infrequent thing for such mischievous and
meddlesome spirits to endeavor to pass themselves off as the relative or
friends of those in the circle, or even to falsely impersonate some
great historical personages. In such cases the sitters should insist
upon the spirit positively identifying himself, just as they would in
case of doubt regarding a person speaking to them over the telephone and
claiming to be such-and-such a person. And the proof demanded should be
similar to that which would be sought from the suspected telephone
talker. An honest spirit communicator does not object to such demands,
and is only too ready to do his best to furnish the right kind of proofs
concerning his identity.

The "Trance Condition."

The psychic condition frequently attending the demonstration of
mediumship powers is usually spoken of as a "trance," but this term is
quite misleading, for it carries with it the suggestion of an entire
loss of consciousness and of a condition of more or less deep sleep. But
the mediumistic trance is seldom a deep sleep condition. Instead, it is
the condition similar to that of a profound "day dream," in which the
person is fully awake but in which the consciousness has been almost
entirely taken off the sights and sounds of the outside world. As a
writer has well said: "What is called 'trance mediumship' is seldom of
the nature of the deep sleep of entire unconsciousness. It is more
frequently the suspension of the ordinary consciousness of external
surroundings, a temporary oblivion on the outer plane--a semi-conscious
state, in fact--in which the subject does not retain the volitional
ability to employ his thinking powers, the latter having been 'switched
off,' so to speak, and the subject responds to the will of the spirit
control."

Spirit Inspiration.

Wallis says, concerning the nature of a certain phase of spirit control:
"In the case of speaking mediumship, where general and philosophical
ideas are to be transmitted, the control is of a different order from
that exercised for test manifestations. It is more frequently of the
nature of 'suggestion.' The spirit suggestionist suggests to the medium
a certain train of ideas, and then stimulates the brain and the organs
of expression to do the work of dressing up the thoughts and giving them
utterance. Unless the subject is a scientific or a biographical one, in
which specific terms are required and accurate data are to be imparted,
the rel