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Spiritualism versus Christianity.

At the last Synodical meeting of the Presbyterian Church in Dunedin, Mr. Honore, Maori Missionary, in comparing some of the Maori practices with Spiritism, called it a "polite superstition," and to our mind he was not far from the truth. If, however, the superstition be polite, it is not so clear that the professors of it are either modest or polite. No doubt, hard things have been said about them; and, as a matter of course, it is to be expected that they should say hard things in return; especially when they find men, and in particular teachers of religion, so stupid as not to be convinced by the multitude of their facts, and so stubborn as to remain unmoved by their scientific conclusions. Perhaps we might be allowed to suggest to the apostles of the New Faith, that men do not always reject a new thing because they have not examined it; sometimes it happens that they reject what is new because it is not true; and such we believe is the case in regard to Spiritism.

Our object in the present article is indicated in a general way by the heading; that object is to compare and contrast Spiritism with Christianity—rather, perhaps, with certain aspects of Christianity than with it as a whole. This course, to a certain extent, is forced upon us by the tactics of a considerable portion of the Spiritists. It is well known that Spiritists are much divided in regard to the place and position which should be assigned to Bible religions. Some of them take very low views of the whole matter; others hold more modified opinions, and speak with respect of Bible teachings as confirmatory of their views, and allege that these teachings are confirmed by what is taking place every day among themselves. This opinion appears to be gaining strength of late in the ranks of Spiritism; hence the necessity of keeping clearly before our minds the essential character of this system, which, we believe, eats out the very vitals of all true religion, while it appears to respect the Word of God.

How the state of things just indicated has been brought about we do not profess to explain; but we feel sure that Spiritists did not work out from Bible facts, or phenomena, as a centre, to their present position. The claim that they have the Bible on their side, must, we think, be looked upon as an afterthought; and whatever may have been the original intention of the idea, the use now made of the assumption is very treacherous. Spiritists take advantage of former prejudices, former beliefs, etc., to introduce into some minds an antagonistic belief, as if it were an identical one. They say to the unwary—Our doctrine is substantially the same as the doctrine taught by Christ and his Apostles, from which doctrine the Church has turned aside; and this goes down with many who would otherwise be guarded. Here Spiritists take rank with all errorists in matters page 77 of faith and practice, who dislike to cast off the name of Christ; these all point to the views of Christ and his disciples as confirmatory of theirs. We would call the conduct of the Spiritists in this respect by a very hard name, were we not satisfied that most of them are self-deceived before they seek to deceive others. Let us then endeavour to draw a line bold and distinct between this dangerous delusion and our holy religion.

In this matter, Spiritists are chargeable with a manifest fallacy. They assume that two systems are substantially the same, because they hold some things in common, as if e.g., a man were to say that the sensational school in Philosophy is the same as the intellectual school, because they hold many things in common; or as if one were to assert, that the Governments of Great Britain and the United States were virtually identical, because parallels can be traced between them. On a like principle we affirm that Christianity is not the same as Spiritism, though both assert the immortality of the soul; but even in this agreement there is a difference, viz., in regard to the manner of the soul's future existence: Spiritism denies the resurrection of the body, a thing expressly taught in Scripture, and a thing on which great stress is laid.

Again, Christianity is not identical with Spiritism, though both speak of progression in a future state of existence. The two schemes differ widely, even in regard to the character of this progression, for it simply reveals to us what the state of the redeemed is to be; but from the description given, we necessarily infer, eternal progression; e.g.—"Beloved now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him." "We know in part, and we prophecy in part; but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. . . . Now we see through a glass darkly; but then, face to face."The progression, however, of Spiritism is quite a different thing. Spiritualists speaks much in stock phrases of "progressive development," of "first, second, third, etc. spheres of the Arabula, or summer land," etc., and it daily professes to give us samples of that progression; and if the stuff which is being constantly poured forth, like an unhallowed stream, from the Spiritualistic press, is to be a criterion of spirit progress, then welcome annihilation—for hopeless madness is the goal towards which the mighty dead are moving.

Further, Christianity is not virtually the same thing as Spiritism, because Christianity admits the possibility of spirit communication. Spiritism asserts the universality of spirit communication: a thing not at all countenanced in God's word. We are well aware that the attempt has been made, again and again, to show that the angels spoken of in Scripture are the spirits of men: but such is not the teaching of Scripture. page 78 We have nothing to do with the likelihood or unlikelihood of the case; apart from these, the teaching of Scripture is conclusive to every man who bows to that teaching, and who has no foregone conclusion to make out. For instance, our Lord, in refuting the Sadducees, says that men and women shall be like angels; and the writer of the Hebrews, when comparing Christ with angels, calls them ministering spirits sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation; and lest this might be mistaken, he draws a distinction between angels and the seed of Abraham. From which it follows, that whatever be the truth or falsity of spirit communication as taught by Spiritism, the doctrine is not found in Scripture. In the word of God there appear to be only two exceptions, viz., Samuel and Moses with Elias, and these are stated with such minuteness that we are led to the belief that such communication was a most unusual thing.

