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YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

Gift of

IRVING N. FISHER
YALE 1923

Psychic Research and
Gospel Miracles

A Study of the Evidences of the Gospel's
Superphysical Features in the Light of the
Established Results of Modern Psychical
Research.

BY THE
REV. EDWARD MACOMB DUFF, M.A.
AND
THOMAS GILCHRIST ALLEN, M. D,

NEW YORK
THOMAS WHITTAKER
2 AND 3 Bible House
igo2

Copyright, 1902
By Edward Macomb Duff
AND
Thomas Gilohbist Allen

<3 o'i. -¦,

THE CAXTON PRESS
NEW YORK.

To
The Apostle St. Thomas
and to
All Honest Doubtees
This Woek is
Tenderly and Eeveeentially
Dedicated.

Preface.

The following pages have been written and
arranged to draw attention to what we believe
to be newUght upon the Gospel of Christ ; viz.,
the light thrown upon it by the superphysical
phenomena brought out by modern psychical
research. In this new light, as is our purpose
to make plain, the Gospel's veracity is exhibited
and the Nazarene's inerrancy as a Spiritual
Teacher is shown.
Why this is not now plain to all men is due,
we think, to the fact that modern superphysical
phenomeha have not yet been popularly assimi
lated. At present these phenomena are indeed
arousing intense popular interest. The people
seem eager to read everything that is written
about them ; but their full evidential significance
has not been grasped.
Ten years hence a demonstrative work like
ours will, we surmise, be superfluous. By that
time religious thinkers will be looking upon
superphysical phenomena as commonplaces in
Christian evidence. But now it seems incum
bent upon some one to step forward and say :

viii Preface.
" Look ! " Mr. Thomson J. Hudson, LL. D., in
the closing chapters of his able work, " The Law
of Psychic Phenomena," has already pointed to
the way of entrance into this Promised Land of
New Evidence. With gratitude to this author,
we purpose entering and exploring. To Christian
believers, be it said, we undertake this work in a
spirit of reverence. To honest doubters, espe
cially those who are disturbed by materialism, we
announce our intention of assuming nothing as
proved in advance. We are as anxious for
legitimate proof as they are. We desire, as
Christian believers, to give to those who ask us a
reason for the hope that is in us : — to give to
them an answer which is an answer and not a
series of dogmatic assertions.
There is one necessary evil connected wdth this
work, and this is the polysyllabic terminology
thrust upon those who deal with the subject of
psychic phenomena. The new psychology, we
regret, has its full share of technical terms of
Greek derivation. Many of these we have been
compelled to use; but we have endeavored to
define or paraphrase them when we use them for
the first time.
We acknowledge our indebtedness to Dr.
Thomson J. Hudson for the helps which he has
given us m his three works, "The Law of
Psychic Phenomena," "A Scientific Demon
stration of the Future Life," and "The Divine
Pedigree of Man," as well as for his kindness in

Preface. ix
reading and criticizing certain sections of this
work ; a kindness the more conspicuous in that in
many particulars we differ so essentially from his
conclusions. We are also greatly indebted to the
late Paul Gibier, M. D., for the thoughts which
we have assimilated from his book, " Psychism " ;
and to C. G. Kaue, M. D., for the aids contained
in his " Psychology," etc.
Edwabd Macomb Dtjff,
Thomas Gilcheist Allen.
Buffalo, N. Y.
yanuary, igo2.

Contents.

page
inteoduction  1

PAET I.
A. Bibliogeaphy  4
B. The Old VEErpioATioN of History  5
PAET II.
The Data foe a New Veeification.
A. Bibliogeaphy .  32
Chap. I. Question-Begging Materialism ... 37
The Mieaoles of Modern Times ... 50
We Speak That We Do Know . . .82
Spieit in the Eealm of Life . ... 133
V. Spirit in the Eealm of Mattee . . . 171
General Notes to Chapters IV., V. . . 200
Chap. VI. The New Data Summaeized . ... 203

Chap.

II.

Chap.

III.

Chap.

IV.

Chap.

V.

PAET III.
The New Veeification Applied.
Chap. I. Cheist's Woeks of Healing in the
Light of Psychic Law  211
xi

xii Contents.
Chap. II. Cheist's "Mighty Woeks" in the
Light of Psychic Law ; Including
His Bieth and Eesueeection . . • 264
The Superphysical Works of Jesus'
First Disciples .  291
Christ's Psychic Agency Compared
WITH That of Others  309
" That Jesus is the Christ, the Son
OF God"  329
That Jesus is the Messiah of Hebrew
Pbophecy  338
A Few Words to the Orthodox Con
cerning THE Foregoing  347
Eecapitulation  357

PAET IV.
Appendix A. Classified Table of Supeenobmal
Phenomena . . .... 360
Appendix B. Concerning Spieit - Communication
AND Demonic Possession  366

Chap.

m.

Chap.

IV.

Chap.

V.

Chap.

VI.

Chap.

VII.

Chap.

VIII.

Introduction.

If, after what we have said in the preface,
anything further in the way of introduction is
necessary, it is this : that there are many honest
doubters in whose estimation the so-called mirac
ulous element in the Gospel is an obstacle which
no amount of historical attestation can overcome.
To them faith is not " the substance of things
hoped for " ; nor yet " the evidence of things not
seen." They must see in order to believe. To
them in the person of the Apostle Thomas the
Master cheerfully and willingly offered the evi
dence of sight and touch. St. Thomas had lost
his faith on Good Friday. Historical attestation,
though only a few days old, affected him not.
ShaU those who deal with Christian evidence
to-day do less than the Master was willing to do ?
If there is the evidence of sight at hand, shaU
we pass by on the other side scorning to make
the most of it for those who demand it ?
That there is such evidence at hand it is our
purpose to show in this book ; and we shall try to
make the most of it without in the least degree
disregarding the " Old Yerification of History,"

2 Introduction.
upon which our contemporaries seem to place
their sole reliance.
In order to appreciate the value as well as the
limitations of the historical argument we have
devoted Part I of this work to its review.
In Part II we gather together the data at
hand for the Gospel's new verification which
the superphysical phenomena of modern times
make possible.
In Part III we apply these new data to the
statements in the New Testament which involve
that which is popularly called " miraculous " ;
and we find therein a new and impregnable
verification. (Let us observe parenthetically
that by "The Gospel" we mean the entire
written message pertaining to Jesus Christ, i. e.,
the Ifew Testament.)
In the appendices of Part IV we gather up
fragments whose presence in the body of the
book might serve to divert the reader's attention
from its central purpose.
To those of our readers to whom the data of
history and of modern psychic phenomena are
matters of familiarity we would say that the
threads of our argument might be taken up by
them at the beginning of Chapter vi of Part II.

Part I.
Tlie Old Verification of History.

" For we have not followed cunningly devised fables,
when we made known unto you the power and coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-tvitnesses of
his majesty." — 2 Peter 1 : 16.

Bibliography of Part I.

Annals, Tacitus, . .... . . The Bohn Library
Antiquities, Josephus, . . Various Editions
Apostolic Age of the Christian Church, The, Carl Von Weizacker
James Millar's Translation . . . G. P. Putnam's Sons, N.Y.
Commentaries on Hebrew and Christian Mythology,
Judge P. B. Ladd, Truthseeker, N.Y.
Epistles, Pliny the Younger, . . . . The Bohn Libraiy
Fathees of the Church.
Clement of Eome

The Ante-Nieene Fathers, Edinburgh
Edition.

Ignatius of Antiooh
Irenseus of Lyons
Justin Martyr
Nero, Suetonius,  The Bohn Library

Part I.
THE OLD VEEIFICATION OF HIS TOBY.
A Brief Beview of the Historical Argument for the
Historic Existence of Jesus of Nazareth and the
Authenticity of the New Testament.

In what immediately follows we shall do no
more than review the internal and external
evidence for the authenticity of the New Testa
ment from the ordinary historical standpoint.
We shall be content if our review simply
places us in a neutral position ; although we shall
hope that it will carry us at least a little way on
the positive side. Still, if we feel convinced that
historical considerations for and against the New
Testament's authenticity are about evenly bal
anced, this will suffice, so far as our work in
Part I is concerned. The way will then have
been prepared to appreciate the psychological con
siderations gathered together in the other parts
of this work as definitely dismissing any doubts
concerning the authenticity of the written Gospel.

6 The Old Verification of History.
II.
Was Jesus of Nazareth a mythical character ?
Whatever may have been the views of the Ger
man critic, Ferdinand C. Baur, upon this subject,
his modern successors, Weizacker of Tubingen,
and Harnack, of Berlin, raise no question of
Christ's historic existence. There are, however,
in this country to-day many educated people who
are still discussing the question of Jesus' actual
existence. It may therefore be just as well for
us to remind them as well as ourselves of the
non-Christian notices bearing upon the historicity
of the Nazarene.
Our first witness is Josephus who wrote his
"Antiquities" shortly after the destruction of
Jerusalem by Titus.
In two passages Josephus refers to Jesus
Christ. One of these passages is conceded by all
scholars to be interpolated ; *. e., to contain in
terpolated clauses. This passage by the general
consensus of critics stands thus, the interpolated
parts being indicated by brackets and italics:
" At this time appeared a certain Jesus {a wise
man, if indeed Me may he called a man, for He
was a worker of miracles, a teacher of such men
as receive the truth with joy) and He drew to
Himself many Jews {and many also of the
Greehs. This was the Christ). And when, at
the instigation of our chief men, Pilate con
demned Him to the cross, those who had first

The Old Verification of History. 1
loved Him did not fall away. {For He apjpeared
to them alive again on the third day, accord/mg
as the holy prophets had declared this and many
other marvels of Him,.) To this day the sect
of Christians, called after Him, still exists."
(Antiq. xviii. 3, 2.)
Leave out the brackets and italicized sen
tences, and you have left statements cold and
colorless in their tone, and as such perfectly
consistent with the temper of a Jewish historian.
In fact, most critics have regarded the words " a
wise man " as genuine. We have bracketed
them in order to extract every vestige of eulogy
from Josephus' statement.
The other passage of Josephus referring to
Jesus no critic disputes, namely, that in which
he designates James the Just (whom he eulo
gizes in unstinted terms) as "the brother of
Jesus, called the Christ." (Antiq. xx. 9, 1.)
Origen, who is regarded by the critics as
reliable, refers to this passage in his work,
" Against Celsus " : " This writer (Josephus)
. . . says that these disasters (the destruction
of Jerusalem) happened to the Jews as a punish
ment for the death of James the Just, ' who was
a brother of Jesus, called Christ.' " (Or. Ag.
Celsus, Bk. 1, Chap, xlvii.)
Here we have a non-Christian testimony to
the historicity of Jesus, upon which we could
well afford to rest our entire case. Furthermore,
the fact that Josephus could eulogize Jesus'

8 The Old Verification of History.
brother makes it seem highly probable that he
could with perfect consistency have at least
referred to Jesus Himself as " a wise man."
We call as our next witness, the pagan
Tacitus, whose book of "Annals" was written
not far from the year 100 A. D.
This is what Tacitus has to say respecting
Christ and the Christians : " This sect (the
Christians) had its origin from Christus, who in
the reign of Tiberius had been executed by the
procurator Pontius Pilate. The deadly super
stition, though suppressed for a time, broke out
again and spread not only through Judea, which
was the first to suffer from it, but through Eome
also the resort which draws to it all that is
hideous and shameful."
Thus from another non-Christian source we
have Christ fixed still more definitely upon the
chart of history ; namely, in Judea and in the
reign of Tiberius, i. e., between 14 and 37 A. d.,
and we have the further fact established that He
was executed under Pontius Pilate, procurator
of Judea.
There are certain statements in this passage of
Tacitus which open a rich vein of historical in
quiry. That writer stigmatizes Christianity as
"a deadly superstition." Now Tacitus was a
very broad-minded Koman, and Eome herself
was exceedingly tolerant of all religions within
her domain, even those whose theological tenets
might differ widely from those of the popular

The Old Verification of History. 9
Grseco-Eoman mythology. Even Judaism,
whose adherents refused to honor Caesar as a
god, was tolerated not only in Palestine, but
Jewish synagogues stood unmolested throughout
the empire. It is true that the average Eoman
looked upon Judaism as a superstition, as witness
the poet Horace :
" Credat Judaeus Appella " — etc.
"The Jew, Appella, may believe this ; " '
but no one arraigned Judaism as a deadly super
stition. Why did Tacitus, then, so stigmatize Chris
tianity ? Evidently not because it denied the
Grseco-Eoman gods ; nor yet because of any
wonder-working claims which it put forward,
inasmuch as a multitude of sects and cults did
the same thing. There is only one hypothesis
that will adequately account for this stigmatiza-
tion by Tacitus, and this is that there must have
been something in the teachings of " Christus "
that was deemed to be hostile to the constitution
and well-being of the empire ; something that
appealed to the Eoman Imperialist as "vicious
politics." Tacitus thus throws us back upon the recorded
claim of the Christians that their leader was the
Supreme King and Lord, whose kingdom was to
be made by their efforts coextensive not only
with the empire, but with the world itself. That
* Horace : Satires, I, 5, 100.

10 The Old Verification of History.
the Christians looked to Jesus as " the King of
Kings and Lord of Lords " alone explains why
Tacitus should have stigmatized Christianity as
a " deadly superstition."
But Tacitus also classifies Christ's religion
among those things which are " hideous " and
" shameful." He thereby intimates that the sect
was morally vicious and debasing. So likewise
does Suetonius, a contemporary of Tacitus, who
in his " Nero " praised that Emperor for the
tortures to which he subjected the Christians
who were " a class of men of a strange and pesti
lent superstition." This is a charge which was
taken up and reiterated by the Grgeco-Eoman
masses persistently for two centuries. By the
first quarter of the second century this charge
took definite shape. Christians were persistently
accused of practicing cannibalism and promis
cuous intercourse in their religious assemblies.
Before offering any hypothesis by which to
account for this charge, let us enquire as to
whether it was well-grounded.
This inquiry is answered emphatically in the
negative by none other than a sturdy Eoman
heathen, namely, the pro-consul Pliny in the
reign of the Emperor Trajan, 110 A. d. At or
near that date, Pliny wrote a letter to his Im
perial Master concerning the Christians under
his jurisdiction. The substance of Pliny's letter
is that the Christians were exceedingly numerous
in his province ; that many had been brought by

The Old Verification of History. 11
accusers before his court; that he had taken
pains to investigate their manner of living and
customs ; that he had found them to be people
consecrated to uprightness and blamelessness of
living. In view of these findings, the pro-consul
enquired of the Emperor what his policy should
be towards these people when accused. Trajan's
wise and tolerant reply is well-known as a matter
of history.
We may confidently dismiss these charges
against the Christians as untrue in view of such
unprejudiced testimony ; but there is still de
manded of us an adequate explanation of the
continued persistence of these accusations. Was
there a spark from which all this smoke of ac
cusation proceeded ? The unbiassed testimony
of Eoman investigation answers No. But Chris
tianity itself answers Yes. We have only to
point to the Christian sacrament of the Eucha
rist, celebrated every Sunday, to make plain to
every one whence these charges of cannibalism
and promiscuous intercourse derived their per
sistency. " The cup of blessing which we bless,
is it not the communion of the blood of Christ ?
The bread which we break, is it not the com
munion of the body of Christ ? For we being
many are one bread and one body, for we are all
partakers of that one bread." (1 Cor. 10 : 16.)
" Except ye eat of the flesh of the Son of Man
and drink His blood, ye have no life in you."
(St. John 6 : 53.) The Christians' belief that in

12 The Old Verification of History.
the eucharist they ate and drank Christ, and
through this participation were brought into
union with one another, would very easily lend
itself to such distortion as that which appeared in
the charges of cannibalism and promiscuous inter
course—those " shameful " and " hideous " things
concerning which Tacitus seems to be hinting.
But now that we have found the adequate
explanation of these charges, we have found
along with it something else of great historic im
portance ; namely, that " Christus " must have
taught His followers not only that He was to be
their supreme King and Lord, but that He was
to be also their ever-living, ever-present King and
Lord, on whose life they were to be continually
fed and nourished, and united through it into
one communion and fellowship. Thus from out
side sources we are driven back to another of
those claims of the Christ recorded in the
Gospels. One more enquirj'' now remains : Is there any
thing to be gleaned from outside sources con
cerning that moral character which is claimed
for the Nazarene in the New Testament ? The
answer is apparent from the investigation carried
out by Pliny and reported in his letter to Trajan,
namely, the blamelessness and uprightness of the
Christians in their daily lives ; — a phenomenon
utterly inexplicable if the Founder of Christianity
had been aught else but a man of exalted char
acter. The spread of Christianity, which seems

The Old Verification of History. 13
to have impressed Tacitus so deeply, would have
been perfectly consistent with moral viciousness
on the part of its Founder. Eeligions which
sanctify sensuality are always popular, as witness
Mormonism while polygamy formed one of its
tenets. But Pliny's report shows the aim of the
Christians to have been a life of exalted right
eousness. He states that at their religious as
semblies they bound themselves with an oath
{sacramento) to abstain from evil and to do good.
This points unequivocally to the conclusion that
Christianity's Founder must have been a teacher
of righteousness ; and if a teacher of righteous
ness, presumably a righteous man. Hence, from
outside sources, we find ourselves prepared to
behold in the Christian Scriptures the picture of
a righteous character.
We may now sum up what we have gleaned
from sources outside of the New Testament con
cerning the central figure of the Christian Scrip
tures; (1) He was called Jesus, the Christ; (2)
He lived in Judea during the reign of Tiberius,
(14r-3'r A. D.); (3) He was executed under the
procurator Pontius Pilate; (4) His followers
revered Him because He had satisfactorily con
vinced them that He was their Supreme King
and Lord, ever-present and living, from whose
life they were fed and nourished, to the end that
they might lead righteous lives like His own ;
and, agreeably with His commands, establish
His kingdom throughout the earth.

14 The Old Verification of History.
But if these things concerning Jesus have been
fairly gleaned from sources outside of the New
Testament and other Christian writings, then the
myth-hypothesis must be relegated to the list of
things exploded. IIL
With the myth-hypothesis disposed of, let us
now turn to the main considerations bearing
upon the New Testament writings themselves as
historical documents ; and first of all to the in
ternal evidences.
There are certain generalizations that seem
self -evidently deducible from a mere cursory
reading of the four Gospels ; and these generali
zations ought to be entitled to some weight in
establishing a presumption of authenticity. We
offer them not as new matter, but by way of
summary. (1) The Gospel-narratives rank as peerless
masterpieces of literary art, inasmuch as they por
tray a character who stands absolutely unequaled
among all other characters whether of history or
of fiction.
(2) Whoever the authors of the Gospels may
have been, it is evident that they were men of
limited education.
(3) They tell their story with simplicity and
directness. (4) They tell it not vaguely, albeit briefly and
succinctly, but circumstantially ; i. e., they are

The Old Verification of History. 15
not content to record, "Jesus said this," or
" Jesus did that " ; but they minutely describe
when, where and how He said it or did it, and in
such a manner that the surroundings and circum
stances, even in their smaller details, stand out
with startling vividness.
The obvious conclusion seems to be this : If
men of limited education can tell such a story so
simply and directly and briefly, and yet with
such minute regard for circumstantiality, and in
the story invent a character towering in its
beauty and majesty above all other characters
which experts in the art of literary fiction have
dreamed of creating, they have worked the stand
ing miracle of the ages. In other words, those
who ask us to believe that the evangelists were
fiction-writers, calmly invite us to accept a mira
cle as great as any of those other miracles whose
possibility they so stoutly deny. We of course
refuse to accept any such invitation ; we reject
the imposition of any such tax upon our credu
lity ; but in so doing we accept the only other
possible alternative which is the admission that
the pages of the Gospel-narratives are stamped
with truth. IV.
But may not the Gospel-story after aU be a
compendium of legends? We may grant that
Jesus of Nazareth was a real character of history
and as a character He may have been all that

16 The Old Verification of History.
the Gospels represent Him to be. We may grant
the narrators or editors to have been sincerely
honest men; but they have obviously incorpo
rated into their narratives a vast amount of legend
ary material which in a credulous age would
inevitably grow up around such a superior
teacher as Jesus.
The foregoing statements represent the at
titude in which a large number of present-day
skeptics stand towards the Gospels. Let us there
fore look into this "Legendary-Compendium"
hypothesis. If the dates and authorship of the four Gospels
may, for the time being, be regarded as doubtful,
we naturally turn to those New Testament wri
tings, if any can be found, which are accepted as
genuine by a consensus of the most severely
hostile critics. As a matter of fact there are just
four such writings which destructive criticism
has left undisputed. These are St. Paul's Epis
tles to the Romans, to the Corinthians, 1 and 2,
and to the Oalatians. Their authorship has
been conceded by the most hostile to be Pauline,
and their dates are admitted to lie between the
years 50 and 60 A. d. We cannot here go into
the processes of research by which this verdict
has been reached. We can only state the fact
that it has been reached, as the reader may dis
cover for himself if he will take the time and
trouble to read the history of New Testament
criticism for the past fifty years ; and we may

The Old Verification of History. 17
add that if the reader will undertake this task,
he will feel fully satisfied as to the historical
soundness of the verdict.
The first step, then, in the disproof of the
legendary theory, is this fact, conceded by the
most hostile scholars, that Romans, 1 and 2
Corinthians and Qalatians were written by St.
Paul in the decade between 50 and 60 A. d.
This carries us back to within a quarter of a
century of Jesus' departure. Still, we may con
cede that much legendary matter may have
accumulated in that age and among Christ's
followers in the space of a quarter of a century.
But we have St. Paul's writings — at least these
four epistles of his — ^before us. Does this man
tell us anything in these documents to lead us
back towards the beginning of this critical
twenty-five years' period ? Is there anything in
these writings of an autobiographical or reminis
cent nature ? Fortunately there is ; for instance,
in the first part of the Galatian Epistle. Let us
see where this leads us.
If we may trust the consensus of critics, this
epistle dates from the year 58. In the first
chapter of this letter, the apostle gives his read
ers a brief sketch of his first years as a Christian.
He reviews the facts that for some time before
his conversion he was a zealous Jew, and that as
such he persecuted the Church and wasted it
beyond measure (1 : 13, 14). Then he states that
God revealed His Son in him (Paul) (1 : 15).

18 The Old Verification of History.
After that followed, so he tells us, a brief period
of sojourning in Arabia whence he returned to
Damascus (1 : 17). Three years later Paul went
up to Jerusalem and abode with Peter for fifteen
days ; seeing also James, but no one else. Then
followed a period of missionary labors in Syria
and Cilicia, probably not less than one year,
more likely two or three years (1 : 17-21).
Then fourteen years after that he repaired with
Barnabas and Titus to the famous conference at
Jerusalem (11 : 1). Some years after this he
wrote to the Galatians and told them all these
incidents just referred to.
Now let us begin with the year 58 and go
back with St. Paul. To be extremely conserva
tive, let us suppose that the conference at Jeru
salem was held five years prior to the writing of
Galatians. This would carry us back to 53 A. D.
Subtract fourteen years from this, and we get
back to 39. Subtract one from 39, — the period
of his Syro-Cilician ministry — and we are back to
38. Three years from this brings us to 35. If,
by the corrected calendar, Jesus died A. d. 29,
we are now within six years of that momentous
event, the time (a. d. 35) when God "revealed
his Son " in Saul the persecutor. But a matter
of six years is a short time for the development
of legends. Yet if St. Paul is to be believed, the
" legends " of Jesus' resurrection and His Divine
Sonship Avere fully developed at the time of the
persecutor's conversion; for in the Corinthian

The Old Verification of History. 19
letter (1 : 15 : 3 f) the Apostle states, " I delivered
unto you first of all that which I also received,
how that Christ died for our sins according to
the Scriptures ; and that he was buried, and
that he rose again the third day according to the
Scriptures, and that he was seen," etc.
Now the latest theory of the Tubingen School,
as represented by Professor Weizacker in his
" Apostolic Age of the Christian Church," is that
Paul's " Fifth Gospel " (as these four undisputed
epistles are frequently and aptly termed) is the
very germ of primitive Christianity. Professor
Weizacker, we repeat, regards this Pauline
"Fifth Gospel" as the essence of historically
primitive Christianity, — a fact which, among
other things, shows the abandonment of the myth-
view of Jesus' personality by the most "ad
vanced " critics. But Paul in this Fifth Gospel,
as Weizacker tries to maintain, held a purely
spiritual view of Jesus. For example, in Paul's
view, Jesus' resurrection was in nowise cor
poreal ; nor does Paul, when he speaks of having
seen the risen Lord, refer in any sense to an
optical vision. The stories of a corporeal resur
rection and of optical visions of the risen Jesus,
so Weizacker contends, are later and Post-Pauline
importations of legendary material. The differ
ence between Paul and the evangelists, accord
ing to Weizacker, is that the former's conceptions
of Jesus are spiritual and the latters' are
material ; for the latter wrote after the develop-

20 The Old Verification of History.
ment of materialistic legends, whereas Paul
wrote while as yet Christianity was in its alleged
purely spiritual stage.
'The primitive view of Jesus, as Weizacker
puts it, was " The conviction that the resurrec
tion of Jesus meant His departure to Heaven
until He should return and complete the king
dom." ("Apostolic Age of the Christian Church,"
James Millar's translation. Vol. 1, p. 18.)
In plain words, this is equivalent to saying
that Jesus' resurrection meant simply His im
mortality, the persistence of His soul after
bodily dissolution. Mark well this point, for it
involves an unequivocal position of the critic
from which there is no retreat.
With this statement of the critic fresh in mind,
let us turn to those statements of St. Paul
which bear directly upon Jesus' death and resur
rection, viz.,
(a) " How that Christ died, ' ' etc.
(b) " And that He was buried ; "
(c) "And that He rose again the third day," etc.
1 Cor. 15 : 3.
Now the unanswerable question that confronts
the critic (Weizacker) and scatters his hypothesis
to the four winds, at this point comes to view :
if St. Paul believed in Jesus' resurrection as
' The few following paragraphs commenting upon Weiziicker's
contention are reproduced in part from an article of ours in the
"Church Eclectic" (then Milwaukee, now New York), for
October, 1895. E. M. D.

The Old Verification of History. 21
nothing more than the persistence of His soul
after death, what did he mean by teaching those
Corinthians that the resurrection was deferred
until the third day ? If personal immortality
means anything, it means that the soul enters
upon its new life immediately, at the very instant
of bodily dissolution. The critic (Weizacker)
insists that St. Paul identifies Jesus' resurrection
with the entrance of His soul into new and im
mortal life. Very well then, if this is so, Jesus'
resurrection must, in this view, have taken place
at the instant of His death. But St. Paul con
spicuously fails to state this as his view of the
case ; for he says that " He rose again the third
day." Now to press the matter home, since it plainly
appears that in St. Paul's belief Christ's resur
rection meant something more than the soul's
entrance into immortality, let us ask what the
apostle does appear to believe as to the manner
of Christ's resurrection on the third day. He
states that Christ died ; that His bodily functions
ceased. He states that Christ was buried; mean
ing, of course, that His body was buried. He
states that He rose again on the third day mean
ing, of course, — what ? There is but one mean
ing left open to consideration, and that is that
the slain hody was revived. . . . The point
is as clear as the day that St. Paul's doctrine of
Christ's resurrection was the revival' of His;
' See Part HI, Chapter ii, Section 3.

22 The Old Verification of History.
slain body on the third day. With this fact
clearly before us, we can put but one construc
tion upon the manner in which the corporeally
risen Christ was, in St. Paul's view, seen of
Cephas, of the twelve, of the five hundred, of
James, of all the apostles, and last of all him
self ; that the " seeing " was no intuitive convic
tion of the slain Master's immortality, but a
series of views, face to face, eye to eye, of the
Form which the grave could not hold. It was
this manner of " seeing " and only this, which
transformed Saul the Pharisee into Paul the
Apostle of Jesus Christ.
The position of Weizacker respecting Paul's
"Fifth Gospel" as the historic expository of
genuinely primitive Christianity represents, as
we have said, the latest position of " advanced "
critics. It stands as a confession that all previous
positions have been found untenable.. But
Weizacker's theory of Paul's spiritual, i. e., non-
corporeal, conception of Jesus has been shown to
be equally untenable. This being so, the last
ditch of the " Legendary-Compendium " theory
must be abandoned.
Again, in addition to the proof already pre
sented against the theory of legendary growth
and wonder-stories, it is worth while noting that
St. Paul, in the most matter-of-fact way, alludes
to signs and powers of a superphysical nature
manifested among the disciples as late as the
year 58. Eead the twelfth chapter of 1 Corin-

The Old Verification of History. 23
thians and you will find Paul giving directions
pertaining to such phenomena as " gifts of heal
ing," "working of miracles," "discerning of
spirits," " prophecy," and " tongues " ; phenomena
which in Paul's certain knowledge, as well as in
that of the Corinthians, were so common as to
require no proof. Observe that St. Paul does
not say " these phenomena are possible " ; he
takes that for granted, and says in effect, " Let
there be no jealousy among those who are accus
tomed to manifest these phenomena. They are
all operations of one and the selfsame Spirit who
divides to each man severally as He will."
But if superphysical phenomena were of com
mon occurrence — or at least Relieved so to be —
in the Church as late as the year 58 A. D., where
was the necessity of developing and eagerly seiz
ing upon legends to carry back phenomena of a
similar nature to the years 26-29, the period of
Jesus' ministry ? If, in the belief of Paul and
others in the year 58, the age of miracles had
passed, we might then have grounds for suspect
ing that the so-called " stories " then prevalent of
such things happening a generation previous
were simply "wonder-stories" developed under
the fervor of devotion. But St. Paul's frequent
references to " signs " and " powers " performed
by himself among those whom he is addressing,
as well as by the disciples addressed, his refer
ences to these things as matters of every-day oc
currences are facts which knock down the last

24 The Old Verification of History.
prop upon which the legendary hypothesis
rests.

Turning now to external evidence, we shall
find, when we have reviewed the second century
attestations to the New Testament writings, that
the case for the latter's authenticity is a strong one.
In fact, hostile critics stake their case on what
seems to us to be a very flimsy point ; viz., that
the seeming quotations of the second century
fathers from the New Testament writings can
not with certainty be regarded as quotations at
all because of their deviations in language from
the received text, and because of the writers'
failure to mention the source.
This point appeals to us as flimsy, first, from
the fact that the fathers in question had no con
veniently bound, printed and chaptered copy of
the New Testament to which quick and easy ref
erence could be made ; but at the very most they
possessed only separate uncial manuscripts of the
various books lying around piecemeal ; therefore,
their temptation to quote from memory would be
great on account of the irksomeness involved in
rummaging through uncial manuscripts.
Secondly, their failure in most cases (but not
in all) to mention their source specifically is
prima facie evidence that they took for granted
their readers' knowledge of the source. This
prima facie evidence is immensely strengthened

TJie Old Verification of History. 25
when we find, as we not infrequently do, an ap
parent quotation from the New Testament re
peated a few sentences further on in phraseology
slightly different from the first apparent quota
tion, ioth of these slightly varying from the re
ceived text. We can well conceive no clearer
proof that the father here is quoting from mem
ory and taking for granted his readers' familiar
ity with the source. Criticism based on points
like these bears a striking resemblance to quib
bling; at least so, we are persuaded, it would
appear to a plain practical man.
It is, we think, not surprising that such an
eminent critic as Professor Harnack should have
frankly confessed, as he did not very long ago,
that after years of mature reflection and investi
gation, so far as he could see, most of the New
Testament documents were written at the dates
and by the authors assigned to them by Chris
tian tradition.
Lastly, as to the early fathers prior to the
third quarter of the second century who quote
passages from the New Testament : What pa
tristic writings do the "advanced" critics con
cede to have been issued prior to this period?
Justin Martyr who wrote two apologies to the
Emperor Antoninus Pius, is one. This emperor
reigned from 138 to 161 A. D. Justin's Apolo
gies are assigned to about the year 150. He
(Justin) quotes from the following New Testa
ment books :

26

The Old Verification of History.

cm St. Matthew's Gospel

40

" " Mark's

(t

3

" " Luke's

ii

19

" " John's

a

5

" Acts

2

" Eomans

4

" 1 Corinthians

3

" Galatians

2
" 2 Thessalonians
2
" Hebrews
1
" 1 Peter
1
" 2 "
1
" Eevelation
1
Thus in the middle of the second century the
showing of external evidence for the gospels, St.
John's included, is even better than it is for the
undisputed epistles of St. Paul.
The fathers preceding Justin are Polycarp of
Smyrna (120), Ignatius of Antioch (107), and
Clement of Eome (95). All of these are disputed
by the " advanced " critics.
Of Polycarp, Irenseus (180) makes mention
thus : " There is also a very powerful epistle of
Polycarp written to the Philippians, and from
which those who choose to do so, can learn the
character of his faith and the preaching of his
truth." (" Against Heresies," Bk. Ill, Chap, iii.)
Again : " But Polycarp also was not only in
structed by apostles, and conversed with many
who had seen Christ, but was also by apostles in
Asia, appointed bishop of the Church in Smyrna,
whom I also saw in my early youth, for he tar
ried on earth a very long time, and when a very
The Old Verification of History. 27
old man, gloriously and most nobly suffering
martyrdom, departed this life." {Ibid.)
This is first-hand testimony. If Polycarp's
epistle was, in spite of this testimony, a forgery,
it could not have been forged much later than
150 A. D. There is in this epistle itself internal
evidence of its early date which confirms the tes
timony of Irenjeus.
The evidence to which we refer is the fact be
trayed in the epistle that the Philippians had not
then applied the name hishop to their chief pastor.
We may, now that we have found out some
thing for ourselves, not relying upon the ipse
dixits of " rigorous and vigorous " German critics
as infallible, call upon the alleged epistle of
Polycarp to the Philippians, as at least a first-
quarter second century witness. The epistle is
brief and we must not expect to find a long list
of quotations. This however is what we do find :

:on

1 St. Matthew's

Gospel

5 passages

" Luke's

1 passage

Acts

1
Eomans
2 passages
1 Corinthians
2
Galatians
2
Ephesians
2 "
Philippians (Epistle twice mentioned by name)
1 Thessalonians 1 passage
2 " 1 "
1 Timothy 3 passages
2 " 1 passage
1 Peter 9 passages
1 John 1 ]
28 The Old Verification of History.
All of these quotations occur in an epistle hardly
longer than one of St. Paul's Thessalonian epistles.
Ignatius, we will pass over, though Polycarp
in the above letter refers to him as having been
martyred quite recently, and also to the epistle
of Ignatius to himself (Polycarp). We may say,
however, that Lightfoot has vindicated beyond dis
pute the seven shorter letters of Ignatius. Still we
shall pass him by and proceed to Clement. (95 A. D.)
The evidence for the genuineness of this
epistle (his First to the Corinthians) rests upon
the same grounds as does that of Polycarp, viz.,
(1) Its mention by Irenseus (" Heresies," Bk. Ill,
Chapter iii, 3); and (2) the fact that in the
epistle itself is a reference to a dispute which
had arisen " concerning the name of bishops " ;
showing that the name " bishop " was not at
that time settled upon the office of local chief
pastor. Hence the epistle cannot be later than
the first quarter of the second century, whether
Clement is its author or not.
The New Testament quotations in this epistle
may be summed up as follows :
From St. Matthew's Gospel 2 passages
" " Mark's " 1 passage
" " Luke's " 1 "
" Acts 1 "
" Eomans 1 "
'^1 1 Corinthians 2 passages (this epistle is
^*^s 1 passage also named)
" Hebrews 2 passages
" 1 Peter 1

The Old Verification of History. 29
It may be observed that the great mass of Clem
ent's arguments in this letter are taken from
the Old Testament ; so that the occasions for
quoting the New Testament are few.
External evidence from the middle of the
second century backward shows a recognition of
all the New Testament books except Philemon,
James, 2 and 3 John, and Jude. Justin, Polycarp
and Clement collectively quote 127 times from
the remaining New Testament books. Is it to
be wondered at that Professor Harnack should
have confessed what he did ?
A final word under the head of External Evi
dence : Let us not confuse the question of authen
ticity with that of canonicity. They are dis
tinct and separate questions. There was no
formally recognized " Canon of the New Testa
ment " in the second century. The fixing of the
canon was of a much later date. But there
were from the first half of the second century
backward all the hooTcs in recognized existence
(save the five above-mentioned) which were
afterwards adjudged as " canonical " / and they
were quoted as carrying with them the same
weight of authority as Christians assign to them
to-day. As for the five books from which no
quotations were made prior to Irenaeus, we can
afford to leave them out of the present discussion,
for more than sufficient has been proved al
ready.

30 Tlie Old Verification of History.
VI.
To sum up our review of the historical evi
dence :
(1) The myth theory as to Jesus' real exist
ence is untenable if the testimony of Pagan
notices is reliable.
(2) The Gospel-narrative on its face shows
that if its authors were fiction writers, they suc
ceeded in working the literary miracle of the
ages. (3) The four undisputed Epistles of St. Paul
as historical documents show that the "super
natural" elements ascribed by certain modern
critics to legendary growth formed an integral
part of Christian belief from the very beginning ;
that they were either true beliefs from the be
ginning, or false beliefs from the beginning ; that
the presence of such elements in the evangelical
narratives constitutes no proof, nor yet even the
shadow of a presumption that the latter were
not of first century authorship.
(4) A review of external evidences — the quo
tations from the New Testament by Church
fathers writing in the first half of the second
century — shows that in that period the books of
the New Testament were familiar to Christians ;
which fact points to the first-century origin of
these books.

Part II.
The Data for the New Verification.
" When I am told that what I describe cannot be ex
plained in accordance with preconceived ideas of the
laws of nature, the objector really begs the very ques
tion at issue and resorts to a mode of reasoning which
brings science to a standstill. The argument runs in
a vicious circle ; we must not assert a fact until we
know that it is in accordance with the laws of nature,
while our only knowledge of the laws of nature must
be based on an extensive observation of facts. If a
new fact seems to oppose what is called a law of
nature, it does not prove the asserted fact to be false,
but only that we have not yet ascertained all the laws
of nature, or not learned them correctly." — Sir
William Crookes, F. R. S., in Quarterly Journal of
Science, Oct. 1, 1871.
" Tour spirit and soul and body." — 1 Thess. 5 : 28.
" To another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit ; and
to another workings of powers; and to another
prophecy ; and to another discernings of spirits." — 1
Cor. 12:9, 10.
" Seeing He Himself giveth to all life, and breath,
and all things . . . for in Him we live and move
and have our being." — Acta 17 : 25 and 28.
" For the invisible things of Him since the creation
of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through
the things that are made, even His everlasting power
and divinity." — Eomans 1 : 20.
" It is the Spirit that quickeneth."— St. John 6 : 63.

Bibliography of Parts II-IV.

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Divine Pedigree of Man, The. T. J. Hudson, LL. D. Mc
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Esoteric Buddhism. A. P. Sinnett. Houghton, Mifflin &
Co., Boston. 32

Bibliography of Parts II-IV. 88
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Boston.
Hypnotism in Mental & Moral Culture. John Duncan Quack-
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Hypnotism and its Application to Practical Medicine. A. D.
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Messianic Prophecy. Dr. Edward Eeihm. Chas. Scribner's
Sons, N. Y.

34 Bibliography of Parts II-IV.
Miracles and Modern Spiritualism. A. E. Wallace. Trubner
& Co., London.
Man and the Spiritual World. Eev. Arthur Chambers. Geo.
W. Jacobs & Co., Philadelphia, Pa.
Modern Mystics and Modern Magic. Arthur LUUe. Chas.
Scribner's Sons, N. Y.
New Chemistry, The. Josiah P. Cooke. D. Appleton & Co.,
N. Y.
No Beginning, or The Fundamental Fallacy. Wm. H. Maple.
Maple & Co., Chicago.
Occult World, T.he. A. P. Sinnett. Houghton, Mifflin & Co.,
Boston.
Our Life After Death. Eev. Arthur Chambers. Geo. W.
Jacobs & Co., Philadelphia, Pa.
Our Bible and Higher Criticism, Who Wrote it, When —
Where — How? Moses Hull. Sunflower Pub. Co., LUy
Dale, N. Y.
People from the Other World. H. S. Olcott. American Pub.
Co., Hartford, Conn.
Phantasms of the Living. Messrs. Gurney, Myers & Podmore.
2 Vols. Trubner & Co., London.
Physico-Physiological Eesearches in the Dynamics of Magnet
ism, Electricity, Heat, Light, Crystallization and Chemism
in their Eelation to Vital Force. Baron Charles Von
Eiohenbach. Patridge & Britton, N. Y.
Psychography. F. P. Evans, edited by J. J. Owen. The
Hicks- Judd Co., San Francisco, Cal.
Psychology of Eeligion. E. D. Starbuck. Scribner, N. Y.
Psychology as a Natural Science Applied to the Solution of
Occult Psychic Phenomena. C. G. Eaue, M. D. Porter &
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Posthumous Humanity. A. D'Assier. G. Eedway, London.
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Psychics : Facts and Theories. Eev. Minot J. Savage Geo H
Ellis, Boston, Mass.

Bibliography of Parts II-IV. 35
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36 Bibliography of Parts II-IV.
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& Taylor Co., N. Y.

