Spiritualism, and all the miraculous power which is the result of it; and as there is a great deal of false spiritualism rampant just now, I may as well give you a few hints whereby you may distinguish it at once,—­ Imprimis:  if a so-called Spiritualist tells you that he can summon spirits who will remove tables and chairs, write letters, play the piano, and rap on the walls, he is a charlatan.  For spirits can touch nothing corporeal unless they take corporeal shape for the moment, as in the case of your angelic Edris.  But in this condition, they are only seen by the one person whom they visit,—­ never by several persons at once—­remember that!  Nor can they keep their corporeal state long,—­except, by their express wish and will, they should seek to enter absolutely into the life of humanity, which, I must tell you, has been done, but so seldom, that in all the history of Christian Spirituality there are only about four examples.  Here are six tests for all the ‘spiritualists’ you may chance to meet: 

“First.  Do they serve themselves more than others?  If so, they are entirely lacking in spiritual attributes.

“Secondly.  Will they take money for their professed knowledge?  If so, they condemn themselves as paid tricksters.

“Thirdly.  Are they men and women of commonplace and thoroughly material life?  Then, it is plain they cannot influence others to strive for a higher existence.

“Fourthly.  Do they love notoriety?  If they do, the gates of the unseen world are shut upon them.

“Fifthly.  Do they disagree among themselves, and speak against one another?  If so, they contradict by their own behavior all the laws of spiritual force and harmony.

“Sixthly and lastly.—­Do they reject Christ!  If they do, they know nothing whatever about Spiritualism, there being none without Him.  Again, when you observe professing psychists living in any eccentric way, so as to cause their trifling every-day actions to be remarked and commented upon, you may be sure the real power is not in them,—­as, for instance, people who become vegetarians because they imagine that by so doing they will see spirits—­ people who adopt a singular mode of dress in order to appear different from their fellow-creatures—­people who are lachrymose, dissatisfied, or in any way morbid.  Never forget that true Spiritualism engenders health of body and mind, serenity and brightness of aspect, cheerfulness and perfect contentment,—­and that its influence on those who are brought within its radius is distinctly marked and beneficial.  The chief characteristic of a true, that is, Christian, spiritualist is, that he or she cannot be shaken from faith, or thrown into despair by any earthly misfortune whatsoever.