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

CHAPTER III29THE MEDIUMS CRADDOCK AND HUSKSome investigators convinced that no trustworthy evidence can be collected from mediums who haveonce been detected in fraud – Author denies this – If such be the case, all records of materialisation’sin England are useless – Professional psychics imbued with Jesuitical doctrines – We all live by ourwits – The psychic and the positive sitter form a battery – Both essential to success – Mental hostilitybars all good phenomena – Mediums cannot commit fraud in trance – Sonmambules – F. Craddock –His exposure – Condemned because he refused to be searched – Nevertheless, an interesting curiosity– His mediumship not in question – Notes of genuine phenomena – But unsafe to sit with for spiritualevidences – Husk – His controls – Some incidents of séances when he was a medium – The TestSéance - Levitation of Husk – Foreign languages spoken by spirits – “Uncle” visits me at Southsea –Evidence through clairvoyantes sitting with Husk – The spirit of Signor Foli sings solos asked for onthe spur of the moment – General remarks on Husk – The movements of the zither, white forms, the“striking proof”, and the memory of John King inexplicable by any theory of fraud.Two mediums whose séances I attended most constantly on y return to England wereMessrs. Husk and Craddock. I have already described three sittings with the former, and will givesome details of others; but, before doing so, I will state what I know of the latter. Thoseinvestigators who are convinced that no phenomena worth noticing can be obtained with a mediumwho is at any time convicted of fraud will not regard the incidents of Craddock’s séances asevidential of spirit presence; but I must again remind them that, if a stainless record is to be thecriterion of our faith, we shall find that we must put aside all evidence collected in this country fortelekinesis and materialisation. Florence Cook, who was afterwards detected fraudulentlypersonating spirits, gave many genuine séances while under the strict supervision and fosteringcare of the Crookes. Katie King found no difficulty in manifesting in a genial, sympatheticatmosphere; when, however, her medium was among hostile elements, the latter resorted to tricksto ‘help out’ the phenomena that occurred in her presence. The same may be said of nearly all theprofessional mediums who have exercised their gift in England, where the dampness of the climateis inimical to success unless the conditions, mental and atmospheric, are of the very best.One reason why psychics are so oblivious to the necessity for strict rectitude in dealing withtheir sitters in this vitally important matter of communication with the unseen, is that they knowthey generally possess the power required for genuine manifestation, and they think that a fewlapses here and there make no difference to the truth of the reality of spirit return. It is, of course,a most erroneous idea; but they have not the sense to see it. Rigid honesty is only to be found alliedto sound common sense, and that is just the quality in which these negatives are entirely deficient.They are the most unpractical beings on earth; the word ‘casual’ is the only term that can beapplied t them. Careless of engagements, hopeless in the matters of business, they drift about andalienate their best friends. I believe all this can be cured by early training; but, so far, we have notreached the stage of colleagues and schools of educating people who possess gifts not recognised inordinary, everyday life.Apropos of professional psychics, a friend, from whom I should have expected better things,said to me a few moths ago: “I suspect people who live by their wits.” He was a man drawing aliberal stipend from a Government department for work well and conscientiously performed. Butit was on the tip of my tongue to say to him: “Are you not living by your wits?” What brought youinto the honourable occupation you now occupy? Your wits!” We all live by our wits, from thePrime Minister down to the newsboy, except that minority who exist by the wits of their fathers andgrandfathers. If my friend had said “I suspect all people whose negative organisation is such thattheir wits do not tell them when they are on the borderline between honesty and dishonesty,” hewould have been nearer the mark.Most materialisation mediums can exercise their genuine gift, if it is not actually inabeyance, when they sit with a sympathetic circle, several members of which are ‘positive.’ A true