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Show A PAULIST FATHER ON SPIRITS. Rev. G. M. Searle, C. S. P. D. D., rector of the Paulist church, New York City, sums up his views on Spiritualism in this paragraph: "First The reality of the existence and operation of spirits in modern spiritism is no longer an open question even among scientific men who have examined the subject. Any one who considers the. manifestation manifesta-tion of them as mere humbug, trickery or delusion is simply not up to date. Second Although it cannot be demonstrated conclusively that in them no genuine communication is ever made from deceased de-ceased human beings, the strong we may say the overwhelming probability is that, as a rule at any rate, the spirits communicating are either devils or lost human souls, subject to devils in hell. The.c devils are not confined in their operation to a local hell. Such may be the case after general judgment, judg-ment, but not now. Third It follows" that endeavors en-deavors to ascertain the truth about the departed by means of seances is net only a waste of time, but also extremely dangerous; a foolhardy tempting tempt-ing of God and absolutely prohibited bv the very nature of the case as well as by positive Divine command. We Catholics are. or should be. well convinced that there are non-human spirits, which have never had a body. It is in fact undoubtedly of faith that such is the case, it being so stated frequently and unmistakably in Holy Scripture-Moreover. Scripture-Moreover. the fact of diabolic possession occasionally occasion-ally occurring through all history and continuing up to the present day is perfectly plain and undeniable unde-niable m those who will take the trouble to examine the evidence. We know, therefore, that unembod-ied unembod-ied spirits exist, not human and not divine, and the fact that some of them are devils is simply unquestionable unques-tionable to those who have studied the subject, even without the light of faith." |
