Experimental investigation of the spirit manifestations, [electronic ...

RKLKilOUS ERRORS OF MR. MAIIAN. 419Strain iii(/ at Spirit ual Gnats, while sicdlJoviiui Scripturat (Minds.'2042. The question is put, AVliereforc can spirits cause tappings on ortilting of tables, only when a medium is present'/ To those who believe inthe Old Testament as the word of God, it may be in point to inquire, Whereforetlie mere elevation of the hands of Moses, on a hill remote from thefield of battle, enabled the Israelites to overcome their enemies, when theopposite result ensued when the hands of the veracious prophet werelowered, as agreeably to verses 11 and 12, chapter xvii.of Exodus?2043. " And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israelprevailed ; and when ho let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. ButMoses's hands were heavy, and they took a stone and put it under him,and he sat thereon, and Aaron and llur stayed up his hands, the one onthe one side and the other on the other sido ; and his hands were steadyuntil the going down of the sun.^'2044. It follows from the verses in question that the skill, strength, orcourage of every Jewish combatant varied with the elevation or depressionof the arms of Moses above or below a mean horizontal plane.2045. Surely, the peculiar influences thus exercised by the author ofthe Pentateuch is at least as incredible as that by which the presence ofa medium enables spirits to move ponderable bodies, when otherwise theycould not move them. The influence ascribed to Moses is alleged to havebeen witnessed only on one occasion, whereas that attributed to media hasbeen seen in a multiplicity of instances by living witnesses of good character,who will attest to the facts, as well as the media themselves.2046. But, independently of the incredibility of this Mosaic miracle asan isolated fact discordant with the laws of nature and human experience,is it not incredible on account of its inconsistency with the just and humaneidea of God which the truly pious entertain, that he should give thisassistance to the Jews in their unchristian warfare ? This reasoning is atleast as applicable to the alleged arrestation of the sun, (involving that ofthe rotary motion of the earth,) in order that Joshua might make a furtherslaughter of the vanquished Canaanites.For this slaughter the prominentexcuse seems to have been that Moses, wishing to possess the territory ofthe Canaanites, professed to have the authority of God for extirpating themas idolaters, agreeably to the following language, which is representedby Mr. Mahan and others as the word of God, (Deut. viii. 16, 20, 22 :)2047. ''And thou shalt consume all the people which the Lord thy Godshall deliver thee ; thine eye shall have no pity upon them : neither shaltthou serve their gods ; for that will be a snare unto thee. Moreover, theLord thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left,and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed. And the Lord thy Godwill put out those nations before thee by little and little; thou mayest notconsume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee."