Spirit of Free Love

culled from D O Teasley's Holy Spirit and other Spirits

  Clothed in a cloak of religious piety and feigned sanctity we find almost every vile spirit that Satan is able to send forth; but it is doubtful if any one is so stealthy in its approach as the spirit of free love. With its charming glitter and pretended innocency it has allured many unsuspecting souls from the exalted plane of sexual purity to the depths of sin and shame. By free love many happy homes have been broken up and brought to disgrace; the tender affections of man and wife have been turned into bitter hatred, and the music of their household into strains of sorrow. Before this vile spirit lies the land of purity and peace; behind it lie blighted hopes, perverted passions, and ill fame. Before it we see the peaceful and joyous reign of Platonic love; behind it we see the confusion and sorrow of ten thousand broken hearts. Oh, the sorrow and sadness brought to the human heart by this vile enemy of peace! My pen will not be able to picture the scene, nor trace the minute outlines of free love as correctly as it deserves, but I trust by the help of God to be able to point out some of its worst features, that the reader may know that there is such a spirit, and that it is earthly, sensual, and devilish.

  Free love is not confined to any one class of people; young and old, married and unmarried, rich and poor, and people in almost every walk of life have by it been deceived and led astray. From cellar to garret of human habitation we can trace its licentious track, and those who do not believe me have but to read and be convinced. Julius Caesar, one of the world's greatest men, was tainted with free love; Cleopatra, the beautiful queen of Egypt, was under its influence; and Solomon, the wise man, was overtaken by this "outlandish" spirit, and by it led astray. Many others whose names glitter on the pages of history and decorate the world's literature could be pointed out as slaves of free love. Modern society in general is little or no better, for almost every daily paper records some disgraceful doings of free lovers.

  Before going further it may be well to define the term free love. Webster defines it as, "The doctrine or practice of [172] consorting with the opposite sex at pleasure without marriage." There sprung up in the sixteenth century a sect of people who called themselves "Brethren of the Free Spirit." Along with many other nefarious doctrines, they publicly advocated the doctrine of free love. Every false doctrine is accompanied by an evil spirit, and in case of free love many have imbibed the spirit who do not publicly advocate the doctrine. This accounts for the prevalence of free love spirits while there are so few advocating the doctrine of free love. While there are many under the influence of a free love spirit, many have been accused of free love when they were only troubled with their perverted affections.

  The Spirit and doctrine of free love are of a much worse type than the simple perversion of the natural affections. A person may allow his affections to be perverted, and allow them to go out in a way they should not; but unless a person becomes under such an influence that he feels free to love different ones, it cannot properly be termed free love. A free love spirit leads to what the doctrine of free love teaches, viz., consorting with the opposite sex at pleasure without marriage. Some have made use of the term free love in a very wrong way by applying it to almost every form of trouble with the affections. This we should not do. There is a difference in being for a short time slightly led astray by the influence of undue affection, and being under a free love spirit. Allowing the affections to go uncontrolled, however, sometimes leads to free love, and those who would keep themselves pure and keep themselves out of reach of free love spirits should keep their affections under perfect control.

  Under a cloak of religion the spirit of free love has destroyed many souls. The doctrines of many religious bodies afford many advantages to the devil on this line. If Satan can succeed in getting people under the influence of the spirit of free love, it matters little to him whether or not they publicly advocate the doctrine. Catholicism, Spiritualism, Shakerism, Mormonism, and many other like institutions afford an excellent harbor for spirits of free love. A profession of religion without salvation is also an excellent hiding place for all such spirits, for they can there carry on their unclean work for years without being even suspected by the most people. Another suitable refuge for such spirits is society. Those who stand high in society, like those who are esteemed highly in religion, are often guilty of harboring many things of which they are not in the least suspected; [173] consequently many society circles become nothing but a rendezvous of wicked and unclean spirits and yet pass as the best of society.

  Thus a spirit of free love encroached and secreted in the two most frequent walks of life, society and religion, year after year gnaws away at the vitals of true love and virtue, and destroys many precious souls that are ignorant of its devices. Ministers teachers, writers, and philanthropists should unite in waging relentless war against free love doctrines and free love spirits.

  CAUSES OF FREE LOVE.—The most potent cause of free love, and every other evil under the sun is the influence of the devil and depraved human nature; therefore in all cases of free love we may assign the primary cause to an ungodly spirit and a depraved heart; but there are different minor causes, or in other words, different circumstances, under which the soul is endangered to this vile spirit. Every man and woman has a weak place, and Satan is not unacquainted with this fact, so we must both watch and pray. Satan can get one person into trouble in a way which he dare not approach another; so he shifts his position to suit his subject; hence one falls a prey to free love, while another is led into some other trouble. Sometimes disappointment in marriage affords the proper soil in which the devil soon sows the seed of free love. Satan will come to the disappointed party and point out the admirable qualities in this one and that one and suggest that such would be a much more suitable companion than the one chosen. These suggestions are repeated until the tempted person loses all affection for the wedded companion and burns with illegal desire for first one and then another, till Satan has gotten the heart completely under control of a free love spirit. The affections of the human heart require attention, and the man or woman who neglects to cultivate the affections of his or her companion neglects a thing of more value than silver or gold.

  Undue familiarity also is a fertile field for the working of free love spirits. This, of course, opens up the way for both married and single persons to be led astray. Every gentleman owes a certain respect to all ladies, in his manners, speech, etc.; and every lady owes to herself, as well as to God, a certain reserve in all of her actions toward the opposite sex. Long acquaintance, religious connections, or even kindred ties should never induce either sex to overstep the bounds of modesty. This reserve is not a false modesty. However, private matters, and even things which are generally considered as [175] improper, may be talked of in a modest, delicate way, without the slightest shadow of indecency or forwardness. The motive which fills the heart and finds its way into the manners and speech tells more than all else.

  The doctrine of so called social purity is also err excellent instrument in the hands of the devil to destroy natural affection and propagate free love. The adherents of this false theory teach that the rights of the conjugal relation should be indulged in only for procreation, and often they change the natural use into that which is contrary to nature and throw open the door for discord and free love.

  The approach of free love is often so stealthy that the person affected is not aware where Satan is leading until the vile spirit has almost gained control. Its first suggestions are so polished and so seemingly free from wrong that the unsuspecting are often led astray a step at a time. Sometimes it requires years of subtle and cunning work for Satan to accomplish his design; but Satan, unlike many people, is never discouraged; so if he is not detected and sternly rebuked he toils on inch by inch, step by step, till he gains the ground he desires.

  The disgusting influence of a person controlled by a spirit of free love can be felt by others, and especially detected by the children of God who are taught on these lines. Conscientious souls have often been accused by the devil of being under a free love spirit when they could feel this awful influence in some one else. Of all abominable things to a pure man or woman, the unclean looks and actions of a person under a free love spirit are surely the most obnoxious.

  EFFECTS OF FREE LOVE. If the spirit of free love is allowed to have its course it invariably leads to the depths of shame and disgrace and plunges the soul into despair. A person under a free love spirit is like a drunkard, who at times longs for deliverance, but finds none. When in more considerate moments he views his condition it naturally brings remorse attended by despondency, and often it seems there is no way of escape. When a person has been captured by the spirit of free love one of four things generally occurs; the spirit and doctrine are renounced and deliverance is gained, prostitution is chosen, insanity ensues, or the despondent soul gives way to suicide. A great many cases of murder and suicide are caused directly or indirectly by the influence of free love. When a person has become bound by this spirit, a spirit of murder often accompanies [175] it, and when its wishes are interfered with the passions of free love will often wade through blood to accomplish the desired end.

  REMEDY.—The best and only sure remedy for free love, and every other work of the devil is the blood of Jesus Christ. Resolution and reformation are insufficient in most cases, to deliver the soul from the doctrine and spirit of free love. The cleansing stream, which if applied purifies the heart and cleanses the perverted passions, is the only sure route to permanent victory. The devil will often try to intimidate persons in this condition by telling them that they are too weak on this point to withstand him if they are set free. This is the devil's "scarecrow," for well he knows that if Jesus undertakes the case he is defeated. N is true that some persons may be weaker on this line than others, but to such God will give more grace. Christ, who has the keys of death and hell, would lock the archfiend in his den before He would suffer the least and weakest one who trusts in Him to be overcome.