CHAPTER I.
QUESTION-BEGGING MATEEIALISM.
Showing how the materialists through their dictum, "Mir
acles," i. e., superphysical phenomena, "do not happen,"
beg the question at issue between Theism and Atheism by
assuming the truth of the materialistic theory and refusing
to investigate the evidences for modern superphysical phe
nomena.
We have just been reviewing the historical
credentials of the Gospel. The data in this field,
we are convinced, can never become obsolete.
They yield an argument for the New Testa
ment's authenticity which to our thinking can
never be gainsaid. The historic Christ-character
as portrayed in the evangelical pages ought to be
in itself a testimony sufficient for all centuries to
render credible all the works ascribed in those
records to Him.
But there is stiU present with us a leaven,
whose workings date from the rise of evolutionary
science, which is even yet powerful enough to
discount in many minds the effects of the his
torical argument. We refer to the leaven of
materialism. In the name of evolution, material
ism, as all know, went forth conquering and to
conquer; holding in its thrall the chief minds
37

38 Question-Begging Materialism.
whose studies were directed upon purely physical
research. Through these minds influences were
radiated throughout the whole world of modern
thought, whereby things spiritual became rele
gated to the realm of shadows. With physicahty
in the zenith of thought, Mind itself went down
into a dismal nadir ; an assemblage of chemical
elements of which ideas formed mere "secre
tions," — somewhat as bile is a secretion of the
liver. In the brazen glare of the physical the
superphysical became a pale spectre ; a dream of
the superstitious who still clave to shattered
idols. Under this materialistic leaven Christian
apologetics brought forth such works as Dean
Mansel's " Limits of Religious Thought " and
" Philosophy of the Conditioned " ; and A. J.
Balfour's " Defence of Philosophic Doubt," and
" The Foundations of Belief." It is needless to
point out that among whomsoever this material
istic influence still holds sway any argument
based upon purely historical credentials or upon
the Christ-character would fall flat ; — the latter
because character is only a property of matter ;
the former, because materialistic thought has
now become fixed in the dictum, " Miracles," i. e.,
supernormal or superphysical phenomena, " do
not happen."
There are many who are held in thraU under
this influence, even though they are far from
being avowed materialists. They may feel the
clearness and strength of the historical argument

Question-Begging Materialism. 39
for the New Testament's authenticity. They
may be fully convinced of the honesty and
sincerity of its writers. But yet in the presence
and under the influence of this confident dictum
of materialistic rationalism, they feel a misgiving
that perhaps, after all, inasmuch as superphysical
phenomena do not happen now, those honest
reporters of the first century may have been
mistaken. They may have been victims of one
or more of the half-dozen " sources of error " to
which the untrained observer, however honest, is
constantly exposed.
In short, we perceive the limitations of the
historical argument from the evidential stand
point in this materialistic age, just so long as this
materialistic dictum is allowed to stand.
It behooves us, therefore, to enquire whether
this dictum in the light of logic and of fact is
entitled to good and regular standing. Let us
see then upon what foundation it rests.
We shall show that its foundation is none
other than the deliberate begging of the main
question at issue between Theism and Atheism,
viz. : the arrogant assumption by the opponents of
Theism, that the physical or material (together
with force or energy) is the All of reality.
Part II of this book is written with the object
of refuting the materialistic dictum as to the im
possibility of " miracles " by placing in evidence
the established results of modern psychical re
search.

40 Question-Begging Materialism.
But we find ourselves temporarily enjoined
from appealing to facts by the illogical attitude
just now assumed by materialistic leaders towards
psychical research findings. They are repeating
towards these findings the same arguments in
principle as were offered by the papal theologians
against the discoveries of Galileo. They would
exclude the established results of psychical re
search from the field of evidence because for
sooth these results stultify the materialistic con
ception of what nature ought to be.
We utter a truism when we say that he who
sits in the chair of science owes it to himself and
to his fellow-men to be as far removed as his
human nature will permit from the " seat of the
scornful." The true scientist has been con
secrated to the high calling of the pursuit of
truth. He desecrates and belittles his office
when he scorns the candid investigation of any
purported fact, no matter how severely such a
fact, if established, jars upon the hypothesis under
which he has been working.
Again we utter a truism when we say that as
"the just live by faith," so must the man of
science work under postulates and hypotheses
which he has all along found adequate to explain
the body of facts falling under his observation.
But when new facts carefully observed and
attested by his peers in the field of science are
brought to light, he forfeits his claim to the
priesthood of science when he refuses to consider

Question- Begging Materialism. 41
them and heaps abuse and ridicule upon their
discoverers because these alleged facts, if allowed,
would compel him to modify his hitherto justi
fiable conceptions as to nature's constitution.
He who said " The Sabbath was made for man,
and not man for the Sabbath," might well say,
were He now a man among men who are seeking
for light, " Hypotheses are made for truth, and
not truth for hypotheses."
Alas, that the history of scientific achievement,
both in the field of mechanical inventions and in
that of the advancement of truth, should have
been at each stage a martyrdom of pioneers who
have afterwards been canonized ! But truth,
scientific as well as theological, has ever been
wounded in the house of its friends. When the
scientist becomes dogmatic, well may we cry,
"Ettu Brute!"
It is with regret that we must in the name of
truth and candor bring an indictment of dog
matism, bigotry and passion against certain
representatives of science in their attitude
towards the facts brought to light by psychical
research. We speak not in anger, but in sorrow,
though we confess our temper has often been
strained to the breaking-point.
We are ready cheerfully to admit that fifty
years ago the allegation of superphysical phe
nomena as contemporary occurrences might have
justified a scornful reception at the hands of
scientists. In those days, so far as scientific re-

42 Question-Begging Materialism.
search had gone, matter and material forces
seemed to represent the only well-attested facts
in nature.
The attestation of facts superphysical rested
then upon the " say-so " of emotional people un
trained in scientific observation. So far, so good.
But these emotional people began to make so
much noise, and to allege so many superphysical
occurrences, that before long " their sound went
forth into all lands and their word unto the ends
of the world."
So wide-spread did their " pestilential heresy "
become that certain prominent scientists in the
interest of truth took it upon themselves to look
into these " superstitious allegations " in order to
expose and explode them, and set at rest minds
which were being disturbed.
Judge Edmonds of the Supreme Court of New
York State, Alfred Russel Wallace, the coad
jutor of Charles Darwin, Professor C. De
Morgan, England, William Crookes, F. R. S.,
(since knighted). Professor Zollner of Berlin, the
members of the London Dialectical Society, and
many others of prominence and unquestioned
standing, joined in the cause of exposition, — one
after another.
The result is known. Every would-be refuter
became a convert ; was compelled in all candor
to acknowledge that he had witnessed occur
rences which material conditions were inade
quate to explain.

Question-Begging Materialism. 43
The result of these conversions and announce
ments is also known. They were met with
howls of derision and cries of " Impossible."
Professor Huxley, when invited to " come and
see," contemptuously replied that he had no
time to waste over " Spooks," — or words to that
effect. Another scientist. Professor Jastrow, of the
University of Wisconsin, in a work entitled
" Fact and Fable in Psychology," takes up the
cudgels for materialism ; and in the course of a
book whose arguments are chiefiy a priori,
naively says, " I am more than willing to con
tribute whatever I can to the maintenance of a
cooperative Psychological Investigation Society
which shall stand ready to take up the investiga
tion of any phenomena which promise to yield
data of psychological interest ; which shall, how
ever, keep far removed from any phase of the
transcendental or occult," etc. (p. 65). (Italics
ours.) In other words, he would support a
society which would pledge itself in advance not
to endanger the materialistic theory. This, we
repeat, is naive. Psychology must be confined
to the cerebro-nervous system; — any form of
mental communication, or acquisition of knowl
edge, or manifestation of power, which trans
cends ordinary physiological conditions and
defies the materialistic dogma is an abomi
nation !
Prof. William James of Harvard Univer-

44 Question-Begging Materialism.
sity thus relates some of his own experiences
with scientific contemporaries in his quest after
psychic facts : " For instance, I invite eight of
my scientific colleagues severally to come to my
house at their own time, and sit with a medium
for whom the evidence already published in our
' Proceedings ' had been most noteworthy. Al
though it means at worst the waste of an hour
for each, five of them decline the adventure. I
then beg the ' Commission ' connected with the
chair of a certain learned psychologist in a neigh
boring university to examine the same medium,
whom Mr. Hodgson and I offer at our own
expense to send and leave with them. They
also have to be excused from any such entangle
ment. I advise another psychological friend to
look into this medium's case, but he replies that
it is useless, for if he should get such results as I
report, he would (being suggestible) simply
believe himself hallucinated. When I propose
as a remedy that he remain in the background
and take notes, whilst his wife has the sitting,
he explains that he can never consent to his
wife's presence at such performances. This
friend of mine writes ex cathedra on the subject
of psychical research, declaring (I need hardly
add) there is nothing in it; the chair of the
psychologist with the commission was founded
by a spiritist, partly with a view to investigate
mediums ; and one of the five colleagues who de
clined my invitation is widely quoted as an

Question-Begging Materialism. 45
effective critic of our evidence. So runs the
world away ! " '
This attitude on the part of so many so-called
scientists is anything but scientific in its temper.
Indeed, it is all temper and no science. It makes
obvious the fact that not truth but pet theories,
not the quest for more data, but the bolstering
up of cherished dogmas, form the chief concern
of these learned gentlemen.
" Materialism must be true ; and all allegations
to the oontrsiry false."
This proposition fairly represents the attitude
of so-called science towards the phenomena
under discussion.
It may now be apparent why we have en
titled this chapter " Question-Begging Mate
rialism." In the year 1882, after the great pioneers,
whose names we have mentioned, had stated the
results of their investigations, the weU-known
London Society for Psychical Research, (to
which we shall hereafter refer as the "S. P.
R.") was organized. The findings of the S. P.
R., as well as those of the principal " pioneers "
who preceded it, will be noticed in our next
chapter. Here it will be sufficient to refer our readers
to the published " Proceedings " of the London
Society that they may see for themselves the
^Popular Science Monthly; August, 1901; article, "Freder
ick Myers' Service to Psychology."

46 Question-Begging Materialism.
elaborate and (to the layman) almost fussy pre
cautions against errors in observation taken by
that society's investigators.
Among the precautions best worth noting are
these :
(1) An elaborate mathematical calculus of
probabilities applied to the cases of " veridical "
telepathic communications ; i. e., communications
through telepathy whose objective truth was
subsequently verified. Concerning these the
question may be asked : " Are they not all mere
coincidences ? Did they not merely happen to
come true ? " The application of a mathematical
calculus by the S. P. R. demonstrates the re
moval of these cases from the category of
" Coincidental Happenings."
(2) "Retroactive illusions of memory." —
Might not the observers in their reports of
phenomena unconsciously import into their ac
counts incidents which never took place ? The
"Proceedings" show that the observers, when
the cases were of an experimental nature, stood
by with note-iooTcs and pencils, making record as
the case proceeded. This of course shuts out in
these cases " retroactive illusions of memory."
(3.) " Telepathic experiences outside of exper
imental telepathy are of a personal and subjec
tive nature ; hence, outside of the scope of scien
tific evidence."
Reply: If the "subject," jjrw to the verifi
cation of his " message " or impression, related it

Question-Begging Materialism,. 47
to witnesses or recorded it in writing, he has
thereby made it pei-fectly competent evidence.
The S. P. R. proceedings abound with such
cases. (4) Veridical prevision is " explained " as
" unconscious perception of the shadow already
present, but coming before the event." This,
however, is a psychical and not a physical ex
planation. All that is claimed by the "New
Psychology " for veridical prevision is that it
consists of " coming events " casting " their
shadows before" in the so-called "unconscious
mind" which delivers up its contents to con
sciousness. Turning now from specific objections, we ap
prehend that the real difficulty in admitting the
possibility of telepathy and kindred superphysical
phenomena, notwithstanding their overwhelming
attestation, hes in the supposition that their ac
knowledgment would violate the scientific doc
trine of nature's uniformity. On the material
istic hypothesis they certainly do play havoc
with that doctrine. What then ? Plainly either
the materialistic hypothesis or the doctrine of
nature's uniformity must go by the board ; and
we feel confident that the latter will not be the
one to go.
There are two questions concerned here; one
d priori, and the other empirical.
The a priori question is that which relates to
nature's uniformity. If we deny that doctrine,

48 Question-Begging Materialism.
all is lost ; the world becomes a chaos ; theism
itself something distressing to contemplate. The
doctrine of nature's uniformity must stand as
the axiom of axioms.
The empirical question is this : Are telepathy
and kindred phenomena well-established facts,
or not? The answer has been given that they
stand attested by the most irrefragible proofs.
This being the case, the unavoidable conclusion
is that they are part and parcel of nature's uni
formity. In other words, they are not m,iracur
lous, not violations of nature's order. If mirar
cles be defined as violations of nature's order,
then most assuredly miracles do not happen. If
they are simply supernormal phenomena, *. e.,
supernormal as viewed from a physical plane,
then there is involved no conflict with the axiom
of axioms, — nature's uniformity. There is in
volved, however, the relegation of the physical
or material from an exclusive to a relative posi
tion in the cosmic constitution.
But, as we have shown, the materialists prac
tically confine the defense of their own theory
to hurling anathemas against those who have
made good the facts which annihilate it. They
assume the truth of materialism in order to
refute, d priori, facts whose admission would
render materialism an untenable theory !
In conclusion, we submit that a legitimate
field for hypothesis-building has been opened by
the superphysical data established by psychical

Question-Begging Materialism. 49
research. Though the nature of the data ex
cludes materialistic hypotheses, this considera
tion by no means inhibits us from looking for
definite conditions and laws on a higher plane
according to which superphysical phenomena
occur; laws and conditions capable of as exact
formulation as are those which govern purely
physical phenomena.
Dr. Thomson J. Hudson's well-known book,
" The Law of Psychic Phenomena " stands as a
masterpiece of that which can be done in the
way of formulating exact conditions according
to which superphysical phenomena occur, and
demonstrating how far such phenomena are re
moved from the realm of superstition and caprice.
While we dissent from Dr. Hudson's hypothesis,
on the ground that it fails to take into account
many important and well-established facts, we
stand with him in recognizing that superphysical
phenomena are part and parcel of nature's uni
formity, and in confidently hoping that the time
is not far off when their laws and conditions
will be as apparent as are those of the material
department of nature.

CHAPTER II.
THE MIRACLES OF MODERN TIMES.
Showing the classes of superphysical phenomena established by
psychic research.
The " miracles " of which we shall now speak
and for which we shall present evidence, are
miracles only to those for whom the physical
represents the all of reality. To others they
are only super-physical phenomena; that is, oc
currences which transcend purely material con
ditions but none the less manifest laws in a
higher department of nature.
Having shown in the preceding chapter that
d priori objections cannot validly exclude the
empirical evidence upon which superphysical
phenomena stand accredited, we shall now pro
ceed to present the evidence as brought to light
by psychical research.
Our sources of authority are contained in the
Bibliography prefixed to Part II. Among those
sources we would lay especial stress upon (1) the
volume of the Proceedings of the Society for
Psychical Research ; (2) upon " Phantasms of the
Living" (2 vols.) by Messrs. Gurney, Podmore
and Myers, prominent members of that society ;
50

The Miracles of Modern Times. 51
(3) upon Mr. Podmore's concise summary of the
Society for Psychical Research proceedings in
his book, "Apparitions and Thought Trans
ference " ; (4) upon Sir William Crookes' " Re
searches in the Phenomena of Spiritualism," as
well as upon his report concerning his seances
with D. D. Home, contained in Part XY of the
Proceedings ; (5) upon the report of the London
Dialectical Society ; (6) upon Henry S. Olcott's
"People from the Other World"; (Y) upon
Thomson J. Hudson's " Law of Psychic Phe
nomena " ; (8) upon the psychic articles con
tributed to " Harper's Magazine " for April, June
and August, 1900, the first two by Professor
James Hyslop, the last by Dr. Hudson ; (9) upon
Camille Flammarion's " The Unknown " ; (10) upon
Professor T. Flournoy 's " From India to the Planet
Mars " ; (11) upon Dr. Paul Gibier's " Psychism " ;
(12) upon Dr. Robert Hare's " Spiritualism Scien
tifically Demonstrated," and (13) upon the Rev.
Arthur Chambers' " Man and the Spiritual World."
We would also call attention to the following
works upon Hypnotic Therapeutics : (1) that of
Dr. O. G. Wetterstrand; (2) that of Dr. H.
Bemheim; (3) that of Dr. Schrencknotzing ;
(4) that of Dr. G. Lloyd Tuckey; (5) that of
Dr. John D. Quackenbos; and (6) that of Dr.
R. Osgood Mason.
Now let us proceed to the classification of
the supernormal phenomena brought to light by
psychical research :

52 The Miracles of Modern Times.
Class I.
Phenomena of Subliminal Memory ; or Cryptomnesia.
Subliminal refers to that part of the intelli
gence whose activity is below the threshold of
the so-called normal or waking intelligence. The
term cryptomnesia — " hidden memory " — was
coined by Professor T. Flournoy of the Geneva
University, Switzerland. As illustrations of this
phenomenon we have cases of people who, in
trance or delirium, repeat (for example) passages
from foreign languages of whose meaning they
are objectively ignorant, but which they have
chanced to hear in the course of some previous
waking experience. For instance, an ignorant
German servant girl in delirium repeats pas
sages of Rabbinical Hebrew which in a previous
waking state she had heard recited by a Jewish
Rabbi. Again, many persons resuscitated after
submersion in water testify to seeing before con
sciousness leaves them a panoramic view of their
past lives in every minute detail. Again, a
Mile. Smith carries on in a series of seances in
the presence of Professor Flournoy conversations
in a language supposed to be that of the planet
Mars. Professor Flournoy on analyzing it finds
that it is an adaptation from the French : — a
phenomenon partaking in part of subliminal
memory and in part of auto-suggestive construc
tion. (See that author's book, "From India to
the Planet Mars.")

The Miracles of Modern Times. 53
Class II.
Subliminal Intuition.
There are cases on record of uneducated peo
ple and even of idiots displaying an intuitive
knowledge of necessary laws and relations.
Among these are certain noted mathematical
prodigies ; for example, Zerah Colburn, who as
an untutored boy could perform instantaneously
the most astounding computations ; yet he could
give no explanation of the processes by which he
reached his results. It is also by intuition that
"Blind Tom," the idiot musician, perceives the
laws of harmony.^ Class III.
Telepathy.
Telepathic phenomena stand next in the scale
of interest. We venture to define telepathy as
communion between finite minds apart from all
channels of physical communication.
Of telepathic phenomena observed by Psy
chical Research there are the following sub
classes :
(A) Transference of Thought in the Normal
State, — i. e., the percipient or receiver is awake,
but in a passive condition.
Under this head there are cases in which the
' There is another subliminal class which may be called sub
normal ; viz. : secondary or multiple personality, the temporary
or permanent inhibition of memory of identity.

54 The Miracles of Modern Times.
percipient, though blindfolded, has been able to
name or describe substances tasted by the
" operator " who stands behind him and at some
distance from him. (See Podmore's "Appari
tions," etc. Case 1, p. 21.)
Mr. Guthrie of the S. P. R. conducted 457
experiments in the transference of miscellaneous
thoughts, visual, gustatorial, tactile, — etc., with
the following results :
Nothing perceived  70
Wholly or partly correct  319
Misdescriptions  ¦ 68
Total  457
(See Podmore, Case 5, p. 34. )
(B) Transference of Thought in Hypnotic
State, — i. e., the percipient is placed in the
hypnotic condition.
Here thoughts of numbers, (Podmore, Case
13, p. 66), sensations of pain, (Podmore, Case
11, p. 60) and visual ideas, such as diagrams,
etc., (Podmore, Case 16, p. Y6) have been trans
ferred from operator to percipient.
(C) Telepathic Production of Movements.
Hypnotic subjects have been by the operator
silently willed to do certain things on awaking,
and have obeyed. (Podmore, Case 23, p. 89.)
(D) Induction of Hypnosis at a Distance.
Experiments in the induction of hypnosis at
distances averaging one mile are reported by

The Miracles of Modern Times. 55
Messieurs Gibert and Janet as operators; a
" Mme. B." being the subject.
Result :
Trials completely successful  18
" partially "  4
Failures  3
Total  25
(Podmore, Case 29, p. 108.)
Dr. Carl Sextus in his book on " Hypnotism "
(p. 154) reports a case conducted near Copen
hagen, Denmark, where the distance was eleven
miles. (E) Distant Vision; Transference of Ideas
Over a Distance.
Gideon Haynes, a prisoner at Charlestown,
Mass., suddenly begins describing to a visitor the
vision of his little boy being drowned. Yision
proved veridical. (Podmore, Case 45, p. 170.)
Dr. G. Dupre, of Rheims, France, has verid
ical vision of his little girl falling down-stairs.
(Podmore, Case 47, p. 172.)
For many more similar cases see Podmore ;
also Camille Flammarion's " The Unknown."
(F) Transference of Thought in Dreams.
A host of cases may be found related in both
books above referred to.
The following is a single example :
Mr. Boyle while in India dreams of the death
of his father-in-law in England. No intimation

56 Tim Miracles of Modern Times.
that latter was not in good health. Dream oc
curred early in morning of November 2, 1868,
which, would correspond to 10 or 11 P. M., Nov.
1st, in England. Father-in-law died in England
on Nov. 1st. . (Podmore, Case 45, p. 170.)
(G) Induced Telepathic Hallucinations; or
the Deliberate Projection of Phantasms by Ivu-
ing Agents.
The Rev. Mr. Godfrey, an English clergyman,
makes his phantasmal form visible to a lady
several miles distant. (Podmore, Case 61, p.
228.) " Bertha," a patient of Dr. Gibotteau, of
Havre, France, projects terrifying shapes before
the doctor's vision while the latter is at home in
a different part of the city. (Podmore, Case 40,
p. 139 f .)
(H) Phantasms of the Dying.
The two volumes " Phantasms of the Living"
by Messrs. Gurney, Podmore and Myers, abound
with cases of phantasms projected by agents, at
or near the moment of death.
To cite one of many hundreds of such cases :
On June 10th, 1877, Dr. Carat saw apparition of
his mother in a bright and silvery light. Time :
between 10 P. M. and midnight. Next morning
at breakfast Dr. Carat related his experience to
a friend, M. Larouche. On the following day he
received the news that his mother had died on
June 10th.

Tlie Miracles of Modern Times. 57
(I) " Telepathie d Trois."
This kind of telepathy has been made familiar
to the reading public by Dr. Hudson in his
article "Evidences of Life after Death" in
"Harper's Magazine" for August, 1900. Its
principle is this : A sends a telepathic message
to B. B, however, fails to raise this message
" above the threshold " to objective perception.
It remains latent in B's subliminal department
of consciousness. But B chances to visit C, who
is a "spirit-medium." C at once reads A's mes
sage from B's subliminal consciousness. Dr.
Hudson's article contains many cases in point.
Class IV.
Independent Clairvoyance.
We define this phenomenon as the ability of
mind, under certain conditions, of obtaining ulti
mately verifiable knowledge apart from all finite
mental agency.
Under this head would fall certain cases of
"Distant Sight," either in dream or in waking
vision, and all cases of Veridical Prevision or
Fulfilled Prophecy.
Inasmuch as some psychic authorities dispute
the existence of independent clairvoyance, we
shall have to dwell more in detail upon this sub
ject than we did upon the almost universally ad
mitted phenomenon of telepathy.
Dr. Hudson justly observes that as the field of

58 The Miracles of Modern Times.
telepathy enlarges, that of clairvoyance contracts.
It is certainly true that a multitude of cases for
merly ascribed to clairvoyance must now be as
signed to "Telepathie a Trois." Possibly Dr.
Hudson was justified in asserting, as he did in
the 18th Edition (1899) of his "Law of Psychic
Phenomena," that the evidence for independent
clairvoyance up to that date was insufficient;
though there stands as a modern classic the fa
mous Cazotte Prophecy of 1788 fulfilled in every
particular. At the risk of imposing upon the reader that
which is already familiar to him, we would say
in passing that M. Cazotte was a Frenchman;
that at a gathering of friends in Paris in
1788 he correctly prophesied the future of each
one. M. La Harpe, member of the French
Academy of Science, recorded Cazotte's words at
the time. Hence the fact that Cazotte's words
were spoken before the events rests upon high
attestation. Amid the laughter of his friends M.
Cazotte predicted that Condorcet would take
poison in prison ; that Chamf ort would open his
veins Avith a razor ; that D'Azyr would cause his
veins to be opened to relieve gout and would die
shortly afterwards ; that Nicolai, Bailley and
Malesherbes would die on the scaffold ; that these
events would all occur within six years from that
date (1788) ; and that La Harpe would become a
Christian. La Harpe vouches that all these
events were predicted. He is but one man to be

The Miracles of Modern Times. 59
sure and yet one whose reputation for integrity
and honor was always of the highest amongst his
contemporaries. Recently two eminent men have come forward
with evidence that will be, we are persuaded,
pronounced irrefragible. These two men are
Mr. W. T. Stead, the distinguished editor of the
London Review of Reviews and M. Camille
Flammarion, the world-renowned French as
tronomer. Mr. Stead publishes an account of a seance
which he, along with an interpreter, held with
the famous Parisian clairvoyante Mme. Mon-
gruel, on July 7th, 1900. It occurred to Mr.
Stead to test that clairvoyante's power by in
quiring as to the fate of the ambassadors at Pe
king, whose condition at that time was a sealed
mystery. Mme. Mongruel described their then
situation accurately, as subsequent reports re
vealed. But this might be ascribed to " Tele
pathie a Trois." However, she went on and de
scribed in detail the circumstances under which
the besieged ambassadors were to be delivered.
The known events of the following month con
firmed this description in every detail. Here
then was a case removed even from " Telepathie
a Trois " ; a clear case of veridical prevision,
hence of independent clairvoyance.
The evidence for independent clairvoyance ad
duced by M. Camille Flammarion is contained in
his recent book, "The Unknown"; (L'Inconnu)

60 The Miracles of Modern Times.
English translation published by Harper &
Brothers, 1900. (Be it observed in passing that
as a reference book for the evidence of telepathy
in its various forms, this work will be accorded
an equal rank with " Phantasms of the Living "
and "Apparitions and Thought Transference.")
However, we shall confine our citations from
this book to cases of independent clairvoyance.
Many of those ascribed by the author to " dis
tant sight " are properly ascribable to telepathy ;
but a few are not. On the other hand a few
ascribed by the author to veridical prevision,
(premonitory dreams) are ascribable to telepathy.
The majority of the latter, as any reader may
see, are clearly independent of finite mental
agency. Among the former (distant sight) are
several cases (which the reader may find in
chapter viii, pp. 377-422) of the perception in
dreams of distant localities hitherto unvisited and
unknown by the percipients, but afterwards vis
ited by them and seen to correspond in every de
tail to the contents of their previous dreams.
Of premonitory dreams involving veridical
prevision there is a goodly number cited in
chapter ix.
Space limits confine us to the quotation of a
single case ; viz., that of a theft described for the
"sitter" by a professional clairvoyante in the
trance state {telepathie a trois) and the execution
of the thief there and then foretold two years
before the even t. ( Veridical pr evasion independ-

The Miracles of Modern Times. 61
ent of telepathy.) The case is related from
pages 468 to 472. On the supernormal descrip
tion of thief and theft we need not dwell, for the
thief was a servant in the sitter's (Lady A's)
household, who, as we may assume, committed
along with his deed the psychically commonplace
act of telepathing his transaction to the "sub
liminal " of Lady A ; and the clairvoyante read
the thief's telepathic message from Lady A's
" subliminal." But telepathy is transcended when
the clairvoyante announces that " two years later
the criminal would suffer capital punishment."
" Two years after the event described, Lady A
received a summons from the Tribunal of the
Seine to appear in Paris as a witness. The
person who committed the robbery in her house
had been found. He had just been taken into
custody. Le Petit (by which name the culprit
had been known while in Lady A's employ)
gifted with so many excellent qualities, was no
other than Marchandon, the murderer of Madame
Cornet. As is well known, he suffered capital
punishment, as the clairvoyante in Rue Notre-
Dame-de-Loratte had told us."
The investigator of this case appends the fol
lowing " Remark " :
"This case of clairvoyance is absolutely ex
traordinary. We have seen Lady A, who
confirmed the accuracy of the preceding re
cital. . . . (Signed) "Daeieux."

62 The Miracles of Modern Times.
In summing up the evidence for veridical pre
vision and distant sight in his concluding chap
ter, M. Flammarion writes :
" A young girl sees beforehand, in a dream, the
man whom she will marry (p. 427). ... A
magistrate sees three years in advance the com
mission of a crime down to the smallest details
(p. 429). Several persons report that they have
seen towns and landscapes before they have ever
visited them, and have seen themselves in situa
tions in which they found themselves long after
(p. 436-445). A mother hears her daughter an
nounce her intended marriage six months before
it has been thought of (p. 449). Frequent cases
of death are (fore) told with precision. A theft
is seen by a somnambulist, etc."
" My readers," adds the author, (p. 435) " will
have been able to judge and appreciate in this
volume . . . forty-nine examples of sight at
a distance in dreams and somnambulism ; seventy-
four premonitory dreams and predictions of the
future." When M. Flammarion's book has been di
gested, doubts as to the sufficiency of evidence
for independent clairvoyance wiU, we surmise, be
set at rest. Class V.
Telekinesis.
This phenomenon is commonly defined as the
moving of ponderable objects without physical

The Miracles of Modern Times. 63
contact. For reasons which will be apparent
further on, we prefer to define telekinesis as the
act of producing mechanical motion upon or
within material substances by mental agency.
Many who admit telepathy stumble at telekin
esis. There is certainly something uncanny
about an object being moved without physical
contact. We are at once suspicious of trickery.
We look around for hidden strings. When Sir
Wflliam Crookes, at one of D. D. Home's seances,
saw a smaU table suddenly glide across the
room, he said nothing ; but just before the open
ing of the next seance he moved that table to
another position and satisfied himself about the
suspected strings. Nevertheless the table re
peated its performance.
And slate-writing ! " Paugh ! " we are in
clined to exclaim at the very mention of the sub
ject, as we recall the numerous mechanical tricks
connected with this performance. Has not Wm.
E. Robinson, assistant to the late Hermann,
thoroughly exposed the fraudulency of this
" game " in his book " Spirit Slate- Writing and
Kindred Phenomena"? Yes, when the "me
dium " is upon his own ground, say upon a stage,
or within a specially prepared apartment, there
may be no end to the hidden strings, prepared
slates, electrical apparatus, etc., of which he may
make use. Suppose, however, you buy your own
slate, and do not permit it to come within the
medium's touch, and then obtain a message upon

64 The Miracles of Modern Times.
it? Is the phenomenon in that case physical or
superphysical, kinetic or telekinetic ?
Says Dr. Hudson, in his " Divine Pedigree of
Man," (pages 370, 371) : " I am aware that I shall
run counter to the prejudices of some and trans
cend the sphere of observation of many, when I
say that this (telekinesis) is the power exercised
by so-called 'spirit-mediums' when they cause
tables or other ponderous bodies to be levitated.
I can only say to the skeptical that I know
(italics his) the power to exist, having for more
than thirty years of my life pursued the investi
gation of so-called spiritistic phenomena, under
the strictest test conditions."
T. Flournoy, professor of psychology in the
University of Geneva, Switzerland, adds his tes
timony, as follows :
" The probability of the movement of objects
without contact has reached with me a degree
practically equivalent with certitude, thanks to
M. Richet, to whom I am indebted for my pres
ence at his house last year at several seances of
Eusapia Paladino, under conditions of control
which gave no room for doubt. . . . From
that moment I believed in telekinesis by con
straint of the perception, sensata et oculata certi-
tudine, to borrow the expression of Galileo, who
certainly did not mean by that an unreflecting
adhesion to the evidences of the senses, like that
of the casual onlooker at the tricks of the presti
digitator, but rather the final crowning of an

r/ie Miracles of Modern Times. 65
evidence having for its rational framework the
reasoned analysis of the conditions of observa
tion, and of the concrete circumstances surround
ing the production of the phenomenon." — (" From
India to the Planet Mars," p. 380.)
Interesting testimony by the Rev. Minot J.
Savage, D. D., to the levitation of an accordion
by an invisible force may be found in his book,
" Life Beyond Death," pp. 303, 304.
Those who are familiar with the history of
modern psychic phenomena would not be willing
to pass over certain other reliable evidences of
telekinesis established before the founding of the
Society for Psychical Research.
Among these stands the famous report of the
London Dialectical Society completed early in
the "seventies." This report is, we believe, still
in print ; and we need only say that those who
drew it up conducted their investigations impar
tially and under the strictest test conditions that
skeptics could devise. While some of the sub
committees obtained negative results, and some
only slight ones, others obtained levitations, etc.,
of an indisputably telekinetic character. To
mention just one, — the most remarkable — the
levitation of a heavy table was obtained while
the medium and some of the members of the
sub-committee in full light were kneeling upon
chairs placed with backs to the table, they them
selves facing table and holding their hands sev.
eral inches above its surface. At the same time

66 The Miracles of Modern Times.
two other members were lying upon the floor
closely watching the feet, legs and lower portion
of the table for any possible fraud.
Undoubtedly the most convincing demonstra
tions of telekinesis ever conducted are those
which are described in the Quarterly Journal of
Science (London) by that peerless scientist. Sir
William Crookes, F. R. S. Mr. Crookes' inves
tigations here referred to extended from 1870 to
1874 ; and while first published at various inter
vals in the above named magazine, were subse
quently embodied in a book entitled " Researches
in the Phenomena of Spiritualism." The value
of these investigations is enormous in view of the
scientific prominence of the investigator, the
elaborate mechanical apparatus which he devised
and the strict tests which he employed to elim
inate all possible sources of error.
The confidence which the scientific world felt
in Mr. Crookes, when it was announced that he
was about to investigate the so-called phenomena
of spiritualism, is referred to by Mr. Crookes
himself under the compulsion of defense against
the calumniations of materialistic dogmatists
after his results were found to militate against
materialism. " When I first stated," writes Mr. Crookes, '
" in this journal that I was about to investigate
the phenomena of so-called spiritualism, the an
nouncement called forth universal expressions of
^ Quarterly Journal of Science, Oct. 1, 1871.

The Miracles of Modern Times. 67
approval. One said that my 'statements de
served respectful consideration'; another ex
pressed profound satisfaction that ' the subject
was about to be investigated by a man so thor
oughly qualified as,' etc. ; a third was 'gratified
to learn that the matter is now receiving the at
tention of cool and clear-headed men, of recog
nized position in science ' ; a fourth asserted that
' no one could doubt Mr. Crookes' ability to con
duct the investigation with rigid philosophical
impartiality ' ; and a fifth was good enough to
tell his readers that 'if men like Mr. Crookes
grapple with the subject, taking nothing for
granted until it is proved, we shall soon know
how much to believe.'
" These remarks," observes Mr. Crookes, " were
written too hastily. It was taken for granted
by the writers that the results of my experi
ments would be in accordance with their pre
conceptions. What they really desired was not
the truth, ^ but an additional witness in favor of
their own foregone conclusion. When they
found that the facts which that investigation es
tablished could not be made to fit those opinions,
why — ' so much the worse for the facts.' "
And what were the facts ?
The following general statement by Mr.
Crookes will serve to introduce us to them :^
" That certain physical phenomena, such as the
movement of material substances, and the pro-
1 Italics are Mr. Crookes'. ^ Eesearches, etc., p. 3.

68 The Miracles of Modern Times.
duction of sounds resembling electric discharges,
occur under circumstances in which they cannot
be explained by any physical law at present
known, is a fact of which I am as certain as I
am of the most elementary fact in chemistry.
My whole scientific education has been one long
lesson in exactness of observation, and I wish it
to be distinctly understood that this firm convic
tion is the result of most careful investigation."
The following are the classes of phenomena
observed by Mr. Crookes, nearly all of which are
telekinetic. The report of them, be it said, was
written for the Quarterly Journal for January,
1874, and they cover the experiments of the
years 1870-73. They do not include the phe
nomenon of psycho-chemicalization cited in our
next section from Mr. Crookes' report to the
London S. P. R. (Part XY) covering later exper
iments. Mr. Crookes prefaces his classification by say
ing :
" My readers will remark that, with the ex
ception of cases specially mentioned, the occur
rences have taken place in my own house, in the
light, and with only private friends present'^ \)&-
sides the medium."
I. The movement of heavy bodies with contact,
but without mechanical exertion.
In connection with this class, there is recorded
^ Italics, Mr. Crookes'.

The Miracles of Modern Times. 69
this observation : " These movements (and in
deed I may say the same of every kind of phe
nomena) are generally preceded by a peculiar
cold air, sometimes amounting to a decided wind.
I have had sheets of paper blown about by it,
and a thermometer lowered several degrees. On
some occasions, which I will subsequently give
more in detail, I have not detected any actual
movement in the air, but the cold has been so in
tense that I could only compare it to that felt
when the hand has been within a few inches of
frozen mercury."
II. The Phenomena of Percussion and Other
Allied Sounds.
" Actual contact " (of the medium with the ob
ject) observes Mr. Crookes, " is not always neces
sary ; I have had these sounds proceeding from
the floor, walls, etc., when the medium's hands
and feet were held — when she was standing on a
chair — when she was suspended in a swing from
the ceiling — when she was enclosed in a wire
cage — and when she had fallen fainting on a
sofa." ///. The Alteration of Weight of Bodies.
Description of Test Ajyparatus : ' " It con
sisted of a mahogany board thirty inches long by
'Equally interesting and scien+ifio are the various automatic
devices employed by Professor Hare of the University of Penn
sylvania many years before Mr. Crookes' investigations. See
Dr. Hare's "Spiritualism Scientifically Demonstrated."

TO The Miracles of Modern Times.
nine and one-half inches wide and one inch thick.
At each end a strip of mahogany one and one-
half inches wide was screwed on, forming feet.
One end of the board rested on a firm table,
whilst the other end was supported by a spring
balance hanging from a substantial tripod stand.
The balance was fitted with a self-registering in
dex in such a manner that it would record the
maximum weight indicated by the pointer. The
apparatus was adjusted so that the mahogany
board was horizontal, its foot resting flat on the
support. In this position its weight was three
pounds, as marked by the pointer of the balance."
Experiments. "Mr. Home (the medium)
placed the tips of his fingers lightly on the ex
treme end of the mahogany board which was
resting on the support, while Dr. A. B. and my
self sat, one on each side of it, watching for any
effect which might be produced. Almost imme
diately the pointer of the balance was seen to
descend. After a few seconds it rose again.
This movement was repeated several times, as if
by successive waves of the psychic force. The
end of the board was observed to oscillate slowly
up and down during the experiment."
Alterations of weight varying from six and
one-half to nine pounds were automatically reg
istered. Similar experiments are recorded in Sir
William Crookes' report to the S. P. R. in Part
XY of the "proceedings."

The Miracles of Modern Times. 71
IV. Movements of Heavy Substances when at
a Distomce from the Medium.
Among other notes stands this : " On three
successive evenings a small table moved slowly
across the room, under conditions which I had
specially prearranged, so as to answer any ob
jection which might be raised to the evidence."
V. The Rising of Tables and Chairs off the
Ground, without Contact with any Person.
"On five separate occasions a heavy dining-
table rose between a few inches and one and one-
half feet off the floor, under special circumstances
which rendered trickery impossible. On another
occasion, a heavy table rose from the floor, in
full light, while I was holding the medium's
hands and feet. On another occasion the table
rose from the floor, not only when no person was
touching it, but under conditions which I had
prearranged so as to secure unquestionable
proof of the fact."
VI. The levitation of Human Beings.
" The most striking cases of levitation which I
have witnessed have been with Mr. Home. On
three separate occasions have I seen him raised
completely from the floor of the room. Once
sitting in an easy chair, once kneeling on his
chair, and once standing up. On each occasion
I had full opportunity of watching the occurrence
as it was taking place."

