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THE STRONG MAN SPOILED

 

AS SHOWN BY THE "SELF-EXPOSURE OF SO-CALLED 'PENTECOST'-SPIRITS"

 

BY

 

ADA R HABERSHON

 

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY

JAMES M. GRAY, D.D.

 

PICKERING & INGLIS

13 & 13, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.4

LONDON

 

 

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

BY THE DEAN OF THE MOODY BIBLE

INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO

I write this introduction, not because it will add value to the booklet, but to show my appreciation of a courtesy, and also to bear my testimony against the awful delusion of which it speaks.

 

The gift of tongues is divine. God has bestowed it on the Church in times past, and may do so again when it pleases His sovereign grace. But the "lying wonders" of Satan are very different, and against them these pages warn. "Uncanny hissings" are not the speech of heaven.

 

Young people especially should have their attention called to the peril of playing with "mesmerism" and related phenomena, as indicated here.

 

And then there is peril of another kind, in Christians seeking for particular "gifts" of the Spirit instead of the Giver Himself. To "Covet earnestly the best gifts," is scriptural, but the same scripture teaches us what the best gift is (I Cor. xii-xiv).

 

It is the office of the Holy Spirit to glorify Christ, and to take of the things of Him and show them unto us (John xvi, 13, 14), and one wonders whether proper emphasis has been laid upon this by Christian teachers during the last two decades. Has there been a lack of balance in our teaching on the Holy Spirit, and does this, in any way, account for the present outbreak of fanaticism and demonism? Had we been more desirous of glorifying Christ, and less absorbed with our subjective spiritual experiences, might it not have been better?

 

 

Modern psychology comes to our aid, and assures us of the possibility of a double personality in men.

 

However, therefore, skeptics may have doubted demon--possession hitherto, the ground is being cut from under their feet now. But is this to militate against a proper longing for power on the part of the Church? Satan has stifled her witness to the Second Coming of the Lord by a device of this character, and shall we now permit him to repeat the clever trick? God forbid.

May God give us the spirit of knowledge and of wisdom in this matter, for "we wrestle not against flesh and blood" (Eph. vi. 12).

 

JAMES M. GRAY.

THE

STRONG MAN SPOILED

AS SHOWN BY THE "SELF-EXPOSURE OF (SO-CALLED) 'PENTECOST' -SPIRITS"

 

 

In a pamphlet bearing the above sub-title particulars have been received from Germany of a very remarkable case of demon-possession; for such it is declared to be by several prominent and well-known Christians who speak with personal knowledge of all the facts and circumstances. The importance of the revelations made is greatly increased by their bearing upon the source and character of what is known as the "Tongues-movement."

A study of the pamphlet above mentioned created a desire for additional particulars; and these have now been obtained. The visit to this country of a German pastor who is personally acquainted with the case, has enabled us to secure still further details and a full corroboration of the truth of the narrative. And a letter received from one of the signatories of the pamphlet-a prominent and well-known Christian, describes how the utterances were recorded.

How the Utterances were Recorded.

 

He writes: "In most instances there were from three to six or seven praying ones present, when these manifestations and utterances took place. Ordinarily one, sometimes two of the brethren, would note down his (the demon's) sayings on the spot. When this was not practicable, we would immediately after the sitting put down fresh from memory what had been said."

 

The case is as follows: When the "Tongues-movement" was introduced into Germany several years ago, a well-known Christian lady was deluded by it. She had been longing for the so-called "baptism of fire," and, like so many others, thought that she had received it. She heard voices in the night and imagined that she was a prophetess. But early in the summer of 1907 she saw that the movement was erroneous, and separating herself from it she did all she could to warn others. At the beginning of last year, after what seemed to be a nervous breakdown, she again began to hear the voices and to receive revelations. She stayed for a time with a personal friend of the writer, but when these symptoms became more marked she was persuaded by several well-known Christians to go to a home of rest.

