Cover of the 1905 Lyceum Manual

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Today’s sharing from the Blue House of Via-HYGEIA is a selection of core spiritualist values from Emma Hardinge Britten’s ‘The Lyceum Manual‘ written in collaboration with Reverent Alfred Kitson and Harry Augustus Kersey: ‘A compendium of physical, moral, and spiritual exercises for use in progressive Lyceums connected with British spiritualist societies. Here our copy is the eighth ‘children’ edition published in 1905. Contain programs for the Lyceum sessions, copy of the Lyceum constitution, Lyceum hymns, marches and spiritualist catechism material for the practical use of its members.

This Manual is designed to be a thoroughly practical work. Inculcating the leading ideas of the progressive and spiritual teachings of the day. The music (both Sol-fa and Old Notation) for the Lyceum Songs, Musical Readings, etc., in this Manual will be found in “The “Spiritual Songster”; the page for each is given immediately under the title of each song, etc.; similar references are given to many of the S.C. Recitations which are set to music and can thus be utilised as additional songs.

The compilers desire to acknowledge their indebtedness to the various authors and publishers from whose rich store they have gathered so many bright gems, and especially to those from whom permission had to be obtained. and who so readily granted it. Alterations have been made in some of the originals in order to adapt them to the design of this work; this is frankly admitted here. That no one may regard the authors as responsible for the few variations which will be found occasionally introduced into their compositions.

This work is a labour of love, with the earnest desire that it may aid in the promulgation of truth and the spiritual unfoldment of humanity.‘ (From the Foreword to the Lyceum Manual).

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1. Background Context

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 Goals of the

Spiritualists Movement

‘To offer evidence to the bereaved that man survives the change called death and, because he is a spiritual being, retains the faculties of individuality, personality and intelligence, and can willingly return to those left on earth, ties of love and friendship being the motivating force. To offer spiritual healing to those suffering from dis-ease, whether in mind, body or spirit, in a warm and loving environment. With both of these objectives in mind, to offer only the best and highest so that those on both sides of the veil can progress in a truly spiritual sense’.

Source: Spiritualist Association- See link below.

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The Seven Principles

of the Spiritualist Movement

‘Spiritualism is based upon seven principles. The Principles are not intended to be binding rules or the basis of a dogma but to provide a moral and ethical framework upon which people can base their lives.

1. The Fatherhood of God. The core belief of the religious philosophy of Spiritualism is the acceptance of a Divine Energy. This force, whatever name given to it, has created all there is and sustains all its creation. The ‘Spirit of God’ exists within and around everything. It is within all of us: we are all children of God so are part of one family. We acknowledge God as our Creator.

2. The Brotherhood of Man. We are all part of the universal creative force and therefore one family in God. The operation of true Unity throughout the world would create betterment to the lives of many, bringing equality, security and peace. Spiritualists try to understand the needs of others and help all people regardless of race, colour or creed.

3. The Communion of Spirits and the Ministry of Angels. Communion with divine energy is a natural and essential part of existence. Communication between Spirit itself and its creations is an inbuilt ability. Spiritualists use this ability for communication directly, or via a medium, between those in the spirit world and ourselves. This is not supernatural; it is a normal activity. The main purpose of communication with the spirit world is to provide the guidance in this world. The Ministry of Angels brings enhanced wisdom to enlighten the individual, society and the world in which we live. This includes those who are dedicated to the welfare and service of humankind bringing inspiration guidance and healing.

4. The Continuous Existence of the human soul. Spirit is part of the ‘Creative Force’ and thus indestructible. Energy cannot be destroyed; it can only change its form. After death the physical body is left behind while the soul continues to exist in a different dimension that we call the spirit world. The individual personality continues unchanged by the event we call ‘death’.

5. Personal Responsibility. In divine wisdom, God has given us enormous potential; we can use that potential to improve our own lives and the lives of others. We have the ability to make decisions throughout our lives as we see fit. What each of us makes of our life is our Personal Responsibility no one can replace or override that right. No other person or influence can put right our wrongdoings.

