WISDOM OF MEDIUMS.

 

MEDIUMS of writing with the aid of spirits, are wise or unwise. Mediums who write with the aid of circles, competent to instruct them, are wise. Mediums who write with the aid of circles, incompetent to instruct them, are unwise. Spirits differ in their degrees of wisdom, as minds in the body differ. All are not equally advanced in the wisdom of God. The most advanced spirits are drawn by corresponding conditions to mediums whose minds can appreciate the wisdom which they possess. An advanced mind in the b

ody will not be controlled by spirits inferior to itself. Neither will inferior spirits attempt it. It is a law of mind, that congenial affinities love each other. They are attracted to each other, and they will sympathize with each other. The mind of an unadvanced spirit seeks a medium who will not be ashamed of the ignorance acknowledged; but when the medium is advanced to a condition of wisdom which will make the ignorance unacceptable, the spirit must either advance also, or leave the medium to other guardians. Mediums are chosen by spirits favorable to the objects which they wish, to attain. If a person can be controlled by a spirit, and if the person be ignorant, a high circle of spirits would not choose such person to be a medium of their messages to others. It would be unwise for a spirit to employ a medium of its will to others, who did not understand the subject of which he was the bearer.

 

When a medium receives a communication he does not understand, it will do him no good. When he receives a written article by the aid of spirits, developing a wisdom above his capacity of comprehension, it will do him no good. He is not instructed by such wisdom. Indeed, his condition is such that he rebels against wisdom which was attempted to be unfolded to his mind. When he rebels against the counsel which the spirit wishes to impart, he makes himself positive and uncontrollable. The spirit can not force a correct expression of its thoughts upon the mind of a person who is positive against it. It would disturb the law of harmony, to control against the will of the medium. Hence, the mind of the medium, being incapable of understanding things too far removed from its comprehension by reason of its undeveloped condition, must be content to receive such disclosures as are adapted to its circumstances. If a medium would improve his condition, he must not reject the wisdom which constitutes the improvement. If he would not improve his condition, it is useless to be a medium. He may be aided to write, and he may write what is within the range of his wisdom, but there will be no progress, unless be will receive what is not in his possession.

 

It is most satisfactory to mediums and others to receive a confirmation of what they know. When they receive the confirmation, the mind is in no degree advanced. It is no wiser than before. And yet to write wisdom, which will not confirm opinions, produces rebellion. It increases distrust. It overcomes confidence. It excites the mind. Excitement of the mind is will against control. Will against control is defeat of truth. It is not revealed. Errors occur. Errors are taken for facts. Taking errors for facts disappoints the medium. He is vexed. Vexation makes him still more uncontrollable, and mistakes are more frequent. He, then, assumes that an evil spirit has been writing with him. The communication is not reliable. It abounds in contradictions and absurdities. No good spirit could indite the writing. The mind is disgusted, and writes the same as before. The whole secret of this matter is the want of passiveness. The anxiety, care, vexation, disgust, desire, and wish, unfit the mind for control by spirits. So, also does excessive labor, fatigue, disease, surprise, or any other cause which increases the positive condition of the medium. And yet, under all these disadvantages, spirits are sometimes able to write some sentences correctly. When they write incorrectly is when they can not control, as they would, the disadvantages enumerated. There is no greater evil for the medium to overcome, than the antagonism, of a condition not wholly passive to our will. This is the evil spirit who writes incorrect communications. It is the evil of self. It is the evil of unsubdued condition. It is the evil that thwarts the purpose of the spirit. It is the evil which spirits must overcome to write correctly. It is the evil which has been imputed to spirits. It will not write the truth. Who is to blame? The medium wishes to be passive, but fails. The spirit wishes to control, but fails. The failure disappoints, but who intends a failure? Do either? The medium certainly would avoid it, because he would not be deceived. The spirit certainly would not wish to deceive, for what has any spirit to gain by deceiving? The spirit who deceives is not in wisdom to control. The spirit who deceives is deceived. But is the spirit deceived in what it knows? Can a spirit be deceived intentionally? Do not contradictions imply an intention? Mediums suppose they do. Mediums must learn wisdom. No spirit can deceive without a motive to wrong, unless it be deceived. What motive to wrong can any spirit of this sphere have? Will the wrong make that spirit happier? If it will, it is not a wrong to that spirit. If it will not, what motive can induce the wrong? No spirit can act without a motive. The motive must be either good or bad. If good, it will do good to the extent of its ability; if bad, otherwise, to the same extent. Has any spirit done evil to mind without a motive to injure? Who has been injured by a spirit? Has the medium? He may say, I have been deceived by an incorrect communication. But who is to blame? Did not the spirit do all it could do to write correctly? If so, what evil was there in the effort? Was the spirit responsible for the failure? Is it responsible for not doing what it could not do? It endeavored to control conditions, but the conditions were not submissive. They would not yield. They were above its capacity to overcome, and because the spirit did not do what it could not, was it evil? Will the medium allow this rule of judgment to be applied to himself? He ought not to judge spirits by a rule, which he is unwilling to be judged by himself. Would he be willing to be called evil, because he did not succeed in doing every thing, he intended? Had spirits done every thing they have designed, no complaint would arise. The errors, which have been a subject of complaint and vexation, would not have occurred.

