For nearly half a century there has been no more conspicuous advocate and champion of Modern Spiritualism than Moses Hull. He has lectured and debated the subject in nearly every State in the Union and in the provinces of Canada. There are few Spiritualists who have not met him and felt the warm grasp of his hand.

He may not have been so ornate and eloquent in his speech, nor so figurative in expression as others on the Spiritual rostrum, but he had a directness in the application of his subject, an earnestness of purpose, and a forcibleness of expression which never failed to engage the attention of the listener. He had a habit of saying the right word at the right time and place, and of so placing each sentence, that it strengthened the argument he was making. His sentences were arranged in symmetrical order as are the several parts of a superstructure. Everything was brought within the comprehension of the listener; no matter how opposed he might be, he could not resist following the argument to its conclusion.

Generally he demonstrated a proposition by what his hearers knew to be true, or, if they did not know it, he cited the facts, and informed them where they were to be found. He never based an argument on bare assertions. Wherever possible, his audience was made ex parte, and in this respect, his lectures were scientific deductions. He never talked to fill in the time, or for the sake of mere talking, but always because he had something to say-something edifying to the public something the people ought to know, and which it became his duty to tell them. He had no time for declamation. His message to the world was too important. Instead of declaiming, he proclaimed. He was not engaged in the work for the purpose of making money, or even as a means of obtaining a livelihood, but because of a conviction. Had he had no higher aim than merely "making money," (i. e. obtaining money), there were avenues opened to him that certainly would have been more fruitful of results. He was "called to preach," not as a mere mercantile business, but because the world needed his message, needed enlightenment, and the business of obtaining a livelihood, was secondary and incidental to that higher purpose. In speaking of him after his transition, Prof. W. F. Jamieson said:

"He had something to say, and knew how to say it. Very few in Christian pulpits could be compared to him in preaching ability. I have heard Henry Ward Beecher, ' Wendell Phillips, 0. B. Frothingham, T. Dewitt Talmage, Benjamin F. Butler, John B. Gough, Bret Harte, and scores of other pulpit and platform celebrities. Moses Hull was their peer as an orator and as a man, an individualized man. His speaking on the public platform carried with it an indescribable charm."

His lectures were not so much for the business of proselyting as they were for teaching, for instructing, for educating. If he succeeded in forcing people to think, his purpose was accomplished. Their creeds and superstitions would then drop from them as dead leaves from the forest. Their intellectual growth would commence, and thus they would be started on careers of usefulness to themselves and those with whom they might come in contact.

There were people who charged him with antagonizing mediumship, because he maintained that lectures and descriptive work in mediumship were best delivered in separate meetings. To the claim that descriptions or "tests," as they were called, were necessary to increase the size of the audiences, he claimed that those who came to a meeting with no higher motive, than merely to satisfy an idle curiosity, were not likely to be sincerely interested in a lecture, no matter how profound and uplifting it might be; that in fact, they were not ready for the higher philosophy of this exalted religion. This class, of phenomena lists and curiosity seekers make poor Spiritualists, and often bring Spiritualism under the contempt of the more erudite and highly educated, as well as the more refined and spiritual members of the churches. It is claimed that the phenomena is necessary to convince the skeptic. So it is, but an unthinking skeptic, even when convinced of the truth of spirit return, will probably be more interested in it for "what there is in it," than they would be for any lofty and uplifting purpose, and he is likely to continue as imbecile as he was before his conversion. One will make little progress by the change unless he possesses a nature deep enough for Spiritualism to reach and stimulate to better purposes and more lofty sentiments. Merely a change from some belief or disbelief to a belief or knowledge of spirit return is not by any means the all of Spiritualism. If a belief or knowledge of Spiritualism will not cause the new convert to take higher ground, if he does not start on an upward course with a purpose of pursuing it through life, his conversion has been to little purpose.