6. Compensation and Retribution hereafter for all the good and evil deeds done on earth. This Principle expresses the natural law of ‘cause and effect’. This law operates now, on earth, as well as in the spirit world. As we move through life making choices, the outcome of those choices affects our soul growth. When we leave this earthly life there will be no divine judgement. We will have the opportunity to reassess, take stock and decide what might have been done differently.

7. Eternal Progress open to every human soul. Eternity does not begin at death; Progress is open to all now! Any action, or intent to change, to promote soul growth and progression, creates a positive reaction. There will always be the opportunity to develop and move forward, no one is ever deprived of the all embracing love of God.‘

These principles were the summary of faith of Emma Hardinge Britten, a pioneer for the UK’s Spiritualist Movement and were adopted by the SNU. Emma was a medium and gifted orator and it was during her many speeches in trance state, that ‘spirit communicators’ gave various statements of faith. This resulted in the creation of the Seven Principles of Modern Spiritualism in the UK. Many believe that the influence of the ‘spirit’ of Socialist Robert Owen was paramount in this process, although Emma generally claimed they were ‘given by the spirits’.’

Source: Spiritualists’ National Union- See link below.

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2. From the Lyceum Manual

A Via-Hygeia Selection

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148.The Origin of the Lyceum

Conductor: What do we mean by the Children’s Progressive Lyceum?

Lyceum: The Spiritualist’s Sunday School.

Conductor: Are such schools necessary?

Lyceum: Yes; seing that the teaching of the Orthodox Sunday Schools are not in agreement with what spirit people reveal to us concerning the hereafter, it is absolutely necessary that we have Sunday Schools of our own, in which instruction is given in accordance with spirit teachings.

Conductor: What is the chief object of our instruction or teaching?

Lyceum: To promote health of body, purity of thought and desire, love of truth in all we say, justice in all we do, the cultivation of sweet reasonableness and spirituality.

Conductor: Who was it that first established the Children’s Progressive Lyceum?

Lyceum: Andrew Jackson Davis, the remarkable spirit seer.

Conductor: What do you mean by a spirit seer?

Lyceum: One who sees spirit people, and things appertaining to the spirit world.

Conductor: How did Andrew Jackson Davis obtain his knowledge?

Lyceum: By visions and visits in spirit to those regions of the spirit world where spirit children are instructed in all that is necessary to fit them for the duties of their life.

Conductor: What did he see?

Lyceum: He saw hosts of spirit children assembled in large and beautiful halls, arranged in groups. Each group was under the tuition of a leader, who imparted information to them, and then invited them to express their ideas upon it.

Conductor: Was this the only method of instruction?

Lyceum: No; he also saw the children going through some beautiful marches, in which were illustrated the motions of the planets round the sun; or some beautiful lesson in geography, etc.

Conductor: Did he observe anything else?

Lyceum: Each group was headed with a banner of a given color, and each child belonging to that group wore a badge or sash of the same color as that of their banner.

Conductor: Such a sight must have looked very pretty to the seer. Why was the color of the sashes and badge the same as that of their banners?

Lyceum: A. J. Davis learned that there is a language of colors which is studied and taught in the Summer-land; and each group wore the color that symbolized its degree of spiritual unfoldment.

Conductor: Were the marches performed in their halls the same as ours?

Lyceum: No; their Lyceums are surrounded by large and beautiful gardens, where birds sing, flowers bloom, waters ripple, and fountains play, their marches are in the open amongst such scenery, the exquisite loveliness of which is indescribable.

Conductor: What more did he learn concerning them?

Lyceum: He saw the Lyceum members marching in perfect order, over undulating plains, with banners waving, and making the valleys resound with their sweet melodies, while on their way to visit some other Lyceum, who received them with friendly greetings, giving either the right hand symbol of ‘Good will’; or the
left hand symbol of ‘Fraternal love.’