72 The Miracles of Modern Times.
VII. Movement of Various Small Articles
withoiit Contact with any Person.
Mr. Crookes mentions an accordion floating
about the room playing a tune ; the waving of
window curtains and pulling up of Yenetian
blinds eight feet from the medium's person ; the
occult tying of a knot in a handkerchief in a far
corner of the room from the medium's person,
the sounding of notes on a distant piano, a card
plate floating about the room, etc., etc.
VIII. Luminous Appearances.
"Under the strictest test conditions, I have
seen a solid self-luminous body, the size and
nearly the shape of a turkey's egg, float noise
lessly about the room," etc. " During this time
the medium was lying back, apparently insensible,
in an easy chair."
IX. The Appearance of Hands, either Self-
Luminous, or Visible by Ordinary Light.
One of these hands Mr. Crookes grasped, when
it "gradually seemed to resolve itself into
vapor, and faded in that manner from my
grasp." X. Direct Writing.
A case is related of a luminous hand which
" came down from the upper part of the room,
and after hovering near me for a few seconds,
took the pencil from my hand, rapidly wrote on

The Mii-acles of Modern Times. 73
a sheet of paper, threw the pencil down, and
then rose up over our heads, gradually fading
into darkness."
XI. Phantom Forms and Faces.
" A phantom form came from a corner of the
room, took an accordion in its hand, and then
glided about the room playing the instrument.
The form was visible to all present for many
minutes, Mr. Home also being seen at the same
time." XII. Special Instances which seem to point to
the Agency of an Exterior Intelligence.
These are cases of veridical answers given by
raps, planchettes, etc.
XIII. Miscellaneous Occurrences of a Com
plex Character, e. g., the passage of a hand-bell
from one room to another, apparently through
the solid walls or closed door.
XIV. The Materialization ' of the Psychic
Form " Katie King" through the inediumship of
Florence Cook.
(The above caption is ours, not Sir William
Crookes'.) This materialized " Psychic Form "
manifested itself to Mr. Crookes and others at
1 On materializing phenomena we would commend Col.
H. S. Olcott's " People From the Other World," and article in
"Suggestive Therapeutics" (Chicago) Dec. 1900, "The
mediumship of ' Farmer Eiley.' "

74 The Miracles of Modern Times.
many seances through Florence Cook's medium-
ship. The form was to all appearances a live,
charming, flesh-and-blood woman who permitted
Mr. Crookes to hold her in his arms, register her
pulse, listen to the heart-throbs and take about
forty-five photographs of her, as well as to cut
off and retain a lock of her hair. On several oc
casions Mr. Crookes saw this form (who called
herself " Katie King " and conversed very
volubly) — saw her and the medium at the same
time. On the occasion of her last materialization,
Mr. Crookes and another witness within the cabi
net minutely surveyed both " Katie " and Miss
Cook by the aid of a phosphorus lamp. (Re
searches, etc., pages 102-112.)
General Note. On p. 93 of his " Researches "
Mr. Crookes discusses theories to account for the
phenomena and gives in his advocacy to that
which he calls " Psychic Force," a name sug
gested to him by one of his fellow-investigators,
Mr. Serjeant Cox. " It is obvious," he writes,
" that a ' medium ' possesses a something which is
not possessed by an ordinary being. Give this
something a name. Call it 'X' if you like. Mr.
Serjeant Cox calls it psychic force."
Class VI.
Psycho-Chemicalization.
By this we denote the production by psychic
agency of chemical changes in matter.
The term, we are aware, is a new label. It

The Miracles of Modern Times. 75
does not, however, represent a new phenomenon,
as we shall hope to show.
Psycho-chemicalization seems to be manifested
in many cases of psychic healing.
There are, as all know, certain diseases which
are due to the presence of chemical substances in
the system resulting from imperfect metabolisms.
Any process which would neutralize these sub
stances would necessarily be a process of counter-
chemicalization. Psychic force has been known
to neutralize such substances ; hence we have
Psycho-ch.Qva.ic2li7.dA,ion. Physical health is always dependent upon the
proper proportion of chemical substances manu
factured by the nuclei of the tissue-cells. Certain
toxic or poisonous substances are constantly accu
mulating within the bodily system. Health de
pends upon the regular elimination of these leu-
comains, toxins and toxalbumins. If their elimina
tion bechecked, aU sorts of deleterious results are
likely to ensue. For example, rheumatism is sup
posed to be due to the accumulation of an acid —
some authorities say uric acid, (an imperfectly oxi
dized proteid), and others lactic acid. This acid,
uneliminated, neutralizes the alkalies, forming
sodium biurate, or lactate, a highly irritating sub
stance in the system. The result is a precipita
tion at the joints and other parts of a sort of
brick-dust substance which produces the stiffness,
lameness and excruciating pain characteristic of
this disease. The medical treatment of rheuma-

76 The Miracles of Modern Times.
tism consists mostly of doses of alkaline medi
cines. The effect of this medicine is to reenforce
the depleted alkalinity in the blood. Here then
we have a case of chemicalization hy physical
agency. But rheumatism has been found to
yield very readily to psycho-therapeutic treat
ment. What happens in that case ? The nuclei
are stimulated to resume their normality in the
complete oxidation of the proteids, urea resulting
instead of uric acid. Here we have an illustra
tion of psycho-chemicalization ; that is of chemic
alization in the body due to mental agency,
whereby the alkalinity of the blood is maintained
at a normal state.
That chemicalization (whether psychic or
physical) is a fact we are able to prove by other
methods. For example, in diphtheria the
system is poisoned by a substance called a toxine,
which is the result of an infection produced by
invasion of the bacillus diphtheria. Experience
has proved that this toxine can be neutralized
within the body (and also in isolation within a
" culture ") by an anti-toxin called anti-diphthe
ritic serum.
A perfect demonstration of this chemicaliza
tion is shown by what is known as the Widal
reaction. If a drop of blood from a person with
typhoid fever of a week's duration or more is
mixed with a few drops of a pure culture of
Bacillus Typhosus, we observe by aid of the
microscope that in fifteen to thirty minutes the

The Miracles of Modern Times. 77
motility of these germs ceases, and the germs
themselves form small clusters known as " clump
ing." This reaction does not take place when
blood from persons suffering from other diseases
is used.
In pneumonia the principle of neutralization is
the same. We have seen a patient's temperature
fall in one hour from 103° F. to 100° F. after
an injection of the a/nti-pneumococcus serum.
The same principle of chemical neutraliza
tion, or chemicalization, is demonstrated in
tetanus, bubonic plague, and several other dis
eases. Again, in most of the acute infectious diseases
the injection of a toxin greatly attenuated will
cause the system (whether of a human being or
of an animal) to manufacture for itself an anti
toxin which will render person or animal, (as the
case may be) immune to that disease. This is
most conspicuously illustrated in the cases of
rabies and smallpox.
We are indebted to Mr. Leroy Berrier, of
Minneapolis, for bringing to our attention in his
book, " Cultivation of Personal Magnetism," the
following quotation from Professor Elmer Gates,
which most beautifully illustrates psycho-chemic
alization :
"In 1876," Mr. Gates writes, "I published a
report of experiments showing that when the
breath of a patient was passed through a tube
cooled with ice, so as to condense the volatile

78 The Miracles of Modern Times.
qualities of the respiration, the iodide of
rhodopsin mingled with these condensed prod
ucts produced no observable precipitate. But
within five minutes after the patient became
angry there appeared a brownish precipitate,
which indicates the presence of a cherroical com
pound produced by emotion. This compound ex
tracted and administered to men and animals,
caused stimulation and excitement. Extreme
sorrow . . . produced a gray precipitate;
remorse, a pink precipitate, etc. My experi
ments show that irascible, malevolent and de
pressing emotions . . . generate in the sys
tem injurious compounds, some of which are ex
tremely poisonous; also that agreeable, happy
emotions generate chemical compounds of nu
tritious value, which stimulate the cells to
manufacture energy."
Thus the psychic production of chemicalization
in the matter composing the human body stands
established; not that we depend upon the ex
periments above cited to pronounce our case
proved. The perversion of the natural secretions
by psychic causes has been known to physiolo
gists for many years. The following case is
cited in Carpenter's " Mental Physiology "
(p. 679) as a " classic " :
A wife and mother who saw her husband
about to be killed by a soldier rushed between
the two to save her spouse. Shortly afterwards
she nursed her baby who had never before been

The Miracles of Modern Times. 79
ill, with the result that the little one soon left off
nursing, became restless, panted and sank dead
upon its mother's bosom.
Dr. Carpenter cites several similar cases.
Psycho-chemicalization has been produced also
upon inorganic matter. This is vouched for by
no less an authority than Sir William Crookes.
It is a phenomenon of which he was an eye
witness, as he tells us in his report of his seances
with D. D. Home, in Part XY of the S. P. R.
Proceedings. Mr. Home borrowed a cambric
handkerchief from one of the members of the
"circle," and taking a burning coal from the
grate, wrapped it up in the handkerchief. He
then blew upon the coal until it became white-
hot. The result was, as Sir William Crookes
reports, "a small hole about half an inch in
diameter was burned in the centre, and there
were two small points near it, but it was not
even singed anywhere else. I took the handker
chief away with me," — Sir William continues, —
" and on testing it in my laboratory found that it
had not undergone the slightest chemical prep
aration which could have rendered it fire-proof."
In other words, the chemicalization was psychic
and not physical.
In D. D. Home's book, "Incidents in My
Life," this " fire-test " is recorded as one of his
oft-repeated phenomena before many reliable
witnesses. We have selected Mr. Crookes' ac
count out of the many that might be cited in

80 The Miracles of Modern Times.
deference to the reasonable demand for high
scientific authority.'
Again, Col. H. S. Olcott in his book, " People
From the Other World," reports (pp. 289-90)=-
that in his presence the medium William Eddy^
of Chittenden, Yermont, drew a dipperful of
water from a horse-trough on the homestead
premises, and poured it upon a chip-fire that was
burning near by. The effect produced was the
same as though so much kerosene had been
poured on the chips. The fire leaped into
vigorous flames.
As a further manifestation of psycho-chemic
alization we place in evidence the phenomenon
of Materialization, of which w^e have spoken in
Class Y of this chapter, as observed by Sir Wil
liam Crookes, concerning which also Ave shall
speak in our next chapter as an occurrence wit
nessed many times by ourselves.
Whence come the flesh, bones and blood of
these materialized forms ? Whence comes the
material fabric of their garments, drapery, etc. ?
'In the November (1901) issue of the CosmopoMfara appears
an article entitled " A Curious Religious Eite, " by Earnestine
Coughran. The writer graphically describes how the Hawaiian
priest or sorcerer. Papa Ita, in the presence of a large audience
walked barefooted over a pile of shimmering hot lava stones
with absolute immunity. The stones had been artificially
heated to an intensity perceptible thirty feet from the pile.
Papa Ita repeated his performance four times. Not only was
anaesthesia perfect, but no evidences of blistering were apparent.
2 Edition of 1875.

The Miracles of Modern Times. 81
Whence came the water which dripped from the
garments and person of the form which we saw
and touched— H we may anticipate the phenome
non of which we shall give an account on page
113 ? Whence come all these material appurte
nances, both organic and inorganic? We can
but answer that they are produced by psycho-
chemicalization, a term which stands for certain
chemical laws and processes known only to the
Creator and to favored ones whose habitation
lies on the other side of the Yeil.

Such are the well-attested superphysical phe
nomena of modern times : — subliminal memory
and intuition, telepathy of various sorts, inde
pendent clairvoyance, telekinesis or psychic
levitation, and psycho-chemicalization as mani
fested in certain phases of psychic healing and
in materializing phenomena. Their attestation
rests upon the highest kind of scientific testi
mony. The great scientists who have investi
gated them with candor have cheerfully acknowl
edged them. They stand no longer as beggars
for official recognition ; for their fight to secure
" good standing " has been won. The time has
passed when he who values his reputation can say
" superphysical phenomena do not happen."

CHAPTER IIL
WE SPEAK THAT WE DO KNOW.
Superphysical phenomena coming under the personal obser
vation of the authors : psychography, precipitated paint
ings, and materialization.
§ 1. Undee this caption we propose to offer
our readers our own personal experience, direct
and indirect, with superphysical phenomena. Of
course this experience of ours forms but a drop
in an ocean of testimony ; yet we have thought
best to place it in evidence for the reason that it
comes to the reader only at second-hand ; and for
the further reason that our public may know
that our convictions are based on sight-evidence.
In referring to our experiences we shall speak
of ourselves by name as though we had called in
a third party to act in this chapter as editor.
§ 2. Dr. Allen has had twenty-four years'
acquaintance on various occasions with super-
physical phenomena. He has been a witness of so-
called spirit slate-writing, of materializations and
telekinetic levitations.
On one occasion, in February, 1889, at Buffalo,
he held a private sitting with the famous medium,
Slade. He sat in the capacity of an investigator,
alert for any tricks or charlatanry that the me
ss

We Speak That We Bo Know. 83
dium might try to impose; knowing well that
even the most genuinely proficient mediums do
sometimes resort to trickery when psychic con
ditions happen to be unfavorable ; — a fact by the
way, which Dr. T. J. Hudson and Dr. Paul
Gibier have noted and explained in their re
spective works, " The Law of Psychic Phenom
ena," ^ and " Psychism." ^ Moreover, Mr. Slade
had been detected in trickery by the Seybert
Commission investigators.
In order to eliminate trickery. Dr. Allen
brought to the seance a schoolboy's folding slate,
which he himself had purchased, together with a
crayon. The seance room was brightly illumi
nated by the morning sunshine, and plainly
furnished, being devoid of all cabinets and
mechanical contrivances. At Mr. Slade's di
rection. Dr. Allen examined his slates, washed
them clean, and held them banded together upon
his left arm, grasping them by the end nearest
to his person with his right hand. He had
previously inserted between the slates a small bit
of crayon, and he had taken care that they had
not come into Mr. Slade's hands.
The latter asked Dr. Allen from whom he
desired a message. Dr. Allen named his father,
who had died some ten months previously.
The medium then placed the tips of his left
fingers upon the doctor's left finger-tips, and with
his right hand touched the slates at the end
ip. 211. ^Pp. 164, 165.

84 We Speak That We Do Enow.
opposite to that by which the doctor's right hand
was grasping them. By craning his neck slightly,
the doctor was able to keep in full and close
view the procedure at the end of the slates grasped
by Mr. Slade.
" Scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch," are the
words with which Dr. Allen describes the
phenomenon that ensued. After a moment or
two of this scratching between the slates, the
doctor, at the medium's bidding, opened and
found upon one of the slates, a message in a fair
hand, counseling virtue in general terms, and
signed, " Your Father."
The message, of course, being in perfectly
general terms, afforded no proof of the identity
of the supposed communicator. But the manner
of its writing, under the conditions described,
manifested plainly a telekinetic phenomenon.
Dr. Allen also reports a number of similar
slate-writing seances, held under practically
similar conditions, at Peoria, III., at which he
was present. The seance room was filled with
doctors, lawyers and prominent citizens, each one
on the alert to detect fraud, but no fraud was
discovered. § 3. The following is a report of a private
seance held by Dr. Allen and Mr. Duff with the
Campbell brothers, at Buffalo, February 7, 1900.
This report is a reproduction of Mr. Duff's notes
of the seance, which were written within an hour
after the close of the sitting :

We Speak That We Do Enow. 85
"A private 'sitting' was arranged with the
Campbell brothers, at their Buffalo apart
ments. The date was February 7, 1900 ; ' Sit
ters,' Dr. Thomas G. AUen and myself; 'Me
dium,' the younger of the brothers ; time of day,
noon ; dimensions of room, about 10x10 feet ;
furniture, chairs and a plain, ordinary dining-
table, which I inspected carefully with 'Medium's '
kind permission. The room, I may say, was per
fectly light. I produced a schoolboy's folding-
slate, cloth-lined around edges, and screwed to
gether at my own home. I sat for manifestations
of slate-writing, but nothing came. The medium
then suggested that possibly the slates were not
opaque to light, owing to the cloth binding. I
then called in Dr. Allen, who had been waiting
in the reception-room, and between us we ripped
the cloth off the slates, removed the screw and
substituted rubber bands, which the medium
furnished. We, however, kept the slates all the
time in our own hands. On inspection I found
that I could still see light through the slates, and
suggested that they be wrapped in heavy cloth
and then held by one of the sitters. The medium
improved upon my suggestion by substituting a
typewriter box, dimensions about 24x12x10
inches. Dr. Allen and I closely inspected the
interior and found it perfectly conventional. At
the medium's direction I laid the slates, fastened
together by the rubber bands, in the box, and
placed upon them a small glass pot containing

86 We Speak That We Do Enow.
mixed paints, said pot being closed. Dr. Allen
closed the box and at the medium's direction
placed both hands upon the top of the box, I
doing the same. The medium sat at the opposite
end of the table, about four feet distant. ' Now,
gentlemen,' said he, ' I want you to get these
manifestations yourselves. I shall not assist.'
For some minutes we sat in silence, save for the
strains of a music-box in the next room. At
length the medium announced that a lady
guardian of Dr. Allen's whose name seemed to
be Yiolet,' was present, with the promise of a
manifestation. ' Open ! ' said the medium. Dr.
Allen and I obeyed, but the slates were blank.
' Take the cover from the paint pot,' said the
medium. I did so. 'Now close the box.' We
obeyed, after having again strapped together the
slates. Again silence for a space, when the
medium announced that a manifestation would
be given in three minutes' time. Now, during
those three minutes what passed through my
mind was this : ' I want a manifestation of
telekinesis.' At the end of the three minutes the
medium bade us open. We opened, first the
box. Nothing was disturbed. Pot and pot-
cover were in place. Then we opened the slates.
Near the corner of the under slate was (and still
is) a little spray of flowers, a cross, so to speak,
between violets andpansies."
' Dr. Allen disclaims acquaintance with any such person.

We Speak That We Do Enow. 87
§ 4. At a private sitting with the same
mediums, held by Mr. and Mrs. Duff, on No
vember 15, 1900, the details of which will be
given presently, Mr. Duff's attention, just before
the seance began, was drawn by the younger
Mr. Campbell to the photograph of a young lady.
Mr. Campbell stated that it was photographed
from a precipitated oil portrait which had been ob
tained through the Campbell brothers' medium-
ship at Lily Dale, N. Y.,on July 26, 1900. The
sitter was W. S. Loomis, M. D., of Toledo, Ohio.
The portrait was a perfect likeness of Dr. Loomis'
deceased daughter, Inez. There was on the back
of the photograph a testimonial signed, " W. S.
Loomis, M. D." Mr. Campbell kindly gave Mr.
Duff Dr. Loomis' Toledo address. Mr. Duff
wrote to Dr. Loomis for the kindness of an
attestation, and received the following reply :
"Toledo, Nov. 20th, 1900.
" Bev. Edward M. Duff,
" Dbae Sib and Beothbe :
"Yours of the 15th inst. at hand and noted. The
portrait of which you saw the photograph was precipitated
through the mediumship of the Campbell brothers at Lily Dale,
N. Y., on the 26th day of July, between the hours of 3 aoid 4
p. M. The Campbell brothers never saw the child. I had no
photo with me ; not a thread of a garment she ever wore. We
were permitted to see the portrait uuder three different stages
of development.
"The room in which the work was done faced the west;
the time being 3 p. m. ; the sky clear; the shade over the vrln-
dows being only partially drawn. You see the room was per
fectly lighted. No attempt was made to conceal anything.

88 We Speak That We Do Enow.
The portrait is said by artists to be one of the finest produc
tions they ever have seen, I am positive no material hand
had anything to do with the production of the portrait.
' ' Yours truly,
"W. S. Loomis, M. D.
"511 Main St.
"P. S.— 1 will add the portrait is a perfect likeness of the
child. We have a cast of the face and the outlines are perfect
when compared. Anything else you wish to know regarding
it, 1 will be pleased to answer. "Yours truly, "W. S. Loomis."
§ 5. We shall now offer a report of the seance
at which the above described photograph was
seen. Our report is condensed from copious and
detailed notes taken by Mrs. E. M. Duff.
Date, Nov. 15, 1900.
At request of elder Campbell brother, Mrs.
Duff wrote upon each of two slips of paper the
name of a departed spirit from whom she desired
a communication. One slip bore the inscrip
tion " My brother A  " ; the other " J 
S  ." This writing was done as she sat
alone in the reception-room, Mr. C. having re
tired. The writer used as her desk the page of
a book opened at random and closed as soon as
writing was completed. The slips were placed
together and folded twice.
Mr. C. returned and requested sitter to hold
slips clasped between palms. This she did for
about ten minutes.
Still holding them, she Avas escorted to seance
room proper, where the younger Mr. Campbell

We Speak That We Do Enow. 89
assumed charge. Sitter cleansed, rubbed and
inspected four slates handed to her by Mr. C.
Also inspected two porcelain tablets. The slips
of paper meanwhile lay folded, as described
above, beside sitter's handkerchief on edge of
table nearest to her. Mr. C. sat upon opposite
side, nearly four feet away.
Mr. C. then selected an envelope, took up
folded papers between thumb and forefinger,
and, not stopping for an instant to look at them,
dropped them within envelope and sealed
latter. The authors before opening envelope after the
seance found by tests that it was opaque ; found
on removing slips that they were opaque as
folded ; found also, on enquiring of sitter, that
they were the same as those upon which she had
written the two names.
Mr. C. immediately placed sealed envelope,
together with one of the porcelain tablets,
between two of the cleansed and inspected
slates ; — (Packet A) and banded them together.
Another Packet — "B" — was formed in like
manner, ?ninus, of course, the envelope.
From this time until the opening of the pack
ets neither one of them came into the medium's
possession. The sitters — Mr. Duff had been called in to
join his wife — held packets between them ; a
small vessel containing mixed oil-paints resting
upon packets. Packet B was opened after a

90 We Speak That We Do Enow.
while and found blank. At medium's request
Mrs. Duff wrote her name on outer wooden
margin of packet A, as a mark of identification.
At length this packet was at medium's request
carried by Mrs. Duff into reception-room and
laid upon centre table. As we stood at this
table, the younger Mr. Campbell opened packet.
There lay the sealed envelope. Then our eyes
caught sight of writing on inner side of upper
slate. Next we lifted porcelain tablet and found
to our amazement an oil-painting of a full-blown
rose with clusters of stems and buds around it.
The inner side of under slate also contained
writing. The paint was still wet and odorous.
Daubs of paint in circular form corresponding
exactly to the circular base of the paint-vessel
were found upon outer side of each slate — a
further mark of identity.
The message written upon inner side of slate
upon whose outer wooden margin Mrs. Duff
had written her name, was signed " J  S  ;
per the guides." The message on the other
side was signed " A  , per the guides." Both
messages were of a general nature and afforded
no evidence as to personal identity.
Time occupied by seance, about two hours.
§6. On the evening of May 8, 1901, the
authors attended a materializing seance in New
York City given through the mediumship of
Mrs. Williams. The proceeding took place in a
small upper room, in the presence of a circle

We Speak That We Do Enow. 91
numbering twelve people, men and women. The
cabinet consisted of a space curtained off at the
north end of the room ; including within it an
open fireplace, — a regrettable circumstance, even
though, so far as we could judge, the chimney
aperture was too smaU to admit of the conceal
ment of a confederate. The authors sat near
the centre of a row of chairs within six feet of
the cabinet and up to the time when the gas was
turned off observed that the sole contents of the
cabinet consisted of a chair in which the medium
sat. As soon as the director had turned off the gas
burners he turned on a smaU green-glass lantern
that hung on the wall at the rear of the circle.
The subdued light of this lantern enabled us to
see distinctly all objects within the room and to
detect any movements made by members of the
circle. After a few hymns had been sung, a deep bass
male voice within the cabinet greeted the audi
ence announcing itself as " Mr. Cushman " one
of the spirit-guides. A child's voice from within
proclaimed in hoarse whispers that it was
" Bright Eyes," another spirit-guide.
Thereafter, punctuating the hymns sung by
the circle, white-clad forms began to appear, gen
erally one at a time, though once two forms ap
peared simultaneously. They varied in size from
large men to little children. One — that of a
woman — had a chaplet of phosphorescent light

92 We Speak That We Do Enow.
about her brow. On two or three occasions
members of the circle were called to the parted
curtains and recognized the apparitions standing
there as departed relatives. Many of these ap
paritions conversed in hoarse whispers.
Of the numerous manifestations, two only ap
peared to be conclusive tests of occult agency.
First, that of a female apparition who came forth
and walked around the room for a short time
arm in arm with one of the members of the
circle. Inasmuch, however, as this member of
the circle was personally unknown to us, we can
not of course attach to this test infallible evi
dential value.
The second test to which we refer seems to be
absolutely demonstrative of occult agency. It
was this : A small white cloud appeared in mid
air outside of and to the left of the cabinet. It
fioated rapidly up and down, and under a small
stand, for a few seconds and then suddenly as
sumed the form of a white-clad woman ; — all this
outside of the cabinet. It then walked or glided
forward for two or three feet ; then uttering lit
tle cries, as though of disappointment, it began
to collapse before our eyes, and continued shrink
ing until nothing remained but a small shroud
like mass upon the floor of the room. This
lingered for two or three seconds and then
melted away in the twinkling of an eve.
We shall be forced to estimate this as an oc
cult phenomenon until some one shall step for-

We Speak That We Do Enow. 93
ward and tell us how it can be done by mechan
ical devices in those particular surroundings.
At the close of the seance, after the gas burn
ers had been turned on, the circle was dismissed
without being permitted to draw aside the por
tieres and inspect the cabinet ; — another very re
grettable circumstance.
§ 7. On the morning of May 9, 1901, the
authors were privileged to sit for slate-writing
with the famous medium, Fred P. Evans, at his
seance-room in New York City.
The room was commodious, and well lighted
by two large windows. The authors sat on the
west side of a plain kitchen table opposite the
medium. The table was of the ordinary kitchen
variety, only devoid of any drawer.
Mr. Evans took three slates from a pile and
washed them with saliva, alleging for this two
reasons : first, that he might not be accused of
using chemicalized water; second, because the
saliva was a good magnetic conductor.
We inspected each of these slates carefully and
found them above all suspicion. Thenceforward
they were not touched by the medium.
Following medium's directions, we placed two
of these together (A and B) with little scraps of
slate-fihngs between. The third slate (C) was
placed upon our side of the table an inch or two
from A and B. Then for a few moments we
held first A and B and next C between our
hands, the medium touching our hands each time

94 We Speak That We Do Enow.
for a few seconds. Next we placed A and B
upon the table in front of us and laid our hands
upon the uppermost, — A.
At Mr. Evans' request we placed our ears upon
A and heard faint scratchings going on between
these slates.
The medium then produced a fourth slate (D)
which he salivated as before and handed to us
for inspection. Next he took a piece of white
chalk and wrote the name " Duff " upon one side
of slate D and "Allen" upon the other side.
This he did upon the table without removing the
slate therefrom. After a few moments the me
dium bade us take up the slates. Slate A was
blank. Upon B, C and D we found writing. B
contained a message of greeting signed " Spirit-
Guide John Gray." Upon D were three " mes
sages " : (1) a " message " in what appeared to be
colored chalk-crayons written diagonally in
twelve lines of the following colors : red, red,
drab, lavender, red, pink, yellow, purple, light
gray, red, yeUow. It was signed "Dadibah"
purporting to be "the Spirit-guide of the man
who is aiding you (Dr. Allen) in Bombay, Cal
cutta." (2) A " message " in slate-pencil signed
"Margaret Allen" to Dr. Allen. (3) One in
slate-pencil to Mr. Duff signed " Mary and James
Duff." Upon slate C was a farewell greeting
from " John Gray " closing the seance.
It is worthy of note that in the summer of
1900 Dr. Allen met and formed a pleasant ac-

We Speak That We Do Enow. 95
quaintance with the Pundit Lalana, who sailed
for Bombay, India, in September of that year ;
that Margaret is the name of Dr. Allen's de
ceased mother ; and that years ago there lived in
Northern New York a James Duff, great uncle
of Rev. E. M. Duff. " Mary Duff," however, is
the name of Rev. E. M. Duff's mother, the only
relative of that name ; and she at this writing is
still in the flesh. This fact looks like pretty con
clusive proof that the psychographic phenomena
in this seance can be charged up to telekinesis
with telepathy.
We may add that we noticed that the table-top
consisted of two boards screwed down. The
medium voluntarily, at the close of the seance
unscrewed these top boards and showed us a plain
table-surface beneath. These top boards, he said,
were especially magnetized and were carried by
him when he went on tours in order to save the
transportation of a table ; or the magnetizing of
new tables in every place visited.
Whence came the colored crayon lines, seeing
that no colored chalk was anywhere about ; at
least nowhere near the slate on which the colors
appeared ?
Mr. Evans answered that the colors were ab
stracted from the carpet on the floor of the room.
In that case however the substance could not
have been chalk. Yet a subsequent chemical
analysis unmistakably revealed the presence of
calcium. There was lying upon the north end of

96 We Speak That We Do Enow.
the table a piece of plain white chalk. Could the
body of the writing upon slate D have been ab
stracted from the substance of this chalk, and the
coloring matter supplied from the carpet dyes ?
Let him answer who can.
§ 8. On the evening of May 10, 1901, the
authors sat with Mrs. Chamberlain, materializing
medium, in her seance room in Brooklyn. The
circle consisted of the authors and two ladies.
The room was a conventional but well-appointed
back parlor on the first floor. Cabinet was
simply a bow window recess about ten feet
from the ground, separated from the rest of
the room by portidres. This so-called cabinet
we were allowed to inspect carefully im
mediately before and immediately after the
seance. At about 9:30 p. M. the gas-burners were
turned off and a purple-glass lantern on the wall
behind the sitters turned on, by the light of which
all objects in the room were plainly distinguish
able. The medium seated herself in front of the
closed portiere and remained there in plain view
of us all as long as the manifestations continued.
At her request we started a hymn in which she,
(the medium), joined. Before we had sung one
verse, the portiere was parted and out walked,
or rather glided, a white-clad form, — that of a
woman — who almost immediately dematerial-
ized before our eyes. She sank down to the
floor until there remained only a white disc-like

We Speak That We Do Know. 97
cloud which lingered for a second or two and
melted away.
Next there materialized outside of the por
tieres the form of a little girl, shrouded in white,
who inquired in a childish voice if any little
children were present. On being answered in
the negative, she dematerialized before us in the
manner described above.
Two other forms, — those of women, — likewise
materialized and dematerialized in quick suc
cession outside of the cabinet.
Then the medium retired within the cabinet.
After a few hymns had been sung, a male voice
from within announced that conditions were un
favorable ^ for further manifestations that night,
and much to our disappointment closed the
seance. The gas-burners were turned on, the
medium came forth, and the cabinet was again
closely inspected by us with the result that we
were satisfied of the honesty of the proceedings.
A friend has suggested that perhaps some con
federate let himself in through the windows
while the portieres were drawn. Possibly ; but
even so, how could that wily confederate have
produced materialization and dematerialization
in front of the cabinet six or seven feet from
where we were sitting, all objects in the room
being plainly distinguishable ? We would draw
special attention to the fact that out of the four
materializations which took place, three forms
' It was a rainy night closing a rainy day.

98 We Speak That We Do Enow.
were built up outside of the cabinet before our
eyes. § 9. The following are Dr. Allen's notes of a
second seance which he attended, given by the
same medium, on Sunday afternoon, May 12, 1901.
" I remained over Sunday in order to see the
manifestations of this remarkable medium a
second time. On this occasion I took with me
a skeptical friend, Mr. D  of New York
City. We arrived at the house, 297 McDonough
street, Brooklyn at 3:15 p. M. There were pres
ent in the circle about twenty-five people, men
and women, including one little girl. Before the
seance began my friend and I inspected the al
cove which formed the cabinet ; examining win
dow-fastenings, finding them locked, and every
thing else beyond suspicion.
" The seance began at about 3:40 p. m. The
medium, as at the seance described in the previ
ous section, sat just outside the drawn curtain.
The room was faintly lighted as before by the
lantern on the wall behind the circle. All ob
jects in the room were plainly visible. The
medium while seated outside the cabinet was
apparently in the normal state, and at times ad
dressed remarks to the circle.
" In a very few moments forms began to ap
pear, white-clad, as at the seance of May 10.
Of these the most remarkable was that of a little
girl eight or nine years old, who called herself
' Carrie.'

We Speak That We Do Enow. 99
" She parted the curtains and came forth.
' Carrie ' enquired whether any little girls were
present ; whereupon the child referred to above
stepped up to the form, and shook hands and
held conversation with her for a few moments.
Then this girl-form retired within the cabinet
and was seen no more.
" Several other forms appeared in the same
way. One of these was that of a good-sized man
clad in a dark suit and wearing whiskers. He
gave his name as the cabinet-control. Dr. Wise.
He dematerialized before us at the parted
curtain. "After this the medium retired within the
cabinet and apparently passed into the hypnotic
or trance state. In a short time thereafter
several forms, some men, others women, came
out, conversed with the members of the circle
who acknowledged them as relatives, some
times exchanging kisses with them ; and disap
peared between the curtain-folds in plain view of
the circle.
" Then the light in the lantern upon the rear
wall was turned up higher ; and so bright was it
that I could read my watch at a distance of four
teen inches from my eyes. To this I drew my
friend's attention.
" In this more distinct light the most remark
able manifestation was that of a colored woman
dressed in white. We could distinguish her
dark face and dark hands. She wore a white

100 We Speak That We Do Enow.
turban around her head. She presented herself
in full figure and talked in a negro dialect.
"Several other forms appeared, shook hands
with and sometimes kissed acknowledged friends
and relatives in the circle.
" One gentleman in the circle, — a German,—
went up to the shade of his wife, who stood at
the parted curtains, kissed her and conversed
with her in the German language, she responding
in the same.
" Dr. Wise the ' cabinet-control ' appeared,
shook hands with two or three in the circle, and
dematerialized before the curtain. He sank
down with such force that he uttered a deep
sigh as he fell or collapsed to the floor. We de
tected in the collapse a slight noise as if a sheet
or some light fabric had dropped.
" While the lantern-light was still bright the
medium suddenly parted the curtains and exposed
the interior of the cabinet or alcove to full view.
— It was perfectly empty, save for the medium.
— I had however a sort of dissolving view, just
as the curtain was parted, of the lower drapery
of a figure, which almost instantly vanished,
leaving the cabinet untenanted except by the
medium. A lady sitting next to me in the circle
immediately asked me in a whisper if I had seen
a form ; thus verifying my observation.
" Then this same form invisibly ' controlled '
the medium and through her enquired whether
any one had seen her (the form) as the curtains

We Speak That We Do Enow. 101
were parted. The lady replied in the affirma
tive ; to which the ' control ' responded that the
lady's vision must have been clairvoyant rather
than optical.
" From the moment that my fleeting vision of
this lower drapery had vanished, I observed by
the ample light that not only was the cabinet
empty but the outside window-blinds were
closed, and everything undisturbed.
" Once in the course of the manifestations
which followed the medium walked out into the
circle apparently under control, shook hands
with a lady and retired into the cabinet.
"Then the light in the lantern was turned
down very low. Many other forms appeared;
people in the circle going up to the cabinet,
shaking hands with, and kissing the apparitions.
Some of these apparitions spoke with strong and
distinct voices, while others were able only to
whisper. "Among these forms appeared a lady with
three or four five-pointed stars across her fore
head and five down the front. They were all
luminous. This form spoke to the company.
" At one time two forms appeared simultane
ously ; one at the centre of the parted curtains ;
the other at the right of the cabinet. The
former had luminous stars down the front ; the
other had none.
" One of the apparitions which manifested had
eleven of these luminous stars down the front ;

J 02 We Speak That We Do Enow.
others had stars— one or more — over the fore
head. " An apparition came to a lady in the circle
and announced himself as the Prophet Hosea.
" The most remarkable of the closing manifes
tations was that of a series of bright lights at
the top of the curtain resembling balls of fire
about the size of cherries. Some of these left
trails of light behind them not unlike the effect
of chain-lightning. One of these luminous balls
came out upon the carpet of the room and disap
peared within about eighteen inches of my feet.
A great many of these lights appeared.
" The voice of ' Dr. Wise ' announced that in
this manner the Indian spirit ' Bright Lights '
was accustomed to manifest himself.
" This phenomenon concluded the seance. The
medium then stepped forth from the cabinet;
whereupon my friend and I entered and in
spected everything, finding as before not the
slightest evidence of anything suspicious.
" The medium was kind and courteous enough
to invite me the next time I should visit New
York to sit with her in the cabinet during the
seance." Both the authors feel deeply indebted to this
medium, Mrs. Chamberlain, for the courtesy
which she extended to them, as well as pro
foundly appreciative of the frankness and hon
esty which she manifested from beginning to
end.

We Speak That We Do Enow. 103
§ 10. Our diary of personal experience with
psychic phenomena up to date ends with seances
held with the weU-known materializing medium,
Mrs. C. M. Sawyer, of Boston.
(a) Seance at private residence, 188 West
Huron Street, Buffalo, June 14, 1901.
Present in the circle about twenty people.
Room, an ordinary down-stairs parlor. Cabinet
stood at south end, a wooden structure of joined
boards which formed the sides and the ceiling,
having but one entrance, which faced the circle.
This structure was scrutinized, pounded and
sounded within and without and found above
suspicion. Before the seance began we secured
the medium as follows : We tied a strip of
cheese-cloth around her neck so tightly that it
could not be slipped over her head, and then
sewed up the knot. She then seated herself
within the cabinet, her head close to the front
partition. We passed the loose ends of the
cheese-cloth through two small holes in the par
tition, knotted them together upon the outside
of the partition and sewed up this knot also.
We saw that the cabinet was devoid of contents
save the chair upon which the medium was
seated. The lights in the room were then turned
out; but light was supplied from a purple
lantern in the northwest corner sufficient to
make visible all the members of the circle.
Under these conditions about twenty forms
materialized. Some of them were men, some

104 We Speak That We Do Enow.
women, some children. Some walked far out
into the room. Some dematerialized far from
the cabinet entrance ; others vanished at the en
trance. Some talked with great distinctness ;
others in hoarse whispers. Some were recog
nized, conversed with and kissed as relatives by
members of the circle. One of these was apparently
that of Sarah Meith personally known to one of us,
who had died about three weeks before. Her hus
band was present and conversed with her face to
face. He told us she gave him token of recogni
tion known only to himself. Among the forms
which came out was that of a very tall Indian
who shook hands with one of us, (Dr. Allen).
His mantle scintillated with points of light. His
grasp was fleshly and palpable. The cabinet-
control materialized and called one of us for
ward (Mr. Duff). We grasped his hand. It was
warm and palpable. He said in clear manly
tones, " God bless you my friend, I trust we shall
meet beyond when you take your last journey,"
whereupon he melted away before our eyes. He
stood, while we interviewed him, plainly before
us, a man with bearded face and attired in an
evening suit.
Little " Maud," another cabinet-control, asked
for and obtained Dr. Allen's handkerchief.
Thereupon a tall, graceful, female form glided
forth, took the handkerchief, and advanced to
within about two feet of where we were sitting.
So distinct was she that we could see the hair

We Speak That We Do Enow. 105
which rested gracefully upon her shoulders.
She began to stretch the handkerchief until she
transformed it into a gauzy bridal-veil which ex
tended from her shoulders to the knees. She
then detached the transparent, flimsy veil and
caused it to contract until it once more became
the original handkerchief. This she tossed back
to Dr. Allen and melted away.
When the lights were turned on we entered
the cabinet and found the medium seated where
we had left her, the knots and thread undis
turbed. But Mrs. Sawyer, not content with
these tests, announced, when she had been liber
ated, that members of the circle were now
privileged to sit in the cabinet with her.
Mr. Duff was the first to be thus favored. He
sat with his hands resting upon the medium's
head while her hands rested upon the sitter's
forearms. Thus any movement on Mrs. Sawyer's
part could have been detected. While we were
sitting thus we felt a hand patting us first upon the
arms, then upon the head. This hand then
wrote with a pencil upon a tablet which had
been placed across our knees, detached the paper
and placed it within the fingers of our right
hand. It then wrote upon our cuff. After that
it tossed the tablet out into the lighted room.
These were the chief phenomena of that even
ing. (b) Seance, same place, June 23, 1901.
Conditions, etc., same as before ^^¦ms this addi-

106 We Speak That We Do Know.
tion. Dr. Allen, at Mrs. Sawyer's request,
fastened a piece of court-plaster across her
mouth, thus precluding any movements of the
lips. This was done in answer to critics who had
accused Mrs. Sawyer of producing the voices of
Maud and Elon, the two controls, by ventrilo
quism. Thereupon she seated herself in the cab
inet, the light still burning in the room. Almost
immediately the two familiar voices of " Maud "
and " Elon," first one, then the other, spoke in
clear, resonant, diaphragmatic tones, without the
faintest shade of a muffled effect. After this
demonstration the court-plaster was removed by
Dr. Allen. It was dry and adhered so firmly
that it had to be moistened before it could be re
moved. The forms on this occasion were for the most
part indistinct and their voicies very faint. How
ever, " Sarah Meith" was recognized by her mother-
in-law, who manifested her emotion with tears
and sobs. " Maud " materialized very plainly and
spoke very distinctly.
One form materialized and dematerialized out
in the room. A remarkable phenomenon in the
course of the seance was the levitation of a pail
of chopped ice which had been placed within the
cabinet. It was carried by unseen agency around
the corner of the cabinet and set down with a
loud thud about six feet northeast of the en
trance to the cabinet, very near to where Dr.
Allen was sitting.