 

Demon-Possessed

 

 

It soon became evident to them and to others who were called together from different parts, that this was no ordinary case but that she was demon-possessed. When they prayed over her from time to time, or commanded the demons to depart the frenzied utterances, spoken in a voice quite unlike her own voice, made it clear that she had, at least, a double personality. Several of the Christians had frequently been brought into contact with persons who were supposed to be "possessed," but they affirm that this was a more remarkable case than any they had met with; and testify that the sense of conflict was at times appalling.

 

The Conflict.

 

"The demoniacal manifestations consisted chiefly in fearful contortions of her body and its members ... and distortion of her features. The organs of speech would not only be used intelligibly but also in uncanny hissings, whinings, and groanings. Awful blasphemies would be hurled against heaven, whilst the fists would be clenched." In the intervals between the paroxysms she was perfectly sane, and her mental faculties were unimpaired. She was able, for instance, at the close of last year, to prepare all the accounts and balance-sheet of a mission in which she is interested. Her bodily-health did not in any way suffer from the awful experiences, nor were her faith, joy, and peace in the Lord shaken. From the letters just received we hear that prayer has been answered, and the victory won. She is now entirely emancipated and has returned home, full of praise, to resume her Christian work.

 

During the months of her terrible bondage the manifestations when she was alone were much weaker. They only became violent when the Christians joined in earnest prayer over her, and when the Word of God was brought to bear on the demons and they were commanded to depart. She was quiet when in company with other people, either at meal times or at public worship; so that many met her every day without having the least idea of her being actually demon-possessed.

 

How could Demons Gain Access?

 

The question at once suggests itself–How could demons gain access in this way? It has been supposed that it was rendered possible, not only by this Christian lady having joined in the " Tongues movement" a few years ago,¹ but because in her childhood she had been put under a mesmeric spell by a shepherd who had to do with witchcraft and sorcery. The demons betrayed that this had originally facilitated their entrance, and the spirit who was first allowed to take up his abode in her was addressed by his much more powerful leader, the real "tongues-demon," as "the spirit of magnetism." On another occasion the "spirit of magnetism" cried, "Shall I have to leave my property, which I have possessed for more than forty years?"

 

From another of the demoniacal utterances it appeared that the demons' rage had been stirred by a letter of warning which the lady had written to a friend who was entangled in the "Tongues-movement," in which she urged her to free herself from it.

 

The case seems different from any other of which we have heard on account of the character of the declarations which came with such tremendous force. It was as though, in opposition to their own will, the demons were driven to make them by an irresistible power.

 

It has been suggested by some of those in favor of the "Tongues-movement" that to listen to such utterances and to believe them is in itself "spiritism"; but there was no attempt to make the demons speak. On the contrary, those present were kept from the temptation of asking questions, though it was constantly presented to them. The spirit would at times taunt the Christians thus: "Ask how many of us have departed, I will betray a secret to you!" And when there was no response whatever, he said: "They do not even wish to learn a secret!"

 

 

The manifestations covered a period of at least six or, seven months. It is not possible to quote all the utterances of the spirits which are given at much greater length in the pamphlet alluded to. This has been published and translated into English, because those, connected with the case–prominent, sober-minded, experienced Christians in Germany–believe "that these self-exposures are the signal for the breakdown of the fearful deception of the Tongues-movement." A further edition is about to appear mentioning the full deliverance of the lady. Permission has been received to give this short account of the case, and to give the following abbreviated quotations from the pamphlet which was published for private circulation. Though uttered at different periods they are arranged according to subjects, in order to indicate some of the most marked features of the self-revelations, such as–

 

Imitating the Divine.

(1) The testimony given by the spirits to the erroneous teaching which they have promulgated.

 

"I have perverted everything, in order to mislead men; I have perverted the wounds of Jesus, the cross of Jesus, the blood of Jesus; I have blasphemed the Holy Ghost, I have feigned to be Jesus, I have feigned to be the Holy Spirit in order to seduce very many."

 

"Oh, how I have deceived this soul, and other souls. They longed for truth, and I gave them lies instead of truth. I have lied to them, and have deceived them. . . . I have not yet told everything about the mischief I did even before the Tongues-movement."

"We know what would happen if the Church were to be endued with power from on high. But we have spoiled this by means of the Tongues-movement. Now the Church has ceased to long for power."

