197. Good Mediums
197. Serious Mediums. Those who use their faculty only for good and for really useful purposes ; they would consider it profaned if used for the satisfaction of the curious and indifferent, or for trifles.
Modest Mediums. Those who take no merit to themselves for the communications they receive, however beautiful they may be ; they regard themselves, in connection with it, as strangers, and do not consider themselves proof against mystifications. Far from avoiding disinterested advice, they solicit it.
Devoted Mediums. Those who understand that the true medium has a mission to fulfill, and should, when it is necessary, sacrifice tastes, habits, pleasures, time, and even his material interests, to the good of others.
Certain Mediums. Those who, with facility of exe- cution, deserve the most confidence, by their own character, the elevated nature of the spirits, whose assistants they are, and who are the least exposed to be deceived. We shall see, by and by, that this secu- rity depends not at all on the names, more or less respectable, that the spirits -take.
" It is incontestable, you can readily see, that thus criticising the qualities and whims of mediums, will excite contrarieties, and even animosities, with some; but what matter ? Mediumship is spreading day by day, and more and more, and the medium who would take these reflections amiss would prove one thing — that he is not a good medium, or is assisted by bad spirits. Then, too, as I have already said, it is but for a time; and bad mediums, or those who abuse or misuse their faculties, will suffer the sad consequences, as some have already done ; they will learn to their cost what it is. to turn to the profit of their worldly passions a gift which God has given them for their moral advancement. If you cannot lead them into the good path, pity them, for I can tell you they are cast away by God. ERASTUS."
" This descriptive list is of great importance, not only for sincere mediums, who will truly seek, in reading it, to avoid the dangers to which they are exposed, but also for those who make use of mediums, because it will show them what they may rationally expect in it. It should be always kept in view by every one engaged in manifestations, the same as the Spirit Scale, which is its complement: these two descriptive lists sum up all the principles of the doctrine, and will contribute more than may be supposed to restore Spiritism to its true mission. SOCRATES."