We Speak That We Do Enow. 107
The handkerchief-bridal-veil phenomenon was
repeated but the form was faint as compared
with its appearance on the evening of the
14th. After the lights had been turned on, and the
medium released from her cheese-cloth bands,
she again sat with some of the members of the
circle. During one of these sittings, a hand
materialized in full light at the parting of the
curtains. (c) Seance held in the evening of June 28,
1901, at the above residence and under the same
rigid test conditions and before an audience of
about fifteen.
Early in the evening the form of an Indian
chief materialized outside of and about six feet
from the cabinet. He stood by the side of a
lady, who said he was one of her spirit-guides.
The lady walked across the room with the Indian
whom she introduced to Dr. Allen ; the chief and
the doctor shaking hands. The whole act was
similar to shaking hands with a living person.
The chief also spoke a few words in the Indian
dialect. The form then backed away and melted
out of sight before reaching the cabinet.
A lady came and wove the spirit-veil, which
was about one yard wide and three or four yards
long. As she held this above her head and
allowed the veil to fall in folds about her white
and fine figure, it made a pretty picture.
Many other forms came out and walked at

108 We Speak That We Do Enow.
least eight feet from the cabinet strong and well-
developed. A fine form appeared at the door of the
cabinet dressed in an evening suit. In a strong,
well-articulated voice he called " Dr. Allen ! "
The doctor stepped to the cabinet door, standing
a little to one side so that those in the room
could also see. " Dr. Allen, I wish to introduce
myself to you ; I am Dr. Paul Gibier, late of the
Pasteur Institute of New York City." He shook
hands, and then grasped Dr. Allen's hand with
both of his. The grasp was strong, the feeling
slightly clammy but otherwise that of a perfect
hand of a living person. " May God bless you," he
said, " in the good work you are doing ; go on and I
will assist you all I can to bring these truths be
fore the public."
The voice was strong and manly, the figure
perfectly human in appearance. After more ex
changes of conversation his hands slipped to the
finger-tips of Dr. Allen's and the next instant he
sank to the floor, dematerialized, and left Dr.
Allen looking into the cabinet at a vacant space.
The curtain was held back without visible hands.
As he sank to the floor he seemed to go down
and out with a sort of a sigh. This was a most
prodigious phenomenon. Think of holding a
man's hand in a strong grip and talking to him,
and then beholding him sink at your feet with
out leaving a trace behind him !
At the first or second seance with Mrs. Sawyer,

We Speak That We Do Enow. 109
" Dr. Gibier " sent word to Dr. Allen through the
cabinet-controls that he would try to manifest
himself to him. He certainly fulfilled his prom
ise to such an extent, that Dr. Allen, though in
active medical practice for more than fifteen
years, could not say but that he was talking and
shaking hands with a perfect human being.
At or before the appearance of "Dr. Gibier,"
Dr. AUen was not thinking of this gentleman.
Other forms appeared, the friends kissing
many of them. Before the close of the seance,
several were invited into the cabinet to sit with
the medium. While this was going on, a fully
developed form was seen by the circle in the
cabinet. (d) Seance July 2, 1901.
Test conditions same as before. The follow
ing were the manifestations most worthy of note :
(1) A woman's form robed in white rushed
noiselessly out of the cabinet for a distance of seven
or eight feet, both hands elevated above her
head ; then gradually glided back to the cabinet
and disappeared. The form was very distinct
and strong.
(2) Another woman's form developed outside
of the cabinet. She wore a white head-piece.
This form also was very distinct and strong.
(3) Another form came out from the cabinet,
walked about six feet and then simply vanished ;
not sinking to the floor as many forms here have
done.

110 We Speak That We Do Enow.
(4) The form of a strong well-developed
woman came forth, walked to Dr. Allen and
spoke some words in French. A lady in the cir
cle near Dr. Allen arose and conversed with this
form in French. The form backed away, said
something further in the French tongue, and re
tired within the cabinet.
(5) A very striking phenomenon then oc
curred. A fine, strong figure of a child about
eleven years old ran from the cabinet to a Mr.
Eddy who was sitting in the circle. She grasped
Mr. Eddy's hands exclaiming in a whisper,
"Papa, papa, papa, oh papa, papa," and then
drew him to the cabinet saying, " I have much I
would like to say to you, but there are so many
here who would like to speak to their friends, so
I must not be selfish." She then dematerialized.
Mr. Eddy informed us that she was his daugh
ter who had passed out some years before with
malignant scarlet fever ; and that her last expir
ing words were, " Papa, papa, papa, oh papa,
papa ! "
(6) The voice of a prattling baby was heard
as though the little one were creeping along the
floor, but no form could be seen.
(7) Two boys about nine and eleven years
old appeared at the cabinet door. The younger
disappeared and the mother of the elder boy
came and talked with him for a short time before
the little fellow vanished.
(8) Several members of the circle were per-

We Speak That We Do Enow. Ill
mitted, as at previous seances, to sit with the
medium in the cabinet. During some of these
sittings materialized hands appeared outside the
curtains. (9) One lady went into the cabinet, carrying
with her a smaU bunch of flowers. While she
was holding the medium, as we have described
elsewhere, a hand seized the bunch of flowers,
held it out before the curtain, and waved it for
about a minute in full sight of the circle. Then
a voice, apparently Maud's, said, " Dr. Allen is
requested to take the flowers." The bunch was
dropped into the doctor's hand as he stepped to
the curtain, and his hand was patted several
times in a friendly manner.
The night was very warm and the seance was
shorter than usual. " Maud's " voice could be
plainly heard joining in the singing at the be
ginning of the seance.
(e) Seance, July 5, 1901.
Circle of about ten people.
The question of ventriloquism had again been
raised concerning the voices which spoke from
the cabinet. It was now suggested that not the
medium but the conductress, whose place was
more or less near the cabinet, did the ventrilo
quizing. Accordingly Dr. Allen proposed an
other " gagging " test which was eagerly accepted
by Mrs. Sawyer and her assistants. It was this :
Dr. Allen fastened surgeon's adhesive-plaster of
his own over Mrs. Sawyer's mouth in two

112 We Speak That We Do Enow.
strips; one on each side of the face reaching
from the eyes across mouth and under chin,
crossing — one over the other — at the mouth.
Another strip two inches wide reaching from
ear to ear and covering mouth and first strips.
The doctor also marked the skin in several places
at borders of the strips with pencil to insure de
tection in the remote event that the strips might
be removed in the cabinet. In addition to this
he tied a handkerchief across the medium's
mouth. A personal friend of Dr. Allen held
both lips of the conductress firmly with his
fingers. The gentleman who is accustomed to
lead the singing was dismissed from the room.
Under these test conditions the voices of
" Elon " and " Maud " spoke as clearly and per
fectly as ever from the cabinet. Thus the gen
uineness of independent phonation was demon
strated. There were no further demonstrations that
evening, owing, as " Elon " announced, to the
electrical storm which was in progress outside.
No fees were taken from the attendants. *
(f) Seance July 7, 1901. Present among
others, the Rev. Arthur B. Rudd, Episcopal
clergyman, of Boston, Mass. Circle composed
of about twelve people. Atmospheric condi-
' Likewise at two public seances given in the winter of 1901
by the Campbell brothers at the Spiritual Temple in Buffalo,
whereat no manifestations occurred, the admission fees were
returned to the audience as they passed out.

We Speak That We Do Enmo. 118
tions : dry and cool. Test conditions, same as
before ; Mr. Rudd securing the medium.
The first form was that of a woman who
parted the curtains, disappeared, then reappeared
and walked out into the room for about four feet.
An Indian next appeared, walked out about
five or six feet from the cabinet, waved both
hands over his head, two or three times, backed
towards the cabinet and vanished outside. His
dress was covered with bright spangles of light.
The next form walked around the room with
a lady in the circle, conversing with her. She
went as far as eight feet from the cabinet ; then
backed towards the curtains and seemed to melt
awaj'' in the air.
Then there proceeded from the side of the
cabinet an unearthly noise, as of a wheel churn
ing and grinding. This continued for some time.
We all wondered what it could be, and enquired
of the " controls " as to the cause. " Maudie "
answered that she did not understand it herself.
It was apparently a female spirit in a state of
great perturbation. Then a beautiful, strong
female form rushed from the cabinet to a lady
in the circle, seized her and exclaimed excitedly,
" Where is papa ? Where is papa ? Where is
papa?" The lady whom she had seized ex
claimed, " Why she is dripping wet ! Her hands
and garments are all wet as if she just came out
of the water ! " The form disappeared within
the cabinet and several ladies in the circle went

114 We Speak That We Do Enow.
to the curtains to try to bring her back. In a
few moments she reappeared in the same state
of frenzy, passing from one member of the circle
to another exclaiming, " Where is papa ? Where
is papa ? " All the ladies who touched her re
marked upon her dripping garments. Once more
she disappeared within the cabinet, only to re
appear again.
Dr. Allen was then invited to step forward
and see her. She was apparently a beautiful
girl of seventeen or eighteen years old. Long
dark brown hair hung loose down below her
shoulders. Dr. Allen took both of her hands in
his and tried to pacify her. Passing his hands
up along her arms, he found that they were per
fectly natural, only wet. He also found that
her garments were full of water; so moist
that when she left him and he returned to his
seat, he could feel the moisture still upon his
hands. She persisted in the enquiry, " Where is
papa?" despite all efforts to soothe her. Later
the cabinet-control informed us that her name
was Grandin.
The next form was that of an elderly lady who
enquired for " Francis " — Mrs. Francis stepped
up and recognized the form as that of her de
parted grandmother. The two conversed to
gether for some time.
A form who called herself Sarah appeared and
conversed with a friend in the circle. The baby
also manifested.

We Speak That We Do Enow. 115
A strong female form appeared giving the
name of Alice Sully. Her mother stepped
forward, conversed with her and kissed
her. After this the form coughed for some
time, thus indicating, as we were informed,
that her death had been caused by lung
trouble. A form that looked like a Spaniard next ap.
peared. He was dressed in a negligee style ; —
trousers and shirt. Finally we made out that
he wanted a guitar. We had hired a guitar for
that evening, knowing that stringed instruments
are often made use of by the " invisibles " at
seances. This guitar he accordingly placed
against the cabinet ; and immediately there
issued therefrom a female form of the Latin
type and took up the instrument. She held her
left arm out on a level with her shoulder in a line
with her side. The right hand held the guitar
straight from her body at arm's length. While
in this position the instrument was played upon
by some unseen hand or force. The form was
covered with light spangles. From the end of the
guitar a bright phosphorescent light radiated in
rays. The form stepped forward and thrust the
guitar rapidly towards Mr. Rudd and Dr. Allen,
who, thinking that they were going to get hit,
dodged accordingly. The instrument was with
drawn as rapidly as it was thrust forward. When
the form put the instrument down, the phos
phorescent light above mentioned disappeared.

116 We Speak That We Do Enow.
The lady of the Latin type then vanished within
the cabinet.
One form partly developed, appeared, vanished,
and reappeared several times at the top of the
cabinet. A man's form appeared and talked with a lady
in the circle. While this manifestation was in
progress, an occult voice sang a few lines of a
college fraternity song. This was recognized
by the Rev. Mr. Rudd, who enquired if it was
his old classmate " Jay." Three raps responded
— the code for " yes."
After the full light was turned on, Mr. Rudd
and others inspected the cabinet and found the
medium tied as she had been left.
Several ladies and gentlemen sat in the cabinet
with the medium at different times ; during
which sittings materialized hands appeared out
side of the curtains.
One gentleman who sat with the medium, said
that he saw a form within the cabinet. Others
were touched and patted by invisible hands
while they were within.
(g) Seance, July 9, 1901.
Present, circle of eleven people. Medium
under test-conditions.
Though this seance was very short, the ma
terializations were for the most part clear and
strong. Some of the forms spoke with great
distinctness ; particularly that of a graceful
woman who appeared far out to the east side of

We Speak That We Do Enow. 117
the cabinet. At that time the light in the
seance-lantern had been turned to its fuU strength
and aU objects in the room were clearly visible.
This form enquired in a natural tone of voice,
" Does any one in the circle speak French ? " A
gentleman replied; and exchanged with this
form a few sentences in the French language.
The form then disappeared near the entrance of
the cabinet.
This was the most striking materialization of
the evening. During the cabinet-sittings ma
terialized hands appeared outside of the curtains
several times. While Mr. Duff was sitting in the
cabinet with the medium, holding her as de
scribed a few pages back, an unseen but palpable
man's hand, after patting the sitter on hands,
arms, and head, suddenly gave him the grip of
the Sigma Phi fraternity, of which Mr. Duff is a
member. "Is this a Sig. brother?" Mr. Duff
enqiured. Three eagerly given pats by the hand
upon Mr. Duff's hand responded. "A Hobart
Sig.?" Three pats. "Is it A. C. C. Jr?"
(The name was spoken in full.) Eager pats an
swered this, which were fairly showered down
upon head, cheeks, arms and hands. The hand
then wrote a message with the pencil upon the
tablet which rested upon Mr. Duff's lap; and
then materialized outside of the curtain. The
message was clearly written and one of greeting,
signed " A  ." (We omit full name for
personal reasons.)

118 We Speak That We Do Enow.
(h) Seance, July 18, 1901.
Circle composed of about twelve people,
several of whom were physicians and business
men of Buffalo.
On this occasion medium was tied with tape
brought by Dr. McK  , who saw that
medium's wrists as well as neck were tied.
Wrists were allowed free movement of about ten
inches. Everything carefully examined before
hand. Person of medium searched by committee
of ladies.
Female form, perfect and distinct, appears and
goes through motions of wrapping shawl around
her. Female form comes out several feet and
whispers the name of " Clara." Retires to cur
tains and disappears.
Graceful female form, white-clad, comes
forth, goes to niche in the room formed by
chimney, picks up a parasol and shawl there,
and hands them to their owner, a lady who
sits in the circle next to one of us (Mr. Duff).
Apparition speaks a few words and retires to
cabinet. Seance ended with usual sittings in cabinet
with medium, during which hands materialized
outside of curtains.
(i) Seance, July 19, 1901.
Test-conditions same as at previous seances
prior to that of July 18.
In full blaze of lamplight a feminine arm, clad

We Speak That We Do Enow. 119
in white, gauzy material protruded from cabinet-
curtains three times.
Under subdued light of seance-lantern the fol
lowing manifestations occurred :
Woman's form, very distinct, appeared. Wore
white dress and veil, black crepe on right arm.
Pointed to north and waved arm and veil in
that direction three times. The director re
marked that this symbolized a death in that
direction, of which we would hear soon.
Woman's form gave name of " May." Desired
to see Mrs. Holmes. Quickly vanished.
" Maudie " materialized. Wore luminous cro wn
upon her head. Its lights comparable to moon
light. Streak of light material or fabric seen above
and at top of cabinet. This falls down loosely
along the opening of cabinet-curtain ; then sud
denly assumes the form of a woman.
Two full-sized female forms appear together at
the curtain. One gives the name of " Jessie,"
and converses with a lady in the circle. Both
forms then disappear.
Woman's form, strong and perfect, appears
outside of cabinet, several feet from curtains.
Converses with a lady in the circle and retires.
Woman's form appears having a luminous
crescent upon chest. Gives name of "May
Thurber " and asks for " Mother."
Maudie's voice asks Dr. Allen for his handker
chief. Dr. A. complies with request, and as he

120 We Speak That We Do Enow.
drops handkerchief into cabinet, " Maudie " pats
and shakes his hand.
The veil-weaving phenomenon follows. A
lady in circle is permitted to hold a fold of the
woven veil. The form of the spirit-weaver,
strong and distinct, walks backward. Dr. Allen
extends his hand, and the form drops an end of
the veil into extended hand. The fabric has the
feel of cheese-cloth. The spirit-weaver then con
tracts veil into the original handkerchief, hands
latter to Dr. Allen, bows gracefully and re
tires. Female form appears having the same lumi
nous crescent as above described. This apparition
was first seen at left of cabinet about two feet
out. Walks up to Dr. Allen and says " May."
" Are you  ? " asked Dr. A., naming a re
lative. Three raps responded upon marble-
topped table at which Dr. Allen is sitting. " I
will tell Alexander," Dr. A. remarks. A shower
of raps respond. "May" then touches Dr. A.'s
hand, backs up to cabinet curtains and vanishes.
A startling report as of a pistol-shot is heard.
Maudie announces that a test will now be given.
Presently a young woman's form appears, dressed
in loose white garments. She walks up to Dr.
Allen, takes both his hands and says "May."
Dr. A. asks if this is Miss " A. C." The appari
tion replies, " May Fosburgh. He did not kill
me. He did not do it. He did not do it." As
she said these words she retreated, stiU holding

We Speak That We Do Enow. 121
Dr. A.'s hands, to the curtain where she vanished.
The feel of her hands was natural except for a
slight coolness.
A male form, giving name of " Rogers " ap
pears and talks with a lady in the circle.
Elon's manly form suddenly steps out about five
feet into the room, talks and offers to shake hands
with Dr. Allen. The latter avails himself of
Elon's offer. The grip is so strong as to be pos
itively painful.
Maudie's voice prophesies a death amongst the
circle. The baby phenomenon follows — voice audible,
as if out in room, but form invisible. A lady in
the circle reports that she succeeded in touching
the baby's hand.
Maudie appears at curtain-folds and talks.
Out on the floor another form appears and
quickly vanishes.
A spot of light appears on the floor of the room
and rapidly grows into the perfect form of a
man, who stands still for a brief space, backs up
to curtain and vanishes.
Female apparition asks for a certain lady in
circle. The two converse together for some time.
A fine Oriental male form appears ; and Dr.
Allen is invited to step forward and see him.
He bows gracefully and gave his name as
Amarona. He wore two stars on his breast.
At the request of Elon the medium is untied.
' — Physical tests are also promised.

122 We Speak That We Do Enow.
Elon's voice says : " Dr. Allen, will you please
tear off a strip from the cheese-cloth ? "
Dr. Allen thereupon tears off a strip from the
cloth with which the medium had been tied.
Its dimensions were seventy-one inches in length
and four and one-fourth in width. This he drops
upon the floor inside the cabinet. Presently Dr.
A. is invited to step inside and see what had oc
curred. He found both hands of the medium
tied together at the wrists. The right hand was
crossed over the left. The strip had been passed
around the medium's waist and tied in several
knots both at wrists and behind her back. One
end had been tied to the main post at the back
of her chair in three knots — and these knots back
of the medium's arm.
Elon's voice then said, " Doctor, put your coat
in the cabinet."
Dr. Allen complied with this request ; where
upon Elon asked, " What do you want us to do
with your coat ? "
" Put it on the medium," we answered.
"All right; come and see," Elon re
sponded. On inspection, the medium's right arm was
found to be within and through the right sleeve
of the coat ; while the left sleeve was over her
shoulder. "Now get a chair and put it into the cabinet,"
Elon commanded.
Dr. Allen placed the back of a Yienna chair

We Speak That We Do Enow. 123
within cabinet and held the legs of this chair on
the outside.
" What do you want us to do with this chair ? "
asked Elon.
"Why, I don't know," Dr. Allen replied.
" Do with it what you wish."
In an instant the chair was sharply jerked,
and Elon said, "Come in and see the medium
now ! "
Dr. AUen entered and found the mediurn's
right arm, still tied, and with the coat-sleeve,
still on, looped through the opening in the back of
the chair.
Thus we were privileged to witness the
phenomenon reported by Professor Zollner in his
"Transcendental Physics," described as "The
passage of solids through solids."
All this time we (Dr. Allen) were the only in
carnate person, aside from the medium, in or
near the cabinet.
Elon's voice requested us to untie the medium.
Much picking was required before we could loose
the knots, — a far longer time than the few
seconds spent in accomplishing the phenomenon.
Medium's wrists were bound so tightly that
marks of a deep ridge were left upon the skin.
This phenomenon closed the seance.
(j) Seance, July 23, 1901.
This senace opened about 8 : 30 p. M., twelve
persons forming the circle.
The first phenomenon was the picking of the

124 We Speak That We Do Enov).
guitar strings in accompaniment to singing.
The guitar stood about four feet from cabinet.
Maudie appears and talks to the doctor and
others. Was asked where her crown was, to
which she replied that she did not think of it.
Soon she reappeared wearing the crown and
said : " They have just put it on me ! "
A form appears and disappears at the cabinet-
curtain. Elon now shows himself at the door,
speaks and disappears.
Another form walks out from cabinet and then
returns to the curtains and disappears.
A woman's form appears, takes up the guitar
and holds it at arm's length, while an invisible
force plays a tune. The form then holds the
hand of a lady in the circle with her left hand,
while with her right she holds the guitar, while
it is played upon by an invisible force.
Next the members of the circle all join hands
except the reporter. A fine strong figure comes
from the cabinet, walks to the table, picks up a
book-slate, puts it down, takes up two pencils,
opens the book-slate and draws upon it the portrait
of a man. This she does with both hands in a few
moments. She then puts down pencil, holds
slate in left hand and inscribes a Sanskrit [?] mes
sage which at this present writing stands un
translated. When the message is finished she
steps up to Dr. Allen who has been watching her
every motion at a distance of not over eighteen
inches, puts the slate down beside his arm, takes

We Speak That We Do Enow. 125
his hand, raises arm and elbow and slips slate
under his arm. Then she puts the slate-pencil
down along side of his arm, gives his hand a
squeeze, followed by several pats and a final
press, which signifies that slate-pencil and mes
sages are for the writer. She then walks to the
centre of the room, raises her right arm and hand
into the air, and saying " guit-tar," vanishes near
the cabinet door. Her hand felt cool. Her
dress was of a gray color, and upon her head she
wore a sort of shaker-bonnet.
A distinct female form appears and exclaims
" Jessie ! " Whereupon a lady in the circle ad
vances and converses with her.
A man's form materializes, calls " Mother ! "
and gives his name as " Bert." A lady steps for
ward from the circle, kisses the form and holds
conversation with it for a few moments. "Bert "
asks the lady to teU the doctor (meaning Dr.
Allen) that he ("Bert") remembers when the
doctor brought to him and his wife their first
baby, remarking, " Here is a nugget for you."
These, as a matter of fact, were our exact
words. The event referred to by " Bert " took
place about seven years ago.
Cabinet sittings followed with the usual mani
festations. (k) Seance, July 30, 1901.
At 8:30 p. M. the medium was tied in the usual
way, the knots being sewed. We ourselves, to
satisfy the enquiries of skeptics, entered cabinet

126 We Speak That We Do Enow.
and carefully inspected the floor. We found it
to be a part of the carpet of the room; and
though we pried and pulled at it with our pocket
knife we failed to detect the slightest looseness.
The manifestations were as follows :
White-clad female form appears at the cur
tains. White arm waves at upper part of curtains.
Maudie's voice speaks.
Maudie materializes very distinctly at curtains.
We note her appearance as that of a little girl
about twelve years of age. She converses with
several members of the circle from where she
stands. Distinct female form walks out from cabinet
and retires. Comes out a second time as far as
centre of room ; and walks around with a lady
of the circle. Gives her name as "Margaret."
Retires to cabinet.
Elon's voice comments upon Sanskrit [?] mes
sage given at seance July 23.
Form of woman, apparently French or Span
ish, suddenly appears two feet to our left and
about five feet from entrance of cabinet. Her
garments are of a dark red, dotted with luminous
spangles. She walks around marble-topped stand
at which we are sitting taking notes, and extends
both hands to us. We respond and take both
her hands. She draws us to the entrance of
the cabinet, and asks, "Does monsieur speak
French?" We reply in negative. With that

We Speak That We Do Enow. 127
she releases our hands ; and bows herself appar
ently into the floor at cabinet-entrance.
Tall female form walks far out into the room,
gives the name of " Stevens," returns to curtains
and disappears.
Distinct female form appears at curtains.
Speaks the name "Abigail." Relative comes
forward from circle and converses with her.
Hand materializes at curtains ; immediately
after a distinct female form walks down within
a foot of the front row and talks with a member
of the circle. There is a luminous oval upon her
throat. Retires to curtains.
Female form very distinct comes out of cab
inet, walks to chimney-corner and picks up guitar
which has been left there. She, like the appari
tion described just now, wears dark red gar
ments dotted with luminous spangles. Encir
cling her brow is a turban with a luminous
spot at forehead. Her features were very dis
tinct, and were swarthy, like an Italian's or
gypsy's. Holding guitar upon right arm and at
arm's length, she advanced to us and extended
her left hand. This we took. She drew us out
to middle of room. Then an invisible force
plays a Moody and Sankey hymn-tune upon
guitar, the strings of which are on the upper
side, removed from reach of her hands. When
the tune is ended we prepare ourselves to dodge
a possible blow, remembering the Rev. A. B.
Rudd's experience. The form, however, leans

128 We Speak That We Do Know.
guitar against cabinet, releases our hand, ex
claims, "Let justice reign!" and vanishes at
entrance. The veil- weaving phenomenon foUows.
Two female forms appear together at curtains.
One vanishes and the other speaks the name
" Margharetta ! " She walks far out into the
room and back to curtains where she vanishes.
Her garments were covered with luminous
spangles. Maudie is heard singing.
Form of " Bertie " materializes and converses
with his mother. They exchange kisses.
Man's form appears at curtain. Gentleman in
circle recognizes him as his departed brother.
Converses with him.
Yoice from cabinet calls for guitar. Con
ductor places instrument inside cabinet. Guitar
is thrummed within, and at same time a streak of
light appears at top of cabinet and in front.
Elon's voice announces that portrait on slate
given to Dr. Allen at seance July 23 was not
that of the person whose name was signed to the
message. Loud and startling report as of pistol-shot
within cabinet. Female form appears and comes
out into the room. Form clad in white, quite
slender, face swathed in bandages. Calls for Dr.
AUen. In latter's absence Mr. Duff is called up
by conductor. The form standing out in the
room addresses Mr. Duff thus : " Tell Dr. Allen

We Speak That We Do Know. 129
that Anna came. I was shot in the face. He
wiU know." Thereupon she vanishes at cur
tains.^ Seance was concluded by usual cabinet sittings.
(1) Seance, August 2, 1901.
Test-conditions same as before. Prior to open
ing of seance we stood upon a chair and ex
amined the top of the cabinet, finding nothing
but the matched boards which we saw when
looking within the cabinet from below.
On this occasion some of the forms were very
faint and evanescent and others very distinct
and lasting.
We would remark that certain of the evanes
cent forms, both on this occasion and others,
evince the genuineness of the work as strikingly
as do the more distinct and lasting manifesta
tions. For example, at one time two forms ap
peared together, a distinct one which stood at
the entrance and a faint one which appeared
simultaneously about three feet out and to the
right as we faced the cabinet. The latter seemed
to melt away where it stood.
The most notable manifestations were these :
The materialization of Maudie on four occa
sions, each time speaking.
The French woman, whose appearance was
'Dr. Allen identifies this form as a personation of the
late n^e Anna C  who a few years ago was a trained
nurse. She afterwards married unhappily and was shot in the
face and killed by her husband in  Pennsylvania.

130 We Speak That We Do Know.
the same as at the seance of July 28 ; who, as
before, grasped us by both hands. This time in
stead of bowing into the floor, she melted into a
long narrow streak of light at cabinet-entrance,
and vanished.
A female form wearing a crown of light mate
rialized outside.
The manifestation of Anna C  , with face
bandaged, who grasped Dr. Allen's hands and
repeated in a voice of intense agony, " He shot
me ! He shot me ! " We noted no resemblance
in form and build between this apparition and
the Anna C  of our acquaintance.
The baby manifestation.
The veil-weaving phenomenon; on this occa
sion not so distinct as usual.
The woman who held the guitar, etc., as dis.
tinct as at last seance.
The full form of a man clad in a dark suit ;
height nearly six feet, who stood for a moment
in entrance.
Cabinet-sittings as usual.

§ 11. This concludes our series of seances
with Mrs. Sawyer. We would add that in look
ing over that lady's printed testimonials, our at
tention was attracted by some prints of photo
graphs of spirit-forms taken at her seances in
1889 and published in the Rochester (New York)
Union and Advertiser. They were vouched

We Speak That We Do Know. 131
for by the printed name of A. W. Moore of the
staff of the journal just named. Accordingly we
took the liberty to write to Mr. Moore for veri-
flcation, and we here acknowledge our indebted
ness to that gentleman for the courtesy of the
following prompt reply :
"EocHKSTEE, N. Y., Aug. 10, 1901.
" Thomas G. Allen, Esq., M. D.,
"My dbaeSie :
"Your letter to Union and Advertiser has been
handed to me, and I would say that I witnessed the photograph
ing of materialized forms at a seance held by Mrs. Carrie Saw
yer in 1889. Great precautions were taken to prevent the
possibility of fraud, and I have always been quite positive in
my own mind of the absolute genuineness of the manifestations.
Mrs. Sawyer gave a great many seances at that time which
were attended by the best people in Eochester, including
judges, doctors, lawyers, journalists and clergymen.
' ' I reported some of my experiences at the time for the Pro
gressive Thinker of Chicago, and a gentleman in New York had
several thousand copies of the article published in pamphlet
form. " You are at liberty to use my testimony.
"Yours truly, "A. W. MOOEB.
" P. S. I was formerly art editor on the Union and Advertiser
staff, but for the past two years have been assistant secretary
Chamber of Commerce. M."
Among these photographs above vouched for
by Mr. Moore the following particularly drew our
attention :
First, a series of four cuts, the first of which
represented a spot of light upon the floor ; the
second, a small upright cloud a foot or two high ;

132 We Speak That We Do Know.
the third, the cloud developed to the height of a
human being ; the fourth, its final development
into a distinct and perfect human form.
Here, be it noted, is an automatic confirmation
of the correctness of our description of like de
velopments at some of the seances described in
this chapter. If we were " hypnotized " at the
time, as some of our friends have suggested, it
seems quite certain that the camera at least was
in the " normal state ! "
The other photograph which we especially
noted represented the medium and Mr. Moore
shaking hands with each other across the open
entrance of the cabinet ; while just within the
entrance, back of them, stood two " spirit " forms.
§ 12. We conclude by tendering our thanks
to Mrs. Sawyer for the kindness which she ac
corded to us throughout her seances just de
scribed ; and for her uniform willingness to sub
mit to every test that we proposed. She had
given her assent to allowing us to attempt a
photographic seance ; but was obliged to leave
Buffalo before we could get ready for it. She
assured us that she always stands ready to sub
mit to any reasonable tests at any time which
any scientific investigators or psychical research
ers may see fit to arrange with her ; and we
would venture to say that here is presented a
rare opportunity to the American Branch of the
S. P. R. for an investigation of this class of
psychic phenomena.

CHAPTER lY.
SPIEIT IN THE EEALM OP LIFE.
Showing that the human soul is a corporeal organism in which
Spirit has attained to the highest form of symmetry in the
creative process ; and treating of the conditions under
which Psychic Action at a Distance takes place in teleki
nesis, mesmerism, telepathy and clairvoyance.
§ 1. In this chapter' we shall endeavor to
find the conditions under which spirit or the
superphysical manifests itself in the life-realm;
both in the psycho-physical human organism and
in the biologic series below man.
The conclusion to which we shaU be brought
is this :
That in every phase and form of life the fun
damental principle is superphysical or spiritual.
In other words, so far as life is concerned, it is
SPIRIT that quickeneth, matter (by itself) prof-
iteth nothing.
§ 2. Starting with the human organism, we
find ourselves confronted by superphysical mani
festations at every turn. The seeker after the
' Those readers who are not especially interested in psychic
theory are respectfully warned that chapters iv and v may
prove tiresome. If they should feel inclined to continue this
book further, they are advised to skip to chapter vi which
summarizes the contents of Part II.
133

134 Spirit in the Realm of Life.
occult has no need of leaving his own personal
premises to find that which he seeks. Let him
but move his hand, let him but speak a word, let
him, in short, do anything which calls forth
nervo-muscular action and he stands in the pres
ence of the superphysical.
Such a truism is this that its significance is
overlooked. The sight of an Aladdin rubbing a
lamp and producing a geni would strike us dumb
with wonder. But force transformed from an
impalpable, spaceless idea into vibrations of pal
pable nerve-matter elicits no astonishment. We
call this a normal occurrence because we are
used to it.
The materialist tries to explain the phenom
enon by saying that mental activity is a " prop
erty " of matter ; i. e., of matter which is vitally
organized. He thereby explains nothing, but
begs the whole question at issue.
What, we ask, is the determining point of dif
ference between matter which is alive and matter
which is not alive ? We challenge the material
ist to show by chemical analysis the faintest
shadow of difference between two organic cells,
one of which is living and the other "dead."
Before our question he is silent ; in the face of
our challenge he is helpless.
The simplest form of life, which is the
bioplasm, is a bioplasm, i. e., a Ufe-fovm,
{Btog-l-TtXd.Tiia) not by reason of the matter of
which it is composed, but by reason of an unseen,

Spirit in the Bealm of Life. 135
non-material something which animates it, namely,
a spiritual or psychic principle.
Scientists have now abandoned as chimerical
that attempt to create life by chemical synthesis
known as "spontaneous generation." Biolo
gists are forced to acknowledge the truth of those
words uttered nearly two thousand years ago:
" It is Spirit that quickeneth."
The phenomenon, then, of nervo-muscular
action voluntarily brought about is essentially
spiritual in that spirit, not matter, is the efficient
cause. Concretely, the efficient cause is a voli
tion. In every volition there are three elements ;
fl/rst, the desire to execute a certain action;
second, the knowledge of how to do it ; (possibly
this knowledge is subconscious;) — third, the
ability or power to do it; in other words, the
possession of the requisite force. Before the
volition is executed this force is lying latent in
the " motor-idea," — to employ a technical term.
In the execution this latent force is liberated and
projected upon matter.
Thus we are brought face to face with one of
the first principles of psychology; — that ideas
are forces ; that the spiritual contavns latent
energy. Spiritual energy is psychic force.
§ 3. Until within late years psychology has
been in a confused and indefinite state. Two
rival schools have been struggling for supremacy
— the empirical, physiological or materialistic

136 Spirit in the Realm of Life.
school, and the idealistic wing. The funda
mental error of the former we have already
pointed out ; namely, its futile attempt to explain
the psychical in terms of the material. The
idealists, on the other hand, have lost the
scientific key to psychology by too much meta
physical abstraction. They have lost sight of
concrete facts and things through abstract gen
eralization and imposing terms. They talk
learnedly about " consciousness," " sensitivity,"
" percepts," " concepts," " memory," " emotion,"
" volition," etc., under the vague designation of
" faculties " ; but fail to say anything about the
psychic units or elements and the adjustments
thereof out of which all those " faculties " have
been evolved and composed.
Just now idealism is talking learnedly about
another abstraction which it labels variously
" subjective," " subconscious," or " unconscious
mind," or "subliminal self," as though the
psychic modifications and adjustments which
these imposing labels represent were a separate
and independent " entity."
This vagueness is an attempt on the part of
the old idealists to meet certain newly discovered
facts which have revolutionized psychology — the
facts which fall under the general head of
" Psychic Action at a Distance " ; — telepathy,
clairvoyance, telekinesis, etc., etc.
But these facts, like all other psychic facts,
refuse to be explained by the old method of

Spirit in the Realm of Life. 137
word-coining and abstraction-forming, just as they
also refuse to fit into any materialistic scheme.
The new psychology, to be scientific, must cut
loose both from materialism and the old ideal
ism, and begin at the very bottom-round of the
psychic ladder, which is also the biologic ladder.
It must flmd the primordial unit of intelligence,
which is also the primordial unit of Ufe. It must
recognize that the psychical as well as the phys
ical structure of life has been a growing process ;
an evolution ; and that any adequate description
of psychic action must be along the line of both
the historical and the analytical methods.
§ 4. The unit of life is the bioplasm. Its
two elements are, first, the matter of which it is
composed ; second, the psychic principle or force
which animates it. It is the basic element in all
living tissue. All physical organisms are com
posed of millions of bioplasms arranged in va
rious groups, adjustments or modifications. Such
groups, etc., constitute the different functions of
the organism. Separate a bioplasm from the
organism of which it is a part, and it dies, i. e.,
becomes so much lifeless matter. The primordial
animal, however, that moneron known as the
protamceba, is a .single bioplasm ; a simple unicel
lular structure. This is the primordial unit of
life in its independent manifestation.
There was a time, a long age, when this pos
sibly represented all the life that there was on
this planet. Out of this simple moneron all the

138 Spirit in the Realm of Life.
psycho-physical organisms of the earth up to man
have been evolved " according to certain laws,
by means of resident forces." The main law is
that of heredity ; the resident forces, as we shall
see presently, are psychic forces.
But first let us consider the moneron, this uni
cellular organism. Outwardly it is a simple
piece of organic material. But its habits, its
actions, its movements, manifest the attributes
of intelligence.'- In essence then the moneron's
life is psychic. It is not only the physiological
unit, it is also the psychic unit.
This moneron is the biological ancestor of hu
manity. The series of more complex forms of
life which were developed from this life-unit are
the result of resident forces within the organism
forming modifications of structure in response to
changes in the environment. This is an explana
tion which explains, as the natural selection
theory does not. No series of lucky accidents,
as the natural selection theory would have it, can
ever account for inheritable modifications of
structure. Professor Huxley himself in one of
his later lectures acknowledged that accident or
fortuity is inadequate to explain biologic evolu
tion. He admits that we must look to imptdses
from within the organism as the scientific expla
nation. This is tantamount to confessing that it
' This Dr. Hudson has shown in detail in his "Divine Pedi
gree of Man."

Spirit in the Realm of Life. 139
has been by the action of psychic forces that
biologic evolution has proceeded.
In the development of life, from the lower to
the higher, complexity of nerve-substance, —
ganglia, — and growth of intelligence have gone
on at equal pace. In this development, however,
be it remembered, the resident psychic forces re
sponding to environmental changes have been
the efficient causes; the resulting ganglionic
complexities have been the created effects.
Psychic forces from beginning to end have
been the master-builders of the material struc
tures. This fundamental truth is illustrated, as Dr.
A. T. Schofield ("Unconscious Mind," p. 320)
points out, in the case of the reproduction of off
spring after their kind. That author first quotes
Charles Kingsley as follows :
" There is no physical cause discovered why
ova should develop after their kind. To talk of
a law impressed on matter is to use mere words.
How can a law be impressed on matter ? As a
seal on wax ? Or as the polar arrangement of
parts in a solid ? If so, it is discernible by the
microscope, and then it would not be a law but
a phenomenon. I am indeed inclined to regard
the development of an ovum according to kind
as the result of a strictly immaterial and spiri
tual agency."
Upon this Dr. Schofield says in commentary :
" Though the writer of the above was no psy-

140 Spirit in the Realm of Life.
chologist he was a scientific man and an acute
thinker, and we believe that now there are com
paratively few that will deny the psychic causes
at work."
The author then cites the following observa
tion from Herbert Spencer, adding, " Surely no
stronger evidence could be given in favor of
Kingsley's belief " :
" It is proved that no germ, animal or vegeta
ble, contains the slightest rudiment, trace or in
dication of the future organism — since the micro
scope has shown that the first process set up in
every fertilized germ is a process of repeated
spontaneous fissure ending in a production of a
mass of cells, not one of which exhibits any spe
cial character."
Thus the history of evolution may be said to
be progressive spirit-materialisation. Biologic
evolution is a drama in which spirit is building
up successive tabernacles ; ever seeking and ever
finding in each new achievement of its work a
progressivel/y higher form of symmetry. Indeed
this quest by spirit for progressively higher
forms of symmetry is seen, as we shall show in
our next chapter, as the law by which it works
throughout the whole realm of nature. The play
of forces in all the kingdoms of nature, whether
of forces mechanical, chemical or psychical, is a
quest after progressively higher forms of sym
metry. From the star-dust to the human soul it
is the spirit's way of working.

Spirit in the Realm of Life. 141
As Dr. R. Osgood Mason puts it, (" Hypnotism
and Suggestion," p. 9) :
" It (Professor Tyndall's statement as to mat
ter containing the potency of every form and
quality of life) presents the initial force in evolu
tion as psychic force, permeating every particle
of matter and every form of organism — securing
higher and higher expression through more and
more complex, and more nearly perfect organ
isms, until finaUy by this same psychic power
the human organism is evolved and regulated."
§ 5. We come now to the human organism.
We have seen what its physiological constitu
tion is : an organization made up of those bio-
plastic units which we have been considering ;
these units being arranged in complex modifica
tions, adjustments, etc., forming the various
organs, functions, and so on, of one organism.
We have also seen that behind the material part
of each bioplasm there is an animating ^sycA^c
substance displaying itself as a unit of intelli
gence and force. It is apparent therefore that
the physiological machinery of man is run, so to
speak, by psychic intelligences and forces which
work together in a unity of organization. This
working is automatic ; i. e., it is independent of
that higher complexity of modifications and ar
rangements known as consciousness.
This fact has constituted a pitfall into which
both materialists and old-school idealists have
come to grief. The materialist calls this auto-

142 Spirit in the Realm of Life.
matic working of adjusted psychic forces by the
name of reflex action and flatters himself that he
has thereby got rid of any intelligent or spiritual
element involved in the process. But learned
names and phrases cannot obliterate yacfe. The
stubborn fact remains that each separate cell is a
unit of intelligence ; and that each plexus repre
sents a higher form of symmetry to which these
units of intelligence have attained. Cell-memory,
and cell-intelligence are now recognized and ad
mitted by our most eminent physiologists.
The old-school idealist generalizres this auto
matic working of psychic forces under the col
lective label "subjective" or "subconscious
mind," which he sets up as a " separate entity "
as distinguished from the so-caUed " objective
mind" of normal consciousness. But the new
psychology resolves this nebulous " entity " into
its component clusters and units, even as the tele
scope has resolved celestial nebulae into separate
suns and systems.
Both schools are in error. The new psy
chology finds that each individual soul and body
epitomizes the whole course of biologic evolution
in its successive attainments of higher forms of
symmetry. It finds that the soul is an organism
of the various complexities of psychic adjust
ments and modifications which have been evolved
from the primordial unit of intelligence. It finds
that consciousness itself is merely one — the high
est one — of those adjustments. It finds that

Spirit in the Realm of Life. 143
every so-called "faculty," — sensitivity, percep
tion, memory, conception, volition, emotion, etc.,
etc., is nothing more than a certain complex ar
rangement or modification of psychic units, that
is to say of energizing intelligences.^
§ 6. We have noted that in each unit there is
the outward and visible element, which is ma
terial ; and the inward and spiritual life-prin
ciple, which is intelligence ^^t^s force. We have
also noted that the biologic buUding-process
represents a progressive action of spirit-force
upon organic matter. We shall presently see
1 We might otherwise express the growth of psycho-physical
life by saying that it follows a law of subconscious Assimilation,
which may be formulated as follows:
(1) Intelligence or the spiritual principle seeks to assimi
late, i. e, , to make a part of its own organism, all suggestions
that are presented to it.
(2) The assimUatiou of any given suggestion takes place
when all competing suggestions before the intelligence have
been inhibited or suppressed.
Observation 1. Among organisms below man marked changes
in the environment stand as suggestions or stimuli which the
spiritual principle in the organism assimilates in its reactions
thereto ; namely, by producing structural and concomitant
psychic modifications.
Observation 2. We shall see in chapter v that environmental
changes themselves are determined, in their turn, by an intel
ligent principle ; i. e., by spirit in the realm of matter.
Observation 3. In the human organism assimilable sugges
tions come either through peripheral stimuli or by formal sug
gestions from other minds or by auto-suggestions. The assim
ilation of a suggestion in man depends upon the absence of
opposition among the fixed ideas of his consciousness. Hyp
nosis is a method of suppressing the opposition of fixed ideas.

