CONTRADICTIONS IN COMMUNICATIONS

 

Every investigator, setting out with zeal in the cause which made such strong appeal to his desires, has at some period of his journey met with saddening experiences, which made him often regret his undertaking, or even forced him back to the old belief, or to skepticism. The cause has been a misunderstanding of the power and intelligence of spirits. They were endowed with infinite wisdom and power, after the old superstition that "a dead man knew more than the living." It has been a severe lesson to learn, that spirit life is only a continuity of this and at least for a time after entering it the spirit has limitations of knowledge, and presents the character it possessed in earthly life.

 

The perplexities of such investigators are clearly expressed by the following communication:

 

"I have had some experience, have been, I thought, mediumistic, but when I look over the field and see many of the stalwarts who do not believe in materialization; Dr. Peebles publishing—several years ago—a horoscope of Bryan, predicting his election; several of the smart set advocating reincarnation; A. J. Davis teaching that the planets are inhabited, except the moon; Swedenborg saying, it is, and you that none of them is by any beings similar to man; Mr. Davis and you teaching different locations for the spirit world, and the N. S. A., with a theosophical tail to it, I scarcely know whether I am a Spiritualist or not."

 

The position of this inquirer is not unique, nor does he stand alone. The conflicting views and interpretations perplex, and where it would be inferred that perfect agreement should exist, there are directly opposing statements. All this, however, is the flotsam on the surface. Because the millions of men do not agree; because they hold to almost as many beliefs as there are individuals, does not prove that the races of mankind do not exist. No more does this conflict prove spirit existence a myth. It simply shows that infallible statement has not been made and that we have a great deal to learn, however much we glorify the little we think we know. The old belief in the infallibility of spirits, should be among the first of which we should divest ourselves. There are spiritual beings who know vastly more than the best informed men; there are vast numbers who know less. Thousands of men "prophesied" and were so confident of their knowledge that they wagered large sums, and many would have wagered their lives, that a certain man would be elected president. There were as many more equally ready with pledges that he would not be. It is best to "cast a horoscope" after the event. All statements should be brought before the tribunal of reason, and if not demonstrated, held in abeyance until evidence is furnished.

 

All the disagreements that can be brought do not invalidate the affirmation of a single identified rap or the intelligent moving without human aid of a ponderable object; or identified spirit control.

 

Another writes despairingly: "We have a medium through whom the spirits order sulphur placed on the floor near where he sits, which is lighted, he says, by them. Why must it be sulphur, and why do our spirit friends prefer this manifestation?

 

"The spirits tell us through this medium that we must do housework and suffer from hard work and, worry when we get to the other side. If this is so, we feel that nothing is gained by the change."

 

The placing of sulphur on the floor and lighting it is a trick, and has no more relation to Spiritualism than the performance of a mountebank. As long as such performances are patronized by Spiritualists, the cause will be degraded before the public. If Spiritualism, after nearly fifty years, has to rely for evidence on such transparent charlatanry, we ought not to resent the criticism which follows.

 

There is a statement made by spirits that their world is as it is desired to be by its occupants. If we go there burdened with work and worry we shall not be able to cast it off readily. If we go desiring perfect peace and rest, we are assured it will be ours.

 

This correspondent expresses the thought that would come to every soul if the next life is to be such a wretched prolongation of this.

 

One who carefully pursued his research, writes of his discouragement:

 

"We have been holding circles, but have become almost discouraged, for we receive such conflicting communications, and can place no dependence on the communications we receive. How shall we avoid this, and gain truthful answers?"

 

On inquiry, almost invariably it is found that the circles at which such unreliable communications are received are held at such times as are most convenient to while away a leisure hour, to gratify curiosity; with skepticism, credulity and wonder in varying proportions.

 

There is instead of the clear, pure and harmonious atmosphere which should surround the circle, one of mixed and contending influences, dark with the crossing waves of the individuality of the members.

 

Every communication is the result of three dominant forces; that of the medium, the circle, and the spirit attempting to communicate. These often blend in a manner impossible to unravel, and leave it difficult to determine the source of the message received, or its credibility.

 

Such results have been a source of regret and a potent weapon in the hands of opposers. Yet had investigators sought to make the difficulty as great as possible, for spirits to transmit their thoughts correctly, they could not have better succeeded.

