The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

IV. Disdains Bible Support, Yet Craftily Claims It

In one of Spiritualism’s late attempts to answer the question What Is Spiritualism? Emil C. Reichel, secretary of the National Spiritualist Association of Churches, has brought together a compact assemblage of terse, authoritative statements, including pronouncements from two presidents of the association (Joseph P. Whitwell, 1925-1943, and Robert J. Macdonald, 1955-) and other typical representatives. The result is tremendously revealing and calls for scrutiny. CFF2 1100.6

The latest schema is here revealed. It is contradictory, for in places it proclaims Spiritualism’s independence of Bible authority or support but at the Same time craftily seeks support from that same Bible. This it does by depreciating the major Pauline portion of the New Testament, yet claiming Christ’s implied support. It seeks to play “churchianity” over against genuine Spiritualist Christianity by pressing the devious device of picturing Christ as a Spiritualist medium and the miracles of the New Testament as actually the phenomena of Spiritualism-which, it alleges, are to be restored and become dominant in this age. It is a clever strategem, designed to entrap the unwary. Note the various claims. CFF2 1100.7

1. INVOKES BOTH ANTIQUITY AND MODERN SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT

Spiritualism’s classic essence is frankly reasserted to be twofoldbelief in the immortality of the soul of man and “Spirit return.” Even the booklet’s attractive autumnal foliage cover, with its living evergreen trees, is put forth as symbolizing “the immortality of the soul of man.” ²⁴ To invoke antiquity, it starts with a quote from the Greek poet Homer, 850 B. C.—“‘man though dead, retains part of himself; the immortal mind remains” ²⁵—then sweeps an past “super-human beings not ordinarily visible to man,” to Swedenborg (d. 1772) as “one of the greatest lights which history records,” who, it is claimed, “received revelations from celestial beinges.’’ ²⁷ Thus it attempts to compass the centuries. It Stresses the twin phrases “continuity of life and the workings of invisible forces.” The names of scientists like Crookes, Wallace, Lodge, Stead, Aksakoff, Lombroso, Denne, and De Rokche are adduced as establishing Spiritualism’s contentions. This is allegedly through “contacting the celestial world.” Thus the presentation is under way. CFF2 1101.1

2. CLAIMS BIBLE PERMEATED WITH SPIRITUALISM PHENOMENA

Under the section “Spirit Manifestations of the Bible,” the frankly revealing opening sentence reads: “From Genesis to Revelation, the nearness of the Spirit world, and the intercommunication of spirits and mortals runs like a golden Strand.” ²⁸ CFF2 1101.2

The obvious strategy is to thrust Spiritualism’s manifestations into the Bible story. Twelve packed pages are employed in a labored attempt to show that CFF2 1101.3

“Spiritualism furnishes the key whereby the mysteries of the Bible and its miracles are explained with a clearness commentators have not been able to attain for want of knowledge it furnishes.” ²⁹ CFF2 1101.4

Then follows a presumptive attempt to show that the Bible is filled with mediumship, materializations, clairvoyant appearances, trances, spirit writing, levitation, clairvoyance, clairaudience, visions, trumpet speaking, healing, and spirit voices-with a dozen pages of claimed Bible references, Pauline and all! ³⁰ Thus the Bible is actually claimed as a Spiritualist handbook! CFF2 1101.5

3. PRESIDENT WHITWELL LAYS GROUND FOR CLAIM

Joseph P. Whitwell, for eighteen years president of the Spiritualist Association, and long editor of The National Spiritualist, after reaffirming that “the soul never dies,” asserts that Spiritualism proves that “the soul lives an in a natural state after the change called death, and has the opportunity of advancing in the world of spirit.” ³¹ CFF2 1102.1

Again: “In entering the Spirit World there is no great or radical change.... Life after death means activity.” ³² CFF2 1102.2

Further, in an “Interpretation” of the standard Spiritualist “Declaration of Principles,” Whitwell asserts: CFF2 1102.3

“Communication with the so-called dead is a fact, scientifically proven by the phenomena of Spiritualism.” CFF2 1102.4