144 Spirit in the Realm of Life.
that psychic phenomena include the action of
spirit-force upon spirit-force. But here we have
to do with the action of spirit-force upon matter.
To get at any kind of an explanation of this phe
nomenon, we are compelled to look for some
medium of a texture finer than the coarse grades
of matter of which ganglia are composed. It is
conceded that the media through which all so-
called material force travels are ethereal in their
texture. In the case of electricity, for example,
it is supposed that the medium is a vibrating
ethereal fluid ; which may conveniently be desig
nated as the electrical ether. It is an error to
suppose that the media of electricity are the
various material conductors, as they are called,
through which electrical communications, etc.,
are made possible. Electricity is in its essence a
force or mode of force. Its real medium is a
vibrating ethereal fluid ; — the electrical ether, —
which fluid has a " preference " for certain ma
terial substances called " conductors."
This distinction (which is a real one) between
the media and the conductors of forces is an im
portant one to be kept in mind. The media are
the ethereal fluids ; and these are the true ve
hicles of the forces. In fact they may be said to
be the organisms of the forces. The conductors
are the material substances for which the media
or the ethereal fluids have a "preference," — to
use figurative language.
Psychic force acts upon matter, as nervo-mus-

Spirit in the Realm of Life. 145
cular or motor-action proves. Certain organized
forms of matter, namely, nervous matter or
ganglia, form its conductor. But this is not its
medium. The latter must necessarily be an
ethereal fluid. Accordingly, behind the material
part of each bioplasm, and each complex modi
fication of bioplasms, there is an ethereal fluid
which is the medium through which the spiritual
acts upon and governs its temporary conductor,
the physiological. In other words, every part
of the physiological structure has its ethereal
counterpart. These ethereal counterparts together
form a complete corporeal organism — the soul
— which is the true and abiding mediuin or taber
nacle of human spirit.
This is that " Building of God, that house not
made with hands, eternal in the heavens," which
the apostle speaks of as surviving "when the
earthly house of this tabernacle" — the physical
body— shaU be " dissolved " (2 Cor. 5 : 1). This is
that " spiritual body " which the same apostle
speaks of (in 1 Cor. 15 : 44) as existing with the
natural body.
Thus psychological analysis shows that man
as he exists on this planet is a trichotomy,
consisting of body, (the physical organism) soul,
(the ethereal organism) and spirit, — the intelli
gent, animating principle.
§ 7. But the grounds for the existence of this
ethereal counterpart, replica or double of the
physical organism, which is the soul, are wider

146 Sinrit in the Realm of Life.
than mere inductive reasoning from known psy
chic data.
The existence of the etheric double is a matter
of exact demonstration.
§ 8. First of all an aura has been seen as a
luminous radiance emanating from the person.
We have this on the testimony of Reichenbach's
experiments with clairvoyants. Dr. R. O. Mason
also in the book already referred to cites the
following more modern case :
" The peculiar perceptive power of Master
Leo Brett of South Braintree, Mass., is of in
terest in this connection. He is a remarkably
bright, healthy and active lad, ten years of age
(1901) and the son of a reputable physician.
Dr. Frank A. Brett. He is easily put into the
hypnotic condition by his father, and when in
that condition he is able to see the tissues, bones
and all the internal organs of the body and de
scribe their condition. He has examined organs,
bones, etc., by means of the X-rays, but he scorns
that method, declaring that he sees much clearer
himself. The correctness of his perceptions has
been demonstrated in numerous instances, not
only by patients themselves, but by post-mortem
examinations. The point of special interest is,
that he sees an atmosphere of pale-green light
flashing in every direction about the patient for
a distance of four or Jive feet. This he sees
around all persons " (Italics ours.) (p. 255, foot
note).

Spirit in the Realm of Life. 147
§ 9. Secondly, it is a well-known fact — there
are many cases to prove it — that persons who
have undergone amputation of limbs and other
members have continued to feel sensations as
though the amputated members were stiU an
integral part of their bodily organism. The fol
lowing is a striking instance of this kind: — A
gentleman whUe traveling in the White Moun
tains met with an accident which made it nec
essary for him to undergo amputation of his
forearm. After the operation the gentleman
complained of persistent pain in his absent mem
ber saying that it felt as if the hand were full
of sa/wdust and a nail sticking in the fl/nger.
During an occult sitting at which the patient
was not present, in answer to an inquiry con
cerning the gentleman's condition, information
was given by independent writing that the arm
was packed in sawdust, and a nail partly driven
through the first finger. Unknown to the patient
who was distant a hundred miles at the time,
two friends visited the scene of the accident and
had the arm exhumed, finding it in the condition
described. It was washed with warm water and
the nail taken out. At the same moment, as was
ascertained by comparing notes later, the arm
less man exclaimed, "They are pouring warm
water on my hand and taking the nail out. I
think my arm will get well." ^
From this it would appear that as long as an
' The Hidden Way Across the Threshold, pp. 109, 110.

148 Spirit in the Realm of Life.
amputated member is preserved from decompo
sition, there is maintained between it and the
parent organism a subtle ethereal connection.
§ 10. But instances are numerous where the
etheric body or double has been seen by several
witnesses at once by normal perception, as weU
as by single witnesses of trained technical ex
perience. § 11. For example,^ in the spring of 1892
Dr. George T. Stewart, superintendent of Belle-
vue Hospital, as he entered the door of Ward C
of Ward Island Hospital one morning at ten
o'clock, saw rising from above the screen, behind
which lay a bed, a faint bluish form, the dim
outline of a human body. It floated across the
room, passed out of an opened window and dis
appeared. The physician immediately called the
attendant, one John McBride, and said : " The
man in that bed is dead." McBride replied, "No,
sir, I've just left him." Said Dr. Stewart, "He
is dead, go and see." McBride entered the room,
went to the bed, returned and said, "You're
right, sir. He's dead."
Dr. Stewart had been a witness of the flight of
that patient s psychic organism or soul.
"I afterwards mentioned the matter to the
Jesuit Father B  the chaplain of the Ward's
Island institution," says Dr. Stewart in the Jour
nal interview ; " and he said that my account of
1 New York Journal, March 31, 1901, p. 67. Interview with
Dr. Stewart.

Spirit in the Realm of Life. 149
the phenomenon agreed in all respects with sev
eral similar cases which had been reported by
the clergy."
We personally have had a similar case reported
to us by reputable persons.
§ 12. One of the most striking cases of the
psychic organism's visualization is that recorded
by the Hon. Robert Dale Owen, in his book
" Footfalls on the Boundary of Another World," '
and noticed also by Adolph D'Assier in his
"Posthumous Humanity."^ It is that of Mile.
Emilie Sagee, a French lady, from Dijon. In the
year 1845 she was employed as a teacher in a
young ladies' seminary of high repute near Wol-
mar in Livonia. The pupUs were principaUy
daughters of the Livonian nobility.
" A few weeks after Mile. SagSe's arrival
singular reports began to circulate among the
pupils " — to the effect that Mile. Sagee was often
seen in two places at the same time. These re
ports were at first set down by the teachers as
nonsense. But one day Mile. Sagee whUe illus
trating something upon a blackboard before a
class of thirteen pupils suddenly duplicated her
self. The pupils "saw two Mile. Sagees, the
one by the side of the other. They were exactly
alike ; and they made the same gestures, only
that the real person held a bit of chalk in her
hand, and did actually write, while the double
had no chalk, and only imitated the motion."
• p. 348 et seq. ' P. 62 e< aeq.

150 Spirit in the Realm of Life.
As time went on similar phenomena of the
double's manifestation became frequent. The
most remarkable was this : The young ladies
were all seated at a long table in a certain room
engaged in needlework or similar occupations.
From where they sat they could readily see what
passed in the garden just outside. " While en
gaged in their work they had noticed Mile.
Sagee there, not far from the house, gathering
flowers, of which she was very fond. At the
head of the table, seated in an armchair . . .
sat another teacher, in charge of the pupils.
After a time this lady had occasion to leave the
room, and the armchair was left vacant. It re
mained so, however, for a short time only; for
of a sudden there appeared seated in it the figure
of Mile. Sagee. The young ladies immediately
looked into the garden, and there still she was,
engaged as before ; only they remarked that she
moved very slowly and languidly, as a drowsy
person might." The " double " in the armchair
was touched by some of the more daring pupils
and manifested a slight resistance as though
made of gauzy material. It was also found to
be transparent. All this was witnessed by every
one of the forty-two pupils.
The result of this and other involuntary pro
jections of the double led to Mile. Sagee's dis
missal with good character.
For the same cause she was dismissed from
nineteen schools successively.

Spirit in the Realm of Life. 151
Mr. Owen concludes by saying: "The insti
tution of Neuwelcke (the scene of these mani
festations) still exists, (1860) having gradually
recovered its standing after Mile. Sagee left it ;
and corroborative evidence can readily be ob
tained by addressing its directors " (p. 355).
Mr. Owen's informant was Mile, de Gulden-
stubbe, daughter of a baron, and a pupil at the
school during these manifestations.
§ 13. The following is another " double " case
personally investigated by the Hon. R. D. Owen,'
his informant being a Captain J. S. Clarke of the
schooner "Julia HaUock" in which vessel the
case in question occurred while Captain Clarke
was in command.
One day about noon while the ship was off
the Newfoundland Banks en route from Liver
pool to St. John's, New Brunswick, the first
mate, Robert Bruce, entered the captain's cabin
to record an observation of the sun which he had
just taken. Captain Clarke was with him.
Bruce, intent on his calculations, did not note
the captain's departure from the cabin. At the
conclusion of his figuring he said, " I make our
latitude and longitude so and so. Can that be
right? How is yours?" This was addressed,
as he supposed, to the captain who was sitting,
as Bruce thought, at his desk busy writing on
his slate. Receiving no reply, Bruce looked
1 "Footfalls "—etc., p. 333 et seq.

152 Spirit in the Realm of Life.
more closely and perceived a total stranger sit
ting at the captain's desk. The stranger was
looking at Bruce with a fixed gaze and in grave
silence. The mate thereupon rushed panic-
stricken to the deck and reported the incident
to the captain. The latter accompanied the mate
to the cabin and found it empty. Upon the
slate, however, they found the message written
" Steer to the nor'west." The ship was searched
from stem to stern for a possible stowaway, but
in vain. Then the captain, acting upon the
mate's earnest advice, put the ship around to the
northwest. About three o'clock the lookout re
ported an iceberg nearly ahead, and shortly after
what he thought was a vessel of some kind close
to it. It proved to be a vessel from Quebec
bound for Liverpool. She had become entangled
and firmly frozen in the ice. On board was a
crew and a number of passengers. Their condi
tion had for some days been desperate. Among
the rescued passengers, Bruce, to his consterna
tion recognized the identical man who a few hours
since had sat staring at him in the captain's
cabin. An examination brought out the fact that this
man just before noon had fallen into a deep
sleep ; that on awakening he had told the cap
tain of the distressed vessel that rescue was near
at hand. He could however remember no dream.
When taken aboard the " Julia HaUock " this
man declared that everything on board looked

Spirit in the Realm of Life. 153
strangely familiar, yet he was positive he had
never seen the vessel before. Captain Clarke,
after duly apologizing to the stranger, handed him
the slate upon which the writing had appeared,
— the reverse side only being shown to him, —
and requested him to write upon it " Steer to the
nor'west." The man complied. The handwri
ting was found to be identical with the original.
"I asked Captain Clarke," writes Mr. Owen
(p. 341) " if he knew Bruce weU and what sort of
a man he was." " As truthful and straightfor
ward a man," he replied, " as ever I met in all
my Ufe. We were as intimate as brothers ; and
two men can't be together, shut up for seventeen
months in the same ship, without getting to
know whether they can trust one another's word
or not."
§ 14. Still another case is that of St. Francis
Xavier, to which reference is made of Adolph
D'Assier in his " Posthumous Humanity " (p. 183
et seq.). The facts are that during a tempest at
sea he in his proper person was praying and en
couraging the crew of the ship in which he had
embarked, while in his double he was steering
the life-boat of the companion ship towards that
in which his proper person was a passenger.
Cases of the " double " or psychic organism
seen by witnesses might be multiplied. We have
cited a few of the best attested ones.
We may say that materialized spirit-forms, of
which we speak elsewhere, afford further proof

154 Spirit in the Realm of Life.
of the soul's corporeal organization and its capa
bility of being visualized.
So much for the consideration of the psychic
organism as it is revealed by evolution, by psy
chological analysis and by cases of sense-per
ception. § 15. We pass next to the explanation of that
phenomenon called psychic action at a dis
tance. This is of two classes : the action of psychic
force upon matter, and the action of psychic
force upon psychic force.
We have already considered one phase of the
first named class : psychic force as it acts upon
the bodily organism in voluntary muscular
action. But now our interest centres upon the
action of psychic force upon matter at a com
parative distance from the bodily organism — the
phenomenon called telekinesis, — the movement
of ponderable objects without physical contact.
In all the telekinetic phenomena, of well-
authenticated record, the objects moved or levi
tated have been comparatively near to (*. e., in
the presence of) the psychic or medium.
When the agency is that of an incarnate being,
the only reasonable, and we think, the only pos
sible explanation is that a fluidic aura proceeds
from the agent's etheric organism and magne
tizes, so to speak, all objects within a certain
radius of his person. This aura forms the me
dium through which intelligence and psychic

Spirit in the Bealm of Life. 155
force operate upon the object to be affected,
which object becomes for the time a sort of
" conductor." There is evidence for believing that all persons
radiate this aura, but those people called " psy
chics " or " mediums," by reason of a control over
their organization, radiate it to a marked degree.
It often happens that " physical " mediums are
more or less exhausted after their manifestations.
Evidently a certain portion of the etheric fiuid
which normally maintains the nervous system is
drawn off therefrom into the radiating aura.
This would make it possible for some psychics to
perceive that power or force has gone forth from
them, even as Christ perceived on a certain
occasion (St. Luke 8 : 46).
The emanating aura of which we have spoken
is popularly and somewhat loosely caUed " per
sonal magnetism," or " mesmeric force." When
we come to speak of the therapeutic works of
Christ we shall refer to it &s psychic force.
It is, as we have observed, an etheric fluid, the
proper medium of psychic force, which acts upon
material objects making them its temporary
"conductors," or which acts upon and tempor-
arUy controls the etheric fluid of other soul-
organisms. In the latter case it is nothing more
or less than that which is commonly called
7nesmerism. § 16. Before we speak further of this, however,
we must note a wonderful fact pertaining to the

156 Spirit in the Realm of Life.
emanation of aura upon objects, for which there
seems to be abundant evidence. It is this : a
material object which has once been made a
" conductor " of a person's etheric fluid seems to
remain connected for an indefinite period with
that person's soul-organism, as though there were
a subtle etheric " trail " of connection.' A cer
tain class of psychic sensitives touching or taking
such objects are brought into rapport with the
personalities whose psychic ether is connected
with the objects. These sensitives are affected
somewhat analogously to people who come in
contact with the end of a " live-wire " and are
thus connected with the central dynamo.
Through this psychic connection their soul-
organisms seem to vibrate in harmony with
those of the former owners of the objects
touched ; so that they are able to describe the
appearance, character, etc., of the latter, even
though they have never seen them. This phase
of psychic sensitivity is known as psychometry.
(See Professor Denton's book, "The Souls of
Things.") § 17. When the etheric fluid of one person
enters into, and, to a greater or lesser degree,
controls that of another person, we have the
phenomenon of mesmerism. Such control is
' Du Potete in his Introduction to the Study of Animal
Magnetism (London, 1838) pp. 214, 215 and 216, says that fire
does not destroy this aura as the ashes have been found to re
tain it. See "Posthumous Humanity," footnote, page 198.

Spirit in the Reahn of Life. 157
usually brought about by manual contact or
" passes " on the part of a person known in such
cases as the "operator." We shall later on
(Chapter i of Part III) refer to the experimental
demonstration of this power. The mesmeric in
fusion of psychic force from operator to subject
may or may not produce hypnotic sleep in the
latter, according to the desire or will with which
the operator charges his emanating force. Mes
merism is simply an infusion of etheric fluid
from one soul-organism into another ; the degree
of control depending chiefly upon the psychic
power of the operator, and in part upon the will
ingness of the subject.
§ 18. Hypnotism brings us into a somewhat
different and yet closely allied field. It is a
grave error into which " suggestionists " have
fallen to suppose that the hypnotic operator,
even though he employs neither contact nor
passes, does not therefore infuse some of his
etheric fluid into the subject.
True it is that hypnosis may be induced by
auto-suggestion ; in which case of course the sub
ject hypnotizes himself. The Nancy method of
hypnotic induction, by means of revolving mir
rors, is aw^o-suggestion. Here the subject is
made to hypnotize himself. He comes into rap
port with the operator through the fact that be
fore he goes to sleep he believes he will even
tually pass under the operator's control. The
subsequent rapport, in short, is a part of the

158 Spirit in the Realm of Life.
subject's auto-suggestion. When once rapport
is established, no matter how, psychic force
emanates from operator to subject ; its degree
being determined by the operator's psychic
power. Dr. Bernheim's definition of hypnosis as in
creased suggestibility seems to us very inadequate.
Of course hypnosis is increased suggestibility ;
but how ? What has happened ? The efficient
cause of hypnosis is called " suggestion." What
is the psychic character of suggestion ? It is
an intelligence or iAeSi plus a psychic force. The
force grows in strength as the rival and compe
ting forces in the soul gradually become quiescent
by being abstracted from the subject's attention.
When the abstraction is complete, the subject is
in hypnosis. That modification or stratum of
psychic forces known as " waking consciousness "
now no longer interposes obstacles in the way
of the suggestion of sleep plus obedience. Sleep
and obedience now become the dominating
psychic force and take control, according to the
measure of their strength, over those modifications
of the psychic units which " run " the machinery
of the sympathetic system.
The " suggestionists," as we shall see further
in chapter i of Part III, neglect a therapeutic
factor of great value when they rely wholly
upon auto-suggestion and leave out the mesmeric
method. The most that a psychic force in the
form of an auto-suggestion can do is to bring

Spirit in the Bealm of Life. 159
about a certain readjustment of the psychic
forces within one's own soul-organism ; or as Dr.
Tuckey puts it, effects a nervous dynamo-genesis.
Auto-suggestion can never put new and fresh
force ab extra into the organism. This is pre
cisely what the mesmeric method can do and
does in the hands of an operator of sufficient
psychic development.
The auto-suggestive method, we may observe,
may or may not be hypnotic; i. e., formal
hypnosis is not always necessary in order to enable
the psychic force represented by an auto-suggestion
to take therapeutic effect. In some persons, per
haps about twenty per cent., the " personal equa
tion " of psychic forces is such that a little con
centration upon the content of an auto-sugges
tion suppresses all opposition in that stratum of
psychic forces caUed " consciousness " ; and the
psychic force in the auto-suggestion takes ther
apeutic effect; whUe enough of the conscious
ness-forces are operating to keep the subject
awake. This fact is the key to many of the so-called
Christian Science cures. It is probable however
thsft many Christian Science healers do exert,
consciously or unconsciously, (according as they
are dishonest or honest) a mesmeric influence;
that is, by fixation of gaze or mental concentra
tion they infuse their etheric aura into the soul-
organism of the patient.
§ 19. We come now to consider those phases

160 Spirit in the Realm of Life.
of psychic action at a distance known as telepathy
and clairvoyance. Here a new order of phenom
ena confronts us. Telepathic and clairvoyant
phenomena, including hypnosis at a distance,
show a strange disregard of space-conditions.
Telepathy may be said to laugh at space.
Quicker than the flight of light messages and im
pressions fly from spirit to spirit (whether be
tween incarnates or between discarnates and in
carnates) traversing distances measured by the
breadth of oceans and continents. The trans
mitter in many cases knows not the whereabouts
of the recipient. But the message reaches the
latter unerringly. So also distant scenes and
even future events will image themselves before
the mind's eye of the clairvoyant. Space, and
even in some cases, time do not count.
Let us note well the fact that in telepathy and
clairvoyance spirit and psychic force do not enter
into relation with matter, as they do in telekinesis
or "physical" phenomena. In the phenomena
with which we are now dealing spirit is con
cerned only with spirit, and psychic force only
with psychic force. But the question may be
asked : Is there no medium in cases of telepathy
through which psychic force must be transmitted
from mind to mind? We answer in advance,
Yes. What then is the nature of this medium ? Can
it be an ether ? We are constrained to reply.
No; for this reason: If mental messages are

Spirit in the Realm of Life. 161
carried along the vibrations of a material ether,
they must needs be carried in all spatial directions ;
for if etheric vibrations are thus set going, they
must be set going in aU directions. If this be
the case, there is no reason why every psychic
sensitive in this and all other worlds should not
sense the vibrations and receive the transmitted
message. But as a matter of fact only that per
son for whom the message is intended receives
it, or one in the immediate vicinity in sympathy.'
We have found that in our experiments
thought-transference to others than the one in
tended can be prevented, and secrecy can be
maintained by the will of the person sending the
message. This comes under the law of sublim
inal self-preservation.
In telepathy we are dealing with nothing ma
terial. We are in the realm of pure spirit.
The medium of transmission which confronts us
here is a purely spiritual medium ; one in which
distance and absence, past and future are obliter
ated ; one in which all that there is is the eternal
here and now. We are in the realm of the abso
lute, the Divine Mind; the source of all con
ditions and relations. Within this medium the
spirit that seeks another spirit fmds it. Within
this medium there come to spiritual perception
such distant scenes and such knowledge of future
' Or, again, the message might be transferred from the re
cipient to another person through the process described in
chapter ii, as " Telepathie a Trois."

162 Spirit in the Realm of Life.
events as the Absolute Spirit reveals. "No
prophecy ever came by the will of man."
And here we may ask those who contend for
a material ether as the medium in telepathy and
clairvoyance : How can a material ether vibrate
with events, forces, etc., which are yet in the fu
ture, and are at present non-existent ? Space
and time are inseparable conditions of matter.'
^ If the hypothesis of a material etheric medium is inade
quate to explain prevision or prophecy, it is equally inadequate
to account for clairvoyant knowledge of the past; — the "Astral
Light ' ' theory of theosophy to the contrary notwithstanding.
The "Astral Light " is a poetical term for the theory that all
events are registered somewhere out in the luminiferous ether.
In some way the psychic's own aura is supposed to "vibrate in
harmony " with the corresponding etheric vibrations which
register the perceived events out in the interstellar immensity.
There these events are supposed to be photographed in the aura
of the psychic or seer. The dlflSculties which beset this theory
are many. Among them is the fact that such comparatively
feeble vibrations as events are almost sure to be converted into
other forms of vibrations by counter-forces. Even the light
emitted by suns, as is now generally admitted, gets lost eventu
ally, i. e., converted into other forms of energy. Again, to
suppose that one's personal aura, whose radiation is compara
tively limited, could be stretched out into interstellar space is
wildly absurd.
Much simpler is the hypothesis which supposes that events
are stored up as knowledge within the spaceless and timeless
medium of Absolute Spirit with whom the psychic, who seeks
knowledge of the past, comes en rapport, and thus obtains that
for which he seeks.
A word in this connection with reference to the X-ray.
Here we have simply a physical adjunct to optical vision which
enables the eye by means of the ultra-violet vibrations to see
for a limited distance through objects which are otherwise

Spirit in the Realm of Life. 163
" Again," writes Dr. R. O. Mason in the work
just now cited, " vibrations through all mediums
with which we are acquainted are liable to be
turned aside or obstructed, but we know of no
substance which constitutes a barrier to thought
transference, and we can hardly conceive of such
an obstruction. It would seem then that, if the
vibratory theory is to stand as an explanation of
the method of thought-transference, a medium
different from any vre are at present acquainted
with must be hypothecated " (p. 274).
When the seer of Patmos clairvoyantly saw
things present and things to come, he described
conditions in these words : " I was in the Spirit." '
Is not this the most scientific formula he could
have uttered ?
§ 20. We have before us now the constitution
of the human soul and the main conditions under
which its higher manifestations are effected.
We have seen that the soul is a corporeal
organism of psychic forces and intelligences;
that in its visualized form it is the etheric dupli
cate of the physical body. We have seen that
as it acts, under the direction of spirit, upon mat
ter it does so through its own fluidic aura or
opaque, i. e., opaque to the vibrations of the other spectral rays
from red to violet inclusive.
We feel that the ether has been made to carry too many
burdens by those who have of recent years been speculating in
the superphysical department of psychology.
'Eev. 1:10.

164 Spirit in the Realm of Life.
ether, and that as the soul's mind, which is spirit,
acts upon another spirit, (telepathy) or sees into
distance or futurity (clairvoyance) it does so by
coming into rapport with the Universal Spirit.
§ 21. Perhaps we have not sufficiently empha
sized the fact that mental passivity, varying all
the way from waking abstraction to deep hyp
nosis or trance, is found by most psychics to be
favorable, if not indispensable, to the control of
their own aura, or to coming en rapport with
the universal medium of spirit.
We are aware that Dr. Hudson in his " Law of
Psychic Phenomena " makes passivity an indis
pensable condition ; and calls it " the ascendency
of the subjective mind " whose supposed " facul
ties " and " powers " then proceed to do their
work. Aside from all questions pertaining to any
" subjective entity " w^ith a stock of " faculties "
and " powers," we may say that in many of the
cases which we have seen and in those of which
we have read not the slightest shadow of even
" waking passivity " has been apparent. For ex
ample, Mrs. Chamberlain in the materializing
phenomena which we described in chapter iii,
§ 8, sat in front of the cabinet, joined in the sing
ing, and occasionally addressed a remark to the
members of the circle. And yet four distinct
forms materialized. Also the Campbell brothers
in the private seances of Feb. 7, and Nov. 15,
1900, were as wide awake all the time as were

Spirit in the Realm, of Life. 165
the sitters. If there was any " mental passivity "
in these cases, it was of the same order as that
which pertains to any normal work; just as
much and no more as the " mental passivity " of
the carpenter or bricklayer intent upon his job ;
or of the clergyman, lawyer or public speaker
intent upon the composition of sermon, plea or
oration, as the case may be.
These are the observed facts. It is in order
for the dogmatist, of course, to say that the
" passivity " which he finds necessary to sup
port his preconceived theory must have been
there. However, we must freely acknowledge that
all psychics do recognize and employ the trance
state as a condition most favorable, but not in
dispensable, to that control which produces the
most marked phenomena.
The reason, we think, is clearly apparent and
has been well expressed by Shakespeare in the
oft -quoted saying,
"Conscience makes cowards of us all.''
The great dramatist was here referring not
to the " moral faculty " but to conscious
ness. In every work, both normal and " super
normal," the less consciousness there is, the more
accurate and smooth wUl the work be. In other
words, work becomes efficient in proportion as it
is automatic. You will never, for example, learn

166 Spirit in the Realm of Life.
to balance yourself upon a bicycle until you have
suppressed those adverse suggestions which con
sciousness is liable to obtrude upon you, — to
your undoing as a wheelman.
Yaluable as consciousness is in its own place,
the fact remains that our proficiency in any art
is the work of arrangements and modifications of
psychic forces below those of the consciousness-
strata. Until the latter are sufficiently inhibited,
we cam never become artists in anything. Their
complete inhibition may be perfectly accom
plished in the waking state, as the performance
of a Paderewski bears witness. But their in
hibition is absolutely assured in the hypnotic or
trance state. When, therefore, the psychic or
medium induces the trance state, he is simply
making any assurance which he may possess,
doubly sure.
§ 22. There is one other condition which
must be noted ; and it pertains to psychic action
upon matter. This also, like passivity, is perhaps
not an indispensable condition, but it is one
which is recognized by all psychics and mediums
as greatly favoring success. We refer to that
preference shown by practical psychics which
has raised such a hue and cry on the part of
skeptics ignorant of all the laws and con
ditions of psychic phenomena ; — the preference,
namely for darkness or subdued light during
seances. Of course this preference is ascribed by the

Spirit in the Realm of Life. 167
prejudiced to an occasion for perpetrating fraud.
No doubt many unscrupulous jugglers palming
themselves off as psychics have avaUed themselves
of darkness for working their tricks. But as we
have seen in the preceding chapter, tests can be
arranged whereby trickery can be detected in
subdued-light seances, as surely as in the fuU
blaze of light.
But why cabinets and subdued light ? Is there
any legitimate reason for them ?
First, be it said, some mediums do not use
cabinets. They merely suspend a shawl or piece
of drapery, as does Mrs. Chamberlain, walling
off a corner or alcove of the room. Others even
sit out in the room and hang a curtain or its
equivalent across the lower part of a doorway
which opens into a darkened room. The board-
partition cabinet, however, is the best arrange
ment both for excluding light and possible con
federates. This as we have seen is Mrs. Sawyer's
plan. Howsoever the cabinet be constructed, the
most important point is this : the trance state is
best induced when the medium is concealed from
the people around her ; i. e., freed from the con
sciousness of being observed.
The medium or psychic at work disengages his
aura, which if visible, would appear as a sur
rounding cloud. Air-currents in the room caused
by persons moving about, and the law of the
diffusion of gases, would dissipate much of this

168 Spirit in the Realm of Life.
aura or psychic force ; and all manifestations
would be much weaker. '
As for subdued light, or light modified by red,
blue or purple glass ; or even total darkness, this
may be said : psychic force heing positive is more
active as the light is more subdued ; for light it
self is a positive force. ^
The photographer must have a dark room in
which to develop his negative. The actinic rays
of light, if not excluded, destroy his plate. The
seed must go into the darkness for burial in or
der to germinate ; as it will not germinate in the
sunlight. All vegetation grows more by night
than by day. It is in daylight that the chemical
changes take place in the plant acted upon by
the sun's actinic and heat rays, when the chloro-
phile is changed into starch, and all chemical
compounds are formed, as in opium, strychnine,
digitalis, etc., etc. Thus the day brings forth
the plant's chemistry, while the night brings
forth its growth and strength.
In the animal we see the same changes taking
place ; only whereas the plant by day stores up
carbon and gives off oxygen, the animal does the
reverse.

'Atone of Mrs. Sawyer's seances the voice of a "control"
from the cabinet requested the audience to refrain from using
their fans.
'' Again a cabinet control at one of the seances remarked con
cerning light that was shining from underneath the door lead
ing to the hall, "That light cuts the forces ! "

Spirit in the Realm of Life. 169
The essential point to note in animal-life is
that growth and repair take place to the largest
extent by night. Hence rest is the greatest
medical agent. Note how perfectly all bodily
functions are carried on at night. The psychic
forces in the consciousness-s^rato are then not
drawing upon, and hence, in a measure, not in
terfering with the other psychic forces. By
night the psychic forces of man and the life-
principles of plants are being recuperated. Now
the manifestations of which we are speaking,
most particularly materializations, are, by the
will of intelligences incarnate or discarnate,
growths of the psychic forces of man, i. e., of the
medium and perhaps also of the entire " circle " ;
for the material parts of the manifested forms
are (if we may add their testimony to that of in
ductive reasoning) built up from the auras of
medium, circle and the surrounding material.
Here then we have a process of psycho-physical
growth ; in fact, the processes of ages epitomized
in a few moments of time. But all psycho
physical growth requires darkness. How much
more therefore is darkness necessary here. We
shall see Christ's recognition of this condition in
His "mighty works" {dunameis) when we come
to chapter i of Part III.
§ 23. In conclusion : ' one spiritual energy
pulsates through the universe and gives birth to
' A conclusion which we trust will be made fully apparent
In our next chapter.

170 Spirit in the Realm of Life.
all the various forms of force which are mani
fested ; and has within it the potency of mate
rialization. In its creative work it has ever been
seeking progressively higher forms of symmetry,
looking to the consummation in the highest of
all forms, namely that in which its own divine
nature is refiected — the perfect man.
It is spirit which quickeneth. It is the spiri
tual which is the fundamental principle in every
form of life.

CHAPTER Y.
SPIEIT IN THE EEALM OE MATTEE.
Showing that the forces immanent in and controlling so-called
inert matter in the mineral and vegetable kingdoms and in
the planetary system are essentially spiritual ; manifesting
an immanent intelligence, which is seeking progressively
higher forms of symmetry.
We now come to consider the laws governing
matter below the so-called biological realm.
Matter exists in one of three states, solid,
liquid or gaseous ; for illustration we will select
water as a type to represent all other forms of
matter, for what is true of this is true of aU other
substances. The particles composing water possess the
property of freely moving upon each other.
This is due to the force of cohesion.
Cohesive force is attraction of a lesser degree
than that which exists in frozen water, ice or
other solid substances. If we apply heat to
water, we find that it evaporates and passes into
steam. The relative volume of water as compared to
that of steam is 1 : 1696. This vapor, or steam
condensed, will again result in water, showing
that both under heat and when vaporized its
physical properties remain the same. By this
171

172 Spirit in the Realm of Matter.
method we simply separate the water into its
molecules. " The molecules of a body when in a liquid
state possess a vibratory motion about a position
of equilibrium and also a motion of rotation
around their natural axis of minimum moment of
inertia." '
When water is vaporized into steam we find
that it corresponds to a definite rule or law simi
lar to that of elementarj'^ gases.
If we wish to separate water into its ultimate
gaseous elements we shall have to acidulate the
water and use the electric current to decompose
it. By coUecting these gases, we see that we
have given off at the positive pole, oxygen ; and
at the negative pole, hydrogen. This is proved
by the fact that hydrogen burns and oxygen
supports combustion when an ignited taper is
brought in contact with each gas. We also note
that the hydrogen occupies twice the volume of
that of oxygen. This calls forth the law of
Avagadro : Equal volum,es of all gases, under
like conditions of temperature and pressure, con
tain equal numhers of molecules, similar in size
and equally distant apart.
This demonstrates that each molecule of oxy
gen and hydrogen occupies definite space ; but
we see that hydrogen gas has twice the space or
volume that the oxygen gas occupies. Then
there should be two molecules of hydrogen to
' " Crystallography " — Hinrichs.

Spirit in the Realm of Matter. 173
one of oxygen ; and this is just what we find
and that which exists in the composition of
water: H— O— H,=H20.
" These molecules also possess motion. The
molecules of a body in a gaseous condition have a
motion of translation and also a motion of rota
tion a/round the natural axis of maximum mo
ment of inertia." '
A molecule is the smallest quantity of a sub
stance that can exist free and tnaintain its phys
ical and chemical properties. When water is
separated into its two component gases, the in
dividual properties of the water are lost or de
stroyed. " So great is the force of attraction between
the atoms of hydrogen and oxygen in forming
water, that there is required to separate one
pound of water into its component gases a force
equal to raising 5,314,200 pounds one foot high ;
and the same force is exerted when the gases
unite to form water.
" If these are mixed in a bag by volume, two
volumes of hydrogen gas and one volume of oxy
gen gas we can demonstrate this interesting
experiment. " Make a soap and water mixture and pass the
mixed gases in a bag through a pipe, as in ma
king soap-bubbles. The thin film which appears
is but a miniature bag containing the gases in
the proper proportion. 'Opp. Cit. Hinrichs.

174 Spirit in the Realm of Matter.
" Now carry a lighted taper to the soap-bubble,
and a deafening explosion announces to us that
the chemical union has taken place and a drop of
water has been formed. The formation consists
of a single drop of water so small that it could
be held on the point of a needle." '
This brings us to another important law gov
erning these elements. The Law of Gay Lussac's.
I. There exists a simple relation between the
volumes of gases which combine with each other.
II. There exists a simple relation between
the sum of the volumes of the constituent gases
and the volume of gas formed by their union.
In water we found we had one volume of oxy
gen gas and two volumes of hydrogen gas. When
these three volumes unite we have two volumes
of water existing in a gaseous state.
We must push this analysis to its ultimate end
to comprehend fully what all this precision means.
We started with water, and found that by the
aid of heat it passed into steam, or better it
separated into its molecules.
When the molecule of water was separated
into its component gaseous elements, the physical
and individual properties were lost, but two
different gases were found. In examining these
gases we find that each has definite properties,
weights, etc., peculiar to itself. The atomic
weight of hydrogen is 1 and oxygen 16. They
are both stable substances and can exist in a free
' "New Chemistry "—Cook.

Spirit in the Realm of Matter. 175
state. It is interesting to know that in a free
state each molecule of oxygen and hydrogen and
all other elementary molecules are double, two in
one; This brings us to the law of definite propor
tions : The relative weights of elementary sub
stances in a compound are definite and invariable.
"An atom is the stnallest quantity of an ele.
mentary substance that can enter into a chemical
reaction. The word atom can be used only in
speaking of an elementary body ; and that only
while it is passing through a chemical reaction,
combining with other atoms. The term molecule
applies indifferently to elements and compounds.'
" The atom shows another attribute known as
the loM) of multiple proportions.
" When two elements unite with each other to
form more than one compound, the resulting com
pounds contain simple multiple proportions of
one element as compared with a constant qua/ntity
of the other." '
Similar examples might be multiplied indefi
nitely, and the law holds good not only when
two elements unite but also when several unite
to form a compound.

1 Whethaus' ' ' Chemistry. ' '

* Nitrogen pts.
Oxygen pts.
by vrt.
by wt.
Nitrous oxide, NjO 28
16
or
14;
;8
Nitric oxide, N 0 i='J^^Oi) 14
16
ii
14;
:16
Dinitric Trioxide N2O3 28
48
11
14;
:24
Nitric Dioxide ^^0(,=^^Oi) 14
32
ii
14;
;32
Dinitric Pentoxide N2O5 28
80
ii
14;
;40
176 Spirit in the Realm of Matter.
"The absolute weight of one atom of hydrogen
is about one four hundred quintillionth of a mil
ligram or 4000000000O000000O00O mgr.
" In other words, one milligram of hydrogen
contains 400,000,000,000,000,000,000 atoms of
hydrogen; this would be 200,000,000,000,000,-
000,000 molecules of hydrogen. The velocity
of the molecules of hydrogen gas at the freezing
point (0.° C.) is 1860 meters a second. Oxygen
molecules move at the same temperature with a
velocity of only 465 metres. In fact, the greater
the molecule's weight, the smaller must be the
molecules velocity at the same temperature.
" The molecules of these gases do not continue
their motion undisturbed very long; they strike
against neighboring molecules, or the walls of
the containing vessel and rebound therefrom.
The molecules of hydrogen gas continue their
path on the average only ninety-six millimi
crons,' while oxygen molecules have a mean path
of only fifty-six millimicrons ; for the hydrogen
molecules collide against each other 17^750,-
000,000 times a second and oxygen molecules
7,646,000,000 times a second.'"
We may unite in one systematic table the
symbols of the elements, together with the
atomic weight and atomicity or valence of the
same. This arrangement was first pointed out
'Micron— .001 millimeter. Millimicron— a millionth of a
micron. » Hinrick's "Chemistry," from Maxwell.

Seeies.

Geotjp I.

Geotjp II.

Geoup m.

Geoup IV.

Geoup V.

Geoup VI.

Geoup V.

Geoup VI.

1
2 .

EzO
H=l
Li=7

EO'

¦ E^O,,

EHi EO2

EH3
E2O5

EH2 EO3

EH
R2O,

(E2H) (EOj

Be=9

B=ll

C=12

N=14

0=16

F=19

(NH4)=18

3 . .
4 .

Na=23 K=39

Mg=24 Ca=40

Al=27 Sc=44

Si=28
Ti=48

P=31
V=51

S=32
Cr=52

Cl=35
Mn=55

Cu=63 Fe=56 Co=59
Ni=59

5 . .
6 .

(Cu=63) Eb=85

Zn=65 Sr=87

Ga=63yt=88

?=72
Zr (?)=90

As=75
Nb=94

Se=78
Mo=96

Br=80 ?=100

Eu=104Eh =104
Pd=106
Ag=108

7
8

(Ag=108) Cs=133

Cd=113Ba=137

In=113
D=138 (?)

