Dangers Of Mediumship.
A few testimonies will show that when one gives himself or herself up to the control of the spirits, such ones take a most perilous position. The spirits insist on their victims becoming passive, ceasing to resist, and yielding their whole wills to them. Some of their persuasive words are these: “Come in confidence to us;” “Let our teachings deeply impress you;” “You must not doubt what we say;” “Learn of us;” “Obey our directions and you will be benefited;” “Seek to obtain knowledge of us;” “Have faith in us;” “Fear not to obey;” “Obey us and you will be greatly blessed;” etc., etc. Mesmerists operate in the same way. They gain control of their subjects in the same way that the spirits mesmerize their mediums, and when under [pg 111] their control, the spirits cause them to see whatever they bring before them, and hear according to their wills, and do as they bid. And the things they suppose they see and hear, and what they are to do, are only such things as exist in the mind of the mesmerizing power. The subject is completely at the mercy of the invisible agency; and to put one's self there is a most heaven-daring and hazardous act. Mr. Hudson (“Law of Psychic Phenomena,” p. 336) says:—
“To the young whose characters are not formed, and to those whose notions of morality are loose, the dangers of mediumship are appalling.”
To further gain the confidence of mortals, the spirits claim to be the ones who answer their prayers. In “Automatic Writing,” p. 142, we have this:—
“Ques.—Will our friends tell us whether from their point of view, there is any real efficacy in prayer?
“Ans. [by spirits].—Shall not ‘a soul's sincere desire’ arouse in discarnate and free spirits effort to make that sincere desire a reality? What good can come from aspirations on mortal planes, save through the efforts to make those aspirations realized on spiritual planes, by the will of freed spirits?”
Mediums are unable to resist the powers of the unseen world when once under their control. Professor Brittan (“Telegraphic Answer to Mahan,” p. 10), concerning mediumship, says:—
“We may further add in this connection that the trance mediums for spirit intercourse are equally irresponsible. Many of them are totally unable to resist the powers which come to them from the invisible and unknown realms.”
Dr. Randolph (“Dealings with the Dead,” p. 150) shows the dangers of mediumship, as follows:—
“I saw that one great cause of the moral looseness of thousands of sensitive-nerved people on earth, resulted from the infernal possessions and obsessions of their persons by delegations from those realms of darkness and (to all but themselves) unmitigated horror. A sensitive man or woman—no matter how virtuously inclined—may, unless by constant prayer and watchfulness they prevent it and keep the will active and the sphere entire, be led into the most abominable practices and habits.”