the great controversy-第111部分

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communicate　with　them；　to　warn　them　against　evil；　or　to　comfort

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them　in　sorrow？　How　can　those　who　believe　in　man's　consciousness　in　death
reject　what　comes　to　them　as　divine　light　communicated　by　glorified　spirits？
Here　is　a　channel　regarded　as　sacred；　through　which　Satan　works　for　the
accomplishment　of　his　purposes。　The　fallen　angels　who　do　his　bidding　appear
as　messengers　from　the　spirit　world。　While　professing　to　bring　the　living
into　communication　with　the　dead；　the　prince　of　evil　exercises　his
bewitching　influence　upon　their　minds。

He　has　power　to　bring　before　men　the　appearance　of　their　departed　friends。
The　counterfeit　is　perfect；　the　familiar　look；　the　words；　the　tone；　are
reproduced　with　marvelous　distinctness。　Many　are　comforted　with　the
assurance　that　their　loved　ones　are　enjoying　the　bliss　of　heaven；　and
without　suspicion　of　danger；　they　give　ear　〃to　seducing　spirits；　and
doctrines　of　devils。〃

When　they　have　been　led　to　believe　that　the　dead　actually　return　to
communicate　with　them；　Satan　causes　those　to　appear　who　went　into　the　grave
unprepared。　They　claim　to　be　happy　in　heaven　and　even　to　occupy　exalted
positions　there；　and　thus　the　error　is　widely　taught　that　no　difference　is
made　between　the　righteous　and　the　wicked。　The　pretended　visitants　from　the
world　of　spirits　sometimes　utter　cautions　and　warnings　which　prove　to　be
correct。　Then；　as　confidence　is　gained；　they　present　doctrines　that　directly
undermine　faith　in　the　Scriptures。　With　an　appearance　of　deep　interest　in
the　well…being　of　their　friends　on　earth；　they　insinuate　the　most　dangerous
errors。　The　fact　that　they　state　some　truths；　and　are　able　at　times　to
foretell　future　events；　gives　to　their　statements　an　appearance　of
reliability；　and　their　false　teachings　are　accepted　by　the　multitudes　as
readily；　and　believed　as　implicitly；　as　if　they　were　the　most　sacred　truths
of　the　Bible。　The　law　of　God　is　set　aside；　the　Spirit　of　grace　despised；　the
blood　of　the　covenant　counted　an　unholy　thing。　The　spirits　deny　the　deity　of
Christ　and　place　even　the　Creator　on　a　level　with　themselves。　Thus　under　a
new　disguise　the　great　rebel

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still　carries　on　his　warfare　against　God；　begun　in　heaven　and　for　nearly　six
thousand　years　continued　upon　the　earth。

Many　endeavor　to　account　for　spiritual　manifestations　by　attributing　them
wholly　to　fraud　and　sleight　of　hand　on　the　part　of　the　medium。　But　while　it
is　true　that　the　results　of　trickery　have　often　been　palmed　off　as　genuine
manifestations；　there　have　been；　also；　marked　exhibitions　of　supernatural
power。　The　mysterious　rapping　with　which　modern　spiritualism　began　was　not
the　result　of　human　trickery　or　cunning；　but　was　the　direct　work　of　evil
angels；　who　thus　introduced　one　of　the　most　successful　of　soul…destroying
delusions。　Many　will　be　ensnared　through　the　belief　that　spiritualism　is　a
merely　human　imposture；　when　brought　face　to　face　with　manifestations　which
they　cannot　but　regard　as　supernatural；　they　will　be　deceived；　and　will　be
led　to　accept　them　as　the　great　power　of　God。