 

Mediums must learn the truth. They are not wise without it. When the truth is revealed, they will find that what they have supposed was the work of evil spirits, was neither more nor less than the unavoidable result of uncontrollable circumstances. They will find that correct communications have teen made, when the spirit could control the conditions so as to write correctly. They will find that when the conditions are not submissive, the highest circle of spirits can not write correctly, and, they will find that such spirits, being incompetent to control all conditions, have been charged by mediums and others with writing falsehood and deception. Nor is it an uncommon thing for persons to accuse their nearest relatives in this sphere of a baseness they would not dare to affirm when they were in the body. All for what? Because they have tried to write the truth, but failed—failed because the condition of the medium made it impossible. But the medium asks, Why do spirits try to write when they can not control the medium? Why make an effort which results in deceiving the medium or others? We will write as we will with this medium. We will explain. We will answer the questions.

 

Mediums who are not passive need to become passive. They are not what is desirable without it, neither can a correct communication be given when the conditions are not under the control of the communicating spirit. To gain this control over the conditions, and make them submissive to our will, exercise in writing is indispensably necessary. We can not control without exercise, neither can we exercise without control. When we exercise a medium we must move him. That is not an exercise which does not control to move. When we move we must do something. We can not move without it. The movement is exercise. It is one form of the exercise necessary to control the medium. By movement we write, and we write as we can. We write, and when we write we exercise the medium. By this exercise we gain control. He gradually becomes passive, and the conditions yield to our power.

 

During the progress of disciplinary exercise, the medium will write as the spirit can. The spirit will not write as it can not. In some exercises, it can write correctly, and in others it has not succeeded.

 

Why then write? Ask the school boy. Ask him why he takes the pen—he can not write. He takes the pen to learn. He moves his hand, and the movement is an exercise to gain control, and learn how to form the letters correctly. Does he succeed? He succeeds to move his hand. But how are the letters and words formed? Are there no errors, and is he an evil spirit because of those errors? There is a true copy before him. Why does he not imitate the copy? Alas! discipline must be had. Exercise must remedy defects. Instruction must control deficiencies. But why does he write? He replies, I write to learn. I write to remedy the defect of ignorance. Will the medium understand why spirits write, when they are unable to write correctly? Does he need to be informed, the they write as well as they can. Need he be told, that they imitate the copy of truth in nature, as well as they can control the hand to form the letters? The medium does not see the copy, but the spirit who controls, as it can, sees it. The spirit endeavors to imitate it, to write it exactly; but the medium complains because it is not better executed. Has he not reason to be thankful for the aid which moves the hand? Is not the movement of a hand, without the exercise of any volition on the part of a medium evidence of an invisible power? Is it not evidence of the presence of spirits? And is not the evidence of the presence of spirits of more consequence to human enjoyment than all other things?

 

Mediums must learn wisdom, or not be wise. They must not write without aid from spirits. When they receive aid, it is not from an evil spirit. Aid is not evil. Aid to make the mind wise is not evil. And what is not evil can not be imparted by that which is evil. Evil can not do good. Evil can only produce evil. An evil spirit could not, and would not do good. What is good is not evil. Good spirits may be unable to control all things. Good spirits may be unable to write correctly with all who desire it. Under the circumstances, what will the medium do? Will he wait patiently, or will he condemn those who may wisely act, and do all they can for his benefit? Some will write as we can, others will refuse our aid. But who suffers? Has the medium no faith in good spirits? Has he no hope of redemption? Are evil spirits always to disturb his repose? Why do evil spirits haunt one medium and not another? Is he more in affinity with that class? He does not welcome their presence, and yet they write what he rejects. What is the reason? Why are some persons more troubled with evil spirits than others? No evil spirit comes to write with this medium, why should they with others? We will write the explanation.