Sn=n8 Ce=140

Sb=120

Fe=125

1=127

0s=195 Ir=197
Pb=198
Au=196

9
10

?=i90
....
E=178 (?)
L=180 (?)
Ta=182
W=184
11 12
(Au=196)
Hg=200
Tl=204
Pb=207Th=231
Ei=208
U=250
(CN=26)
178 Spirit in the Reahn of Matter.
by Newlands in 1864 and further developed by
Mendeljeff. Upon this variation Mendeljeff has
based what is known as the Periodic Law. The
properties of elements, the constitution of their
compounds and the properties of the latter, are
periodic functions of the atomic weights.
By inspecting the table it will be seen that the
number 16, the atomic weight of oxygen or a
multiple thereof, acts as a stepping stone be
tween many of these elements.
Here we see periodicity demonstrated in the
individual elements as in the planetary system.
An aggregation of some primordial Jf, atom
substance is suggestive as a connecting link between
these elements.
Atomic Weight Atomic Weight
Lithium 7-|-16=23 Sodium (Na) = 23
Sodium 23-1-16=39 Potassium (K) = 39
Fluorine 19-|- 16=35 Chlorine (CI.) = 35.5
Sulphur 32=16x2
Selenium 80=16x5
Tellurium 128=16x8
Nitrogen 14-|-16^30 Atomic Weight of Phosphorus is 31
Carbon 12-|-16=28 " " " Silicon
Potassium 39-|-3xl6=85 " " " Eubidiumis85.4
Eubidium 85.4-(-3xl6=133 " " " Caesium
Some express this peculiarity as follows :
" Atomic weight of Lithium is 7. Suppose this
represented two four (4) atom elements, one
superimposed above the other ; this would be a
union and group of eight (8), but having no
atomicity as all bonds of union are satisfied.

Spirit in the Realm of Matter. 179
"The removal of one corner would leave an
element with one point of attraction which
would be the lithium element.
Atomic Weight
Lithium 7-|-4x4^23 = Atomic Weight of Sodium
Sodium 23-1-4x4=39 = " " " Potassium " '
Prof. I. Remsen, of Johns Hopkins University,
expresses this relation very nicely as follows :
Lithium Glucinum Boron Carbon Nitrogen Oxygen Fluorine
7 9 11 12 14 16 19

Sod. 23

Mag. 24

Alum. Silic.
27 28

Phos. 31

Sulph. 32

Chlor, 35.4

CI. 35.4

S. 32

Li. 7

Ca.

40

Br. 80

Se. 79

Na. 23

So.

87.5

I. 127

Tell. 125

K. 39

Ba.

137

Each column represents a class of elements
that resemble each other closely. The sum of
the first and last, divided by 2, of each column
wiU nearly equal the middle column of elements.
35. 4-t-127=81.2 ; ^2+125=78.5 ^7+39=23
2 2 2
404-137=88.5

This seems to demonstrate that : "The prop
erties of elements, the constitution of their com
pounds, and the properties of the latter are
periodic functions of the atomic weights of the
elements." " We also see a striking contrast in the atomic-
' Hinrick's " Chemistry."

180 Spirit in the Realm of Matter.
ity or valence and the atomic weight of some
elements.
Atomicity or Valence 12 3 4
Element Fl (Fluorine) O (Oxygen) N (Nitrogen) C (Carbon)
Atomic Weight 18 16 14 12
1
19 (Fluorine should be 19 but it is an
element not thoroughly investigated.)
Organic or complex radical.
Atomicity or Valence 12 3 4
I I I
Eadical — C H — C H — C H — C—
3 2 1 I
Atomic Weight 15 14 13 12"'
In Column YI of the table the first substance
is the compound radical ammonium (N H^),
nitrogen and hydrogen. The two unite to form
an alkaline substance.
In the same column the last substance is an
acid radical cyanogen (C N). This when united
with hydrogen gives us hydrocyanic or prussic
acid. The peculiarity of these two radicals is that
they act in combining with other elements as a
single elementary substance.
The blank spaces in the tables are supposed to
represent undiscovered elements.
Two of these theoretical elements have been
discovered and filled in the blank space of some
of the tables arranged more or less as the above.
The elements are Scandium Sc. wt. 44.9 and
'Hinrick's "Chemistry."'

Spirit in the Realm of Matter. 181
Gallium Ga. 69.8. Both resembling aluminum
more or less.
This is analogous to the discovery of the plan
ets Neptune and Ceres.
Specific heat also shows analogies. The
specific heat of the elementary atoms varies
inversely as the atomic weight for all the ele
ments. This specific heat is the number of
calories required to raise one atom one degree
centigrade. If we multiply the specific heat of
the atoms by its atomic weight, the product is
practically the same, giving an average equiva
lent of 6.4.=(6.4).
Professor Hinrichs states the following :
" We believe to have established an additional
and very remarkable instance of Unity in Nature
— for obviously the motions of the cosmical
bodies in the celestial space correspond exactly
to the motions of a molecule in a gas.
" In both cases, the body has a free motion of
translation associated with a motion of rotation
around an axis which passes through the cent/re
of gravity of the body, and for which the moment
of inertia of the body is a maximum."
We shall now sum up the attributes of the
atom elements.
I. They have a definite weight.
II. They have the same number of molecules
in a given volume similar in size and equally
distant apart.
III. They have definite combining powers.

182 Spirit in the Realm of Matter.
lY. There exists a simple relation between
the volumes of gases which combine with each
other. Y. There exists a simple relation between
the sum of the volumes of the constituent gas
and the volume of the gas formed by their union.
Gay Lussac's Laws.
YI. They follow the law of Multiple Pro
portions. YII. Their specific heat multiplied by their
atomic weight gives practically the same product
for all the elements.
YIII. They seek to unite with one electro
negative or positive to themselves to form a
double or a molecule and become stable on this
plane.' IX. They show a preference in selecting cer
tain elements with which to combine.
This is well demonstrated in analysis in
chemistry by the wet process, whereby the
elements combine with special reagents and
form definite insoluble compounds which are
precipitated out of their solution. Without this
preference our analytical chemistry would
amount to very little.
X. Through the law of periodicity they seem
to show that they are united with some primor-
• In the vegetable world we have the vital or living part and
the so-called material structure. While in the animal kingdom
we have the spiritual and the material parts, making doubles in
all these three spheres.

Spirit in the Realm of Matter. 183
dial tetrad substance or are multiples of one and
the same thing.
XI. When in a gaseous state, the molecules of
the elements have the same motions that the
planetary bodies possess.
XII. They show more or less of electric affin
ities, as electro-positive and electro-negative.
XIII. Two elements have been discovered
whose properties were foretold and described
since the table of periodicity was first published.
This is analogous to the discovery of the planets
Neptune and Ceres.
First conclusion : The above is an exhibit of
law am,d order.
Second conclusion : With all these attributes
there is an exhibition of immanent intelligence.
We infer from the above facts that the elements
are all one and the same substance presenting it
self in different forms or structures. '
If one substance, that substance could be but
only one thing.
These so-called elements have all the marks of
ideas or thoughts which are aU-pervading ; and
immanent intelligence seems to be crystallizing
into organized form-structures.
' Carbon is a beautiful illustration of these various conditions
or states, e. g., charcoal, bituminous coal, anthracite coal,
graphite, and finally that crystallized gem of radiant sunlight
called the diamond.
Cane sugar and gum arabic have the same chemical formula,
the arrangement of the molecules making the difference in both
cases.

184 Spirit in the Realm of Matter.
Additional proof will presently be given.
We now revert to certain details in the fore
going analysis. We see that the atom cannot
exist in a free state, for its force of attraction is
so great that it seeks to become united with one
opposite in character to itself, to exist as an indi-
vidual ele7nent, or enter into a definite chemical
compound. That an atom does exist in a compound we de
termine by the definite weight, its molecular
structure, its gaseous volume, and the satisfied
valance of the compound.
We know that the atom seeks to maintain its
individuality and can exist as a double or mole
cule of any element.
We know that the two gases, hydrogen and
oxygen, seek each other and do unite in definite
proportions to form water. This shows that at
traction is great, even in the ultimate atom, seek
ing to maintain an existence as a definite individual
substance. We also learn from chemistry that atoms have
natural or preferred selections or tastes, e. g., hy
drogen and oxygen to form water ; barium and
sulphuric acid to form barium sulphate ; calcium
and oxalic acid to form calcium oxalate ; silver
and chlorine to form silver chloride, etc., etc.
(These are the most stable and fixed compounds
of these elements.)
There is here manifested a tendency in the in
dividual atom to form -Aflxed, stable and crystal-

Spirit in the Realm of Matter. 185
lized compound, one more complex in a series and
possessing a higher symmetry.
This powerful and all-present force of attraction
in the atom with its inherent affinities showing a
preference for certain other elements and seeking
to construct stable forms of a definite higher sym
metry or structure, constitutes the basis of intelli
gent evolution in matter. This is wrongly called
fortuitous, accidental or natural selection. It is
on its face an inherent, intelligent, intentional
design of the molecules to reach a higher plane
of development.
Let us now look at the properties and attri
butes of the solid state of matter, and as an ex
ample, let us take water in its solid form, — ice.
If we lower the temperature of water to
39. 83°F., it is then at its greatest density. Below
this the water begins to expand, and at 32°F. it
becomes solid, if slightly agitated. If at absolute
rest, the temperature of the water may be low
ered to 5°F. without becoming solid. If slightly
agitated, it immediately becomes solid, and the
temperature rises to 32°F. ' This expansion is
due to absorption of air and a further separation
of its molecules.
The resulting lump of ice, if placed in water,
wUl float on account of the air that it has ab
sorbed, and being bulk for bulk lighter than
water. About one-ninth of the ice is above the
surface and eight-ninths below the surface.
' Withaus' ' ' Chemistry. ' '

186 Spirit in the Realm of Matter.
This lump of ice is made up of definite shaped
crystals. The best way in which to examine
these crystalline structures is to catch the snow-
flakes upon dark or black cloth.
The crystalline structure is what all elements
seek to produce, as it is a regular and orderly
arrangement of its molecules, and is a true
resemblance to tlie individual molecule and
atom. These snowflakes Professor TyndaU very ap
propriately calls ice-flowers. As the flower
shows forth the structure of the plant, so these
hexagonal forms disclose the six-sided structure
of the molecules that compose ice.
These six-petals make with each other a reg
ular angle of 60°. Six times 60° equals 360°,
the total number of degrees in a circle.
While the feathery petals of these beautiful
ice-flowers may vary and show many shoots and
varying leaf-structures, each seeks to produce
and always does produce its definite angle
of 60°.
Divide these crystals of ice so the most power
ful microscope can just distinguish the substance,
and we shall see the same six-sided figure. This
is true of all the other elements in a crystalline
state. Their molecules seek to arrange themselves
in definite shapes, angles and lines of cleavage.
As the molecules one after another separate from
the gas or solution, they cease their rotations
and remain fixed in positions parallel to that of

Spirit in the Realm of Matter. 187
the crystal already existing. This is the general
law of aggregation or crystallization. '
This proves that in cleavage a crystal is com
posed of its molecules in exactly parallel posi
tions. ' This statement can be demonstrated by
passing a ray of light through one way, and
when the crystal is turned at right angles, the
light is refracted.
The law of molecules in a solid is this : — The
molecules of a body when in a solid state have only a
vibratory motion about a position of equilibrium.^
" If we arrange the crystal forms according to
their degree of symmetry, we find the higher types
prevail over the lower ones. But since the num
ber of possible forms of lower symmetry is much
greater, matter in the act of crystallization seems
to select the forms of higher symmet/ry.
" Thus of 1944 measured crystallized substances
94 have no symmetry (triclinic) ; 571 have one
plane of symmetry (monoclinic) ; 1279 have two
(3) planes of symmetry (orthoclinic).
" Of these latter 538 have no rotary symmetry
(are rhombic), whUe 741 have rotary symmetry (are
quadratic, hexagonal, rhombohedial or tesseral)." '
We feel that we have shown the foUowing
facts about so-called inert matter :
I. The atom of an element cannot exist free,
and has a movement of translation and rotation
with marked affinity to combine with another
atom seemingly of its own kind, (electro-negative or
' " Crystallography," Hinrichs.

188 Spirit in the Realm of Matter.
positive), to form a molecule. It has a definite
weight, valence and powers of natural or pre
ferred selection.
II. The molecule of a substance is the smallest
particle of matter that can exist in a free state,
and these molecules are double, having definite
forms and regular laws governing their action.
III. The atoms forming the molecule seek to
enter into composition with other elementary
atoms forming higher chemical compounds.
lY. The crystalline structure is the highest
type of representation of the elements of
inorganic matter, and the structure resembles
the individual molecule and atom comprising the
substance. Y. Matter in the act of crystallization seeks
to select the form of higher symmetry.
YI. The behavior of the element indicates
that there is a directing intelligence. The
chemical action being constant, demonstrates
that this intelligence resides within rather than
outside of the element ; that it is immanent and
not extraneous.
These propositions being true, we must admit
that this shows a sense of intelligence.
We have demonstrated attraction which is
always present in the atom, molecule and mass,
and its wonderful power and intelligence seeking
to arrange the molecules in the highest symmetry
as in crystallization. Hence intelligence poten-
tiaUy omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient is

Spirit in the Realm of Matter. 189
established in so-called inert matter. And it ap
pears to manifest itself in accordance with Lam-
rack's law of appetency, which, as hereinbefore
explained, is a phase of the law of subliminal
assimilation: In the act of crystallization im
pulses within correspond to the rotary movements
of the molecules. The atoms combining with
other atoms or atom-elements and the slower mo
tion of the molecules constitutes the environ
mental changes.
Structural modification is brought about by
the atoms in the act of crystallization seeking to
select the highest forms of symmetry.
Having finished the analysis on inorganic mat
ter, we shall show some interesting facts about
the planets and the vegetable realm, and shall con
clude with some remarks on the animal organism.'
' The following table is copied from the book " Eeligion and
Chemistry," by J. P. Cook, Jr., 1865.
Law of Peeiodio Times.

Yearly rotation

Theoretical

Fractiona.

observed.

yearly rotation.

Neptune

60,127

62,000

Uranus
30,687
31,000
i
Saturn
10,759
10,333
i
Jupiter
4,333
4,133
%
Asteroids
1,200 to 2,000
1,550
1
Mars
687
596
A
Earth
365
366A-)
227^1 /
A
Venus
225
Mercury
88
87
M
After the first two each succeeding fraction is obtained by
adding the numerators and denominators ; J, |, |, f , fy, ^,
If. Compute series.
190 Spirit in the Realm of Matter.
Sir Robert Stowell Ball LL. D. in his late work
The Story of the Heavens (pp. 229, 230) says :
" In the diagram (p. 234) of the orbits of the
various planets it is shown that a wide space exists
between the orbit of Mars and that of Jupiter.
" It was surmised that this ample region must
be tenanted by some other planet. The pre
sumption became much stronger when a re
markable law was discovered which exhibited
with considerable accuracy the relative distances
of the great planets of our system. Take the
series of numbers, 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96, whereof
each number (except the second) is double of the
number which precedes it.
" If we now add four to each, we have the
series 4, 7, 10, 16, 28, 52, 100. With the excep
tion of the fifth of these numbers (28) they are
all sensibly proportional to the distance of the
various planets from the sun. In fact, the dis
tances are as follows : Mercury, 3.9 ; Yenus, 7.2 ;
Earth, 10; Mars, 15.2; Jupiter, 52.9; Saturn, 95.4.
" Although we have no physical reason to offer
why this law, — generally known as Bode's, —
should be true, yet the fact that it is so nearly
true in case of all the known planets tempts us
to ask whether there may not also be a planet
revolving around the sun, at the distance repre
sented by 28.
"It was January 1, 1801, that Piozzi located a
planet at the position between Mars and Jupiter
(28) and called it Ceres. Piozzi had searched for

Spirit in the Realm of Matter. 191
this planet 159 nights, taking fifty stars each
night. For three nights he had located this
moving star and noted its position. This planet
became lost. Gauss a young German mathema
tician opened his distinguished career by a
successful attempt to solve the orbit of this
planet. " When, therefore, the progress of the seasons
permitted the observations to be renewed, the
search was recommenced. The telescope was
directed to the point which Gauss' calculations
indicated and there was the little Ceres. Ever
since its rediscovery the planet has been so com
pletely bound in the toils of mathematical rea
soning that its place every night of the year can
be indicated with a fidelity approaching to that
attainable in observing the moon or the great
planets of our system." The diameter of this
planet is 485 mUes.
The Law of Geavitation, oe the Plane-
TAET Laws.
I. Each planet revolves around the sun in an
elliptic path having the sun at one of the foci.
II. Every planet moves around the sun with
such a velocity at every point that a straight line
drawn from it to the sun passes over equal areas
in equal times.
III. The squares of the periodic times are
proportional to the cubes of the mean distances.^
' Ball's " Astronomy."

192 Spirit in the Realm of Matter.
This proves beyond doubt the law and order of
the planets.
We had arrived at the conclusion that the
molecule element had the same identical motion
in our ether space that the largest planets pos
sess. But we find that Prof. J. P. Cook, Jr., in
his book, " Religion and Chemistry " (page 335)
had published this in 1865.
Prof. Gustavus Hinrichs, late of the State
University of Iowa, now of St. Louis, Mo., dis
covered this same motion and published it about
1867 to 1870.
Here we have three arriving at the same con
clusion independently of each other.
In this article we have called attention to the
ever-present force in the atom to combine with
another element. We will now quote what
Professor Cook says on this energy in his book
on " Religion and Chemistry."
"All natural phenomena are the manifestation
of the same omnipresent energy, which is trans
ferred from one portion of matter to another
without any loss of power.
"The sum total of all the active and latent energies
in the universe is constant and invariable. In
other words, power is as indestructible as matter."
This brings us to what Newton said many
years ago, and is believed by many philosophers,
that " matter in its essence is only a manifes
tation of power."

Spirit in the Realm of Matter.

193

Passing now to the vegetable kingdom, we
find again the same numerical laws. The leaves
of a plant are always arranged in spirals around
the stem. If we start from any one leaf and
count the number of leaves around the stalk and
the number of turns of the spiral until we come to
a second leaf immediately over the first, we find
that for any given plant, as an apple-tree, for ex
ample, the number of leaves and the number of
turns of the spiral are always absolutely the
same.

The simplest arrangement is where the coinci
dence occurs at the second leaf, after a single
turn of the spiral ; and this may be expressed by
the fraction }4, whose numerator denotes the
number of turns of the spiral, and whose denomi
nator the number of leaves.
The next simplest arrangement is when the
coincidence occurs at the third leaf, after a single
turn of the spiral, and may be expressed by the

fraction

ri-

These two fractions

express re

spectively the greatest and the smallest diver-

194

Spirit in the Realm of Matter.

gence between the successive leaves which have
been observed.
The angle between two successive leaves,
therefore, is never greater than 180° or one-half
the circumference of the stem, and never less
than 120°, or one-third of the circumference.'
It will be seen that we have precisely the same
series of fractions in the arrangement of leaves
around the stem of the plant which appears in

' Law of Phyllotoxis (Leaf Arrangement).

Arrangement
of divergence
No. of turns
No. of
between two
Name of Plant.
of spiral.
Leaves.
Fractions.
successiveleaves.
Grasses
1
2
\
180°
Sedges
1
3
\
128°
Apple
Cherry
2
5
f
144°
Poplar
Holly 1
Callistimon ¦
3
8
f
135°
Aconite
Eosettes of the
Houseleek
Cones of the
5
13
A
138° 28'
White Pine
Cones of the
European Larch
8
21
A
137° 9'
Certain Pine Co
iiesl3
34
ii
137° 39'
a a 1
' 21
55
Ii
137° 27'
Typical arrar
gement which would
expose to the sun's rays
the greatest leaf surface 137° 30' 28".
'Eeligion and Chemistry," Cook.
Spirit in the Realm of Matter. 195
the periods of the planets. This law does not
stop with the planets.
The same series of fractions expresses also the
spiral arrangement of the tentacles of the polyp
and the spines of the Echinus.
Thus through the whole realm of nature, from
the structure of the crystals to the dimensions of
the human form, a similar numerical simplicity
is preserved. The ultimate analysis of plants reveals these
atoms : Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), Oxygen (O),
Nitrogen (N), the mineral part of the plant be
ing but a fraction in percentage of the plant, as
Calcium (Ca), Potash (K), Sodium (Na), Iron (Fe)
and Sulphur (S). We see here the elements
seeking to select the higher forms of symmet/ry.
This is shown in the regular order of the flower,
the molecular arrangement of the cells and the
crystallized compounds we extract from the plants
as medicines, morphine, strychnine, quinine, etc.
It is in the plant that we find for the first time
nitrogen as an albuminoid substance assimilable
as animal food. This albuminoid solution is the
basis of animal life.
The exact chemical form has never been as
certained for the albuminoid substances, and
they have been looked upon as the highest
molecular arrangement, as they constitute the
cell basis of the animal kingdom. We find the
amoeba, the tissue of the plant and of men made
up of these living cells composed of this nitro-

196 Spirit in the Realm of Matter.
genous substance. We shall add a few formulee
representing different substances.'
' The atomic arrangement is supposed to represent the crys
talline structure of the following substances :
O O 0 o
Ca s =casa a
Calcic Sulphate. Q 0 0 O
IK -0-8-0- Al-Al-0-S-O-K
I II 'D
O 0 0 o
s y
8
o o
Fotasstc-Alomliilc Sulpbate (Aliim),i
6
^ -^- * Mg;g)s(g=^gaq>
Sulphnrlcr Acid. Magnealo Sulphate.
0 0 ^ -0-0-.0  i.A
H-0-C-0-0-H=C H O. ^O-C-0 ^^
Oxalic Acid. 2-2 4' Calcic Oxalate.

0

H H H

O

H H

0

, I • I

g

V y

N-

.0-0-0-0-0

-N

0-0

0

1 1 J

Ji

^ %

0
H O H
0 = N = t)
£[itro-£lyceiine.
O
H-0 0-H
\ y
0 = 0
H "^N N-'" H
\ y \ y
H 0-0 0-0 H
> ^ K <> %, 1
?¦
-0-0 0-N-O 0-0-
1 N ? 1 \ ? 1
,H 0=0 H 0 = 0 H,
y \ y \
H H H H
EoaaDlliae.
H
"New Chemistry." — Cook.
Spirit in the Realm of Matter. 197
For years alizarine, the coloring principle of
the madder-root, used in calico-printing, was
sought by chemists synthetically. The molecular
arrangement of the atoms could not be solved
until the German chemist, Graebe, accidentaUy
stumbled upon its interesting formula.'
We see that by these individual atoms a molecule
is formed representing an individual substance.
This arrangement is always definite ; if not, the
substance would not be produced. The cinchona
tree produces quinine, the poppy morphine, the
madder-root alizarine, etc. Like begets like.
The atoms in organic matter arrange themselves
to form definite crystals and substances.
With all of man's intelligence, he fails to pro
duce artificially, that is, by synthesis, many of
these substances. Are we then to say that these
atoms arrange themselves in their complex forms
without any inherent or immanent inteUigence,
and that it just happens this way ?
' The following is its peculiar structure :
B
\> H
N I
0 C H
j^ \ y \^/r
O-C 0 C H
II I I /
0-0 0 O-C
>^ y \ ^ \ _^
C 0 C-ff>
y \ y
O C-C
-/ ' '
H H H
MthnqolnoDlo Acid (illzsrine>

198 Spirit in the Realm of Matter.
We believe that it indicates not only intelli
gence, but it demonstrates that everything in na-
ture seeks to progress, and to produce higher forma
of symmetry.
We might speak of the adjustment of the
atmosphere for the support of all forms of life ;
its very poor conducting properties for heat and
cold. This protects the earth from the excessive
heat from the sun's rays, and also prevents the
radiation of heat that has been absorbed by the
earth. In the ocean, lakes and bodies of water, we
notice an all-wise provision. The seaweed and
other vegetation absorb carbon dioxide from the
fish and other living inhabitants, and by the ac
tion of the actinic rays of the sun, the carbon is
stored away in the water plants and a certain
necessary amount of oxygen is given off to sup
ply and support the fish and all other creatures
of the deep. Certain fish, lizards, cat-fish, etc.,
act as scavengers ; the snails, newts, etc., keep
down the algag, so we have a perfectly adjusted
balance ; the fish live, the water is kept pure, and
the enormous growth of algae is kept within
certain limits.
On the earth we have all necessary vegetation
for animals and man, forests for shade and lum
ber. In the earth, all necessary minerals, lime,
coal, oil, etc., etc., that man finds stored here
available for his needs. Can this be all by chance
or accident, or does it show intelligence ?

Spirit in the Realm of Matter. 199
This brings us to the law of subconscious
assimilation. We have demonstrated that in the
atom as in the larger masses the planets, we have
law and order. ' The arrangement of the atoms
seeking to form higher and more complex and
stable compounds shows immanent intelligence.
These same immutable laws prevail in the
vegetable and animal worlds. This evidently
proves that the universe is but crystaUized
thought structures; whence it appears that
thoughts are literaUy things.
In man the law of assimilation is this : The
thoughts, through the immanent intelligence,
seek to arrange themselves in selective order
whereby the highest symmetry will be attained
for the individual's good. This is demonstrated
in hypnosis. Good suggestions are assimilated,
while bad ones are rather rejected and the sub
ject refuses to be brought to a lower plane than
his normal waking morality. If adverse, deba
sing, low or injurious suggestions for a very long
time a/re continued, these suggestions then may
act as environmental changes and stop the natural
and inherent growth, as we see by children
brought up in the slums of a city, among thieves,
liars, desperadoes, etc. If these waifs are trans
planted and held under restraint for a time, the
inherent good tendencies will come out, or they
will be reflected to better the future lives of their
children. This gives man a chance for his spiri-
' See Law of Subconscious Assimilation. Foot-note page 143.

200 Spirit in the Realm of Matter.
tual part to become an organized Godlike struc
ture of intelligence. '
This then seems to prove to us, without petitio
principii, that the inorganic elements are but
primordial thoughts, with force and intelligence,
seeking to arrange permanent, symmetrical organ
ized structures of higher intelligence.

General Note to Chapters IV, V.
From the facts reviewed in the last two chapters, especially
those in chapter v, it would seem that the following proposition
were justifiable : Thoughts have within them the promises
and potencies of things.
This the reader will recognize as a reversal of Professor Tyn
dall's famous admission, viz., that matter contains within it the
promises and potencies of all forms of life.
From what we have shown in our last chapter it is clear that
the psychic element or spiritual principle immanent in matter
alone makes a proposition like Professor Tyndall's intelligible.
In other words, matter exists, and exists as an ordered part
of the cosmos, because of the spiritual principle which is resi
dent in it and apparently inseparable from it. The extended
universe is the expression of spirit ; the materialization of
divine intelligence. It represents Deiflc Thought transformed
into Extended Thing.
' The facts of anthropology, however, seem to indicate the
presence in man of a tendency to assimilate enough badness
(which tendency itself seems to have become assimilated) to
negative the doctrine of certain modern evolutionists that man
is inherently good and needs only education to enable him to attain
to the Divine Ideal. On that head, see Part III., chapter ii.,
§ 2 : Christ as the Head of a new Celestial Humanity through
His Immaculate Conception,

Spirit in the Realm of Matter. 201
We have seen (chapter iv) that ideas, as we know them in
the department of human psychology, are forces ; that thoughts
are potential projectiles. If we may reason from microcosm to
macrocosm, we may say that the ordered forces of nature are
divine ideas or thoughts in process of projection.
The intimate (though as yet unsolved) relationship between
spirit and matter, thought and thing, is most strikingly illus
trated in those manifestations described by us in chapter ii,
p. 75, and chapter iii, g^ 8-10, — Materialization.
The determining factor in this phenomenon is will ; which is
of course spiritual. Let judgment be suspended, if the reader
chooses, as to wlwse will it is, that of an incarnate or a dis
carnate person. In either case personal will is the determining
factor. Take a specific case. Suppose we select that witnessed by us
through Mrs. Sawyer's mediumship described in chapter iii of
Part II, pp. 114 et seq.
A whirring, churning noise is heard, and there rushes from
the cabinet a girl's form attired in appropriate feminine garb,
the garments dripping with moisture as though she had just
emerged from the ocean.
Whence came the fleshly and palpable form ? Whence the fab
ric of the garments ? Whence the water with which they were
dripping ? Wlience in short, the material of the manifestations ?
On the spiritistic hypothesis they were created by the will of
the discarnate spirit to symbolize the maimer in which she had
passed out of the earth-life.
On the mundane psychic hypothesis they were the projected
and materialized thoughts of the medium. On either hypothesis
their efficient cause and source was personal will. The thought-
image of form, garment-fabric, water, accompanied by a voli
tion for their materialization, produced them. The thought by
some unfathomed process of organic and inorganic chemistry be
came realized as the thing. In the thought there was a force
which mediated the transformation from spirit to matter.
The following case also came under our observation : Upon
a slate three or four feet from the "psychic" was precipitated
a beautiful oil-painting of a five-pointed star surrounded by
lilies of the valley. It was recognized by one of the members

202 Spirit in the Realm of flatter.
of the circle as a "message" from Lillian Starr, a deceased
relative. We have personally witnessed the projection of force by mind
upon matter through the mediation of ' ' psychics " so as to
cause messages to be written upon a typewriter four feet dis
tant and to precipitate oil-portraits and beautiful landscapes
upon slates and porcelain tablets, — works of art accomplished
in from thirty to fifty seconds which would require an artist
working by normal means a day or more to execute.
We believe that the facts to which we pointed in chapter v
all go to show a, synthesis between mind and matter. In the
realm which includes the plant-world, the mineral-kingdom,
the planetary system — a realm commonly handed over to force
and matter only — we see intelligence immanently manifest and
at the head of an hierarchy ; — thought realizing itself in the
thing ; — thought and thing, phases of one eternal entity ; and
ever seeking to manifest itself in progressively higher form of
symmetry. From the star-dust to man it is one harmonious
interaction of a threefold hierarchy, intelligence, force, matter ;
intelligence always at the head ; or rather, to express the one
entity in symbolic terms, — intelligence being the head, force
the nerves, and matter the body.
We conclude that thoughts indeed, as we have already ob
served, have the potentiality of things ; that intelligence, force
and matter are cosmic eternities ; an everlasting hierarchy over
which intelligence rules ; and that there is no necessary conflict
between materialism and idealism.

CHAPTER YI.
THE NEW DATA SUMMAEIZED.
Eeview of chief points in Part II. Their character as verifi
cations of the superphysical element in the gospel.
In passing in review the results established by
psychic research we have not aimed at the
thoroughness demanded by a separate treatise
on psychic fact and theory ; we have merely en
deavored so to marshal the main points as to
preclude the possibility of their being passed by
" on the other side " as evidential factors. That
strange oblivion on the part of current Christian
Apologetics to the evidential weight of modern
superphysical phenomena (to which we referred
in our introduction) has rendered necessary in
our judgment the dimensions to which the second
part of our work has attained.
The main points which we have endeavored
here to marshal, summed up, are these :
(1) That point so logically taken by Sir Wil
liam Crookes in reply to those who a priori and
dogmatically rejected his findings, viz. (to quote
his words) " If a new fact seems to oppose what
is caUed a law of nature, it does not prove the
asserted fact to be false, but only that we have
203

204 The New Data Summarized.
not yet ascertained all the laws of nature, or not
yet learned them correctly."
So the dogmatic rejection of superphysical
phenomena by the materiaUsts is pure question-
begging. (2) Their attempt to dispute the evidence on
empirical grounds is seen to be futile when we
consider the painstaking precautions against
" sources of error in observation " uniformly pur
sued by such investigators as Sir William Crookes
and the psychical research organization.
(3) The chief classes of facts brought out are
these :
(i) " Subliminal " memory and intuition, which
we pass by as having no further bearing on our
subject. (ii) Psychic action at a distance.
a. The action of intelligently-directed psychic
force upon matter.
First. Upon inorganic matter, as ponderable
objects, substances, etc., manifested in :
{a) Telekinesis or mechanical movements, levi
tation, dynamic control, etc., and
(5) Psycho-chemicalization, or production by
psychic agency of chemical changes in material
substances. Second. The action of intelligently-directed
psychic force upon the organic matter of the hu
man body ; as in mesmeric phenomena applied
either in healing (psycho-therapeutics) or in other
ways.

Tfie New Data Summarized. 205
b. The action of psychic force upon psychic
force, mind upon mind, or spirit upon spirit.
This is manifested in :
{a) Telepathy or the transmission of thought
from mind to mind ; and in
{b) Clairvoyance, or the independent percep
tion of distant scenes or future events.
(iii) Still another class of psychic facts to
which in Part II we have given a passing refer
ence ; a discussion of whose verity we have re
served for Appendix B, are those which fall un
der the head of discarnate spirit-communication.
We have, it is true, dwelt at considerable length
upon materializing phenomena. We suspend
formal judgment as to whether those witnessed
by ourselves or by Sir William Crookes and
others manifest discarnate or incarnate agency.
The chief point of interest for the present is that
living, palpable, intelligent, human organisms can
be and are materialized by superphysical agency.
(4) We have tried to bring out the fact that
the basic cause of all superphysical phenomena
is found in the spiritual constitution of the uni
verse. By " spirit " we mean an intelligent will,
whether it be infinite or finite, incarnate or dis
carnate. We have, we think, shown that both in the
realm of life and of matter, there is an all-per
vading or immanent intelligence which is ever
seeking to find expression in progressively higher
forms of symmetry.

206 The New Data Summarized.
We have shown that the Divine Spirit has
found the highest form of symmetry in that con
summation of the life realm, the human organism.
We have shown that man, as he exists on
earth, is a trichotomy, consisting of spirit, the in
telligent, animating principle; soul, the fine
ethereal organism of psychic forces in their com
plexity of adjustments ; and body, the unstable,
coarser structure of evanescent arrangements, of
which soul is the permanent duplicate, as weU as
the efficient cause of its (the body's) life.
We have shown that the human spirit poten
tially controls the soul's forces to the extent of
projecting them, as in an aura, to produce psy
chic action upon matter ; as in telekinetic, psy
cho-chemical, and mesmeric phenomena.
We have shown that spirit acts upon spirit, as
in telepathy or hypnosis at a distance ; and that
mind sees into the distance or the future, as in
clairvoyance, through a medium in which space
and time are swallowed up, — the medium of
spirit infinite or mind absolute.
(5) And now let us review the conditions un
der which spiritual agency produces superphysical
phenomena :
(a) In physical manifestations.
(i) Here confldence on the operator's part is
indispensable — i. e., where the phenomena are
sought and not spontaneous.
This confidence may be impaired, if not de
stroyed, by the adverse suggestions of others

The New Data Summarized. 207
either expressed verbally or impressed by telep
athy. It is probable that with the adverse sug
gestions there is projected a psychic force which
neutralizes that of the operator.
Most necessary is this confidence in the case of
psychic healing.
(ii) In telekinesis, materialization, etc., the
exclusion of the caloric and the actinic rays is a
most favoring condition, though not always in
dispensable. (iii) In psychic healing faith on the part of
the patient is so necessary as to be almost indis
pensable. Only those healers whose control over
their psychic forces is ideal can overcome those
counter-forces which adverse suggestions on the
patient's part bring into play.
(iv) Hypnosis or trance, which means sup
pression of possible adverse forces in the strata
of consciousness, is a condition in which a phys
ical medium is insured against adverse auto-sng-
gestions and is thus made se^-confident.
It is also a condition in which a patient is
prevented from opposing the healer with adverse
suggestions ; and is thus rendered receptive of as
much psychic force as the healer is able to pro
ject. (v) In twenty per cent of all people adverse
suggestions can be self-suppressed without hyp
nosis ; which fact enables us to understand the
success which the delusive and absurd sugges
tions of Christian Science healers have achieved.

208 The New Data Summarized.
(b) Mental passivity, trance or hypnosis, are
conditions which serve to bring the human
spirit into rapport with the absolute, thus en
abling it to become receptive of telepathic com
munications or of those things which the Divine
Spirit may see fit to reveal, as in clairvoyance.
(6) The present occurrence of superphysical
phenomena under known conditions renders
credible the past occurrence of like phenomena
under like conditions. The cloud of suspicion
which overshadows the historical argument in
the form of the materialistic dogma, " Miracles,"
i. e., supernormal phenomena, " do not happen
now " is dispelled by the results of modern
psychic research.
The way is now cleared for the task of Part
III, the enquiry. Do the evangelists represent
Jesus as performing superphysical works of the
same class as those observed in modern times,
and as recognizing and employing like condi
tions ? If so, what are the evidential con
sequences ?

Part III.
The New Verification Applied.
"According to your faith, be it unto you." — St. Matt.
10 : 24.
" Verily, I say unto you, if ye have faith as a grain
of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Re
move hence to yonder place ; and it shall rem,ove ; and
nothing shall be impossible unto you." — St. Matt.
17:20. " Jesus was the first to proclaim the great law of
Faith." — Hudson's " Law of Psychic Phenomena,"
p. 160.
" ./4nd all the multitude sought to touch him, ; for
power came forth from him and healed them all."
—St. Luke 6:19.
"Like many other forces of nature, it defies analysis.
That it exists, and that under certain conditions not
yet very clearly defined, it can be controlled by the con
scious intelligence of man, is as certain as the existence
of electricity." — Hudson's " Law," etc., p. 171.

