her greatest freedom, health, happiness, longevity, and salvation. Thus holy women of old found meekness and peace, subjection better than assertiveness, obedience better than rebellion. God save men and women from the prevalent spirit of lawlessness with its fearful potentialities for evil and awful penalties hidden from the victim in the schooling stages prior to possession by the demon.