who had each their peculiar _demon_ or
evil spirit, for their associates, perpetually attending on
their persons and obsequious to their commands, by whose help
they could perform miracles, foretell future events, call up
the souls of the dead, exhibit them to open view, and infuse
into people whatever dreams or visions they saw fit, all which
is constantly affirmed by the primitive writers and
apologists, and commonly applied by them to prove the
immortality of the soul."[266:5]

After quoting from Justin Martyr, who says that these _magicians_ could
convince any one "that the souls of men exist still after death," he
continues by saying:

"Lactantius, speaking of certain philosophers who held that
the soul perished with the body, says: 'they durst not have
declared such an opinion, in the presence of _any magician_,
for if they had done it, he would have confuted them upon the
spot, by sensible experiments; _by calling up souls from the
dead, and rendering them visible to human eyes, and making
them speak and foretell future events_."[267:1]

The Christian Father Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, who was contemporary
with Irenaeus (A. D. 177-202), went so far as to declare that it was evil
spirits who inspired the old poets and prophets of Greece and Rome. He
says:

"The truth of this is manifestly shown; because those who are
possessed by devils, even at this day, are sometimes exorcised
by us in the name of God; and the seducing spirits confess
themselves to be the same demons who before inspired the
Gentile poets."[267:2]

Even in the second century after Christianity, foreign conjurors were
professing to exhibit miracles among the Greeks. Lucian gives an account
of one of these "foreign barbarians"--as he calls them[267:3]--and says:

"I believed and was overcome in spite of my resistance, for
what was I to do when I saw him carried through the air in
daylight, and walking on the water,[267:4] and passing
leisurely and slowly through the fire?"[267:5]

He further tells us that this "foreign barbarian" was able to raise the
dead to life.[267:6]

Athenagoras, a Christian Father who flourished during the latter part of
the second century, says on this subject:

"We (Christians) do not deny that in several places, cities,
and countries, there are some extraordinary works performed