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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 13

The Third Session

The Third Session

Assembled at 6.30 p.m., Wednesday, July 25.—Dr M'Leod made some remarks on the nature of a seance and the functions of a medium, as understood by him. Mr Spear offered prayer, after which the Convention remained in silence to await results. In a few minutes Mr Spear rose, in a state of trance, and said: Mr President, Secretary, and members of this Convention, assembled as you are for an eternal purpose, there is a corresponding body, invisible and more high, at the same time forming its plans and infusing them into your individual and collective minds. They look before you to that period when peace, love, and righteousness shall cover the earth, and when nations will be more elevated and live in higher planes of existence. They contemplate the action of mind upon mind, and heart upon heart, and when men shall love goodness for its rewards, and when all shall be united in one universal brotherhood. There is before you, around you, above you, nay within you, a father and a mother God; and you should go forth and develop the righteousness and justice which dwells in your hearts, and break the chain which binds the captive. You are convened here to-day not by chance nor by accident. The brain of your Secretary has been moved from week to week, and the hearts of the people have been touched by the almost irresistible power within, and they have come together to exchange knowledge and brotherly love, and they will not go back without the blessing of peace from above. Their views will be disseminated, and thus will give life and light, and cause joy, page 31 peace, and harmony to dwell here. Accept, Mr President, the best influences from invisible circles for your faithfulness, your devotion, and your deep love of humanity. Accept, Mr Secretary, good wishes: you shall have encouragement from those who dwell above. They inspire you with the spirit of truth, and will enable you to labour with more fervour in disseminating the light of life so deep in your heart. Members of this Convention, you feel your hands moved, and let them act as wisdom shall direct; and may this Second Convention excel the first, and result in something more complete.

A spirit then entranced Sarah Chapman, and gave experience of communion with the external world at the Huddersfield circle. This spirit was one of the inharmonious and undeveloped kind, and on entering the medium at Huddersfield, said, "My first thought was a curse, and my first expression an oath." The whole attitude of this spirit was defiance and resistance to the wishes or comfort of mortals with whom he might come in contact. Possessed of great will-power, he felt influenced to use it against those who would resist or oppose him. He was miserable, and had no higher pleasure than to make others so. On the present occasion, however, this same spirit spoke through the same medium, to testify to the great improvement that had taken place in his condition through the kind intercourse received at the hands of the Huddersfield friends; and though once apparently a lost soul, now felt that there was hope of future glory and happiness. The spirit considered his case a very superior illustration of a wise mode of dealing with such examples.

It was considered expedient that a committee should be formed for the purpose of drawing up a series of resolutions to be submitted for discussion and adoption on the following day, so as to give readers of the proceedings some idea of the various views brought forward at the Convention in a condensed form. Dr M'Leod, J. Burns, Mrs Spear, J. Colthurst, J. M. Spear, Sarah Chapman, Mrs Jones, and M. Alston were deputed to frame a series of comprehensive resolutions by the next morning.

The President proposed a further discussion on mediumship, and called on J. Burns to offer a few remarks on it, who, in a long address, reviewed the connection between the soul and the body; how the organisation was subservient to the requirements of the indwelling spirit, pointing out phrenologically the organic development necessary to a consciousness of the spirit world, and other phases of mediumship. A full report of this speech was demanded by many, but space will not admit of it.

The meeting afterwards adjourned for the evening.