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being so widespread, it were wise to place it in the reach only of spirits of integrity and wisdom, and to
give conditions for its exercise by them, and so to drive away obsessing and undeveloped spirits, or to
materially reduce their sphere of action. It was insisted that spirit-action was universal, and that it was a
question for man, to a great extent, whether that action was beneficent or not. I asked what character
was most suitable so such influence.]
There are a varieties of mediumship, as you know, and there are divers modes in which spirit influence is
exercised. Some are selected for the mere physical peculiarities which make them the ready vehicles of
spirit power. Their bodily organisation is adapted for the purpose of manifesting external spiritual
influence in its simplest form. They are not influenced mentally, and information given by the spirits who
use them would be of trifling or even foolish nature, and untrustworthy. They are used as the means of
demonstrating spirit power, the external invisible agency capable of producing objective phenomenal
results.
These are known to you as the instruments through whom the elementary phenomena are manifested.
Their work is not less significant than that which is wrought through others. They are concerned with the
foundation of belief.
And some are chosen because of their loving, gentle nature. They are not the channels of physical
phenomenal actionçøin many cases, not even of conscious communication with the spirit world; but they
are the recipients of spirit guidance, and their pure and gentle souls are cultivated and improved by angel
superintendence. By degrees they are prepared to be the conscious recipients of communications from
the spheres; or they are permitted with clairvoyant eye to catch stray glimpses of their future home. A
loving spirit friend is attracted to them, and they are impressionally taught and guided day by day. These
are the loving souls who are surrounded by an atmosphere of peacefulness and purity of love. They live
as bright examples in the world, and pass in ripe maturity to the spheres of rest and peace for which their
earth life has fitted them.
Others, again, are intellectually trained and prepared to give man extended knowledge and wider views
of truth. Advanced spirits influence the thoughts, suggest ideas, furnish means of acquiring knowledge,
and of communicating it to mankind. The ways by which spirits so influence men are manifold They have
means that you know not of by which events are arranged as to work out the end they have in view. The
most difficult task we have is to select a medium through whom the messages of higher and more
advanced spirits can be made known. It is necessary that the mind chosen should be of a receptive
character, for we cannot put into a spirit more information than it can receive. Moreover, it must be free
from foolish worldly prejudices. It must be a mind that has unlearned its youthful errors, and has proved
itself receptive of truth, even though that truth is unpopular.
More still. It must be free from dogmatism. It must not be rooted and grounded in earth notions. It must
be free from the dogmatism of theologies and sectarianism and rigid creed. It must not be bound down
by the fallacies of half-knowledge which is ignorant of its own ignorance. It must be a free and inquiring
soul. It must be a soul that loves progressive knowledge, and that has the perception of truth afar off.
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SECTION V
One that yearns for fuller light, for richer knowledge than it has yet received; one that knows no hope of
cessation in drinking in the truth.
Again, our work must not be marred by the self-assertion of a positive antagonistic mind, nor by the
proud obtruding of self and selfish ends and aims. With such we can do very little, and that little must all
tend to the gradual obliteration of selfishness and dogmatism. We desire a capable, earnest, truth-
seeking, unselfish, loving spirit for our work. Said we not well that such was difficult to find among men?
Difficult indeed, well-nigh impossible. We select, then, such a soul as we can best find, and prepared by
constant training for its appointed work. We inspire into it a spirit of love and tolerance for opinions that
do not find favour with its own mental bias. This raises it above dogmatic prejudice, and paves the way
for the discovery that truth is manifold, and not the property of any individual. Store of knowledge is
given as the soul can receive it; and, the foundation of knowledge once laid, the superstructure may be
safely raised. The opinions and tone of thought are moulded by slow degrees, so that they harmonise
with the end we have in view.
Many and many fail here, and we abandon our work with them, finding that not in this world of yours
can they receive the truth; that old earth-born prejudices are firm, dogmatic beliefs ineradicable, and so
that they must be left to time, and are to us of no avail.
Moreover, a perfect truthfulness and absence of fearfulness and anxiety are the steady growth of our
teaching. We lead the soul to rest in calm trust on God and His spirit teachers. We infuse a spirit of
patient waiting for that which we are permitted to do and teach. This spirit is the very reverse of that
fretful, restless querulousness which characterises many souls.
Here, too, many fall away. They are fearful and anxious, and beset with doubt. The old theology tells
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