& v S 7 ^^'.' Sraaf a trftiy % & Entered according to the act of Congress in the year 1893 By JAMES L. DOW, in the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D. C. INDEX. CHAPTER I. Conditions — The NecesshVy for Understanding Them 5 CHAPTER II. Circle No. 1. The Positive Antagonistic Condition 20 CHAPTER III. Circle No. 2. Material or Business Condition 30 CHAPTER IV. Circle No. 3. The Positive Domineering Condition. 45 CHAPTER V. Circle No, 4. The Effect of Changing Positions .... 55 CHAPTER VI. A Test Circle Changed to an Ordinary One 64 CHAPTER VII. Circle No, 5. The Anti-Impressional Phenomena. . . 69 4 INDEX. CHAPTER VIII. Circle No. 6. The Reason Why Large Circles are Undesirable 97 CHAPTER IX. Circle No. 7. The Effect of Doubt in a Circle 110 CHAPTER X. Circle No. 8. The Magnetic Circle and Its Use 129 CHAPTER XI. Circle No. 9. The Children's Circle . 141 CHAPTER XII. Circle No. 10. The Effect of Physical Form 152 CHAPTER XIII. Recapitulation 161 CHAPTER XIV. The Benefits to be Derived from Circles 168 CHAPTER I. THE LAW OF CONDITIONS. The necessity for understanding them t and the circumstances leading to the holding of these Test Circles. Having had a good opportunity to observe something of the effect of condi- tions upon spirit manifestations, as we had held circles three evenings in each week for about four years; one circle each week being private, in which no one was permitted to sit, except our ow n family. The other two always had about six of the same ones, with from one to eight additional ones each even- ing and having watched very carefully the result of the different conditions 6 THE LAW OF CONDITIONS. upon the manifestations, as well as the effect upon those who sat in the circles, I became convinced, that the law of con- ditions was the most important one that touched upon the philosophy oi spiritualism, and the one least under- stood or studied. I have become satis- fied that the phenomenal part of spirit- ualism, will never be any great success until this law is studied, or more fully understood and obeyed. And I have become as fully convinced, that when the law of conditions are understood, and their requirements complied with, communi ations between spirits in the spirit world, and those in the physical form, can be carried on as easil_v and with as much reliability, and be entitled to as much credit, as a correspondence carried on between the people of New York City, and those of Washington; by means of the telegraph. The reliability of the message in either case, will depend upon a strict compliance with the law that governs their respective processes. THE LAW OF CONDITIONS. The people of New York must have per- fect confidence in the construction and condition of the telegraph line between them and Washington, as well as in its operators and machinery, before the}^ could have any confidence in the reliabil- ity of the message received. The3 T ac- quired this confidence hy the faith the\^ have in a belief that the managers of the line understand the law that governs the sending of messages by telegraph and that they are personally interested, and will comply with it. If they had any misgivinjs as regards to knowl- edge or ability of those having con- struction or operation of the line in charge; perfect confidence in the reliabil- ity of the message could not be had. If this be true of a telegraph between New York and Washington, how much more particular and technical should we be in regard to the construction and operation of a line between us and the spirit world. The requirements l* to nicetv of construction and a strict com- 8 THE LAW OF CONDITIONS. pliance with law, is even greater that! is required in the operation of an ordinary telegraph line. If we should see a person trying to send a telegraphic dispatch of great importance, where the technical correctness was of the most vital im- portance, while he understood the at phabetbut poorly. Instruments all out of repair, or not properly adjusted, or when an electric storm was raging along the line. You would laugh at his folly, and would not be likely to entrust im- portant messages in his hands for trans- mission. And in this you would be acting wisely, and as all should act in such cases. If people receiving mess ages from the spirit world would use as much care, when even more is required, there would be less skepticism and doubt, about our ability to construct a line of communication, between ours and the spirit world. It is the greatest wonder to me, that anything has been received from the world of spirits, suffi- ciently reliable, to convince any one of THE LAW OF CONDITIONS. 9 their ability to communicate with those upon the other shore; with the total lack of knowledge which seems to exist even among the chief operators and con- structionists, in regard to its laws, re- quirements or conditions. They have hot seemed to think a study of the laws or requirements a necessity. They sit clown and expect the spirits to throw messages in their lap. They form circles for spirit communion without a thought of the all importcint questions: Is our line up? Are our wires connected and properly insulated? Our batteries of proper strength? And our operators competent and reliable. They form a circle as I have said, with such condi- tions that the whole law of the universe would have to be repealed and new ones enacted, in order to give them the manifestations they are asking for. yet they wonder why they fail. They are usually surprised, if not disheartened or disgusted, either at the total absence oi all manifestations, or at the kind oi 10 THE LAW OF CONDITIONS, quality of the messages received. Some- times the line refuses entirely to work. At others it is so effected by the electric storms of inharmony and discord, which is raging along the line, that nothing reli; ble, or even conveying good sense is received. They usually attribute their failure, to the spirits not being in a mood to communicate, or their absence from the circle. All such conclusions are equally foolish. Never do they think of looking over their line to see that it is in good repair, wires properly insulated to keep out counter currents, or that their entire machinery and operators upon both ends of the line were in trim for the work. If they would look the entire plant over carefully after each failure, for the cause, their failures would prove more valuable to them than their partial successes. I say partial successes for their success can never be but partial, until the law is understood and complied with. People seem to use more sense upon THE LAW OF CONDITIONS. 11 any other subject than upon spiritual things, when reason is the substratum of the spirit world. Our reason judg- ment and good sense, should be thor- oughly exercised in connection with our decision upon the genuineness and reli- ability of all purported spirit messages. If 3 t ou do not understand the law of conditions form your circles with a view to stud\ T them. If you neither un- derstand or care to stud\ T them for the purpose of learning their provisions;then dispense with your circles, ior you are onh^ fooling a way y^our time. You had better be working at something y ou un- derstand or something you are anxious to learn. Do not jump upon the spirit- ualistic engine and throw the throttle wide open, in y^our anxiety to make great speed along the line of moral and spiritual development, unless you under- stand the mechanism ol the machine you are trying to run; unless you want to be picked up in pieces along the line. This is an engine of power and strength for 12 THE LAW OF CONDITIONS. good, in the hands of skilled engineers, but in the hands of ignorant and unpro- gressive people it means destruction to all such who try to run it. We can and must become engineers upjn this line before we can run far into spiritual things, and the sooner we commence tc take lessons in running this locomotive the sooner we will make progress along this line of intellectual, moral and spirit- ual development. We must not leave it all for spirits to do. They will throw out the line, but we must take hold of it before any communication can be had or connection gained with the spirit world. Our part of the work does not stop here, we must not only catch hold of this line of communication, but we must attach it to good instruments, and procure proper operators and then keep all upon this end of the line in good re pair and properly adjusted. Then the result of our labor will richly pay us foi all our trouble; and the world will be made wiser and better for our industry THE LAW OF CONDITIONS. 13 Having come to a full realization of the i.uportance of understanding the laws which govern spirit phenomena, and the effect which different conditions have upon the manifestations; knowing that notwithstanding the vast importance of the knowledge of this law it was stud- ied less than any other known law. Circles have been and are now being .Id all over this country for the pur- osc of obtaining spirit manifestations, by persons knowing nothing of this law and seem to be learning nothing from their experiments. At one circle they are highly elated over the results of their sitting; at the next they are mortified, if not thorough- ly disgusted, either from the absence of all manifestations, or from the quality of what was received. At one circle truth seems to predomi- nate throughout the entire line of the phenomena. At the next no dependence whatever can be placed upon anything that is said or done. 14 THE LAW OF CONDITIONS. At one meeting the controlling in- fluence appears to be endowed with wis- dom and knowledge of a high order. At the next, the most foolish and un- reasonable views are advocated, while ignorance and bigotry seem to have full sway. At some of these gatherings, the very highest moral precepts are recom- mended to the circle for practice, while at the very next the most lewd im- moral and pernicious influence seem to predominate. All these varied results are but the natural results obtained from the va- rious conditions prevailing at the time. In all of this, there is a highly instruc- tive lesson being taught, namely, the Law of Conditions, and its effect upon manifestations. But it is passed un- heeded by a large majority of phenome- na seekers. To study this law and the effect of various conditions upon the manifesta- tions produced in circles, in view of its great importance was the object of the THE LAW OF CONDITIONS. 15 circles, the result of which is hereafter recorded. Before proceeding with the result of the circles, I will here state, that these cir- cles were commenced for the study of the effect of conditions, hj and through the direct request of controls hav- ing charge of our regular circles, and by special agreement with those in con- trol, we were to be assisted by them in producing the conditions we desired, and if for any reason, the conditions which we sought to produce, could not be perfectly and technically obtained, then our spirit guides, those having in charge the conducting of these circles, should give us a description of the nat- ural results of a condition, such as was being investigated, would have upon a circle and the manifestations there pro- dticed and revise eve^thingwhich should be written upon the subject, that every- thing which might be written concern- ing the effect of conditions might be implicitly relied upon, as being the 16 THE LAW OF CONDITIONS. natural and inevitable effect of the various conditions. We believe the rec- ords herein made to be very correct and can be relied upon, to either read the conditions in the circle, by the mani- festations or the kind and nature of the manifestations, to be expected from such conditions in the circle. In recording the result of each circle we first give the facts as they occurred in the circle, after which we give the meaning of the manifestations, as the result of conditions, as they have been given to us by the spirits in charge ol this work. We then give a brief state- ment of the lessons taught in each case. Before proceeding I will make a little explanation in regard to the circle, and the individual members composing it. To commence with, the ckcle was com- posed of four members, (and if others should be admitted during the course, a full account of it will be given in the des- cription of the circle), two females and two males. One of each being negative THE LAW OF CONDITIONS. 17 by nature, as they are usually termed the other two positive. For the sake of brevity, I shall throughout these de- scriptions designate each member of the circle b}^ a letter as follows: F. M. Z. and myself. F. was male negative and the medium of the circle, and was never informed or knew anything in regard to the conditions we were trying to secure, only as he felt them as a medium, until after the circle, so that of himself he could not be influenced for, or against the conditions being produced. M. was a female negative, mediumistic by nature, and somewhat developed. Z. was a female positive, and might be called im- pressional. I am a male and positive; though I do not like the term positive, and negative as commonly used, and I may take occasion to refer to it before I get through. The same above named four sat in circles together from two to three times each week, for nearly four years past before commencing these circles, for the 18 THE LAW OF CONDITIONS. study of conditions. We understood very well, the result of our normal con- dition. The manifestations produced in our regular circles were usualh- table tipping (while our hands were upon it). F. always talked more or less under con- trol, personated some, and occasion airy saw clairvoyantly . He was always given considerable exercise plrysically, his whole system being shaken verj' severely while under control. He was compelled to do what he did do, and say what he did sa}r, but alwa} T s retained his con- sciousness. All others felt the presence of spirit influence distinctly, and M. very often saw clairvoyantly, and was im- pressed in regard to any communication the spirits might wish to give us. We never failed in our normal condition, to get manifestations of spirit presence and power within five minutes alter the circle was formed, and the music started and very olten they would manifest through F., before we got the circle in form. I mention these things in order THE LAW OF CONDITIONS. 19 that yon may be better able to draw conclusions in regard to the effect pro- duced upon the circle, and the manifes- tations, by the change in conditions It should be remembered, that all per- sons sitting in these circles, were ex- pected to remain in a negative condition and try to make the best conditions they could, unless they had been other- wise instructed, then due notice of it was taken at the beginning of the rec- ords of each circle. CHAPTER II. CIRCLE NUMBER ONE. Or the effect of a positive commanding or demanding condition. The first circle of this series of circles "was held on the evening of January 8th, 1893. After coming together, we talked the matter over in the presence of all the circle, in regard to how we should con- duct this, our first circle for the study of the effect of conditions. It was thought proper by all, that the first circle should have the best conditions that we could produce to this end, we each agreed to be as negative as possible, and from these conditions we naturally expected the very best manifestations which our circle could produce. With these mani- TEN TEST CIRCLES. 21 festations we cotild compare those pro- duced in subsequent circles, with less favorable conditions. At 7:30 o'clock, we were formed in circle around a small table or stand, the one usually used by us in our circles. F. sat an the west, M. on the north, Z. on the south and I on the east side of the table. A music box which was always used by us in our circles commenced to play. All were supposed to be in a , harmon- ious negative condition. The music had not played to exceed a half minute when I was impressed to assume a posi- tive commanding attitude towards the controls of the circle, and endeavor by the power of my will to stop all mani- festations. This move had never en- tered my mind until this moment. I had up to this time full}' intended to be negative and help the conditions for manifestations, as talked before the circle commenced. But I then and there asserted the power of my will. I drew 22 TEN TEST CIRCLES. an imaginary line around, and a little outside of our circle. I then demanded and commanded that all spirits keep outside of that line. All this of course was done mentally, not a word being spoken. I continued to say to the spirits present, mentally, the power of my will must and shall be superior in this circle. Not one must dare to cross this line T have drawn around this circle. Neither must you exert any power or influence, over any one in this circle who is sitting with me. I continued mental- ly this stand and these sitters belong to the material realm; I belong to the same condition; I have a right to dic- tate to you concerning them; 1 ask only my rights; Stand back every one of you and dare not to lay a finger upon a thing I have enclosed within my circle. I continued in this positive, commanding attitude. The music box ran down and stopped playing, and thirty minutes had passed away, and there had been no sign of spirit presence, or spirit power TEN TEST CIRCLES* 23 manifested in the circle. At the end of the thirty minutes, I said mentally, now, all our spirit friends can come in and take control of the circle. I commenced to sing "Nearer my God to thee" and placed nryself in a neg- ative receptive condition, when almost immediately F. was shaken up lively and the table began to tip. F. was con- trolled and talked, while the table con- tinued to rap out answers to all ques- tions asked. This state of things continued for about twenty minutes, when I again asserted the power of my will mentally and entirely unknown to the balance of the sitters, I commanded them again to get outside of the line 1 had drawn, and once more all the manifestations were as effectually stopped as though the circle had been entirely wiped out. The others in the circle continued to ask questions but could get no response. This state of things continued for a few minutes when F. remarked that he 24 TEN TEST CIRCLES. guessed all the forces were working on me, as he could not feel them any more, that they had all left him. This he said aloud, so all in the circle could hear him, and he proposed that they sing to help them in their work upon me. I did not say a word. When they commenced to sing I did not join them. They then were fully convinced that all the spirit forces were concentrated upon me. I did not sing for the reason that I had to retain my positive commanding condi- tion, in order to hold in check the invisi- ble powers that were present, and I was afraid I would assume a negative posi- tion if I undertook to sing, for instru- mental music or singing are powerful agents for producing negative condi- tions in a circle or audience of any kind. Hence its importance in all circles. They sang three pieces, but no mani- festations occurred during the time. When they stopped singing, all re- mained perfectly quiet and there was no apparent spirit influence within the TEN TEST CIRCLES. 