CAN SPIRITS READ EACH OTHERS' THOUGHTS?

 

It is a mistake that the minds of spirits are an open book to each other. In fact only those who are in unison of thought, who are attuned in harmony, are able to read each others' thoughts "as in an open book," and in such there is no desire for concealment. In all other cases, the will of the spirit determines whether its thoughts be known or not, and to whom.

 

TRY THE SPIRITS.

 

We often hear it said: "Try the spirits;" but no rule is given whereby to try them, and as many spirits are lying spirits, others may be good, yet their replies come from knowledge and prejudice acquired in earth life, and from accidents thrown around them in spirit life, so we may be led astray by both good and bad spirits. By what rule shall we try the spirits?

 

The same methods and rules apply to spirit communications that do to those from the sphere around us. We are constantly obliged to exercise our reason and best judgment, and even then often are deceived. We have to contend with the same obstacles in our daily intercourse with those around us that we do in receiving, messages from the departed. There is one important factor met in our intercourse with the latter, however, their invisibility, which is really the great difficulty to overcome. They stand behind the veil and are revealed, as it were, by glimpses. We receive what they give us, and must test it in the crucible of reason.

 

First we must order our circle in the harmony of fraternal love, and thus present the best conditions for reception. An earnest, pure, unselfish mind, attracts intelligences of its own sphere, and is the one safeguard against disturbing influences. Thus prepared, when communications are received they are to be taken on their intrinsic worth and evidence. Ages of training have left the impress on our minds of the infallibility of spirits, which must be overcome. They are like the mortals they were in the earthly bodies, and prove their identity by the manifestation of their individuality as known to us.

 

If a communication is pure in expression, exalting and "making for righteousness" in spiritual living, its source is of little consequence, for the fruit is good. If otherwise, it should be rejected whoever may claim to impart it. If by invisibility, or, rather, intangibility, we cannot try the spirits with such definite results as would please us, we can try their communications, and if we do this with impartial judgment, all detrimental influences are overcome.

 

It is to be feared that we too often "try the spirits" with our own conduct and the state of mind with which we approach them. Before we accuse them of deception, and frivolous communications, let us make sure we have no selfish promptings to use the knowledge they will give us for personal aggrandizement.

 

If we want spirituality we must command it in ourselves; if we want pure and wise spirits to commune with us, we must be pure and wise as we would have them.

 

INFLUENCE OF THE PHYSICAL WORLD ON THE SPIRIT.

 

Individuals who are influenced to an unusual extent by their surroundings are regarded as nervous—a name covering a multitude of ills for which no other term is at command. A cat entering a room awakens in some the most disagreeable sensations. Another is so sensitive to the electrical state of the weather as to presage the coming change several hours or days in advance. The superstitious observations of the signs arises from the dull understanding or ignorance of this influence. That man is a magnet, and his polarity corresponds to that of the earth, is a plausible conjecture, which receives confirmation by the influence of the earth-currents on many forms of disease. Some patients are so exceedingly sensitive that they can lie at ease in no other position than with their heads to the North.

 

More especially is the influence of physical conditions shown at death after a lingering disease, which by reducing the strength, makes the spirit more susceptible.

 

"He's going out with the tide," is a common expression of all rough coastwise people. It may be called a superstition, but it is a fact that the old, infirm, and those with lingering sickness frequently die at the ebb­tide. A physician on the New England coast affirms that in critical cases he feels greatest concern at the ebbing of the tide, and if the patient survives the turn of the tide, he is hopeful of recovery. Of a list of twenty-one cases of death of aged persons or those having been long sick, with one exception all died at the ebb of the tide.

 

Not that the coming or going of the ocean wave is it rolls around the world has special influence; the cause is more profound. Not only is the ocean agitated—the deeper and more elastic aerial sea is more strongly fluctuated and its electric and magnetic conditions change daily with certain periodicity. The maximum of positive force is attained at high tide, constantly increasing as the tide comes in, and then recedes to the zero of negativeness with its outgoing. With the flood of water, and higher pressure of atmosphere, the forces of life are stimulated by the increasing positiveness. When these stimulants are withdrawn, the tide runs to the negative pole, and the spirit has less hold on physical life.

 

Man is sensitive to the influence of the sun, the moon and the stars. The influence of the moon in cases of lunacy has been observed from ancient times, and a lunar month measures many of the physical and spiritual functions of life. During health these subtile changes are not felt, or too feebly to be remarked. It is during sickness, when the physical energies are so enfeebled that slight forces turn the balance for or against, that the most palpable effects are produced. There are moon-tides and sun-tides, and planetary and stellar tides, and at times the magnetic disturbances are greater than others, hence the subject is complicated, but that there is corelation between vital force and its environments there can be no doubt.

 

A spirit is a harp attuned to respond to the touch of myriad forces. It is placed in the center of these multitudinous energies coming in from every direction. It is sensitive to the touch of the sun, the moon, the planets, and to that of the farthest star that twinkles on the verve of the Milky Way. If the magnetic needle trembles because of a spot on the sun, if the magnetic currents of the earth are disturbed by the slightest activity on the solar disc, can we for a moment doubt that the more delicately ethereal spiritual perception will feel such disturbances? The sweet influences of the Pleiades has more than poetic meaning, and the silvery light of the moon brings on its beams energies to which the spirit responds.

 

HOW TO ADVANCE THE CAUSE.

 

Many zealous Spiritualists think that had they wealth they would do a wonderful work in advancing the cause, and they are at a loss to explain why the spirits do not give them points on the Board of Trade, location of mines and treasures, to enable them to carry forward their great projects.

 

There is no need of waiting for a fortune to begin the work. It is like the man who turned the needy away, never gave to charity, or helped by word or deed those in distress, because he was waiting to increase his fortune until he should be able to found a charity hospital! It does not need thousands and tens of thousands of dollars to begin the work of charity. It does not require even a single dollar. Its most precious service is a sympathetic heart. It might perplex one how to use ten thousand dollars to best advantage for Spiritualism, but it is very easy to say what the first step should be in the propaganda of the cause. There is work all around us, and if we have not even a cent to call our own, we have kind words and encouraging charity. A spirit thus trained and attuned, is of more value and will do unaided more for the cause than all the mythic fortunes awaiting lost heirs, or Captain Kidd treasures ever buried in the earth.

 

I once knew a wealthy Spiritualist who promised himself to found a Spiritual College with one hundred thousand dollars, but he waited until he had doubled his money in some investments he had made. He died before he succeeded, and his heirs had other uses for their portions. I knew another, who professed that Spiritualism was his bread of life, and he wanted to do something, but waited for a great opportunity, died, and the Catholic church grasped his fortune.

 

And a third had the capabilities and moderate means to have made most creditable work in assisting in the dissemination of spiritual literature. He thought he could do nothing with his small funds, invested it in drilling for oil, whereby he expected to reap millions and then accomplish a great purpose. The venture absorbed all his wealth and gave disappointment. He neglected the means he had in hands, awaiting the greater opportunity which never came, and hence did nothing.