narrative has been the subject of much dispute. The following is suggested as the most probable interpretation:-Saul is utterly forsaken by God. Samuel had left him, and was dead. Saul had slain the priests. He is in trouble. The Philistines are gathered at Shunem, and Saul's heart greatly trembled. He now feels the need of God, and seeks His aid, but in vain, for his heart was not changed nor humbled. He turns from God to demons. He seeks a woman with a familiar spirit, and then commits the sin he had so severely condemned. She is afraid. He swears to her by the Lord that no punishment should happen to her. How awful, and yet how common, for men to have the name of the Lord on their lip, whilst the Devil is in their hearts, and they are doing devilish works! The woman is satisfied, and asks, "Whom shall I bring up?" and Saul answers, "Bring me up Samuel." She applies to her familiar spirit-a demon. He comes at her bidding, and presents Samuel to her imagination. At the same time he makes known to her that it was Saul who sought her aid, and this so fills her with alarm that she cries out, "Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul." At Saul's request she describes the form and dress of him whom she sees, whom from her description Saul perceives to be Samuel. It is not written that Saul saw Samuel, but that "Saul perceived (or knew) that it was Samuel." The conversation then proceeds between Saul and professedly Samuel, but really the woman, aided, very probably, by ventriloquism. The words put into the mouth of Samuel are just such as a demon might have been expected to utter. How keen and inalicious the reproach conveyed in them! The prediction was not more than might be easily ventured on by

an evil spirit, who could perceive Saul's fear, and the state of the armies. This, then, is one case of prediction by the aid of an evil spirit. There are some who suppose that Samuel really appeared; but can it be believed that the woman, or her familiar spirit, had power, without the intervention of God, to bring up the spirit of the dead prophet? If he could bring up the spirit of a wicked man, surely Satan could. not have such control over a deceased servant of the Lord. But it may be asked, might not God, unexpectedly to the woman, have sent Samuel at her bidding? Is it probable that God, who had refused to answer Saul by dreams, or Urim, or priests, would send Samuel at the summons of a witch? Moreover, the language put into the mouth of Samuel is not that which he could be supposed to utter. He would have warned, and not have reproached, Saul; have urged to repentance, and not driven to despair; he would not have murmured at being disquieted, had he been sent by God. If the Bible said that Samuel really came, then, notwithstanding all these difficulties, we should believe it; but the Bible does not say so. It simply says, that Saul perceived from the description of the woman that it was Samuel. Saul did not see the appearance at all. The alarm of the woman was not excited by the appearance of Samuel, but by the discovery that it was Saul with whom she conversed.

Another instance of divination by means of an evil spirit is recorded Acts xvi. 16-19: "And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, that a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying. The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, which shew unto us the way of sal

vation." And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, "I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And he came out the same hour. And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone," &c. The woman here mentioned evidently had an evil spirit. She was given to soothsaying. Her predictions were generally believed, and she brought in her masters much gain by her soothsaying. When the evil spirit was cast out, she could predict no longer, and her masters saw that their hope of gain was gone. Had she been simply an impostor, the ejection of the spirit would not have affected her predictions. She had a spirit called a spirit of Python-or, in other words, she was a Pythoness; and when the spirit was cast out, her power of divination ceased.

This incident prepares us for the consideration of the heathen oracles, the most noted of which was that of Apollo at Delphi. Were they inspired, or were they simply impostures?

The opinion of Rollin was that the Pythia was inspired by a spirit, or demon. This view receives support from the case of the Pythoness already referred to. "A spirit of divination," Acts xvi. 16, is literally "a spirit of Python." The priestess of Apollo was a Pythoness. The probability that demons lurked about the temples of false gods or idols, and appropriated to themselves the worship of such false gods or idols, has been mentioned in a previous paper. May not demons, then, have lurked about the temple of Apollo and inspired their oracles?

But how could demons help? Do they know for themselves future events? The perfect knowledge of the future is an attribute of Deity, and can only be possessed by

Him by whom all events are determined. There are, however, considerations which may warrant us in the supposition that the knowledge and foresight of demons are more extensive than those of man.

We may readily suppose that they have greater means of observation. Who can tell the rapidity with which they can move from place to place? They may, perchance, range through the universe with ten thousand times the rapidity of lightning, and make their observations as they proceed. A full knowledge of present things may thus easily be obtained by them.

