13:13. And he doeth great wonders.—The strongest text of Scripture forewarning against the impending Church Federation is the strongest text of Scripture forewarning against spiritism. (Isa. 8:9‐22.) It is not by accident that these warnings are placed together. “We shall not be at all surprised if some later manifestation of the powers of darkness, transformed to appear as the angels of light and progress, shall be much more specious and delusive than anything yet attempted. We do well to remember the Apostle’s words,—‘We wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with princely powers of darkness, with the spiritual things of the Evil One.’ (Eph. 6:12.) In 1842, six years before ‘modern Spiritism’ began to operate, Edward Bickersteth, a servant of God and student of His Word, wrote,—‘Looking at the signs of the times, and the long neglect and unnatural denial of all angelic ministration or spiritual influence, and at the express predictions of false Christs, and false prophets, who shall show signs and wonders, insomuch that if it were possible they should deceive the Very Elect, and that when men receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved, for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they shall believe a lie; I cannot but think there is a painful prospect of a sudden recoil and religious revulsion from the present unbelief and misbelief, to an unnatural and undistinguishing credulity.’ Satan is the inspirer and supporter of every Antichrist; and as he led those who had pleasure in error rather than the truth to the organization of the great Antichrist, Papacy, symbolically the ‘beast’ of Rev. 13, and as he is now operating to produce a Protestant ‘image of the beast’ with life, which will cooperate with the chief Antichrist, so in combination with these will be the powers of darkness, the powers of the air, the lying and seducing spirits, operating in some manner or in a variety of ways,—Spiritism, Christian Science, New Thought, Theosophy, Hypnotism, etc.” (S. 32.) “If we gain the right conception of the matter these deceptions are to affect the whole world, including its wise men, and indeed practically everybody.”—Z. ’09‐123; Deut. 13:1‐3; Matt. 24:24, 25; 2 Thes. 2:9‐12; Rev. 16:14.