HYMN The voice of an angel There's a beautiful shore, where the loved ones are gone 105 143 There's a beautiful land on high 187 There's a calm for those who weep... 11 There is a gate that stands ajar 185 There is a land mine eye hath seen. 30 There is a land of pure delight... 117 There's a land that is fairer than day 43 Through all the various shifting scene 169 'Tis a law of our being, most pointedly shown 164 INDEX OF SUBJECTS. BAPTISMAL-125. CHILDHOOD'S PASSING-32, 41, 75. DEATH-26, 36, 53, 60, 66, 81, 85, 140, 194, 197. DEDICATION-103. DEVOTIONAL-1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, 23, 28, 31, 33, 34, 35, 37, 40, EVENING CLOSING-14, 19, 21, 71, 76, 90, 92, 101, 112, 122, 173. FRATERNAL-24, 51, 55, 58, 77, 78, 108, 146, 151, 153, 160, 164, 180, 195. IMMORTALITY-11, 25, 27, 52, 100, 114, 132, 165. MARRIAGE-201, 202. MORNING-13. ORDER OF SPIRITUAL TEACHERS-134. PRAYER-18, 22, 49, 50, 113. PROGRESSIVE-45, 68, 69, 84, 93, 94, 95, 131, 138, 145, 163, 177, 178, 184. SPIRIT COMMUNION AND CIRCLE-98, 115, 124, 126, 127, 130. THE SPIRIT LAND-30, 43, 96, 102, 104, 116, 117, 119, 129, 135, 137, 139, WORK-10, 15, 82, 87, 196. WORSHIP-12, 20, 123, 136, 149, 150, 167, 168, 169, 171, 172, 174, 175, HOW TO HOLD A SPIRIT CIRCLE. IF you wish to see whether Spiritualism is really only jugglery and imposture, try it by personal experiment. If you can get an introduction to some experienced Spiritualist, on whose faith you can rely, ask him for advice; and, if he is holding private circles, seek permission to attend one to see how to conduct séances, and what to expect. There is, however, difficulty in obtaining access to private circles, and, in any case, you must rely chiefly on experiences in your own family circle, or amongst your own friends, all strangers being excluded. The bulk of Spiritualists have gained conviction thus. Form a circle of from four to eight persons, half, or at least two, of negative, passive temperament, and preferably of the female sex; the rest of a more positive type. Sit, positive and negative alternately, secure against disturbance, in subdued light, and in comfortable and unconstrained positions, round an uncovered table of convenient size. Place the palms of the hands flat upon its upper surface. The hands of each sitter need not touch those of his neighbour, though the practice is frequently adopted. Do not concentrate attention too fixedly on the expected manifestations. Engage in cheerful but not frivolous conversation. Avoid dispute or argument. Scepticism has no deterrent effect, but a bitter spirit of opposition in a person of determined will may totally stop or decidedly impede manifestations. If conversation flags, music is a great help, if it be agreeable to al, and not of a kind to irritate the sensitive ear. Patience is essential; and it may be necessary to meet ten or twelve times, at short intervals, before anything occurs. If after such trial you still fail, form a fresh circle. Guess at the reason of your failure, eliminate the inharmonious elements, and introduce others. An hour should be the limit of an unsuccessful séance. The first indications of success usually are a cool breeze passing over the hands, with involuntary twitching of the hands and arms of some of the sitters, and a sensation of throbbing in the table. These indications, at first so slight as to cause doubt as to their reality, will usually develop with more or less rapidity. If the table moves, let your pressure be so gentle on its surface that you are sure you are not aiding its motions. After some time you will probably find that the movement will continue if your hands are held over but not in contact with it. Do not, however, try this until the movement is assured, and be in no hurry to get messages. When you think that the time has come, let some one take command of the circle and act as spokesman. Explain to the unseen Intelligence that an agreed code of signals is desirable, and ask that a tilt may be given as the alphabet is slowly repeated at the several letters that form the word which the Intelligence wishes to spell. It is convenient to use a single tilt for No, three for Yes, and two to express doubt or uncertainty. When a satisfactory communication has been established, ask if you are rightly placed, and if not, what order you should take. After this, ask who the Intelligence purports to be, which of the company is the medium, and such relevant questions. If confusion occurs, ascribe it to the difficulty that exists in directing the movements at first with exactitude. Patience will remedy this, if there be a real desire on the part of the Intelligence to speak with you. If you only satisfy yourself at first that it is possible to speak with an Intelligence separate from that of any person present, you will have gained much. The signals may take the form of raps. If so, use the same code of signals, and ask as the raps become clear, that they may be made on the table, or in a part of the room where they are demonstrably not produced by any natural means, but avoid any vexatious imposition of restrictions on free communication. Let the Intelligence use its own means; if the attempt to communicate deserves your attention, it probably has something to say to you, and will resent being hampered by useless interference. It rests greatly with the sitters to make the manifestations elevating or frivolous, and even tricky. 112 Should an attempt be made to entrance the medium, or to manifest by any violent methods, or by means of formmanifestations, ask that the attempt may be deferred till you can secure the presence of some experienced Spiritualist. If this request is not heeded, discontinue the sitting. The process of developing a trance-medium is one that might disconcert an experienced inquirer. Increased light will check noisy manifestations. Lastly-Try the results you get by the light of Reason. Maintain a level head and a clear judgment. Do not believe everything you are told, for though the great unseen world con tains many a wise and discerning Spirit, it also has in it the accumulation of human folly, vanity, and error; and this lies nearer to the surface than that which is wise and good. Distrust the free use of great names. Never for a moment abandon the use of your Reason. Do not enter into a very solemn investigation in a spirit of idle curiosity or frivolity. Cultivate a reverent desire for what is pure, good, and true. You will be repaid if you gain only a well-grounded conviction that their is life after death, for which a pure and good life before death is the best and wisest preparation. JOHN HEYWOOD, Excelsior Steam Printing and Bookbinding Works, Hulme Hall Road, Manchester. |