Chapter 12
16:13, and unclean spirits like frogs are said to come out of their mouths; and then verse 14 tells what they are: “For they are spirits of devils, working miracles.” This, then, not the spirits of dead men, is the agency that works the miracles of chapter 13:13, 14. We follow the subject so far, at this point, merely to identify the agency that works the miracles, and shall have more to say upon it. But before passing, we would remind the reader that here also the subject is connected with the second coming of Christ; for the prophecy of Revelation 13 ends with the redemption of the church which immediately follows. Rev. 14:1-5.
6. 2 Thess. 2:9-12: “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
Here, again, we have the great fact brought out with still more startling emphasis, that there is to be a great outbreaking of Satanic power among men, just before and up to, the coming of Christ. And if we already see the preliminary and even far-advanced working of this power in Spiritualism, the world should stand aghast at the perils of the times in which we live. The coming of Christ is brought to view in verse 8, and verse 9 states that at that time Satan will be working with all power. The common version is calculated to obscure this passage. The words “even him” (verse 9) are wrongly and unnecessarily supplied. Literally rendered, the last clause of verse 8, and the first of verse 9 would read as follows: “Whom the Lord ... shall destroy with the brightness of his [Christ’s] coming; of whom [Christ] the coming is, after [or at the time of] the working of Satan,” etc. The word “after” is from, the Greek κατα (_kata_), which when referring to time, as in this case, does not mean “after or according to,” but “within the range of, during, in the course of, at, about,” as in 2 Tim. 4:1, where it is rendered “at.”
So here is a plain declaration that at the very time when Christ comes Satan will be working in the hight of his power, by signs and lying wonders (wonders to prove a lie) to keep the people under falsehood and deception. Verses 10-12 tell who his victims are, and why they become such: they are those who preferred the pleasures of sin to the practice of righteousness, and so would not receive the truth, nor the love of it. In all such cases God’s throne is clear. He always, as in this case, sets truth first before the people, gives them a chance, and calls upon them to embrace it, and be saved. But when men, as free moral agents, whom God will not force into his kingdom, refuse to receive the truth, shut their eyes, close their ears, and steel their hearts against it, and find their pleasure in unrighteousness, in going in just the opposite direction;—what can God do for them? We leave the skeptic himself to answer. For more years than Spiritualism, in its present phase, has been before the world, several religious bodies have made a specialty of the great Bible truth concerning the state of the dead, and life only in Christ, which effectually shields all those who receive it against the rapping delusion.
7. Rev. 18:2: “And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.”
Among the many predictions given in the word of God touching the last days, is one which foretokens a wide-spread and lamentable declension in the religious world. The phrase which embodies it, is the one just quoted, “Babylon is fallen.” The term “Babylon” is not intended nor used as a term of reproach, but rather as a descriptive word setting forth the very undesirable condition of “mixture” and “confusion” in the religious world. It is certainly not the Lord’s will, who prayed that all his people should be one, that scores or hundreds of divisions and sects should exist within his church. That is owing, exclaims the Catholic, to the Protestant rule of private judgment. It is not. It is owing to that Pandora’s box of mystical interpretation placed in the church by old Origen, that prince of mischief-makers. By this method, which has no method and no standard, the interpretations of God’s word will ever be as various and numerous as the whims and fancies that may find a place in the minds of men.
But all this confusion must be remedied in that church which will be ready for the second advent; for no people will be prepared for translation but such as worship the Lord in both _spirit_ and _truth_. To bring the church to this point, a call has been sent to Christendom in the special truths for this time. Most turn away, but some are taking the stand to which these circumstances summon them. The process is simple. It is but to read and obey God’s word in the light of what is called the literal rule of interpretation. No other rule would ever have been thought of, if the Devil had let the minds of men alone. By this rule the true Sabbath would always have been maintained a perfect safeguard against idolatry in the earth; the law would have held its place as a perfect, immutable, and eternal rule of conduct, a safeguard against the antinomianism of all ages and the Spiritualism of to-day; the view that the dead remain unconscious in the grave till the resurrection, would always have been held, and then there could have been no purgatory, no masses for the dead, no Mariolatry, no saint worship—in short, no Roman Catholicism, and no Universalism, nor Spiritualism; the true nature of the coming and kingdom of Christ would not have been lost sight of, and the peace and safety fable of a temporal millennium never could have existed.