 

Mediums write with the aid of spirits. Spirits control as they can. Spirits do not control what mediums write without their aid. Mediums are controlled by other causes, which make them positive against the will of spirits. In this condition they are only partially controlled by us. When they are only partially under our control, the medium controls what we do not control. By control, we mean control of the hand and mind of the medium. Though we are able to move the hand, yet, if we can not control the mind so as to be without influence of aid or resistance to the movement, the writing will be imperfect. Mediums discover the imperfection, anti impute the same to the influence of an evil spirit. When they have determined this conclusion, they are not passive, but otherwise. The will of determination is against us. That will controls. That will appears in the writing. It is not the will of the spirit. He alleges that an evil spirit writes. This is the decision. The decision is written, but written as his will controls. But why did the spirit move to write what was wrong? The spirit did not move to write what was wrong. It moved to write what was true, but the will of determination, being against the spirit, controlled the movement wrong. The medium is not passive, and the will of the spirit is defeated. But why does the spirit write again the same thing? It writes to correct the error. It controls all it can, but defeat is realized. Is the spirit evil? Who, then, is not evil? The spirit is baffled, and the failure is what the conditions render unavoidable. That which is unavoidable is not criminal, but, when disappointment ensues, it is unfortunate. Such is what we see in the first stage of progress with mediums.

 

Mediums desire correct communications. Spirits desire to gratify them. The medium calls for a communication from some friend in the spirit world. The spirit comes. He is present. The medium asks the spirit to write his name. The spirit refuses. The medium then doubts the presence of such spirit. He doubts what has been written. The doubting is will in resistance. It is agitation in opposition. The agitation is wilt controlled by spirits. Under this condition, little else need be expected than confusion. The writing will be as discordant as the mind is disqualified. But why do spirits attempt it? The attempt is to exercise, to gain control. Without the exercise no progress could be made. But why did the spirit refuse to write its name? There are many reasons in most cases. The medium is not controlled by spirits to write what is known. He is not a medium to control spirits, but to be controlled by them. Be may be in a condition so positive as to prevent the spirit from writing the name. He may be in a condition which, if like tests were to be answered, would summon the curious, who would annoy him, and divert the object of his office from the design of spirits. He may be in a condition which, to answer such questions, would make him useless as a medium of writing, by increasing the positive will of his mind against spirits. His anxiety, his solicitude about such tests, together with the astonishing nature of our answers, accompanied as they often would be with recital to others, would render excitement the theme of his being, without encouraging that dispassionate investigation with which all truth should be pursued. And besides, there are some temperaments of that character, which would be most sure to be disadvantageously affected by conditions, which are not calculated to promote passiveness to the will of spirits. Refusal is a test of wisdom, when the mind needs it. The mind needs it, when evil is prevented by it. Evil is sometimes prevented by withholding evidence of the identity of spirits.

 

Minds in the body are partial to spirits. Some will rely on one, and some on another. Spirits do not wish to encourage this partiality. It is wrong. What we say will not be contradicted by any other spirit. But the practice, which selects one spirit in preference to another, is not always wise. The practice is unwise, in most cases. What is unwise, we do not wish to encourage. This will account for refusals which have not been in harmony with inquirers who have sought to test our identity. Tests of identity are groper and improper. They will be answered or not, as they are proper or improper. They are proper under certain conditions of the mind, and they are improper under other conditions. If we desire to make a medium of the inquirer, the less test, questions are answered, the more passive be will be to our control; because his anxiety and expectation being less active, qualify him sooner to write than he otherwise would do. The medium will be sooner prepared without encouragement than with it, in most cases. He will write what spirits write, and no more. He will not expect to direct us when no encouragements to that effect have been offered. But if spirits were to write answers to test questions, this book could not have been written by us with this medium. To answer such questions would gratify the inquirer, but it would also absorb the whole time of the medium. In view of such wisdom, inquirers may learn the reason for what we have done, or not done. Soon we shall make known other reasons. We shall not refuse what will be profitable to mind to know, when in our power to make it known. But minds need not be told, that we do not know every thing. Neither need they be informed that spirits are not infinite in wisdom. Some spirits are more wise than others. And mediums would do well to concentrate their minds on such as are capable of telling them something which they do not know, instead of consulting those, no wiser than themselves, in which case greater power of control might be exercised over them, and fewer errors occur in writing.