209

CHAPTEE I.
cheist's WOKKS OF HEALING IN THE LIGHT OP
PSYCHIC LAW.
Demonstrating how Christ in His works of heaUng is repre
sented as recognizing and utilizing the negative condition
of faith on the patient's part, and the positive condition
of psychic or vital force ; which facts prove the veracity
of the evangelists and Christ's scientific insight into psychic
conditions.
§ 1. We believe that the enquiry which con
cludes our last chapter of Part II answers it
self. If it is a demonstrable fact that the
evangelists represent Jesus as performing super-
physical works of the same kind as those per
formed to-day, and as recognizing and utilizing
like conditions, then two facts are proved:
evangelical veracity and Christ's inerrant psychic
insight. In this chapter we shall try to make plain
from the data supplied by the evangelists that
the latter do so represent and report their Hero ;
viz., as the great psychic healer who was the
.first to discover those conditions of psycho
therapeutics which twentieth century enlighten
ment is just beginning to find out anew.
§ 2. We are aware that in this statement we
may offend the preconceptions of an unreflecting
211

212 Christ's Work of Healing.
traditionalism which poses as "orthodox"; a
traditionalism which deems impious any other
view of Christ's superphysical works than that
of downright miracle in the popular sense of that
term ; viz., an arbitrary suspension of cosmic law
by Divine ^a^. Man-made tradition would have
it that the Master healed the sick by a mere de
cree regardless of conditions or limitations.
Man-made tradition would divorce these works
from that great and glorious organism of self-
spending human love which the Nazarene mani
fested from John's baptism to Calvary's crown
ing altar. We propose to show from the re
corded statements of the gospel-story that these
" traditions of the elders," which tend to make
Christ's sacrificial Saviourhood " of none effect,"
are heterodox, in that they have no support in
the evangelical record. We propose to appeal
from human tradition to " the law and the testi
mony." One more preliminary observation: Suppose
we are " doubting Thomases " ; — people who are
earnestly desirous of some reasonable proof that
the gospel-record is veracious. We are met by
the dogmatist who tells us that if the gospel re
cords superphysical works that is enough ; the
case is closed ; no further argument is necessary ;
enquiry is blasphemy.
Now no doubt the most convincing popular
proof of gospel veracity, as one of Mr. Connor's
cowboy characters expresses it in that powerful

Christ's Work of Healing. 213
story " The Sky Pilot " ;— is " by the feel of it."
We are willing to admit that even earnest and
honest skepticism argues a certain lack of spiritual
sensibiUty. But even so, is it not recorded that
Christ eagerly proffered to His doubting apostle
the evidential proofs which the latter demanded ?
For He came to seek and to save that which was
lost. Are there not to-day thousands of people hun
gering and thirsting after righteousness, who
nevertheless " stumble " at the so-called mirac
ulous element in the gospel-story ? From the
dawning of their inteUectual maturity they have
breathed the arid and rarified air of unfaith ;
they have assimilated the hard materialism in the
midst of which they have grown up. To them
all stories which relate the superphysical are in
one respect alike ; — they are fairy-tales ; human
dreams. In another respect such dreams are not
all alike. Some of them are nightmares ; others
are cheap and silly ; a few of them are beautiful.
In this last class stands the "Dream of the
Gospel," a story whose perusal arouses the ex
clamation, " Would that it were true ! "
Now these seekers after well-attested truth
are candid. All that they demand is sufficiency
of attestation. They respect solid evidence even
though that evidence completely demolishes aU
their former convictions. We will suppose that
they candidly examine the evidence for modern
superphysical phenomena. In that case but one

214 Christ's Work of Healing.
result is conceivable: they are fully convinced
that such phenomena are present day occurrences.
We leave it to the impartial reader to say what
the result would be if it can be shown that the
gospel-writers do not represent their Hero as one
who sets at nought established conditions, as so
many narrators of the marvellous are prone to
do, but represent Him as working under well-
defined conditions identical with those brought
to light to-day. Could the result be aught else
than conviction ?
§ 3. At the risk of undue repetition we must
remind ourselves of two of the known conditions
under which modern superphysical phenomena
occur; namely, those mentioned on pages 206-
208: (1) That a psychic agent or operator can do
nothing unless he has confldence in his power to
control the forces whereby his work is to be ac
complished. (2) That in psychic healing faith on the pa
tient's part is a most important factor.
We are aware that the first named of these
conditions is scouted by modern " Suggestion
ists " — and by " Suggestionists " we mean that class
of practitioners w^ho believe that all psychic cures
can be covered by the phrase, which they neglect
to define, " Amenability or susceptibility to sug
gestion." Their method, which is best exemplified at the
Nancy Hospital under Benheim and Liebault, is

Christ's Work of Healing. 215
to let the patient hypnotize himself by gazing
fixedly at revolving mirrors or bright objects ;
and having estabUshed rapport between patient
and operator, (as described on page 157) they (the
operators) impart the required suggestions of re
covery, improvement, etc.
What these practitioners faU to see (as we
pointed out on page 158) is that a suggestive idea
is itself a psychic force ; that its strength de
pends upon the power with which it goes forth
from operator to subject ; that this last in turn
depends upon the control which the operator has
over his own forces ; and that this in its turn de
pends upon the operator's self-confidence and
power of concentration ; — in all this, of course,
we are assuming that the patient has been ren
dered passive and receptive.
The limitation of the suggestionist method
consists in leaving too much of the work to the
patient ; in making the treatment largely a mat
ter of auto-suggestion.
§ 4. We have seen what the limits of auto
suggestion are ; viz., a readjustment of the pa
tient's psychic forces ; not an infusion of new
force from without.
We have also seen that the Christian Science
method is in the great majority of cases the same
in principle. The healer, if he be faithful to
Mrs. Eddy's teachings, tries to get the patient to
do the work auto-suggestively ; i. e., by constantly
repeating, either mentally or verbally, some of

216 Christ's Work of Healing.
the stock propositions of Eddyism ; as, for ex
ample, " My trouble is an error of mortal mind,"
— etc., etc. After a sufficient amount of mental
concentration upon propositions such as these,
the force, which they, as ideas, contain, becomes
a controlling force to the extent of effecting the
desired internal readjustment.
And now what about the results of these sug
gestive methods ?
The reports of Bernheim, Liebault, Wetter
strand, Schrenck-Notzing, Quackenbos, and other
world-famous medical suggestionists certainly
show most remarkable cures. But observe : the
cures of all serious cases have been gradual ;
never instantaneous ; and the realm of organic
diseases is absolutely untouched, save only a few
organic diseases of the nervous system.
The same characteristics are true of the un
questionably numerous and genuine Eddyite
cures ; nothing of an organic nature beyond the
nervous system ; no instantaneous cure of any
serious malady ; no broken bones mended ; no
severed members restored.
It is true that Eddyite testimonials are not
wanting which proclaim the cure of organic
diseases like cancer, tuberculosis, etc. We must
remember, however, that many organic diseases
may be arrested in their incipient stages by
means other than the use of drugs or surgery,
e. g., changes of climate, diet, hydropathy, etc.,
etc. We cannot forget, nor, we surmise, has the

Christ's Work of Healing. 217
public forgotten how Mr. A. B. Purrington,
author of the book, " Christian Science : An
Exposition," challenged an eminent Eddyite
lecturer to produce proofs of alleged cures of
aggravated organic diseases concerning which
that lecturer had boasted in his public talks ; how
the latter first postponed his reply ; and finally,
when brought to bay by Mr. Purrington, com
pletely evaded that honest enquirer's questions.
AU this was thoroughly aired in the columns of
the New York Sun. Mr. Purrington and the
public are still waiting for the proofs.
Eemarkable, then, as the cures effected by
suggestionists of both classes certainly are, they
are after all decidedly limited in their scope.
We cannot but feel that this limitation is due
to the neglect of that factor which, as we shall
show presently, Christ both recognized and
utilized : viz., the projection from operator to
patient of psychic or vital force.
§ 5. That this force resides in man cannot be
doubted in view of the evidence which lies
entirely outside of New Testament sources.
Take the experiments made by Sir Wm.
Crookes and his colleagues with the medium
D. D. Home in the alteration of weight of bodies.
Again, at the risk of undue repetition we must
get this before us. After describing the ap
paratus, Sir Wm. Crookes reports : " Mr. Home
placed the tips of his fingers lightly on the ex
treme end of the mahogany board which was

218 Christ's Work of Healing.
resting on the support, while Dr. A. B. and my
self sat one on each side of it, watching for any
effect Avhich might be produced. Almost im
mediately the pointer of the balance was seen to
descend. After a few seconds it rose again.
This movement was repeated several times, as if
by successive waves of the psychic force. The
end of the board was observed to oscillate slowly
up and down during the experiment." (See
pages 71 and 72.)
Here we have a manifestation of a force, call
it what you will, — psychic, vital, animic,
magnetic, — which emanated as an effluence from
the person of D. D. Home and produced those
dynamic results.
Again, the following is an account of an ex
periment conducted by the London S. P. E. thus
summarized by Dr. Hudson in his " Law of
Psychic Phenomena " :
" In an account of some experiments in
mesmerism, written by Mr. Edmund Gurney, and
recorded in Yol. II, pp. 201-205 of the Proceed
ings of the society referred to, a very interesting
experiment is mentioned, which demonstrates the
fact that there is an effluence emanating from
the mesmerizer which is capable of producing
very marked physical effects upon the subject.
In this case the subject was blindfolded, and al
lowed to remain in his normal condition during
the whole of the experiment. His hands were
then spread out upon a table before him, his

Christ's Work of Healing. 219
fingers wide apart. The mesmerizer then made
passes over one of his fingers, taking care not to
move his hand near enough to the subject's
finger to cause a perceptible movement of the
atmosphere, or to give any indication in any way
which finger was being mesmerized. The result
was, in every instance, the production of local
anaesthesia in the finger operated upon and in no
other. " Oral suggestion, or any other form of
physical suggestion, was here out of the ques
tion, and telepathic suggestion was extremely
improbable, in view of the fact that the subject
was in his normal condition, and consequently
not in subjective rapport with the operator. A
further experiment was then tried, with the view
of ascertaining whether it was necessary for the
mesmerist to know which finger he was operating
upon. To that end, the operator's hand was
guided by the hand of a third party while the
passes were being made, and it was found that the
selected finger was unaffected when the operator
did not know which one it was.
" The first of these experiments," Dr. Hudson
concludes, " demonstrates the fact that there is
an effluence emanating from the mesmerist ; and
the second demonstrates the fact that this
effluence is directed by his wiU." '
Another experiment, even more conclusive
than the foregoing, is that mentioned by the late
' Law of Psychic Phenomena, p. 171.

220 Christ's Work of Healing.
Dr. Paul Gibier in his " Psychism." ' A group
of experimenters stand in a circle with fingers
inverted over a vessel of water, at the same
time trying to project their wills, as it were, into
the water. Presently the fluid begins to boil
and bubble, manifesting the effects of heat minus
steam.^ In this experiment the object affected
lacks the personal element, thus eliminating all
possibility of suggestion, whether physical or
telepathic. It is certain, then, that a psychic force or efflu
ence exists, latent in every individual, and
potentially under the control of the will ; in other
words, intelligence is hnmanent in the force.
% 6. This experimentally demonstrated cer
tainty, we submit, amply justifies us in our fore
going assertion that if the psychic healer is to
rise above the level and the limitations of the
mere suggestionist, he must reckon with psychic
force. A confident, strongly-concentrated will, which
insures a certain degree of control over his
psychic or vital forces forms the equipment of the
psychic healer.
§ 7. And what of the ideal psychic healer ?
If we knew nothing whatever concerning
the great Healer of Galilee, we still could draw
this induction from modern psychic data : That
' Pp. 127-8. ' ' The experiment of Horace Pelletier. ' '
'^ The magnetization of water is attested also by E. O. Mason,
M. D. in his work on "Hypnotism," etc.

Christ's Work of Healing. 221
the ideal psychic healer is one in whom confi
dence has been attained beyond the possibUity of
disturbance ; concentration beyond the reach of
distraction ; and control over psychic force to
its very farthest limits, whatever these may be.
§ 8. And now let us address ourselves to the
question. What is required of the patient ?
The answer is contained in that proposition,
already twice recorded, which sums up the ob
servations of modern scientific investigators,
That in psychic treatment cure is either retarded
or defeated by lack of faith on the part of the
patient. Suggestionists of all schools — both
" regular " and " irregular " recognize that
doubts, hesitations, questionings, analyzings on
the patient's part, block the way to his cure or
relief. These must first of all be suppressed be
fore hope of cure or amelioration can be enter
tained. We have seen that these competing
ideas or " adverse suggestions " may be sup
pressed either by the induction of hypnosis or by
the auto-suggestive method of reafflrmation.
The ideal patient is he whose mind from the
very beginning is free from adverse sugges
tions. We have now before us, independently of all
gospel data, the ideal psychic healer and the
ideal patient.
§ 9. Let us suppose that the ideal psychic
healer becomes realized in the person of some
man. Let us suppose that his reputation as

222 Christ's Work of Healing.
such is established. A physically afflicted
brother comes into his presence. He has heard
of the healer's fame. He has friends who have
been healed by him. Heretofore, that is, before
this healer became known, the faith of his af-
fiicted brother was neither greater nor less than
the average. But after hearing of the healer's
fame it has become strengthened. When he
meets a friend who has been healed by this great
man that faith becomes stronger yet. Is it not
reasonable to suppose that when he stands at last
face to face with the healer himself, his last
misgiving will vanish ? Even though no express
record or proclamation of the patient's faith be
adducible, the facts which we have mentioned
are enough to justify the inference that faith on
the patient's part exists.
Again, it is conceivable that this ideal healer
has made enemies ; that there are persons who
traduce, slander and discredit him ; — for such is
human nature. This being the case, it stands to
reason that in those parts where these adverse
infiuences are, so to speak, "in the air," the
healer will be working under great disadvan
tages. Perfect faith will be to a greater or lesser
extent undermined. It may be necessary in the
case of some patients to take them aside from
the leaven of these adverse influences, and even
after their cure to charge them to keep aloof. It is
even conceivable that in such regions where
these adverse influences are conspicuously pre-

Christ's Work of Healing. 223
dominant, all works on the part of the great
psychic will be temporarily blocked.
In short, the ideal psychic healer and wonder
worker, whoever he may be, will encounter cer
tain limitations and conditions, of which he
must, as an adept, be aware ; and to which he
must conform.
There are two " threshold guardians " oppo
sing his proficiency ; and these he must overcome.
The first resides in himself. He must first of all
learn the secret of confidence and concentration ;
which secret being learned, he will have at his
disposal that force which lies latent in himself
and in all men. Next, he must overcome that
" threshold guardian " of unfaith which holds in
its clutches the whole human environment with
the exception perhaps of a few elect souls. To
do this he will first single out the elect souls,
after which his progress will gather ever-increas
ing momentum.
§ 10. Keep in mind then the two great factors
in ideal psycho-therapeutics : the one is positive
and the other is negative. The positive factor is
psychic or vital force controlled by a confident
and concentrated will.
The negative factor is faith or receptivity on
the part of the patient ; — the open, unquestion
ing, undoubting mind. Given these two factors
in cooperation, and we may reasonably expect
results compared with which the limited achieve
ments of modern suggestionists are trivial.

224 Christ's Work of Healing.
§ 11. Now then, what do we find reported
concerning the therapeutic works of the Naza
rene by the four evangelists ? Let us look first
at certain statements which may serve to intro
duce us to a more detailed consideration further
on ; and, for the sake of accuracy, we shall quote
hereafter in the words of the Eevised Version.
luke 6 : 19. " And all the multitude sought
to touch him ; for power {Suva/xa, force) came
from him and healed them aU."
Zuke 8 : Ifi. " Some one did touch me ; for I
perceived that power {Suvaim^ force) had gone
forth from me."
luke 5 : 17. " And the power {Sbvani's, force)
of the Lord was with him to heal."
These three significant statements must detain
us for a moment. They show us the picture of
One who possesses the positive factor pertaining
to the ideal psychic healer ; One whose control
over psychic or vital force — a force whose exist
ence, remember, is a matter of modern scientific
demonstration, — has advanced to such a degree
, as to enable Him to send forth from His person
waves of vitality which heal the diseased organ
isms of those receptive ones who touch Him.
There is pictured here One who possesses in ideal
fulness that same force which, emanating from a
modern medium, produces alterations of weight
in bodies ; which, emanating from a modern
mesmerist, produces local aneesthesia in a "sub
ject " ; which, emanating from a circle of modern

Christ's Work of Healing. 225
experimenters causes water to boU and bubble.
The difference, so far as the nature of the force
and its effects are concerned, is one of degree
and not of kind. It is only by a moral compari
son that a difference in kind appears. But so far
as positive psychic conditions are concerned, all
the cases are identical.
The statements which we have cited imply
that physical contact between patient and healer
was recognized as a channel through which the
vital force was communicated. This accords
with the Crookes experiment and the Gurney ex
periment. In the case of the Gibier, or more
properly, the Horace Pelletier experiment, pro
pinquity without actual contact sufficed ; " All
the multitude sought to touch him ; for power
came forth from him " — etc. " Some one did
touch me ; for I perceived that power had gone
forth from me."
We shall see that out of the fifteen detailed
accounts in the gospel of the direct healing of
physical infirmities eleven (11) show the employ
ment of physical contact or touch in various
forms; sometimes through the laying on of
hands, sometimes by anointing with saliva and
clay, and sometimes by grasping or laying hold
of the patient.
In the remaining three cases propinquity
suffices. In two additional cases we shall see
distant or absent healing.
S 12. In Zuke 5 : 17 this force is called " the

226 Christ's Work of Healing.
power of the Lord." That this cannot vaUdly
be taken as a text to prove that Jesus is repre
sented as healing in His divine capacity is evi
dent when we consider that His disciples healed
also through the laying on of hands and in re
sponse to faith on the patient's part. (See chap
ter iii. Part III.) Moreover, according to Christ's
assertion, the disciples were to be able to do even
greater works than He Himself had done (John
14 : 12). What else can this text (Luke 5 : 17) mean
than that Jesus was en rapport with the Source of
all forces, even as all men like unto Him can be ?
It is elsewhere recorded that " He whom God
hath sent speaketh the words of God, for he
giveth not the Spirit by measure " (John 3 : 34).
So much by way of general indication that,
according to the evangelists, Jesus recognized
and utilized that positive condition known to
moderns as psychic or vital force.
§ 13. That He also recognized the negative
condition of faith as a necessary factor must be
obvious to the most superficial reader of the gos
pel story.
First, He recognized it in the positive form of
confidence as part of the needful equipment of
the healer.
Matthew 17 : 19. " Then came the disciples of
Jesus apart, and said. Why could not we cast it
out ? " They had just tried to cast out a devil
and had failed. Jesus' reply was: (v. 20) "Be
cause of your little faith."

Christ's Work of Healing. 227
Secondly, He recognized the necessity, or, at
the very least, the great helpfulness of faith on
the patient's part in the negative form of a mind
free from questioning, hesitation, or "adverse
suggestion." Instances of this recognition may be found
upon nearly every page of the gospel-narrative.
" Thy faith hath made thee whole," He said to
the woman with issue of blood who had touched
the hem of His raiment in the throng and had
thereby received that effusion of vital force
which had been the positive factor of her in
stantaneous cure. In these words the Master
seems to recognize that the receptivity of faith
formed the condition whereby the outflowing
force had been enabled to enter within her
organism. Thirdly, in one case, according to the state
ment of one evangelist, (St. Mark) the adverse
influence of unfaith in a certain environment
actually prevented ' Jesus from exercising some of
' The Master's recognition of receptive faith as a negative con
dition is thus expressed in the conservative work, "The
Miraculous Elements in the Gospels " by the Eev. A, B. Bruce,
D.D. : "According to the records our Lord wrought cures
chiefly, it not exclusively, where there prevailed a mood of be
lieving recipiency. . . . He does not seem to have been at
all exacting as to the degree of faith, or to have given any
narrow theological definition of the kind of faith requisite. A
little faith apparently sufficed. ... It was not necessary
that it should express itself by act or word ; it was enough if
there appeared in the eye or in any feature the slightest sign of
an expectant or recipient mood ; and it may be assumed that

228 Christ's Work of Healing.
His superphysical powers. St. Mark's somewhat
blunt statement is this : (6 : 5 b) " And He could
there do no mighty work."' Literally translating
the Greek, we have : " He was not able {ohk 'edhvaru)
there to do a,ny power {ov force=6h'ja[j.i';). The
evangelist adds : (v. 5), " Save that he laid His
hands upon a few sick folk and healed them ; "
as though referring to the cure of some minor
ailments among simple and trustful souls who
were un contaminated by the prevailing skepti
cism. St. Mark concludes (v. 6), "And he
marvelled because of their unbelief."
St. Matthew's statement bearing upon this
incident is this : (13 : 58), " And He did not many
mighty works {powers) there because of their
unbelief." The significance of these statements is most
telling against that view of Christ's superphysical
works which would regard them as sheer mir
acles, — suspensions of cosmic law,— performed by
a divine fiat irrespective of conditions or limita
tions. Such a view is here exhibited as a man-
made tradition unwarranted by " the law and the
testimony." § 14. We believe that gospel data make it
faith to this extent at least existed when no mention is made of
the faith of the parties benefited . . . Where that quality
(recipient faith) was wholly lacking He did not manifest His
power. It was not that He would not, but that He was not
able. (Here Mark 6 : 5., is cited.) . A cold critical
temper paralyzed the mighty arm," — p. 263.

Christ's Work of Healing. 229
clear that Jesus performed His works according
to weU-defined conditions ; and that these con
ditions were : As regards the healer : unshaken
confidence (Matt. 17 : 19, 20), and the projection
of psychic or vital force ; (Luke 6:19 and 8 : 46).
And, as regards the patient: they were receptive
faith on his part ; (Matt. 9 : 22, and a score of
simUar passages) ; that the healing force was
communicated in most cases by contact ; in a few
cases by propinquity ; in two cases (to be ex
amined presently) over a considerable distance ;
that in one instance the absence of receptive faith
blocked the way to the performance of any
notable superphysical works (Mark 6:5; Matt.
13 : 58).
It is obvious that if the evangelists were mere
marvel- mongerers, they would not have reported
their Hero as limited by weU-defined conditions.
From the data thus far examined we see the
gospel-story glowing with the light of circum
stantial truth. We see depicted therein by men
who were scientifically ignorant the doings of a
Man who evinces a knowledge of psychic con
ditions which modern science has just discovered.
Gospel veracity and inerrant psychic insight on
Jesus' part are beginning to come into view.
§ 15. Now let us look more in detail into the
therapeutic works reported of the Nazarene.
For convenience' sake we divide them into the
following classes :
/. Direct healing of physical infi/rmnties.

230 Christ's Work of Healing.
II. Distant healing of physical infirmities.
III. Healing of the spiritual inflrmity of
demonic possession.
IV. Baising of the dead. liiV-™-" '-' •
These we shall consider in the order named.
§ 16. Class I. Direct healing of physical in-
fi/rmities. Sub-Class A. Cases wherein both psychic or
vital force through contact and decla/ration of
faith on patient' s part are specified in the record.
For these cases we think it will suffice to sub
join a table of references without comment :
Case 1. Two blind men healed. Matt. 9 :
27-31. Case 2. A leper cleansed. Matt. 8:2, 3 ;
Mark 1 : 40-42 ; Luke 5 : 12, 13.
Case 3. Woman with issue of blood. Matt.
9 : 20-22 ; Mark 5 : 25-29 ; Luke 8 : 43-48.
Case }^. BUnd Bartimaeus. Matt. 20 : 30-34 ;
Mark 10 : 45-52 ; Luke 18 : 35-43.
Sub-Class B. Cases wherein psychic or vital
Force through contact is alone specified; but
Faith on the patient' s part is fairly inferable.
These we shall have to examine more in detail.
Case 1. Deaf and Dumb Man Healed. Mark
7 : 31-37. Faith on patient's part inferable from
the fact that he suffered himself to be brought
to Jesus by those who had heard of the Master's
fame and who undoubtedly had informed their
afflicted friend thereof. Contact specified in v.
33b.

Christ's Work of Healing. 231
Case 2. The BUnd Man of Bethsaida. Mark
8 : 22-26. Faith on patient's part inferable on
same grounds as specified in preceding case.
Contact specified in vs. 23 and 25 : by anointing
with saliva and the laying on of hands.
Case 3. Woman Bowed with Infirmity. Luke
13 : 11-13. Faith inferable from the fact that
this woman was among those in the synagogue
where Jesus was teaching (v. 10). She was not
of the Pharisees, who scoffed, but of the common
people " who heard him gladly." It is, therefore,
presumable that she believed in Him.
" When Jesus saw her, he called her to him "
(v. 12a). That she obeyed His call is evidenced
by His continuing to speak to her in the
Therapeutic Sentence : " Woman, thou art
loosed from thine infirmity " (v. 12 b). In this
Jesus recognized that by her faith the way to her
cure was opened. It only remained that the
healing force should now flow in through the
open gate. Note, then, what follows :
Manual contact : " and he laid his hands on
her " (v. 13a). Through this contact the healing
psychic force flows in with the
Eesult : " that immediately she was made
straight and glorified God " (v. 13 b).
Case 4- The Man with Dropsy. Zuke 14:
1-4. The patient's faith is inferable from the
fact that the man had evidently entered the
Pharisee's house (where the cure was performed)
in order to be " before " — i. e., in the presence of

232 Christ's Work of Healing.
Jesus (see v. 2) of whose therapeutic powers both
he and the Pharisees were aware. The Master's
question previous to the healing ; " Is it lawful to
heal on the Sabbath day?" would inevitably
make the man aware of Jesus' intentions towards
him. It is recorded that Jesus "took him and
healed him." Here we have contact by grasping
or laying hold, as the verb lambano makes
obvious. Case 5. The Ear of Malchus. Luke 22 : 50, 51.
Malohus' belief in Jesus' superphysical power
was inevitable in view of the phenomenon that
had just occurred when the officers were about to
seize Jesus ; viz., " When therefore he said unto
them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to
the ground " {John 28 : 6). Contact thus speci
fied : " And he touched his ear and healed him "
(Luke 22 : 51).
Case 6. The Man Born BUnd. John 9 : 1-7.
Faith of patient inferable from the latter's prompt
and unquestioning obedience of Jesus' command :
" Go wash in the pool of Siloam."
Contact specified as performed through anoint
ing the patient's eyes with saliva and clay. The
force thus infused took effect when the man had
complied with Jesus' command.'
Case 7. Peter's Mother-in-law. Matt. 8 : 14-
15 ; Mark 1 : 30, 31 ; Luke 4 : 38, 39.
Her faith is inferable from the fact of her re
lationship to Jesus' leading disciple.
> See pp. 274, 275.

Christ's Work of Healing. 233
Contact specified by St. Matthew: "He
touched her hand."
Case 8. The Palsied Man. Matt. 9: 2-7;
Mark 2 : 3-12 ; Luke 5 : 18-25.
"And Jesus seeing theiv faith" ; — i. e.. He
saw the faith of the patient as well as of His
friends, who, to get into the Master's presence,
tore off the tilings from the roof of the house
and let down the patient upon his bed into the
room where Jesus stood.
The employment of psychic or vital force in
this case is made certain by the general state
ment in Luke immediately preceding his account
of this case ; viz. (v. 17), " And the power
{force) of the Lord was with him to heal." In
this case the force was communicated by propin
quity, not by contact.
§ 17. Sub- Class C. A Case in which Faith
alone is specified in the Becord :
Viz., That of the ten lepers who were cleansed :
Luke 17: 11-19. Thus: "Jesus, Master, have
mercy on us" (v. 13). V. 14: "He said unto
them, go show yourselves unto the priests. And
it came to pass, as they went, they were
cleansed." Here the outgoing healing force {Zuke 6 : 19
and 8 : 46) proceeds telekinetically, i. e., without
contact, and over a considerable distance. As
Zuke 6 : 19 stands as a general statement, viz.,
that Jesus is characterized by an emanating force
which goes forth in response to faith, the burden

234 Christ's Work of Healing.
of the proof in this case, as in all cases wherein
no emanation is specified, rests upon those who
deny its operation.
§ 18. Sub-Class D. Cases in which neither
Force nor Faith is specified in the Becord.
Case 1. The Impotent Man at Bethesda.
John 5 : 1-9. The patient had an unwavering
belief that he could be made whole, if only some
man could cast him into the water when first the
pool Avas troubled. Our observations respecting
the projection of force which we made under
Sub-Class C apply here.
Case 2. The Man with Withered Hand.
Matt. 12 : 10-13 ; Mark 3 : 1-5 ; Zuke 6 : 6-10.
This man was among those in the synagogue
who heard Jesus gladly. He manifested his
faith by promptly obeying Jesus' Word, " Stretch
forth thine hand " (Sts. Mark and Zuke).
Through the outstretched hand in close pro
pinquity to the healer the vital force entered.
(See observations under Sub-Class C.)
§ 19. Class II. Distaoit Healing of Phys
ical Infirmities.
We may observe that modern cases of distant
or absent healing are numerous. The Eddyites
have many unquestionably genuine cases of this
class on record. Dr. T. J. Hudson, author of
" The Law of Psychic Phenomena," states in
that work (p. 192) that he himself is prepared to
produce proofs of over one hundred cures by
distant healing wherein he was the agent. In

Christ's Work of Healing. 235
speaking of these cases the author draws atten
tion to the fact that when the patient is unaware
of the treatment, his mind will be free from re
sisting any adverse suggestions ; hence in a fa
vorable condition for receiving distant psychic
treatment. We may add that if the patient be
aware of the fact that he is to be thus treated,
and has full confidence in the healer, conditions
will be equally favorable.
In the gospels there are recorded two cases of
the distant healing of physical infirmities ; to wit :
Case 1. The Centurion's Palsied Servant.
Matt. 8 : 5-13 ; Zuke 7 : 7-10.
It seems probable that the afflicted man was
apprised by his benevolent master of the latter's
errand to the great Healer whose name was upon
every tongue throughout that region. In that
case the patient would have both hope and faith.
If, however, he was unaware of his master's
errand, conditions would still be favorable ac
cording to our observations above.
Now be it noted, the patient was not healed
until persons had come from his presence into
the presence of Jesus. St. Matthew tells us
that the centurion himself did the errand; St.
Luke says that it was done by friends. In
either case psychic connection is established be
tween the aura of the patient and that of Jesus
by means of the messenger or messengers.
Through this connection psychic force could be
projected. (See Part II, Chapter IV, § 16.)

236 Christ's Work of Healing.
These observations apply with equal perti
nence to :
Case 2. The Nobleman's Son. John 4 : 46-54.
We may leave this class of cures with the fol
lowing propositions to be considered :
(1) The projection of psychic force resulting
in marked dynamic effects is a modern fact.
(2) Distant healing is a modern fact.
(3) Jesus' perfect control over psychic force
is a demonstrated fact.
We leave it to the reader to apply these prop
ositions to the two recorded cases of distant
healing. § 20. Class III. Healing of the Spiritual
Infirmity of Demonic Possession.
Here we are brought into an entirely different
field from that in which we have been exploring.
In fact, we are thrown headlong into the much
controverted question of spirit-communication.
For a more detailed treatment of the question in
its bearing upon demonic possession we must re
fer the reader to Appendix B. Suffice it to say
here that after the most careful study of the best
modern evidences as to the possibUity of com
munication between the incarnate and the dis
carnate, we are forced to the conclusion that such
communication is not only possible, but certain.
We affirm this conclusion, thoroughly mindful of
the fact that in the most critical modern cases,
where telepathy, both direct and indirect, is ex
cluded, independent clairvoyance may be the ex-

Christ's Work of Healing. 237
planation. However, we cannot escape from the
feeling that this is a very strained, desperate and
highly improbable explanation.
The reader may surmise that those "critical
cases " to which we have reference are the
phenomena of supernormally acquired informa
tion reported by Professor Hyslop and Dr. Hodg
son of the famous medium, Mrs. Piper. In ad
dition to these we have in mind a few cases
of alleged spirit-communicators, both through
mediumistio " control " and in materialized
form, which have reported themselves as indi
viduals who have lived several generations be
fore the birth of either medium or sitters, and
have referred to obscure records and other data,
through which, incidents affirmed by them to
have happened in their alleged earth-lives, have
by the members of the circle been subsequently
verified. Neither the individuals whose identity
in such cases was in question, nor the records re
ferred to, have been known either to medium or
members of the circle. Such cases go to corrob
orate the phenomena of the famous Piper Case ;
and to a candid judgment not only preclude all
sorts of telepathy, but strain independent clair
voyance to the breaking-point. To all practical
purposes they prove the actuality of communica
tion between the incarnate and the discarnate.
They prove that m,ediumistic obsession is a
fact ; and justify the following propositions :
(1) The " control " of mediums by communi-

238 Christ's Work of Healing.
eating spirits is a form of " obsession " or " pos
session." (2) This phenomenon, with rare exceptions,
happens only to persons of a peculiar tempera
ment or organization ; one which is either consti
tutional, or else developed by special cultivation.
(3) Persons having such temperaments or or
ganizations, either by birth or cultivation, are
commonly called mediums.
(4) The persons reported in the gospels as
obsessed by evil spirits were born mediums.
(5) Their manifestations of mediumship were
beyond the control of their wills.
(6) The casting out or exorcising of these con
trolling spirits was accomplished through the act
of a will more potent than that of the obsess
ing spirits.
It was Christ's perfectly developed power of
confident concentration carrying with it an ideal
control over psychic force which enabled Him to
"have power over unclean spirits." It was lack
of such development that caused the failure of
the disciples in one recorded instance to cast out
an obsessing spirit.
" Why could we not cast it out ? " they asked.
Jesus answered, " Because of your little faith "
(Matt. 17:19, 20).
There is nothing in the recorded fact of de
monic possession which is not of modern occur
rence. There is nothing in the recorded control by the

Christ's Work of Healing. 239
powerful will of Jesus over the obsessing intel
ligences which is irrational in the light of modern
data. If a strong incarnate will can control a
receptive incarnate wiU to the extent of inducing
involuntary hypnosis, it is conceivable that a
mighty incarnate wiU can control a receptive
discarnate will to the extent of compelling the
latter to do the former's bidding.
§ 21. Class IV. Baising of the Dead.
To say that there are no modern instances of
this would of course be trite. The gospels,
however, record three cases in which Jesus called
back the departed spirit to its vacated tenement
house. That " silver cord " which binds the
psychic body to the physical organism had in each
case been sundered.
The first point that impresses us in these re
corded instances is this : In no case had irrepa
rable disintegration of the physical organism set
in. The abandoned tenement houses were still
standing. This fact makes the return of the de
parted spirits to their former earthly tabernacles
a phenomenon y»r less wonderful than is the well-
accredited modern phenomenon of spirit-mate
rialization. (See p. 74.)
Consider this for a moment.
Whether so-called spirit-materialization be by
mundane psychic agency or by that of discarnate
spirits, the fact is clear that the materialized
form, possessing as it does in some cases all the
characteristics of a flesh-and-blood person, has

240 Christ's Work of Healing.
been in the twinkling of an eye literally built up
of material particles gathered — whence ? The
answer baffles the acutest scientist ; but the fact
is beyond dispute.
In the return of a departed spirit to its recently
abandoned tabernacle there would be no mate
rialization ; no building up of structure de novo ;
— we might almost say ex nihilo. Such a phe
nomenon, assuming its possibility, would be only
a special case of spirit-return ; and spirit-return is
a demonstrated fact. The only element in such
a phenomenon that is in anywise akin to mate
rialization would be the reestablishment of that
which in a figure may be called "the silver
cord " ; — that psychic or etheric stream which,
in cases of " astral flight " or the " projections of
the double," still binds the spirit to the flesh.
From the mere standpoint of marvel the accom
plishment of this by one possessing sufficient
control over psychic force is assuredly much less
wonderful than is the production of that well-
attested stupendous phenomenon known as spirit-
materialization. In considering the cases of the raising of the
dead recorded in the gospel, we start with these
established facts :
(1) Spirit-return through mediumship.
(2) The existence of psychic force in man.
(3) The control over psychic force by the
human will.
The first named of the above facts — spirit-

Christ's Work of Healing. 241
return through mediumship — carries with it the
standing possibility of communion between the in
carnate and the discarnate by means of telepathy.
The cases in the gospel under present consid
eration fall within the scope of possibility under
the following conditions : Given, a man who
possesses a high degree of control over psychic
force, and a telepathic sensitiveness of the keenest
nature ; and we would expect him to be able to
perceive and call to him departed spirits, and to
supply to them that psychic connection with their
former physical tabernacles which was sundered
in that flight caUed " death."
To accomplish any such phenomenon, however,
he would — so a priori considerations lead us to
believe — be particular to establish first the most
favorable conditions ; — conditions best conducive
to complete control over psychic force and to
telepathic communication.
Let us now turn to the gospel cases : — first,
that of the raising of Jairus' daughter.'
As to this case, we can add nothing to the
masterly presentation thereof given by Dr.
Hudson in chapter xiii of his " Law of Psychic
Phenomena." The main point to be noted is that Jesus first
of all caused the skeptical scoffers to be removed
from the house, allowing only the parents of the
deceased, and His own three most intimate
disciples, Peter, James and John to remain
' Matt. 9 : 23-25 ; Mark 5 : 38-42 ; Luke 8 : 43-48.

242 Christ's Work of Healing.
within. In this atmosphere, charged, so to
speak, with confidence. He called the maid back
to life. Here certainly the Master continues to
recognize the same condition as that which He
utilized in the healing of disease.
As to the raising of Lazarus:' (1) Martha ex
hibits her faith by saying, " Lord, if thou hadst
been here, my brother had not died." (2) Jesus
tested her faith in the sentence concluding,
"Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall
never die. Believest thou this ? " To which she
replied, "Yea, Lord." (3) The witnesses were
not in a mental condition of skeptical hostility
but followed Jesus' movements with reverential
awe and expectancy. They believed at least
that this man who opened the eyes of the blind
could have caused that even Lazarus had not
died. (4) At Martha's demurrer, spoken before
the mouth of the sepulchre, that the corpse was
nearing the state of decomposition, (having been
dead four days) Jesus uttered these significant
words to raise her faith to the highest point :
" Said I not unto thee that if thou wouldst 5e-
lieve, thou shouldst see the glory of God ? "
Then followed the raising of the dead, condi
tioned apparently by the combined faith of
Jesus, Martha and Mary, and effected presum
ably by Jesus' psychic force unhampered by the
restraint of adverse suggestion.
In the case of the widow's son ^ every condi-
' John 11 : 1-44. = Luke 7 : 11-15.

Christ's Work of Healing. 243
tion appears favorable. The mother and pall
bearers stand in silent respect as the Master
calmly advances ; stills the weeping widow, and
places His hand in contact — that same vitalizing
contact which we have witnessed in so many
cases — with the bier upon which the recently
deserted tabernacle of clay reposed.
§ 22. Before concluding our examination of
Christ's therapeutic works, we must note a class
of incidents connected with many cures ; incidents
which bear further testimony to Jesus' insight
into psychic conditions. We refer to those
cautions and charges which He so frequently
issued to cured patients, as " See thou teU no
man." Dr. Hudson, in his book above referred to,
rightly, we think, estimates these as Post-thera
peutic cautions.
" Faith on the patient's part is recognized by the
Master as a necessary condition of cure. This
being so, a possible infection of the patient with
the leaven of skepticism subsequent to his cure
might work physical injury ; — not necessarily a
relapse, but a condition of debilitation. These
cautions would be calculated to close all avenues
of counter or adverse suggestions of evil-minded
gossips. On examining various instances in
which these cautions were given, we find in the
context no apparent reason why they should
have been given. The only possible reason that
might be adduced is that Jesus was desirous of

244 Christ's Work of Healing.
concealing His therapeutic powers from the peo
ple. But in every instance that we look into we
find that no such explanation will stand. Every
" Caution case " is preceded by a series of public
cures which of course preclude the possibility of
Jesus' powers being a secret in that particular
community. Dr. Hudson's explanation is the only one
which really explains why these cautions were
issued. This is a most significant and telling
proof, in addition to others which we have ad
duced, of Jesus' profound insight into psychic
conditions ; as well as of evangelical veracity.
The evangelists fail to tell us why Jesus issued
these injunctions. This is singular, to say the
least. But as we read their context, the convic
tion grows upon us that the reason of their
failure to explain was because they did not know
the explanation.
They were faithfully recording facts as they ob
served them.
§ 23. Closely akin to these post-therapeutic
cautions are those aids and stimulants to recep
tive faith which the Master in several recorded
instances gives to His patients. For example, in
the case of the two blind men (Matt. 9 : 27 f.) the
afflicted ones manifest their faith in the request,
" Thou Son of David, have mercy on us." Jesus,
as it were, stimulated their faith by asking them,
" Believe ye that I am able to do this ? " to which
they reply, " Yea, Lord." This seems to open

Christ's Work of Healing. 245
wide that inner door through which the emana
ting vital force enters, as the Master utters the
therapeutic sentence, " According to your faith,
be it unto you." In such aids and stimulants to
faith Jesus evinces that insight into the suggest
ive phase of psycho-therapeutics which is pos
sessed by the skilled modern suggestionist.
§ 24. What now, are we entitled to say, is
shown by Christ's reported works of healing ?
We are entitled to affirm :
(1) That the reports show that He understood
and utilized the same psychic conditions as those
which modern psycho-therapeutists acknowledge,
and to a limited extent utilize, viz. :
(a) The negative condition of faith on the
part of the patient free from all adverse sugges
tion ; either that which may arise from the
questionings, hesitations, analyzings, etc., of the
patient's own mind ; or that which may be com
municated to the latter's mind by others, whether
orally or by telepathy.
(b) The positive condition of psychic force
on the part of the healer, which emanates from
the latter and enters the patient through the
door opened by faith, and is itself controlled by
that positive form of faith called confidence.
(2) The recording of these things — this keen
insight on Jesus' part into psychic conditions of
which that age and all succeeding ages down to
recent years were ignorant — is overwhelming
proof that the recorders were relating facts;

246 Christ's Work of Healing.
facts which they witnessed, though they did not
understand them. In other words, the recording
of these things is proof positive of the veracity
of the evangelical narrative.
(3) It is apparent that the Man of Nazareth,
by His insight into psychic conditions thus mani
fested hieio scientifically the laws and nature of
all psychic phenomena, and cotdd speak with in
errant authority upon things spiritual.

Postscriptum.
We are compelled to break in upon the con
tinuity of Part III with some new evidence
properly belonging to chapter ii of Part II.
We failed to get hold of it until January, 1902,
while this present chapter was in the proof
reading stage. One justification for its insertion
here is because it completes the verification of
Christ's instantaneous healing of diseases, organic
and functional, by the projection of psychic force
in response to receptive faith.
The evidence which we are about to cite fairly
startles us in its remarkable confirmation of our
reasoning in §§ 7, 9 and 10, respecting the Ideal
psychic healer. But any pleasure which we may
feel on this account is overbalanced by the
chagrin to which we must confess for having
almost missed in our researches by all odds the

Christ's Work of Healing. 247
most tremendous series of psychic phenomena in
modern times. We gratefuUy acknowledge our
indebtedness to our esteemed friend, Fred L. H.
Willis, M. D., of Eochester, N. Y., for bringing
this evidence to our notice.
The evidence to which we refer is bound up
with the life and deeds of the world's greatest
healer, (so far as we know), since the Apostolic
Age. This is the late James Bogers Newton ; of
whom Dr. WiUis was one of many personal friends.
We have just examined the testimony to Dr.
Newton's achievements in psychic healing. It
is contained in the book entitled " The New
Bethesda," edited by A. E. Newton. This work
is for the most part a coUection of affidavits
sworn to before Justices of the Peace by healed
patients of Dr. Newton, together with repertorial
and editorial accounts of the healer's achieve
ments contained in reputable journals of the
country. In every affidavit it is deposed that the speci
fied disease has been pronounced to be such by
one or more regular physicians ; and that the
latter's treatment has done little or nothing to
bring relief. In fine, each case seems to have
exhausted all the resources of materia medica.
We shall first submit a list of the diseases
reported in the affidavits and reputable journals
as cured by Dr. Newton's treatment, after which
we shall address ourselves to the latter's thera
peutic method.