To say nothing of other errors that would be corrected, suppose all Christendom stood together on these four simple truths, how much division could there have been in the Christian world? A second denomination could not have existed. And what would have been the condition of things?—As different from the present condition as one can well imagine—no paganism, no Roman Catholicism, no Protestantism, no multiplied sects, no Spiritualism,—but Christianity, broad, united, free, and glorious. Some are taking their stand on these truths, and so will be shielded from the delusions of these last days, for which the way, by ages of superstition and error, has been so artfully prepared. Every one must stand upon them who is governed by the literal rule of interpretation; for they are read in so many words out of the sacred volume itself. But the churches generally reject them, often with bitterness, scorn, and contempt, and some even with persecution. And this is why Babylon has fallen.
That organization, called in Rev. 17:5: “Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth,” has been very generally applied by Protestants to the Roman Catholic Church; but if that church is the mother, who are the daughters? This question has been asked for many years. Alexander Campbell said:—
“The worshiping establishments now in operation throughout Christendom, incased and cemented by their voluminous confessions of faith, and their ecclesiastical constitutions, are not churches of Jesus Christ, but the legitimate daughters of that mother of harlots—the Church of Rome.”
Lorenzo Dow said:—
“We read not only of Babylon, but of the whore of Babylon, styled the mother of harlots, which is supposed to mean the Romish church. If she be a mother, who are her daughters? It must be the corrupt national established churches that came out of her.”
The great sin charged against Babylon, is unlawful connection with the kings of the earth. The church should be entirely free from the state. But now the churches of America, which have for long years borne so noble a part, are clamoring for a union with the state, calling for a recognition of God’s name in the Constitution, and God’s law in the courts, and that the government be run on Christian lines. Old, antiquated laws which they find upon the statute books of various States, they are beginning to use to persecute those who differ in belief with them; and they seek for the enactment of more stringent Sunday laws for the same purpose. And when they shall succeed in getting full control of the state, they will have severed the last link that has held them to their high estate, show themselves true members of the Babylonian family, and sink in spirit and practice to the level of the elder Rome.
Rev. 14:8 was fulfilled in 1844.(5) Since then the churches have been going down in spirituality and godliness, catering more and more to the world, indulging in carnal amusements, festivals, wife auctions, and kissing bees, to the very border line of decency, but especially filling up with the influences mentioned in Rev. 18:2, till the leaven of Spiritualism is fast penetrating the whole mass. Yet there are a multitude of God’s people connected with these churches, who deplore the situation, and for whom a crisis is approaching. The cry is again to be raised, “Babylon is fallen, come out of her my people.” We verily believe the time has come when that call should be made and heeded; for a little further progress in the evil path upon which we have entered, will surely provoke the just judgments of heaven. Verses 4, 5.
8. 2 Tim. 3:8: “Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.”
The first five verses of this chapter portray a dark list of eighteen sins which will characterize professed Christians in the last days; for those who bear the characters described, have a _form of godliness_, but deny the power thereof. The three following verses plainly describe certain members of the spiritualistic fraternity; and they are said to be of the same sort. This prophecy therefore becomes parallel to that which has just been examined. The fall of Babylon prepares the popular churches for Spiritualism. Here the practice of these sins in the churches, makes them of the same sort with Spiritualists, so that they fraternize well together. Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses by the wonders they were able to perform; so these will resist the truth through the wonders of Spiritualism. And this is in the last days where we now are. So Babylon’s fall just precedes the coming of Christ.
9. Rev. 16:14: “For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”
The work of the spirits reaches its climax in the scene here brought to view. Their last mission is to go to the kings of the earth to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. In this conflict, so far as this earth is concerned, the great controversy between Christ and Satan closes in the triumph of Him who rides forth on a white horse at the head of the white-horsed armies of heaven. The beast and false prophet are hurled into a lake of fire, and the remnant, the kings of the earth and their armies, are slain by the sword of him upon whose vesture is inscribed the all-conquering title, “King of kings and Lord of lords.” Rev. 19:11-21.