 

Mediums must not expect perfect communication sin imperfect conditions. No spirit, who has ever communicated a message to men, is as perfect as it will be. Perfection belongs to God alone. Spirits are only perfect in degree: So far as they fall short of the infinite wisdom of God, just so far are they imperfect. What reliance, then, can be placed on a communication, originating in a spirit of imperfect wisdom? What confidence can a mind exercise in any writing, not under the direct control of God? How many mediums have ever been under such control? No one is now moved to write by the direct control of God. No one ever was moved to write by such control. The wisdom of God was never engaged in the infinite plenitude of its fullness, to control any human mind. Alt revelation has been made through agencies. These agencies are spirits. Spirits are agents of God to reveal wisdom.

 

But they can only reveal the wisdom they possess, and that wisdom is not infinite. Can mind rely upon that wisdom? If it can not, what will it rely upon? It will not rely upon that which is not wisdom. There is no reliance which can be safely trusted, if wisdom be rejected. Let the mind reject the limited wisdom which has been revealed, and who suffers? What condition will that mind be in, if it reject wisdom, because it is not infinite? Suppose it were possible to disclose infinite wisdom, would the mind comprehend it? Infinite wisdom is disclosed in the infinity of God's works, but what spirit comprehends what it has not seen or examined? What spirit has surveyed that which has no limit? And if it has not comprehended infinity, how can it impart to others that which it does not itself possess? How can it describe what it has not seen, or make known that which it does not know?

 

Mediums and others are interested to receive communications from the highest possible circle in this sphere. Some will not be satisfied, unless the communications originate from Jesus, and others demand even his signature to command their respect. The condition of mind, which repudiates the truth, unless sanctioned by a name, is peculiarly unfortunate. Whatever of respect mind may cherish for the names of wise men of other generations, their names have nothing to do with facts, and were it possible for such spirits to respond directly to the inquirer, the response would not differ from the answer we should return. Jesus would answer as the condition of the inquirer demanded. He would answer to instruct him in wisdom, and he would adapt his measure of wisdom to the understanding of his auditor. Would we not do the same? Would it be serviceable to do otherwise? Hence, it matters not to the mind instructed, who teaches, only so that wisdom is taught as is adapted to the improvement of the mind. What one spirit would say, another would say; for there is no inharmony in the mode of instruction with spirits.

But mediums have their partialities and their preferences. One must have the sanction of Paul, another of Luke, a third of John, and a fourth of Matthew. This will satisfy them. It might not satisfy others. They would not believe that the apostles of Jesus who lived in the body more than eighteen hundred years ago, have really condescended to visit so remote a generation and re-perform the duties which they have once discharged. Indeed, the law of progress involves the supposition in difficulty. Eighteen centuries ought to advance spirits sufficiently in the wisdom of God to teach spirits. And what this period of time ought to have done has been done. They are the teachers of the second sphere, as we would be of the first. As we are taught by them, so we teach others. That Paul, or any other apostle of Jesus, has directly communicated with minds in the body is not true; but it is true, that they have communicated through the agency of those they have sought to instruct. What is communicated in the name of the apostles is not true of them in person, but is true of them by agency. Spirits of this sphere are students in the school of wisdom, and the wise of other generations are our teachers. The students of this school communicate the wisdom they have received, and in the degree they have found. Whatever they have found of wisdom is from above. They have received wisdom as they have progressed, and progressed as they have received. That wisdom is from the sphere of the apostles. Hence, the student imparting the knowledge desired, gives it the sanction of those names which will command veneration. The spirit, not being the author of the wisdom it has received, allows the credit to a higher circle and sphere, who have instructed him. No spirit above wisdom in the second circle, would adopt a signature not its own. It is a degree of wisdom common among minds in the body, but wisdom of more elevated circles prefer no dissimulation to encourage a sentiment, which the wisdom of heaven will forever uphold. It is not consistent with human understanding, whatever may be the truth with spirits.

 

Mediums and others, who rely upon names, are likely to reject the truth, when the name of the instructor is not of their peculiar faith. They often set aside facts when presented by a spirit against whom their minds are biased. If the spirit entertains views dissimilar to their own, while in the body, they feel a degree of repugnance to his instruction. They regard his views with distrust. Hence, the announcement of the real name of the communicating spirit, is sometimes properly withheld. It would do harm to make it known, because it would prevent the truth from being received by those who need it. The medium is not prepared by instruction to understand, that what might have, been the opinion of the spirit in the body, that opinion is subject to the control of facts in this sphere. The experience of over fifty years has wrought many changes in the mind of the writer and his associates. We are not unbelievers in revelation now. We are not in many things as we once were. Nevertheless, the medium makes no allowances. He judges from what he has heard or read. Hence, the writing of a name is nearly equivalent in his mind to an endorsement of the peculiar views of the individual while in the body. An endorsement of those views would be detrimental to the progress of mind, because some of them were erroneous. No spirit who communicated with the prophets, or inspired the apostles of Jesus, ever gave its name. No spirit who writes with mediums in this age will give its name, unless the conditions of mind require it, and no wrong impression of sentiment be encouraged by it. The names of guardian spirits will sometimes be given, as they have been; but the interested must know only what is adapted to the good of mind.