"I am glad of what I have done. I was able to imitate God and everything Divine, I could so well feign to be Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God; I was so clever at imitating everything Divine."

"The Tongues-people have subscribed to it that I am from above; they acknowledged me to be the Pentecostal Spirit, and they have worshiped me."

 

"She would not have given up to me one single fiber of her organism if I had not come in on the serpent's path of deceit, passing myself off as an angel of light. As 'baptism of the Spirit' I entered into the Church; I came to her piously with the Word of God."

 

A Mighty Spirit-Prince.

(2) The claim of the chief of the spirits to an exalted position; and his acknowledgment of Satan as a superior. This mighty spirit-prince claimed to have been once a glorious angel.

 

"I will have worship; and I have succeeded in getting it–in the Tongues-movement I have been worshiped. Worship me! I am God; I am stronger than God–a God of hell."

"All hell would be shaken if a strong one like me had to depart."

"I, a tongues-spirit, am one of those who have gone out to seduce by strong delusions. If I am vanquished, all the other tongues-demons will be vanquished too."

On one occasion the "tongues-spirit" reproached "the spirit of magnetism" with being willing to desert his comrades; and "the spirit of magnetism:" charged the "tongues-spirit " with having betrayed him. While prayer was going on he cried with groanings and despair: "I depart, I depart! I, the spirit of magnetism, depart!" Then another voice continued: “I, the tongues-spirit, do not yet depart. I shall only do so if God brings about extraordinary judgments. Such a strong spirit as I am cannot leave in so ordinary a way, I defy; I only yield to the severest judgment, I do not yield to this." And then he murmured to himself: "Comrades have again departed."

The Pharaoh of the Church.

"The Church is on the point of her deliverance. The tongues-spirit is the Pharaoh of the Church."

"It is quite impossible for me to draw back; I do not owe obedience either to God or to man; I owe obedience only to the dragon, and he does not give me leave to depart."

 

"Satan thou hast damaged thy cause. Thou wouldst enter the Church, and so thou hast put me into this place. . . I should have departed long ago, but when the Nazarene gives authority to command, Satan stands in front of me and will not let me go."

 

 

"O Satan, thou enslavest cruelly, so that we have already had to fight against the authority for three weeks, though we are conquered."

"Satan, do leave me alone, I cannot bear these torments any longer. . . Oh, I would depart, but Satan will not let me. He always stands in front of me and says I must hold this position: the Tongues-movement in all the world would grow shaky if we were to forsake it."

"It is not a question of this person, but whether Satan will conquer or the Nazarene, and Satan will conquer. . . . Satan, prove it to be a lie that the Nazarene has, through death, destroyed him that had the power of death. If Satan has been foiled, he has deceived us shamefully. Satan, Satan, how thou hast lied to us, and in our pride we have believed thee! I hate thee, Satan . . . Satan, I cannot do anything against Golgotha."

"Satan, must it still go on? I cannot hold out any longer. What more can I do? It is all of no use. I will hold on a few days still, so that thou canst not say I am a coward. . . . To be so slowly tormented to death is a spectacle for the whole Church .... And You will have the victory; It is all of no use. But still I hold on with Satan. I am his slave."

 

Forced to Betray Themselves.

(3) The statement many times repeated that the demons were forced to betray the part they had played.

 

"Oh, that I should have been forced to do this; that I should have been forced thus to betray myself. . . . I have had to betray everything; the power of prayer has forced me to do it."

"It is the most severe judgment for the tongues-demon that he is made to betray himself thus."

 

Hatred to the Treader of the Wine-Press.

(4) The hatred of the demons to the Lord Jesus, whom they call "Jesus." It is scarcely necessary to point out that they never call Him "Lord Jesus," for this is one of the tests, and none "can say that Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit." (1 Cor. 12. 3). He is often called "the Nazarene" and spoken of by various titles used in the Revelation. They speak of "the wrath of the Lamb," of "the Lion of Judah," of the "Treader of the wine-press." The utterances abound with blasphemies, curses, and challenges to single combat.

