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of evidence bearing on an important anthropological problem。
We are told （1 Sam。 xxviii。） that Saul； encamped at Gilboa；
became alarmed by the strength of the Philistine army gathered
at Shunem。 He therefore 〃inquired of Jahveh；〃 but 〃Jahveh
answered him not； neither by dreams； nor by Urim； nor
by prophets。〃 Thus deserted by Jahveh； Saul； in his
extremity； bethought him of 〃those that had familiar spirits；
and the wizards；〃 whom he is said； at some previous time； to
have 〃put out of the land〃； but who seem； nevertheless； to have
been very imperfectly banished； since Saul's servants； in answer
to his command to seek him a woman 〃that hath a familiar
spirit；〃 reply without a sign of hesitation or of fear； 〃Behold；
there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor〃； just as；
in some parts of England； a countryman might tell any one who
did not look like a magistrate or a policeman； where a 〃wise
woman〃 was to be met with。 Saul goes to this woman； who； after
being assured of immunity； asks； 〃Whom shall I bring up to
thee？〃 whereupon Saul says； 〃Bring me up Samuel。〃 The woman
immediately sees an apparition。 But to Saul nothing is visible；
for he asks； 〃What seest thou？〃 And the woman replies； 〃I see
Elohim coming up out of the earth。〃 Still the spectre remains
invisible to Saul； for he asks； 〃What form is he of？〃 And she
replies； 〃An old man cometh up； and he is covered with a robe。〃
So far； therefore； the wise woman unquestionably plays the part
of a 〃medium；〃 and Saul is dependent upon her version of
what happens。
The account continues：
And Saul perceived that it was Samuel； and he bowed with
his face to the ground and did obeisance。 And Samuel said to
Saul； Why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up？ And Saul
answered； I am sore distressed： for the Philistines make war
against me； and Elohim is departed from me and answereth me no
more； neither by prophets nor by dreams； therefore I have called
thee that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do。
And Samuel said； Wherefore then dost thou ask of me； seeing that
Jahveh is departed from thee and is become thine adversary？
And Jahveh hath wrought for himself； as he spake by me； and
Jahveh hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand and given it to
thy neighbour； even to David。 Because thou obeyedst not the
voice of Jahveh and didst not execute his fierce wrath upon
Amalek； therefore hath Jahveh done this thing unto thee this
day。 Moreover； Jahveh will deliver Israel also with thee into
the hands of the Philistines； and to…morrow shalt thou and thy
sons be with me： Jahveh shall deliver the host of Israel also
into the hand of the Philistines。 Then Saul fell straightway his
full length upon the earth and was sore afraid because of the
words of Samuel 。。。〃 （v。 14…20）。
The statement that Saul 〃perceived〃 that it was Samuel is not to
be taken to imply that； even now； Saul actually saw the shade of
the prophet； but only that the woman's allusion to the prophetic
mantle and to the aged appearance of the spectre convinced him
that it was Samuel。 Reuss in fact translates the passage
〃Alors Saul reconnut que c'etait Samuel。〃 Nor does the dialogue
between Saul and Samuel necessarily； or probably； signify that
Samuel spoke otherwise than by the voice of the wise woman。
The Septuagint does not hesitate to call her ＇Greek＇； that is to
say； a ventriloquist； implying that it was she who spokeand
this view of the matter is in harmony with the fact that the
exact sense of the Hebrew words which are translated as 〃a woman
that hath a familiar spirit〃 is 〃a woman mistress of Ob。〃
Ob means primitively a leather bottle； such as a wine
skin； and is applied alike to the necromancer and to the spirit
evoked。 Its use； in these senses； appears to have been suggested
by the likeness of the hollow sound emitted by a half…empty skin
when struck； to the sepulchral tones in which the oracles of the
evoked spirits were uttered by the medium。 It is most probable
that； in accordance with the general theory of spiritual
influences which obtained among the old Israelites； the spirit
of Samuel was conceived to pass into the body of the wise woman；
and to use her vocal organs to speak in his own namefor I
cannot discover that they drew any clear distinction between
possession and inspiration。
If the story of Saul's consultation of the occult powers is to
be regarded as an authentic narrative； or； at any rate； as a
statement which is perfectly veracious so far as the intention
of the narrator goesand； as I have said； I see no reason for
refusing it this characterit will be found； on further
consideration； to throw a flood of light； both directly and
indirectly； on the theology of Saul's countrymenthat is to
say； upon their beliefs respecting the nature and ways of
spiritual beings。
Even without the confirmation of other abundant evidences to the
same effect； it leaves no doubt as to the existence； among them；
of the fundamental doctrine that man consists of a body and of a
spirit； which last； after the death of the body； continues to
exist as a ghost。 At the time of Saul's visit to Endor； Samuel
was dead and buried； but that his spirit would be believed to
continue to exist in Sheol may be concluded from the well…known
passage in the song attributed to Hannah； his mother：
Jahveh killeth and maketh alive；
He bringeth down to Sheol and bringeth up。
（1 Sam。 ii。 6。）
And it is obvious that this Sheol was thought to be a place
underground in which Samuel's spirit had been disturbed by the
necromancer's summons； and in which； after his return thither；
he would be joined by the spirits of Saul and his sons when they
had met with their bodily death on the hill of Gilboa。 It is
further to be observed that the spirit； or ghost； of the dead
man presents itself as the image of the man himselfit is the
man； not merely in his ordinary corporeal presentment （even down
to the prophet's mantle） but in his moral and intellectual
characteristics。 Samuel； who had begun as Saul's friend and
ended as his bitter enemy； gives it to be understood that he is
annoyed at Saul's presumption in disturbing him； and that； in
Sheol； he is as much the devoted servant of Jahveh and as much
empowered to speak in Jahveh's name as he was during his sojourn
in the upper air。
It appears now to be universally admitted that； before the
exile； the Israelites had no belief in rewards and punishments
after death； nor in anything similar to the Christian heaven and
hell； but our story proves that it would be an error to suppose
that they did not believe in the continuance of individual
existence after death by a ghostly simulacrum of life。 Nay； I
think it would be very hard to produce conclusive evidence that
they disbelieved in immortality； for I am not aware that there
is anything to show th