In their occasional approaches to the throne of God, such as those referred to in the previous papers, may they not learn somewhat of God's purposes? and would it be very harsh to suppose that they may at times obtain information from good spirits?

Their extensive knowledge, aided by acute discernment, may enable them to calculate on probabilities with some degree of certainty. Some men of acute discernment, and given to study the human mind, astonish us by the accuracy of their predictions. With what precision may not Satan and his angels calculate on the destiny of nations, and results of enterprises, to whose view most of the contingent circumstances are open, who have a clear insight into the passions, dispositions, and habits of men; and who have, conjoined with these things, the experience of several thousand years, during which period they have carefully studied men and things? Such materials would meet most of the demands made upon the oracles. Let it be remembered that the responses of the oracles, although sometimes clear and definite, were frequently, if not generally, obscure and ambiguous.

Another interesting question here

arises In what manner were the oracles communicated? The imagination seems the most probable and suitable channel. It is probably in this manner that Satan exerts his influence on the minds of men-suggesting evil thoughts by presenting scenes to the imagination. The success of his temptations would, in such cases, depend upon the extent to which the disposition of the mind accorded with the scenes presented.

The imagination was probably the medium, also, through which the prophets of God were inspired. They beheld the scenes depicted on their sensoria, and then described what they beheld. This would account for the prophets' apparent ignorance of the time of the events foretold by them. Satan most probably showed to Christ, in one moment, all the nations of the world, by presenting them, in all their glory, in one panoramic view to his imagination.

This supposition suggests a reason for the burning of incense, and the frantic gestures of the Pythia. Under the influence of the intoxicating vapour she was speedily excited to frenzy-her hair stood erect, her mouth foamed, her voice. and countenance were changed, her breast heaved, her eyes grew wild, and her whole frame violently trembled. In this state she gave forth her oracles. For many days the effects. of this excitement remained, and frequently death ensued. This excitement would increase the power of the imagination, enable it to receive impressions the more readily, and render the predictions of the Sybil the more complete. In dreams we have an illustration of the power of the imagination, and its susceptibility of receiving impressions. God, in dreams, was wont to inspire His prophets and who can tell to

what extent objects may be depicted by spirits on the imaginations of men, whether asleep or awake? May not the ministry of angels be carried on through the same medium? In the various modes of divination, men may have been helped by demons through the same medium; e.g., through the imagination demons may have influenced, in the choice of victims, those who divined by entrails, or even made the entrails appear more distended, or the contrary. God may then have permitted demons, in every age, through the medium of the imagination, to aid men in divination, and thus strengthen them in their delusions.

Milton and others have supposed that oracles ceased at the birth of Christ. In his song of the Nativity, he sings—

"The oracles are dumb;

No voice or hideous hum Runs through the arched roof, in words deceiving:

Apollo from his shrine

Can no more divine, With hollow shriek the steep of Delphos leaving.

No nightly trance or breathed spell Inspires the pale-eyed priest from the prophetic cell."

If this be true, it is also certain that one possessed of a spirit of Python lived and practised divination at Philippi some years after the death of Christ.

A few centuries since, in our own country, astrologers were held in almost equal repute with the augurs of ancient times. They were courted by kings and nobles. They had apartments and apparatus in the castles of the great. They were consulted on all matters of importance, and their obscure predictions were guides to nations, as far as they could be understood. Their knowledge, however, was not so much the result of demonic agency as of intrigue.

They had their spies in every direction, and their scientific knowledge, discernment, and cunning were their chief aids. Wickedness, more than prophetic skill, manifested their connexion with the devil.

In our own times, we have our professed astrologers, but they are bereft of their importance and dignity. They are no longer courted by princes, or consulted on affairs of state; they no longer dwell in castles and palaces, but are generally found in some obscure street of our larger towns and cities, and eke out a livelihood by imposing on the ignorant and credulous. Some even in the higher walks of life, upon whose hands time hangs heavily, who crave after excitement, or are impatient of their present condition, are amongst their visitors. witches are still in repute with some, -not, it is to be hoped, a large portion of the community-and, if report speaks truly, they have not quite lost their cunning. Marvellous tales are told of their prophetic skill; sometimes so well authenticated, apparently, as to set at defiance all one's philosophy. One can only say, that if men give themselves up to the devil and devilish works, it is no matter of astonishment if

White

God permits Satan or his angels, at times, by their aid, to strengthen their delusions, and thus secure their souls. Satan is the father of lies, and the father of those who practise or support lies.