 

"We will disgrace the Nazarene, we will disgrace His redemption."

"I hate the Treader of the wine-press! Let go, Thou Treader of the wine-press, let go !"

"I would strike the Nazarene to the heart. We shall hate the Nazarene to all eternity."

The demon seemed to become more and more infuriated in proportion to his loss of power, so that in his madness he uttered horrible blasphemies, and repeatedly cursed the Godhead and everything connected with God. First he cursed the Person of Jesus, as he himself said, 100,000 times; after that the Father Himself; and at last he cursed the Holy Spirit. With mad fury he cried: "Curse, curse, curse God, and worship the devil, all of you! . . . We tongues-spirits are the spirits of Antichrist. We dethrone the Nazarene, and Satan is now coming to the throne."

 

Walls of Prayer.

(5) The remarkable testimony of the demons to the power of prayer.

 

"If we could we would tear her to pieces, we would distract her nerves and lacerate her heart. . . . But I cannot do it–the power of prayer is much too strong."

 

"I meant to torment her still, but the walls of prayer are so strong around her that I cannot do it."

 

He frequently complained in a whining voice that his legions had forsaken him: he had led whole regiments into the field and all of them had been cast out. He often cried out in desperation, "Comrades, return again." He sought several times to make those present believe that they had obeyed him and had come back, but he had to acknowledge immediately that he had lied, and to say that they could not penetrate the walls of prayer that were about her.

"Oh, these prayers of believers! These walls of prayer. You cannot imagine what I should have done if it had not been for them."

"I wanted to make her ill, but they always pray, they are no longer afraid."

 

Swords-Cuts from the Word.

(6) The hatred of the demons to the Word of God, and their acknowledgment of its power over themselves.

 

"These ceaseless arrows, and these sword-cuts from the Word of God, have become unbearable!"

 

"Oh, these theologians (with devilish sarcasm), these theologians who say that the Bible is a legend, that Christ is not risen, and that He is not alive–they are all going down with me to hell. We devils know better: we know that He is risen: we know that He lives . . . . We hate the Gospel of John with a very special hatred, therefore we incite the theologians against this Gospel."

 

 

"The Word of God has vanquished me; my punishment is that I have to betray our being powerless against the Word. The Spirit of God is in the Word; we cannot make any headway against it, it is stronger than we are."

"It will be better to depart. Hell-fire cannot be worse than these sword-cuts from the Word. The Nazarene has entered into single combat with me, He has beaten and vanquished me, only we will not admit it."

 

"Why have they given her so much of the Word of God? It is unbearable . . . . If only they had not the Word!"

 

While Exodus 15 was being read (the Christians having remembered that the demon had called himself the Pharaoh of the Church), he raged terribly. "All that is untrue; the whole Bible is a lie!" Then addressing Satan he said, "It is all of no use, they are not to be imposed upon. . . Oh how I have blasphemed, and thou hast incited me, but it is of no use, the Word is too real!"

 

The Lord's Coming is Near.

(7) The demons' belief that the Lord's coming is near at hand.

 

"We must hold the position. To give it up would be to accelerate the judgment and the coming of the Nazarene. We must lull the Church to sleep, she is beginning to fall asleep again; she must fall asleep, for then we shall have two or three hundred years' time. If these were to conquer, the Church would wake up, and that would accelerate the coming of the Nazarene and our condemnation. (Then he howled with fury, because of having been made to betray this also.) That will work damage for me in hell!"

 

 

"Let go, Thou Treader of the wine-press, let go! Oh, His day is terribly near; everything hurries on to the end!"

"It is the question of the manifestation of the sons of God. I know that the completion of the Church is nigh, even at the door, and I, the tongues-spirit, cannot hinder it. That is my fearful judgment. I am compelled to say this."

"The Church does not know what is at stake, or else she would call upon the Lord very differently. Creation cries with you. The angels are against us."

The Demons Fear and Tremble.

(8) The fear of the demons as to the result of this signal defeat and especially of the publication of it.

 

"When I have to depart and the gate of hell opens for me, it will be a catastrophe for us. . . . It would be a victory of the Church over us. . . . Courage and consciousness of victory would spread, and then the Church would have the better of us. But we well know what would happen after that."

