PROPHECY

 

PROPHETIC inspiration is a clear sight of events which will occur; it is a gift of rare occurrence. We say it is a gift, because all conditions of mind are simply gifts, though varying in each step of progressive development. From infancy to manhood, and from manhood to old age, in all conditions we find what we term gifts; indeed, each condition, or stage of progress, is a gift.

 

When prophets wrote of future events, they were assisted by spirits of another sphere—they were impressed with the words which they wrote—they were moved, also, with power to write the words impressed on their minds. No impression is available, only as it facilitates that which is intended. Consequently, when spirits impressed the minds of men with the facts of future fulfillment, they moved them also to write those facts—they were moved, as they wrote, to write what they did write they were moved by spirits of capacity or power to move them, and move them as they would. There was no will, wish, or desire on their part to be moved, or to write any thing. If such will, wish, or desire had existed, then so many of the words as were induced by such will, wish, or desire, would have been the production of the men who wrote, and not of the spirit who controlled the writing. In such an event, inspiration would be out of the question. In such an event there would be no spirit exercising control, but his own spirit. When man is moved by the will, wish, or desire of his own spirit, he is not inspired; but when men are moved by the will of a superior spirit, to do that which they otherwise would not do, they are inspired by a power that controls the work performed.

 

Inspiration is, therefore, the work of a spirit acting through a medium, or upon a medium to attain a desirable result. In former ages, men spake and wrote as they were moved by a holy spirit. There was a movement associated with the inspiration. An inspiration, without a movement in word or deed, would be an anomaly in philosophy. No absurdity need be greater. It supposes what is an impossibility in the nature of things. To inspire is to do something. To do is what we call work, and work is what we call motion, action. Hence, inspiration is, and must always be, accompanied by a power to do, to move, to work, to act.

 

If men do, move, work, or act in obedience to their own will and wisdom, the work is theirs. It will not answer to call their work inspired, because it is the production of human will and wisdom. But if men be moved to do work, and to act in obedience to the will and wisdom of a spirit, then the work wrought is the production of inspiration, through whatever medium it may be brought forth and completed.

 

Inspiration is to imbue the mind with will, wisdom, and truth, to give effect to which motion, action and results follow. Now, inspired men "spake as they were moved," not without moving, but as "they were moved" by a holy and truthful spirit. There was a power exerted, a control exercised over the will and acts of those inspired. This proves that the ascendant power existed in the inspirer—in the spirit who cast thoughts, words, and facts into the minds of those who were qualified to discharge the office of a prophetic medium of truth to men.

 

When men are inspired by a spirit, they must be entirely passive to the will of him who inspires.

 

The least collision of wills would induce a convulsion sufficient to disturb the whole production contemplated. Now, when a medium of prophecy is required, such, and such only, are sought for, by the inspiring spirit, as are in a passive state, in such a condition as to preclude the possibility of the slightest antagonism of wills, and who act only as they are acted upon in the performance of the prophetic office. No other medium would answer the purpose of communicating a knowledge of future events to mankind.

 

Prophets are what inspiration makes them are what spirits make them; we will say, they are what God makes them. Hence, they are mediums of superior intelligence, mediums of what spirits give them for the benefit of themselves and others. There is no such thing as self-progression—a development of mind unaided by others. There is no such thing as self-made men, because a thing cannot make itself. To make a prophet of a mind, requires what is not original in the man, otherwise he would be a prophet as he is. To make, implies a: maker, and, when a man is made a prophet, he is made by a maker. That maker is not the man made, otherwise creation might have been made by itself—a doctrine too absurd to require argument for its overthrow with any philosophical mind. We say, then, when a prophet is made of a man, he is made of a spirit, and that spirit must be a superior. Nothing inferior can control a superior, all conditions being considered. Hence, the making of a prophet is a work of super-human wisdom. It is a work which can only be performed by one competent to a full realization of the design of him who controls the subject.

 

In all that prophets differ from other men, the difference is caused by a spirit who is as much superior, as the work is greater than what it otherwise would have been. If a prophet be a medium of truth, to predict with unerring accuracy future events, these events must be clearly before the mind of the spirit. And that the spirit who inspires the prophet may know the truth which he pours into the mind of a receiver, he must be in possession of all the intermediate circumstances and influences which make up the result predicted. Prophets, therefore, unaided by a knowledge commensurate with all the intervening causes and consequences, will most assuredly fail in their predictions, and establish their reputation, as wholly unworthy the confidence of honest men.

 

When men in the body receive, as they may in a qualified condition receive, the wisdom which spirits of elevated circles possess, they will be prepared to announce future events with all the accuracy of past occurrences. And it should be understood, that men may in the present age be what men in other ages have been, and even more, if under the control of more wisdom which will, in those conditions, be found accessible by them. The time is not far distant when old men shall prophecy, and young men shall learn wisdom. Those conditions requisite to the ushering in of a prophetic era are nearly consummated—the work is nearly complete—the mediums are chosen with wisdom, and the result is sure to follow, as cause is sure to precede an effect.

 

All spirits are not competent in wisdom to prepare mediums, much less predict the events of future generations. But some are qualified; and, being qualified, are able to say, with unerring wisdom, that this generation shall not pass away before prophets shall arise in the land, imbued with the knowledge requisite to unfold things of great interest to the world. And, among the events which will come to pass, is the complete subjection of human will to spiritual control, and the establishment of a kingdom on earth, based upon the immutable principles of nature. We shall see the fulfillment of this prediction, when wisdom exerts her sway over mind, and the light of superior spheres illumines the world with its effulgent beams. We shall see it when wisdom rules on earth as in heaven. We shall see it when the forces of mighty spirits interpose their authority for the welfare of earth's inhabitants. The day is not far distant. The morning light is breaking, whole armies are concentrating, and the great day of redemption advances with electric speed to consummate the will and pleasure of God, by controlling minds and working salvation in the condition of universal humanity.