　　　　CHAPTER XVII

　ONE-MAN SPIRIT BRAINS TRUST

　ALL sorts of questions are sent by post by readers of “Psychic News" who ask that their problems may be put to Silver Birch. If the writers' problems are non-personal in nature, and if it is thought that the guide's answers might be helpful, the questions are put to the guide and his replies are usually published afterwards. The medium is never shown the questions before-hand. Silver Birch never hesitates in his spontaneous response to the questions which, naturally, cover a wide and varied field of subjects. The guide is indeed a "one-man”ーor perhaps I should say—a “one-spirit brains trust.” This is what Hannen Swaffer wrote of one of our question-and-answer sessions:

　"Could the Brains Trust answer questions as easily and as intelligently as this?" I ask all those so-called "experts” who, at one time or another, have been heard by millions of B.B.C. listeners stumbling and stammering over answers that, you would think, needed only the most elementary of world experience.

　Particularly, I put the challenge to my friend Dr. Cyril Joad, whose versatility and spontaneity of retort exceeds that of any other regular member of the Brains Trust; to Jennie Lee, who is bold and forthright; to Sir William Beveridge, who, although an engaging platform speaker, is halting in a Brains Trust, and who once even changed his opinion before a session was over; and to Julian Huxley, whose memory of scientific facts is encyclopædic

　All the questions printed, with the answers, which follow, were put to the guide of my home circle, Silver Birch, at a recent sitting. His words, perfect in their languageーhis English excels in its simple beauty that of any orator I have ever heardーpoured forth unhesitatingly at the rate of 120 a minute. Not a word has been altered. No sentence has been "edited” or cut.

　Yet Winston Churchill usually takes two or three nights to write, trim and rewrite an important speechーand has even been known to rehearse his performance before a looking glass!

　"I have heard many Brains Trusts," I said when the sitting was ending. "I myself have been in perhaps six or eight, including one arranged by the B.B.C. I think all the sitters here will agree that neither we nor they have ever heard anything that equals in range, authority, intelligence or breadth of thought what we have heard this afternoon.'

　That, in itself, is evidence of supernormality.

　One question was, "What is the greatest contribution Spiritual-ism has to make to the modern world?"

　"The greatest contribution that this knowledge has," said Silver Birch, "is to bring freedom in all its diverse ramifications to the children of the Great Spirit. It frees them from all the bondage to which they have been subject. It removes them from the prison-house of ignorance by showing them that the door of knowledge has opened wide for them. It enables them to live in the sunlight instead of in the shadow.

　"It frees them from all the tyranny of superstition and priest-craft. It teaches them to be doughty warriors in the fight for truth everywhere. It makes them conscious of the divinity within them. It enables them to recognise the mutual tie of the spirit that exists in every other child of the Great Spirit.

　"It shows them how they can help to build a new world where there is no hatred, no difference of colour or race, where the only superiors are those who have earned it by their greater service. It enriches their knowledge; it equips their mind; it fortifies their spirit and teaches them how to live so that they are worthy of their divine birthright. That is the great contribution this knowledge makes.

　"Man was born to be free, to dwell in liberty; he was not born to be a slave, bound and fettered. His life should be full of rich-ness, the richness of mind and body and spirit. All knowledge should be open to him, all truth, all wisdom, all inspiration. He should dwell in the splendour of the spirit with none of the cramping, irksome, vexatious restrictions imposed upon him by

those who would deny his heritage and thwart his destiny."

　The next question was, "Is it better that Spiritualism should grow as it is growing, as an influence, rather than as a formally organised faith?"

　"I would deny that it is a faith," said Silver Birch, "it is a knowledge. You cannot control the breath of the wind; you cannot control the growth or the spread of knowledge. Truth will blossom of her own accord. You cannot regulate it. You can only provide the means by which it becomes accessible to more and more people. What the effect of this knowledge will be you cannot estimate before; you cannot lay down any rules or control the channels of its dissemination.

　"All you can do is to be faithful to your own responsibility, to discharge your duty in the light of your understanding, to help where you can, to pass on what you have received, and let the balm of the spirit take its own course. It is a leaven. It will continue to infiltrate and permeate throughout all branches of human activity. Each must do what he thinks is best and spread knowledge according to the way he thinks it will be of service."

