Deuteronomy 18:9-14 -

Spiritualism condemned.

In the verses forming this paragraph, there are nine terms or phrases, each with its own special meaning, £ pointing to some pagan superstition, against which Moses is warning the people. The variety and number of such terms show us how great a bold a spurious "spiritualism" had upon the people. The phenomena connected therewith, however, present to us an aspect of history that is worthy of careful study. In some sort, the pagan customs of olden times connected with divination may seem so completely out of date, that it may be thought useless for the preacher to allude to them now. But though some details connected therewith may vary, yet the two purposes for which men "divined" of old, are still sought to be accomplished, viz.:

And not only so; but the methods of a modern so-called" spiritualism" are so nearly analogous to those of ancient times, that it is as needful for the preacher now to warn the people against them, as it was for Moses to warn the Hebrews. Even among them, the roothold of this superstition was so strong, that Isaiah had to caution the men of his time against it, and to remind them of the more excellent way (see Is8:19, 20). But it is very remarkable that neither Moses nor Isaiah closes up the matter at once by saying, "You may as well give up all that, for you cannot possibly hold any communication with the departed." Neither of them suggests that the invisible world is absolutely closed against all possible access. Various reasons for this may be surmised. It may be that the question of the abstract possibility or otherwise of communications with the departed, formed no part of God's revelation to Moses; or that God has not seen fit at any time to inform us thereon, deeming an education on the moral bearings of the question, of far greater moment than intelligence on its physical or metaphysical aspects. Any way, certain it is, that we are not called on to ask, Can we converse with the dead? But we are rather forbidden to attempt it. Five reasons are suggested as we compare and unite the teachings of Isaiah and Moses.

I. IT IS UNREASONABLE . "Should not a people seek unto their God?" If they wish to commune with spirit, there is one Great Infinite Spirit with whom they can hold fellowship, who has said, "Call on me in the day of trouble." From him we may get at any time all needful light on the daily path, and all needful intercourse with the spiritual world. We may hear a voice behind us, saying, "This is the way, walk ye in it." And if we may consult the Great Supreme, why leave the highest authority, for the sake of consulting any others?

II. IT IS UNNECESSARY . For what is that we really need? Light for the future, but not light on it; and light concerning the invisible world, but not light into it. And these are given to us in the revelation of the Divine Word (see next Homily). The connection between this paragraph and the next should not be lost sight of. Moses says, " The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet," etc. (verse 15), i . e . not only one Prophet in the fullness of time, but also from time to time as may be needed, prophet after prophet shall be sent you to direct you in the truth, so that you will have no excuse whatever for seeking light elsewhere, or in any forbidden ways. If that was true of Israel, how far more is it true of us! What a fullness of light and truth have we in Christ! And now that we have an unction from the Holy One to teach us the deep things of God, it is a wildly foolish and needless step to go knocking at the gates of the invisible world!

III. IT IS USELESS . It might very fairly be asked, "If you get an answer, how are you to verify its worth?" But Isaiah practically impales the "spiritualists" on the horns of a dilemma. "To the Law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them;" i . e . supposing you consult the dead, and get an answer from them, that answer will either accord with "the Law and the testimony," or it will not. If it does, you are no better off than you were before, for you had it in the Book before you inquired. If it does not, still you are no better off, for "it is because there is no light in them," and if they have no light, they certainly cannot give any to you! So that either way the inquiry after the dead is utterly useless. And besides, who ever heard of anything alleged to be communicated by "the spirits" which contained aught that was not previously known? We have an infinitely more sure "word of prophecy," and we shall be guilty of the veriest folly if we forsake it for the random guessings of "spiritualism." Hence—

IV. IT IS SINFUL . The preacher may press this on the following grounds.

1. It is a wayward effort to force an opening into a region which God as yet sees fit to conceal from view.

2. It comes of a wish to get light on future issues rather than on present duty. Duty is ours, events are God's.

3. It involves the neglect of a rule which God has given, and a search after one which he has not.

4. It is a waste of time.

5. It puts a prying curiosity in the place of a lowly, loyal obedience.

6. It springs out of a guilty unbelief or from dissatisfaction with the ways of God. Why, even among the heathen who knew not God, it was regarded by him as an "abomination;" how much more must he so regard it among a people to whom he has revealed himself in deepest, tenderest love? Have men not yet learnt that it is mercy which hides the future, and shrouds in veil the realm of the dead? Who of us could bear to have either curtain drawn aside? Oh! it is no wonder that this spirit of false inquiry should be forbidden by God. We should frown on it in others, sternly and constantly, and it should not be so much as named among us as becometh saints.

V. THERE IS ANOTHER AND A BETTER WAY OF GETTING ALL THE LIGHT WE NEED . "The Law and the testimony." Here are the words of God which are to direct us. Here we may "inquire of God," and to the lowly, childlike heart the Book will be full of divinest, holiest teaching. It will give us light on the daily path, and guide us to a course which has "promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." It abounds with promises that will cheer life's gloom, and chase away the darkness even from the grave. It opens up immortality and life. By its light we know that our departed ones in Christ, though absent from the body, are present with the Lord. Cheered by its words of hope, we can sing, "Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory!" We are not treading uncertainly. We walk not at random. We are not helplessly drifting down a current. We are "firm on the rock." We are surrounded with light from him who is " the Light of the world;" and with all this, cannot we wait a while, and let him who is redeeming us reveal the mysteries of the spirit world to us in his own good time rather than our own? Hush! these longings to know beforehand. Let us keep to the written Word. It tells us quite as much as we can bear to know while in these tabernacles of clay. Be it ours to study the Book of God: to take it not only as a guide, but as the guide; not simply as the only guide, but as the all-sufficient one, "until the day break, and the shadows flee away."