Theosophical Society
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Madame Blavatsky and Statesman
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The Care of Mediums
The question is gradually coming to the front as to the advantage or disadvantage to the possessor and others, of various forms of mediumship, and what can be done by Spiritualists to protect and help sensitives to whom the movement owes so much. This problem we had intented to deal with at some length in the present number of The Spiritualist, but now call attention to it with brevity in order to help to make room for one of the series of articles by Dr. Purdon, leading up to the most important of the various discoveries which he has made, and which will appear in due rotation in these pages, about three or four weeks hence.
The Theosophist newspaper has from the first laid it down as an axiom that mediumship in most cases is physically and morally bad for the possessor, however good it may be for the world, and the question is to our knowledge largely occupying the thoughts of experienced students of the subject in this country.
Our opinion is that no sweeping general answer to the whole question would be accurate.
There are numbers of private mediums not possessing powers strong enough to make for them any name or fame in the world, and who do not injure themselves by sitting too frequently for manifestations. These, as a general rule, do not seem to suffer in health or otherwise to an appreciable extent by the occasional exercise of mediumship.
But as to the world-renowed mediums who are greatly under the influence of the power wielded through their organisms, clearer conclusions on the point at issue can be drawn after dividing them into two classes, namely, into those who can obtain physical manifestations, and those who cannot obtain physical manifestations.
Looking back at the whole history of Spiritualism in England and America, any scandals brought upon the movement such trance, clairvoyant and inspirational mediums, as have no physical power, are so few that it is difficult to bring examples to recollection, nor can many <... continues on page 11-284.1 >
Editor's notes
Sources
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London Spiritualist, No. 484, December 2, 1881, pp. 265-66
Inlay
< The Care of Mediums (continued from page 11-284) >
severe internal dissensions in the movement nor attempts to scandalise and discredit persons against whom they have evil feelings, be traced to their initiation. And as to the influence of mediumship on their health, Mrs. Hardinge-Britten has given her testimony how her shattered voice was years ago restored by her mediumship; the health of Mrs. Olive seems to have improved rather than otherwise under the constant exercise of trance mediumship for ten or twelve years; and instances in which such mediumship has, to say the least, done the possessor no appreciable harm, are plentiful. Indeed, Dr. Purdon, who does not look with favourable eyes upon mediumship in its health aspects, thinks that it sometimes is a safety-valve for surplus energy which otherwise would manifest itself in functional disease.
The influence of powerful physical medium-ship upon the possessor and others is a subject for anxious and careful consideration. As regards health, some of the most celebrated physical mediums have in the lapse of years exhausted their nervous systems; as regards morals, some few others of thorn have made their mark in the annals of crime, thereby giving heavy blows to the reputation and growth of the movement; others of them again, to their honour be it said, have neither brought discredit upon themselves nor Spiritualism, in the midst of the known and unknown dangers by which they have been surrounded. All those who have seen much of very powerful physical mediumship by having it in the house constantly displayed through some one member of their own family, regard it with very much less favour than do Spiritualists whose experience is gained only by attendance at occasional seances, and the former are best entitled to speak with authority.
If the three or four celebrated mediums whose nervous system seems to have been exhausted, had not been forced by financial necessity in some cases, or by social pressure in others, to sit more than once a week, so that the system might have had full time to recuperate and rest after each seance, probably they would all now be in good health. And among the few others who have made their mark in the annals of swindling and crime, who can tell how many might have been morally saved had they spent a week in their normal state after every closely surrounded and guided every day by pure social influences? These simple conditions ought to be provided, for no man has a right to derive benefits at the coot of serious injury to another; and if the conditions were provided, probably some of the dangers of strong physical mediumship would be averted, though perhaps not all. Whenever a new physical medium with strong powers is developed, he and his friends should be strongly cautioned on the above points. Perhaps other safeguards can be suggested. A bad circle works evil to a medium, but not nearly to the extent commonly asserted; the worst dangers do not spring from that source.
Spiritualist in France
Mr. Henry Lacroix, in the course of a letter to the Banner of Light, says that Mr. Lessard is the mainspring of Spiritualism in Nantes, in which city apathy in relation to the subject prevails. At Tours he did not stay to see any Spiritualists, but was informed that Mr. Denis was one of the chief supporters of the movement in that fine old city. Mr. Comera is a leading worker in Bordeaux. Mr. Lacroix was there told that some years ago there were three thousand Spiritualists in Bordeaux; at present it is difficult to bring twenty together. He was told that this change had been brought about by the misconduct of mediums. Mr. Lacroix also says:—
“The French character is too highly spirituel to be practically spiritual. Here and there are to be met a few endowed with the proper spirit for work; but the great majority are satisfied with talk simply. Were it otherwise, the Spiritualists of France would have long ago been blessed with scores of mediums of every kind. The spirits can do for us only so far as we do for ourselves. Now and then a medium of mark is signalled out, and much is said about him or her; but the apparition is sure to pass away soon. The Zouave Jacob is one instance, and the same may be said of little Honorine, who was sent back home from Paris —where her mediumship failed utterly. I consulted my guides as to that last case, and was told that strong mediumship, to be made available, must find proper sustenance, not quibbling and suspicion, among the so-called believers. Number is also necessary to bring out quality. I was told by my guides when I arrived in Paris that the French Spiritualists would have to be made ashamed of themselves, by the example set them by their neighbours on the continent, before they would go to work in earnest. My fruitless endeavours in organising circles in different parts of France have convinced me of the truth of the above saying.
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Editor's notes
- ↑ Spiritualist in France by unknown author, London Spiritualist, No. 484, December 2, 1881, pp. 266-67
Sources
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London Spiritualist, No. 484, December 2, 1881, pp. 266-67