　Another question was, "Would you say that guides are always spiritually in advance of their mediums?"

　"No, I would not," answered Silver Birch. "It depends upon the task that has to be performed and it also depends upon the construction that you give to the word 'guide. Those in our world who are associated with earthly instruments work in co-operation. There is usually a band attached to each medium, and there is at the head the directing intelligence.

　"He is the one who should be more properly described as the guide, for the rest are working under his direction and although, occasionally, some of them may speak through the medium, they do so only at the request of the one in charge. But their functioning is not quite the same. That is why you sometimes use the word 'control' to mark the difference between two kinds of beings who manifest through mediums.

　"If you refer to the usual method that is employed in the case of trance mediums, then it is always true that the guide in charge is the spiritual superior of the medium. But in certain physical phenomena, many of those employed in the group to accom-plish results need not be of great spiritual attainment. In fact, some of them can best fulfil their function because of their proximity to earthly conditions, and in such cases it is true to say that the members of the spirit band are not necessarily more spiritually advanced than the medium that is used. But it is true in the general sense of the guide that is the controlling, directing influence and the medium, otherwise the initiative could not very well come from our side."

　The next question was, “Is a medium's health affected by trance mediumship?"

　"It should not be affected in any way except for the better," said the guide, "if he is used according to the known laws that regulate trance mediumship. Obviously, if a trance medium were to allow the situation to get out of hand by indulging in too many sittings, for example, three or four each day, then it might have some adverse effect upon the health. But if the sittings follow the normal course, if there are one or two over stated periods and the instrument has been wisely developed, then the results must be an increase in the health of the medium, because the power of the spirit constantly streaming through earthly instruments is one that is so vitalising that it leaves a regenerative effect. Wisely used, all mediumship will improve the health; unwisely used, it will act as a deterrent."

　"That is a very interesting question," said Silver Birch of this one, "Is there any truth in the doctrine that thought possesses real tangible power?" Then he gave this answer without a moment's pause:

　"Thought has potency; let there be no mistake about that, because thought is one of the creative processes of life. Thought is a reality on its own plane of expression, but it is limited according to the sphere in which it is used.

　"You are dwelling in an earthly world where you register through five material senses, and you have reached only that stage of development where you are capable of expressing your-self in this materialistic fashion. You have not yet evolved to the stage where all people can communicate by the power of tele-pathy. That is something which is still to be attained. In your present development you are spiritual beings compelled to use material means for your expression. That places a restriction and limitation on the power of thought, because it is only when that thought takes material form that you are able to become aware of it.

　"Thought is real on its own plane of expression, but it is un-known to you, as you are at present, until it is clothed with matter. In our world, where we do not have the thraldom of the flesh, thought has a far greater reality, for we are living in a world of thought—the basis of our reality is the expression of the spirit or the mind, or the soul, and thought is one of its funda-mental expressions.

　"You must not encourage people to think that whilst they are on earth thought can ever be a substitute for work, labour or activity. It is a useful auxiliary, but not a substitute. You must accomplish your results by the work that you can do. You cannot abolish physical activity and say all that is necessary will be accomplished by the power of thought. You must place it in its proper perspective."

　A member of the circle put in. “Used as a motive for physical activity in this world?”

　"Yes, and it has an unconscious use," continued Silver Birch, "because in your limited development you are unable to harness its potency"

　"But you can harness our thoughts into a potency if you wish to do so," commented the same sitter.

　"Yes, because we are working through your minds and through your spirits," said the guide, "but what I am most anxious to do is to discourage the idea that your problems can be solved by mass concentrations of thought. However useful or helpful thought may be, it is no substitute for the work that you must do. That may be an unpopular doctrine to preach, but it is the truth as I see it."

　Another member of the circle said: “If all the prayers that were offered before the war could not prevent the war—surely that is the answer. And they came from all over Europe, Germany as well."

　"I would agree with that,” remarked Silver Birch. “Thought has its limitation in a material world where matter is the basis of recognition. It must be so, but, on the other hand, I do not wish to dismiss the value of thought, or the place that it has in the scheme of life.”

　"It can help those expressing the good thought, apart from the effect elsewhere," was another sitter's comment. And someone else added, "If we all wish well of America, it is reacting well on us."