25 circle. This second period of the total absence of all spiritual manifestations lasted about twenty minutes, when I said aloud, "will our spirit friends now sa\- good night? 1 ' The table at once tipped three times, which was the way they always said yes. I then said '\say good night." The table then tipped five times, their accustomed way of saying good night. This ended the first circle of this series. When 1 say the other three in the circle were surprised when I informed them of what I had been doing in the circle. I use as mild a word as I can and tell the truth. When we take into consideration the fact that not one in the circle except my- self knew what I was doing, but on the contrary had good reasons to suppose that I was trying to produce the best possible conditions for manifestations. It makes this experiment a great test of spirit presence and spirit power. I am aware that many will say this was a 26 TEN TEST CIRCLES. case of mesmerism or hypnotism, and in the exerting of my will power, I thereby holding in check all manifesta- tions, as well as keeping all in the circle quiet. This might appear to be a reasonable solution of the case, but when we take into consideration the fact that I did not try to exert n^ powers over any one in the circle ; my whole effort being to hold back an in- visible power, which was trying to as- sert itself. I did not concentrate my mind upon those composing the circle. There is another fact in this connection which effectually disproves this theoiw of hypnotism, and that is — I did not inform any of those who formed the circle of my desire in the case, but the}^ were led by me to believe that an entirely dif- ferent condition was expected by me, a course which is never persued where the hypnotic influence is wanted or ob- tained. In case of hypnotism the first thing the operator does is to inform the TEN TEST CIRCLES. 27 subject of what he is expected to do and how he is to act. This seems to be the first law of that condition called hypno- tism, and as far as I know, no one has ever exerted this power over a subject without first informing him of his inten- tions or desires in regard to it. Then what about those manifesta- tions which occurecl as soon as I changed from a positive to a negative condition. In this condition I exerted no power of will and could not have possibly thrown out any hypnotic in- fluence, A^et F. was at once influenced; his plwsical organism was violently shaken. He talked under influence and the table tipped rapidly, and answering all questions asked, while all in the circle felt a strong influence from some invisi- ble presence. This seems to me to make it a very positive proof of the presence, in our circle of some invisible intel- ligence, outside of that which the setters possessed; as the whole process and re- sult seems to be beyond, and entirely 28 TEN TEST CIRCLES. outside of any known law of hypnotism. This experiment I consider valuable, not only for its positive proof ofthe presence of an invisible intelligence, but it shows us the powerful effect which conditions have upon spirit manifestations. It has demonstrated that one positive antigo- nistic person in a circle may set at naught the efforts of a whole circle to produce the ordinary forms of spirit manifestations. This teaches us how very important it is for those who wish to communicate with the spirit world, to see that no antagonistic clement ex- ists in the circle. As well might you try to heat a cake of ice, as to produce spirit phenomena in a circle where there is a positive antagonistic element. In either case the condition will have to be changed, before the result desired can be produced. If we would receive spirit messages, we must study the law of their trans- missions; and when we thoroughly un- derstand this law, and obey its various TEN TEST CIRCLES. 29 provisions, communication between the two worlds will be as easy and as natural as for water to run down hill when ^11 obstructions have been re- moved. CHAPTER III. CIRCLE NUMBER TWO, Or the Result ot a Material, or a Worldly Business Condition. Circle number two was held at the ssme house as numder one, on January 15th. The same persons formed the circle, and they sat in the same positions around the table. I had instructed Z. that I wanted her in consert with me, to assume the most positive attitude that she could command and to demand business communications. We were both to think ot nothing but business and to ask mentally for instructions as how to make money; how to get rich; where we could find a gold mine, and this class of questions. Not allowing TEN TEST CIRCLES. 31 our minds to dwell upon anything men- tal or spiritual. We were to think oi only material things. The other two knew nothing of what we were doing, or the conditions we were trying to ob- tain. They were trying to produce the best conditions they could. And the ef- fect of our minds being placed upon material subjects, and not allowing spiritual or intellectual subjects to be considered or desired, seemed at first to be to drive away all manifestations. The influences which were present, not appearing to be able to do anything under these conditions. Our demands for business and material things did not seem to be in harmom^ with the spirits who were in attendance upon the circle at the opening. Hence, the absence of all manifestations. But the material condition which we had succeeded in establishing in the circle, appeared to repel those influences which always attended our circles when the conditions were normal and new, or 32 TEN TEST CIRCLES. strange influences were at once attracted that were more in harmony with the conditions. The first spirit that manifested under these conditions, was one who had just passed over in a burning hotel, and whose body had not 3^et been recovered. His mind seemed to be wholly absorbed in the recovery of his material body, and in some papers which M. saw clair- voyantly, together with other things which she could not see plain enough to identify. These papers pertained to some business matters which seemed to absorb all other things in his mind, ex- cept the one in regard to his physical body. He answered a few questions in regard to the number who passed over in the fire and a few other kindred sub- jects, and was gone. The next one that came said that he never was at our circle bet ore; said he was not happy, and that his condition was dark and unprogressive. He seemed to prefer earth life to his present condi- TEN TEST CIRCLES. 33 tion. He was attracted to our circle by the conditions surrounding it. These were the only spirits that came under the conditions produced by our positive demand for business and unspiritual communications. F. felt that the in- fluences were very weak and all in the circle were impressed with the feebleness of the demonstrations. By a previous agreement it was understood between Z. and myself, that when I should start to sing a certain tune we were both to become negative and passive so that the conditions might be good for mani- festations, F. and M. knowing nothing of the proposed change of conditions or that any change was to be made. When we commenced to sing and the negative conditions prevailed, as we supposed, all manifestations were still absent, and no spirit influence was felt in the circle for some little time. The positive mater- ial and unspiritual condition with which we had impregnated the circle in the fore part of the evening seemed to 34 TEN TEST CIRCLES. remain in the atmosphere of the room after we had ehanged to a more congen- ial condition, and it seemed to require some time to entirely eradicate its effect. In fact it seemed to show its effect throughout the balance of the evening. After the effect of our material condition had partly subsided w r e commenced to have manifestations of the usual kind, but it was still evident that some ad- verse influence was restricting the same, which could not be accounted for except in the theory wmich has been before stated, and it was clearly noticable that the longer we sat the stronger and bet- ter the influences became. As we neared the close those spirits who were regular attendants at our circles came, and questions were asked and answered, and things began to as- sume their normal condition, F. was controled by various intelligencies, who talked and answered questions through him . One very intelligent control, who had TEN TEST CIRCLES. 35 been practising several months to leain to talk through him, came, and it was with the greatest difficulty that he was able to say anything, (although he had been able to talk quite easily on all pre- vious occasions his words were ex- pressed^ sylableat a time while F. was so terribly exercised in the effort, so much so that he was nearly exhausted when the control left him after a few minutes effort. After this one had got through, an- other came who had never attended a circle before, and one who had never tried to talk through a medium, or pro- duce other phenomena of any kind, yet under his influence the table moved easily and gracefully, while he could talk through F. with comparative ease, and F. was not agitated or exhausted by the effort as was the ease under the other and older control. The conclusions to be drawn from this experiment, and the lessons taught, arc about a? follows : 36 TEN TEST CIRCLES. First the unaccustomed positive and unspiritual condition in the circle which had been produced by two of the setters, had the effect to drive out all those spirits that always attended our circle, when the conditions were normal, and in their place those came who were very close to the material on earth conditions. The first spirit which came was one who had just passed out of his physical body in a burning hotel, he had not yet realized he could get along without his physical body, he was yet waiting around the ruins where his body was for its recovery. He seemed to think his whole existence depended upon the re- covery of his bod} r , and the saving of some papers pertaining to business mat- ters. Now what finer illustration of the power of condition and the law that like attracts like. Here were two posi- tive persons in the circle who were de- termined to produce a material condi- tion, or in other words to use the circle TEN TEST CIRCLES. 37 for material and selfish purposes or for "worldly gains. No thought was given by them to spiritual or intellectual things. They being positive and deter- mined, made the conditions for the circle. Now let us see what this condition has attracted. The very iirst spirit to be attracted b} 7 - this condition is one so near the earth plane that he has never learned that it is possible for him to ex- ist without the material body, he is waiting for an opportunity to again enter the lost physical form, and the only great work laid out for himself was to regain this material body, and secure some papers pertaining to business. His whole life and aspirations were cen- tered in material things. Could any- thing be more like the conditions exist- ing in our circle ? The next and the last one that came under this condition was a spirit who had been long in spirit life. We find that he came from that low dark condition which borders on materiality, where the 38 TEN TEST CIRCLES. highest aspirations are only for mater- ial things. Now what finer illustration of the effect of conditions upon manifes- tations and the law of like attracts like could possibly have been given. Here the two principle mediums in the circle were trying to produce the best and highest conditions . That the manifesta- tions might be spiritual food and a shining light to guide us upon those higher intellectual and moral walks of life which lead to a purer and more spiritual condition. But their efforts were of no avail. All their power for good was set at naught when surrounded by that positive material condition. Their high aspir- ations as well as the natural results of the conditions they were trying to make were all set aside by this worldly mater- ial condition. We find by this change of condition, which we have brought around, we have changed the entire force of communicat- ing spirits as well as the nature of the TEN TEST CIRCLES. 39 communications and the reliability oi their teachings. Thus, we see that the mental and moral standing of the communicating spirit, the nature of the communication, as well as the amount of the reliability which may safeW be placed upon them, may all be foretold hy the mental and moral standing of the circle, together with the harmonious condition of the same. It must be remembered that although the moral character of the circle may be good, yet the low and vulgar influences may be attracted to it, as the direct re- sult of discord and in harmony prevail- ing in the circle at the time. We also find that when we had undertaken to make the radical change from a positive material to a negative receptive condi- tion, the manifestations came slow and somewhat unsatisfactory for some little time. Caused, we are informed, by our inability to make so sudden and com- plete a change, together with the effect 40 TEN TEST CIRCLES. which our positive condition had left upon the balance of the circle. Our minds had been wrought up to a high degree on the positive material plane, and could not* suddenly be brought to that other extreme, the negative and spiritual condition. But as our minds gradually settled back into the latter condition the manifestations assumed their accustomed lines and powers, the spirits who manifested were those who usually did so when we had our best conditions. These spirits which came and under- took to talk through F. were given us to illustrate the effect of conditions upon spirits of different degrees of develop- ment. Although this illustration was mven under the better conditions in the circle, it was intended to show, as the spirits themselves said, a result as it would have occured if the effort had been made by these spirits under the material condition existing during the first half of the circle. The one that TEN TEST CIRCLES. 41 was the most in harmony with condi- tions prevailing in the circle at the time could talk the easiest and with the least strain upon the medium. It matters not whether the controlling spirit is higher or lower than the conditions under which the medium is working. The strain is the same on the medium as well as the controlling influence caused by the inharmony existing bet- ween the two conditions. If the medium, while retaining con- sciousness, is controlled easily, and the control can talk through him smoothly there must exist between the medium and the controlling intelligence perfect harmony. The conditions under which the medium is working and that of the control must be upon the same intellect- ual and moral plan, but if the power which is trying to control be of a lower order, being attracted by a downward tendency in the moral or intellectual conditions of the medium or the prevail- in £ influences in the circle, or if on ac- 42 TEN TEST CIRCLES. count of the medium's aspirations for a higher intellectual and moral position he attracts (as he is sure to do) those spirits who are on a little higher plan than himself or the prevailing moral condition of the circle (for the medium always has to suffer for a condition in the circle below his moral or intellectual plan and will be severely worked when he is trying to harmonize his or that of the circle with a higher condition). In either of these cases the medium will be worked very hard and will generally be nearly exhausted after each short period of control, while the con- trolling spirit seems to communicate under the greatest difficulties. This proves that if a medium and his circle are both progressing, they are con- stantly attracting influences higher than the medium, and the consequence will be that his mediumship will not be so smooth or easy as a more unprogres- sive position would place him, for he then would attract those in perfect harmony TEN TEST CIRCLES. 43 with himself. And where a medium's mediumship (after he has had a reason- able amount of development) comes hard, the controls seeming unable to accomplish what the\^ appear to very much desire, while the medium is very much agitated and prostrated by the effort. It becomes evident that the control- ling spirit is either from a higher or a lower plane from that of a medium. This condition of things should alwa} r s be encouraging to those mediums, who are honestly seeking a higher moral con- dition, as it will prove to them that they have attracted and enlisted the help of those from the higher condi- tions. Rut how different is it with those who feel this discord and resultant strain in their mediumship, but whose desires are not so much for the higher spiritual condition, as for the carnal, earthly material gratifications. These ma}' be sure that the lower powers are reaching out for them, and they should 44 TEN TEST CIRCLES. at once reform or throw up their me- diumship or at least its further develop- ment. CHAPTER IV. CIRCLE NUMBER THREE. The effect of the positive condition when directed towards the forcing of spirit manifestations. On the evening of January 22, at 7:30 o'clock, p. m., four of us were again around the little table and prepared to hold circle number three. All were seated as in the previous circle. Before commencing I had instructed all in the circle to get in as negative a condition as possible and make the best conditions they could for manifestations of an unknown kind. I did not instruct anv of the circle what my intentions 46 TEN TEST CIRCLES. were concerning it, neither did they know anything about the kind of condi- tions I was intending to make. There- fore, if they entertained any thought upon the subject of the kind of condi- tions I was trying to make, each one's idea would have been entirely different, hence, they could not have worked in harmony to produce the manifestations which followed; neither could their minds have effected them, as they would unlikely be thinking of the same thing. As soon as the circle was formed and the music commenced, I at once assumed a positively commanding condition as in circle number one, except that in this circle I demanded their presence instead of their absence as in circle number one I commanded and demanded that the spirits at once make their presence mani- fest. I concentrated all the powers of my will to the one purpose, ' and that w^as to compel obedience on the part of the spirits to my demands. In this circle I was endeavoring to force them TEN TEST CICRLES. 