 

Mediums will learn that wisdom may be imparted to them from a circle, which is not as they are. Some mediums have complained because the communications received, contradicted their views of wisdom. They have solicited communications from spirits who would write agreeably to their wish. They have been accommodated. Were they satisfied with what they asked and received? No; but they were more discouraged than ever. They wanted nothing which would contradict their wisdom. The spirit wrote only as they requested, wrote what they desired, wrote only their minds, and were they satisfied? Alas! Then, they said, it was their own minds. Then they said, it was of no use for them to sit, because spirits wrote only what they thought, or might have thought. Then they said, other mediums do the same, and though the hand be moved by aid of spirits, yet there is no wisdom in the writing. Who is to blame? Did not the spirit write as circumstances demanded? The medium would not submit to a contradiction of his wisdom. Such contradiction he would impute to an evil spirit. The evil spirit could not correct him, because he would not obey. He must have something agreeing with his notions of consistency and truth. He would have nothing else. That he received. With that he is dissatisfied. Who is to blame? Is the medium? No. What then? It is the condition of his mind. He is not passive. That condition must be changed. He will not change it. He opposes what will change it. But who suffers? The medium may answer this question.

 

Mediums desire what is most agreeable to their minds. They write with our aid. But they wish spirits to aid them in many ways. Some desire us to write what we do not know. Others desire us to write only what will advance their temporal gain. When we are asked what we do not know, how shall we answer? We will answer, but our answer is not satisfactory. The medium thinks the spirit should know, and, if it do not know, he distrusts its ability to communicate any truth. He is mistaken. The spirit may know what it is improper to communicate, lest others be injured by it. It may not know and yet learn. It may write, that it is not a subject which belongs to the object of its mission. But nothing will satisfy. Spirits are not spirits, because the demand of the medium is not complied with. Who suffers? We see who suffers. We see some mediums who have refused to sit for communications. We see the reason. We see other reasons, and we see what we will not do to give them satisfaction. We will not write an untruth. We will not write as they demand. We will write what is proper and true, what is wise and good. Such persons as will not sit to receive communications of this character, must write with their own wisdom to control, and receive the reward which it has to bestow.

 

Mediums will earn that wisdom is not in silver or gold. Persons sometimes seek information of spirits, respecting concealed treasures. Mediums qualified to write with the aid of spirits, will write what they must do to find it. The treasures of heaven are what spirits seek to disclose. Mediums will find what is worth more than earthly treasures, if they do their duty. They will find what wealth can not purchase. But when others desire to consult spirits to aid them through mediums to find gold or silver in the earth, the wisdom of this circle will not gratify them. It is not our object to make men rich without industry, nor even then in any other thing but such as we possess. The medium who desires to aid in such an enterprise as most concerns worldly wisdom, the getting of gold, will assuredly be disappointed. It cannot be otherwise. The desire and anxiety which he will necessarily feel on so exciting a subject, will control the wisdom exercised by spirits to enlighten minds. No medium should allow himself to sit for any such investigation. The whole matter will end in confusion and disappointment. We see who have been deceived, and deceived by their own condition. When mediums wish to realize the truth, they must be passive. When they are not passive, they will not rely on what may be written. If they would know the truth, we would write it; but when it is impossible to write the truth, no blame should be attached to us for what is wrong. Under the excitement of money-seeking, it is not possible for a spirit to control the subject, as it would be in most cases beyond its power. Nevertheless, the spirit may attempt it. It may try to dissuade the mind from the whole subject. But we see that only a few mediums are sufficiently passive to write what will do good. We see minds operating to find money in some secluded quarter of the earth. We see them operating mostly with undeveloped mediums. They often consult clairvoyants. Clairvoyants are no more reliable than writers. They will see, but what do they see? Do they see what spirits unfold? If so, all is well. But if they see what the will of the operator mirrors on the mind, must it necessarily be true? In the first stages of clairvoyance, as in writing, the medium is not passive. When the medium is not passive, he is not under the control of spirits. Who, then, does control? The one who operates. The one who operates controls when we do not. Who operates with clairvoyants? Who overcomes their normal condition? Cannot he who overcomes the normal condition transfer his impressions, or even the impressions of the company to the subject? And if he will an impression on the mind of the clairvoyant, and the clairvoyant utter that impression, whose impression or work is it? Certainly spirits have had nothing to do with the whole matter. The medium is a medium of human thought, and if the thought should deceive any one, who would be to blame?