　"And in the healing of absent people,” said Silver Birch, "thought is one of the means for obtaining cures. But then you must remember that it is regulated by the agency of the spirit. So few people in your world understand how to deal with the mental equipment of the individual. That, incidentally, is part of the next stage of human evolution. Thought should be a useful precursor to action. Your action should be the result of well-regulated thought. But how many are there who know how to use the power of thought? How many are there who could sit, even for five minutes, with their minds concentrated only on one thought? Very, very few."

　The guide was next asked, “With regard to absent healing, does it help if the patient co-operates at the time of the healing?"

　"I would say," began the answer, again without hesitation, "that in most cases it is a help because it aids the process of attunement. That may cause controversy, but that is my view. It is easier as a rule to obtain results when you have knowledge rather than ignorance. When you have completed the spiritual circuit by having the one attuned, the instrument through whom the healing force has to radiate, and, at the other end, the one who is to receive it, attuned to the same pitch, then it is easier for the result to be obtained.

　"I know it is being claimed that in many cases excellent results are obtained when the sick man or woman is unaware of what is happening, but that is due to the fact that unft very often the results are achieved in his or her sleep state when there is more accessi-bility to the spirit body.”

　"Are you in favour of psychical research?" the guide was asked, and he said,

　"The trouble in attempting to answer these questions is to obtain an agreement on the terms which are being used, as to the meaning that you attach to them. There is a certain meaning attached to the term 'psychical research' which amongst those who call themselves Spiritualists is not one of great liking. All these sittings, or seances, or gatherings, are research in its real meaning, for constantly we are examining the means by which the power of the spirit is able to have a greater manifestation in your world.

　"You are learning from us; we are learning from you. I am in favour of all the research where the motive is to desire know-ledge and when that knowledge is attained to use it for the good of all mankind. I am not in favour of blind-alley research whose motive is to try to cast doubts about phenomena obtained through mediums. If the motive is sincere, then it is research; if it is insincere, then it is not research. Real research has our approval."

　"What is the answer to the clerical jibe that Spiritualism has nothing new to contribute to the world?”

　"I do not think it is a jibe," was the spirit reply. “We have nothing new to contribute to the world except one thing, that for the first time in human history we place religion upon the foundation of demonstration, that we remove it out of the realm of faith, hope and speculation and say here is that which can be proved. Apart from that there is nothing new, but I don't know that the Nazarene taught anything that was new. Surely the test is not newness or novelty, but is it true?".

　After a tribute had been paid to the remarkable intelligence of his replies, Silver Birch explained: “We have access to organised knowledge in a form which is unknown in your world, whereas you are dependent upon the residue of knowledge collected by individuals. We have all that information available to usーto those who know how to obtain it instantly.

　"One of the marvels of life in our world is the supreme and superb organisation, for not only is it true in the realm of know-ledge, it is equally as true in all the riches of the spirit, in literature, in art, in music. All that has ever been known is instantly avail-able to us, and much that is still unknown to you is at our disposal."

　It was at another meeting of the circle that the following was asked of Silver Birch: "Is it right to term the Great Spirit almighty and merciful?”

　"I see nothing to quartel with in the use of those two descrip-tions," he replied. "The Great Spirit is almighty because all power is vested in the natural laws that control the universe and all the life in all the forms that exists in the universe. There is nothing higher, greater, more powerful than the Great Spirit. The governance of the universe is directed by law, unfailing wisdom, a beneficent purpose, for always all forms of life are

evolving from the darkness towards the light, from the lower towards the higher, from imperfection towards perfection.

　"That shows that the quality of mercy is part of the divine purpose. But what must always be included is the mechanical nature of these lawsーmechanical in the sense that they are so perfect that none has the power to interfere with the sequence of cause and effect.

　"There is no one, however exalted spiritually he may be, who can prevent effect following cause with mathematical certainty. That is the mechanical aspect. I use the word because it is difficult to find words, and yet the word 'mechanical suggests the machine without the dynamic, driving, intelligent, conscious, purposive force behind it.

　"The conception that I would like to see fostered is the one of the Great Spirit, almighty, merciful, perfect, infinite, but at the same time get rid of the idea of personality in the human sense in which it is understood on earth. But you must remember that an infinite spirit has many manifestations. You, yourself, are the

Great Spirit in miniature. You contain within yourselves the spark of perfection that is the spirit, the spirit which is the essence of all life. Without that divine spark you cannot exist. Yet you, as you are manifest in an earthly personality, are not perfect.

