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
  thousands；　yea；　by　millions；　which　has　made　its　way　into　scientific　circles；
  which　has　invaded　churches；　and　has　found　favor　in　legislative　bodies；　and
  even　in　the　courts　of　kings　this　mammoth　deception　is　but　a　revival；　in　a
  new　disguise；　of　the　witchcraft　condemned　and　prohibited　of　old。
  If　there　were　no　other　evidence　of　the　real　character　of　spiritualism；　it
  should　be　enough　for　the　Christian　that　the
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  spirits　make　no　difference　between　righteousness　and　sin；　between　the
  noblest　and　purest　of　the　apostles　of　Christ　and　the　most　corrupt　of　the
  servants　of　Satan。　By　representing　the　basest　of　men　as　in　heaven；　and
  highly　exalted　there；　Satan　says　to　the　world：　〃No　matter　how　wicked　you
  are；　no　matter　whether　you　believe　or　disbelieve　God　and　the　Bible。　Live　as
  you　please；　heaven　is　your　home。〃　The　spiritualist　teachers　virtually
  declare：　〃Everyone　that　doeth　evil　is　good　in　the　sight　of　the　Lord；　and　He
  delighteth　in　them；　or；　Where　is　the　God　of　judgment？〃　Malachi　2：17。　Saith
  the　word　of　God：　〃Woe　unto　them　that　call　evil　good；　and　good　evil；　that　put
  darkness　for　light；　and　light　for　darkness。〃　Isaiah　5：20。
  The　apostles；　as　personated　by　these　lying　spirits；　are　made　to　contradict
  what　they　wrote　at　the　dictation　of　the　Holy　Spirit　when　on　earth。　They　deny
  the　divine　origin　of　the　Bible；　and　thus　tear　away　the　foundation　of　the
  Christian's　hope　and　put　out　the　light　that　reveals　the　way　to　heaven。　Satan
  is　making　the　world　believe　that　the　Bible　is　a　mere　fiction；　or　at　least　a
  book　suited　to　the　infancy　of　the　race；　but　now　to　be　lightly　regarded；　or
  cast　aside　as　obsolete。　And　to　take　the　place　of　the　word　of　God　he　holds
  our　spiritual　manifestations。　Here　is　a　channel　wholly　under　his　control；　by
  this　means　he　can　make　the　world　believe　what　he　will。　The　Book　that　is　to
  judge　him　and　his　followers　he　puts　in　the　shade；　just　where　he　wants　it；
  the　Saviour　of　the　world　he　makes　to　be　no　more　than　a　common　man。　And　as
  the　Roman　guard　that　watched　the　tomb　of　Jesus　spread　the　lying　report　which
  the　priests　and　elders　put　into　their　mouths　to　disprove　His　resurrection；
  so　do　the　believers　in　spiritual　manifestations　try　to　make　it　appear　that
  there　is　nothing　miraculous　in　the　circumstances　of　our　Saviour's　life。
  After　thus　seeking　to　put　Jesus　in　the　background；　they　call　attention　to
  their　own　miracles；　declaring　that　these　far　exceed　the　works　of　Christ。
  It　is　true　that　spiritualism　is　now　changing　its　form　and；　veiling　some　of
  its　more　objectionable　features；　is　assuming
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  a　Christian　guise。　But　its　utterances　from　the　platform　and　the　press　have
  been　before　the　public　for　many　years；　and　in　these　its　real　character
  stands　revealed。　These　teachings　cannot　be　denied　or　hidden。
  Even　in　its　present　form；　so　far　from　being　more　worthy　of　toleration　than
  formerly；　it　is　really　a　more　dangerous；　because　a　more　subtle；　deception。
  While　it　formerly　denounced　Christ　and　the　Bible；　it　now　professes　to　accept
  both。　But　the　Bible　is　interpreted　in　a　manner　that　is　pleasing　to　the
  unrenewed　heart；　while　its　solemn　and　vital　truths　are　made　of　no　effect。
  Love　is　dwelt　upon　as　the　chief　attribute　of　God；　but　it　is　degraded　to　a
  weak　sentimentalism；　making　little　distinction　between　good　and　evil。　God's
  justice；　His　denunciations　of　sin；　the　requirements　of　His　holy　law；　are　all
  kept　out　of　sight。　The　people　are　taught　to　regard　the　Decalogue　as　a　dead
  letter。　Pleasing；　bewitching　fables　captivate　the　senses　and　lead　men　to
  reject　the　Bible　as　the　foundation　of　their　faith。　Christ　is　as　verily
  denied　as　before；　but　Satan　has　so　blinded　the　eyes　of　the　people　that　the
  deception　is　not　discerned。
  There　are　few　who　have　any　just　conception　of　the　deceptive　power　of
  spiritualism　and　the　danger　of　coming　under　its　influence。　Many　tamper　with
  it　merely　to　gratify　their　curiosity。　They　have　no　real　faith　in　it　and
  would　be　filled　with　horror　at　the　thought　of　yielding　themselves　to　the
  spirits'　control。　But　they　venture　upon　the　forbidden　ground；　and　the　mighty
  destroyer　exercises　his　power　upon　them　against　their　will。　Let　them　once　be
  induced　to　submit　their　minds　to　his　direction；　and　he　holds　them　captive。
  It　is　impossible；　in　their　own　strength；　to　break　away　from　the　bewitching；
  alluring　spell。　Nothing　but　the　power　of　God；　granted　in　answer　to　the
  earnest　prayer　of　faith；　can　deliver　these　ensnared　souls。
  All　who　indulge　sinful　traits　of　character；　or　willfully　cherish　a　known
  sin；　are　inviting　the　temptations　of　Satan。
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  They　separate　themselves　from　God　and　from　the　watchcare　of　His　angels；　as
  the　evil　one　presents　his　deceptions；　they　are　without　defense　and　fall　an
  easy　prey。　Those　who　thus　place　themselves　in　his　power　little　realize　where
  their　course　will　end。　Having　achieved　their　overthrow；　the　tempter　will
  employ　them　as　his　agents　to　lure　others　to　ruin。
  Says　the　prophet　Isaiah：　〃When　they　shall　say　unto　you；　Seek　unto　them　that
  have　familiar　spirits；　and　unto　wizards　that　peep；　and　that　mutter：　should
  not　a　people　seek　unto　their　God？　for　the　living　to　the　dead？　To　the　law　and
  to　the　testimony：　if　they　speak　not　according　to　this　word；　it　is　because
  there　is　no　light　in　them。〃　Isaiah　8：19；　20。　If　men　had　been　willing　to
  receive　the　truth　so　plainly　stated　in　the　Scriptures　concerning　the　nature
  of　man　and　the　state　of　the　dead；　they　would　see　in　the　claims　and
  manifestations　of　spiritualism　the　working　of　Satan　with　power　and　signs　and
  lying　wonders。　But　rather　than　yield　the　liberty　so　agreeable　to　the　carnal
  heart；　and　renounce　the　sins　which　they　love；　multitudes　close　their　eyes　to
  the　light　and　walk　straight　on；　regardless　of　warnings；　while　Satan　weaves
  his　snares　about　them；　and　they　become　his　prey。　〃Because　they　received　not
  the　love　of　the　truth；　that　they　might　be　saved；〃　therefore　〃God　shall　send
  them　strong　delusion；　that　they　should　believe　a　lie。〃　2　Thessalonians　2：10；
  11。
  Those　who　op