Glimpses Of The Next State.Pdf - Spiritualists' National Union

12of his engagement would be that he must spend at least four hours a day in the open air. Theséances should only be held twice a week, and each circle should be composed of not more thanseven persons. Mr. Gambier Bolton made a good attempt at the construction of two societies ofthis nature. They failed from various causes, chiefly because it was at that time impossible tosecure the requisite fixed income for the medium; and consequently the latter would probably notcost each member of the society more than ten pounds a year, in addition to a fee of five shillingswhenever he formed one of the circle.The rejection of evidence obtained through a medium who has once or twice previously beenconvicted of fraud is a mistake. Every séance should be judged on its own merits. Some of myearliest lessons in this study were obtained through sittings with F. Craddock, who was afterwardsexposed wandering about outside his cabinet when he was supposed to be sitting inside in trance. Iwas present, and have no doubt of his guilt on that occasion. But under favourable conditions inthis country I have sat with this medium, and seen and heard phenomena that were undoubtedlygenuine. Everything was in his favour, and there was no incentive to cheat. There is noprofessional medium in England who has not some time or the other been suspected of fraud; but Ican assure the student who wants to enquire that the progress of his education will be very slow, ifit does not actually cease, if he sits only with private psychics. Without materialisation andtelekinesis, the evidence for the existence of discarnate spirits is not complete.I wish to say a word about two favourite objections to the practice of spiritism:(1) Why should mediums be paid? (2) Why is darkness often necessary? why should mediums bepaid? The true question should be “Why should they not be paid?” Mediumship is a gift, likepainting, music, poetry, oratory. If you deny the right of mediums to payment when they exercisetheir gift for the benefit of others, on what possible plea do you allow it to parsons, artists, singers,composers or anybody else who is born with a tendency to some particular occupation? The factis, there is more reason that you should pay mediums than other people. A good psychic is unfittedby the development of his gift for any other occupation, and at any moment may leave him.Why is darkness often necessary? when people ask me this I say: ”My friend, are youaware that you were generated in the dark; and not only you, but every mammal what was everborn alive? Can you tell me why? When you reply to that question I will tell you why thesimulacrum of a human being cannot be generated except in the dark”. The only simulacrum everborn in a good light has been the spirit-body of the medium himself; and this has only been seenonce or twice in the last sixty years. Light disintegrates the materials of which forms andphantoms are composed. After being formed, they may come out in partial light, and remain sometime; but their gestation must take place in a cabinet, or, at any rate, in darkness.As a matter of fact, darkness admits of very good tests of the genuineness of a medium.Husk’s séances are always held in pitch darkness. I will mention three good tests I obtained whensitting with that medium. When I took a friend to our rooms, I sometimes established him at thenend of the oval table, four feet from Husk’s left hand, which was held by a friend of mine. Thecandlestick was then put in front of him on the table, and he was asked to put a finger upon it, butnot to resist its being moved. After the electric lights were switched off, and the person who didthis had returned to his seat, the candle was blown out. In a few minutes I would feel the tap of asmall hand on mine, and then the candlestick would be taken away from my friend and put down inthe corner of the room with a clatter.One night a guest of mine arrived in our room half-an-hour before the time appointed forthe séance. She dropped her open purse on the floor and the coins rolled about on the carpet. Mr.Gambier Bolton and I picked up all we could find, and the lady declared herself satisfied that shehad recovered all that was in her purse. Twenty minutes later the medium (Husk) arrived. In themiddle of the séance, “Joey”, one of the spirit habitués of the circle, came to my friend and said:“Mrs. Arnold, here is a penny you dropped on the carpet.” At a subsequent séance I asked Joeyhow he knew the coin belonged to Mrs. Arnold. He said: “A spirit, who was in the room when shedropped it, told me.”On another occasion I was at Husk’s house, and “Uncle” one of the controls, came,apparently in front of me, for a little chat. While he was speaking, I turned my head, first well to