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reasoning."
'With all men of genius inspiration flows in upon their minds
independently of any creative power of their own. Thus Schiller, in
writing, "wondered whence his thoughts came from; they frequently
flowed through him independent of the action of his own mind." Robert
Burns at one time, sitting down to write, penned these lines
"Which way the subject theme may gang
Let time or chance determine,
Perhaps it may turn out a sang,
Or probably a sermon."
'He was here in the best condition for the reception of spiritual
influence, his mind being passive and consequently receptive the proper
mental condition of all true mediums.
A Guide to Mediumship 79
'Mozart said he composed his music because he could not help it.
"When all goes well with me," he says, "when I am in a carriage, or
walking, or when I cannot sleep at night, the thoughts come streaming in
upon me most fluently; whence or how is more than I can tell."'
The Editor of 'LIGHT' says: 'In the unceasing struggle for truth, we
would make an obscurantist a present of all the old dogmas if he would
only leave with us the admission that God still inspires the human spirit,
and that the Heavenly Father can still guide His earthly child. Admit that,
and the struggle is over: admit that, and we are free to shut the book and
enter into the sanctuary of the soul: admit that, and it not only becomes
our right but our urgent duty to revise all faiths in the light of the hopes,
the inshinings, and the inspirations of our day: and then the battle is won.'
INSPIRATION FROM SPIRITS.
Inspiration from a particular person, that is, from a deceased human
being, is a branch of the subject which has not yet been generally
recognized, and which only Spiritualism will force the students and 'Higher
Critics' of the Bible to consider and apply. Hitherto they have dealt with
the question of inspiration from the point of view of its alleged Divine
origin, whereas Spiritualism makes clear the fact of the probable influence
of excarnate human beings, and this view is borne out by Acts (vii. 53),
where it is said that the 'Law' was given by the disposition (agency) of
angels, and we hold that the Bible contains many details of spiritual
manifestations which can only be properly understood in the light of
Modern Spiritualism.
In an admirable address of welcome to the delegates who attended the
'Parliament of the World's Religions,' held in Chicago, in 1893, the Rev. J.
H. Burrows showed how the spiritualistic thoughts of the ministry and
inspiration of excarnate human beings give vitality and breadth to the faith
of the noble-minded people who recognize its truth. He said: 'It seems to
me that the spirits of just and good men hover over this assembly,' and he
went on to enumerate some of those who he believed were present,
80 A Guide to Mediumship
naming Paul, Buddha, Socrates, Jeremy Taylor, John Milton, Roger
Williams, Lessing, Abraham Lincoln, Tennyson, Whittier, and Phillyss
Brooks.
MEN, NOT BOOKS, ARE INSPIRED.
It is necessary to remember that a book cannot be inspired, although
human beings may enjoy such an experience. It is also important to
recognize that a statement is not necessarily true because it is inspired. We
now know that a man may receive thoughts, and be subject to impulses
'from the other side,' and yet those thoughts may be misleading and the
impulses sometimes such as should be resisted. The recipient may fully
believe that the ideas imparted to him are Divine Inspirations, but his
belief does not guarantee their Godly origin or their infallibility. The
affirmation that 'Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy
Ghost' (2 Peter, i. 21), does not warrant the soundness of the statements
which they made, or which have been attributed to them. No amount of
inspiration can make a falsehood true, or an error accurate; consequently
the test of the value of any inspired sentiment, teaching, or affirmation is
to be found in its truth rather than in the source from which it emanates;
and each reader is entitled to use his own judgment, and to be fully
persuaded in his own mind. Inspiration affects the individual, and he
cannot be inspired beyond his capacity to receive; therefore a perfect
medium would be required for an inerrant gospel.
THE WORD OF THE LORD.
Much confusion of thought has arisen because of the modern misuse of
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