"If I were vanquished, the Church would be encouraged and would be triumphant everywhere. Therefore our legions must be summoned to prevent this."

"If I am vanquished, all the other tongues-demons will be vanquished too."

"We should be ready to give up this soul, but the question is that of the whole Tongues-movement. . . . It would be ruined if this conflict did not lead to victory. It must not be! Comrades hold on, it is worth while. The blow would be too terrible for the whole 'Tongues-movement throughout all the world, if we had to give up this position. In the Tongues-movement we have too good an instrument for seducing all believers."

"No, she is no medium. It is by God's permission. He has used her for the exposure of the tongues-spirit. I would never have done it. But God has used her mouth against my will, and I was compelled to unmask."

 

 

"She must become insane, then you cannot publish it. That must not be done. Hell already trembles for fear of the judgments. If this thing is published it will be the very worst thing for us. It must not be. We must kill her, then you cannot publish the tongues-deceit."

 

 

Commanded to Depart.

(9) The demon's acknowledgment of the power and authority granted to those who commanded him and the other spirits to depart.

 

"Oh this authority, this authority, which they have now recognized, is an awful thing for hell!"

 

The "spirit of magnetism" pleading for mercy said; "Do leave off your commanding. For three weeks I have suffered unbearable torments because of it. Do not tell anybody that we had to yield to the authority."

Forced to Bend the Knee.

(10) The horror of the demon because on one occasion he was forced to bend the knee to the Lamb, in the presence of the praying Christians.

"Satan, thou wilt also have to bend them . . . The position is lost, our bulwark is blown up, victory has come . . . . Oh, the Arm, the Arm! I have seen it, the Lamb has laid me in the dust. Oh that they should see how I have had to go on my knees! . . . I had to betray everything to them; they will take note of it, and spread it abroad. . . . Oh that these men should have seen it! Oh, it is terrible to be conquered by men, who confess themselves sinners. If it had been angels only–but men! The battle is lost, but I am not cast out yet. We meant to frustrate the completion of the Church. But we have promoted what we wanted to hinder, the Church will come out conqueror from this conflict."

Deliver Us from the Evil One.

The Christians in Germany who have so prayerfully watched the case for so many months, believe that these self-exposures of the powers of darkness have not only been permitted, but have been forced from the demons in answer to the many prayers that have ascended concerning the "Tongues-movement" and the havoc it has wrought. It seems as though this case had a far-reaching importance not only for Germany but for Christians in all parts of the world, that many who are still deluded by the movement may be delivered, and that thus the whole of this cunning "Pentecostal" delusion may be unmasked.

 

If this be indeed so it behooves us to make the facts known, and to pray that God's purpose in permitting the disclosures may be speedily achieved, that other deceived ones may have their eyes opened, and that those who are influenced by evil spirits may be delivered.

 

While reading the printer's proofs of this pamphlet further tidings have come from Germany from those connected with the case, telling of continued victory. The lady herself is in the best of health, full of praise, and happily engaged in the Lord's work. She fully approves of the publication of this pamphlet, believing that the disclosures will be a help to others.

Those who read the extracts will feel with us the importance and awful solemnity of the whole subject. We have too often forgotten the prayer which the Lord Jesus taught to His disciples: "Deliver us from the evil one." Satan seems already to be manifesting something of his "great wrath, because he knoweth he hath but a short time."

 

We might well tremble if we did not know that One is on our side who is stronger than the "strong man armed "–One who has already been given a place at God's "own right hand in the heavenlies far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this age, but also in that which is to come."

The Only Safety.

There is no safety apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, but every one who trusts in Him is safe for time and for eternity; and He can keep "so that that evil one toucheth him not" (I John 5. 18). For God has "delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of His love; in whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins" (Col. 1. 13, 14).

 

His promise to His own, for whom He laid down His life, is "I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and none is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand" (John 10. 28, 29).

If this pamphlet should be read by any who cannot yet say they are His, they may come to Him to-day, for "as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name" (John 1. 12).