the vital message(主信)-第12章
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a manner which must be utterly unintelligible to those who are not versed
in the subject。 Sir Oliver will； I am sure； not be offended if I say that；
having satisfied his conscience by the present edition； he should now leave
it for reference； and put forth a new one which should contain nothing but
the words of Raymond and his spirit friends。 Such a book； published at a
low price； would； I think； have an amazing effect； and get all this new
teaching to the spot that God has marked for itthe minds and hearts of
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the people。 So much has been said here about mediumship that perhaps it
would be well to consider this curious condition a little more closely。 The
question of mediumship； what it is and how it acts； is one of the most
mysterious in the whole range of science。 It is a common objection to say
if our dead are there why should we only hear of them through people by
no means remarkable for moral or mental gifts； who are often paid for
their ministration。 It is a plausible argument； and yet when we receive a
telegram from a brother in Australia we do not say： 〃It is strange that Tom
should not communicate with me direct； but that the presence of that half…
educated fellow in the telegraph office should be necessary。〃 The medium
is in truth a mere passive machine； clerk and telegraph in one。 Nothing
comes FROM him。 Every message is THROUGH him。 Why he or she
should have the power more than anyone else is a very interesting problem。
This power may best be defined as the capacity for allowing the bodily
powers； physical or mental； to be used by an outside influence。 In its
higher forms there is temporary extinction of personality and the
substitution of some other controlling spirit。 At such times the medium
may entirely lose consciousness； or he may retain it and be aware of some
external experience which has been enjoyed by his own entity while his
bodily house has been filled by the temporary tenant。 Or the medium may
retain consciousness； and with eyes and ears attuned to a higher key than
the normal man can attain； he may see and hear what is beyond our senses。
Or in writing mediumship； a motor centre of the brain regulating the
nerves and muscles of the arm may be controlled while all else seems to
be normal。 Or it may take the more material form of the exudation of a
strange white evanescent dough…like substance called the ectoplasm；
which has been frequently photographed by scientific enquirers in
different stages of its evolution； and which seems to possess an inherent
quality of shaping itself into parts or the whole of a body； beginning in a
putty…like mould and ending in a resemblance to perfect human members。
Or the ectoplasm； which seems to be an emanation of the medium to the
extent that whatever it may weigh is so much subtracted from his
substance； may be used as projections or rods which can convey objects or
lift weights。 A friend； in whose judgment and veracity I have absolute
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THE VITAL MESSAGE
confidence； was present at one of Dr。 Crawford's experiments with
Kathleen Goligher； who is； it may be remarked； an unpaid medium。 My
friend touched the column of force； and found it could be felt by the hand
though invisible to the eye。 It is clear that we are in touch with some
entirely new form both of matter and of energy。 We know little of the
properties of this extraordinary substance save that in its materialising
form it seems extremely sensitive to the action of light。 A figure built up in
it and detached from the medium dissolves in light quicker than a snow
image under a tropical sun； so that two successive flash…light photographs
would show the one a perfect figure； and the next an amorphous mass。
When still attached to the medium the ectoplasm flies back with great
force on exposure to light； and； in spite of the laughter of the scoffers；
there is none the less good evidence that several mediums have been badly
injured by the recoil after a light has suddenly been struck by some
amateur detective。 Professor Geley has； in his recent experiments；
described the ectoplasm as appearing outside the black dress of his
medium as if a hoar frost had descended upon her； then coalescing into a
continuous sheet of white substance； and oozing down until it formed a
sort of apron in front of her。＇5＇ This process he has illustrated by a very
complete series of photographs。
＇5＇ For Geley's Experiments； Appendix A。
These are a few of the properties of mediumship。 There are also the
beautiful phenomena of the production of lights； and the rarer； but for
evidential purposes even more valuable； manifestations of spirit
photography。 The fact that the photograph does not correspond in many
cases with any which existed in life； must surely silence the scoffer；
though there is a class of bigoted sceptic who would still be sneering if an
Archangel alighted in Trafalgar Square。 Mr。 Hope and Mrs。 Buxton； of
Crewe； have brought this phase of mediumship to great perfection； though
others have powers in that direction。 Indeed； in some cases it is difficult to
say who the medium may have been； for in one collective family group
which was taken in the ordinary way； and was sent me by a master in a
well known public school； the young son who died has appeared in the
plate seated between his two little brothers。 As to the personality of
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mediums； they have seemed to me to be very average specimens of the
community； neither markedly better nor markedly worse。 I know many；
and I have never met anything in the least like 〃Sludge；〃 a poem which
Browning might be excused for writing in some crisis of domestic
disagreement； but which it was inexcusable to republish since it is
admitted to be a concoction； and the exposure described to have been
imaginary。 The critic often uses the term medium as if it necessarily meant
a professional； whereas every investigator has found some of his best
results among amateurs。 In the two finest seances I ever attended； the
psychic； in each case a man of moderate means； was resolutely determined
never directly or indirectly to profit by his gift； though it entailed very
exhausting physical conditions。 I have not heard of a clergyman of any
denomination who has attained such a pitch of altruism nor is it
reasonable to expect it。 As to professional mediums； Mr。 Vout Peters； one
of the most famous； is a diligent collector of old books and an authority
upon the Elizabethan drama；
