6.--The sittings referred to in the foregoing five Instructions are such as may take place without the aid of professional mediums, and for that reason are commonly regarded as being particularly satisfactory and “evidential.” This, however, is a view born of prejudice. It assumes that professional mediums are all more or less untrustworthy. Persons who are broad-minded enough to rise superior to prejudice and who choose to weigh seriously the _pros_ and _cons_ of the whole matter are bound to recognise the advantage, in all kinds of enquiry, of seeking the assistance of individuals possessing natural qualifications who have become expert in their own province. Accordingly, in speaking with the dead a rational person will not deem it needful to keep aloof from professional mediums. Rather will he seek their aid whenever opportunity serves--provided always that no good reason exists for doubting the good faith of any individual medium so met with. The proceedings at a sitting conducted by a medium are of much the same general character as in the case of the Expectancy Circles and Table-sittings already described, except that the sitters are altogether passive instead of taking any active part. Precautions for ensuring “anonymity” and the like are needless. Mediums as a rule are quite careless respecting the identity of their sitters, save, perhaps, in the cases of highly-placed persons. Besides, the sitters go to the mediums for their own private requirements and not for the purpose of building up a structure of evidence that shall satisfy some other mind. The best plan, therefore, is not to trouble about what the medium does or does not know normally, and to depend on one’s own common sense in judging of, and dealing with, any communication received. So, too, with regard to the alleged “controls.” It is idle to attempt anything in the nature of cross-examination or “tests.” Such attempts, if there be confusion, will only make it worse confounded. The proper course to pursue is to listen attentively to all that is said, and to ask only such questions as may be desirable for the purpose of elucidation or in order to elicit further information.