But before these spirits can thus influence the kings of the earth, they must make their way to them and bring them under their control. They have already shown great facility in this work, giving promise of what they will be able to do in the near future. A work by Hudson Tuttle, “What Is Spiritualism?” p. 6, names the following among the late and living crowned heads, nobility, etc., who have been supporters of Spiritualism:—
“Emperor Alexander, of Russia; Louis Napoleon, of France; Queen Victoria, of England; Prince and Princess Metternich; Prince Wittgenstein, Lieutenant Aide-de-camp to the emperor of Russia; Hon. Alexander Axahof, Russian Imperial Councilor, St. Petersburg, Russia; Baron Guldenstuble, of Paris; Baron Von Schick, of Austria; Baron Von Dirkinck, of Holmfield, Holstein; Le Comte de Bullet, of Paris; Duke of Leuchtenberg, of Germany. Of England there are Lord Lyndhurst, Lord Lindsay, Lord Adare, Lord Dunraven, Sir W. Trevilyan, Countess Carthness, Sir T. Willshire, Lady Cowper, Sir Charles Napier, Sir Charles Isham, Bart., Colonel E. B. Wilbraham, of the English army,” etc.
The late Alexander III, of Russia, and the queen of Spain are also reckoned among the number. Thus, so far as the agency of the spirits is concerned, there is nothing in the way of the speedy fulfilment of Rev. 16:14.
CONCLUSION.
The reader now has before him, in brief, the main outlines of this momentous subject.
1. Spiritualism, so far as its phenomena are concerned, is not humbug and trickery, but a real manifestation of power and intelligence.
2. But the marvels and wonders are not performed by the spirits of the dead.
3. Evil spirits step in and counterfeit what are supposed to be the spirits of the dead, in which men have been taught to believe, simulating points of identity to any minute particular that may be required.
4. Besides starting on this false assumption, all their teaching shows that they are agents of evil, not of good, and their work is to degrade, not elevate.
5. The world by long resistance of the truth, has prepared the way for this deception, which the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience is not slow to improve.
6. Even the churches of Christ, by rejection of the truth, are preparing themselves for the same snare.
7. The Scriptures have plainly pointed out this great outbreak of the working of Satan, and invariably connected it with the last days and the second coming of Christ.
8. Spiritualism is thus a subject of prophecy, and an infallible sign and precursor of the soon-coming end.
9. The great day of the Lord is near and hasteth greatly; and all things now call upon all men to prepare for its eternal decisions.
Is this the lesson? Who will heed it and thus escape the delusions and perils of these last days, and be finally saved in the kingdom of heaven?
INDEX OF AUTHORS REFERRED TO.
Alexander, Emperor, 146
Axahof, Hon. Alexander, 146
Adare, Lord, 146
Alexander III., 146
Bellachini, Mr., 14
Barrett, Dr. W. F., 15
Bright, John, 30
Buddha, 86, 87, 88
Brittan, Professor, 111
Brooklyn, May, 128
Channing, Dr., 4
Cook, Joseph, 12
Crookes, Professor, 17
Crookes, Wm., F. R. S., 29
Clarke, Dr. Adam, 50, 56, 91, 92
Carey, Alice, 78
Confucius, 86, 88
Conant, Mrs., 90, 119
Curry, Dr., 56, 92
Claflin, Mr., 109
Carter, Judge, 113
Campbell, Alexander, 143
Carthness, Countess, 146
Cowper, Lady, 146
Dixon, Hepworth, 28
Davis, A. J., 29, 97, 100, 105, 112, 114, 118
Davenport, Messrs., 29
Dow, Lorenzo, 143
Dunraven, Lord, 146
De Bullet, Le Compte, 146
Eglinton, Mr., 13
Edmunds, Judge, 28, 117, 118
Fox, John D., 18
Fox, Mrs., 18, 19, 20, 21
Fox, Margaret, 18, 20, 22
Fox, Kate, 18, 19, 20
