Science Falsely So Called

In these days when skepticism and infidelity so often appear in a scientific garb, we need to be guarded on every hand. Through this means our great adversary is deceiving thousands, and leading them captive according to his will. The advantage he takes of the sciences, sciences which pertain to the human mind, is tremendous. Here, serpent-like, he imperceptibly creeps in to corrupt the work of God.

This entering in of Satan through the sciences is well devised. Through the channel of phrenology, psychology, and mesmerism, he comes more directly to the people of this generation, and works with that power which is to characterize his efforts near the close of probation. The minds of thousands have thus been poisoned, and led into infidelity. While it is believed that one human mind so wonderfully affects another, Satan, who is ready to press every advantage, insinuates himself, and works on the right hand and on the left. And while those who are devoted to these sciences, laud them to the heavens because of the great and good works which they affirm are wrought by them, they little know what a power for evil they are cherishing; but it is a power which will yet work with all signs and lying wonders,—with all deceivableness of unrighteousness. Mark the influence of these sciences, dear reader; for the conflict between Christ and Satan is not yet ended.

If Satan were to make an open and bold attack upon Christianity, it would bring the Christian at once to the feet of his mighty Deliverer, who alone could put the adversary to flight. He does not generally do this. He is artful, and knows that the most effectual way for him to accomplish his designs is to come to poor, fallen man in the form of an angel of light. In this disguise he works upon the mind to allure from the safe and right path. He has ever been ambitious to counterfeit the work of Christ, and establish his own power and claims. He leads deceived mortals to account for the works and miracles of Christ upon scientific principles; he makes them appear as the result of human skill and power. In many minds he will thus eventually destroy all true faith in Christ as the Messiah, the Son of God.

Satan worked in a similar manner when through Moses the power of God was manifested in Egypt. He well knew that Moses was chosen of God to break the yoke of bondage from off the children of Israel; and he also knew that in this work Moses was a type of Christ, who was to come to break the reign of sin over the human family, and to deliver those who were captives to its power. He was aware that when Christ should appear, mighty works and miracles would be wrought by him, that the world might know that the Father had sent him. He trembled for his power. He resolved to accomplish a work which should answer a twofold purpose,—(1) To destroy the influence of Moses as the servant of God, by using his agents to counterfeit the true work of God; (2) To exert an influence by his work through the magicians which would reach down through all ages, and in many minds destroy true faith in the mighty miracles to be performed by Christ when he should come to this world.

It was the power of God, and no human influence or power possessed by Moses, that produced those miracles wrought before Pharaoh. Those signs and wonders were designed to convince Pharaoh that the great «I AM» had sent Moses, and that it was the duty of the king to let Israel go that they might serve the living God. Pharaoh called for the magicians to work with their enchantments. They also showed signs and wonders; for they wrought not by their own science alone, but by the power of their god, the devil, who through them ingeniously carried out his deceptive work. Yet even here the power of God was shown to be superior to that of Satan; for the magicians were unable to perform all the miracles which God wrought through Moses. Only a few of them could they do. The magicians’ rods did become serpents, but Aaron’s rod swallowed them up. And when they sought to produce lice, and could not, they were compelled to acknowledge even to Pharaoh, «This is the finger of God.»

Satan was unwilling to have the children of Israel released from bondage that they might serve God. He wrought through the magicians in a manner to harden the heart of the tyrant against the miraculous manifestations of God’s power. He also thought to stagger the faith of Moses and Aaron in the divine origin of their mission, and then his instruments would prevail. But after the magicians had failed to produce the plague of lice, they could no more imitate Moses and Aaron. God would not suffer Satanic deception to proceed further. His controlling power cut off the channel through which Satan worked, and even the instruments through whom Satan wrought so wonderfully could not save themselves from the plagues. We read: «The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.»

When Christ came to earth, Satan renewed his attack. He came to the Saviour in the wilderness in the form of a beautiful young man,—more like a monarch than a fallen angel,—with Scripture in his mouth. Said he, «It is written.» He spread the world before Christ in the most attractive light, and intimated to him that he need not endure so much suffering to gain its kingdoms; Satan would yield all his claims if Christ would but worship him.

