The mention in the Scriptures of these neaornan-
cers, witches and mediums, leads us to infer that
through mediums they were for centuries seeking fel-
lowship with the Israelites. But it is apparently the
custom to change the manner of manifestation from
time to time: just as witchcraft flourished for a time in
New England and Ohio, and throughout Europe, and
then died out and has been succeeded by Spiritism,
whose tipping and rapping manifestations are gradual-
ly giving way to others, clairaudience and materializa-
tion being now the chief endeavors, the latter, being
very difficult and the conditions often unfavorable, are
often accompanied by mediumistic assistance and fraud.
OBSESSION AT THE FIRST ADVENT.
In the days of our Lord and the earl) Church the
method of operations on the part of these demons had
changed somewhat from the praAices in the days of
Saul, and we read nothing in the New Testament about
witches, wizards and necromancy, but a great deal
about persons possessed by devils-obsession.
Appar-
ently there were great numbers thus possessed through-
out the land of Israel: many cases are mentioned in
which our Lord cast out devils; and the power to cast
them oat was one of those conferred upon the twelve
apostles, and afterward upon the seventy that were
sent out. The same power was possessed and exer-
cised by the Apostle Paul.–See Luke 9:1 ; 10:11 ; Acts
13: 8-11; 16: 18.
Mary Magdelene, we remember, had been pos-
sessed of seven devils (Luke 8: 2), and being set free
from their control, she became a very loyal servant of
the Lord. Another instance is mentioned in which a