"I became a writing medium, then able
to hear messages, not audible sounds but the mind's ideas of the sound
as a person can notes of music without sound. From a materialist, I was
thoroughly convinced of a life beyond. But my experience has been such
that I have resolved to leave all further investigation until I go to
the spirit world. I was so thoroughly hypnotized that I had to do
everything I was bidden to do, which I did not want to do. For instance,
I was kept at home all day when I ought to have been at my work; made to
curse my wife, and was one night in a trance and she thought me dying,
and when allowed to come to my work was made to act so funny that my
friends took me home and a dozen kept
watch of me for fear I would injure
my family. All this while I fully knew
everything, and saw the suffering of
my family, but could not help it. I was told, and believed that if I
resisted, I would be made hopelessly
insane. It is needless to tell you
what horrors I suffered."
This instance clearly shows the
danger of mediumship when the subject is unprepared and does not
understand its laws and conditions. Had he prepared himself by a series
of sittings, and learned the necessities which guard the medium, he
would not have become the subject of such serious complications. He
being exceedingly sensitive, was taken possession of
by an unscrupulous spirit, and
unwittingly surrendered his selfhood. There
are a great many cases of insanity
having this origin. The unfortunate victims are so completely under
control that they are not themselves, and when confined in an asylum,
the insane atmosphere formed of the
emanations of the unfortunate
inmates, becomes the most favorable means of further control, and often
real insanity results.
As the spirit controls by means of
mesmerism, in such cases, as well as the similar ones which are sent to
the asylum, hypnotism or mesmerism is the most potent corrective. If the
magnetizer can gain control, he can hold
it against the spirit until the will
becomes strengthened and able to sustain
itself. If this is not practicable,
it is best for the medium to engage in active pursuits, and refrain
from seances. After he has learned to
have control over himself and thus
avoid undesirable influences, he may
again allow of spirit influence.