Satan was dissatisfied in Heaven because he could not be first and highest in command, equal with the Father, exalted above Christ. In the wilderness he hoped to gain advantage through the weakness and suffering of Christ, and obtain from him that homage which he could not win in Heaven. Could he have succeeded, then the plan of salvation would have failed, and mankind would have been plunged in hopeless misery. But Jesus yielded not to the suggestion of the tempter for a moment; on the contrary, he asserted his superior power by bidding him, «Get thee hence.» Satan was baffled. He then turned his attention to accomplishing his purpose in another way,—by winning from the human race that honor which was refused him in Heaven, and by Jesus on earth; and here he has been only too successful.

The plan of redemption was not defeated. The dear price has been paid for man’s ransom. And now our great adversary seeks to tear away the foundation of the Christian’s hope, by turning men’s minds into such a channel that they may not be benefited through the great sacrifice offered. He leads them to believe that they can do very well without an atonement; that they need not depend upon a crucified and risen Saviour; that their own merits will entitle them to God’s favor. And then he destroys confidence in the Bible, well knowing that if he succeeds here, and faith in the detector which places a mark upon himself is destroyed, there are no bounds to the victories he may gain.

If the tempter can so deceive the human mind as to lead mortals to think that they possess the inherent power to perform great and good works, they cease to rely upon God. They acknowledge not a superior power. They give not God the glory which he claims, and which is due to his great and excellent Majesty. Satan’s object is thus accomplished; and he exults that fallen men presumptuously exalt themselves, as he exalted himself in Heaven, and was cast out. He knows that if they take this course, their ruin is just as certain as was his own.

Another means by which Satan seeks to separate the soul from God is to make man believe that prayer is but a useless form. He well knows how needful are meditation and prayer; and by his devices he would divert the mind from these important exercises, that the soul may not lean for help upon the mighty One, and obtain strength to resist his attacks. The prayer of faith is the great strength of the Christian, and will assuredly prevail. This is why Satan insinuates that we have no need of prayer.

Neglect of prayer leads men to rely on their own strength, and opens the door to temptation. In many cases the imagination is captivated by scientific research, and men are flattered through the consciousness of their own powers. The sciences which treat of the human mind are very much exalted. They are good in their place; but they are seized upon by Satan as his powerful agents to deceive and destroy souls. His arts are accepted as from Heaven, and he thus receives the worship which suits him well. The world, which is supposed to be benefited so much by phrenology and animal magnetism, never was so corrupt as now. Through these sciences, virtue is destroyed, and the foundations of Spiritualism are laid. And thousands are conversing with, and receiving instructions from, this demon-god, and are acting according to his teachings, all the while supposing that they are obeying the voice of God through their dead friends. ( Concluded next week .) —

Says Paul, «Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.» This scripture is especially applicable as a warning against modern Spiritualism. If the mind commences to run in the channel of phrenology and animal magnetism, it is almost sure to lose its balance. «Vain deceit» takes possession of the imagination. Many think there is such power in themselves that they do not realize their need of help from a higher power. Their principles and faith are «after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.» Jesus has not taught them this. He does not direct the minds of men to themselves, but to God, the Creator of the universe, as the source of strength and wisdom.

«Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.» In this verse a special warning is given. The teachers of Spiritualism come in a pleasing, bewitching manner. Their object is to deceive, and those who listen to their fables are beguiled by the enemy of righteousness. When one is overcome by this fascinating influence, the mind is poisoned, and faith in Christ as the Son of God is destroyed. The victim of this sophistry is beguiled of his reward; for he is led to rely upon his own merits for salvation. Many exercise voluntary humility, are even willing to make sacrifices, to debase themselves, and to yield their minds to the belief of supreme nonsense. They receive the most absurd and erroneous ideas from those whom they believe to be their dead friends, now angels in a higher sphere; and their eyes are so blinded and their judgment so perverted that they see not the evil.

