Glimpses Of The Next State.Pdf - Spiritualists' National Union
Glimpses Of The Next State.Pdf - Spiritualists' National Union Glimpses Of The Next State.Pdf - Spiritualists' National Union
8impression, not likely to be easily removed, that there was only one alternative to the spiritistichypothesis – that of the continual presence of personating demons, able to read every thought ofmortals, and to construct at will dramatic situations that answered every doubt and uncertainty inthe mind of an investigator. This is the Roman Catholic doctrine. I reject it, not only because ofits intrinsic improbability, but on account of the consideration of many incidents of a strictlyprivate nature than cannot be here related.During a third visit to the United States in 1910 I obtained abundant proof that all I hadpreviously seen and heard in that country was true; and I received further evidence of spirit returnof a startling character.There are two classes of investigators – first, those of and treat every psychic as a jugglerendeavouring to perpetrate fraud, until they find them, after repeated trial, to be genuine; secondthose who believe every psychic they sit with to be genuine until they find them out in intentionaldeceit. Supposing two people. One of each of these classes, to be doing their best to find out thetruth, and both equally acute, there is not doubt as to which will be the more successful. Themental attitude is an important factor to the situation; it is he who belongs to the latter class whowill derive the most benefit. Manifestations through a good psychic who is surrounded by hostileminds are impossible. Unbiased, open-minded expectancy, founded on the reports of previousinvestigators, affords the best chance to psychics and their spirit controls. Passivity is necessaryduring the actual sitting.There is a great deal of fraud in the practice of spiritism – fraud intentional and conscious,and unconscious fraud. There is no doubt that the trickery imposed here and in America haddeterred thousands of people from investigation of the subject. Some instances will be given in thebody of this book.In the following pages I shall make an attempt to contribute my share to the general stock ofinformation on the subject of spiritist phenomena by recording those of my experiences which Ihave every reason to believe are genuine manifestations of power exercised by discarnate beingswho once lived on this earth plane.
9CHAPTER IEARLY PSYCHIC EXPERIENCESFraud – Temptations of professional mediums – Mediumship not the only profession in which fraud ispractised – The worst frauds – The psychic or medium only a telegraph office – Used on account of hispeculiar organisation – Personal character does not, apparently, have any connection with the gift –What is a medium? – Fraud and genuine phenomena frequently mixed at a séance – Under favourableconditions professional mediums do not commit fraud – Evil of promiscuous séances – The only curefor fraud – Rejection of evidence obtained through a medium who has been convicted of fraud onsome previous occasion, a mistake – Every séance with professional mediums should be judged on itsown merits – Darkness sometimes beneficial for tests – Effect of a hostile mental attitude in the sitters– My first séances – Reasons for and against the entire genuineness of Husk – My departure for NewYork.No account of experiences in spiritism is of any use without a few remarks on fraud by thenarrator; if hew neglected to touch upon this disagreeable subject, he would be rightly deemedignorant of the history of the movement. It is desirable that he should demonstrate to his readersthat he is aware, and has always been aware, of its prevalence. It is the canker which destroys hispeace and darkens his hours of observation and reflection. More than half his time is occupiedwith searching self-questions – “Could this or that have been done in a normal manner, and, if so,by what means?” This is the worst feature in the study. Psychical research is full of perplexitiesand difficulties, even if one is satisfied that the medium is honest; for, all the time, we are dealingwith invisible beings who appear to be operating in more than three dimensions; everymanifestation is outside of ordinary human experience; not one can be explained by the ascertainedlaws of nature; and when, in addition to these obstacles, we have doubt as to the fidelity of themedium, the task of investigation is hard enough to make many a man turn back in disgust fromthe quest. Fraud has been painfully common among professional mediums.It is, however, no use complaining because, when it comes to physical phenomena, publicmediums have to be employed. There are few private psychics who will undergo the exhaustionthat is the inevitable accompaniment of manifestati0ns of telekinesis and materialisation. Mentalphenomena are inconclusive; no man of ordinary critical judgement will be satisfied with thatalone. Thomas Jay Hudson and writers of his type will sweep it all away by dwelling on the powersof the sub-conscious self; and these powers are acknowledged among the classes of investigators.So it comes to this, that he who would peer into the mysteries of nature, and endeavour to discover,experimentally, if life extends beyond the grave, is obliged to employ professional mediums. Thetemptations of these psychics are great; whatever powers they possess are sporadic and cannot besummoned at will; they find this out early in their development, and, in order to maintain regularséances, they learn the arts of jugglery to “help out” their particular gift at times when they feelthey have not got their usual power. People travel long distances to sit with them. They have notthe moral courage to say, “I have little or no power today; come another time”. Possibly they donot know how much power they have, nor hoe far their guides can assist them, until they go intotrance. If they turn their patrons away from the door, a murmur is soon circulated that they arenot reliable, and sitters fail to attend; their income, never large, dwindles away, and they arestranded without means of a livelihood. Having surrendered themselves for two or three years tothe trance condition, they cannot adopt any of the ordinary wage-earning occupations of life, andthey become destitute. Competition is keen, and they see others prospering by keeping up theirséances with artificial assistance. Though we cannot defend, we can at least understand the causesof fraud in mediumship.
