"We are far from believing that all the spirits that communicate at
circles are of the classes called 'elemental' and 'elementary.'" Many,
especially among those who control the medium subjectively to speak,
write, and otherwise act in various ways, are human, disembodied
spirits. Whether the majority of such spirits are good or _bad_, largely
depends on the private morality of the medium, much on the circle
present, and a great deal on the intensity and object of their
purpose.... But in any case, human spirits can _never_ materialize
themselves in _propria persona_.[21]--(P. 67, vol. I.)
[Footnote 21: By which it is doubtless meant that the _full_
individuality is not present; the higher principles, the _true_ spirit,
having ascended to its appropriate house, from which there is no
attraction to earth. That which materializes would be an elemental, or
elementals molding their fluidic forms in the likeness of the departed
human being; or, on the other hand, considering and revivifying the
atomic remnants of the sidereal encasement, or astral body, still left
undissipated in the soul-world.]
In _Art Magic_ we find the following pertinent remarks, p. 322. "There
are some features of mediumship, especially amongst those persons known
as _physical force mediums_, which long since should have awakened the
attention of philosophical spiritualists to the fact that there were
influences kindred only with animal natures at work somewhere, and
unless the agency of certain classes of elemental spirits was admitted
into the category of occasional control, humanity has at times assumed
darker shades than we should be willing to assign to it. Unfortunately
in discussing these subjects, there are many barriers to the attainment
of truth on this subject. Courtesy and compassion alike protest against
pointing to illustrations in our own time, whilst prejudice and
ignorance intervene to stifle inquiry respecting phenomena, which a long
lapse of time has left us free to investigate.
"The judges whose ignorance and superstition disgraced the witchcraft
trials of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, found a solvent for
all occult, or even suspicious circumstances, in the control of 'Satan
and his imps.' The modern spiritualists, with few exceptions, are
equally stubborn in attributing everything that transpires in
spiritualistic circles, even to the wilful _cunningly contrived
preparations for deception_ on the part of pretended media, to the
influence of disembodied human spirits--good, bad, or indifferent; but
the author's own experience, confirmed by the assurances of
wise-teaching spirits, impels him to assert that the tendencies to
exhibit animal proclivities, whether mental, passional, or phenomenal,
are most generally produced by elementals.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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