These　persons　overlook　the　testimony　of　the　Scriptures　concerning　the
wonders　wrought　by　Satan　and　his　agents。　It　was　by　satanic　aid　that
Pharaoh's　magicians　were　enabled　to　counterfeit　the　work　of　God。　Paul
testifies　that　before　the　second　advent　of　Christ　there　will　be　similar
manifestations　of　satanic　power。　The　coming　of　the　Lord　is　to　be　preceded　by
〃the　working　of　Satan　with　all　power　and　signs　and　lying　wonders；　and　with
all　deceivableness　of　unrighteousness。〃
2　Thessalonians　2：9；10。　And　the　apostle　John；　describing　the
miracle…working　power　that　will　be　manifested　in　the　last　days；　declares：
〃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。〃　Revelation　13：13；
14。　No　mere　impostures　are　here　foretold。　Men　are　deceived
by　the　miracles　which　Satan's　agents　have　power　to　do；　not　which　they
pretend　to　do。

The　prince　of　darkness；　who　has　so　long　bent　the　powers　of　his　mastermind　to
the　work　of　deception；　skillfully　adapts　his　temptations　to　men　of　all
classes　and　conditions。　To

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persons　of　culture　and　refinement　he　presents　spiritualism　in　its　more
refined　and　intellectual　aspects；　and　thus　succeeds　in　drawing　many　into　his
snare。　The　wisdom　which　spiritualism　imparts　is　that　described　by　the
apostle　James；　which　〃descendeth　not　from　above；　but　is　earthly；　sensual；
devilish。〃　James　3：15。　This；　however；　the　great　deceiver　conceals　when
concealment　will　best　suit　his　purpose。　He　who　could　appear　clothed　with　the
brightness　of　the　heavenly　seraphs　before　Christ　in　the　wilderness　of
temptation；　comes　to　men　in　the　most　attractive　manner　as　an　angel　of　light。
He　appeals　to　the　reason　by　the　presentation　of　elevating　themes；　he
delights　the　fancy　with　enrapturing　scenes；　and　he　enlists　the　affections　by
his　eloquent　portrayals　of　love　and　charity。　He　excites　the　imagination　to
lofty　flights；　leading　men　to　take　so　great　pride　in　their　own　wisdom　that
in　their　hearts　they　despise　the　Eternal　One。　That　mighty　being　who　could
take　the　world's　Redeemer　to　an　exceedingly　high　mountain　and　bring　before
Him　all　the　kingdoms　of　the　earth　and　the　glory　of　them；　will　present　his
temptations　to　men　in　a　manner　to　pervert　the　senses　of　all　who　are　not
shielded　by　divine　power。

Satan　beguiles　men　now　as　he　beguiled　Eve　in　Eden　by　flattery；　by　kindling　a
desire　to　obtain　forbidden　knowledge；　by　exciting　ambition　for
self…exaltation。　It　was　cherishing　these　evils　that　caused　his　fall；　and
through　them　he　aims　to　compass　the　ruin　of　men。　〃Ye　shall　be　as　gods；〃　he
declares；　〃knowing　good　and　evil。〃　Genesis　3：5。　Spiritualism　teaches　〃that
man　is　the　creature　of　progression；　that　it　is　his　destiny　from　his　birth　to
progress；　even　to　eternity；　toward　the　Godhead。〃　And　again：　〃Each　mind　will
judge　itself　and　not　another。〃　〃The　judgment　will　be　right；　because　it　is
the　judgment　of　self。　。　。　。　The　throne　is　within　you。〃　Said　a　spiritualistic
teacher；　as　the　〃spiritual　consciousness〃　awoke　within　him：　〃My　fellow　men；
all　were　unfallen　demigods。〃　And　another　declares：　〃Any　just　and　perfect
being　is　Christ。〃

Thus；　in　place　of　the　righteousness　and　perfection　of　the

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infinite　God；　the　true　object　of　adoration；　in　place　of　the　perfect
righteousness　of　His　law；　the　true　standard　of　human　attainment；　Satan　has
substituted　the　sinful；　erring　nature　of　man　himself　as　the　only　object　of
adoration；　the　only　rule　of　judgment；　or　standard　of　character。　This　is
progress；　not　upward；　but　downward。

