Among the higher categories of Nature's Finer Forces is included that which is popularly known as "mediumship." Although this term has suffered more or less by reason of its misappropriation by certain charlatans and the unprincipled exploiters of sincere investigators of the phenomena of the higher planes of existence, and also by reason of a certain prejudice against the term arising from misrepresentation and general misunderstanding, the term still remains a perfectly legitimate one and one clearly indicating the nature of the general class of phenomena sought to be embraced within its limits. Therefore there is no valid reason for its rejection in our consideration of the subject of Nature's Finer Forces in this book; and, accordingly, it is used here in a general way, although the more scientific term "higher plane communication," or similar terms, are employed herein in some cases. What Is Mediumship? Let us see just what is meant by the term "mediumship." The term "medium" is defined as: "That which lies in the middle, or between other things: hence, that through which anything is conveyed from one thing to another." In a special sense, a "medium" is "a person serving as the channel of communication between decarnate entities and human being still in the flesh," in "spiritualistic phenomena." The suffix "ship," of course, denotes state or office; and in the case of "mediumship" it indicates that the designated person possesses the state or office of a "medium," the latter term being used in the special meaning above defined. Of course, the term "mediumship," as above defined, lacks a clear meaning unless the term "spiritualistic," or "spiritualism" be defined. The term "spiritualism" (or as many of the best authorities prefer to state it, "spiritism") is applied to "a system of communication with the unseen world, or with the inhabitants thereof, the latter being usually known as 'spirits,' through persons called 'mediums,' which has attained popular favor in Europe and America since about 1850." Or, as another authority states it, "Spiritualism is a term employed to indicate the belief that departed spirits hold intercourse with mortals by means of psychical phenomena, commonly through a person of special susceptibility called a 'medium.'" Ancient Mediumship.