THE CLERGY AND SPIRTUALISM

Evening Star, Issue 17543, 24 December 1920, Page 9

THE CLERGY AND SPIRTUALISM

. Sir. —I "was surprised to know of & zmaisber presiding at Sir Cooan Doyle's second lecture, and ask you to grajit mo space to say that when, as quoted by last eveningli in his introductory remarks, he said " that he felt sure that any one of the dozen, ministers in the City would have presided that evening had it been necessary," I for one do not desire to be classed as one of the dozen, and I give my reasons openly aud publicly. Spiritualism, or Spiritism is that system which teaches men to intmiro of the dead, and which the Holy Spiritcalls •,> tb6^S oct i? a ? of Demons" (1 'lfmothy, iv., I). Tbe Sprnt of God, with unmistakable clearness and preciseness of language describes Spiritualism, so that there can be nomistake that the ancient evil and »the modern cult are identical.

I want to make a threefold charge against Spiritualism. We read in the Bible "Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh'is '•not' of God" (1 John, iv., 2, 3), and those who bring this caching are said to be "deceivers," and we are not to greet nor receive them, for it we do we partake of their evil deeds (2 John, verses 7 and 11). The threefold charge is: Spiritualism denies Christ's preexistence before His incarnation, His miraculous birth, and His vicarious death. Spiritualism, therefore denies His diety Spiritualism has an admiration for Christ will' commend Him as a medium, and will laud the perfection of- His humanity Spiritualism denies Christ's miraculousbirth without human intervention. Spiritualism denies the vicarious atonement of our Lord. Spiritualism, like several other cults has no place for the atoning sacnhco of our Lord; therefore it should, have no place m our thought and life. There is po Gospel m it, for the clarion note of the Gospel is "Christ died for our sins" (1 Corinthians, rv., 3), and rose again, according to the Scriptures. The word of God is plain and pointed, and what should bo the attitude of a Christian towards this gospel of the pit? Those who resort to familiar spirits arc disobedient to the Word of God. "Turn ye not unto them which have familiar spirits nor unto the wizards; seek them not out to be defiled by them; I am the ■Lord, your <Jcd (Leviticus xix., 31). Those who have to do with, the dead can have no fellowship with God. "The soul that tnrneth unto them that have familiar spirits and unto the wizards, to go a aft«r them, I will even set my face against that soul and win cut him off from amon-r the people- (Leviticus xx., 6). Thoso who°have communications .with the dead are an abomination to the Lord. -

The Word of the Lord is very explicit as to the mind of the Lord about these f 3tfc frs. . So, says: "Thero shall not be tound with thee anyone that maketh his son or Ins daughter to pass through the fire one that useth divination, one thai practiseth augury, or an enchanter, or a. sorcerer, or a charmer, or a consmter \vith a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer For whosoever doeth these tainT* is an abomination unto the Lord" (IW., S , h"*t.S Ti : osa Who have with the dead are in with the devil L?? 1 *<> admit they may not know they are in league with the Evil One; bu* they must be when the teaching of Spiritualism is called "the doctrine of devils" and its practice is said to be evil bv tlie fl r ' P T t y° u ™y reason why I refuse to be thought any one of the dozen ministers referred to in the City by ■the chairman of Sir Cenxn Doyle's meeting.—l am, etc., lu Y Stbwaet, Pastor of the Baptist Tabernacle, Caversham.