Conductor: Can you inform me when and where Mr. Davis described these visions, and commenced the first Children’s Progressive Lyceum?

Lyceum: Yes; it was in Dodsworth Hall, Broadway, New York, U.S.A., on the 25th of January, 1863.

Conductor: The origin of the Lyceum, then, was by spirit revelation, which shows us how God’s will is done in heaven. Let us all strive to do it here on earth. The world is deeply indebted to A. J. Davis for his beautiful revelation, as it shows to mourning parents that spirit children lead a natural life; and are under the tuition of loving teachers, surrounded by such scenery as is pleasing to their natures.

Lyceum: With the help of God, and the angels, we will ever try to realize by our devotion to love, truth, and justice the Divine ideal here upon earth.

Reverent Alfred Kitson.

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142. The Aim of Spiritualism

Conductor: The aim of Spiritualism is to effect a complete atonement and union of man with God, till every action and thought of man is in perfect harmony with the Divine Will.

Guardian: It makes absolute religion the point where man’s will and God’s will are one and the same.

Conductor: It lays down no creed, asks no symbol, and reverences no time or place exclusively.

Lyceum: It cheerfully lives out its religion in all times and places, acts, words, and thoughts.

Conductor: It considers forms and ceremonies as not essential.

Lyceum: It only reckons them as useful to those who need them.

Conductor: It does not make the means the end.

Lyceum: It prizes the sign only for the sake of the signification.

Conductor: Its temple is all space; its shrine, the good heart; its creed all Truth; its ritual, works of good and use.

Lyceum: Its profession of faith, a divine life; good works without, spiritual beauty and purity within; and deeds of love to God through his creatures.

Conductor: It does good for goodness’ sake.

Lyceum: It asks no pardon for its sins, it only seeks the opportunity to atone for them.

Conductor: It bows to no idols.

Lyceum: Whether made of wood or of metal; of flesh or of parchment; or even of authorities, or of books.

Conductor: It is reverent to Truth only.

Lyceum: And rejects all falsehood, though upheld by antiquity or power.

Conductor: It counts no good word profane because a heathen spoke it.

Lyceum: Nor a lie sacred though uttered by those the world calls sacred.

Conductor: Its watchword is ‘Be ye perfect as God is perfect’.

Lyceum: It makes each man his own redeemer and his own priest; but gladly accepts of every true word, every earnest exhortation to good, or wise counsel spoken by others.

Conductor: It calls God, Father, not King; Christ, Brother, not Redeemer; the heavens our Home, not Heaven.

Lyceum: Its sum of prayer is ‘Thy Will be Done’; its Church that of Nature and all holy souls wherever gathered together.

Conductor: Oh, come let us worship in this Holy Temple.

Guardian: Let us worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth.

Lyceum: All true aspiration, all noble effort, is worship.

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136. The Teachings of Spiritualism

Conductor: What does Spiritualism prove?

Lyceum: It proves man’s immortality, and the existence of a spiritual universe.

Conductor: What effect has such proof upon humanity?

Lyceum: It destroys all fear of death, annihilates the doctrine of eternal punishment, and substitutes the cheering assurance of eternal progress.

Conductor: What else does it do?

Lyceum: It sweeps away the idea of a personal Devil, and locates the sources of evil in man’s own imperfections.

Conductor: What does Spiritualism teach?

Lyceum: It denies the immoral and soul-corrupting doctrine of any vicarious atonements for sin, and on the testimony of millions of immortal spirits, solemnly affirms that every guilty soul must arise and become its own Savior.

Conductor: What does it teach regarding the Creator?

Lyceum: It ignores the degrading conception of a partial and vindictive God, and substitutes the worship of an Infinite, Eternal and all perfect Spirit, an Alpha and Omega, all Love, Wisdom, and Law.

Conductor: What does it teach respecting Heaven and Hell?

