n river, at the near prospect of a death in their
village, says: "The room was filled with women, who were weeping in the
most piteous manner, and calling on the _spirits of their fathers and of
others who were dead_, and upon all spirits in whom they believe, Ologo,
Njembi, Abambo, and Mbwini, to save the man from death. These spirits
could not help them, but they knew of none mightier, and so called on
them." Mr. White, a Wesleyan missionary, says: "There is a class of people
in New Zealand, called Eruku, or priests. These men pretend to have
intercourse with departed spirits, ... by which they are able to kill by
incantation any person on whom their anger may fall." The Sandwich
Islanders, when they found that Christians supposed they worshipped the
images of their gods, were much amused, and said "We are not such fools."
They used the idol as an aid to fix their minds on their divinity. Some of
them supposed their divinity was a spirit residing in their idol.

The Mohammedans, while they recognize God, are also "taught by the Koran
to believe the existence of an intermediate order of creatures, which they
call Jin, or genii;" some of which are supposed to be good and others bad,
and capable of communicating with men, and rewarding or punishing them.
The 72d chapter of the Koran consists of a pretended communication from
the genii to Mohammed. They are made to say: "There are some among us who
are upright, and there are some among us who are otherwise;" and speaking
of men: "If they tread in the way of truth, we will surely water them with
abundance of rain," _i.e._ will grant them plenty of good things. Thus
they are recognized as dispensers of good. They bear a striking
resemblance to the spirits which now pretend to communicate with men! All
who are familiar with Arabian romances know how frequently genii, fairies,
&c., figure as agents in the execution of wonderful exploits.

The Romanists also pretend to communicate with _demons_,--_i.e._ with
departed spirits. They deify the Virgin Mary, and supplicate the
intercessions of many departed saints; and some they supplicate, whose
claim to saintship is somewhat equivocal. Their teachings in this
particular, Protestants generally recognize as the subject of the
following prediction: "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the
latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing
spirits, and doctrines of devils,"--_demons_, 1 Tim. 4:1.

Demon-wor