Spiritualism is a most successful and fascinating delusion,—one that is calculated to take hold of the sympathies of those who have laid their loved ones in the grave. Evil angels come in the form of these loved ones; they relate incidents connected with their lives, and perform acts which they performed while living. In this way they lead persons to believe that their dead friends are angels, hovering about them and communing with them. These evil angels who assume to be dead friends, are regarded with a certain idolatry, and with many, what they may say has greater influence than the word of God. This holy word they entirely reject, or they select the vital portions which testify of Christ and point out the way to Heaven, and change these plain statements to suit their own corrupt nature and ruin souls.

With due attention to the word of God, all may be convinced if they will of this soul-destroying delusion. That word declares in positive terms that «the dead know not anything.» Eccl. 9:5,6: «For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.» The word of God expressly declares that the dead have no more a portion in anything that is done under the sun. Spiritualists say that the dead know everything that is done; that they communicate to their friends on earth, give valuable information, and perform wonders. «The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.» Satan, transformed into an angel of light, works with all deceivableness of unrighteousness. He who could take up the Son of God, and place him upon a pinnacle of the temple, and again could take him up into an exceeding high mountain, and present before him the kingdoms of the world, can exercise his power upon the human family, who are far inferior in strength and wisdom to Jesus, even after he had taken upon himself man’s nature.

«Intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,» says the apostle. Some tamper with Spiritualism to gratify their curiosity. They have no real faith in it, and would start back with horror at the thought of being mediums; yet they place themselves in a position where Satan can exercise his power upon them. They do not mean to enter deep into this work; but they know not what they are doing. They are venturing upon forbidden ground; and the mighty destroyer considers them his lawful prey, and exercises his power upon them against their will. They have yielded their mind to his control, and he holds them captives. Nothing can deliver these ensnared souls but the power of God in answer to the earnest prayers of his faithful followers.

Satan cannot control minds unless they are yielded to him. But those who depart from the right are in serious danger. They separate themselves from God and from the watch-care of his angels; and the prince of darkness, who is ever upon the alert to destroy souls, begins to present to them his deceptions. Such are in the utmost peril. If they see the snare, and try to free themselves from it, it is not an easy matter. They have ventured on Satan’s ground, and he claims them. He will not hesitate to engage all his energies, and call to his aid all his evil host, to wrest a single human being from the hand of Christ. Those who have tempted the devil to tempt them cannot free themselves from his power without making a desperate effort. But when they begin to work for themselves, angels of God, whom they have grieved, come to their rescue. Satan and his angels are unwilling to lose their prey, and the conflict is severe. But if those who have erred continue to plead, and in deep humility confess their wrongs, angels that excel in strength will prevail, and wrench them from the powers of darkness.

The only safety now is in searching for the truth as it is revealed in the word of God, as we would search for hid treasure. The great and important truths for this time will prove as an anchor to hold God’s people amid the perils of the last days. But the mass of mankind despise God’s word, and prefer fables. They receive 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.»

The most licentious and corrupt are highly flattered by these spirits, which they believe to be the spirits of their dead friends, and the wicked and vile are vainly puffed up in their fleshly minds, «not holding fast the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, increaseth with the increase of God.» They deny Him who ministers strength to the body, that every member may increase with the increase of God, and each man become perfect in Christ Jesus.

Vain philosophy! The members of the body are controlled by the head. Spiritualists lay aside the Head, and believe that all the members of the body must act out their nature, and that fixed laws will lead them on in a state of progression without a head. Said Jesus: «I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.» «Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.»

Christ is the source of our strength. He is the vine, we are the branches. We must receive nourishment from the Living Vine. Deprived of the strength and nourishment of that Vine, we are as members of the body without a head, just the condition that Satan wishes us to be in, that he may control us as he pleases. He works «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.» Spiritualism is a lie. It is founded on the great original lie, «Thou shalt not surely die.»

Satan is Christ’s personal enemy. He is the originator and leader of every species of rebellion in Heaven and on earth. His rage increases as the time to work grows shorter, and we do not realize his power. Evil angels are upon our track every moment. Are we prepared to resist them? Will not many souls be ensnared and taken? We should all now seek to arm ourselves for the contest in which we must soon engage; and the word of God is the only weapon which we can use successfully. That word, prayerfully studied and practically applied, will be our shield from Satan’s delusive arts, and will bring us off conquerors through the blood of the Lamb. —