Lyceum: It demolishes the absurd and materialistic conception of the theological heaven and hell making each a state of happiness or misery dependent on the good or evil within the soul itself.

Conductor: What is it hostile to, and what does it promote?

Lyceum: It is the death-blow to superstition, sectarianism, and religious persecution, but the friend and promoter of all reforms that tend to elevate and benefit humanity.

Conductor: What standard of Truth does it adopt and how is it enforced?

Lyceum: Whilst Spiritualism proclaims that there is a standard of Truth in everything, it acknowledges man’s incapacity to discover all Truth, and therefore it fetters no one’s opinions, and teaches, but never enforces its beliefs on anyone.

Conductor: What theories does it advocate regarding spiritual life?

Lyceum: Concerning all spiritual life, state, and being. Spiritualism accepts no theories that are not sustained by proven facts and corroborative testimony.

Conductor: What effect will Spiritualism have upon Science and Religion?

Lyceum: Its phenomena—being all based upon immutable principles of law—open up endless arenas of new research for science, and its consensus of revelations being founded upon facts, tend to place true religion on the basis of science, and vitalize science with all that is true and practical in religion.

Conductor: What good has it done for humanity?

Lyceum: Spiritualism is a ceaseless incentive to practice good; it reunites the friends separated by death; strengthens the weak and desolate by the presence of Angel guidance and protection; cheers the afflicted with the certainty of another and better world, where justice will be done and every wrong will be lighted.

Conductor: Is there anything in Spiritualism to fear?

Lyceum: It is terrible only to the guilty, proving that spirit eyes can and do read every secret crime, and that all crimes must be abandoned and atoned for by personal suffering and personal compensation, before any guilty soul can attain happiness hereafter.

Conductor: What is the creed of Spiritualism?

Lyceum: Spiritualists have no creed, but mostly unite in affirming the following simple summary of principles :

1. The Fatherhood of God.

2. The Brotherhood of Man.

3. The Immortality of the Soul, and its personal characteristics.

4. The Proven Facts of Communion between departed Human Spirits and Mortals.

5 & 6. Personal Responsibility, with Compensation & Retribution hereafter for all the good or evil deeds done here.

7. And a path of Eternal Progress open to every human soul that wills to tread it by the path of eternal good.

Given by the Spirits through Mrs. Emma H. Britten.

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141. Spiritual Gifts

Conductor: What are spiritual gifts?

Lyceum: The manifestations of Spirit friends to prove their presence and immortality.

Conductor: What is the nature of these manifestations?

Lyceum: They consist of phenomena which may be broadly divided into two classes: the physical, or those in which material objects are acted upon, or apparently material bodies produced; and the mental, or those which consist in the exhibition by the medium of powers or faculties not possessed in the normal state.

Conductor: Describe those physical phenomena.

Lyceum: Producing sounds of all kind, from a delicate tick to heavy blows like those made by a sledge hammer; altering the weight of bodies, moving articles without human agency, releasing mediums from every description of bonds, even from welded iron rings; preserving from the effects of fire; producing writings, drawings, or painting on papers, slates, etc., placed beyond human reach; musical instruments played whilst similarly secured; luminous appearances, such as sparks, stars, globes, clouds, etc.

Conductor: Are there any other kind of physical manifestations?

Lyceum: Yes, those wonderful ones of hands, faces, or entire human figures, generally covered with flowing drapery; these human forms are visible and tangible to all present; they sometimes speak, or otherwise palpably manifest their presence, and are known as materialized forms; also there are spirit photographs, a purely physical experiment, which produces often the recognized portrait of some deceased friend or acquaintance.

Conductor: Enumerate the mental phenomena.

Lyceum: Automatic writing, clairvoyance, clairaudience, trances peaking, impersonation, healing, etc.

Conductor: What is automatic writing?

Lyceum: The medium writes involuntarily in a language, or of a matter unknown to him, and sometimes whilst conversing with others upon another subject.