“The doorway of reformation is never closed against any human soul, here or hereafter.” ³³ CFF2 1102.5

Rejecting as terribly wrong the traditional teaching of “eternal damnation,” Whitwell accepts and presents the thought of “continuity of life beyond the change called death.” ³⁴ Thus the groundwork is believed established for Spiritualism’s assumptions. CFF2 1102.6

4. MAKES ASTONISHING CLAIMS FOR MEDIUMSHIP

Exalting mediumship as demonstrating immortality in “life beyond the incident of death,” E. W. and M. M. Wallis explicitly declare:
“To mediums-the modern mediators-therefore, belong the office and the honor of rolling back the stone from the tomb and establishing faith upon the firm basis of knowledge (scientifically ascertained and proven) of the continued intelligent existence in spiritual realm of those who went forth through the death change into light and liberty ‘over there!’” ³⁵ CFF2 1102.7

So mediums today allegedly parallel the “old-time seers and prophets.” ³⁶ CFF2 1103.1

5. MACDONALD PROCLAIMS INDEPENDENCE OF DOGMATIC CREEDS

Next, claim is made that Lincoln was a Spiritualist. ³⁷ Then the present National Spiritualist Association president, Robert J. Macdonald, in “Faith and works,” makes a bold declaration for Spiritualism that should never be forgotten: “Dogma, creed and religious symbols of a by-gone day mean nothing to the truly enlightened Spiritualist.” ³⁸ Then he adds: “The Spiritualist is now engaged in the process of making our present age aware of the potential in man.” ³⁹ CFF2 1103.2

It is in this connection that Macdonald pays tribute to pioneer Spiritualist Andrew Jackson Davis, and reveals his source of authority as “the revelation first realized by Andrew Jackson Davis in the modern era, continued through the Fox family and the countless mediums since their day.” ⁴⁰ CFF2 1103.3

6. BERRY — SPIRITUALISM “ENTIRELY INDEPENDENT” OF BIBLE

Another Spiritualist pastor, the Reverend D. Mona Berry, boldly declares Spiritualism to be “entirely independent of any other system of philosophy or religion.” She makes this sweeping disclaimer: “Its proofs and evidences do not rest an the truth or falsity of the Bible or of the Christian Faith.” ⁴¹ CFF2 1103.4

Spiritualism’s “great postulates,” the article continues, include “continuity of life after death, the power of decarnate souls to manifest to mortals.” These are declared to be a “part of nature’s divine revelations, demonstrable to all.” ⁴² CFF2 1103.5

7. REJECTS PAULINE THEOLOGY AND CREEDS

Then comes this strangely daring and contradictory Claim by the same writer: CFF2 1103.6

“SPIRITUALISM and TRUE CHRISTIANITY are SISTER religions; by true Christianity we mean the simple unpolluted teachings of the Nazarene before it was weighted down and largely hidden by Pauline theology-and-creedal accumulations.” ⁴³ CFF2 1104.1

8. MANEUVERED INTO ALLY FOR “TRUE CHRISTIANITY.”

Decrying “churchianity,” Berry then builds up a supporting “similarity” between “primitive Christianity and Modern Spiritualism.” She contends for their “close affinity” by this specious strategem: CFF2 1104.2

“By a slight change of name, ‘medium’ for ‘prophet,’ ‘clairvoyance’ for ‘discernment of spirits,’ ‘psychic phenomena’ for “miracles,’ ‘spirit lights’ for ‘tongues of fire,’ the close affinity of the two systems becomes apparent to all sincere investigators and students.” ⁴⁴ CFF2 1104.3

Under this scheme the “miracles of New Testament Christianity” are “therefore possible today under the name of psychic phenomena.” ⁴⁵ So she contends that CFF2 1104.4

“modern Spiritualism is a powerful ally of true Christianity, a system of religion which will never die if purged of its unscientific theology, its irrational concepts of God, of man, of life and death and the hereaf ter.” ⁴⁶ CFF2 1104.5

Then she reaffirms her postulate: “Modern Spiritualism, and TRUE Christianity are essentially one in their teachings.” ⁴⁷ CFF2 1104.6

