mankind away from God, into sin and unrighteousness.

It will thus be seen that every medium of communication, every influence for good which God employs, is counterfeited by Satan and his evil host.

Heathenism and all forms of false worship have had their origin with Satan. He is responsible for the many forms of religion which, while they may contain much of good, have enough that is contrary to God's word to mar the religious experience of those who conform to them. Satan is pleased to foster any religion which contains much of truth, if he can mix with it enough of error to mar the character and unfit men for the kingdom of God.

A professedly religious man who holds to serious errors, can do more to lead men from the true service of God than can an avowed infidel. His profession of religion disarms suspicion, and gives him an advantage which no out-and-out worldling possesses. Every weapon that can be devised to overthrow the true worship of the living God is employed by the enemy. Character of Satanic Spirit Manifestations.

Our Saviour declares in regard to all false teaching, "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" Matt. 7:16. A simple comparison of the various spirit manifestations will emphasize every statement made in this chapter regarding their origin.

There is beauty and awful grandeur in the appearance of the messengers from the courts above. Their communications have always been with dignity, and

whether given in person or through a prophet, are usually accompanied with a reference to God as commanding what they have to declare.

They hold no communication with wicked men, and depart from God's people when they become estranged from heaven, as in the case of Saul. I Sam. 28:6. In contrast with this are many of the common, degrading manifestations of familiar spirits, both ancient and modern.

In ancient times these familiar spirits communicated with wicked men and women, called wizards, witches, etc. See 1 Sam. 28:7, and other texts. Ancient Spiritualism originated among heathen nations.

They counterfeited the work of God."

They counterfeited the work of God, as in the case of the miracles performed through Moses and Aaron before the Egyptians. See Exodus 7, 8.

Through their mediums they attempted to bring discredit upon the work of Christ when on earth. See Mark 1:23-26, etc.

Through the soothsaying damsel they attempted to bring reproach and ridicule on the work of Paul and the other apostles. See Acts 16: 16-18.

They took forcible possession of men and women, cast them down, threw them into the fire, and made their lives a burden to themselves and a terror to those around them. See Matt. 17:14, 18.

They compelled those whom they possessed to blaspheme and to speak contrary to their own desires.

In their rage they took possession of beasts, as in the case of the swine of Gergesa. See Matt. 8: 18-32. In our own times the manifestations of these familiar spirits are often more common and degrading than in ancient days.

In the Spiritualist organ, Spiritual Telegraph, No. 182, Amherst declares that he has "seen mediums rolling on the floor, uttering grunts like swine; giving vent to the most hideous yells; and at times beating their bodies and tearing their hair like lunatics.”

"They have communications, and unspeakable identifications from 'woodchucks,' the 'dog Pip,' and 'Balaam's ass." "

From the foregoing it may be readily seen that the term, "familiar spirits," is well applied.

H

T THE time of our Saviour evil spirits took possession of men, controlled their actions, and compelled them to speak as they should dictate. There are authentic records of men and women who, under the guise of modern Spiritualism, are as completely controlled by the spirits of Satan as were the demoniacs in the days of the apostles.

An examination of the phenomena of ancient Spiritualism can hardly fail to demonstrate to thinking minds the satanic nature of its origin. The records of ancient dealings with familiar spirits by the necromancers, wizards, and witches, show these manifestations to be identical with the Spiritualism of to-day. A few examples will be given to illustrate this similarity and identity.

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The First Spiritualist Medium.

The first spiritual medium of which we have any account was the serpent in the garden of Eden. Lucifer had rebelled, had fallen, and had determined to lead

Adam and Eve into sin

and so complete their fall.

The dominion of the

earth had been

given to man at

creation. Satan

desired the pos

session of this

earth as his

home and kingdom. If he could cause our first parents to follow him in rebellion, they

would fall as he had fallen, and the sovereignty of the world would come to him.

How could he accomplish the ruin of man? If he should approach Adam and Eve in his true character, he could never succeed, for they had been warned of his design. Hence he chose as a medium of communication, the serpent, at that time one of the most intelligent of the animal creation. The record states that "the serpent was more subtile than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made." Gen. 3: 1.

And through this serpent Satan introduced the doctrine of natural immortality, which is the foundation upon which the superstructure of Spiritualism is reared. For if the soul is immortal, and goes to its reward at