Conductor: What is clairvoyance?

Lyceum: Clairvoyance, or clear seeing, is a faculty by which some mediums see the forms of deceased persons unknown to them, and describe their peculiarities so minutely that their friends at once recognize them; other mediums read sealed letters and give appropriate answers; or distant places, or people, are seen and accurately described.

Conductor: What is clairaudience?

Lyceum: Clairaudience, or clear hearing, is a faculty by which some mediums hear voices, which often impart information to them not previously known, this often accompanies clairvoyance, and by it they obtain names, dates, and particulars connected with the individual seen by them.

Conductor: What is trance speaking?

Lyceum: Trance and inspirational speaking are states in which the medium is more or less unconscious and speaks often on matters and in a style far beyond his own capacity.

Conductor: What is impersonation?

Lyceum: Impersonation, or transfiguration, is a state in which the medium appears to be changed into another person; speaks, looks, and acts the character in a marvelous manner.

Conductor: What is healing?

Lyceum: Healing of disease has various forms; sometimes by making mesmeric passes; by rubbing; or by merely laying on of hands; sometimes the medium in the trance at once discovers the hidden malady, describes accurately the appearance of the internal parts affected, or the patient’s symptoms, and prescribes a remedy.

Conductor: Are these extraordinary occurrences supported by any kindred phenomena?

Lyceum: Yes, thought transference, apparitions, hauntings, witchcraft, magic, warnings, dreams, visions, premonitions, irresistible impulses, etc., experienced by all classes of people in all ages and nations, all point in the same direction.

Conductor: How are these remarkable phenomena produced?

Lyceum: It is not known, we only know the results; these Spirit Friends say they use the magnetism of the medium, combined with that which they can obtain from persons present, to produce the phenomena; but as to the method employed, possibly we have no experience as yet to enable us to grasp their meaning.

Conductor: Are all Spirit messages to be relied on?

Lyceum: No, we must test, prove, and try them in order to ascertain the truth.

Conductor: Have these spiritual gifts served any useful purpose?

Lyceum: They have healed the sick, comforted the afflicted, and dried the mourner’s tears; and finally, they have proved beyond all caviling doubt, that our fondest desires and brightest hopes of immortality will all be realized, because they have brought us into close, direct, and sweet communion with our nearest and dearest friends, who, having passed through the change called death, know all about it and are therefore the right ones to speak to us and all the world with full knowledge and authority, because they have entered into and are now enjoying life in the Spirit World.

Compiled by Harry Augustus Kersey.

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140. Mediumship

Conductor: What is a medium?

Lyceum: A medium is a person through whose organic structure departed Spirits can communicate with people in this life.

Conductor: What is the basis of mediumship?

Lyceum: Mediumship rests upon sensitiveness.

Conductor: What is sensitiveness?

Lyceum: Sensitiveness is a faculty pertaining to our spiritual nature, and is acute in proportion as that spiritual nature dominates the physical senses.

Conductor: Have all this gift?

Lyceum: It is possessed more or less by all, but by a few only in a remarkable degree.

Conductor: What is the nature of mediumship ?

Lyceum: Mediumship, both for physical manifestations and those of a mental character, is purely constitutional; it cannot be bought or sold, and does not depend upon moral or intellectual development.

Conductor: Can you tell me anything more respecting it?

Lyceum: It is variable in the same individual, may be induced or intensified, may manifest itself suddenly or at long intervals; only once in a lifetime, or be a steadfast quality; it may have all degrees of acuteness from the faintest mental impressibility to powerful and wonderful physical manifestations.

Conductor: Has the medium influence on the phenomena?

Lyceum: Yes, every medium has a personality more or less positive, and all communications are covered more or less thereby; subtle differences in the organism cause variety in the manifestations. Spirit power is limited in expression by the organism through which it works.

Conductor: Has the spirit manifesting much effect upon the phenomena?

