329. Reunions for study are especially useful for mediums, for intelligent manifestations, particularly for those who desire to perfect themselves, and who do not go to them with a foolish presumption of infalli bility. One of the greatest dangers of mediumship is, we have said, obsession and fascination ; they can thoroughly delude the medium as to the merit of what he obtains, and it may well be understood that the deceiving spirits have full scope when their interpreter is blinded ; for this reason, they remove their medium from all criticism : if necessary, they produce in him an aversion even to being enlightened ; by means of isolation and fascination, they can make him accept anything they choose.
We cannot too often repeat it, here is not only the stumbling-block, but the danger ; yes, we say it, a real danger. The only means of escaping it is the censorship of disinterested and kind-hearted persons, who, judg ing the communications with coolness and impartiality, may open his eyes, and make him see what he cannot see of himself. Every medium who fears this judgment is already on the road to obsession ; he who believes the light is made only for him, is completely under the yoke ; if he takes remarks in ill part, repulses, is irri tated by them, there can be no doubt of the bad nature of the spirit who assists him. We have said, a medi um may lack the knowledge necessary to understand errors ; he may be deluded by big words and preten tious language, be led astray by sophisms, and that in all sincerity ; therefore, in default of his own light, he should modestly have recourse to that of others, ac cording to these two adages, that four eyes see better than two, and that no one is a good judge for his own cause. In this point of view, reunions are of very great utility for a medium, if he is sufficiently sensible to listen to advice ; because he may find in them per sons more clairvoyant than himself, who can seize the most delicate shades by which a spirit may betray his inferiority.
Every medium who sincerely desires not to be the plaything of a lie, should try to be developed in seri ous reunions, and bring there what he obtains in pri vate ; accept with gratitude —solicit even — critical examination of the communications he receives ; if he is the dupe of deceiving spirits, it is the surest means of getting rid of them, and of proving to them that they cannot delude him. It is so much the worse for a medium who is irritated by criticism, as his self-love is not at all engaged, since what he says is not his own, and he is no more responsible for it than if he should read the verses of a bad poet.
We have insisted on this point, because, a stum bling-block for mediums, it is also one for reunions, to which it is of great importance not lightly to confide in all the interpreters of the spirits. The assistance of any obsessed or fascinated medium would be more injurious than useful ; it should not be accepted. We think we have so fully entered into their development, that it will be impossible to mistake the characteris tics of obsession, if the medium cannot recognize it himself; one of the most salient points is the supposi tion that he alone of all the world is right. Obsessed mediums, who will not be convinced, are like those sick persons who are deluded as to the state of their health, and are lost for want ofsubmitting to salutary regimen.
