SECTION V. LAWFULNESS OF SPIRIT COMMUNION. THERE appears to be a deep-seated fear in the minds of many Christians, that the proceedings of Spiritualists are contrary to the Divine will-that converse with Spirits is forbidden, and that as God will not co-operate with those who act contrary to his laws; it is plain, that the signs and wonders now taking place, are by the "Devil;" or, more elegantly, by "Satanic Agency." There are two great classes in the world-Those who believe in the existence and superintending care of a Superior Being, called "GoD:" and those who turn up the lip in scorn, at those of their countrymen who believe either in the actual being of a God, or of Angels, or of Man's Immortality. The latter class is the largest, and most powerful in Europe; though thousands upon thousands of ministers and priests are engaged to turn the scale. I am therefore penning this section on the Lawfulness of Spirit-Communion for the FIRST CLASS; so as to convince their judgments, remove their fears, and band them with us in assailing the MATERIALISM of the present day. What I intend to pen will be more of a text character, to be amplified by others, if they feel so disposed. I find that a good sized volume, full of life and interest, could be written on the magnificent mechanism which the ALL-WISE, ALL-MIGHTY, has called into existence, to unfold his plans, and to govern MAN: 2nd.—If there be Spirits, are they so employed as not to be able to engage in human affairs? 3rd. If Spirits are able, is it contrary to Scripture for man to hold communion with them? The Third has now to be grappled with. Exodus xxii. 18, is the Goliah brought forward to slay Spirit-communion with man. The commandment is, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch his voice." (Spirit speech.) Sam. xi. 6. Saul had lost his asses he could not find them-he was advised by his servant, as many of our servants now-a-days advise their masters and mistresses-he said, "Behold, now, there is in this city a man of God; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; here is the fourth part of a shekel of silver (three pence farthing) that will I give to the man of God to tell us the way (to the asses);" his "Satanic agency" powers, as they would now be called, were well known to the "Maidens" of the district; for Saul was directed by them which way to go, to find the Seer;-he went, but in the meantime, the Lord showed his sanction of the whole, by telling the Medium, Samuel, "IN HIS EAR;" "To-morrow, I will send thee a man thou shalt anoint to be Captain over my people." Saul little thought that the train of incidents,-asses, servants, maidens, were acts of special providence, or guidance. But we pass on; by and by Samuel dies-Saul is king-he neglects God's commands, and is rejected-he enquires of God's Seers, but could get no response; not because it was forbidden, but because "when he enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by Seers," or those we now call Mediums-three modes of communion. Saul, therefore, restless and anxious, finding the communion through holy men shut up, went to a witch, one who had a familiar spirit of evil; one of the forbidden or magical class and Samuel answered the call, and conversed with Saul: 1 Sam. xxviii. 7-19. The order for putting witches to death was 1491 B.C. Saul going to Samuel the Seer or Medium, and paying three pence farthing to know where his asses were, was 1095-or 396 years after the former date. : The word "ANGEL" signifies messenger, or "Bringer of tidings." When the Queen of England sends a message we sink the messenger, and say-The Queen commands. So with Scripture, we have "The word of the Lord came;" "the angel of, the Lord;" or "the Lord appeared." Who were those angels? I believe, principally disembodied human beings. I think so, because they invariably appeared in the shape of men, acted as men, spoke as men, commissioned by God; and to confirm this statement, I will shortly give additional proof. Having laid the foundation, as to what kind of seers are to be avoided; I.pass rapidly by Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel's Mediumship; and of countrymen going to them for information as to future events: communicated to them by angels, or "Bringers of tidings;" and now enter into the Christian dispensation. CHRIST was heralded to man by spirits, who were seen by human beings, the singing and the words were heard; showing that there are heavenly hosts, and that it is possible for ordinary men to see and hear them. Christ was a man of Principles-every act was the declaration of a principle-he never misled—he is our example, and we are to follow in his steps. The principle of communion with the so-called dead, was declared when Moses and Elias conversed with the MAN as to future events. Christ said of the little children brought to him, "Their Angels do always behold the face of my Father, who is in heaven." Their Angels-Whose angels? Then children have angels who live in heaven, yet by some living sympathy, come to their charge when needful. If children, why not men also, or tell us at what age they leave their charge. At the ascension of Christ, while the disciples were watching him rising from the earth-two men stood by them in white, and spoke; showing the power Spirits have of appearing in their celestial form, and their power of speech-and that, at the moment of Christ's proving in his own person Man's Immortality. St. Paul, who is an authority among Christians, as a man inspired, and who was caught up to the Third heaven; (how many there may be beyond three I know not) tells us plainly, "The Spirits of the prophets or Seers are subject to the Seers" on earth: in other words, Earth's prophets are guided or directed by those who were in olden days earth's seers: thus showing man's communion with disembodied human beings. Again, St. John, though inspired, was so dazzled by an angel's power, that he fell down to worship the being who showed him so much of the world's future history: but said the Spirit; "See thou do it not; for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the Seers-worship God:"-thus giving a brilliant illustration of St. Paul's assertion, that disembodied seers communicate and converse with the embodied. The various appearances of Spiritual beings, were, in the New Testament, in the form of man; thereby naturally leading us to the truth, that the spirit who appeared to St. Paul-spoke to him, and informed him of the future fate of the ship and passengers,—was a disembodied human being. Thus, I have shown that the Old and New Testaments are crowded with narratives of Spirits, or Angels; appearing to, and talking with, and directing the movements of those who were, or who desired to be, filled with heart-worship to the God of the Jew and of the Christian. It is therefore thoughtless for anyone to say that Spirit-communion is forbidden; the angelic appearances to St. Peter when he was let out of prison, to St. Paul before his shipwreck, to Philip with the Eunuch, to St. John at Patmos, were about the years 33 to 96; and there is not one command from Matthew to Revelations, which forbids Divine guidance as of old through God's Seers; even to finding lost articles, as I have done successfully. On the contrary, the powers of communion were continued to the Christian, as declared by St. Paul, 1 Cor. xii. 5, 6, 10. Some have (not had) Spiritual gifts, namely,-working of miracles, healing the sick, seeing Spirits, prophesying. The possessors of such gifts have them from God, through the agency of "Gabriel," "Michael," "Angel from the Lord," "spirits of the prophets;" and are sub-agents, "Seers," or "Men of God," as Samuel, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Paul, Philip, John, etc. Divination by Evil Spirits is to be avoided, or the seekers will be involved in the errors and wrong-doings of those powers. The custom of communion or converse with "Spirits" is a privilege for the Christian church; and is plainly laid open to us in John, chap. iv., where we are told how to test the character of the Spirits |