"How the early priests came into possession of these secrets does not appear, and if there were ever any records of this kind the Church would hardly allow them to become public"

This quote by Harry Houdini recommends that the secrets of the early priests are unidentified which the Church would not enable them to be made public if there were any records of them. This suggests that the Church understands the tricks and is actively trying to keep them concealed. It is possible that the Church is trying to safeguard the tricks from being misused or misinterpreted, or that they are attempting to keep their power and authority by keeping the secrets to themselves. It is likewise possible that the Church is attempting to safeguard the tricks from being made use of for financial gain. Whatever the factor, it is clear that the Church is determined to keep the secrets of the early priests hidden.