the door of the house where the brethren were
assembled, the servant whom they sent to open it, hearing Peter's
voice, thought it was his spirit, or an angel[329] who had assumed his
form and voice. The wicked rich man, being in the flames of hell,
begged of Abraham to send Lazarus to earth, to warn his brothers[330]
not to expose themselves to the danger of falling like him in the
extreme of misery: he believed, without doubt, that souls could return
to earth, make themselves visible, and speak to the living.

In the transfiguration of Jesus Christ, Moses, who had been dead for
ages, appeared on Mount Tabor with Elias, conversing with Jesus Christ
then transfigured.[331] After the resurrection of the Saviour, several
persons, who had long been dead, arose from their graves, went into
Jerusalem and appeared unto many.[332]

In the Old Testament, King Saul addresses himself to the witch of
Endor, to beg of her to evoke for him the soul of Samuel;[333] that
prophet appeared and spoke to Saul. I know that considerable
difficulties and objections have been formed as to this evocation and
this apparition of Samuel. But whether he appeared or not--whether the
Pythoness did really evoke him, or only deluded Saul with a false
appearance--I deduce from it that Saul and those with him were
persuaded that the spirits of the dead could appear to the living, and
reveal to them things unknown to men.

St. Augustine, in reply to Simplicius, who had proposed to him his
difficulties respecting the truth of this apparition, says at
first,[334] that it is no more difficult to understand that the demon
could evoke Samuel by the help of a witch than it is to comprehend how
that Satan could speak to God, and tempt the holy man Job, and ask
permission to tempt the apostles; or that he could transport Jesus
Christ himself to the highest pinnacle of the Temple of Jerusalem.

We may believe also that God, by a particular dispensation of his
will, may have permitted the demon to evoke Samuel, and make him
appear before Saul, to announce to him what was to happen to him, not
by virtue of magic, not by the power of the demon alone, but solely
because God willed it, and ordained it thus to be.

He adds that it may be advanced that it is not Samuel who appears to
Saul, but a phantom, formed by the illusive power of the demon, and by
the force of magic; and that the Scripture, in giving the name of
Samuel to this phantom, has made use of ordinary