In The Days

• Source: AP
• News Date: 3/8/10
• Submitted By: Steve Doran

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The rare spirits that went under the gavel at a recent online auction in New Zealand weren’t aged brandies or hard-to-find liqueurs.

To view dictionary popup window put your cursor on the blue scripture words

Perilous Times

“This know also, that in the last days perilous•Strongs 5467: chalepos, khal-ep-os´; perhaps from 5465 through the idea of reducing the strength; difficult, i.e. dangerous, or (by implication) furious:—fierce, perilous. times shall come.”
—2 Timothy 3:1-2a

Editors note about the word perilous•FYI: The Greek word (chalepos) (perilous) is only used one other time in the New Testament, Matthew 8:28. There it is translated as (fierce) when describing the nature of the devils that possess Legion and his cohort.

Doctrines of Devils

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing•Strongs 4108: planos, plan´-os; of uncertain affinity; roving (as a tramp), i.e. (by implication) an impostor or misleader; — deceiver, seducing. spirits, and doctrines•Strongs 1319: didaskalia, did-as-kal-ee´-ah; from 1320; instruction (the function or the information): — doctrine, learning, teaching. of devils;”
—1Timothy 4:1

Instead, two glass vials purportedly containing the ghosts of two dead people sold for $2,830 New Zealand dollars ($1,983) at an auction that ended Monday night.

The “ghosts” were put up for bidding by Avie Woodbury from the southern city of Christchurch. She said they were captured in her house and stored in glass vials with stoppers and dipped in holy water, which she says “dulls the spirits’ energy.”

She said they were the spirits of an old man who lived in the house during the 1920s, and a powerful, disruptive little girl who turned up after a session with a spirit-calling Ouija board. Since an exorcism at the property last July led to their capture, there has been no further spooky activity in the house, she said.

The auction attracted more than 214,000 page views and dozens of questions before the winning bid, Trademe auction site spokesman Paul Ford said Tuesday. The name of the winning bidder was not released.

Woodbury said that once an “exorcist’s fee” has been deducted, the proceeds of the spirit sale will go to the animal welfare group the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.