Page:The astral world, higher occult powers; (IA astralworldhighe00tiff).pdf/134

 driven from, promiscuous circles or society; and, consequently, those who can endure the common influences of a public circle can not be of a very sensitive class. Take a medium who is exceedingly sensitive to external influences; who must be in just such a condition in order that the Spirits may communicate, and who requires that every mind in the circle shall be in a peculiar condition; and place that medium in a public circle, and you can get no manifestations at all, for the required conditions are foreclosed at once. This kind of mediums will not answer for the purposes of public circles; but if you get one that will answer for such purposes, that medium will be one who is excessively positive—one who can resist influences of ever so positive a character. As that medium is required to sit for all classes, as a matter of course he must be in a condition to respond to the kind of influences which are brought to bear upon him, or manifestations can not occur while such influences are present.

When communications are received through public mediums, the probabilities are that the communicator belongs to a very low plane of development, and that the communications can not be relied upon, whatever may be the professions of that communicator.

There is almost always an influence which belongs peculiarly to each public medium—an influence which seems to be a presiding Spirit, which that medium will usually recognize, answering to the name of "Jim" or "John." It is generally the case that this Spirit will be found on hand first, and is the one to do whatever is to be done; and he becomes the father, mother, brother, sister, or friend of everybody. I speak from