Lyceum: Most certainly; nothing is so strongly marked as the individuality of the operator, and this, of course, is another great cause of the variety shown.

Conductor: Has sex anything to do with mediumship?

Lyceum: No, it is common in both sexes; there are more female mediums developed because the occupations of males in this life are a hindrance to the development of medial powers.

Conductor: Do mediums exhibit any peculiarity?

Lyceum: Yes, waywardness of character, and a disposition to be too easily influenced by surrounding circumstances or persons, but the broadest charity should be bestowed upon them, they being often left in such a negative state as to become the prey of conflicting influence.

Conductor: What should mediums do in their highly responsible positions as the portal between two worlds?

Lyceum: Their mediumistic susceptibility does not remove their responsibility, it is in vain to put the blame of short-comings on invisible beings, for all can choose their associates; they should seek the best gifts and strive to live up to their highest ideal, and if any Spirit attempts to lead them from the path of honor and rectitude, they should be discarded at once; they should seek the companionship of those true and noble spirits who will never lead astray, but ever urge them onward in the pathway of right.

Compiled by Harry Augustus Kersey.

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133. Physical, Moral and Spiritual Order

Conductor: What do we chiefly learn regarding physical, moral, and spiritual order?

Lyceum: Firstly: we learn of a physical order, which embraces us and all the world.

Conductor: What else does it teach us?

Lyceum: Secondly: of a moral order, which governs our relations to every living thing.

Conductor: What else do we learn?

Lyceum: Thirdly: of a spiritual order, whereby all souls are immortal.

Conductor: What good results from a knowledge of this order and conformity thereto?

Lyceum: The attainment of that happiness which all men desire.

Conductor: Can you give a summary of those precepts which experience proves will lead to happiness?

Lyceum: Yes. There are twelve great truths which form the substance of true religion and philosophy; they can be divided into four groups.

Conductor: What is the first group?

Lyceum: A three- fold goal: purity, justice, and truth.

Conductor: What is the second group?

Lyceum: Three faculties to be disciplined and cultivated in striving to reach it: affection, will, and reason.

Conductor: What is the third group?

Lyceum: Three vices to be conquered: intemperance, idleness, and worldliness.

Conductor: What is the fourth group?

Lyceum: Three virtues whereby progress may be insured: thoughtful self-respect, self-denying work, and single-eyed devotion.

Conductor: What do we chiefly learn by these great truths?

Lyceum: We learn three things: What we have to avoid; what we owe to ourselves; and what we owe to our neighbors.

Conductor: What has man to avoid?

Lyceum: His three great enemies are disease, ignorance, and injustice.

Conductor: What does he owe to himself?

Lyceum: Firstly: To maintain that health of body by which he is related to the physical order; Secondly: Cultivation of such practical energy as may enable him to fulfil his duties in the Moral Order; Thirdly: That proper development of his faculties which makes him truly a spirit being.

Conductor: What does man owe to his neighbor?

Lyceum: His duty to himself will necessarily lead him to perform his duty to others; and his relations to his fellow-creatures will multiply in proportion to the development of his sympathies and life.

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109. Spiritual Commandments

Conductor: Thou shalt search for truth in every department of being:

Lyceum: Test, prove, and try if what thou deemest is truth, and then accept it as the word of God.

Conductor: Thou shalt continue the search for truth all thy life:

Lyceum: And never cease to test, prove, and try all that thou deemest to be truth.

Conductor: Thou shalt search by every attainable means for the laws that underlie all life and being;

Lyceum: Thou shalt strive to comprehend these laws, live in harmony with them, and make them the laws of thine own life, thy rule and guide in all thy actions.

Conductor: Thou shalt not follow the example of any man or set of men;

Lyceum: Nor obey any teaching or accept of any theory as thy rule of life that is not in strict accordance with thy highest sense of right.

Conductor: Thou shalt remember that a wrong done to the least of thy fellow creatures is a wrong done to all;

Lyceum: And thou shalt never commit a wrong willfully and consciously to any of thy fellow-men, nor connive at wrong done by others without striving to prevent or protesting against it.

