Warning To Young Mediums
Wallis says concerning this point: "After a time, as the development
progresses, the medium and his spirit friends may be strong enough to
undertake public work without the assistance and protection of a circle,
in the same manner as did D. Home, Slade, Eglinton, and other noted
public mediums; but they should be in no hurry about doing so, and they
need to be very self-possessed and level-headed to hold their own
agai
st the 'phenomena hunters' on the one side (who sap the very life
of the sensitive), and the know-all, conceited sceptics on the other
side (who freeze up all the psychic conditions), and before whom it is
worse than foolish to cast these pearls of great price.
"The lot of the public 'physical,' 'test,' and 'clairvoyant' medium is
not to be envied or lightly chosen. Such sensitives frequently suffer a
martyrdom that none but sensitives can realize. What with foolish
flatterers; the sitters who are never content, but cry 'give, give,
give;' the injudicious friends, who seeing the exhaustion of the
worn-out mediums, in mistaken sympathy urge them to take stimulants
(instead of securing them rest and change of surroundings), they have a
hard road to travel, and our sincerest sympathy goes out to them all. We
plead for them. We bespeak kindly and human consideration. Too
frequently they are tried and condemned unheard. They are expected to
prove that they are NOT frauds, instead of, as in other cases, being
accepted as reputable people. So much has this been the case that some
mediums of unquestioned power have retired into private life and
business pursuits, where they meet with the respect and recognition
which were denied them while they were public workers in the ranks of
spiritualism.
"Let us not be misunderstood. In saying this we are not apologizing for,
or palliating fraud or wrong doing, but merely asking for fair and
considerate treatment--not hasty, unreasoning condemnation. While it is
true that mediumship has many compensations, and the medium who takes
pleasure in his work has many pleasant experiences, it is also true that
the professional medium is too frequently subjected to treatment which
makes his task more difficult and thankless than it need be. The kindly
and appreciative treatment which he receives from some sitters is a
welcome stimulus, and affords good conditions for the spirits, who are
thus enabled to operate to the best advantage."