Legend
Spirit Teachings*
[After a short rest, this addition was made to what had been Said.]
We have told you of the operations of the adversaries, and of the danger to be apprehended from them. But others there are who, without being malignant foes, are nevertheless a cause of trouble to us. Many of those who are withdrawn from earth are not, as you know, very progressive, nor, on the contrary, very undeveloped. The majority of those who pass from the body are neither very evil nor very good in spirit. Such, indeed, as are so far progressive as to gravitate rapidly through the spheres nearest the earth, do not return unless called to a special mission. The earthbound we have already told you of.
It remains to speak of the agency of a class of spirits who from mischievous design, or from pure sportive fun, or from love of mystification, frequent circles, counterfeit manifestations, assume names, and give erroneous or misleading information. Such are not evil, but unbalanced, spirits who lack even balance, and who delight in plaguing mediums and circles: in giving exaggerated tone to communications, in introducing false elements, or in personating friends and reading in the thought the answer which they give to a query. The work of such is that which causes you to say that Spiritual manifestations are frequently foolish or silly. It is due to the efforts of these spirits, who from fun or mischief counterfeit our work, and play on the feelings of those who trust them. These are they who personate relatives whose presence is desired and answer to their names. These are they who make true identification of friends in mixed circles impossible. Most of the stories current of such return of friends are due to the work of these spirits. These are they who infuse the comic or foolish element into communications. They have no true moral consciousness, and will pray readily, if asked, or will do anything for frolic or mischief. They have no aspiration beyond the present: no desire to injure, but only to amuse themselves.
These are they who allure to wrong paths, and suggest wrong desires and thoughts. They secretly influence mediums much, and prevent noble aspirations. They view with impatience noble and elevated aims, and suggest the material. They act as bars and clogs. They are greatly concerned with physical manifestations. They are usually shrewd and clever at such work, and they delight in presenting bewildering phenomena for the purpose of disturbing the mind. They victimize mediums in divers ways, and find a pleasure in the bewilderment of mind which they cause. Obsession and possession and the various forms of spiritual annoyance proceed very frequently from such. They are able to psychologise a mind over which they have gained influence. * * * * These again are spirits who befool inquirers who have asked for personal information. They return plausible answers, and bewilder the deluded inquirers, or if a personal friend have once appeared, and given a good test, his or her place on the next occasion may be filled by one of these spirits, who takes the name and replies to queries, giving vague and unsatisfactory replies, or telling false stories. It is always well to put the personal element as far from you as possible, lest you open the way to deceit.
[I print this communication, written March 15th, 1874, because it refers to the elementary spirits of whose agency we have recently heard from Col. Olcott in America. Long before 1 had ever heard the name or had had any acquaintance with Occult literature or with any of the professors of Occultism, I had received warnings such as that printed above. They were more or less vague, and I did not. attribute to them any special force. Nor did I grasp the fact that they referred to spirits other than those of the dead. I now know that the undeveloped, as they were always called—the term elementary was never once used—included within their ranks both those who had passed their incarnation without progress, and those properly called the elementaries by Occultists who were waiting for their incarnation and had not lived on this earth. Many communications lately written through my hand, and made in. our circle, enlarge and explain the information given before; and I now read what was vague and obscure before, with a new light. Most of the personal warnings given me I have not printed because they are so distinctly private; but I have copied this one in order to show that what has caused such astonishment and opposition amongst Spiritualists is not a totally new and unknown doctrine emanating from a single source. On the contrary, while the personal element which is so rife in Spiritualism has been almost entirely absent from my experience, I date the first learning about these elementary spirits, vaguely put, but sufficient for its purpose, and abundantly intelligible in the light of after-teaching to the earliest days of my acquaintance with the subjects.]
[March 25th, 1874. A spirit communicated through the table, name and particulars both unknown to any member of the circle. I inquired on the following day about the circumstance.]
The spirit said truly that she was named Charlotte Buck worth. She has no special connection with us, but was permitted to speak as she chanced to be present, and for evidence to you. The conditions were unfavourable for our work; we were not able to harmonise the conditions, which were disturbed. It is always so after such a day as you passed. The different influences of those with whom you were thrown would introduce elements of disturbance which we could not harmonise.
[I had been with four persons all more or less mediumistic. I always am affected by being in the society of such.]
You do not know how much. You are sensitive to such influence. The spirit who came to you was one who has passed from among you now for more than a hundred years, having made a sudden and unprepared entrance into spirit life in the year 1773. She passed at the house of a friend in Jermyn-street, whither she had gone on a party of pleasure. She will probably be able to say more to you; but we have no control over her.
[I asked that she should be fetched, but was told that the communicating spirit had no control over her. I then inquired if anything more were known about her.]
Yes. She was very anxious to say more, but the power was exhausted. She has been occupied in her special sphere of work after awaking from a long sleep, and has not been brought within the atmosphere of earth until lately. She is attracted to circles where harmony prevails, being herself of a loving nature. Her departure from your earth was instantaneous; for she dropped down at a party of pleasure, and at once passed from the body. <... continues on page 3-166 >
* In The Spiritualist of August 15th, 1873, an account was printed of some phenomena which occurred in a private circle held at the house of Dr. Stanhope Speer, 13, Alexandra-road, Finchley-road, N.W., through the mediumship of a gentleman who is known to Spiritualists under the nom de plume of “M.A. (Oxon).” A mass of evidence as to identity given up to that time has since been greatly increased, and in all cases where verification is possible, the statements made have been found to be literally accurate. This has been the case when extracts from rare works have been laboriously authenticated in the library of the British Museum. Evidence being so given of the independent action of spirit, and of the freedom of the messages from colour by the medium’s thoughts, it has been thought well to print selections from a great mass of u Spirit Teachings” which have been from time to time written out automatically through his hand. The communications so given extend over three years, and are principally concerned with the Religious Aspects of Spiritualism. They are the work of many spirits, each of whom preserves his individuality, even to the peculiarity of the writing used. The opinions are frequently the reverse of those held by the medium, and are written (as far as can be ascertained) without aid from his mind. The hand is automatically moved, even though the brain be occupied about other work. Great care has been taken to provide conditions under which reliable messages can be obtained [ Ed.
Editor's notes
- ↑ Spirit Teachings* by unknown author, London Spiritualist, No. 178, January 21, 1876, p. 25
Sources
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London Spiritualist, No. 178, January 21, 1876, p. 25