- Page 1 and 2: 1GLIMPSES OF THE NEXT STATE(The edu
- Page 3 and 4: 3Six years ago I published a small
- Page 5 and 6: INTRODUCTION5When I commenced my in
- Page 7: 7I have discussed this incident wit
- Page 11 and 12: 11the passive means of bringing con
- Page 13 and 14: 13the left, and round to the right
- Page 15 and 16: 15these scratches were going on the
- Page 17 and 18: 17On the other hand, I should be ve
- Page 19 and 20: 19in my power, she holding both of
- Page 21 and 22: 21saying of one, “That is another
- Page 23 and 24: (1) I may have to return to Maggie
- Page 25 and 26: 25that proved to be of great practi
- Page 27 and 28: 27miserly creature. He would skin a
- Page 29 and 30: CHAPTER III29THE MEDIUMS CRADDOCK A
- Page 31 and 32: 31Irish gentleman; Cerise, a French
- Page 33 and 34: 33had observed trousers under Abdul
- Page 35 and 36: On November 26, 1905 at Pinner. Cir
- Page 37 and 38: I made passes in the cabinet to bri
- Page 39 and 40: 39During materialisation’s a ball
- Page 41 and 42: 41the strain put upon it. Nothing h
- Page 43 and 44: 43January 30, 1906. Circle of fourt
- Page 45 and 46: 45(34) On Sunday, April 30, 1905, a
- Page 47 and 48: 47Q.: “Do you know the name of my
- Page 49 and 50: 49The next day after some unsuccess
- Page 51 and 52: 51(Correct. A sub-lieutenant, J. Fr
- Page 53 and 54: 53wife was frequently mentioned by
- Page 55 and 56: 55genuine. There are certain featur
- Page 57 and 58: I knew nothing, personally, of Mr.
8impression, not likely to be easily removed, that there was only one alternative to the spiritistichypothesis – that of the continual presence of personating demons, able to read every thought ofmortals, and to construct at will dramatic situations that answered every doubt and uncertainty inthe mind of an investigator. This is the Roman Catholic doctrine. I reject it, not only because ofits intrinsic improbability, but on account of the consideration of many incidents of a strictlyprivate nature than cannot be here related.During a third visit to the United <strong>State</strong>s in 1910 I obtained abundant proof that all I hadpreviously seen and heard in that country was true; and I received further evidence of spirit returnof a startling character.<strong>The</strong>re are two classes of investigators – first, those of and treat every psychic as a jugglerendeavouring to perpetrate fraud, until they find them, after repeated trial, to be genuine; secondthose who believe every psychic they sit with to be genuine until they find them out in intentionaldeceit. Supposing two people. One of each of these classes, to be doing their best to find out thetruth, and both equally acute, there is not doubt as to which will be the more successful. <strong>The</strong>mental attitude is an important factor to the situation; it is he who belongs to the latter class whowill derive the most benefit. Manifestations through a good psychic who is surrounded by hostileminds are impossible. Unbiased, open-minded expectancy, founded on the reports of previousinvestigators, affords the best chance to psychics and their spirit controls. Passivity is necessaryduring the actual sitting.<strong>The</strong>re is a great deal of fraud in the practice of spiritism – fraud intentional and conscious,and unconscious fraud. <strong>The</strong>re is no doubt that the trickery imposed here and in America haddeterred thousands of people from investigation of the subject. Some instances will be given in thebody of this book.In the following pages I shall make an attempt to contribute my share to the general stock ofinformation on the subject of spiritist phenomena by recording those of my experiences which Ihave every reason to believe are genuine manifestations of power exercised by discarnate beingswho once lived on this earth plane.
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