Conductor: Thou shalt acknowledge all men’s rights to do, think, or speak, to be exactly equal to thine own;

Lyceum: And all rights whatsoever that thou does demand, thou shalt ever accord to others.

Conductor: Thou shalt not hold thyself bound to love, or associate with those that are distasteful or repulsive to thee;

Lyceum: But thou shalt be held bound to treat such objects of dislike with gentleness, courtesy, and justice, and never suffer thy antipathies to make thee ungentle or unjust to any living creature.

Conductor: Thou shalt ever regard the rights, interests, and welfare of the many as superior to those of the one or the few;

Lyceum: And in cases where thy welfare, or that of thy friend, is to be balanced against that of society, thou shalt sacrifice thyself, or friend, to the welfare of the many.

Conductor: Thou shalt be obedient to the laws of the land in which thou dost reside;

Lyceum: In all things which do not conflict with thy highest sense of right.

Conductor: Thy first and last duty upon earth, and all through thy life, shall be to seek for the principles of right, and to live them out to the utmost of thy power;

Lyceum: And whatever creed, precept, or example conflicts with those principles, thou shalt shun and reject, ever remembering that the laws of right are: In morals: Justice. In science: Harmony. In religion: the Fatherhood of God, the Brotherhood of Man, the immortality of the human soul, and compensation & retribution for the good or evil done on earth.

Given by the Spirits through Mrs. Emma Hardinge-Britten.

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110. The Ten laws of Right

Conductor: Manifest Temperance in ail things.

Lyceum: Whether physical, mental, moral, affectional, or religious.

Conductor: Give Justice to all creatures that be:

Lyceum: Justice being the exercise of precisely the same rules of life, conduct, thought, or speech that we would desire to receive from others.

Conductor: Show Gentleness in speech and act:

Lyceum: Never heedlessly wounding the feelings of others by harsh words or deeds; never hurting or destroying aught that breathes, save for the purpose of sustenance or self-defence.

Conductor: Speak Truth in every word or thought spoken or acted;

Lyceum: But reserve harsh or unpleasant truths where they would needlessly wound the feelings of others.

Conductor: Exercise Charity in thought, striving to excuse the failings of others.

Lyceum: Yes, and charity in speech, veiling the failings of others; charity in deeds, wherever, whenever, and to whomsoever the opportunity offers.

Conductor: In Almsgiving be generous.

Lyceum: Visiting the sick and comforting the afflicted in every shape that our means admit of, and the necessities of our fellow creatures demand.

Conductor: Exhibit Self-Sacrifice at all times;

Lyceum: Wherever the interests of others are to be benefited by our endurance.

Conductor: Be Temperate yet firm in defense of our views of right;

Lyceum: And protest against wrong, whether for ourselves or others.

Conductor: Display Industry in following any calling ye may be engaged in;

Lyceum: And in devoting some portion of our time, when otherwise not obliged to do so, to the service and benefit of others.

Conductor: Manifest Love—above and beyond all;

Lyceum: Seeking to cultivate in our families, kindred, friend, and amongst all mankind generally the spirit of that true and tender love which can think, speak, and act no wrong to any creature living;

Guardian: Remembering always, that where love is, all the other principles of right are fulfilled beneath its influence and embodied in its monitions.

Conductor: We shall ever hold these ten Principles of right to be obligatory upon all men, as they are the deductions evolved from the laws of being, and therefore in strict harmony with the divine order of creation. Man’s opinion concerning science and theology are subject to change according to surrounding circumstances, training, or personal experience; but the religion of right, morality, and love, and the commandments of Duty, originating from the principles inherent in life and being, can never change until man ceases to be, or the harmonies of the universe are themselves changed or annihilated.

Given by the Spirits through Mrs. Emma Hardinge-Britten.

Source

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1914 edition

available in pdf

here

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