3/4 SPIRITUAL CIRCLES By EMMA HARDINGE AND OTHERS

OF IMPRESSIONS.
Impressions are the voices of spirits speaking to our spirits, or else the monitions of the spirit within us, and should always be respected and followed, unless (which is very rare) suggestive of actual wrong in act or word.

At, the opening of the circle, one or more of the members are often impressed to change seats with others; one or more impressed with the desire to withdraw. or, a strong feeling of repulsion to some member of the circle, makes it; painful to remain. Let any or all of these impressions be faithfully regarded, and, on commencing, pledge to each other the promise that no offense shall be taken from following out impressions.

If strong impression to write, speak, sing dance or gesticulate. possesses any mind present, follow it out faithfully; it has a meaning. if you cannot at first realize it. Never feel hurt in your own person, nor ridicule your neighbors, for any failures to express, or at first discover, the meaning of the spirit impressing you.

Spirit control is often deficient, and at first always imperfect; but, by often yielding to it, your organism becomes more flexible and the spirit more experienced; and practice in control is absolutely necessary for spirits as well as mortals. If dark and evil-disposed spirits manifest to you,

never drive them away, but always strive to elevate them, and treat them as you would mortals under similar circumstances. Do not always attribute falsehoods to “lying spirits” or deceiving mediums. Many mistakes occur in the communion of which you cannot always be aware.

Strive for truth, but rebuke error gently; and do not always attribute it to design, but rather to mistake in so difficult and experimental a stage of the communion as mortals at present enjoy with spirits.

Unless strictly charged by spirits to do otherwise, do not continue to hold sittings with the same parties for more than twelvemonth. After that time, if not before, fresh elements of magnetism are absolutely essential. Some of the original circle should withdraw, and others take their place.

All persons are subject to spirit, influence and spirit guidance and control; but not all can so externalize this power as to use it consciously, or what is significantly called a medium; and, finally, let it ever be remembered that no medium can be influenced by spirits far beyond his or her own normal capacity in the matter of tho intelligence rendered, which in every instance is more or less shaped by the capacity and idiosyncrasies of the medium.

All spirit power is thus limited in expression by the organism through which it works; and though spirits may control, inspire and influence the human mind, they cannot change or re-create it.