Spiritualism is a school for the education of both, mortals and immortals, in which they are ever studying new lessons. The phenomena list is static. He is just where he was years ago, and where he is likely to be for years to come. He is like a bird which builds its nest just as its ancestors did. He' makes use of Spiritualism as a mere adjunct to his business, or for some speculative purpose. He had an experience five, ten, or twenty-five years ago, and he is just where that event found him, ever seeking a renewal of the same old test. Spiritualism never stops with a past experience, but ever looks. to the future, and it prepares us to receive each lesson as it comes. Spiritualism is more than a mere creed; it is life, growth, evolution, character. Usually, the phenomena list considers it a plaything, and he prefers toying with it to studying. its literature, or listening to thoughtful and educational lectures. If Buddha, Socrates or Jesus was to appear in flesh, to discourse on some great theme of which he had made a study since his entrance into the spirit-world, the phenomena list would have no interest in what the spirit had to teach, or anything beyond the mere phenomena of his apparition, and he would request that the time for the elucidation of the subject of the lecture be abbreviated, so that the mediums may have "plenty of time for their work." These people would eliminate the world of ideas and substitute something sensational and spectacular.

Moses Hull had no patience with fraudulent manifestations, yet in no sense was he a "fraud hunter." For this reason he usually gave doubtful mediums a wide berth. As he did not wish to give any sanction to counterfeit phenomena, he frequently excused himself when asked to attend a séance if he thought the phenomena likely to be questionable. Yet we shall see, as we progress in this book, that any extraordinary manifestations, as for example, the phenomena attending the Potts brothers of Harrisburg, Penn., and probably a few others, had his endorsement and support.

He attended a few materializing circles upon invitation of the friends of mediums. The reason for his carefulness upon this subject was the fear that all might not be as represented. We all know that the mere fact that a person professes to be a materializing medium is looked upon by many with suspicion. Not that all who claim that phase of mediumship are frauds, but they labor in a field where frauds thrive most abundantly. In this phase of mediumship the incentive to fraud is, perhaps, greater than in any other. It is an extraordinary phase, and it requires extraordinary conditions for the manifestation of its phenomena. It is a phase which attracts the more material element, to say nothing of curiosity-seekers, and people who have more time to kill than money to lose. This very class is by nature the least charitable, and the least capable of comprehending an explanation of the cause of failure, should failures occur. In short they are a class who must be satisfied and if phenomena cannot be secured in one way, it must be in another, or there is likely to be trouble and there may be trouble in any case. Associated with this low element is another class, who are "easy marks," and who will take sides with the medium in case a charge of fraud is made, but who would not be satisfied in case of failure, no matter what explanations are made.

But there is a large number of arrant frauds who are traveling the country as materializing mediums. They have little or no mediumship, nor any care as to the truth or falsity of Spiritualism. The somber light, or poor illumination, sometimes almost none at all, in the séance room is a special advantage to their business. Taking it all-in-all, the chances are probably ten to one that what one gets in a materializing circle is pure and unadulterated fraud. One has to sift so much chaff for the few grains of wheat he may get, that as busy a man as Moses Hull could ill afford to fritter away, his time on uncertainties. He never compromised with frauds. His aim was to present his hearers with proofs that were reliable; but demonstrations manufactured for the purpose he did not accept. People who would impose on the credulity of the public were mere mountebanks in his eyes.

But Moses Hull was a friend to true and earnest mediums, as many mediums who practiced when mediums were poorly supported, if still in the flesh, could testify. On numerous occasions he loaned them money when he knew there was no hope that they would ever be able to repay him. But the practice of "casting their pearls before swine," as is now done, when mediumship is thrown broadcast before an indiscriminating public he deemed ill-advised. What is the use of giving forth sweet messages to those who are morally and intellectually unappreciative? Those who want to learn of their loved ones over the divide will gladly seek out a medium. The place for communications from the spirit-world is in select circles or audiences where are assembled sympathetic friends, and honest investigators, who morally and intellectually are in a receptive condition.