47 to manifest their presence by some of the usual forms of manifestations as I had compelled them to stand back and keep quiet, in circle number one. It would seem that if they could be forced out of a circle by the power of my will, they might be forced into the circle and compelled to make their presence felt or known by the same power, but in our experiments in this circle we found that this was not the case. Repulsion and attraction are opposite forces. Repulsion can never attract, neither can attraction repulse. In the first circle I repulsed the spirits by my positive commanding attitude toward them, therefore I could never attract them to me or the circle by the same condition that we had proven to have a repulsive effect upon the spirits. Al- though I exerted every power of my will to compel their attendance. Not a sign of their presence was manifest. The music continued. The sitters, except myself, remained negative and harm on- 48 TEN TEST CIRCLES. ions. A condition which would have, bnt for my presence, produced mani- festations any time, in from three to five minutes, bnt with my positive domineer- ing attitude in the circle, twenty min- utes passed without the least sign oi spirit presence. All this time I was men- tally demanding that they make the others feel their presence, tip the table, control F. and do anything they were in the habit of doing at our circles. Not one of the things which I commanded did they do. They seemed to have been as effectually repulsed as they were in circle number one, when I was tr\nng to repulse them. After the twenty minutes had passed without manifestations of an 3^ kind, the table began to tip and upon inquiry we found that the spirit who was trying to manifest w^as a stranger, never having visited our home or circle before. In earth life he said he was a relic hunter from Western Austra- lia. He seemedto be in a very dark and unhappy state of mind. TEN TEST CIRCLES. 49 After I had changed my positive for a more negative condition the influences informed us that the relic hunter who had just been here had in his hunt for relics a large number of human beings under him, over whom he had wielded the iron rod. In his search for knowl- edge, (knowledge being the object of his research,) the rights and liberties oi others were as naught to him. He trampled everything that was sacred or dear to them, under his feet. He rode over their tenderest feelings and most sacred desires as he would ride over the grass without giving them either care or thought. His only thought was for knowledge; not for the good of mankind or future generations, but to satisfy a morbid curiosity. The light which he received was never allowed to shine. The knowledge which he acquired went with him to the grave; it not having been diffused by him to enlighten the world, it now forged the chains which Donnd him to the powers of darkness, 50 TEN TEST CIRCLES. and the only way these chains could be loosened was in his giving this light and knowledge to the people of the earth. This knowledge which he had obtained through the hardships and degredation of others was held by him in direct violation of the law which demands of us to let the light which we have shine for all the world and its future generations; and he could be lifted out of his present dark condition only by a compliance with that law. Having passed to spirit life, it was no easy task to find a means to convey this knowledge to mortals. He must find a sensitive who is in perfect harmony with his condition in order to be able to use him to convey this knowledge to the world. The difficulties to be met and over- come may be partially understood, when we remember that his condition was a highly educated and cultured one as well as a low, dark and unhappy one; the latter being occasioned by the neg- TEN TEST CIRCLES. 51 lect ; misuse and abuse of the former. To find a medium sufficiently in har- mony with these conditions to be able to use them for the transmission of this knowledge was no easy task. He had traveled far and near in search of one, but as yet no one had been found. While he was controlling F. he cried out "Oh knowledge! knowledge! I grasped after you with eager, selfish hands, It would have been better if I had never known you." After this he personated, holding something in one hand and striking it with the other, then throw- ing it down and taking up another. He continued this for some time after which we learned that this operation repre- sented the knocking of the mortar from the bricks and stones in his destruction for relics and knowledge. We had quite a variety of spirits come after this while we kept up good conditions, which we did until the end of the circle. We learn from the experiences in this circle: First, that as we had not the 52 TEN TEST CIRCLES. customary conditions during the firsl half of the circle, we attracted none oi the spirits we usually did in our circles. I had assumed a domineering attitude towards them, and had raised a posi- tive antagonism in the circle which seemed to repel all those influences which were attracted under our ordi- nary conditions. The only spirit at- tracted during this positive, overbearing and undesirable condition was one whose earth life we were personating and illustrating by the position and conditions I had assumed in the circle. He had done the same thing in earth life which I was trying to do in the circle. In the attitude I had taken, I was dis- regarding the rights and liberties oi others. I was commanding like dogs, those whom I looked upon as dear friends. I was disregarding the rights of the other members of the circle and svas not divulging to them the knowl- edge I was receiving. While in earth life he was seeking for TEN TEST CIRCLES. 53 knowledge (as I was at this time). In order to obtain this knowledge which he was seeking, he required the help of others (as I did). While this help was so important to his success he totally disregarded all their rights and liberties and refused to give them the light of the knowledge which they were procuring for him. All this I had been doing in this circle, in my dealings with an at- titude towards the spirits and the bal- ance of the circle. Can you give a more striking illustration of like attracting like? I cannot. Again we have an- other illustration of the truth. u As you sow so shall you reap" and that the manifestations in a circle clearly indi- cate its conditions at the time. Another fact is here demonstrated; that knowledge confined and covered in ones own individuality, is worse than ignorance, for it will forge, the chains that shall bind him to the powers of darkness, but knowlege gained whose light is placed upon the mountain top 54 TEN TEST CIRCLES. for the guidance and elevation of all who majr desire it, shall be the brightest stars in the crown of the happy posses- sor. CHAPTER V. CIRCLE NUMBER FOUR. Or the natural results arising from a continual changing of the position of the hands 01 any part of the body while in the circle. This circle was held Sunday evening, January 29th. At a circle held a few days previous to this one, M. and my- self were the only ones present when one of the controls instructed us how to conduct our next test circle. He in- structed us to note the effect upon the manifestations of breaking the circle by taking his hands off the table and then putting them on again. One sitter taking his hands off while another was 56 TEN TEST CIRCLES. putting his Hands on and to keep this up continually so there should be a con- tinual changing of the hands upon the table, thereby producing what is usually called a breaking of the circle or its con- ditions. M. and myself consulted together in regard to the advisibility of instructing Z. as to what we wanted her to do, or what we were going to do. When we decided that as Z. never kept her hands on the table more than a lew minutes at a time it would not be necessary to say anything to her as she would carry out the programme by her natural inclina- tion without instructions. Therefore we said nothing to her about what we were going to do. Hence, Z. and F. had nothing to do with, and knew nothing of the unnatural conditions we expected to produce. 7:30 in the evening found us in our usual places around the table. Remem- ber we were all to remain negative and try to produce the very best conditions TEN TEST CIRCLES. 57 ve could, except as before stated. Even VI. and myself were to try to produce :he very best conditions in our power. ;ave in the breaking of the circle which ?v r e were to conduct as before stated. Therefore from the opening of the circle :o the first break we were supposed to lave the very best conditions we could make. In consequence of such a condition, at the very opening, the invisible presence of a powerful force was felt throughout the circle, which grew in force and strength as time went by. At the end of a few minutes M. took her hands off the table, then in a few minutes more I took my hands off, soon after which she put her hands on again. Thus we kept up this taking off and putting on of hands for some time without its having any noticeable effect either upon the power of the influences or the manifesta- tions in the circle. The table continued i:o tip, regardless of the breaks or .manges we were continually making, §8 TEN TEST CIRCLES. and tlie controls kept remarking through F. about the good conditions we had in the circle. I asked the guides if we were producing the conditions in the circle which we had undertaken to produce. The table at once rapped "No". I then asked, shall some of the setters change places? The answer was given "Yes". By inquiry we found out that M. and Z. were to change places which they at once did. We remained in this position about ten minutes, it seeming to have no effect upon the influences or demonstra- tions. I was impressed to change places with Z., which I did. The manifesta- tions seemed to be uninterrupted through any and all changes. The in- fluence seemed to be a happy one and the manifestations seemed to be more the expressions of joy; then the demon- stration of great truths. Towards the close of the circle, little Frankie, our grand child, came and said he had been with us to see his parents; said he was happy and many other TEN TEST CIRCLES. 59 things that would not be of interest here. As soon as he had gone one of the guides came and said through F.: when the conditions are good and no particular spirits have been called for then the children come. Children are the S3 r mbols of a pure and happy condition. The meaning they wish to convey by the coming of the child was this: The frequent changing of positions in a circle with good conditions would not change the conditions to bad but would only change the nature of the communica- tions. The frequent changes in a circle of the position of the sitters would be natural- ly caused either from a light and happy condition or from a nervous, unsatisfied and uneas\ r condition. As we were mak- ing the changes under a negative and good condition, the manifestations in this case would be of the former kind and would therefore be of a light and happ3' nature. To illustrate this the child came, and fearing we would not proper- 60 TEN TEST CIRCLES, ly understand the symbol and its correct application, they drew our attention tc it through the medium. The conditions we had made in the circle by the rapid changes partook oi the light and happy kind, and we attracted the children and the love ele- ment prevailed, rather than the higher intellectual condition. This they im- pressed upon our minds as a point to be remembered by making this one of the happiest circles we had ever attended. All in the circle were impressed with the joyful power which seemed to be over- shadowing the circle. One of the con- trols said through F. that the spirit world was just pouring out its benedic- tion upon this circle. The lessons taught hy the experiences in this circle are first: while the circle remained negative and harmonious, and the conditions in other respects were good,. the mere changing of the position of the hands, or even the changing of places by the bitters did not necessarily make the conditions bad. TEN TEST CICREES. 61 The effect of such changing being notice- able only in the nature of the manifesta- tions, while the rapid changing of posi- tions under the conditions prevailing in this circle were not condusive to those lengtln r and highly intellectual com- munications that might be desired at times, nevertheless, they did attract that happy love element which lifts the soul above the conditions of earth; but it should be remembered in this connec- tion, that a constant moving or changing of places in a circle caused by a nervous and uneasy condition in the circle would attract a very different class of spirits from those attracted by this circle. While in this circle they w ere happy, elevating and good; in this last mentioned condition they would be low and from a dark, unprogressive, mater- ial condition, therefor unhappy and bad. Received under such conditions they would neither be reliable, elevating or enjoyable. In the second place we learn that the 62 TEN TEST CIRCLES. taking off of the hands by one or more of the sitters in a circle (where the circle is formed by placing the hands upon a table) does not break the circle. To break a circle requires the removal oi some of the sitters, a changing of places b}^ some of them or the introduction of new members into the circle. We fur- ther learn that the breaking of a circle has only an instantanious effect upon the circle where the general conditions remain the same and will not be noticed in ordinary cases. But where the con- ditions are materially changed, either by the entire removal of some element in the circle or the introduction of some new element. It is very different and time is required to adjust the influences to the new condition. This in all cases should be avoided if possible. Z. who had never kept her hands upon the table only a part of the time, in any circle kept them on the table continual- ly through this circle, notwithstanding we had est)eciallv desired in this circle TEN TEST CICRLES. 63 that she should at least have her hands off a part of the time; although we had said nothing to her about it, not think- ing it necessary for the reasons before stated. From this we learn that desires expressed before a circle do not necess arily have am- effect upon the circle. That our minds did not dictate to the influences of the circle, and that because a sitter had felt impebled to do certain things in one circle or in a series of circles, it did not necessarily follow that at another circle with conditions made very much different they would be likely to do the same thing. We should understand that those who are to any degree sensitive will be in- fluenced in their actions while in the circle, by the conditions in the circle as much as will the manifestations. CHAPTER VI. A CHANGE IN A CIRCLE Or an appointed test circle changed by the guides to an ordinary circle. Positive prooi that these test circles were run by or un- der the directions oi spirits. On the Fourth of February, the night before the evening on which we expected to hold otir fi th circle. M. and nrvself sat io learn, if possible, what conditions we were to try and obtain for our filth circle. We were instructed by our guides to have good conditions; nothing un- usual but rather the usual conditions. The reason ior this we could not find TEN TEST CIRCLES. 65 Dut, for when we questioned them in regard to it, all we could get was that we would find out the next evening; We then asked them if F. would come to the circle for conditions the next evening; they said "no"; and that was all we :ould*get upon the subject. The next evening, when F. was on his way to our house, he came across another person who said he was on his way to a circle at our house. They :ame together to the house and just before the time had arrived for the form- ing of the circle, I questioned F. what are we going to do tonight? What about the conditions for this evening? He said, "let us have the usual conditions," and continuing said that he felt that he :ould not sit in a circle having unusual :onditions this evening; that he had in- tended when leaving home to not stay to the circle if we were going to have some unusual conditions and said he lad felt pleased when he met this party joining to the house, as he thought it 66 TEN TEST CIRCLES. might induce us to not hold a test circle. I then informed him that we had had the same thing the night before and that it was evident for some reason the guides did not wish to hold a test circle tonight; that apparently there was something else thej^wish to attend to. F. thought the fact of his getting it so vStrong that the conditions for this even- ing must be our ordinary or best con- ditions, and the same thing being given to us the evening before, when we had not seen or hea^d from each other since the last test circle a week before at which time it was understood that this should be a test circle, was even more pleasing to him than our test circle. He also said these facts should be mentioned in connection with these test circles. Of course we held one of our ordinary circles, and Ave had only got in place around the table when another old friend (one who had attended our circles before we commenced these test circles to study the effect of conditions) came TEN TKST CIRCLES. 67 and was admitted to the circle. He said he did not much expect to sit in the circle but felt impressed to come. So you see the forces were working from all points to the same end. Now, it clearh- shows that the invisi- ble intelligence was running these circles for the sttid\- of the effect of conditions. Having this assurance it can but help in giving credibility to this work. After the circle got into working or- der we learned through the guides that there were some whose health needed looking after and they gave us directions in their cases. We had a very enjoyable circle. In regard to our future test circles the}- said we were to hold ten in all, but the\' refused to tell us when we should hold our next one. All the instructions we could get on the subject was that we should hold test circles when we had just the required number (which we sup^ pose is four, as that is the number we have always had in our test circles). I 68 TEN TEST CIRCLES. suggested that I guessed we would not hold any test circles very soon, as we would always have more than four present unless we restricted the number. But they said "do as we tell you". This left all future test circles to be held upon this indefinate time, the result of w hich can only be given in the future. The account of the result of each circle is written up by me before the holding of the next circle. Nothing is known at the writing of these accounts of the re- sults of the next circle. CHAPTER Vtl CIRCT.K NUMBER FIVE. Or the anti-impressional phase of spirit phenomena demonstrated and the effect of business matters enter- ing into the ordinary circle. Although we held circles three times each week, and at each we were very particular to inquire of our spirit friends when we were to have our next test circle, (as we called these circles for the study of the effect of conditions upon spirit manifestations), but at each one we were informed that we would be ad~ vised in time when they would be ready to hold the next test circle. 