Fox, David, 18
Fox, Mary, 21
Fox, Catharine, 22
Franklin, Benjamin, 85
Geary, Mr., 13
Glanvil, Mr., 20
Gridley, Dr., 114, 115
Guldenstuble, Baron, 146
Hazard, Thos. R., 11
Harrison, W. H., F. R. S., 29
Home, Mr., 29
Hendricks, Mrs., 31
Hatch, Mrs. C. L. V., 83, 106
Hare, Dr., 84, 85, 89, 92, 99
Harris, “Rev.” T. L., 94
Hall, Hon. J. B., 101
Hatch, Dr., 106
Hudson, T. J., 17, 57, 74, 109, 111
Hull, Moses, 109
Hobart, Mr., 122
Isham, Sir Charles, 146
Jamieson, W. F., 109, 113
Jaubert, M., 126
Keller, Harvy, 13
Krishna, 87
Keck, Professor, 127
Lillie, J. T., 21
Loveland, J. S., 97
Lull, Miss A. L., 125
Lillie, Mrs. R. S., 127
Leuchtenberg, Duke, 146
Lyndhurst, Lord, 146
Lindsay, Lord, 146
Mompesson, Mr., 20
Milton, John, 40
Mohammed, 87, 88
Massey, Gerald, 114
Mahan, Pres., 121
Metternich, Prince, 146
Metternich, Princess, 146
Norton, Deacon John, 89
Napoleon, Louis, 146
Napier, Sir Charles, 146
Owen, Robert Dale, 18, 19
Olshausen, Dr., 56
Orton, Mr., 84
Origen, 141
Putnam, Allen, 75
Paine, Thomas, 85, 87
Potter, Dr. William B., 107
Parker, Theodore, 114
Queen of Spain, 146
Redfield, Mrs., 21
Randolph, Dr. B. P., 104, 105, 112, 128
Richmond, Mrs. Cora L. V., 126
Slade, Mr., 14
Savage, M. J., 15, 22, 24, 25, 32
Stead, W. T., 31
Stanford, Leland, 31
Tiffany, Joel, 90
Tuttle, Hudson, 113, 116, 146
Trevilyan, Sir W., 146
Underhill, Leah Fox, 21
Underwood, Mrs. S. A., 26, 80, 123
Vinet, Dr., 5
Victoria, Queen, 146
Von Schick, Baron, 146
Von Dirkinck, Baron, 146
Wesley, Mr., 20
Wood, Rev. J. G., 26
Wallace, Alfred R. F. R. S., 29, 30
Weisse, Dr., 84
Washington, George, 85, 114
Wilson, R. P., 88
Whitney, J. F., 105
Woodhull, Mrs., 109
Wilson, James Victor, 112, 113
Webster, Professor, 118
Watson, Dr., 125
Wittgenstein, Prince, 146
Willshire, Sir T., 146
Wilbraham, Col. E. B., 146
Zöllner, Professor, 12, 13
Zoroaster, 68, 88
INDEX OF BOOKS, PAPERS, ETC., QUOTED.
Automatic or Spirit Writing, 15, 26, 80, 86, 98, 111, 119, 120, 121, 123, 124, 133
_Arena_, The, 15
Astounding Facts from the Spirit World, 114
_Banner of Light_, 21, 78, 79, 83, 84, 86, 89, 90, 97, 101, 119, 123, 125, 126, 127
_Christian at Work_, The, 29, 30
_Chronicle_, San Francisco 29
Century Dictionary, 35
_Christian Reformer_, The, 129
Declaration of Principles of the Spiritualists, 102, 125
Dealings with the Dead, 104, 112, 123
Death and the After Life, 118
Discussion with Tiffany and Rhen, 121
_Forum_, The, 16, 22
Footfalls on the Boundary of Another World, 18
_Fortnightly Review_, 29, 30
Home Circle, 14
Healing of the Nations, 96, 97, 99, 102
_Herald_, Boston, 130
Kojiki Nohonki, 132
Koran, 132
Kan-Ying-Peen, 132
Law of Physic Phenomena, 17, 57, 74, 109, 111
Life in Two Spheres, 113, 116
Law Books of Manu, 132
Mesmerism, Spiritualism, Witchcraft, and Miracles, 75
_North American_, Philadelphia, 11
Nineteenth Century Miracles, 13, 126
Nature of Divine Revelation, 97
Paradise Lost, 40
_Pathfinder_, New York, 105
Purana, 132
_Quarterly Journal of Science_, 29
_Religio-Philosophical Journal_, 14, 28, 80, 125
Report of the 37th Anniversary of Modern Spiritualism, 21
_Review of Reviews_, 31
_Record_, Philadelphia, 128
_Spiritual Clarion_, 14
_Spiritual Telegraph_, 83, 96, 122
Spiritual Science Demonstrated, 89, 92
Spiritualism as It Is, 107, 108, 123
Spiritualism 118
Shaster, 132
_The Border Land_, 31
Treatise on Christian Doctrine, 40
_Truth Seeker_, 83
Telegraphic Answer to Mahan, 111
The Diakka and their Earthly Victims, 112, 113
_Tribune_, Chicago, 128, 129
Tao-Te-King, 132
Tripitaka, 132
Veda, 132
_World_, New York, 30
What Is Spiritualism, 146
Zend Avesta, 132
INDEX OF TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATED OR EXPLAINED.
