enty-six short years from its
commencement, though differing somewhat from each other, are
nevertheless such as to show that the progress of spiritualism has been
without a parallel. Thus, Judge Edmonds puts the number at five or six
millions (5,000,000 or 6,000,000); Hepworth Dixon, three millions
(3,000,000); A.J. Davis, four millions, two hundred and thirty thousand
(4,230,000); Warren Chase, eight millions (8,000,000); and the Roman
Catholic Council at Baltimore, between ten and eleven millions
(10,000,000 to 11,000,000). Of those who have become its devotees,
Judge Edmonds said as long ago as 1853:--

"Besides the undistinguished multitude, there are many now of high
standing and talent ranked among them--doctors, lawyers, and
clergymen, in great numbers, a Protestant bishop, the learned and
reverend president of a college, judges of our higher courts,
members of Congress, foreign ambassadors, and ex-members of the
United States Senate."

This statement was written more than twenty years since; and from that
time to this, the work of the spirits has been steadily progressing, and
spreading among all classes of people.

And from this nation, spiritualism has gone abroad into all the earth.
Queen Victoria is almost an insane devotee of the new philosophy. The
late Emperor and Empress of France, the late Queen of Spain, the Roman
Pontiff, and the Emperor and Grand Dukes of Russia are all said to have
sought to these spirits for knowledge. Thus it is working its way to the
potentates of the earth, and fast preparing to accomplish its real
mission, which is, by deceiving the world with its miracles, to gather
the nations to the battle of the great day of God Almighty.

Here we pause. Let this work go on a little longer, as it has been
going, and as it is still going, and what a scene is before us! Having
seen so much fulfilled, we cannot now draw back and deny the remainder.
And so we look for the onward march of this last great wonder-working
deception, till that is accomplished which in the days of Elijah was a
test between Jehovah and Baal, and fire is brought down from heaven to
earth in the sight of men. Then will be the hour of the power of
darkness, the hour of temptation that is coming upon all the world to
try them that dwell upon the earth. Rev. 3:10. Then all will be swept
from their anchorage by the strong current of delusion, except those
whom it is not possible to deceive-