 

First, the members of the circle should be more interested in the subject which calls them together, for the time, than in any other. They should feel the sacredness of the hour, the place and the purpose. I use the word sacred with full thoughtfulness of its meaning, for what can be more sacred than the presence of the so-called dead? those whom we have dearly loved; who have disappeared from mortal sight beyond the shadows of the grave?

 

Spiritualists are constantly talking of "conditions," and yet they are less regardful of these than the churches. It is in accordance with spiritual laws to dedicate the church to the uses of worship and allow nothing else to come in confliction. The very walls become saturated with the thoughts of the worshipers who, year after year, congregate within them. The minister thus has a strong influence back of him, of which he forms the center and point of direction.

 

Contrast with this the public halls which are usually occupied by spiritual societies. Week days and evenings given over to every form of entertainment, from Punch and Judy shows to dances and the combats of partisan politics. On Sunday the sensitive speaker, vibrating like a harp to every influence, is expected to shut out all these discordant elements and speak with a seraph's tongue. If he fail in doing this he meets with condemnation. It is not astonishing that there are failures, or sad breaks in the influence, but it is wonderful that anything spiritual can be given under such antagonistic conditions.

 

Let us suppose that there has been a building erected and devoted to the one purpose of spiritual instruction. It is decorated with toned colors, and there is a restful hush from the beautifully upholstered seats to the artistically appointed rostrum. The place becomes filled with the "power of the spirit," and the speaker feels no discordant jar and is truly baptised with spirit power.

 

The same may be said of the circle. Its ideal would be to have a beautiful room devoted to its use—the table, paper, pens and pencils, every appointment, exclusively dedicated to its use. The members should be in sympathy, and feel that oneness in spirit which sinks all earthly life in the grandeur of the spiritual, which has eternity before its awakening possibilities, and desire to know of the realm beyond the horizon of the physical senses.

 

Let these circles be formed. They are the doorways to spiritual unfoldment and knowledge. Let them be formed in every home, for nowhere else do the departed loved ones more desire to come than to their old homes. Let such circles be formed on the lines here given and the one united thought be for the coming of the spirit of instructive truth. If spirit friends come, allow them to communicate by such means as they find most available. Do not press them for tests, but allow them to give such tests spontaneously at such times as they find themselves able to do. If discrepancies occur, be not in haste to assign them to evil, or lying spirits; rather seek to find the imperfection in the circle, or the conditions.

 

After the best efforts of science, inventive skill and lifelong training of operators, how often messages go over the wires that are imperfect! We go to the telephone that ordinarily gives distinct utterance, and the responding voice comes imperfectly, or mingled with so many other sounds we do not understand it. We do not say that the friend at the other end of the line is a fraud or a liar, but that the line is imperfect, or that it catches the vibrations from the earth or other lines. When Edison stretched a telephone wire around a mountain expecting to hear the detonations in the sun, he said he would have succeeded had he been able to shut out all the other influences, but it appeared that all the universe was playing on that circuit! Not only the sun, but the moon, the planets and the stars, and the magnetic currents of the earth mingled their vibrations in a bedlam of the elemental forces of creation!

 

Yet no one will accuse the telephone of recreancy, because it does not enable us to separate these blending voices.

 

Another investigator says his mother purported to communicate with him but could not give her name. At the next sitting she gave a name, carefully repeating it, but it was entirely wrong, and he distrusts all communications.

 

Yes, and as long as he is in such attitude, he will be in just the condition for the reception of conflicting and erroneous messages.

 

Almost every investigator has met with similar experiences, and there are several ways by which they may be explained. As yet, so little of the conditions by which certainty of control is known that we must proceed with great caution; we have only placed our feet on the threshold and have little knowledge to guide us. The reiteration of a message is no test of its truthfulness, no more than the repetition of a telegram would be if a, deceiving operator was at the sending office. We learn that ideas are impressed more readily than dates and names, the latter being seemingly among the most difficult feats of sensitives.

 

As the medium writes and speaks as influenced by the controlling spirit, precisely in the same manner and by the same laws of magnetism, as though that spirit were clothed in flesh, it will be seen that that influence is sustained by most subtile conditions.