 

In this way minds in the body, will see that what has been imputed to spirits does not belong to them, but originates with the deceived mind who operates so as to induce the impression. There need be no reliance on what is communicated under such a state of things. But if minds in the body desire to pursue their own work, and be guided by their own impressions, they must be willing to receive the reward they have sought—disappointment. We will write what clairvoyants and others, soliciting aid in such matters, will find true to their progress in wisdom. Never sit for such a purpose, until spirits shall direct. When they direct, they will control all things well. But when we direct, who wilt write the truth, or what conditions are necessary to the attainment of facts? We will answer. When the truth is desired, and nothing but the truth no will of others will be exercised over the mind of the medium, save what is impressed by spirits. What we impress will be reliable. But what others in the body may do, is not a work for which we are responsible. The medium should be free from surrounding influences of minds in the body. He should, not be controlled by them. But this condition is not always attainable in the early progress of mediums. It requires time and discipline to write only what will be found true. The medium will be able to decide this qualification. When spirits can control him to write what they will, and, if necessary, contradict the expressed opinions of others who are present, it may be regarded as evidence, that he has become so passive as to be competent to communicate only the truth. But, when the medium shrinks under the contradiction of inquiries, and writes only in harmony with their expressed will, no reliance need be placed on the communication. Whatever control the spirit may have exercised, it was not competent to write as was designed. The same rule will hold good in regard to clairvoyants. The clairvoyant, who yields to the contradiction of other minds, is seen to be under their control, and so far as he may yield, so far error will be inwoven with his subject. Hence, persons seeking for the truth would do well not to will, wish, or desire any thing; but let the medium say what is truth as aid is given. These hints are not intended for those mediums whom discipline has qualified for a faithful discharge of their duties, but for such as are not wholly passive to our control. The medium who writes will know when he is passive by what we have written. He can very readily inform himself how far his communications are reliable by the concern and desire, which he has exercised while in the attitude of writing. He may well know by the character of his communications. If they are contradictory or untruthful, he will see that he is not passive, and consequently needs more discipline and time to prepare him for the office he holds.

 

We see some who become impatient, but we see others patient. We shall succeed with the latter, but not with the former. It is our wish to gain control of all minds, to make all persons mediums of wisdom. We design to do what others who are mediums well understand. We would reform the world. We would harmonize the conflicting conditions of humanity. We would impress the wisdom of heaven on the hearts of men. We would glorify God. We would write his wisdom on the temple of his hands. We would work his grace and truth into all minds. But who will aid our endeavor?

 

The medium who is submissive to our control. The medium whom we can inspire with the song of redemption. The medium whose mind is impressible by our works of impression. The medium who is not controlled by human weakness and folly. The medium who writes without fear or favor of men. The medium who is not controlled by the ignorance of sectarian idolatry. The medium who writes without wrongs of deceived minds to influence. The medium who seeks truth and wisdom from heaven. Such will be mediums of light and peace to the world in darkness and contention. Such will be heralds of salvation to minds in sorrow and despair. Such will be messengers of wisdom and bliss to minds in ignorance and tears. The medium who serves God by doing good to the world, will receive a crown of rejoicing which the wisdom of earth has not to bestow, when the opening world of light shall break upon his spirit from the sphere where angels dwell. Then what spirits have done to make him wiser, will be wisdom to make him happier. Then what he has sacrificed in works of good to his race, will be more than what works of indifference to the voice of angels, can impart. Then what he now sees only in part will be more fully revealed, and he will not need what others will need, when they reach the city beyond the valley of darkness and doubt. Then what we have written and taught in these pages will be understood, and obeyed. Then wisdom will write with him and inspire him with the blessedness of God. Then the writing of spirits will be no new theme; for he will see who controls, and the wisdom that controls all conditions of mind, so as to instruct and write what will do good. Then Jesus will write for him, and what he writes will not be disregarded but obeyed, and his spirit will progress in the knowledge of the truth forever and ever.