Rev’d Nick Brown Senior Minister at Greater Littleport and District NSS presents a look at our Christian Spiritualism by the NSS Principle Minister.
As for the oft debated question of religion and Spiritualism, you need look no further than the Bible…”And these signs shall follow them that believe… they shall lay hands on the sick; and they shall recover.” Mark’s Gospel, Chapter 16 verses 17-18. Or, “He (they) that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he (they) also; and greater works” John’s Gospel, Chapter 14 verse 12.
For Spiritualists, like those early followers of Jesus, like Mark and John, are aware of the absolute truths and solid evidence for those statements.
Much has been made by the detractors of Biblical historicity of the lapse of me between the death of Jesus and the gospel records, their authorage and authen city. However, as they survived the cull of Niceae in 325, and as Ireneus, ( later Saint Ireneus) the Bishop of Lyons, wrote in 178 AD/CE, “Many brethren in the church possess prophetic gifts and speak through the Spirit in all kinds of tongues.” We can assume the practices that we associate with Spiritualist religious customs were very much still part of the religious life way back then. The Reverend Maurice G. Ellio who was hopeful of the Established Church to which he belonged embracing the denomina on of Spiritualism, and remarking on that in the middle of the 20th Century said; “The position
of key importance which such ‘signs and wonders’ occupies through the Old Testament is not to be questioned. Separate the story of the Children of Israel from its supernormal phenomena and it becomes en rely meaningless.” Its recorded events were mostly in consequence of communications and manifestations from Spirit through its main ‘movers and shakers’ those pivotal characters, prophets and seers, who seemed to effortlessly link in to the highest and best in the spirit realms. Throughout the Old Testament to which the texts appertaining to those three millennia are referring, there is also mention of a saviour and deliverer to come…
In the New Testament St Paul himself tells us to try and test the spirits to make sure we are only in touch with the right levels, and says there are many gifts of the spirit including to some the ability to discern spirit. This as we understand means to actually see or perceive them in sundry ways, or to know which are of the Holy Spirit – or of the other variety! As for the Old Testament – it’s full of mediums and healers. A er Samuel died, King Saul expelled all the mediums and Spiritists (Spiritualists) from the land of Israel. (He thought)
He was under siege by the Philistine army and although he ‘enquired of the Lord’ and tried divina on and had no significant dreams, neither could the prophets help him – in desperation he asked “Find me a woman who is a medium in En Dor”. The King went and asked her to conduct a séance which of course was successful. You can read more in the Book of Samuel, Chapter 28.
It is fascinating! And will show you that sometimes being in touch with more highly evolved spirit beings and getting an answer to your question may not cheer you up! But it does emphasise that it is be er to live in the present as St Paul advises and trust in the future with God’s help.
As we say, ’Thy will Lord, not my will’.
Rev’d Lyn, New Spiritualists’ Society