phrase Holy Ghost in Scripture, and read of persons giving up the ghost, yet we never read of a ghost or disembodied spirit, either as holy or unholy. In most modern versions of Scripture, the old English word ghost is laid aside, and the word spirit is used in place of it. Though the doctrine of ghosts, and their visiting our world, are rather becoming obsolete among us, still some good people are prejudiced in favor of them, and even appeal to Scripture in justification of their opinions. The passages generally referred to I shall now attempt to consider. The first is

1 Sam. 28: 15, "And Samuel said to Saul why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up?" See the whole chapter. It is alleged from this history, that this woman, commonly called the witch of Endor, could bring up Samuel's ghost or whom she pleased from the dead. To see how this matter stands, let us

1st, Inquire into the nature of this woman's profession. Her place of residence was Endor, a city belonging to the half tribe of Manasseh, on the west side of Jordan, and four miles south of mount Tabor, Josh. 17: 11. See Dr. Parish's Sac. Geog. It is said in Calmet's Fragments, that it received this name from the worship there instituted: for Endor is compounded, en-dor, and signifies, the fountain of light, the oracle of the god Ador. This oracle was probably founded by the Canaanites, and had never been totally suppressed. The person sought for by Saul, was "a woman that hath a familiar spirit." Such persons are mentioned along with wizzards, and others who practised heathen superstitions. See 2 Chr. 33: 6. Lev. 20: 27. Deut. 18: 11. 2 Kings 21: 6. All such impostors were banished Canaan, and this Saul had himself done, which shows he believed they were impostors. See verse 3. and comp. Deut. 18: 9, 14. The Jews were prohibited on pain of

death from having any thing to do with them. See Deut. 18: 9-14. Lev. 19: 31. 20: 6, 27. Isai. 19: 13, 31. When Israel departed from the Lord such persons were connived at; but when a reformation took place, they were again sent out of the land, 2 Kings 23: 24. It was a sure sign Saul had departed from God, when he sought after such a woman. This with other things were the cause of his ruin, 1 Chron. 10: 13.

What, then, was the nature of this woman's profession? For as a professional woman Saul sought her. The only passages I can find descriptive of this, are Isai. 8: 19, and 29: 4. "And when they shall say unto you seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizzards that peep and that mutter; should not a people seek unto their God? For the living to the dead? And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be as of one that hath a familiar spirit out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust." It is evident from these texts, 1st, that persons who had a familiar spirit pretended to consult with the dead in behalf of the living. Saul wanted to consult with Samuel, and accordingly applied himself to a woman of this profession. The whole history agrees to the business of this woman. 2d, Those who had a familiar spirit, pretended to consult with the dead by means of their voice. In the above passages it is said, they peeped, and muttered, that they whispered, and whispered out of the dust; or, made it appear that their voice was out of the ground, where the dead were understood to be. The Hebrew phrase rendered

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a woman that hath a familiar spirit," signifies a mistress of aub, or ob. Ob is understood to mean a bottle or cavity in general. See Job 32: 19. Hence it is generally interpreted of a person who speaks

from his belly, or that practised ventriloquism. This appears to have been the art of this woman, for she could whisper out of the ground. See Calmet, vol. iv, p. 82, Am. edit.

2d, The situation of Saul and Israel at the time he went to consult with this woman. Saul had long been subject to hypochondria, or an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. He was an old man, and had long pursued a course of disobedience to God's commandments, for which Samuel reproved him. But Samuel was now dead, and Saul was left to pursue his own headstrong course. The Philistines had an immense army pitched in Shunem, and Saul had gathered all Israel together in Gilboa, where both armies were prepared for battle. Seeing the vast host of the Philistines with which he had to contend, "he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled," verse 5. He consulted the Lord, but "the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets," verse 6. His next resource was"then said Saul unto his servants, seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her and inquire of her," verse 7. His servants soon informed him where such a professional woman was to be found; and disguising himself he took two of his servants, and started for Endor. By comparing verses 8, 20, 25, it appears he arrived there at night, faint and weary, in addition to all his trouble of mind, a very fit subject for this woman's impositions.

3d, Let us now examine the transactions, between Saul and this woman on this occasion. Saul opens his case thus: "I pray thee divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up whom I shall name unto thee." Saul here shows, that he went to consult with her in the way of her profession, the same as any man now goes to consult a lawyer or a physician. But suspicious and cautious, she replies,

"Behold thou knowest what Saul hath done, how be hath cut off all that hath familiar spirits, and the wizzards out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?" verse 9. This woman feigned ignorance of Saul, but must have known him, for "Saul was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upwards." There was "none like him among all the people," 1 Sam. 10: 23-25. A person who had never seen him before, but only heard of him, must suspect him to be king Saul. No person who saw him once could forget him. From his publicity during his reign;from the very nature of this woman's profession; from her being banished the land by him, it cannot be doubted, but she had before seen or heard concerning him so as to recognize him. It was for her interest and safety to feign she did not know him. But we are told, verse 10, "and Saul sware to her by the Lord, saying, as the Lord liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing." This shows she dreaded punishment, and if she did not know him to be king Saul, why should his swearing to her by the Lord, put all her fears to rest in a moment about her safety. At first, she was suspicious of his sincerity, and that his object was to ensnare her. But the instant she saw he was in earnest, she says to him, "whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, bring me up Samuel." A number of difficulties are supposed to be contained in the remainder of the chapter, which I shall now consider.

It is said, "if there was nothing supernatural in the case, why is it said, that the woman saw Samuel who was dead: and even described his appearance?" Answer: the woman had just learnt from Saul, that it was Samuel he wished her to bring up, and Saul's words intimate, that she had known Samuel before his death. But allowing she had not, was there any

supernatural power required to describe the appearance of a judge in Israel? It is evident Saul did not see Samuel, for if he had seen him, why ask the woman, "what sawest thou? What form is he of?" It was not from what Saul himself saw, but from the woman's description he perceived that it was Samuel. Samuel was dead, and this woman's profession was to consult with the dead; hence she says, "I saw gods or a judge ascending out of the earth." Her divulging that she knew Saul with her seeing Samuel, was calculated to increase his confidence in her art. Her also crying aloud, and signs of fear, went to produce the same effect, and was common with persons who pretended to divine. See Virgil's En. b. vi. l. 46-76.

But it will no doubt be asked, "if Samuel's ghost did not appear, who held the conversation with Saul? I answer, the woman. Her trade was to consult with the dead, and to whisper as if the dead spoke out of the ground; and all who have heard a ventriloquist, know, that they can imitate various voices, and make it appear to their audiences, as if the voice was a great way beneath the surface of the earth. If Samuel's ghost held the conversation with Saul, what need was there for his asking Saul "why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up?" If this ghost could foretel future events, why ask such a question? But the woman spoke this in a voice below ground, in a whispering tone, and thus deceiving Saul she learns from him what he wanted with Samuel, and shapes her after conversation accordingly. Saul (verse 15) discloses by his answer, his distressed condition, which was all the clue this woman wanted. Her reply is contained in verses 1620, which she puts in the mouth of Samuel's ghost, she pretended to bring up, and was no doubt spoken as if from under the ground. It is supposed to con