100 THE UNITED STATES IN PROPHECY.
These are no slight-of-hand performances; but such
a working of Satan as the world has never before
seen. To work with all power and signs and lying
wonders, is certainly to do a real and an astounding
work, but one which is designed to prove a lie.
Again, the Saviour, predicting events to occur
just before his second coming, says, “For 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.” Here,
again, are wonders foretold, wrought for the purpose
of deception, so powerful that were it possible even
the very elect would be deceived by them.
Thus we have a series of prophecies setting forth
the development, in the last days, of a wonder-
working power, manifested to a startling and un-
precedented degree, in the interest of falsehood and
error. All refer to one and the same thing. The
earthly government with which it was to be espe-
cially connected, is that represented by the two-
horned beast, or false prophet. The agency lying
back of the outward manifestations was to be sa-
tanic, the spirit of devils. The prophecy calls for
such a work as this in our own country at the pres-
ent time. Do we behold anything like it? Read
the answer in the lamentation of the prophet: «Woe
to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for
the devil is come down unto you, having great
wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short
time.” Stand aghast, O Earth! tremble, ye peo-
ple, but be not deceived! The huge specter of evil
confronts us, as the prophet declared. Satan is
loosed. From the depth of Tartarus myriads of de-
mons swarm over the land. The prince of darkness
manifests himself as never before, and, stealing a
word from the vocabulary of Heaven to designate
his work, he calls it—Spiritualism.
HE DOETH GREAT WONDERS. 101
1. Does spiritualism, then, bear these marks of
t satanic agency?
(1) The spirits which communicate claim to be
the spirits of our departed friends. But the Bible,
in the most explicit terms, assures us that the dead
EL are wholly inactive and unconscious till the resurrec-
tion; that the dead know not anything (Eccl. 9:5);
E that every operation of the mind has ceased (Ps.
. 146: 4); that every emotion of the heart is sus-
pended (Eccl. 9: 6); and that there is neither work,
nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave,
where they lie. Eccl 9:10. Whatever intelligence,
. therefore, comes to us professing to be one of our dead
friends, comes claiming to be what, from the word
of God, we know he isnot. But angels of God do not
: lie; therefore these are not the good angels. Spirits
of devils will lie; this is their work; and these are
the credentials which at the very outset they hand
us.
(2) The doctrines which they teach are from the
lowest and foulest depths of the pit of lies. They
deny God. They deny Christ. They deny the
atonement. They deny the Bible. They deny the
existence of sin, and all distinction between right
- and wrong. They deny the sacredness of the mar-
riage covenant; and, interspersing their utterances
with the most horrid blasphemies against God and
F his Son, and everything that is lovely, and good,
I and pure, they give the freest license to every pro-
.  pensity to sin, and to every carnal and fleshly lust.
Tell us not that these things, openly taught under
the garb of religion, and backed up by supernatural
sights and sounds, are anything less than Satan’s
masterpiece.
2. Spiritualism answers accurately to the proph-
~ecy in the exhibition of great signs and wonders.
Among its many achievements these may be men-