9. MAINTAINS JESUS COMMUNICATED WITH SPIRIT WORLD

Stressing the “intercommunication of the mortal and the spiritual worlds,” Berry insists:
“Jesus claimed to be in frequent contact with people in the spirit world, they ministered to Him and were alert to His needs. His whole history, if true, implies that the door of communication was open between the two worlds and that through this door, ministering angels (departed spirits) repeatedly manifested in His life.” ⁴⁸ CFF2 1104.7

In other words Jesus was allegedly a Spiritualist medium! Therefore mediumship is proper! CFF2 1104.8

10. ASSERTS CHRIST BECAME MEDIUM AT TWELVE

From this asserted similarity between “Primitive Christianity and Modern Spiritualism,” Berry asserts:
“According to the facts and teachings of the New Testament and those of Modern Spiritualism, it is undoubted that man survives the change called death, retaining consciousness, memory and character; that decarnate men can, under certain circumstances and in the presence of endowed and awakened individuals, manifest in form, voice, spirit Impression, inspiration and control.” ⁴⁹ CFF2 1105.1

So this Spiritualist spokesman concludes that “Modern Spiritualism” not only “furnishes the KEY to the Bible,” but to “the life and ministry of Jesus and of His disciples.” This knowledge is “exhibited in the seance room,” as explained by Andrew Jackson Davis. ⁵⁰ Thus it is that CFF2 1105.2

“the life of Jesus, as taught by Modern Spiritualism becomes luminous with an ineffable light of truth. His mediumship at twelve years of age, is amply corroborated by the child mediums of this and past times. His healing power, marvellous as it must have been, does not put Him in an exclusive class. Appolonius of the past, Harry Edwards and Edgar Cayce of today are declared to have had experiences in healing the sick paralleling the Bible narrative. Nor does His resurrection and manifestation to His followers after death require us to deify Jesus, since great multitudes of discarnate spirits have given similar proofs of resurrection, life and power.” ⁵¹ CFF2 1105.3

So Christ is not to be deified, for multitudes have been resurrected. Such is the evaluation of Jesus that Berry put forth. CFF2 1105.4

11. JESUS “COMMUNICATION” CITED AS WARRANT FOR SPIRITUALISM

Secretary of National Spiritualist Association, Emil C. Reichel, sums up the case for Spiritualism, “In Closing,” in these words: CFF2 1105.5

“Some of the things which he [Jesus) did shows he held communication with the so-called dead as recorded in the Christian Bible. Since He promised we could do the things He did then we too should attempt to hold communication as He demonstrated an the Mount of Transfiguration before His death. After death His spirit returned and manifested a number of times which fully demonstrates again the possibility of spirit communication.” ⁵² CFF2 1105.6

That is the claimed authority for Spiritualism. Accepting Christ’s words as true, Reichel says, “We shall also be able to communicate.” ⁵³ Thus Spiritualism rests its case. It is an adroit plea. CFF2 1106.1

12. GRAVE INVOLVEMENTS OF INESCAPABLE ALTERNATIVES

But the sweeping declarations of Spiritualism controvert every fundamental of the gospel and of Holy Writ. It brashly repudiates the express teachings of Scripture concerning the nature and destiny of man. Yet it inconsistently, with one breath, denies the validity of the bulk of the New Testament (particularly the Pauline Epistles), while with the next breath, as it were, it seeks desired support from that same Book-even drawing, in the attempt, upon those disclaimed Pauline portions. But such a maneuver is sheer perfidy-to disown and discard and yet at the same time to invoke and draft upon the Bible to bolster Spiritualism’s contentions. CFF2 1106.2

However, most shocking and serious of all, it audaciously attributes the work of the Holy Spirit and heavenly angels, directly operative in the life of Christ, to discarnate human spiritsa most grave imputation, against which Jesus Himself utters solemn warning. CFF2 1106.3

These efforts are, of course, designed to influence those who revere the Bible. But such devious attempts to somehow obtain Biblical support for the assumptions of Spiritualism involve duplicity, distortion, and actual sacrilege, and will assuredly draw divine retribution. CFF2 1106.4