70 TEN TEST CIRCLES. Accordingly on the evening of Febru- aiw 16th, the evening for holding our regular Thursday night circle. F. our medium who seldom failed to attend our regular circles was absent, but his principle control was with us, and oi him we inquired in regard to the reasons of his medium not being present at this circle. When we were informed by this spirit that F.,his medium, had company and could not come. I asked this spirit if he approved of his medium staying away from this circle, or if he considered that he had good excuse for staying away. He said 4 'yes." We thanked him for coming and telling us the cause of F's absence when he said "good night" and was gone. We afterwards inquired the reason of his absence and he informed lis that he had company which he could lot very well leave. While this book is not written, or these circles held to convince skeptics of :he truth of spiritualism, yet many chings have occurred which proved TEN TEST CIRCLES. 71 beyond a question or doubt, the pre- sence in the circles of an intelligence not connected with a physical body, and this is one of them, for F. had never been absent from the circle unless he was sick or absent from the city and we had no doubt, and we also expressed onrselves that F. must either be sick or ont of the city. Not one in this circle had in their mind any other canse for his ab- sence. Notwithstanding onr belief in the mat- ter, here comes one of F's controls and assures us that F. is not sick or out oi the city but that he has company and is perfectly excusable for not being pre- sent. This was verified on seeing F. as being correct in every particular, al- though the information was in direct opposition to the thoughts or belief oi every one in the circle. Here then, is another case which is beyond the reach of that popular delu- sion mind reading. The information which was here received, (we shall be 72 'TEN TEST CIRCLES. compelled to believe if we look at it from a reasonable or scientific standpoint) must have come from the source which it claimed namely: A spirit from the spirit world who had once inhabited a physical bodj r upon the earth, but who had many years ago left it and passed to spirit life and was now one of F's controls and through him was tr3 T ing to shed some light in the world, regarding that greatest of all philosophy's spirit- ualism. Our circle after receiving this informa- tion was of the usual kind. Various friends in spirit life came with messages of love and answered many questions, and nothing occurred out of the ordi- nary course until toward the close when we were informed that upon the next Tuesday evening the twenty-first day of February we were to hold our next test circle, and that on the Mon- day evening before this Tuesday^ j\[. and myself were to sit and they — the spirits — would give us directions in re- TEN TEST CIRCLES. 73 garcl to the conditions which they wanted us to test, and other details in regard to the holding of this circle. Ac- cordingly on Monday evening the twen- tieth day of February, M. and myself sat as requested, and was instructed to hold this test circle as we usually held our regular circles^ except we were to have the seance room darker than usual, allowing no lamp in the room. We were also instructed to do nothing to make unusual conditions, but to leave that to our spirit friends who said they would produce the conditions which they wanted , the result of which was to be embodied in this work as the fifth circle. On the next evening, the twentv- first, the appointed time for holding this fifth circle, which circle was to be formed at half past seven, the room was to be made darker and as we had in this seance room a coal stove with a large amount of mica in it, much more light was given into the room than was desired. M. and myself went to the 74 TEN TEST CIRCLES. room a little before seven o'clock and placed a screen aronnd the stove so as to obstruct the light. After this had been done which required only a few minutes. I wound up the music box and it com- menced to play when I seemed to feel very uneasy. I sat down, then got up, went to the window, then sat down again but could not sit. I walked the floor around the room and then out of the room but would no sooner get out than I would come in again. The lamp in the room seemed to me to smell very badly, as though it was smoking, al- though M. said she did not notice it. This disagreeable odor which seemed to come from the lamp appeared to grow worse. I got more uneasj^ until I could stand it no longer, when I carried the lamp into an adjoining room and blew it out; then coming back into the half darkened seance room, (the only light in it coming from an electric light at the corner of the street close by.) The curtains at the windows at this time TEN TEST CIRCLES. 75 were up. I then sat down and felt per- fectly contented. The music box con- tinued to play and M. and myself sat quietly in the room for fifteen or twenty minutes before F. came, who did not arrive until the time for forming the circle. He came at once into the half darkened room, Z. entering at the -ame time taking their places at the table. We drew the curtains down and the circle was in operation. No time was lost in getting manifestations. The room seemed full of those invisible influences which we so much desire to know is always near us. The manifesta- tions commenced almost as soon as our seats were occupied around the table. The xolaying of the music in the meh w light of the room for a short time before the time for the circle had evident^ at- tracted the forces which had the condi- tions all properly adjusted and in the very best condition to receive the circle when the time arrived and consequently 30 time was required afterthe circle was 76 TEN TEST CIRCLES. formed to properly arrange the condi- tions for manifestations, which is usual- ly the case. The first spirit that manifested itself was a spirit who had been in spirit life about ten years and whose funeral T had attended, it being a. Masonic funeral. He requested me to ask him some questions mentally on Masonry, as a test of his identity as well as the presence of that disembodied intelligence before men- tioned. I then asked him some eight or ten questions upon the secrets of Mason- ry which could be answered by yes or no, every one of which was correctly answered. No one in the circle except myself was a Mason, and not one of them knew what questions I asked, as tl.ey were all asked mentally. Not one :ould have answered them if they had kn wn what they were. Skeptics, by what power was this done? Several other spirits now mani- fested their presence in rapid succession, all of which we asked amoii& other TEN TEST CICRLES. things, if the circle was correct] y formed and if the conditions were good. All answered in the affirmative. To the question, "shall we change the condi- tions in any manner for the benefit of these experiments," to all of which they answered "no". All manifesting spirits declared these answers correct, up to a. 1 > out half of the circle period, when a spirit announced himself and informed us that the controlling spirits of this circle now requested that a change be made in the circle. F. and Z. were to change places at the table. The change was at once made, when Z. seemed to be wonderfully effected by the influences she then felt. She sat in the chair which the medium, F. had always occupied in the circles for the last two 3'ears and hold, ing his place at the table. Immediately after the change of places were made, F. saw clairvoyautly in very lorge letters the word progression. This they said was to symbolize, not only that all in the circle were making progress, but 78 TEN TEST CIRCLES. more especially was it intended to rep- resent that Z. in taking the position of a medium in the circle, was making great progress. (The letters in the word "progress" as seen by F. being very large, the interpretation of this was Great Progress.) They wanted to im- press itforcibly upon our minds, that to become a medium, was progression in the strongest term. The taking of a mediums place hy Z. under direction of the spirits, was to indicate to us that she was making progress in that direct- ion. I continued to ask of all spirits with whom I talked, if we should not change the conditions in some way for the benefit of these tests, but all said "no." While I wondered not a little at this, not one in the circle regretted it, for the influences which prevailed in the circle, and in its every part, were the most joyful that we had ever experi- enced, and when we started to sing, the enthusiasm demonstrated by those in the circle was the most remarkable of TEN TEST CICRLES. 79 anything in the history of our circles. When we stopped singing I inquired the cause of the unexceptionably good con- ditions and influences as manifested in this circle, (as I had done several times before during the circle) but got the same answer, that had been given us before, namely: that they would tell ns the cause of it before we got through. They said, when asked if making the room darker was the cause of these extra good conditions, they answered that this helped the conditions some but was not the main cause of the excellent con- ditions existing in this circle, and again assured us that they would tell us what the great cause was before we got through . There came an unusually large number of spirits desiring us to ask them questions that could be answered by yes or no and always requesting that I should first find out what subject they wished to be questioned upon, by asking the various subjects which I could think of. At least on a half-dozen different 80 TEN TEST CIRCLES. occasions during the circle, did I go through all the different subjects I cculd think oi, as: "Is it about the circle yon wish me to question you?" "Is it about our development?' ' "Is it about the spirit world?" "Is it about any one in particular?" "Is it about the health of any one?" and many other questions, until in at least three different cases I exhausted all the subjects I could think of without finding out the subject they desired to talk about and they went away without being questioned, except in regard to the subject which they wished to talk on. In all the other cases I nearly run out of subjeets before find- ing the one they desired. These spirits desiring to be questioned as above, did not come one directly after the other, but one would come and when he would go, perhaps some spirit would come and talk to us through F. When he "was through another of those w T ho wanted to be questioned would come. These spirits who desired to be ques- TEN TEST CIRCLES. 81 tioned seemed to come at the end ot short intervals all through the circle. The point here which I wish to lay great stress upon is, that six or seven spirits came at different times, all through the circle, and all requested the same "thing, to- wit: That we ask ques- tions that could be answered by yes or no, and that we first find out the sub- ject of such conversation, and that we, I say we, for all joined in asking the ques- tions in regard to the subject, exhausted all the subjects we could think of, in about half of these cases, without find- ing the subject, and nearly exhausted them in the balance before finding the correct subject. At the time none of us noticed anything peculiar in this, or any- thing out of the usual order, neither did we in the least suspect the object of this until the end of the circle. At one time during the circle a spirit came who, when in earth-life, was a preacher. He talked to us upon the beauties of spiritualism through F, and seemed to do it very 82 TEN TEST CIRCLES. easy under our conditions, it being the same spirit that came in one of our former test circles under bad conditions, and found it so very hard to speak through the same medium, showing the wonderful effect of conditions upon the powers of spirits to use mediums. There seemed to be quite a disposition on the part of the spirits in control of the circle to develop the medium istic qualities of those in the circle. Several things were ordered dane to facilitate this which otherwise would not be nec- essary. This teaches us that the spirit world is desirous that we develope our mediumship and that when the condi- tions are good they will work to that end, and that no opportunity will be lost by them to assist us in such develop- ment. The circle continued under that happy, joyful, progressive influence until the end. When one of the controls announced that they were ready to say good night and close the circle, the table then tipped TEN TEST CIRCLES. 83 five times which was the way they al- ways said good night. We all said good night as soon as the table had tipped the fifth time and we supposed that no further eommrini cation from the spirit world would be received that evening, but just as soon as we had all said good night F. was controlled and in a kind of a strange, drawn-out, sing-song voice said : " I will now give j^ou the greatest cause for the good conditions we have had tonight." "(The word business has not been used in this circle." The con- trol then immediatel\ r left F. and we all had a heart\ T laugh when we realized the truthfulness of this statement. We were filled with wonder when we fully comprehended the fact that at every circle (for I do not believe there had been one exception to this rule) about the third question asked under similar circumstances, had always been upon business matters. Whenever a spirit had come to oui circle and manifested a desire to have 84 TEN TEST CIRCLES. us ask questions, we usually commenced about like this, first: Do you want to talk about the circle? Second, Do you want to talk about health? Third, Do you want to talk about business mat- ters ? Many times it would be, first, Do you w ant to talk about health? Second, Do you w r ant to talk about business? business never having come later than the third or fourth question, and many times it was the second. But in this circle, although we had been called upon to nearly exhaust the subjects for con- versation, that we could think oi in many cases, and in several cases we had all entirely exhausted them. Yet the subject of business had - never been thought of by us. This I consider the most remarkable phenomenon that ever occurred in any circle of which 1 was a participant. Here were four of us in the circle all being accustomed not only to ask, but to hear others in the circle ask of the manifesting spirit the follow* . ing questions: Is there something you TEN TEST CIRCLES. 85 would like to tell us about our business? Do 3^ou wish to talk to us on business matters? Can 3^ou give us some advice that will help us in our business? All these and many others of a like nature were as familiar to all of us in the circle as the" tunes pla} r ed b\ T the music box. Yet in this one where the greatest de- mand had been made upon us for sub- jects to talk upon, all of us having been called upon to completely exhaust our vocabulary of subjects without finding the right one, not one of us ever think- ing of the familiar subject of our busi- ness matters. Here was a new phase of spirit phenomena. One that we will call the anti-impressional condition, one that was wholly new to me, being a phase that I had never seen mentioned in any list of the different phases of spirit phenomena. Here were four persons sitting in this circle (none of whom were in a trance condition or wholly under control), all actively trying with all their pow T ers, to 86 TEN TEST CIRCLES. think of the subject upon which the manifesting spirit might wish to talk, and not only at one time, but in at least a half dozen different and distinctly sep- arate times during the circle, was this the case. All being called upon in many cases, to the fullest extent of their abil- ity in this direction, and yet not one of us was permitted to think of the subject of our business. Although this was the most familiar as well as the one most talked about of any subject which had been discussed in our previous circles. Here was a clear case of the interrup- tion of thought along certain lines b^^ spirit power. This suspension, or more properly prevention of thought, was successful^ accomplished in four brains at the same time, and at a number of different times in this circle. This opens up another field for study in spirit phen- omena. If a spirit can suspend the oper- ation of a thought which memory would be able to arouse, on any one subject, while the whole brains including- mem- TEN TEST* CIRCLES. 87 ory and thought remains perfectly active and bright upon all other subjects, then a spirit could take away a persons rec- ollection of any particular subject or event, without impairing their mind in any other direction, or in the least effect- ing -their memory upon other subjects. This seems to have been demonstrated as a fact b} 7 the experiments and results before mentioned. This particular phase of spirit power may account for some very mysterious cases of supposed per- jury, as w^ell as many cases of an una- countable indisposition, to tell the whole truth, by those whom we would not expect to evade a statement of the wdiole truth. How often does it occur that a witness upon the stand and under oath, testifies positively to an occurrence where something w r as said and done, and further states that another witness present in court saw and heard the same thing at the same time; but when the other witness is called he remembers of being 1 there, and at the time, saw and 88 TEN TEST CIRCLES. heard the same as the other witness ex- cept upon one very important point, and upon this he remembers nothing, and it is most always the case, that this oneunremembered point spoils the effect and weight of their whole evidence, and such witnesses have been looked upon as perjurers, or as having very little re- gard for their oath. Under the forego- ing facts may it not be possible that many such witnesses are not responsi- ble for the condition of their thoughts or memory upon this particular point? After these developments would it not be well to consider these points and en- de, vor to make no mistakes in judging of the cause or reasons for some very strange cases of forgetfulness that may have effected us to a greater or less de- gree ? The foregoing experiments prove that it is possible for a person to forget his own name under this kind of spirit influ- ence, without having his mind impaired in the slightest degree in any other di- TEN TEST CIRCLES. 