Modern spiritism; its science and religion - SpiritArchive.org

CHAPTER V
EXPLANATIONS OF SPIRITIST
PHENOMENA
Money and Fraud
SPIRITIST "truths" seem to differ from all others
in requiring a special atmosphere, a special attitude,
special apparatus, and special preparation to demonstrate
them. Even when all has been carefully
arranged no truth may be demonstrated, and nothing
whatever may happen at the seance. And then
comes the almost irresistible opening for fraud and
trickery. For here are some sixty people or more
waiting to see something for which they have paid,
and the mysterious power is absent to-day. One
of two things must be done. A reason must be
found for the failure the presence of even one
sceptic will do nicely but then the money should be
returned; or fraudulent phenomena (very easy to
produce) must be shown, when, of course, the money
is safe. Some mediums will adopt one course, and
some the other. All one can say is that in public
seances in America more than in Europe some
sort of fraud is the rule, and not the exception; and
so also in all private stances where money is paid.
Where it is not paid, fraud is rarer, but not
unknown.