Have you ever seen the rich man? Yes.
Are you in the same place? Yes.
Can you see Paradise? Yes.

Is there a great gulf fixed between? Yes.
Can they see you? (faintly) Yes.

Are literal fire and brimstone the punishment of hell? Yes.

Are they as dreadful as Jesus Christ has said ? Yes.

Are the spirits punished for answering my questions?

Yes.

Shall you be punished?

Yes.

By whom? Spell the name.

Spelled

Spelled "Devil."

Why do you answer then, are you compelled to ?

Yes.

By whom? Spell the name.

Spelled "God." Can you resist the power that compels you? No. Dare you tell me a lie about sacred things? No. In answer to certain questions, he told us that the spirit is not in, but about the table, and retains his human form; he has NO POWER TO MOVE WHEN THE NAME OF JESUS IS MENTIONED. On being asked whether the unclean spirits ever entered into any one, he knocked an affirmative; and when asked 'into whom? and what diseases were caused by their possession ?' he spelled 'Madmen,' 'Falling sickness,' (or epilepsy,) 'Palsy,' 'Murder.'

We also learned from him, that there were good angels; that he could see them; that they wander on the earth and protect God's people; but that

THE SPIRITS OF THE PIOUS DEAD DO NOT WANDER, BUT REST." With this latter agrees the Bible:

"And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them."*

Also to the prophet Daniel, in anticipation of his death, it was said, "thou shalt rest.”+

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If the spiritualists believe what the spirits say, why not believe these three witnesses? We have their testimony that these spirits are all deceivers ; that there are angels-another race of beings; that the saints are at rest;" that "God has taken them;" that there is not a Christian spirit among all these; that there is a hell; that these spirits must go there; that there is to be a resurrection of the dead, and a future judgment.

One of these also testified, that the man that did not believe the Bible was "a fool," and could be deceived by these evil spirits. Let not the spiritualists congratulate themselves with the idea that no spirits but those who belong to their "low spheres" are deceivers. The ancient idolators had substantially the same theory concerning the spheres which they have, and Diana belonged to the highest sphere, and she succeeded in deceiving and obtaining the worship of "all Asia and the world," and yet, according to Tertullian, if she was summoned to testify in open court by a Christian, she would be constrained to confess that she was a devil!

As God has prohibited necromancy under the highest penalty, and has declared it exceedingly sinful for mortals to hold intercourse with the dead, it follows that if a spirit appears and addresses any person, that fact proves a wish to tempt that person to sin. Such an act shows an utter want of regard to the weal of that person, and none would do thus but a wicked spirit. The appearance therefore of a departed saint is entirely out of the question.

Secondly; To contend that God permits the spirits of just men to hold converse with mortals, as the spiritualists maintain, is to declare that a defect exists in His moral government, a defect altogether inconsistent with the character of Him who is infinite in goodness, justice, and mercy. The law that would punish with death the person who takes slow poison, and provides no penalty for, but entirely exculpates the vender, must not only be radically defective in its nature and operations, but be founded in injustice, and reflect on the wisdom and goodness of the Lawgiver. Such is not the law by which the universe is governed, and such is not the character of Jehovah.

Since it is wrong and sinful for men to hold converse with departed spirits, it must be wrong for such spirits to attempt intercourse with men.

Hence, according to the principles of equity, the appearance and conversation of the spirits of the just, is entirely inadmissable.

CHAPTER V.

CHARACTER OF THE SPIRITS.

"And behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time ?"-Matt. viii: 29.

WHETHER these invisible agents are spirits of the dead as they represent themselves, or "angels that sinned," as some believe them to be, their character is obviously evil and deceptive, and all who confide in them will sooner or later pay dearly for their presumption. It is unwise to have any intercourse with them, because no reliance can be placed in what they say.

E. W. CAPRON, in Singular Revelations, p. 63, writes, "says one you get contradictory answers. This is true; or rather, there are answers obtained in regard to coming events which do not accord with the facts as the time transpires It is a

great error that many rush into, who are carried away by a little excitement or wonder, that because there is a medium of communication with

spirits, that it is therefore an infallible source of information. There are, undoubtedly, spirits who desire to be noticed, and to answer questions, who are too ignorant to give any instruction, and who would be as likely to tell wrong as right! Swedenborg says there are some 'spirits so ignorant that they do not know but they are the ones called for, when another is meant.' This may be so. We are inclined to think it is, for we have known attempts to be made to imitate the signal which we always get when we call for a friend.”

A

What charitable logic! When spirits imitate the rap of another, it follows that they are ignorant, and think themselves called for! Such conduct is not so interpreted by our laws. On the contrary, when a man counterfeits the signature of another, they punish him as a knave, instead of commiserating him as a fool!

Again, Mr. C. says: "Much depends upon the mind and disposition of persons at the time of asking the questions, for, as all the universe goes by affinities, it needs a pure mind, calm thinker, and deliberate questioner to get communications from spirits of a high order."

From the foregoing quotations we learn

1. That spirits give incorrect answers and tell lies. 2. Persons who consult them frequently inquire for friends, and are imposed upon by other spirits, who profess to be the ones called for, and who counterfeit their signals.