It is, however, to be hoped that the few remaining links that connect the present age with the times of gross superstition and devilworship will speedily be dissolved; and that soothsayers and witches will soon be confined to the pages of history and romance. Let us congratulate ourselves, that upon us the light of knowledge and Christianity has dawned; that the mists of superstition and heathenism have been chased away; that the worship of demons has been superseded by that of the true God; and that the oracles of Christ, which show unto us the way of salvation, are in our land, land, Let us also, in gratitude, continually unite in widening and diffusing the streams of knowledge and truth, until demons shall be compelled to seek in other worlds the votaries which earth shall no longer furnish them; or rather, be consigned to Tophet, where their fetters are prepared, and where they and their worshippers shall be chained in blackness and darkness for ever.

ZACHEO fervently kissed his hand, and already, on the following morning, the brave dwarf, with his precious volume wrapped in his scarf, with the farewell tears of his mother still glittering on his cheek, and her blessings still vibrating in his ears, began to ascend the mountain.

His task was a very perilous one, but

Zacheo was not to be discouraged "because of the way,"-and towards evening he arrived, at last, at the first outpost of the tribe. The gigantic sentinel who was placed there at once recognized the dwarf, and greeted him with a loud shout. He tock him home, refreshed the weary wanderer with bread and milk, and

then led him back in triumph to the hut of the chief, who was now a blind man with long silver locks. The importance of the dwarf had been but increased by his long absence, and soon the whole population of the mountain village assembled around him, bidding him welcome back, and eagerly reproaching him for having left them, for they had all loved the meek, harmless

creature.

But the blind chief sternly shook his hoary head, and an angry frown darkened his brow. "Why do you rejoice so?" he asked his people; "have you forgotten the laws of our priests? whoever comes up unbidden to our mountain has to be thrown down the glacier, to appease the anger of the mountain spirit. When you dragged the thing up here, I spared his life; but now he must die, for he came up voluntarily. Throw him at once down the glacier!"

A beam of heavenly joy lit up the eyes of the brave dwarf. To die for Jesus! surely this was gain for him! was joy and unspeakable grace! But first he must fight the warfare before the crown could be his. Quietly removing the scarf from his gospel-book, he addressed the chief: "I know your laws, and I am ready to die; but allow me a few hours that I may read to you out of that beautiful book which you cannot see, but which is full of fine pictures and stories which I alone can read." Hundreds of eager faces now gathered round the dwarf, and a loud "Ah!" escaped the astonished multitude at the sight of the glittering crystals and golden clasps with which the cover of the book was adorned; and when Zacheo showed them the richly-painted title-page, their delight was still increased, and from all sides the cry arose, "Let him live-let him tell us the stories, and explain the characters!" The

chief grumbled, but did not oppose; and stepping upon a high piece of rock, the dwarf began to read the 11th chapter of John.

A breathless silence now followed, and deep solemn awe began to steal over the hearts of the hearers, as from the lips of the God-inspired reader dropped the glad tidings of salvation. Not a word was lost upon them; and as Zacheo cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" every eye was raised in eager wonder, for they half expected to see the dead appear at the voice of that mysterious God whom Zacheo preached to them, and who was not an angry terrible spirit, like the god of their mountains, but a being full of love and compassion. "O, do not throw him down as yet," all voices cried beseechingly after Zacheo had finished; "let him first finish the book!" Gladly the chief gave his consent now, and it was settled that Zacheo's life should be spared until he had read to them all the four Gospels. Thus Zacheo began his missionary work. It was not a light task for him to read to them, for he had to translate word for word into their language as he went on reading; but how sweet the work was to his loving heart! How near did he often feel his Saviour! It seemed as if he had but to utter words which the Spirit Himself put into his mouth!

Thus he went on; but so thoroughly did he enter into the spirit of the Gospel, that winter came to put an end to the open-air gatherings when he had only finished the Gospel of Matthew. Was he now to die? O no! Even the blind ruler could not resist the temptation to hear more of these strangely sweet and attractive stories, and thus Zacheo was hospitably received in the house of the first bard, who, under his direction, composed in his own language a beautiful epic of the Saviour's life,