It may be useful here to call attention to the fact, that Abraham and the spiritists of the present time are sadly at variance in their opinions, for when Dives wanted Abraham to send Lazarus to his brethren (by-the-bye he had no power to go himself), his request was denied, on the ground that such a course would have no good effect; "if," says Abraham, "they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." Spiritists, on the contrary, seem to expect much from their supposed contact with unembodied spirits; but there is reason to fear that they are sowing the wind to reap the whirlwind. Spiritism, moreover, is not Christianity, because it lays claim to gifts of healing, &c. Our Lord, his apostles, and some of the early Christians exercised such gifts, but these were not of the essence of Christianity. Christianity can afford to do without such things; in fact, in ordinary circumstances, it is probably better without them, inasmuch as their continuance would distract men's minds from its cardinal doctrines. We do not say, however, that these gifts shall not be restored to the Church, as at the first; but if they should be restored, we shall demand satisfactory proof of the fact. It would not follow, however, that Spiritism is from God, even supposing its devotees could establish a claim to gifts of healing, for we read that in the last times "there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." We have however, grave doubts here; in fact, we do not believe that Spiritists have exhibited any such gifts, any more than did the followers of Irving and Campbell, about 30 years ago. But perhaps a better comparison can be found in the healing gifts manifested by every well, dedicated to a saint in Romish times; or in the healing powers claimed for many years by Mesmerists; we may therefore dismiss this point as not sufficiently established to be adduced by way of evidence.

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In the foregoing things there is an appearance at least of agreement between Spiritism and Christianity, but it is really only an appearance. A striking difference, however, emerges, when we come to consider the central idea of each—the idea without which neither system could retain its identity. The grand central idea of the Bible is God. Take the idea of a God from Scripture, and what is it? In fact, this idea is so wrapt up in Scripture, and Scripture depends in turn so much on it, that we may safely say, no God no Scripture. But is it so with Spiritism? not at all, The central idea of Spiritism is spirit communication—remove this and it ceases to exist in any of its phases. In this system, which puts forth at the present day such pretentious claims to the homage of man, spirits are everything, and God is nothing, or next to nothing; spirits are every-where and God nowhere. So far as known to us, Spiritists do not deny the existence of a Supreme Being; but there is nothing in their system which directly leads to a belief in such a being; we do not see anything to prevent a man from being an Atheist and a Spiritist at the same time; the Atheist has only to change his ground a little and take up a middle position between the pantheistic and old atheistic platforms.

It appears to us, that in a spiritual point of view, Spiritism is a retrogression of centuries; it sinks far below the systems of Zoroaster, Confucius, Mohammed, and the purer deists of by-gone ages, for with all their faults, these systems held the idea of a Supreme Being somewhat prominently before the minds of men; no doubt they did so in a very distorted form, but they did far more to satisfy the soul of man than Spiritism, with its feeble humanism (for this it is at best) can do.

Turn now to scripture, and how different is the atmosphere. God is everywhere; God is everything. Scripture declarations are prefaced with a "Thus saith the Lord," and David expresses the consciousness of all inspired men when he says "The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue;" and the deep feeling of the heart of every saint is more or less expressed in these words "Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee." The same thing holds good in the Gospels and in the Epistles; in these every event is subordinated to the will of God, and wisdom, might, majesty, dominion and blessing, are constantly ascribed to him. God is represented as strengthening man here by his Spirit, and fitting him for the inheritance above, and filling him with all the fulness of God. It is quite unnecessary to say more on this point; it is so well known to every careful reader of the Word of God.

Spiritism thus breaks down in the first and fundamental requirements of all religion, and is therefore not entitled to the name of religion at all; page 80 to our mind it might as justly be termed a new Atheism, as a new religion or a new development of an already existing religion.

The teachings of Spiritism do not carry weight with them; they are not of sufficient authority to command assent; and not being backed up by Divine authority, they cannot claim our supreme regard. These "spirits" moreover, are known to be incorrigible liars, suiting on all occasions their opinions to the creed of the circle which calls upon them. If therefore they should say anything which cannot be corroborated otherwise, they are not to be trusted; and if what they say can be otherwise known, what purpose does their revelation serve? In all cases, Spiritists, by their own confession, are thrown back upon themselves—"consciousness," "spiritual illumination," &c., in order to settle the truth or falsity of all things said to be revealed by the spirits; and what is this but a God-denying humanism, in perhaps its worst form.

We purposely abstain from considering the peculiar doctrines of Christianity, and pointing out their utter incompatibility with Spiritism, as we may have an opportunity of doing so on some future occasion. Thus far we have thought it better to do little more than oppose Bible Theism, pure and simple, to the Spiritism which has grown up (not silently) among us, and which like the parasitical Maladore, would kill the tree on which some desire to train it.

If any of our readers are inclined to tamper with Spirit ism, seduced by the belief that they may be Spiritists and yet hold by the truth as it is in Jesus, we warn them of their fatal mistake, and we repeat that even Bible Theism is wide as the poles from Spiritism.

The effrontery of Spiritists in claiming connection with Christ and his Apostles is very offensive. They completely ignore the fact that they have other representatives in scripture than those they lay claim to—men who believed pretty much as Spiritists believe. We refer to those who were thought to have familiar spirits, and who sought knowledge from the dead instead of coming to God. The similarity of the doctrines of the old Spiritists with those of the new, and the condemnation of both by the universal church of their respective times, is a significant fact. For our own part we do not believe that spirits out of the body have anything to do with the matter beyond what they have to do with every evil current of thought and feeling; and then these are not of men but of devils. With this, however, we have nothing at present to do; and we would meantime close with a solemn warning to those who wish to hold Bible religion with the one hand, and Spiritism with the other. You cannot hold both—you cannot serve God and the devil—and if Spiritism is true, Christianity as taught in Scripture must be false. "Choose you this day whom you will serve."