89 rection, or upon any other subject. Anc yet, any one who had forgotten his owi name would, if he persisted in it, b< considered demented, or accused of lying by most plrysicians of today. It now seems possible for them to be mistaken upon this point, in addition tc the long list of mistakes they have made. What the effect of this phase of the phenomenon may have upon the condi- tion of mankind cannot be fully compre- hended at this time. What its effect has been upon the past ages, and what it !iad to do with some of the apparently lost arts, may become a very interesting study, and a subject for scientific re- search. The lessons taught by the experiences and manifestations in this circle are in the first place, the spirit controls insist- ed upon making or producing the con- ditions which they desired to have in this circle. All were to sit only with a view to the forming of good conditions. The reason for their desiring to make 90 TEN TEST CIRCLES. the conditions in this circle you will readily see were because they only could make the conditions which they wanted to illustrate, as predominating in the circle. If we had said, not one of us must think of the word business during this circle, there would not have been one who would not have had that word pass through his mind many times dur- ing the circle. You will readily see that if we are not to think of a certain word, in order to be sure that we don't think of it, we must remember what that word is, and to remember what the word is, is to have it in mind, or think of it. Hence the absolute necessity of all being kept ignorant in regard to the conditions which were asserting their influence upon the circle. In this circle we were all kept in the dark upon this point, while in all previous circles only a part were kept ignorant in regard to the conditions which were influencing the circle, and we should remember that TEN TEST CIRCLES. 91 if it had been possible for us to have en- tirely banished the thought of the word business from our mind, then it would have been impossible for the spirits to have demonstrated their power to pre- vent thought, or produce forgetfulness on an 3^ particular subject without other- wise affecting the mind. The reason for the demand for a dark seance room was, to have better condi- tions. Sun light or any artificial light, is a material condition, and if the circle is composed of persons of the proper moral standard, the absence of material light helps the conditions. On the other hand, if the moral integrhVv of those, or any one of them in the circle cam:ot be vouched for, then the better conditions will be produced in the light. That nervous, uneasy feeling which came over me while in the seance room, before the circle, as well as that disagreeable odor which appeared to come from the lamp, was an influence to lead me to put the room in proper condition, to be made 92 TEN TEST CIRCLES. ready by the controls to receive the circle. When I had accomplished this I felt no more uneasiness. From this we learn that a room for best conditions needs a spirit preparation before the circle is formed. The manifestations by that spirit who was a Mason, and the answering by him correctly eight or ten questions upon the secret work of Ma- sonry which had been asked mentally, teaches us that when the conditions are good, and we ask the questions of those spirits that from their development, or their familiarity with the subject while in earth-life, they would be likeh 7 to have understood, we will get correct an- swers. We should always bear in mind that spirits, like mortals, have to learn what they^ know. Therefore a spirit should not be expected to know every- thing. What one spirit does not know, you may be able to find another that does know. No one spirit can be found that can give you correct information upon all subjects. TEN TEST CICREES. 93 I continued through out the circle, at short intervals, to ask of the controls if they did not want the conditions changed, for we were looking for some radical change in the conditions, and we thought several times during the circle, that something must be wrong, or the conditions would have been changed, not understanding the points which they wished to demonstrate. The word Progress in very large let- ters as seen by F, is interpreted Great Progress. Being given directly in con- nection with the change of places by F and Z, it denoted that proper mediumis- tic development was the way in which to make great progress, and that the holding of circles for the study of the effect of conditions upon manifestations, was progress in the right direction. The joyfal condition in the circle was due to 2^ood, harmonious conditions, and the reason why our spirit friends did not tell us the cause of the extra good con- ditions in this circle, was because, had 94 TEN TEST CIRCLES. tliej told us they would been obliged to have put the word business into the minds of all, the absenee of which, was the cause of this happy condition. They purposely called for these sub- jects many times in the circle, to con- vince us that they had the power to sus- pend our thoughts on the subject oi business and that it was utterly im- possible for any one of us to think of any subject which they were able to obstruct in our minds. The same preacher who come in a previous circle and made such hard work for himself and the medium to get out a few broken and disconnected sentences under poorer conditions, came and talked easily and connectedly under the better conditions existing in this circle. A disposition to develope mediumistic qualities in this circle, was to teach us, that under proper conditions medium- ship was desirable, and to help the de- velopment of those who are mediumistic TEN TEST CICRLES. 93 in the circle, was one of its especial pre- rogatives. The absence of the word business from our circle, and which purported to be the main cause of the good conditions, was to teach us that if we desired to have good conditions in our circles, we must .not enter into the discussion oi material business, or any purely worldly, or physical subjects ; that these subjects belonged to a lower condition and should be excluded from the better class of circles. If you wish to consult the spirit world upon the subject of your business, hold a circle for that purpose at a time and place, recommended by your business control (if you have one,) or some spirit that has been known to have made a success in business affairs while in earth-life. Now we come to the most important lesson taught in this circle, which was, that s|)irits could produce in certain or- ganizations and under proper conditions that anti-impression al condition which 96 TEN TEST CIRCLES. was fully demonstrated in this circle, whereby the} r are able to suspend the operation of memory upon any one line of thought without suspending 01 affecting other lines. The demonstra- tion of this power, I believe, opens up another very important field for investi- gation and study. CHAPTER VIII. CIRCLE NUMBER SIX. Or the great number of magnetic con- ditions which may be produced in large circles , and how a change in the conditions will change the manifesting spirits. On the Monday evening previous to the holding of this our sixth test circle, M. and myself sat, as had been directed, at a circle held a few evenings before, to receive instructions from the guides in regard to conditions for this test circle, at which time, we received instructions as follows: We were to conduct this circle as we usually conducted circles when good conditions were required, 98 TEN TEST CIRCLES. with the following exception: During the first half of the circle F. was to place his hands on the table, the balance of us were to occupy our usual places around the table, but was neither to join hands nor place our hands on the table, but during the last half of the circle, we were all to place our hands on the table with the exception of M. who was to place her hands on those of F's. On the evening of the first day of March we proceeded to form- this our sixth test circle according to the instructions pre- viously received — F. placing his hands on the table, while the balance of us sat quietly in our places around the table, without putting our hands upon it. The music box was playing as usual, but no moving of the table or other demonstrations was apparent for some ten or fifteen minutes, at the end of which time F. patted the table quite rapidly with his right hand, the same being under complete control of an in- visible influence. Questions were asked TEN TEST CIRCLES. 99 by us, the answers of which were given by raps of his hand upon the table. The manifesting spirits seemed to be strangers in our circle. The first that came said he was an Egyptian; bad been in the spirit world three hundred years and had come to our circle as a teacher. He informed us that he was teaching a class of spirits at our circle by demon- strating the law of control, and the effect of conditions. These he was able to illustrate through our circle, and that such illustration was absolutely necessary to a thorough understanding of these laws. He also explained that he was permitted to come to our circle through the peculiar conditions existing at the commencement of this circle, and that under the ordinary conditions of our circle, he could not have made him- self manifest. The next one that came said he was a Mohammedan who had visited our cir- cle once, on a previous occasion, when be was attracted by the conditions ex- 100 TEN TEST CIRCLES. isting in the circle at the time. He then expressed himself as having received some light since going to the spirit land, and desired to come back and to help overthrow some of the superstitions and consequent slavery imposed upon the people under the name of religion. The last half of the circle was only at- tended by the usual results. The object of this change was to show us how completely the influences were changed upon the changing of the conditions. None of the spirits manifesting during the first half of the circle could manifest under the conditions existing in the last half; neither could those who came last have manifested under the conditions in the first half. Now we wish briefly to glance at the lessons taught by the ex- periences of this circle. Spiritual attraction and repulsion are governed by moral affinity. A moral condition will repulse all above or below the aspirations of that condition, and attract all of a like moral condition. TEN TEST CIRCLES. 101 Therefore, in all circles, the many are repulsed, while the few are attracted. This law cannot be set aside or over- come, it holds good under every and all circumstances and conditions. Those who are not attracted are repulsed, and those who are repulsed cannot come; therefore, only those who are attracted can manifest their presence in a circle. The changing of places by those sitting in a circle, or the removing of hands from a table where the circle is formed by placing the hands upon the table, changes the magnetism or magnetic conditions of the circle. Each magnetic condition has a moral tendency j)eculiar to itself, and every change in the moral tendencies of a circle attracts a different class of spirits. It may repulse the very ones which, a few minutes before, it was attracting under little different condi- tions. The changes that can be made in the conditions of a circle by the changing ol places by the sitters is wonderful. While 102 TEN TEST CIRCLES. two could only produce b} r their natural influences two separate magnetic or moral conditions, three could produce six, and four twenty-four, while five would be able, to make one hundred and twenty, and six could produce seven hundred and twenty, and a circle of ten could make more than three and a half millions of separate and distinct condi- tions, by a change of position in the circle. The range or extremes of the moral conditions which can be produced in a circle is always between the highest and the lowest element in the circle. Under some combinations of the magnetic in- fluences, the moral tendencies of a circle will be nearly in harmony with the highest individual condition in the circle, while under other combinations the moral atmosphere will sink to the level of the lower conditions found in the cir cle. The rapidity with which the num- ber of different conditions which can be obtained, are increased by enlarging the TEN TEST CIRCLES. 103 circle, shows us how difficult it is to handle large circles to the best advan- tage, and they should never be indulged in except for experiment, and then only with the greatest care. I do not believe a great amount of good will ever be derived from large cir- cles,- even for experimental purposes. The combinations that can be formed are so great that they can never be properly studied. The small circle, com- posed of two or three, can be studied in all its various combinations and condi- tions. Such circles are usually condu- cive to the very best results. Hence, the bible says: " Where tw or three shall be gathered together in my name, etc., etc." Circles formed with a view to their best magnetic condition, promotes the moral and spiritual elevation of all in the circle. All will feel the elevating in- fluence, and will be led towards a better life. These good influences will be felt for several days after the circle, while 104 TEN TES'T CIRCLES. circles formed to the lowest vibrations of the magnetic force, will have a de- pressing effect upon the circle, and the influences surrounding such a circle always leads in the direction of a lower moral condition. Such tendencies will be seen and felt for a long time after the circle. Theeffect of conditions upon the moral tendencies of a circle may be partially comprehended when we fully understand that a circle formed of the same individ- uals may have an elevating, or a lower- ing moral effect, upon those who compose the circle. Its influence may guide you along the path that leads to higher and purer conditions, or they may pilot you along that road which terminates in moral degradation. All this difference, in its moral effect upon the sitters, will depend upon the proper adjustment of its magnetic force, or in other words, the proper arrangement of the circle, to produce magnetic harmony. The indi- viduals forming the circle may be com- TEN TEST CIRCLES. 105 pared magnetically, to as many different colors. These colors can be so arranged that they will blend in one harmonious whole, until they shall fill the beholder with wonder and delight, while their in- fluence upon all, would be both pleasing and elevating. Let -just a few of them change places, and you have the most discordant, in- harmonious, displeasing combination that one cotild imagine. They now create inharmony and depression of spirits, and a resulting lower, moral tendency, in the beholder. You could hardly make yourself believe that the combination was formed of the same individual colors as that pleasing effect before arranged. Of course, the force and power of the pleasing and elevating effect upon the beholder will depend upon the clearness and purity of the colors used. The purer and clearer the colors the grander will be the effect. But if the colors be muddy and filled with impurities, no 106 TEN TEST CIRCLES. amount of skill in the arrangement of them could produce that pleasing effect, which would be attainable with a better class of colors. And so it is with circles, the purer the individual, moral or magnetic condition, the grander will be the effect of their proper arrangement. But with the in- dividuals in the circle, as with the colors, the good effect of the purest material, may be entirely lost by an improper, or an unartistical arrangement of them. The harmonious blending of a circle is as much more far reaching, in its effect upon the participants or beholders, than the artistic display of colors, as the ma- terial used in the circle, is above the ma- terial used in the displa\- of colors. We find in the first half of the circle F. alone had his hands upon the table. We had here formed a condition which was unusual in our circles. We, as a result, attracted unusual spirits, or those who were not common attendants at our circles. Conditions not common TEN TEST CIRCLES. 107 in the circles, will always attract spirits not common attendants upon the cir- cles. This is the law, and this has been demonstrated in this circle. If you keep about the same conditions in each cir- cle, you will always have about the same spirits manifest their presence in your" circles. A change of conditions will draw outside spirits, in other words a new class of spirits, and these new arrivals will be either higher or lower than the regular attendants, ac- cording to whether the conditions were made better or worse in the change. Spirits thus attracted will always lean towards the sentiments or inclinations of the predominating element in the cir- cle. Whether it is business material, scientific, mirthful, sentimental, or in whatever direction its tendencies mav lead. This was fully demonstrated in this circle, F. being the only one to place his hands upon the table, was the most active participant in the circle. There- fore, his condition predominated. He 108 TEN TEST CIRCLES. being a medium, and occupying that position in the circle, he was acting in the capacity of one whose business it was to convey knowledge from a higher to a lower condition, which placed him directly in the line of a teacher. And strictly in accordance with the law, a teacher was the first spirit to be at- tracted by these conditions. This Egyp- tian spirit which had been in the spirit- world for three hundred years, had become a teacher of spirits, and when he manifested his presence in our circle, he declared that he had been attracted to our circle by the peculiar conditions we had made, for the purpose of teach- ing the spirits who attended our circle, the law of control, or how to control a physical body. How very much alike are the condi- tions in the circle, and those attracted to the circle. Mind you this teacher came to teach those upon his side of life (spirits) usually, spirits who manifest their presence in a circle, come to teach TEN TEST CICRLES. 