Modern spiritism; its science and religion - SpiritArchive.org

COLLECTIVE HYPNOSIS 165
effect that he was watching this particular stance
with the deepest interest, and that it would prove
very remarkable." Moreover, Mr. Stead pointed
out the unprecedented precautions against all
fraud; so we might know that all that we saw
would be genuine. I was stunned, and looked at all
the undisturbed faces with amazement, until I
recalled Dr. Bramwell's demonstration, and then I
began to understand why NO ONE spoke or moved,
or even smiled.
We Enter the
Cabinet
Still the "spirits" were obdurate, and the man
complained there was not sufficient magnetism in
the room. So it was suggested that while we were
waiting for the "power" we should enter the
cabinet in couples, holding each other's hands, to
see there was no fraud (!) and that the medium
alone was there who, of course, had heard all
that transpired.
move gave any confederate in the audience the
needed opportunity to introduce anything wished
for into the "cabinet."
It was obvious to me that such a
However, we went, two by
two, with great solemnity and returned to our seats,
but
assuring Mr. Stead we had seen nothing inside
the woman. When it was my turn to go in, I said to
her "Do your best"; and in a strong accent, similar
to her husband's, she replied, "Oh, that's all right.
I'll give you a good show."
The Materialisation
We then sung another hymn or jubilee song, while
the gas was lowered still further; and then in the