01.25. CHAPTER 10
Calling the Psychical " Spiritual "
It is said of the " Beast " in Revelation 13:5 that inspired by the Dragon he would be allowed to speak " blasphemies ", and " he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His Name and His Tabernacle ... " (Revelation 13:6). So rapidly are all the characteristics foreshown as accompanying the manifestation of the AntiChrist, coming to pass at the present hour, that it is difficult to keep pace with the need of unveiling them for the protection of those whose names are written in the " Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world " (Revelation 13:8).
Especially are the blasphemies against God becoming more manifest, in the appropriation of some of the most sacred elements of the Gospel of Christ for the conveyance of demon-doctrines and demon-power. The climax of blasphemy is surely when the Lord’s Table, instituted to show forth His death till He come, is made to be the table of demons by attributing to its magnetic and " psychic " power. This, by a Bishop, in a book just published, is said to be the " science of the sacraments " which is obvious to those who have " developed psychic faculty ". The " priest " is " an almoner to distribute His (the Lord’s) `force ’ to the people ". These " forces " are being transmuted or materialized within his very body " as they " accumulate inside the surplice ". There is also a constant and vigorous emission of power from the magnetized stones upon the altar and from the crosses and candlesticks ". And " particularly when incense is used, there is always a large attendance of the holy Angels, and the wondrous forces perpetually flowing from them are caught and utilized for the congregation when suitable vestments are worn to act as conductors...." This " divine force " says the writer of the book teaching this " science of the sacraments ", is " a definite scientific fact ". It is " often spoken of as the grace of God " and is "just as definite as steam or electricity ". It is indeed " much more powerful in that it works upon the soul, the mind, the emotions...." On every side the word " psychic " and "psychical " is to be met with in connection with religious teaching, and often from leaders in the professing Christian Church. For instance, the Archbishop of Caledonia writes in an English paper: " A great discovery is being made in the psychic world ". " Our psychic spirits are not confined by material barriers to one limited space. Our spirits can co-mingle with other spirits, whether they be in the body or out of the body. This is the fellowship of the spirit. . . ." " The modern disciple, taught by psychology, focuses his attention upon Christ in all the goodness of His character and all the power of His Spirit. Through the perfect Man he enters into communion with the infinite God. It is a fellowship of the spirit...."
" Each human mind while it is in a limited sense an individual mind, is at the same time a part of the universal mind. Each human spirit, while it has characteristics of its own, is at the same time a part of the universal spirit...." The peril of calling the psychical " spiritual " is strikingly shown in these quotations from current literature. Let us once more emphasize the difference between " soul " and " spirit " as revealed in the Scriptures. The word " psychic " is derived from the Greek word "psuche ", which is translated into English in the New Testament, forty times as " life ", or " lives ", and fiftyeight times as " soul ". It means, says the Lexicon, " animal life ", or the " animal nature ". It describes the " soul "-the person when animated by the life ofnature.