109 mortals, but in this case, true to the conditions, the manifesting spirit was a teacher of spirits ; F. in the capacity of a medium was a teacher of those upon his side of life (mortals) in both cases, like were teaching like, mortal teach- ing mortal, and spirit teaching spirit. And here again we have another posi- tive demonstration of the law which teaches that, like attracts like. CHAPTER IX. OKCLE NUMBER SEVEN, The effect of skepticism and doubt in a circle. Doubt the result of ignorance. To doubt is to assume lower conditions. Our spirit guides informed us about ten days previous to that date, that on the 15th of the month, they desired us to hold our Seventh Test Circle, and that on the evening of the 14th, they requested M. and myself to sit, and they would give us directions in regard to the kind of conditions, and how to ob- tain thein, which they would like to have at our next, or the Seventh Test Circle. TEN TEST CICRLES. Ill Accordingly, on the evening of the 14th, the evening before we was to hold our test circle, M. and im^self sat, as directed, for the purpose of receiving instructions for conducting the test cir- cle. We sat in the same room and every- thing seemed to be in the usual condi- tion. - We had sat but a few minutes when we had demonstrations of spirit presence, and upon inquiry, we found the}' were the spirits who usually at- tended our circles. We asked them if they were ready to give us the instruc- tions for the producing of the desired conditions for the test circle? Their answer was no. The manifestations continued and a number of our regular guides reported their presence, and many questions were asked and an- swered upon the common place subjects of the day, after which I again asked them if they were ready to instruct us about the conducting of our test circle ? Their answer was again no. I then said, do you want us to hold a test cir- 112 TEN TEST CIRCLES. cle tomorrow evening? Their answer was yes. I then asked, are you going to give us instructions regarding this circle ? The answer came promptly, and was no. We were surprised and not a little an- noyed by that flat refusal to give us what they had agreed to, after we had complied with their requirements. We tried to think that perhaps it was all right, still I could hardly see how it could be explained, as a strictly honora- ble transaction on the part of our guides. To positively refuse to do as they had agreed, without giving any ex- planation of their conduct, did not seem to me to be of that high, moral and truthful character of which we had always given our controls credit. After this strange condition of things had been revolving in our minds for a few minutes, a spirit manifested its presence, and upon inquiry we found it to be a spirit, who, on a former occa- sion, gave us a regular string of contra- TEN TEST CIRCLES. 113 dictions and falsehoods, and then ac- knowledged them to be such, and was pronounced by our guides, as unreliable and dishonest although he had been considered by us to be very trustworthy before this, whereupon he had been or- dered not to come to our circles again, and "we instructed our guides not to admit him any more to our circles under any circumstances, as we wanted only upright, moral and reliable spirits, to attend our circles. When we found it was he who had been ordered to stay awaj', we asked b}' what right he came ? He said it was not him who gave us that unreliable and contradictory communications, but that it was some low spirit trying to personate him, and, as up to that time, his communications had always been reliable and we had placed the greatest reliance upon whatever he might say. We were inclined to believe that this last statement of his was true, that we had wrongfully accused him of being 114 TEN TEST CIRCLES. the author of those contradictory mes- sages received at that former circle, and we felt favorable to again receiving him into our circle and placing reliance upon what he might say. Accordingly, he was permitted to stay, when he commenced to make state- ments and answer questions, the princi- ple part of which he either contradicted or changed so that they did not have much resemblance to truth. Then I informed him that he was the same unreliable, untruthful spirit, that he had proved himself to be on that former occasion, and that we had no use for such influ- ences, and I could not understand why he had been admitted again to our cir- cle. At the conclusion of these remarks, we found that he had gone. Our guides refused to give us any in- formation in regard to this very strange conduct, and this circle continued in the most disagreeable and unsatisfactory manner of any circle we had ever had. In fact, we felt the evil effect of its influ- TEN TEST CIRCLES. 115 cnce the next day, but had no idea of its cause. I made the remark to M. that I wished we had not had this sit- ting, for it had made me feel uncomfort- able ever since. We could not account for the failure of our guides to do as they had agreed, or the disagreeable and unreliable influen- ces which surrounded us at this sitting, and we feared that our seventh circle would prove a failure on account of the adverse influences which had seemed to get control of our circle or sitting. This feeling gradually wore off to- wards the evening of the fifteenth, the time for holding this our seventh circle. We began to look upon the event of our last sitting in a more philosophical way, reasoning that our guides would proba- bly inaugurate the conditions required, or instruct us how to do so when we got together for the circle. We there- fore came to the circle in the evening in a much more harmonious feeling than bad surrounded us all day. 116 TEN TEST CIRCLES. The seventh circle was formed as all others had been, and the same persons composed it. But a few minutes elapsed before we had evidences of spirit pres- ence, and they were found to be our reg- ular controls who declared the circle to be in proper form, and surrounded b} r good conditions. As we had the ordi- nary good conditions in the circle, and they had expressed themselves at several times during the sitting that no change of conditions was necessary, we failed to see where the test of the influence of conditions was to come in, but we thought, as thej' had failed to give us the instructions which they had prom- ised, we had no particular responsibility in the matter, we would let them run it, and do nothing ourselves in the way of changing conditions until we got in- structions to do so. We therefore dis- carded all thought upon the subject from our minds, and continued as we would in an ordinary circle. A spirit came and talked through P. TEN TEST CIRCLES. 117 vSaid he was a stranger to us, and that his name was David, and that he was a Welchman, and said he had been at- tracted to our circle by the conditions existing at the sitting the evening be- fore, and those which had surrounded us during the day. That he had just been- able at this circle to comprehend for the first time since he had passed from earth to his present condition, which was a great many years ago, that he was still David, the Welchman; and he seemed rejoiced at this discovery, and thanked us many times through F., for the conditions which had attracted him here, and the circle which gave him the light, and the knowledge, that not- withstanding the changes which had taken place, and the total dissolution of the physical body, he still remained David, the Welchman. As soon as David withdrew, another spirit came and said he was compara- tively a stranger to us, although he had been to our circles many times, that this Il8 TEN TEST CIRCLES. was his son David, who had just been talking through the medium, and said he had been working many years to get David to the light. David had believed when in earth -life, that at the death or the dissolution of the body, there would be no more David the Welehman; and when he saw his body placed in the grave, he could not understand why this horrid nightmare of a semi-con- scious, continued existance, should still cling to him ; and he hovered around his decaying body trying to become uncon- scious of a further existence; believing as he did, that the little consciousness which he was forced to realize, was but the nightmare induced by the fast re- ceding rays of life, into the darkness of oblivion. He thought he seemed to see and hear his father and other friends whom he supposed were dead, but be- lieved it was a delusion, and took it as a further evidence of an approaching and overwhelming dissolution of his mental faculties: and this condition he courted. TEN TEST CIRCLES. 119 believing it to be the only ultimate re- suit, and the suspense to him was tor- ture. A spirit then came and said that the conditions surrounding the circle the evening before, and their effect upon the manifestations, was what they wanted special attention paid to, in making the report of the seventh circle. The bal- ance of the circle was unattended by anything unusual, but was lively with manifestations and communications upon various subjects, which was not specially connected with this work, ex- cept that the conditions were good, and the manifestations and communications, as a result, was also good. The wisdom and tact displayed by the guides in giving us a condition and its peculiar effects upon manifestations and the circle, which could not have been given at a regular test circle, will be ap. parent. The conditions desired for this tesl circle was disappointment and doubt 120 TEN TEST CIRCLES. If they had undertaken to disappoint us in our regular test circle, we could not have recovered a condition during the sitting to have received the informa- tion required at this circle, or have fully understood the conditions we had ; and if they had informed us beforehand of the disappointed feeling, and doubtful condition which they intended to have in this circle, they could not have disap- pointed us, and doubts would never have crept in, for such knowledge would have given us more assurance instead of doubts, and their attempt to produce a condition of doubt and disappoint, ment, would have proven a failure. So much for their wisdom and our ignorance. Now we will review the conditions which existed, and their effect upon the manifestations, commencing with the one held on the fourteenth, as really this was the one containing, or being effected, by the principle conditions required for the seventh circle. This circle, on the 14th. was com- TEN TEST CIRCLES. 121 nienced with the ordinary conditions, and the spirits who were attracted first was those regular attendants who always came to our circle with good conditions, or those usually prevailing. This condition continued until I asked them if they were ready to instruct us regarding our test circle ? and they said no. A slight change then came over the circle and the spirits who came did not make their identity known. When I asked the same question about ten min- utes after, and got the same answer, a still greater change came over the circle. It will be remembered that we were sit- ting by these spirits request, expressly for these instructions. The spirits who came after this were all strangers to us, and did not seem to have any particular business at our cir- cle, and failed to give us any informa- tion upon the subjects talked about; but when, about fifteen minutes later, I asked them for the third time, about giving these instructions, and they de- 122 TEN TEST CIRCLE^. clared they wer^ not going to give us any, and refused to give us any light re- garding the cause of their strange and apparently unreliable conduct, we were seized with a positive feeling of disap- pointment and doubt about the reliabil- ity of the communications we had re- ceived. At this point the table tipped- ten times, and that: spirit: announced his presence, which had been ordered not to come to our circle any more, and the one which our guides had positively, assured lis, should not be allowed to in- trude upon us again ; and this filled us with further doubt, which helped to strengthen the conditions, which had let this unreliable spirit in, and he went onto give us a lot of untruthful, contra- dictory statements, as before given. We never thought, at this time, that what was being enacted, was to be the princi- ple conditions, and their effects the subject of our seventh test circle, and a lack of this knowledge, was what gave power to the conditions. It had here been demon- TEN TEST CIRCLES. 123 strated to us, although we did not at the time understand it, and never com- prehended what we had received until our attention was called to it, at the seventh circle, which was held on the following evening, that a feeling of dis- appointment in a circle, regarding the kind or nature of the manifestations or a doubt in regard to the reliability or genuineness of phenomenon produced, would attract those spirits which we did not want, and that all manifesta- tions and communications received un- der such conditio ns, would be fraudulent and wholly unreliable. The most im- portant point made, was that such a condition wholly precluded the possi- bility of our guides being able to keep out unreliable spirits. This condition opens the door to unreliable influences, and unless our guides could change this feeling in the circle (which would be the next thing to an impossibility, as faith and a restoration of confidence could only be produced in such cases by 124 TEN TEST CIRCLES. genuine and reliable manifestations; and such manifestations can only be pro* dueed in a trusting, confident and un- doubting condition) they can never close the door against lieing and deceiving spirits. When you sit in a circle, and it matters not how good your medium may be, with your mind full of a feeling of disappointment or doubt about the manifestations, you have opened the door to those spirits which are unreli- able and not worthy of your confidence, and no controls or guides of that circle can close that door, except by a change in your mind or your removal from the the circle. And this again is according to that inevitable law of like produces 1'ke. Doubt is an unstable condition of the mind, and produces an uncertain, unreliable condition in the circle, and where much of it exists, no reliance whatever can be placed upon either the manifestations or the communications, for it repells the good, and attracts the ignorant. For ignorance is the off-sming TEN TEST CICKLES. 125 of error, and doubt the child of ignor- ance. Then under the law of like attracts like, doubt attracts ignorance and its parent error. Doubting is a reaching down. To doubt is to take a position on a lower level than that to which the doubter naturally belongs. And where the doubter at once commences to re- trace his steps to a position of knowl- edge, he is often able to assist and ele- vate those in the lower conditions which he could reach in no other way. For where a person goes down to a condi- tion of doubt, they will attract or be sur- rounded by the ignorant and those in error, and where they immediatley com- mence to ascend to that higher condi- tion of knowledge they are liable to lead or take along with them to the higher condition those whom they found in that doubt or dark condition to which they had descended. To doubt is like dropping a baited hook to the bottom of a fish pond, when it returns towards the top it is 126 TEN TEST CIRCLES. liable to bring valuable fish with it. When one doubts he lowers his attrac- tions (his bait) into that lower condi- tion of dark uncertainty, and when he withdraws them to take the higher po- sition of knowledge, he is pretty sure to bring some with him from that lower condition. A fine illustration and prac- tical demonstration of this was given in this circle in the case of David the Welchman. You will remember that at the sitting on the evening before this circle (an account of which has been given), through disappointment and doubt we had lowered ourselves down into that dark condition in which David was found. Coming into that dark un- certain atmosphere which surrounded him, he was naturally attracted to us, for misery likes company, which is only another way of saying "like likes like," and when we again ascended towards that higher condition of certainty and knowledge he was by mutual attraction taken to the higher condition with us. TKN TEST CICRLES. 127 flis father who was also in the spirit world, not being able to enter that con- dition of donbt and uncertainty, was wholly tmable to reach him, although he said he had been trying for years. And by this illustration we are able to see and understand how it is that we, upon the earth, are able to reach and help those in the dark condition of spirit life, that higher spirits cannot assist or get near. The effect of a person's belief while in the earth life, upon his spiritual condition was also beautifully illus- trated by the conditions surrounding David. A belief entertained and culti- vated while in the physical condition, if that belief be founded upon truth, it carries one directly to the light on the spirit side of life. But if that bciicf is an error, then it takes him to a condition of expectancy in the spirit, world, there he will watch and wait, thinking or making himself believe that all lie sees around him only proves that what he 1 f " >Mn his cart}] existence was true, 128 TEN TEST CIRCLES. only their fulfillment was a little delayed. He will wateh and wait, instead of work, and his condition will grow darker and darker, and the suspense more terrible to bear as time rolls on, .and his error in belief continues, until he can be reached by some one who can enter his atmos- phere, and by the power of attraction, lead him to the light where he may work, and as he works the light grow r s brighter, as has been shown by the illustrations before given. Do not allow a condition of doubt in your circles If you doubt, replace that doubt with knowledge as quickly as possible, and you will not only better yotir own condition, but you will bring others to the light who will rise up and bless you. Seek after knowl- edge for it is life, light and happiness when properly used. CHAPTER X. CIRCLE NUMBER EIGHT. The magnetic circle. How to form it, and the manifestations to which it is adapted. On the evening of the 22d, the one ap- pointed for the holding of our eighth circle, we found ourselves in our accus- tomed places around the table. We had been instructed, on the evening of the 20th, to form our circle as usual, having it composed of the same persons, not to have the room very light, and have mu- sic and singing as in ordinary circles. We were all to place our hands upon the table for the first thirty minutes. At the opening of the circle for spirit in- 130 TEN TEST CIRCLES. fluence,' their power and their presnce and influence was strongly felt by all in the circle. A spirit giving his name as Dr. Bancroft, had informed us, about a week before this circle, that he would take charge of this circle and would con- duct it as he thought best. Accordingly, at the opening of the circle, he announced his presence. Although I am not gifted with that inspiring phase of medium- ship called clairvoyance, yet in this par- ticular instance I was shown a road ; I appeared to be looking a little south of west, and from where I seemed to stand, the road ran up a hill, it seemed to have a gradual rise for quite a distance. The road appeared to be smooth and free from ravines or other roughness, but was on an incline plain, and trees were scattered on bo til sides. There appeared to be a light shining upon its entire length. Upon inquiry we learned that this road was one in which Dr. Ban- croft, the spirit in charge of the circle, was verv much interested in, and had TEN TEST CICRLES. 