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.