CHAPTER X.

MATERIALIZED FORMS--HOW SHALL WE MEET THEM?

Years ago I had a friend who was generous to a fault. He freely gave wherever he thought there was need. With all his liberality, he was singularly successful in business, and when he passed to the other life left a large fortune, which was mainly distributed to charitable institutions.

Walking with him one day, we passed some beggars sitting on the sidewalk,--pitiful specimens of humanity, with large placards in front of them, detailing the misfortunes that had befallen them. One, not over thirty years old, had lost a leg in the battle of Waterloo; another had lost his eyes by an eruption of Vesuvius which must have occurred twenty years before he was born. The cards must have been heirlooms, handed down at least one generation. These little discrepancies apparently made no impression on my friend, who emptied his pockets of his spare change, giving something to each of them. As we passed on, I said to him, "Do you know that these poor fellows were up before the police court a few days ago for being engaged in a drunken brawl?" I shall never forget the expression of his face as he turned to me and said, "It is my duty as well as my pleasure to give; the responsibility of using it is theirs, not mine."

Many years had come and gone, and the memory of my friend had almost faded from my mind. I was engaged in studying materialization. As my custom is to take one thing at a time, I did not trouble myself about the quality. I did not even propose to myself what I might do afterward; but did propose, if there was any truth in it, to so clearly demonstrate it that no doubts should come up as a disturbing element in any subsequent investigations I might make.

When I had finished my investigations on this point, I found that I stood on the shore of a boundless sea of speculation and uncertainty. I could not help asking myself the question, "What are these forms that, for a few minutes only, clothe themselves in objective reality, bearing the semblance of my friends, blended with the likeness of the medium? Are these my father, my mother, my wife, my brother? Is this the rollicking boy who made the hills echo with his laughter, now whispering in my ear so low that I can scarcely hear him?"

In the midst of this perplexity, this whirl of unanswered questions, the voice of my old friend came to me: "Don't stare these sensitive beings out of countenance, but give to them all that you can of your better nature, and you shall have your reward. If there is a possibility of mistake as to identity, if you are in any way deceived, the responsibility is theirs, not yours. In all true seances, if the forms are not what they are supposed to be, they are, at least, beings from another life, seeking strength and comfort from association with you, else they would not come. Let not a shadow of doubt or distrust bar their approach. Have no awe, no reserve, no fear as to what they are, and they will blend into your soul, become a part of your life. In the true relations which you hold to them will be the fulness of what they bring to you."

With a nature naturally skeptical, and a mind long trained to a close comparison of objects, it was not easy to accept this advice. What, then, was to be done? It was plain that I must move on, or abandon all that I had so successfully demonstrated.

I could not launch out into the endless speculation of "psychical research;" I had not time for that; so I decided to follow the course which had been suggested to me. I would lay aside all reserve, and greet these forms as dear departed friends, who had come from afar, and had struggled hard to reach me.

From that moment the forms, which had seemed to lack vitality, became animated with marvellous strength. They sprang forward to greet me; tender arms were clasped around me; forms that had been almost dumb during my investigations now talked freely; faces that had worn more the character of a mask than of real life now glowed with beauty. What claimed to be my niece, ever pleasant and earnest in aiding me to obtain the knowledge I was seeking, overwhelmed me with demonstrations of regard. Throwing her arms around me, and laying her head upon my shoulder, she looked up and said, "Now we can all come so near you!" Her wonderful spontaneity of character at once asserted itself, and has ever since been the delight of all who have come in contact with her.

My association with these forms is of the most simple character; it is that of children with each other: we realize the full force of the Master's words, "Except ye become as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." Science may wrangle over the supposed movements of molecules and atoms, and the correlation of forces; may dissect the bird to find its song; but love alone shall set the boundaries of knowledge. The key that unlocks the glories of another life is pure affection, simple and confiding as that which prompts the child to throw its arms around its mother's neck.

To those who pride themselves upon their intellectual attainments, this may seem to be a surrender of the exercise of what they call the higher faculties. So far from this being the case, I can truly say that until I adopted this course, sincerely and without reservation, I learned nothing about these things. Instead of clouding my reason and judgment, it opened my mind to a clearer and more intelligent perception of what was passing before me. That spirit of gentleness, of loving kindness, which, more than anything else, crowns with eternal beauty the teachings of the Christ, should find its full expression in our association with these beings.