131 shown it to me in proof of Lis presence in our circle. The physical demonstra- tions, during the first half of the circle, was very meagre, and after the first sa- lute, physically speaking, their presence was very little felt in the circle, even by E., who wondered what they were doing. At the end of the first thirty minutes, M. Z. and myself were to take our hands off the table and form a half circle around the table; F., our medium, was to keep his hands upon the table as us- ual. This they called the Magnetic Circle, it taking the form of the Horse-shoe Magnet. And this, they claimed, was the true form of a magnetic circle, and the one that should always be adopted when physical manifestations are de- sired. But never when a spiritual con- dition is required, or that higher mental position is being sought after, which is conducive to the development of the in- spirational condition. You cannot have 132 TEN TEST CIRCLES. both conditions in the same circle at the same time. One is of the earth, mate- rial; the other is of the spirit, spiritual. Accordingly, at the close of the first thirty minutes, we formed the magnetic circle, by placing ourselves in the form of a horse-shoe magnet around the ta- ble with F. at the table, when, as quick as electricity could have done it, F. was shaking from head to foot in the most vigorous manner. And while we re- tained the form of the horse-shoe mag- net around the table, F.'s physical or- ganism was fearfully and wonderfully agitated. And from a rolling motion of his hand upon the table in such a way that at each backward motion his thumb would strike the table with a loud rap. It was found at the close of the circle, that the skin upon the side of his thumb had been worn through at a point where it struck the table from the continuous and severe pounding which it got during the continuation of the form of the horse-shoe magnet. After t^n TEST CIRCLES. 133 we had kept tip this form for about twenty minutes, F. begged of vis to put our hands upon the table again, Which we did, as this physical or material condition seemed to be very hard on him. Immediately after breaking that magnetic condition and placing our hands upon the table, F. began to talk under control, giving us instruc- tions regarding the conditions and their effect, which had just been dem- onstrated to us, and the conclusions to be deducted from them. The circle ended as it had commenced, with a strong tendency to the mental and spir- itual condition. We will now undertake to give a little explanation in regard to the conditions of this circle. Dr. Bancroft decided to illustrate the effect of a purely magnetic condition upon the m anifestations of the circle, and to do this more effectually, the circle was commenced under highly spir- itual conditions so that when the change to the magnetic should come the effect 134 TEN TEST CIRCLES. would be more striking. Under this men- tal or spiritual condition which predom- inated during the first part of the circle, very little, if any, of the purely physical demonstrations were indulged in, and to those who can appreciate only physi- cal manifestations this part of the circle, would have been devoid of interest. But it was fairW alive with that spirit- ual condition which elevates one above himself and a weakens a knowledge with- in him, which is the fountain of all the joys of life. But when the change in the form of the circle came, it was then the conditions were established, which were to be the principal subject for investiga- tion in this circle. When the magnetic current is felt very strong in a circle the conditions are not good for mental or purely spiritual phenomenon, but will be found to be the very best conditions for the development and the promotion of the physical phases of medium ship. The arrangement of the circle, that is, the position the various persons in the TEN TEST CIRCLES. 135 circle occupy to each other, does not in any degree force or retard manifesta- tions. But it will dictate the kind oi phenomenon which will be produced in the circle, if an}' is had. If in the form- ation of a circle where the persons com- posing it are all inclined to the magnetic or -material condition, a mental or spiritual construction is arranged, very little manifestations of any kind will be had in the circle. But let them change to a magnetic formation, and they will at once have physical demonstrations if there are any sensitives in the circle. This has led to the erroneous idea that mag- netism was a great inducer of spirit manifestations, and that the more mag- netism there was in the circle, the greater would be the manifestations in any case. While this might be true of a circle whose members were inclined to the materialistic condition, it would not be true of those formed by persons leaning towards the mental or more Spiritual side of life. For the results to 136 TEN TEST CIRCLES. circles of this kind will be more satis- factory if they conform to the mental construction. I will here state that all constructions which do not partake of the magnetic form are mental, for there are bivt two forms, the magnetic or material and the mental or spiritual. The alternating of the male and female, or the positive and the negative temperaments partakes of the magnetic formation. And should never be done where the higher mental conditions are desired, but is almost in- dispensable where physical phenomenon is wanted, and no medium has yet been developed. In forming a circle for the mental condition, place all the positives together and all the negatives together, have them occupy opposite sides of the circle and have the medium sit in the center of the negatives; do not join hands, and if a table is used, have only those put their hands on who feel so inclined. It will be better in most cases if all do not have their hands on the TEN TEST CIRCLES. 137 table at the same time. It will do no harm to put more hands on, or take some off during the progress of the circle, as the different setters may feel disposed . In regard to having the room light or dark, be governed by the direc- tions given in circle No. 5, and you will make no mistake in this direction. There are two ways to form circles for ptiysical demonstrations. One is particularly adapted to circles having no known or developed medium; the other is preferable where one of the party is known to be a physical medium. Where it is not known who is the best medium in the compan} r about to form the circle, then the best form to adopt is to alternate the positives and nega- tives, or the males and females, and make a perfect circle by joining hands, or where a table is used, by all placing their hands upon the table. In either case the magnetic circle will be complete. All should avoid active thinking upon any subject. Any one sitting in a circle i38 TEN TEST CIRCLES. should endeavor to keep their minds as inactive as possible; but what little thinking the persons composing the cir- cle are unable to avoid should be di- rected upon those things which are in harmony with the conditions in the cir- cle, whether they are of a material or a spiritual nature. These conditions are ver\' essential in anj^ circle, no matter for what purpose it has been formed, and success will largely depend upon the completeness with which this can be carried out. After the circle has been continued in this form until it has been demonstrated that some one in the cir- cle possesses one or more of the various phases of physical medtumship, or where such medium is known at the time oi forming the circles; then the better form to adapt will be that of the horse-shoe magnet, placing the medium between the opposite poles oi' the magnet., na shown in the formation of this, the eighth, test circle. Have all the persons having a positive temperament sit 011 ^EN TEST CIRCLES. 139 the point of the magnet at the left hand of the medium, and all the negative temperaments should sit together upon the point extending to the right hand side of the medium. All should sit. fac- ing in, as in the ordinary circle. As has been before said, whatever thinking there is done in the circle should be upon a subject in harmony with the conditions. If the formation of the cir- cle is for a mental and spiritual condi- tion, let all thoughts in the circle dwell upon the higher and purer things and not allowing them to drift into the vulgar or material realm of thought. But if the form is that of the magnetic or ma- terial, the thoughts indulged in by those composing it should naturally lean, or be confined, to the natural things of this life, or the physical manifestations of those from the other side. For, to obtain the best result in any direction, the mental must conform to, or be in harmony with the physical construction of the circle. For the best results can 140 TEN TEST CIRCLES. only be reached where there is perfect harmony between the moral and spirit- ual conditions of the individuals form- ing the circle, its physical construction, the objects of the same and the thoughts indulged in by the company during its continuation. The results of a circle caii always be measured by the com- pleteness of this harmony. CHAPTER XI. CIRCLE NUMBER NINE. Or the children's circle. The positive^ reliant, conBdent condition attracts children, and is the best for all classes of the phenomena . We had been informed during the fore part of the week, that on Friday, the 31st day of March, 1893, we were re- quested to hold our ninth test circle, and that the conditions surrounding this circle would be such that children from the spirit world would be attracted to it. But they did not tell us at this time how to produce such a condition, that these children would be attracted . They Informed us that Z would be excused from sitting in this circle and that was 142 TEN TEST CIRCLES. all we got upon this subject at this time. This much was given us when only M. Z. and myself were present. On the evening of the 30th, the day be- fore this test circle was to be held, we had our regular Thursday evening weekly circle, at which circle F. was taken control of and said the conditions for the ninth test circle was to be a positive one and that our positions at the table was to be entirely reversed. He further said that little Eddie, a spirit child of F. who had been in the spirit world for a number of years, would be the conduct- ing spirit of the next test circle, and that this circle would be for the children and would be called the childrens' circle. It should be remembered that F. knew nothing of what had been given us dur- ing the fore part of the week, wc always being very particular not to let him know what had been given us concern- ing these test circles until after the same had been held ; this being in accordance with F.'s special request; foi" it made TEN TEST CIRCLES. 143 him and us happ3 r and gave us unshaken confidence in the controls who were conducting these circles to see that every- thing which had been previously given to us concerning these circles, was alwa3 r s corroborated by F. when under control, showing that it was the same spirit in- fluence in both cases, and that they were not the result of chance or accident, but that they were being run upon definite and previously prepared plans, formu- lated and properly arranged by the deni- zens of the spirit world. On the evening of the 31st, F. M. and myself, (Z. having been excuse was not present,) were in the seance room at the appointed time, prepared to carry out our instructions. Accordingly, our po- sitions at the table were reversed, being just opposite from what they had been on previous occasions. M. and mvself assumed a positive, reliant, confident, mental attitude, when little Eddie, he who was to be the controling spirit oi this circle, manifested his presence by 144 TEN TEST CIRCLES. controling and talking through F., his father. He said the conditions were good for the children in the spirit who were present, and there were a host oi them. And he said they were filled with joy, that they were more than delighted with the attractions they found here for them this evening. He furthermore said that the positive, confident condition which predominated in this circle was the natural condition of childhood. Children were confident, reliant and pos- itively free from doubt or any feeling oi uncertainty. Therefore, what condition could have possibly been more attractive to us children than the atmosphere which surrounds this circle to-night. We want you to take particular notice of the ease with which us children are able to control and talk through papa under this harmony which exists be- tween us and the conditions surround- ing this circle. And he. expressed great joy in being able to come so close to his papa, but said the anxiety which he and TEN TEST CICRLES. 145 his little sister, who was with him this evening, felt in trying to reach their mamma and convince her of their con- tinued existence and almost constant presence with her and the balance of the loved ones at home very much re- tarded their progress. A great number of children manifested their presence, some talked through F., some tipped the table, while a few on account of their inexperience or lack of knowledge in regard to the laws of control, had to announce their presence through some of their spirit friends who were some- what further advanced in the science of spirit communicating through the phy- sical organism of others to those who are still in the flesh. They all seemed to be unusually happy on account of this opportunity and their ability to com- municate with those upon the earth, and the only thing which seemed to mar the happiness of any were in those cases where the children had left theirparents ujjon the earth and were unable to reach 146 TEN TEST CIRCLES. them. The terrible anxiety they felt id trying to make their parents realize that they were not dead, but were anxiously waiting to be admitted to their accus- tomed places in the family circle and leaving there no vacant chair, was the only thing which appeared to mar their otherwise unbounded joy, or retard their progress. They seemed to impress it upon us that only those who had experienced it could comprehend their feelings in this direction. How often was the result of their labors for recognition attributed to indigestion and the feeling of their presence declared to be the effect of nerv- ous prostration. How many homes are sad and lonely that might be filled with life and joy if the little prattlers who are hourly knocking for admission from the spirit side of life were admitted and recognized , and their joys would be re-echoed and re- verberated throughout the spirit world. The circle ended and but one spirit TEN TEST CICRLES. 147 manifested its presence who was not the spirit of a child. This one said he came because he could learn important lessons from these children. And the most no- ticeable fact connected with this circle was the ease with which these children handled the medium, which was ac- counted for by the harm on 3^ existing be- tween the positively reliant condition of childhood and the positively confi- dent condition in the circle. We learned from the results obtained in this circle that the positive condition attracts the children and as the children are always a good influence the positive condition must be desirable under most circum- stances; and we g^t it as truth that where there are certain kinds of mani- festations expected, looked for or de- sired, the positive confident condition is always the best, but if a circle is formed to see what they will get, or what phase of mediumship may be devel- oped in the circle and more especially where there is no developed medium. 148 TEN TEST CIRCLES. and no idea can be formed regarding th^ kind of demonstrations which they will be likely to get, then a purely negative condition should predominate if the best results are desired. The purely negative condition is that in active state of the mind, that one by practice cau as- sume, where the mind dwells upon noth- ing and no thought is generated, or at least not completed, there is no anxiety and no desires, and to a certaiu degree the mind becomes a blank. But in all cases where the circle has a developed medium and certain phases of the phe- nomenon is expected or desired, the pos- itive confident coudition is escential to good results. And if the circle has nc developed medium, but wishes to develop certain, particular phase of mediumship. then this positive condition is absolutely escential to success. This positive state of the mind, which is indespensible tc the successful production of the phe- nomenon, is that state of the mind thai dwells upon the phenomenon expected, TEN TEST CIRCLES. 149 not hi an anxious, hopefiil manner, but with positive confidence in the result. Peeling that you have the absolute knowledge of the ability of the controls to produce the demonstrations asked for. But you should avoid any anxiety about the manifestations. Your knowledge and confidence should be accompanied with the feeling that if no demonstrations of spirit presence or spirit power is manifested in the circle it will not be from a lack of ability on the part of those from the spirit world, but for reasons, visible or otherwise, that made it more desirable that no manifestations be produced at this time; you losing no confidence, and being none the less positive, having no doubts of the power of the spirit world to pro- duce the phenomena asked for if it had been for the best interests of all con- cerned. This is that childlike, positive condition which is unshaken by defeat and which is so desirable as the pre- dominating condition in a circle where 150 TEN TEST CIRCLES. any of the various phases of the phe- nomenon is particularly asked for ; this is the condition which attracts the children when no particular phase of the phenomena has been demanded, or older spirits called for. And any con- dition which attracts the children when they have not been especially called for will be found to be the very best condi- tion for the production of any phase of the phenomena that the circle ma}' ask for and become positive in regard to it, as before stated, for where the best con- ditions for the phenomena is produced, and no desire or thought is prevalent in the circle in regard to the spirits that shall come or the kind of manifestations that will be produced, then the children will always manifest their presence. And then the power of the circle may be directed with success into any of the channels of the phenomena, consist- ent with the moral atmosphere of the circle (as will be fully shown in my TEN TEST CIRCLES. 