DEMON POSSESSION.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160730, 17 August 1920, Page 3

DEMON POSSESSION.

To the Editor. Sir, —The article reprinted from the Waiapu Church Gaaette, which appeared in the “Herald’' of August 9, was a most extraordinary one. The writers, two clcrgyn>en of that diocese, I presume, slate that two New Zealand bishops and a doctor believe that “demonical possession” is a fact of the piesent day in this country—God’s own. But the latter title is disputed, it seems; pardon the comparison. The writers aro careful to state that “Sceptics may scoff at and deride our state meets,” “the clergy, as a body, may 'refuse to believe there is any truth in it.” I am rather surprised at that. Here they have a unique opportunity to regain their once formidable power, but they wisely desist. Besides people (as a body) nowadays have no time for such imbecilities. Most of us, and rightly so, consider that “devil worship,” which it practically is, should be relegated to oblivion; it belongs not to tnis age, but to the ignorant ages of the dark past. “There is no darkness, but ignorance.” Let us fill the world with intellectual light. Science, distrusted and hated by theology, can be the only saviour of the world, said Professor Tyndall in his famous Belfast address (1874). “Science can and will wrest the whole cosmological domain from the realm of the theologian.” When this is the case how fares it for these “supernatural aristocrats”; because we must remember that these alleged evil spirits were once angels of high rank in Heaven, and were cast out because they rebelled against the Higher Power. There are several myths of fights between invisible beings. -There is the Babylonian, from which, if I am not mistaken, the Feast of St. Michael and all Angc-ls is derived. The Israelites were too ignorant to invent the story, so they borrowed it. The Gieek myth, the fall of the Titans, is well known. There are others—lndian, Chinese, Mexican (ancient), etc. This evil spirit, devil, or serpent myth was originated by some primitive minds associating the sun as lord of Heaven., chasing away the darkness of right. Is not the devil also called the Prince of Darkness, and his sable majesty’s lesser devils tho Imps of Darkness. As tho two New Zealand bishops and a doctor aver that they believe that demons exist, and are at work, it would* bo reasonable to suppose that these three gentlemen believe also in witchcraft. If they believe in the actual “presence” of devils in people they can also hold the view that these invisible gentry can be made use of for various purposes by evil-disposed persons. It is possible that such a contingency should arise. If so, then 'wo shall have a return of the horrors enacted in Europe 200 years ago, which were the torturing and burning alive ■of old women in their dotage, also young women and children (bo it noted they were burned in slow fires). Thousands of innocent persons suffered these excruciating agonies, for what purpose? For the honour of God and to exterminate the evil spirits that were in “possession.” Professor Lecky, in bis famous work, “Tho History of tho Rise of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe,” has a long chapter on magic and, witchcraft, and cites some of tho cases. Most of the charges were simply ridiculous. For instance, a woman and her daughter were burned for pulling their stockings off both together at the bidding of evil spirits, thus causing a storm. Another woman was charged with vomiting crooked pins. Women had familialspirits who changed tho women into wolves. If any person had a grudge against, another he had only to whisper into the ear of a clergyman or one of his congregation the word “witchcraft” anil a trumped up case was brought against him. If the victim denied it it meant denying the existence of devils, which was Atheism. Atheists were also punished by being burned alive. Hundreds of thinkers and investigators were I punished. ! In Germany, in the ages of faith, 100,000 witches were burned. In England the superstition had a lesser hold on tho people, not that they didn’t believe in it, but because the laws against if were not so much in force; but in Scotland the superstition had a formidable power, especially after the Reformation. Inquisitorial methods were employed to hunt out witches and those ‘’possessed.” It is recorded in Pitcairn's “Criminal Trials of Scotland” that a Dr. Finn was accused of raising a storm to wreck tho ship that conveyed the King back from Denmark. Dr. Finn denied it. His denial cost him his life He was horribly tortured and afterwards burned. King James I. presided at the trial. Of course he was innocent, but, being a sceptic, was put to death. Tha cause of all these horrors that took place in the “good old times” was a text in Exodus, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.” If the world o? 2000 years ago knew a.s much about science ns we now do these horrors would never have disgraced this fair earth. Yet, with the full knowledge of the evils that have resulted from belief in.infallible oracles, there are still some who would again have them with us. When people are educated enough to appreciate scientific teaching, then the world will be freed from superstition and ignorance. Thanking you.—l am, etc., SCEPTICAL.