TRICKS OF MEDIUMS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20644, 16 February 1929, Page 25

TRICKS OF MEDIUMS.

BORROWED FROM THE MUSIC HALLS. THE SERMON “DODGE.”

Spiritualist mediums are resorting to music hall tricks to gull their audiences, writes‘an English correspondent. Both clairvoyants and trans-speakers (through whom spirits are Claimed to speak) are using memory feats to aid their quackery in the same manner that stage artists use their memory to identify objects when blindfolded, and also to tell dates.

A woman medium, who claims to be a clairvoyant, gave a very encouraging message to a correspondent. "I see standing beside you a bishop.” she said. “No, he is an archbishop. He tells me he is attracted to you because be likes your type of mind and he wishes to help you. He holds up a book entitled ‘ ’ and he wishes you to read it. It is written by himself, and with it I get the name of

THE SAME VOICE. Although the correspondent did not believe that his halo was already being forged, he bought the hook, which comprised a series of sermons, and found one of them interested him. very much. A year later the man heard the same medium in the same place give the same message, word for word, to another man.

The leader of a Spiritualist society in the Home Counties, largely supported by a very wealthy woman, also resorts to feats of memory to deliver what are claimed to be “ spirit talks,” This man has an attractive appearance and his oratory is brilliant.

He gives addresses in Spiritualist churches throughout the country. Sometimes he gives an ordinary address; at others he gives a “ trails ’’-address—the speaker, it is claimed, being a spirit. But the voice is identical in each case. Many of these sermons given under supposed spirit control are to be found almost word for word in a collection of sermons. They have been learned by heart.

Another music hall trick is employed by a professional clairvoyant, who gives to members of his audience “ spirit ” descriptions of so vague a type that nearly everyone present knows two or three dead people to whom each description would apply. When the medium is asked for further details he replies that the room is “teeming with spirits,” and he wishes to give as many descriptions as possible in the time at his disposal. “ You recognise the description; that is all we want,” he says hurriedly. AN UNHAPPY SPIRIT. "

Another trick is to describe in movin'* tones an “ unhappy spirit who comes for help.” These “ spirits ” never come to any particular individual. That makes the trick very much easier. The medium moves the audience to a deep fervour, and then announces that the “ unhappy spirit ” is greatly comforted and tenders his thanks.