It　is　a　law　both　of　the　intellectual　and　the　spiritual　nature　that　by
beholding　we　become　changed。　The　mind　gradually　adapts　itself　to　the
subjects　upon　which　it　is　allowed　to　dwell。　It　becomes　assimilated　to　that
which　it　is　accustomed　to　love　and　reverence。　Man　will　never　rise　higher
than　his　standard　of　purity　or　goodness　or　truth。　If　self　is　his　loftiest
ideal；　he　will　never　attain　to　anything　more　exalted。　Rather；　he　will
constantly　sink　lower　and　lower。　The　grace　of　God　alone　has　power　to　exalt
man。　Left　to　himself；　his　course　must　inevitably　be　downward。

To　the　self…indulgent；　the　pleasure…loving；　the　sensual；　spiritualism
presents　itself　under　a　less　subtle　disguise　than　to　the　more　refined　and
intellectual；　in　its　grosser　forms　they　find　that　which　is　in　harmony　with
their　inclinations。　Satan　studies　every　indication　of　the　frailty　of　human
nature；　he　marks　the　sins　which　each　individual　is　inclined　to　commit；　and
then　he　takes　care　that　opportunities　shall　not　be　wanting　to　gratify　the
tendency　to　evil。　He　tempts　men　to　excess　in　that　which　is　in　itself　lawful；
causing　them；　through　intemperance；　to　weaken　physical；　mental；　and　moral
power。　He　has　destroyed　and　is　destroying　thousands　through　the　indulgence
of　the　passions；　thus　brutalizing　the　entire　nature　of　man。　And　to　complete
his　work；　he　declares；　through　the　spirits　that　〃true　knowledge　places　man
above　all　law；〃　that　〃whatever　is；　is　right；〃　that　〃God　doth　not　condemn；〃
and　that　〃all　sins　which　are　committed　are　innocent。〃　When　the　people　are
thus　led　to　believe　that　desire　is　the　highest　law；　that　liberty　is　license；
and　that　man　is　accountable　only　to　himself；　who　can　wonder　that　corruption
and　depravity　teem

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on　every　hand？　Multitudes　eagerly　accept　teachings　that　leave　them　at
liberty　to　obey　the　promptings　of　the　carnal　heart。　The　reins　of
self…control　are　laid　upon　the　neck　of　lust；　the　powers　of　mind　and　soul　are
made　subject　to　the　animal　propensities；　and　Satan　exultingly　sweeps　into
his　net　thousands　who　profess　to　be　followers　of　Christ。

But　none　need　be　deceived　by　the　lying　claims　of　spiritualism。　God　has　given
the　world　sufficient　light　to　enable　them　to　discover　the　snare。　As　already
shown；　the　theory　which　forms　the　very　foundation　of　spiritualism　is　at　war
with　the　plainest　statements　of　Scripture。　The　Bible　declares　that　the　dead
know　not　anything；　that　their　thoughts　have　perished；　they　have　no　part　in
anything　that　is　done　under　the　sun；　they　know　nothing　of　the　joys　or
sorrows　of　those　who　were　dearest　to　them　on　earth。

Furthermore；　God　has　expressly　forbidden　all　pretended　communication　with
departed　spirits。　In　the　days　of　the　Hebrews　there　was　a　class　of　people　who
claimed；　as　do　the　spiritualists　of　today；　to　hold　communication　with　the
dead。　But　the　〃familiar　spirits；〃　as　these　visitants　from　other　worlds　were
called；　are　declared　by　the　Bible　to　be　〃the　spirits　of　devils。〃　（Compare
Numbers　25：1…3；　Psalm　106：28；　I　Corinthians　10：20；　Revelation　16：14。）　The
work　of　dealing　with　familiar　spirits　was　pronounced　an　abomination　to　the
Lord；　and　was　solemnly　forbidden　under　penalty　of　death。　Leviticus　19：31；
20：27。　The　very　name　of　witchcraft　is　now　held　in　contempt。　The　claim　that
men　can　hold　intercourse　with　evil　spirits　is　regarded　as　a　fable　of　the
Dark　Ages。　But　spiritualism；　which　numbers　its　converts　by　hundreds　of
thous