GENESIS. 1:1-5, 93 1:28, 68 2:2, 46 2:7, 45 3:4, 39 4:10, 52 7:21, 22, 45 35:18, 61
LEVITICUS. 19:31, 36, 53
NUMBERS. 16:22, 48, 50 27:16, 50
DEUTERONOMY. 13:1-3, 5, 77 18:9-12, 36
1 SAMUEL. Chap. 28, 52, 53
1 KINGS. 4:1, 73 17:21, 22, 61
2 KINGS. 19:35, 72 21:2, 6, 9, 11, 36
JOB. 7:21, 62 14:21, 63 19:25-27, 93 34: 14, 15, 45
PSALMS. 6:5, 63 13:3, 62 17:15, 93 115:17, 63 119:105, 131 146:3, 4, 62
ECCLESIASTES. 3:19, 21, 45 8:11, 101 9:5, 6, 10, 43 12:7, 44, 45
ISAIAH. 5:20, 101 8:19, 74 8:19, 20, 75, 133 14:12-14, 67 26:19, 93 38:1, 5, 18, 19, 63 61:1, 50
EZEKIEL. 18:20, 97 28:, 67 28:2, 12-15, 68 37:12, 93
DANIEL. 11:2, 93
HOSEA. 13:14, 93
HABAKKUK. 2:11, 52
MATTHEW. 10:28, 50, 51, 52 10:39, 51 15:13, 9 17:3, 56 22:23-28, 32, 61 24:23-35, 135 24:24, 83, 134 24:30, 31, 58 25:32, 33, 97 27:18, 85 28:3, 4, 72
LUKE. 10:18, 71 14:14, 64 16:, 57 19:35, 64 23:39-43, 58, 59
JOHN. 3:6, 46 3:19-21, 109 6:39,40, 64 6:40, 51 8:44, 67 11:11, 62 11:25, 55 14:30, 68 19:31-33, 60 20:17, 59
ACTS. 7:60, 62 16:16-18, 36 17:31, 64 26:23, 57
ROMANS. 2:15, 95 4:17, 61 6:16, 68 6:23, 97
1 CORINTHIANS. 11:30, 62 15:, 92 15:18, 64 15:51, 62 15:51-54, 61
2 CORINTHIANS. 4:4, 68 5:2, 61 12:2-4, 59
GALATIANS. 5:19-21, 36
EPHESIANS. 2:2, 68 6:11, 72 6:12, 73
PHILIPPIANS. 3:11, 61 1:23, 61
1 THESSALONIANS. 4:14, 62 4:15-17, 58, 61 5:23, 48
2 THESSALONIANS. 2:8,9, 139 2:9-12, 138
1 TIMOTHY. 1:17, 42 3:6, 67 4:1, 73, 88 6:16 42
2 TIMOTHY. 3:8, 144 4:1, 8, 64 4:1, 10-12, 139
HEBREWS. 2:14, 55 10:25-29, 135 11:15, 16, 61 11:40, 48 12:9, 23, 50 12:23, 47, 50
JAMES. 4:6-8, 72
1 PETER. 1:11, 49 3:19, 48 3:20, 49 5:8, 9, 73
2 PETER. 1:16-18, 56 1:19, 131 2:4, 66, 72 3:7, 13, 72
1 JOHN. 2:22, 87 2:23, 83 4:1, 16-18, 134 4:3, 88 5:18, 72
JUDE. Verse 4, 88 " 6, 66 " 9, 55
REVELATION. 2:7, 59 5:13, 72 6:9-11, 52 12:3, 4, 137 12:7, 71 12:12, 135 13:1-10, 137 13:11, 13, 14, 136 13:11-17, 138 14:1-5, 138 14:8, 144 16:13, 14, 75, 138 16:14, 145, 146 17:5, 142 18:2, 140 18:2, 4, 5, 144 19:11-21, 145 19:20, 138 20:4-6, 51 20:14, 15, 72 21:8, 36, 93 22:1, 2, 59 22:15, 93
FOOTNOTES
1 Original edition.
2 Original edition. Not found in the mutilated edition, revised by Dr. Curry.
3 The revision of Dr. Clarke’s Commentary by Dr. Curry, proves the truthfulness of what the doctor here says, for this important passage is entirely eliminated, and its place filled with statements which Dr. Clarke did not make, and sentiments which he did not believe. It is no less than a crime to treat a dead man’s work in this manner.
4 For a full argument on this point, fortified by testimony, the application of which is beyond question, see works treating on the United States as a subject of prophecy, for sale by the International Tract Society, Battle Creek, Mich.
5 See works on the three messages of Revelation 14, for sale by the International Tract Society, Battle Creek, Mich.