151 book entitled "Consistent Spiritualism/' which will follow this). The one older spirit which came to this circle to learn ol the children, as be- fore given, was to teach us that it would be well for all to learn and prac- tice that positive, reliant, confident sim- plicity manifested in childhood, when we would approach the spirit. CHAPTER Xn, C1RCI.K NUMBER TEN. Or the effect of form. It shovld repre- sent as near, maybe, the phenom- ena desired. When light should he turned on. Some days previous to the 8th day of April, 1893, we were instructed to hold upon that date the tenth test circle, or the last of this scries of test circles. Our instructors gave us the following direc- tions in regard to it: The same per- sons were to take the same positions at the table. F„, the medium, was to place both hands upon the table, the rest of us were to place but one of our hands upon the table. F. was not instructed in this, but was left to be guided by the influences. We were to place plenty of paper and pencil upon the table. We TEN TEST cmCLES. 153 were then to assume a positive confident condition of mind. In other respects the circle was to remain the same as the ordinary circle At the opening of the circle to spirit influence but a few minutes elapsed be- fore F. began to write automatically, and this continued throughout the con- tinuation of the circle with but very lit- tle interruption. Message after message was written by various spirits, most oi which were congratulations extended to us for the perseverance we had mani- fested m keeping up our circles for so many years and counseling us to con tinue. When the circle was about half through, a spirit called for the light, which had been placed m an adjoining room ; as soon as the light was brought in, the spirit printed, in not a very art- istic ft'Mc, the name PAT, in large let- ters, and down near the lower right hand corner of the same sheet of paper printed NO f. The light was then or- 154 TEN TEST CIRCLES. iere.d removed to the other room, wher. the automatic writing continued as be- fore to the close of the circle. The main object of this circle was to illustrate the effect of form upon the manifestations. Not onl}' the mental conditions, but the physical form effects the mani- festations. The best of results can only be obtained where perfect harmony ex- ists between the spirit, the mental and moral condition and the physical form. The physical attitude taken by those composing this circle was clearly a po- sition which would be in perfect har- mony with the one required in automatic writing. One hand and one arm only being used in either case. Harmony is the law of perfection and the more it is displayed in mental, moral and physical conditions and positions in a circle, the more satisfactory will be the results, [n this circle automatic writing was the phenomena arranged for; and all things were arranged in harmony with that kind of manifestations. When we TEN TEST CIRCLES. 155 placed paper and pencil upon the tabl< eve prepared our minds for writing. Before F. left home he was impressed to put a pencil in his pocket. This seemed to prepare his mind harmoni- ously for the work, for he remarked be- fore the circle that he felt impressed to Fetch a pencil and he guessed they were going to write, although he had not been informed of what we were to do. Having the minds of all prepared and placed in harmony with writing, and then having the paper and pencil on the table constantly before the eyes of all in the circle, it had the effect to keep alive this expectancy and thereby keep the ronditions in harmony with the de- sired results. Our position at the table was otic to suggest automatic: writing. Au tomatic writing requires the uscoi but one hand and one arm, and this was what we used in the formation of this circle; making the physical position harmonize with the mental exoectations and the i56 TEN TEST CIRCLES. spirits work. This is the particular point which this circle was intended to demonstrate. Harmony in every par- ticular is an essential condition. To re- ceive the best results in a circle, the phy- sical must be in harmony with itself, as well as the phenomena expected. If the pl^sical system is out of harmony, or diseased (which is the same thing), the circle can never attain the best con- dition ; or if the physical organism be in good health and then assumes a position antagonistic to phenomena desired, poor conditions, and consequently poor results will be the final outcome. To illustrate, suppose automatic writing to be the desired means of manifestations, and suppose the very best of mental and spiritual conditions have been reached, then those forming the circle, join hands and stand up around a table. What will be the consequence? Why, although the conditions may be excellent in all other respects the physical position in this case will spoil the conditions for an- TEN TEST CIRCLES. 157 tomatie writing; and then again, sup- pose the circle to be properly formed in other respects, but no table is procured, or suppose the table is in position, but no paper or pencil is furnished, can these conditions be said to be good for pro- ducing the phenomena of automatic writing? Certainly not. And we should always remember that the physical po- sition as well as its condition exerts a powerful effect upon the manifestations in a circle. In forming a circle to obtain a particu- lar kind of manifestation, we should en- deavor to have our minds, our positions, our movements and our every act indi- cate, or express as nearly as possible, that phase of the phenomena. More singing or a greater use of the lungs, is required of those forming the circle where the medium is expected to be used to talk through by the spirits, than where he is to be used for automatic writing. The lungs are used in one case and one hand and one arm in the other. • 158 TEN TEST CIRCLES. If the lungs of the medium are to be used, a use of the lungs of the circle helps the conditions. If only one hand of the medium is to be used, then only one hand of those in the circle should be used. If a trans-condition of the medium is required, then both hands of all in the circle should be placed upon the table, or they should all join hands, and a perfect negative condition should be assumed, the minds of all being as in- active as possible, for the trans-condi- tion takes possession of the whole bod\ and annihilates the individuality and personality of the medium, the nearer those who compose the circle can come to this condition the better the result will be. The light was ordered in when Pat :ame to teach us that if spirits from the low, undeveloped conditions of spirit life was attracted, or if the conditions in the circle were such that they would be liable to draw such influences undei the law of like attracts like, then hVhl TEN TEST CIRCLES. 159 should always be present in the seance room. All spirits from the lower undeveloped conditions of spirit life are not necessar- ily unprogressive or all bad, but those from the lower conditions, though pro- gressive, cannot resist temptation, like those from a higher and purer plain; and those who are seeking a higher life avoid it. Pat conveyed to us the information that he was not highly developed by the unartistic printing of his name, in- stead of writing it, and he declared his progressive nature and his willingness to learn by the NO. which he printed be- fore the catholic cross which he drew on the paper. This was as much as to say, " I am no catholic, although my name and ignorance might indicate it." Pat was not highly developed, but he was progressive. The start he had made to- wards a higher state of development made him feel his weakness to resist temptation, and therefore he ordered 160 TEN TEST CIRCLES. the light, and he demonstrated to us in the strongest terms his progressive con- dition when he informed us that he was not a catholic and avoided dark seances. This illustrated to us the fact that dark seances will onty be indulged in by the low, unprogressive and vile, or the very highly developed spirits; one for dark and viscious purposes, the other for greater progress. The low and unpro- gressive court temptation and succumb to its influence, while those from the higher and more etherial conditions of spirit life are beyond the reach of its power or influence. The progressive, but still undeveloped like Pat, avoid it from a fear of their ability to resist it, and when spirits call for a dark seance you may be sure that they are either danger- ous influences, or spirits from the higher realms of spirit life, and before indulg- ing them, be sure of their identity and character. CHAPTER XIII. RECAPITULATION. A positive, commanding, know-all- about-it condition predominating in a circle will drive all spirit influences, whether good or bad, high or low, from it. And it will make no difference whether this positive condition is ex- erted to compel their attendance or ex- pel them from the circle. Both will have the same result ; either will produce an atmosphere into which spirit influence cannot enter. Therefore, a positive an- tagonistic or defiant commanding atti- tude displayed in a circle, is death to all spirit manifestations. Our business affairs should never be carried into the circle room, unless the circle has been called together by the spirit guides for the special purpose oi consultation upon questions of business or those pertaining particularly to the 162 RECAPITULATION. affairs of earth life. Upon all other occasions our worldly affairs and busi- ness concerns, which are not especially connected with our spiritual advance- ment should be left outside the door of the seance room. The questions of money making when introduced into the circle room, drives from it the moral and spiritual effect which it ought to produce by setting up a material or unspiritual condition. The physical formation of a circle, or the positions taken by the sitters in re- ference to each other, will effect the kind of phenomena which will be produced and the moral tendencies of its magnet- ism, more than it will the power of the m anifestations . Large circles should be avoided as the the chances are so very small that good conditions will be obtained. Spirits that are attracted under a particular condition, will be expelled under an- other, and an entirely different class of spirits will come. RECAPITULATION. 163 Skepticism and doubt, especially when accompanied by positiveness and self- conceit is the most powerful agent to repell good influences and prevent de- sired results of spirit influence, or spirit manifestations known to the science. And they should be excluded from the circle room. You may say a person may doubt and at the same time be an honest in- vestigator. True, but they may not be in a condition to investigate honestlv or there may be a difference betw r een an honest investigator and one who can investigate honestfy. And any one who is satisfied that they know all that is worth knowing about spirit manifesta- tions, had better keep away from circles which are formed for spirit communion; a due respect for the balance of the circle demands this. If any one who knows that spirit communion is a hum- bug, and spiritualism is a fraud, will per- sist in destroying the good effect of circles by imposing upon it with their 164 RECAPITULATION. presence; then the door should be closed against them. We do not blame people lor doubting those subjects upon which they are ignorant, but to presume to understand those things which they doubt is manifesting a disgraceful ignor- ance. For doubts only enter the minds of people upon those subjects of which they are ignorant. After any one has expressed a doubt about the ability of spirits to communicate with mortals throught mediums in the ph^-sical form and then pertend to know that all so called spirits phenomena is a fraud, have virtually declared by such statements, their dishonesty and should be excluded from all circles held for the purpose of receiving spirit communica- tions until they have been reformed, or educated upon the subject. If one knows that spirits cannot communicate w^ith us, then they do not doubt, they know they do not. And further investi- gation, by them, upon this subject is foolishness and so inconsistant and un- RECAPITULATION. 165 narmonious that if it be introduced in- to a circle it would destroy the best of conditions and set at naught the efforts of a circle to produce the phenomena of spiritualism and could do the actors of such foolishness, no good. The magnetic condition or that forma- tion of a circle which produces the best magnetic influences is only desirable when purely physical phases of medium- ship is looked for or desired. And if only a highly spiritual and morally ele- vating influences are desired, the circle should be formed with a yiew of break- ing up any highly magnetic condition. While some magnetic conditions are conducive to higher moral lives; they being a material condition, are not essential to higher spiritual develop- ment. But if for any reason they are indulged in great care should be taken in their formation, that the best moral influence should be procured. Circles formed which are noted for their confi- dence and the absence of all doubt, 166 RECAPITULATION. where all are positive and certain of good results if no demands are made as to what spirits shall come, or what kind of demonstrations are desired; such conditions will always attract the children in spirit life, and the at- tracting of children is always an omen of a good moral and spiritual condition. And the circles may alwaj^s rejoice when the children come, for this will always be an evidence of desireable con- ditions. The physical formation, or the proper arranging of the circle should always be studied in connection with the manifestations desired, or those which the circle is endeavoring to pro- duce. The form should suggest the re- quired demonstrations, and this by a little study can be made suprisingly suggestive of the desired manifestations. Study these laws and all the powers of conditions. How to produce the desired conditions; how to change them; their influences and their effect upon the circle, upon RECAPITULATION. 167 mankind, and upon spirit manifesta- tions. For upon a clear understand- ing of these depends your present and your future happiness. CHAPTER XIV. CIRCLES— THEIR USES. The benefit to be derived from the hold- ing of them. The good they do. As the effect of conditions has only been considered in reference to circles, and its influence upon spirit manifesta- tions, it will be proper in this connec- tion and in conclusion. To give the reader a faint idea of the grand results to be accomplished and the vast amount of good to be derived, from the hold- ing of properly arranged and scienti- fically conducted circles. Through their influence alone can the world be re- formed. The silent influences which are generated and set at work within the sacred precincts of a properly conducted circle will prevade the atmosphere of a CIRCLES— THEIR USES. 169 whole neighborhood, or community and their influence for good can never be comprehended or appreciated by those who compose the circle while they shall remain in the earth condition, for their influences are felt and a work of loye accomplished, beyond the borders of the spirit world. Men and women are influenced to do better reformation is inaugurated into their lives and sud- denly they are found to be upon a higher moral plane. They can give you no cause for their sudden change in their lives, they never heard of a circle, and yet their reform in many cases, can be traced directly to the influences of a circle being held in the neighborhood, of which they had no knowledge. The drunkard is reformed. The tobacco user lays his tobacco aside. The smoker throws his pipe away, all under the in- fluences of a properly conducted circle. There is no vice; there are no diseases; there is no disaster, that its heavenly influence cannot bridge over. 170 CIRCLES— THEIR USES. Wars can be averted ; the ravages of pestilence and dsiease prevented, and the encroachments of moral depravity be prevented from making further in- roads tipon society by the influences which may be shed abroad by, and through the power of the circle. In fact the cause of every ill of which man is, or ever has been afflicted, may be learned and their injurious effect averted through the knowledge to be obtained in, and through a well conducted circle. A circle of two or three persons, who were devoted to the best interests of the community, established and properly conducted in every neighborhood would forever settle the liquor question. A circle in every village, and a few of them in each city, would exert a greater power for good, than all the sermons, or reform lectures that money can pro- cure. Any means of reform not carry- ing the seal of the spirit can display no authority, and will lack the power to accomplished its purpose. And the CIRCLES— THEIR USES. 171 circle is the only means through which a reformatory movement can receive the stamp of approval from the spirit world. And when it shall have received that approval its success is assured, and its power for good wall be unre- strained. In all laudable undertakings, invoke the assistance of the spirit world, and the only way to properly and effectually do this is through the circle. And the power for good inherent in the circle does not end here, neither is its mission- ary work confined to mortals, or those upon the earth plane. But it reaches out and down into the lower depths of spiritual degradation found in the spirit world, and its influence has, and will continue to place the feet of many of those who are in the dark abodes of spirit life, upon the upward path, facing them to the light which shall lead them to a higher and purer life. And thou- sands upon thousands, who are in utter darkness, and a most pitiable condition, 172 CIRCLES— THEIR USES. just over the borders of spirit life, can only be reached through the power of the circle, they being beyond the reach of the higher conditions of the spirit world. And they must be reclaimed through the influences exerted in their behalf arising from well formed and scientifically conducted circles, and in this respect I desire that you make no mistake. For ill formed and bad ly man- aged circles, lower the morals, increase the disease and corrupt every com- munity in which they are held. And their bad influence does not stop here, for they help to forge the chains, which binds the fallen spirits in the dungeons of spirit life, instead of shedding the light, which would lead them out to a higher and better life, as scientifically managed circles would do. Spiritulists: You who have taken the great work of reformation in hand, study these laws, and practically appry them, and you will be supprised at how soon the earthly existance and the spirit CIRCLES — THEIR USES. 173 life shall be so blended together, that man shall commence his spiritual exi st- ance while yet in the physical form. Love will become the law, and under its ministration, crime will be reduced, good works increased, joy will be the rule, an sorrow an exception. riNis. 7 7 if /fn ^fSf "T^Cft *S J Plf- , ^- ^^ 3^ m W ^ •■43 ')!' ; 'rr Mas *kw ' ^K^W^Wrf- w : > ^fti .J^r, -///; ' tY^ *^ f/^n *V l iV-