Bible Readings for the Home Circle Part 152

7. With what is witchcraft cla.s.sed by Paul, and what does he say to those who are guilty of such things?

"Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies.... I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of G.o.d." Gal. 5:20-23.

8. What should one do if asked to inquire of a familiar spirit?

"And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: _should not a people seek unto their G.o.d?_ for the _living_ to the _dead_?" Isa. 8:19.

NOTE.-Giving the sense of this pa.s.sage, Dr. Adam Clarke says: "Should not a nation seek unto its G.o.d? Why should you seek unto the dead concerning the living?" But this is exactly what Spiritualism teaches men to do,-to seek unto the _dead_ concerning the _living_.

9. What instruction does the apostle John give touching this subject?

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but _try the spirits whether they are of G.o.d_." 1 John 4:1.

10. By what are we to try them?

"_To the law and to the testimony_: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isa. 8:20.

11. Should we allow ourselves to be influenced by signs or wonders performed by those who would try to lead us away from G.o.d and His law?

"If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pa.s.s, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other G.o.ds, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; _thou shalt not harken unto the words of that prophet; or that dreamer of dreams_: for the Lord your G.o.d proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your G.o.d with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after the Lord your G.o.d, and fear Him, and keep His commandments, and obey His voice." Deut. 13:1-4.

12. How much do the dead know of what is going on among men?

"Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away. His sons come to honor, and _he knoweth it not_; and they are brought low, but _he perceiveth it not of them_." Job 14:20, 21.

13. Do the dead know _anything_?

"For the living know that they shall die: but _the dead know not anything_." Eccl. 9:5. "His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; _in that very day his thoughts perish_." Ps. 146:4.

14. What scripture forever precludes the idea that the dead come back to earth to communicate with the living?

"Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; _neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun_." Eccl. 9:6.

15. Then when miracles are performed by spirits purporting to be those of our dead friends, to what shall we attribute them?

"For they are _the spirits of devils, working miracles_." Rev. 16:14.

16. What will be one characteristic of last-day apostasies?

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, _giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils_." 1 Tim. 4:1.

NOTES.-The following items ill.u.s.trate a condition widely prevalent:-

" 'A lawyer with a national reputation, well known to me,' said J.

L. Hall, of New York, 'never begins the preparation of a difficult case without getting "advice from the other side," as he describes the search.... Another distinguished man of New York City once a.s.serted to me that he had his familiar spirit with which he talked as freely as with a human companion,' "-_Was.h.i.+ngton Herald, May 8, 1911._

A noted Brooklyn divine some years ago, not realizing that he was voicing Spiritualistic views, gave expression to the following: "What are our departed Christian friends, who in this world had their joy in the healing art, doing now?-Busy at their old business. No sickness in heaven, but plenty of sickness on earth."-_Christian Herald, July 8, 1882._

Writing concerning "Communion With the Departed," General Booth, of the Salvation Army, said: "Through all my history, my personal intercourse with the spirit world has been but limited. I have not been favored with many visions, and it is but seldom that I dream dreams that impart either pleasure or profit; and yet I have a spiritual communion with the departed saints that is not without both satisfaction and service. And especially of late the memories of those with whom my heart has had the choicest communion in the past, if not the very beings themselves, have come in upon me as I have sat at my desk or lain wakeful on my bed in the night-season.

Amongst these, one form, true to her mission, comes more frequently than all besides, a.s.suring me of her continued partners.h.i.+p in my struggle for the temporal and eternal salvation of the mult.i.tudes-and that is my blessed, my beautiful wife!"-_War Cry, Nov. 27, 1897._

"Dr. Joseph Parker, of the City Temple, London, has openly declared that he prayed to his departed wife every day. He said that he never came to the City Temple to preach without asking her to come with him. He further says: I encourage my friend to pray to his wife, and to pray G.o.d to ask her to come to his help. She will be more to him than twelve legions of unknown angels."-_The Living Church, Nov. 14, 1899._

"The emperor Nicholas ... has fallen under the influence of a Spiritualist named Philipp, who rules the emperor to such an extent that His Majesty makes no important decision, even in relation to family life, without consulting his Spiritualistic guide."-_Melbourne Age, Nov. 15, 1902._

In a statement given put Dec. 20, 1910, soon after the death of Mrs. Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, Mrs. Amelia Stetson, one of the leaders of the Christian Science Church of New York City, said: "Mrs. Eddy, who was the female Christ, will return to earth. I am watching and waiting for the manifestation of Mrs.

Eddy in the semblance of human form. It may come today, it may come next week, it may not come for ten years, but it will surely come.... The millennium is at hand. Mrs. Eddy is not dead. She is still alive, and when she appears again on earth, it will be as herself-as Mary Baker Eddy."

"A message purporting to come from Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, through Mr. William T. Stead, the noted English journalist, shortly after the former's death, says, 'There is no death; all is life; all is freedom,' "-_Signs of the Times, Feb. 28, 1911._

And soon after Mr. Stead himself went down on the "t.i.tanic," April 15, 1912, Spiritualists in different parts of the world received numerous messages purporting to have come from him.

17. How does Satan deceive the people?

"And no marvel; for Satan himself is _transformed into an angel of light_." 2 Cor. 11:14.

18. What role do his agents a.s.sume?

"Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be _transformed as the ministers of righteousness_." Verse 15.

19. Will Satan and his agents attempt to counterfeit the coming of Christ, and work signs and wonders to confirm their pretentious claims?

"Then if any man shall say unto you, _Lo, here is Christ_, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, _and shall show great signs and wonders_; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Matt. 24:23, 24.

20. What will be one of the last great signs performed by this means, to fasten men in deception?

"And he doeth great wonders, so that _he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men_, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live." Rev.

13:13, 14.

21. What scripture shows that Satan is to work with special power and deceptive wonders just before Christ's second coming?

"Whose coming is _after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders_, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish." 2 Thess. 2:9, 10. See also Rev. 12:12.

22. While many will be deceived by these wonders, and accept of the false Christs that appear, what will those say who have maintained their love for the truth, and patiently waited for Christ's return?

"And it shall be said in that day, _Lo, __THIS__ is our G.o.d; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: __THIS__ is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation_." Isa. 25: 9.

23. What warning has been given us through the apostle Peter?

"_Be sober, be vigilant_; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour," 1 Peter 5: 8.

Wicked spirits gather round thee, Legions of those foes to G.o.d- Princ.i.p.alities most mighty- Walk unseen the earth abroad; They are gathering to the battle, Strengthened for the last deep strife; Christian, arm! be watchful, ready.