Ten test circles; or, The law of conditions

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 conditions 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 evening and having watched very carefully the result of the different conditions upon the manifestations, as well as the effect upon those who sat in the circles, I became convinced, that the law of conditions was the most important one that touched upon the philosophy oi spiritualism, and the one least understood or studied. I have become satisfied that the phenomenal part of spiritualism, 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 perfect 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 reliability of the message received. The3 T acquired 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 knowledge or ability of those having construction or operation of the line in charge; perfect confidence in the reliability 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 compliance 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 importance, 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 important messages in his hands for transmission. 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, sufficiently reliable, to convince any one of 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 constructionists, in regard to its laws, requirements 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 conditions 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 quality of the messages received. Sometimes 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 any other subject than upon spiritual things, when reason is the substratum of the spirit world. Our reason judgment and good sense, should be thoroughly exercised in connection with our decision upon the genuineness and reliability 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 understand 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 understand or something you are anxious to learn. Do not jump upon the spiritualistic 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 understand 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 good, in the hands of skilled engineers, but in the hands of ignorant and unprogressive 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 spiritual 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

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 studied 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 thoroughly disgusted, either from the absence of all manifestations, or from the quality of what was received.

At one circle truth seems to predominate throughout the entire line of the phenomena. At the next no dependence whatever can be placed upon anything that is said or done.

At one meeting the controlling influence appears to be endowed with wisdom and knowledge of a high order. At the next, the most foolish and unreasonable views are advocated, while ignorance and bigotry seem to have full sway. At some of these gatherings, the very highest moral precepts are recommended to the circle for practice, while at the very next the most lewd immoral and pernicious influence seem to predominate.

All these varied results are but the natural results obtained from the various conditions prevailing at the time. In all of this, there is a highly instructive lesson being taught, namely, the Law of Conditions, and its effect upon manifestations. But it is passed unheeded by a large majority of phenomena seekers.

To study this law and the effect of various conditions upon the manifestations produced in circles, in view of its great importance was the object of the circles, the result of which is hereafter recorded.

Before proceeding with the result of the circles, I will here state, that these circles were commenced for the study of the effect of conditions, hj and through the direct request of controls having charge of our regular circles, and by special agreement with those in control, 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 natural results of a condition, such as was being investigated, would have upon a circle and the manifestations there prodticed and revise eve^thingwhich should be written upon the subject, that everything which might be written concerning the effect of conditions might be implicitly relied upon, as being the natural and inevitable effect of the various conditions. We believe the records herein made to be very correct and can be relied upon, to either read the conditions in the circle, by the manifestations 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 statement 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 composed of four members, (and if others should be admitted during the course, a full account of it will be given in the description of the circle), two females and two males. One of each being negative by nature, as they are usually termed the other two positive. For the sake of brevity, I shall throughout these descriptions 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 impressional. 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 study of conditions. We understood very well, the result of our normal condition. The manifestations produced in our regular circles were usualh- table tipping (while our hands were upon it). F. always talked more or less under control, 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 consciousness. All others felt the presence of spirit influence distinctly, and M. very often saw clairvoyantly, and was impressed 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 that yon may be better able to draw conclusions in regard to the effect produced upon the circle, and the manifestations, by the change in conditions

It should be remembered, that all persons sitting in these circles, were expected to remain in a negative condition and try to make the best conditions they could, unless they had been otherwise instructed, then due notice of it was taken at the beginning of the records 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 conduct 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 manifestations we cotild compare those produced 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 , harmonious negative condition. The music had not played to exceed a half minute when I was impressed to assume a positive commanding attitude towards the controls of the circle, and endeavor by the power of my will to stop all manifestations. This move had never entered 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 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 mentally this stand and these sitters belong to the material realm; I belong to the same condition; I have a right to dictate 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 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 negative receptive condition, when almost immediately F. was shaken up lively and the table began to tip. F. was controlled and talked, while the table continued to rap out answers to all questions 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 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 condition, in order to hold in check the invisible powers that were present, and I was afraid I would assume a negative position if I undertook to sing, for instrumental music or singing are powerful agents for producing negative conditions in a circle or audience of any kind. Hence its importance in all circles.

They sang three pieces, but no manifestations occurred during the time. When they stopped singing, all remained perfectly quiet and there was no apparent spirit influence within the 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 myself 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 case of mesmerism or hypnotism, and in the exerting of my will power, I thereby holding in check all manifestations, 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 invisible power, which was trying to assert 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 different condition was expected by me, a course which is never persued where the hypnotic influence is wanted or obtained. In case of hypnotism the first thing the operator does is to inform the 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 hypnotism, and as far as I know, no one has ever exerted this power over a subject without first informing him of his intentions or desires in regard to it.

Then what about those manifestations 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 influence, 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 invisible presence. This seems to me to make it a very positive proof of the presence, in our circle of some invisible intelligence, outside of that which the setters possessed; as the whole process and result seems to be beyond, and entirely 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 antigonistic 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 exists 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 transmissions; and when we thoroughly understand this law, and obey its various 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 removed.

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 our minds to dwell upon anything mental 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 obtain. They were trying to produce the best conditions they could. And the effect 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 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 clairvoyantly, 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, except 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 subjects, 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 condition. 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 influences 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 manifestations, 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 material and unspiritual condition with which we had impregnated the circle in the fore part of the evening seemed to remain in the atmosphere of the room after we had ehanged to a more congenial 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 adverse 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 better 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 assume their normal condition, F. was controled by various intelligencies, who talked and answered questions through him .

One very intelligent control, who had 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 previous occasions his words were expressed^ 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, another came who had never attended a circle before, and one who had never tried to talk through a medium, or produce 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 :

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 recovery of his bod} r , and the saving of some papers pertaining to business matters.

Now what finer illustration of the power of condition and the law that like attracts like. Here were two positive persons in the circle who were determined to produce a material condition, or in other words to use the circle for material and selfish purposes or for "worldly gains. No thought was given by them to spiritual or intellectual things. They being positive and determined, 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 exist 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 centered in material things. Could anything be more like the conditions existing in our circle ?