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."



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