　"The spark of spirit is perfection, the aspect of consciousness revealed through your physical body is very imperfect. After death you will manifest in the etheric, the astral, the spiritual bodyーit does not matter which term you use, so long as you understand what you mean by it. You will then be less imperfect than you are now. As you evolve in the realms of spirit, you will express less and less imperfection, and more and more of the latent divinity will rise to the surface. So that whilst you are

both imperfect and perfect, it is but a question of degree.”

　A sitter commented, “Very much as a rosebud is not a perfect rose, but becomes so when it is fully developed.”

　"To some degree,” replied the guide, “but it is complicated by the fact that perfection is an infinite process. You cannot achieve perfection; there is no finality to knowledge, wisdom, understanding or truth, because as the mind and the spirit grow their capacity becomes increased, and what is unattainable now will be attainable in the years to come. As you climb and reach out to the rung that was beyond your reach yesterday, today you realise that another rung has come within your horizon. It is an infinite process. You do not achieve perfection. If could achieve it, then evolution would be meaningless.”

　Commenting on questions put by members of the circle, Silver Birch said: “You are trying, and you should persevere, to gain a conception of something that is beyond finite language, that can be glimpsed and perhaps comprehended, even when it cannot be expressed. You must have sometimes come across a scene of such ineffable beauty that you have felt there are no words and no language and no artist capable of expressing it, yet you feel it, and you know it. Now it is just like that. You are trying to put into finite language infinite terms."

　"I suppose," said a sitter, "a rough and ready definition of the Great Spirit would be the aggregate of all spiritual consciousness in the world."

　"Yes," replied the guide, “except that consciousness has many manifestations, and there is no phase of being or activity that is outside the orbit of the Great Spirit, because the laws, the natural laws, automatically include everything in the universe.

　"There is no phase of motion, vibration, animal life, bird life, plant life, insect life, vegetable life, floral life, marine life, human life, spiritual life, that is not regulated by law. The universe is not discordant; it is one harmony on a grand scale. Once you perceive the key, the key that enables you to understand, it is very simpleーthat is, the universal law controls all, and that law is the result of the Great Spirit. The law is the Great Spirit, the Great Spirit is the law.

　"It is impersonal in the sense that it is not in any way a mag-nification of human beings, but it is personal in the sense that it is embraced within all forms of spiritual, mental and physical activity. By that I want it made clear that you, as human beings, are within the framework of the Great Spirit, and have an access to it because you contribute a vital part to it."

　A member of the circle asked, “Arising from what you said, are the laws of the Great Spirit fixed, or are they still being made?"

　"The laws have always been in existence,” said Silver Birch, "because being perfect there is no action that can take place outside their orbit. All has been provided, for the law has taken cognisance. If fresh laws had to be made, then the Great Spirit would cease to be perfect, for it would mean that a need has arisen which was not foreseen.”

　"So," said the same questioner, "the laws of the Great Spirit are the blueprint of perfection and we all are slowly trying to pattern ourselves to the blueprint of perfection.”

　"That is a very good approximation,” responded the guide. "Here you all are, evolving beings in an evolving world that is part of a tremendous universe in which every aspect is subject to laws which provide for every circumstance that can arise.

　"You cannot go outside the laws. Your life, your being, your activity is circumscribed by those laws. It is for you to discover how to harmonise your thought, your word, your deed, the whole of your life so that it is in unity with these laws. Then you will have got rid of disease, poverty and all the chaotic conditions which belong to the darkness of ignorance. That is why, whenever I am questioned about free will, I always have to say that it is not an unfettered free will, it is part of a free will circumscribed by natural law.”

　The guide closed the circle with these words:

　"We pause to allow the benediction of spirit power to fill our beings, to remind us of the unity of our purpose, the reason for our being together. Let us always be faithful to that which has been revealed to us and never do aught that would sully the knowledge of which we are the custodians. By setting ourselves the highest standard that we can attain we shall reveal the worthiness of our purpose and become the exemplars of our own gospel.

　"The Great Spirit bless you all.”

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