248 Christ's Work of Healing.
Diseases cured as per affidavits.
(1) Abscess of knee with enlargement of knee-
joint, 13 years' standing ; (2) asthma, several years ;
(3) ankle sprained, fractured leg, effects of, 11
weeks ; (4) asthma, 40 years ; (5) blindness, total,
2 years, 3 months; (6) blindness, partial, 22
years ; (7) consumption, cured 1860 ; affidavit
sworn, 1863 ; (8) cancer on cheek, cancerous con
ditions for 11 years ; (9) dropsy, with tetter on
head, spinal disease and internal weakness, 2
years ; (10) dropsy, 7 months ; (11) diarrhoea,
chronic, many years ; (12) dyspepsia, with liver
complaint and female weakness, 17 years ; (13)
dyspepsia, with weakness of heart and liver com
plaint, 2 years ; (14) diabetes, 7 years ; (15) eyes,
weakness of; (16) eyes inflamed, dark room, 7
months ; (17) erysipelas, with ulcer on leg, 13
years ; (18) epilepsy, fits, 2 years ; (19) foot, life
less through injury to hip, 1 year ; (20) fistula ;
(21) gall stones, diseased kidneys, liver complaint,
10 years ; (22) hip-joint, dislocation of, 5 months ;
(23) hip disease, 7 years ; (24) hand, constant pain
in, effects of bruise, 10 years ; (25) humors in leg,
30 years ; (26) inflammation of bowels, chronic,
terminating in ovarian tumor, 3 years ; (27)
insanity; (28) jaw, stiffness of, from calomel
doses, 5 years ; (29) knee, drawn up and cal
loused, resulting from fracture, 6 years ; (30)
kidney trouble with palsy, 1 year ; (31) lameness,
with crutches, 20 years ; (32) voice, loss of, through
weak lungs ; (33) nervous debility and palpitation

Christ's Work of Healing. 249
of heart, 11 years ; (34) optic nerve, debility of, 3
years ; (35) paralysis of side from infancy and of
leg for 3 months; (36) paralysis, vocal, with
spinal trouble, Z% years ; (37) paralysis, arms
and legs with dementia; (38) prolapsus uteri, 16
years ; (39) rheumatism, inflammatory, 2 years ;
(40) rheumatism, inflammatory, 2 years ; (41)
scrofula, scald-head, from childhood to maturity ;
(42) sciatic neuralgia, 2 years ; (43) spinal disease,
with complete helplessness ; (44) spinal curvature,
" some time " ; (45) spinal disease, " many years " ;
(46) spinal disease, helplessness, 13 years; (47)
spinal affection, 11 ^ years ; (48) spinal affection,
15 years ; (49) spinal trouble, 8 years ; hip disease,
1 year ; (50) spinal disease, 2 years, 4 months ;
(51) varicose veins with chronic rheumatism, 33
years ; (52) walk, inability to, 19 years.
Diseases cured as per local journals of Spring
field, Mass., latter part of March, 186 J^.
Blindness from birth, Dinexia S. Hawks, of
Claremont, Mass. ; cancer, with great pain, Mrs.
C. H. Fassaur, 13 Wilcox St., Springfield ;
diphtheria, neuralgia and internal tumor, Mr.
Thomas W. Wason, (car-builder), Springfield;
" was permanently cured in thirty minutes, and
walked about his grounds. . . . The tumor
broke and discharged a gallon or more."
Diseases cured as per eye-witness of Mr. Arthur
Whitten, recorded in his book, " Notes of a Tour
in America and Canada, May, June and July,
1869." (Englishmen's Press, Calcutta.)

250 Christ's Work of Healing.
Cancer, contracted leg, deafness, distant heal
ing verified, insanity, loss of speech, paralysis,
partial blindness, scrofula, tumor, varicose veins.
Testimony of American Journals.
1. New York Herald, July 3, 1861.
"Our reporter saw several of these cases,
(deafness), which to all appearances, were cured
in from five to six minutes, as the patients when
they entered could not hear a word, but went out
hearing questions and answering them with com
parative ease and readiness."
2. New Haven Courier, July 11, 1863.
The reporter gives names and addresses of
people cured of the following diseases : Ulcer on
the leg ; bed -ridden invalid two years ; lame in
spine and hip ; speechless for nine months ; lame,
three years, cured instantly ; speechless for four
years ; hip disease ; rheumatism of many years'
standing. 3. New Haven Times. (No date given, but
probably July, 1863.)
Eeporter collected following cases, with
names and addresses : Paralysis, lower part of
body and legs ; bad vaccination ; heart disease,
with loss of use of lower limbs ; chronic lameness ;
stiff knee ; lameness of eight years ; organic dis
ease of heart, twenty years ; patient brought in
on bed on which she had lain nine years, and cured.
4. Hartford Times. (No date given.)
Editorial comment: Cases of lameness and
rheumatism.

Christ's Work of Healing. 251
5. Eochester Democrat, Nov., 1864.
Case of F. G. Lacy, of Scottsville, N. Y., who
came to Democrat office and reported cure of
spinal disease of ten years' standing. — Cure
effected in ten minutes.
6. New York Tribune, May 14, 1860.
Ten to fifteen persons cured of minor ailments ;
about 100 of more serious afflictions, including
one woman who was healed by touching the skirt
of Dr. Newton's coat as his back was turned.
"He instantly turned and said, 'All right,
madam, your faith has healed you.' " Many
verbal testimonials of cures were given.
7. New York Despatch, Sept. 2, 1866.
Eeporter collected cases cured of: ulcer on
breast ; chronic and infiammatory rheumatism ;
contracted limbs ; weak lungs and cough, ten
years ; dropsy ; partial blindness ; spinal diseases ;
fever and ague ; congestive chiUs ; female weak
ness ; paralysis ; dementia ; almost total blind
ness ; heart disease ; total blindness.
8. Utica Observer, Oct., 1866. (Editorial tes
timony.) " He (Dr. Newton) told of a cure which he ef
fected in Oswego several years ago, in the case
of our friend Lord, of the New York Furniture
Warehouse, and Mr. Lord, who was present en
dorsed the doctor's statement."
This case, we may observe, is of peculiar inter
est. Mr. Lord, according to the editor of " The
New Bethesda," went to Dr. Newton in Oswego

252 Christ's Work of Healing.
for tumor on the neck. Dr. Newton told the
patient that he could not remove it instantly, but
that in fifty-six days it would disappear. " Mr.
Lord took his memorandum book and wrote:
' Hocus poous — Dr. Newton says in fifty-six days
I shall be cured.' After receiving treatment,
Mr. Lord went home. No change appeared until
the fifty-second day when the tumor began to
discharge, and on the fifty-sixth day it had en
tirely disappeared " (p. 129).
9. Toledo Becord. (No date given.)
Editor's testimony to cure of woman afflicted
with spinal disease of twenty-five years' stand
ing. 10. Columbus Journal. (No date, probably
Sept., 1868.)
Editor's testimony of being eye-witness to
cures of sore eyes, asthma, tumors, deafness.
11. Miami Gazette, Waynesville, O. (No
date, probably Sept., 1868.)
Editor's testimony to Dr. Newton's cure of
contracted leg and rheumatism.
12. Salt Lake City Tribune, Oct., 1872.
Eeports case of man prostrated with excruci
ating pain in the head cured at a distance ; also
case of acute pain and deafness.
13. Providence Press. (Date not given, sum
mer of 1867.)
Eeporter testifies to simultaneous cure of a
large number of people in Pratt's Hall afflicted
with light ailments. "He (Dr. Newton) then,

Christ's Work of HeaUng. 253
on the platform, put his hands together, drawing
them towards his breast, then suddenly threw
them outward and said, 'You are cured.' He
then requested those whose pains were cured to
sit down. All but one lady did so, and after one
or two movements of his hands as before, she sat
down, declaring herseU relieved. A remarkable
fact was observed as the doctor threw out
his hands in the first instance. There was a
sharp detonation, similar to the crack of a per
cussion cap when it is struck. It was distinctly
heard by hundreds. The doctor told us last
evening that it was the first occurrence of the
kind in his practice."
FoUowing cases reported cured, — names given :
lameness, seven years ; lameness, seventeen years ;
partial paralysis, several years ; case of distant
healing verified.
14. Providence Press, April 26, 1867.
Eeport of proceedings in Eemington Hall.
Cases: restoration of voice; lameness; partial
paralysis. Other Testimony.
1. H. T. ChUd, M. D., of Philadelphia, 634
Eace Street, testifies to having witnessed in Bos
ton, Oct., 1860, cure of over 100 persons with
various forms of disease. Describes in detail one
cure of paralysis in twenty minutes ; another of
hip disease in a few minutes.
2. Testimony of Mr. J. W. England, then city
editor of New York Tribune and later of New

254 Christ's Work of Healing.
York Sun, to cure of his wife from paralysis of
lower limbs, four years' standing. This testi
mony Mr. Greeley of the Tribune refused to pub
lish, but it appeared over Mr. England's name in
the New York Sunday Courier, Mr. Jas. L.
Smith, proprietor, the same year.
3. Testimony of Eev. S. A. Davis, Hartford,
Ct., in Hartford Evening Press, to cure of his
daughter Minnie from spinal trouble affecting
also eyes and use of legs.
4. Testimony of Eev. Frederic Eowland
Young, of Swindon, Eng., to his own cure by
Dr. Newton of neuralgic affection of the head
from which he had been suffering for eleven
years. Eeports witnessing cure of paralytic
woman in five minutes; also of young man
whose left hand was withered, — cure instantane
ous. Mr. Young's testimony was published in
the North Wilts Herald, Eng., Aug. 5th, 1868.
5. Testimony of our personal friend, Fred L.
H. Willis, M. D., Eochester, N. Y., being an ac
count of what he saw in Pratt's Hall, Provi
dence, E. I.
" At the close of his lecture my eyes witnessed
a scene that beggars description." He then de
scribes what has already been cited from the
Providence Press. (See testimony of American
Journals, No. 13.)
" Then he requested some of the worst chronic
cases to come forward to the platform. And
what a scene ensued : The blind, the lame, the

Christ's Work of Healing. 255
deaf, the palsied and those afflicted with divers
diseases came forward to be healed, and for an
hour and a half he laid his hands on them and
they were healed. I saw a cripple, a young man
of about twenty years of age, who had not
walked without crutches since he was three
years old, who had never been able to go up and
down steps without assistance in addition to his
crutches, at the command of the doctor throw
aside those crutches, walk back and forth across
the stage, go down the steps and out of the hall,
and I was told that he walked to his home, the
distance of half a mile, without them."
In verbally reporting this case to us a few days
ago (Jan. 13, 1902), Dr. WilUs said that Newton
caused the young man to be supported on his
feet, took each hand in one of his own, gazed for
a moment steadfastly into the patient's eyes, and
then cried in a loud voice, " In the name of Christ
I pronounce you cured." The cure was immedi
ate as above described.
" I was on the platform," Dr. Willis' testimony
continues, " close by the doctor all the time he
was operating, and watched with professional
interest the effect of his power. One man came
up wearing a pair of goggles. Dr. Newton
pulled them off, revealing a pair of the most in
tensely inflamed eyes I ever saw, and I have
walked the wards of the hospitals of our large
cities as a student, and spent hours in our eye
infirmaries. The doctor placed his fingers upon

256 Christ's Work of Healing.
those eyes, and I actually saw the inflammation
subside from them. Three times he placed his
fingers upon them, uttering his words of power,
' Be cured ' : and each time I could see the mar
velous effect. Finally, he who could not endure
a ray of light upon his eyes when he entered the
hall, turned and looked without blinking upon
the large uncurtained window through which
streamed the unimpeded light of heaven.
" I saw several who were deaf healed of this
infirmity so that they could hear a whisper.
Hundreds were operated upon, and no case of
failure was reported at the time. Several times in
the throng the doctor felt himself touched.
' Who touched me ? ' 'I, sir.' ' You are healed,
pass right on. There is no necessity for my
operating upon you again. You are healed, for
I felt the power go out of me.' "
We think no further evidence need be cited.
Doubtless many of the 250,000 or more healed
by Dr. Newton in the sixties and seventies of the
past century stand ready to bear their witness.
We should observe that this healer had his
goodly proportion of failures ; a fact which the
editor of "The New Bethesda" makes no at
tempt to conceal. The claim made therein for
Dr. Newton respecting failures is that each cure
depended entirely upon psychic conditions. Dr.
Newton always insisted that there must be faith
either on his part or on the part of the patient.
In many instances skepticism in the patient

Christ's Work of Healing. 257
thwarted him; while, on the other hand, he
would often succeed in maintaining his own con
fidence and effecting a cure in spite of the pa
tient's unbelief.
As to his methods : They consisted usually in
manual contact of some sort, fixed gaze, and a
word of command. Sometimes, however, he
would in the case of lighter ailments project his
force from a distance ; say from the platform to
those who stood up in the audience.
In cases of distant healing, of which there
were many, he would usually take the hands of
the absent patient's friend, request him to con
centrate upon the patient, and then announce
that the latter had received a vital shock which
would bring cure. An astonishingly large num
ber of these instances were verified. Sometimes
also Dr. Newton would send his patients " mag
netized " letters or handkerchiefs which they had
mailed to him.
The essential point to note is that Dr. Newton
recognized and employed, according to his editor,
the two main conditions employed and recognized
by Christ :
(1) A force or effluence which proceeded from
his own person ; (2) concentrated confidence
which he perceived to be strongest when the pa
tient was trustful, and, in many instances, en
tirely canceled when the patient was skeptical.
Says Thomas E. Hazard of Vaucluse, E. I. :
" When the last patient was dismissed the doc-

258 Christ's Work of Healing.
tor stooped down and asked us to raise our hands
as far above his head as we could. We did so
and felt a current as strong as a tolerable blast
from a bellows" (p. 161).
Dr. Willis writes, " The doctor drew his hands
up to his chest and concentrating a power that
seemed to fill his whole being and flash from
his eyes like sparks of fire, he threw this
power down upon the audience three times " (p.
167). It was on this occasion that the Providence
Press reporter noted the detonation spoken of a
moment ago.
In a lecture delivered in Dodworth's Hall,
New York City, May 13, 1860, Dr. NeAvton him
self said :
" I feel and eliminate a shock, just as real and
powerful as that produced by a galvanic battery.
. . . In healing there must be faith on one
side or the other. A healer should be a person
of great faith ; a man who is true to himself ; a
muscular man ; with a fixed, positive and deter
mined will. ... I can heal any one in this
room just as well without touching as with {if it
is not an organic disease). Sometimes I must
come in contact with the patient, and at others
it can be done by will alone. If a person comes
and says it will take nine operations for you to
cure me, it will take nine ; but if he says, ' I will
be cured by touching the hem of your garment,'
it will be so. I have felt the influence pass from

Christ's Work of Healing. 259
me by a simple touch, while the person was
cured " (pp. 113-119).
How, it may be asked, did James Eogers New-
torn come by the knowledge of his methods ?
" The New Bethesda " tells us that his gift began
to display itself in boyhood. " At an early age,"
says the New York literary Album in 1866, in
an article entitled " Men of Mark," " he became
aware of possessing the gift of healing, of which
he has for the past few years given such wonder
ful evidence. He became conscious of new pow
ers, new capabilities, wondrous and strange, and
opening a glorious avenue of usefulness, and his
young enthusiastic spirit burned for the work.
But meeting with no encouragement, this heaven.
born gift was suffered to lie comparatively unde
veloped until later years. Although contrary
to his inclinations, he entered upon pursuits less
congenial to his tastes, and for twenty years was
a prosperous merchant, during which time his
gift was often manifested, but never exercised to
any extent till the year 1858. . . .
" He holds none of his powers in secret, but
courts investigation of the scientific, and en
deavors to promulgate to the world his principles
of cure, as well as to show how magnetism, the
life-principle, or vital force, can be imparted by
a positive will from a strong and healthy body to
a sickly and weak one, producing an instanta
neous cure of the most chronic diseases.
" The doctor disclaims any miraculous powers,

260 Christ's Work of Healing.
but declares the results he produces to be founded
on philosophic and scientific principles which
can, in a measure, be taught."
It appears, then, that Newton's gift was in
born ; (1 Cor. 12 : 9b), that he studied and re
flected upon it as he developed it by exercise,
doubtless correlating it with what he must
have read on the subject of mesmerism and
magnetism ; — this was before the literature of
hypnotism and suggestive therapeutics had
appeared. Newton himself writes in one of his letters:
" My whole knowledge of healing I gained from
the New Testament teachings. When Jesus dis
covered the power, at the age of thirty years. His
mission was heaUng the sick, and to this the re
mainder of His life was largely devoted. This
power He promised to others in His memorable
words : ' The works that I do ye shall do also ;
and greater because I go to My Father.' . . .
He also said, ' These signs shaU follow them that
believe,' etc. . . . The eyes of the spiritually
blind are being unsealed, and in the light of the
new truths now dawning on the earth, all must
be led ere long to apply to their own lives and
practice the long rejected teachings of Jesus ' "
(" New Bethesda," pp. 204, 205).
We can see from Newton's numerous recogni
tions of the healing power proceeding from his
person, and the emphasis which he also constantly
placed upon receptive faith, that the gospels in-

Christ's Work of Healing. 261
deed formed the chief source of his therapeutic
knowledge. To him belongs the honor of being the first to
declare as weU as to demonstrate that the Man
of Nazareth perceived and used psychic condi
tions in His works of healing. The works and
the methods of James Eogers Newton stand as a
scientific verification of the Master's therapeutic
works and of gospel veracity.
It is refreshing to know that this remarkable
man towered above many of his fellow-psychics
in his absolute freedom from commercialism.
We are the last to dispute that the psychic spe
cialist in any field is, as a laborer, fully worthy
of his hire. StUl there seems to us to be a limit
beyond which reasonable remuneration for these
gifts savors of the sin of Gehazi. If present-day
suggestionists, posing as prophets of new relig
ions, wallow in wealth from the proceeds of their
copyrighted "inspired" books, souvenir spoons,
etc., or become multi-millionaire landlords and
bankers, and as founders of new sects, recipients
of semi-divine honors, they have their reward we
suppose here and now. James Eogers Newton
had much to say about divine love, but what he
said concerning it was nothing compared with
his exemplification of it.
"Out of all these patients," says the New
York Herald of July 3, 1861, "he does not re
ceive payment but for about twenty out of one
hundred. On the poor and needy he operates

262 Christ's Work of Healing.
without charge ; but others are expected to pay
according to their means and position in life."
Other quotations of similar purport from many
other American Journals might be multiplied.
Instances might be cited of his paying the trav
eling expenses of poor patients from their home
to his office. Not even from the rich would he
receive remuneration for distant healing. He
felt that the use of his spiritual gift for worldly
gain would weaken his power. So at least he ex
pressed himself.
"Dr. Newton," writes the Eev. Frederic Eow
land Young to the North Wilts (Eng.) Herald,
"is an extremely simple-minded and most be
nevolent man, and gives himself none of the airs
of the quack or charlatan. ... A very large
majority of his cures are done by him without
fee or reward of any kind. In my own case he
steadily refused to receive any remuneration, al
though I offered him a hundred dollar bill, and I
saw him act in like manner towards several other
patients." " One of the most Christlike men I ever knew,"
is the tribute paid to him by Dr. F. L. H. Willis
in speaking of him to us.
That he recognized himself not as the agent
but the medium of divine power can perhaps be
best iUustrated in his therapeutic sentence spoken
to the Eev. F. E. Young in his act of healing.
Facing Mr. Young, taking him by the hands, and
looking steadfastly upon him, he said : " Look at

Christ's Work of Healing. 263
me. In the name of God, our Heavenly Father,
and of the Lord Jesus Christ, the great Healer, I
bid this disease depart from this dear suffering
brother, and never more afflict him."
Newton passed to his eternal reward leaving
no great riches behind him, no " inspired " wri
tings or " revelations," no sect or cult bearing
his name, nothing but the gratitude of some 250,-
000 healed patients, the vast majority of whom
walked in the ranks of the obscure and lowly.
Bequiescat in pace et l/ux perpetua luceat ei.

CHAPTEE IL
cheist's " mighty woeks " IN the light OP
psychic LAW ; INCLUDING HIS BIETH
AND EESUEEECTION.
These works, when compared with modern manifestations of
like character, represent like phenomena performed under
like conditions. — His superphysical birth is in conformity
to the known conditions of modern psycho chemicaliza
tion, and manifests the law of higher symmetry in its
consummation. — The fact of His resurrection is demon
strated, in that He, who in His earthly psychic works
evinced His inerrant insight into psychic conditions, pre
dicted it. — Its corroboration in the light of modern mate
rializing phenomena.
§ 1. His Mighty Works during His Earthly
Ministry. That class of manifestations spoken of in the
New Testament as dunameis, " mighty works,"
or " powers," now claims our consideration.
They are contrasted by one evangelist, St.
Mark, with works of healing, as though they be
longed to another class. We cite the passage
once more : " He could there do no power,
{dunamin) save that he laid his hand upon a few
sick folk and healed them" {St. Mark 6 : 5).
We have seen, however, that His works of
healing were powers, inasmuch as in their perfor
mance "power went forth from him and healed
264

Christ's "Mighty Works." 265
them all." But the healing of the sick seemed
to be regarded by the evangelist as a minor
power. Not stopping to discuss the evangelist's esti
mation, we see that the difference between
Christ's therapeutic and other works is one of
degree only. Apparently to cure a disease, to act
upon the organic matter of the human body, was
less of a " power " than to act upon inorganic
matter outside of the human body. At least so
St. Mark estimated it.
But we are expressly told that the modus
operandi in these lesser powers (healing) was the
emanation of a. force {dunamis) from His Person.
This was what constituted the act a power. It
would follow that the modus operandi in the per
formance of the greater powers would be the
same : — an intelligently-directed emanation of
force. Here, then, again we are dealing with a
psychic condition treated of in chapter iv of
Part II — the spirit's forthputting of the soul's '
etheric aura in the action of psychic force upon
matter, as in telekinesis.
But we know further that such manifestations
by modern psychics are conditioned by confidence
on their part. In other words, all adverse
psychic forces in the consciousness-strata must be
suppressed.^ Consciousness, which is liable to
¦ For distinction between spirit and soul, see Part II, chap
ter iv, p. 144.
^ See Part II, chapter iv, pp. 169 and 170.

266 Christ's "Mighty Works."
"make cowards of us all," must be overcome,
otherwise control over the psychic forces which
do the required work is impossible. This confi
dence is faith in its positive form, as we have ex
plained in the chapter previous to this. (See
page 220.)
Does Christ recognize the necessity of this in
the performance of the so-called greater powers,
or physical manifestations ?
Let us examine a few specific cases :
(1) Jesus walking upon the waters of the
GaUlean Lake, (St. Matt. 14 : 22, 23 ; St. Mark
6 : 45-52 ; St. John 6 : 15-22).
The disciples at first mistook the walking
figure for an apparition. Peter, to assure him
self of the Master's identity, said, " Lord, if it be
thou, bid me come unto thee on the water."
Jesus answered " Come " ; and Peter, full of as
surance, left the boat and walked out over the
waves towards the Master. "But," says the
record, "when he saw the wind boisterous, he
was afraid." What was the result ? He began
to sink and cried out, " Lord, save me ! " The
grasp of his Master's ha/nd^ restored the dis
ciple's confidence, and the two proceeded over the
waves to the ship. Then followed this signifi
cant rebuke administered by the Master to
Peter : " O thou of little faith, wherefore didst
thou doubt ? " The Lord then stilled the tempest
— according to St. Mark — and turning to all of
' Presumably the impartation of psychic force by contact.

Christ's "Mighty Works." 267
the boat's crew, said : " Why are ye so fearful ?
How is it that ye have no faith f "
It is manifest here that Jesus still recognizes
the same condition of faith which He had all
along been recognizing and utilizing in His
therapeutic works. His recorded rebukes imply
that both Peter and the others might have done
as He did, if only they had manifested their con
fidence. This implication becomes explicit when
we compare this incident with certain words of
the Master spoken on another occasion : " VerUy,
verUy, I say unto you, he that believeth on me,
the works that I do shall he do also ; and greater
works shaU he do." ' (St. John 14 : 12).
(2) The Withering of the Fig Tree and the
Words Spoken Concerning it (St. Matthew
21 : 19 f. ; St. Mark 11 : 20 f.).
When the disciples marveled that the tree was
withered so soon in obedience to the Master's
command, Jesus replied, "Have faith in God
(St. Mark). Verily I say unto you, if ye have faith
and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is
done to the fig tree (St. Matthew) but also if ye
say to this mountain. Be thou removed and be
thou cast into the sea, (Sts. Matthew and Mark)
it shaU be done (St. Matthew). (And if) he shaU
not doubt in his heart but shall believe those
things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall
have whatsoever he saith " (St. Mark). Compare
'Belief on Him, the source of cosmic energy, places that
energy at the believer's disposal.

268 Christ's "Mighty Works."
also St. Matthew 17 : 20, " If ye have faith as a
grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this
mountain, Eemove hence to yonder place, and it
shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible to
you." (3) The Master's reply to the prayer : " Lord,
increase our faith."
The reply as recorded by St. Luke (17 : 6) is :
" If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye
might say unto this sycamine tree. Be thou
plucked up by the roots, and be thou planted in
the sea and it shall obey you."
This reply, together with the words cited
under the case preceding this, shows beyond the
need of further demonstration that Jesus recog
nized a condition — that of confidence — which,
under favorable circumstances, could be brought
into operation, whether by Himself or by any
human agent, to open the way to any super-
physical work, whether therapeutic or non-ther
apeutic. Before considering further the conditions
recognized and employed by the Master in His
" Mighty Works," {dunameis) we would do well
to remind ourselves that these works belong
mainly to two of the sub-classes of Psychic
Action upon Matter which we have reviewed in
Part II, viz. : telekinesis and psycho-chemicaliza
tion. There is also one phenomenon of spirit-
materialization which must presently claim our
attention.

Christ's "Mighty Works." 269
Under the head of telekinesis fall the foUowing :
(1) The so-called miraculous draught of fishes on
two occasions. The most obvious explanation
seems to be the setting in motion of a force by
the Master's agency which impelled the fishes to
swarm to the spot in which the nets were cast.
(2) Walking upon the water ; the setting in mo
tion of a force which cancelled the known phys
ical laws of specific gravity and attraction. (3)
StUling of the tempest ; the setting in motion of
meteorological forces which allayed the wind
storm. (4) Causing the officers and crowd in
Gethsemane to fall backward upon the ground ;
— projecting a force upon them.
Under the head chemicalization fall the follow
ing : (1) The changing of water into wine at the
Cana marriage-feast. (2) The multiplication of
loaves and fishes on two occasions whereby a
multitude was fed. (3) The withering of the fig
tree. Both modern psychic agency and that of the
Master have produced phenomena in telekinesis
and psycho-chemicaliz;ation. Those which the
gospels record of Christ differ from the well-au
thenticated modern phenomena not in kind, but
in degree. There is no difference in principle be
tween the levitation of a piece of furniture and
the stilling of a tempest. Each is a telekinetic
phenomenon. The laws governing each are the
same. Nor is there any difference in principle
between certain of the modern materializing

¦no

Christ's "Mighty Works."

phenomena which we have noted in Part II, and
the transmutation of water into wine. Each is a
phenomenon of psycho-chemicalization, and de
pends upon some unknown action of psychic
force. The difference between evangelical and
modern thaumaturgic phenomena may be shown
thus:

Telekinesis.

"I Matter outside the
1. Gospel 1 bodily organism to
fa great degree, e.
J g.,a tempest stilled.

Psycho-Chemicalization. Matter within the body to
a great degree, e. g., the
maimed cured.
' Matter outside the body to
a great degree, e. g., water
turned into wine.

1 Matter outside the
bodily organism to
a lesser degree, e. g.,
a table levitated.

Matter within the body to
a lesser degree, e. g., ner
vous diseases cured.^ Mat
ter outside the body to the
degree ex e«jplified by ma
terializing phenomena.
A phenomenon of a different class from those
which we have been considering; — or rather
three separate phenomena, are those which took
place on the Mount of Transfiguration.
" He took with him Peter and John and James,
and went up into the mountain to pray " {St.
Zuke 9 : 28).
The presence of the definite article indicates
that this mountain was a place in which the Mas
ter had prayed before ; one of His chosen sanc
tuaries. It was doubtless the same Galilean
mountain referred to in St. Matt. 14 : 27 to whose
summit He was wont to retire alone at the close

' See, however, Postscriptum to previous chapter.

Christ's "Mighty Works." 271
of His day's labor in the cities on the Galilean
lakeshore. St. Matthew's statement above referred to is :
" And after he had sent the multitude away, he
went up into the mountain apart to pray : and
when even was come, he was there alone." It is
probably the same mountain also on whose sum
mit he spent the night in prayer prior to the
choice of the twelve (St. Luke 6 : 12).
The times chosen by our Lord for private
prayer were either the evening, the night or be
fore the break of dawn. Compare St. Mark
1:35; St. Zuke 6:12; St. Matt. 26:37; St.
Mark 14 : 33 ; St. Zuke 22 : 39 ; St. John 13 : 1.
It is therefore all but absolutely certain that
in this oft-frequented mountain near Lake Galilee
after daylight had begun to fade, and perhaps
after darkness had set in, the Transfiguration
phenomena took place.
This conclusion is presumptively confirmed by
St. Luke's statement, 9 : 37 ; " And it came to
pass, on the next da/y, when they were come down
from the mountain " — etc. ; implying that they
had tarried upon the mountain during the night.
St. Matthew moreover speaks of the overshadow
ing cloud which concluded the phenomena as a
bright cloud : (17 : 5) a manifestation more con
sistent with darkness than with surrounding
light ; as is also the illumination of the Master's
face (17 : 2).
Why we have been at pains to show that the

272 Christ's "Mighty Works."
Transfiguration took place in the evening or at
night will be apparent presently.
The next point to be noted is that the three
disciples were heavy with sleep {St. Zuke 9 : 32),
i. e., lethargic, while Jesus was being transfigured,
and v)hile the forms of Moses and Elias were be
ing brought into manifestation.
" When they (the three disciples) were fully
awake," St. Luke notes, " they saw his glory and
the two men that stood with him," {verse 32b)
" who appeared in glory and spoke of the decease
which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem "
{verse 31).
From St. Luke's account it also appears that
the dematerialization of the saintly forms was
gradual. "As they were parting from him" (as
though they slowly faded away) "Peter said
unto Jesus," — etc. {verse 33).
Here we have with wonderful minuteness all
the conditions which are recognized by modern
psychics as the most favorable for materializing
phenomena. We have first, darkness or the subdued light
of evening ; second, silence and perfect harmony
of minds ; third, the lethargic state ; in this case of
three men, one of whom, namely, Peter, was after
wards a powerful agent of superphysical phe
nomena; lastly we have the perfectly developed
Master who had abundantly on previous occa
sions demonstrated His control over psychic force.
Thus we see in this materializing phenomenon

Christ's "Mighty Works." 273
a minute recognition on the Master's part of the
psychic mechanism, if the term be allowable,
whereby phenomena the same in kind, though
far inferior in dignity, are produced to-day. (See
chapter iii of Part II.)
In the Master's Transfiguration we see a tem
porary subjection of the physical to the psychical
person, extending to the very raiment which He
wore. — His etheric aura, as it were, became con
centrated and visualized. — Countenance and rai
ment became altered — " His face did shine as the
sun " ; " His raiment became white and daz
zling " ; " White as the light " ; " Exceeding
white as no fuller's earth can whiten them."
In many of the materialized forms which we
have witnessed this marvelous whiteness, some
times scintillating and radiant, has impressed us ;
and carried us in thought back to the " Holy
Mount." " The fashion of his countenance was altered."
— The alteration of the physical form by psychic
force is a phenomenon witnessed and attested by
Sir Wm. Crookes in his report to the London
S. P. E. of his s&ances with D. D. Home ; namely,
in the elongation of Home's physical stature.
(See S. P. E. Proceedings, Part XV.) While
this phenomenon in the Home case is grotesque
and undignified, it illustrates the principle of
physiological alteration by psychic agency de
scribed here by the evangelists.
We come now to speak of the condition which

274 Christ's "Mighty Works."
the Master seems to have utilized in the Trans
figuration phenomena, concerning which we al
ready have spoken near the conclusion of chap
ter iv of Part II ; — darkness, or subdued light.
This condition appears to have been recognized
by the profound insight of Jesus in other of His
mighty works or dunatneis.
The " power " manifested in the two draughts
of fishes was in the dim or gray light of day
break. This is explicitly stated as being the case
on the second occasion. St. John 21 : 4, " But
when the day was now breaking."
That on the first occasion the phenomenon oc
curred at the same hour is apparent from St.
Luke's statement, 5 : 5, " Master, we toiled
all night, and took nothing." That most won
derful of all the Master's works of healing, the
restoration of Malchus' ear in Gethsemane, oc
curred by night.
The transmutation of water into wine at the
Cana wedding-feast occurred by the subdued
light of Oriental lamps. Behind the opaque clay
with which Jesus anointed the eyes of the man
born blind the forces operated which restored
sight. The man who was bidden to wash in the
pool of Siloam by being submerged therein was
for the time cut off from much of the caloric and
actinic rays; thus coming into a condition in
which the forces could act more favorably.
Lazarus was raised from the dead in the dark
ness of a cave.

Christ's "Mighty Works." 275
Jairus' daughter was similarly raised in the
subdued light of an Oriental upper-chamber.
A demoniac was cured in the dim light of a
synagogue. Simon's wife's mother in the dim light of an
Oriental bed-chamber was healed of a fever.
It was " when even was come " (St. Matt.
14 : 15) that Jesus fed the 5,000 from the five
loaves and two fishes.
It was at the end of the third day, and pre
sumably towards evening, that the 4,000 were
fed. In the dawn of early morning the fig tree was
withered. In the darkness of the night the tempest was
stilled. In the darkness of the night Jesus walked
upon the waves.
In the dim dawn of the day following the still
ing of the tempest the demoniac of Gadara was
cured. In the darkness of Gethsemane Jesus put forth
that force which caused the multitude to faU
down. Thus all of Jesus' telekinetic and psycho-chem
ical works were performed either in darkness or
by the subdued light of evening, early morning,
or by Oriental lamplight. Many of His more
notable therapeutic works were performed under
similar conditions.
It is noteworthy also how many of His post-

276 Christ's "Mighty Works."
resurrection manifestations were by night, by
evening, or by early morn.
Furthermore when we come to examine the
disciples' works recorded in Acts, we shall find
many of these performed by darkness or subdued
light. We do not say that this condition was
absolutely indispensable for such a perfectly de
veloped psychic as was Jesus ; but His employ
ment of this condition in every one of His teleki
netic and psycho-chemical works, as well as m the
Transfiguration phenomena, is certainly most
significant in showing the knowledge of favoring
conditions which He possessed.
His recognition of this condition and that of
confidence on the part of the " operator " in the
performance of mighty works or dunameis, and
the guileless recording of the same by the evan
gelists, corroborate the conclusion reached in the
last chapter: Jesus' Psychic Inerrancy, and
Evangelical Veracity.
§ 2. Christ's Superphysical Birth, St. Matt.
1: 18. "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on
this wise: When as his mother Mary was
espoused to Joseph, before they came together,
she was found with child of the Holy Ghost."
V. 20, " For that which is conceived in her is of
the Holy Ghost."
St. Luke 1 : 35, " The Holy Ghost shaU come
upon thee and the power of the highest shall
overshadow thee ; therefore also that holy thing
that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son

Christ's "Mighty Works." 277
of God." V. 38, "And Mary said. Behold the
handmaid of the Lord : be it unto me according
to thy word."
The phenomenon here described is that com
monly known as the Immaculate Conception of
Jesus Christ : that is, that the Man Jesus was
conceived in the womb superphysically. Those
who reject this record do so chiefly on a priori
grounds ; that is, on precisely the same grounds
as those upon which they reject the records of
the therapeutic and other works of Jesus. The
objection springs from the materialistic dictum
which we have refuted, " Miracles," *. e., super-
physical phenomena, " do not happen."
While acknowledging that the Immaculate
Conception cannot be scientifically demonstrated
in the same way that Christ's own superphysical
works can be, we can say this : that the a priori
objections urged against it, both from the stand
point of theological necessity and from that of
physical possibility are not well taken. As this
book deals only with the psychic aspect of the
gospel-record, it would be outside of its scope to
discuss objections entered from the standpoint of
theological necessity. We do not profess to be
theologians. We take pleasure, however, in re
ferring our readers to E. Griffith Jones's " The
Ascent Through Christ," ' a work which to our
mind thoroughly answers objections grounded
upon theological necessity. 'Gorham, N.Y.

278 Christ's "Mighty Works."
Meanwhile let us consider the Immaculate
Conception from the standpoint of psychic possi
bility. Conception, it will be admitted, is a process of
organic chemistry. There is involved in it two
factors, the material and the psychic. The
former is likewise twofold, that is, consists of
two elements, the zoosperm and the ovum. In
their union there is a blending of two psychic
units into a new psychic organism, which is the
foetus. In parthenogenesis, granting its possibility, an
ovum would of necessity have to be fertilized by
a materialized zoosperm.
Now we have an abundance of modern data
bearing upon materialization. We know that
complete human organisms with all their com
plexities and modifications ; real, palpable, living,
intelligent men and women, for the time being
answering to every physiological test; — that
these can be materialized in almost a moment of
time. (See Part II, chapter ii. Class V and
chapter in, §§ 8-10.)
From a standpoint of mere possibility it would
certainly seem that the materialization of such a
simple structure as a zoosperm would be far easier
and inherently far more credible than that of
such a highly complex structure as a complete
human organism. But we know that the latter
has been accomplished ; a fortiori, therefore, the
former is entirely credible.

Christ's "Mighty Works." 279
Furthermore, let us not be unmindful of that
for which the historic personaUty of Jesus
stands ; of His place in human history ; that He
was an epoch-making Being. We shall see in
chapter iv that He is a unique Being : One
who manifested ideal psychic development ; per
fect conscious control over all His subconscious
and automatic psychic forces.
As such, we can understand how St. Paul could
call Him " The Second Adam " — the Inaugurator
of a New Humanity.
It would seem to us to be fitting — and here we
confess that we enter the theological field — that
in the production of this New Being, the Imma
nent Intelligence, which is the Holy Ghost,
should employ a mode of genesis free from the
material limitations inhering in sexual union ;
especiaUy as sexual union, no matter what self-
deluded pietists may say to the contrary, is in
variably engaged in primarily for pleasure, — with
procreation standing only as a vague possible
consequence. (We crave the indulgence accorded
to professional men for speaking plainly, as our
supreme regard is for truth.) We cannot see any
divine fitness — the very notion must shock the
moral sensibUities of all who revere Jesus, no
matter what their beliefs may be as to His Per
sonality — in supposing that such a glorious Man
could be the natural product of sexual union out
of wedlock ; as must needs have been the case if
He was not immaculately conceived.

280 Christ's "Mighty Works."
His Immaculation Conception is spiritually fit
ting, and it is entirely within the lunits of mate
rializing possibilities.
The Immaculate Conception would stand as the
Spirit's consummation of the law of higher
symmetry in the " fulness of time " ; — time
which had its beginning in the nebulous star-
dust. § 3. The Besurrection.
Our argument for the resurrection, reduced to
brief form, would be this : In the foregoing ex
amination ' the veracity of the record as to Jesus'
superphysical works is established. If the rec
ord is veracious in its accounts of these works
it is presumably so in its report of Jesus' sayings.
Among these sayings are sundry which foretell
directly and indirectly His resurrection.
Directly. (1) Matt. 16 : 21, where He also
foretells His death. Cf. Mark 8: 31 and
Luke 9 : 22.
(2) Matt. 17 : 9 : " TeU the vision to no man
until the Son of Man be risen again from the
dead." Cf. Mark 9 : 9.
(3) Matt. 17 : 23f . " The Son of Man shaU be
betrayed into the hands of men ; and they shall
kiU him and the third day he shall be raised
again." (4) Matt. 20:18, 19. "Behold, we go up to
Jerusalem ; and the Son of Man shall be betrayed
into the hands of the chief priests, and unto the
' Chapter i and ^ 1 of chapter ii.

Christ's "Mighty Works." 281
scribes ; and they shall condemn him to death,
and shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock,
and to scourge and to crucify him; and the
third day he shaU rise again." Cf. Mark 10 : 31 ;
Luke 18 : 31f.
Indirectly. (1) Mark 14 : 58 : "I will destroy
this temple that is made with hands, and in three
days I wiU build another made without hands."
Compare also John 2 : 19.
(2) Matt. 12 : 39f. The sign of the prophet
Jonas. (3) John 5 : 26 : " For as the Father hath life
in himself, so also hath he given to the Son to
have life in himself."
(4) John 10 : 17f . : " Therefore doth my Fa
ther love me because I lay down my life that I
might take it again. No man taketh it from me,
but I lay it down of myself. I have power to
lay it down, and power to take it again."
The foregoing examination of Jesus' super-
physical works (in chapter i and in § 1 of this
chapter) shows His scientific knowledge of psychic
laws and conditions.
We conclude therefore that when He foretold
His resurrection on the third day; that when
He affirmed that He had life in Himself, with
power to lay it down and power to take it
again. He spoke whereof He knew ; He spoke as
one psychically acquainted with the conditions of
life and death.
It is these ante-mortem statements of Christ,

282 Christ's "Mighty Works."
as an inerrant psychic Authority, which, to our
mind, constitute the weightiest evidence of His
resurrection as reported by the evangelists and
St. Paul.
What Jesus could do beyond the tomh must
logically be determined by what He did and
proved Himself to be on this side of the tomb.
Prove the superphysical works of Jesus; prove
His inerrant psychic insight ; prove that He fore
told His resurrection and affirmed His power to
lay down His life and to take it again, and you
have made credible the actual historic evidence
which we have at hand, that His resurrection is
a fact of history.
But what, it may be asked, is the nature of
Christ's resurrection as described in the New
Testament? And further, are there any phe
nomena in modern times corresponding in princi
ple to its recorded manifestations ?
First, as to its nature.
" The third day he rose again from the dead,"
and " the third day he rose again according to
the scriptures," are the formulas of historic
Christianity. St. Paul's statement is : " And that he hath
been raised on the third day according to the
scriptures " {1 Cor. 15 : 4).
The fact referred to in these statements
is that on the third day after the severance
of spirit from flesh He returned corporeally
from the spiritual world to the earth-plane

Christ's "Mighty Works." 283
reanimating in some mysterious way the slain
body. Looking into the resurrection-narratives, we
find that on the third day the sepulchre was
found empty ; the slain body gone ; that the
Eisen One was seen on numerous occasions dur
ing the great Forty Days in corporeal form ; that
His corporeity was in appearance identical with
that of the Jesus who had died ; but it now pos
sessed qualities which enabled it to appear and
vanish at will and to pass in and out of closed
rooms. Such are the recorded facts. Admitting them
provisionally, we are brought to one obvious
conclusion : that a change so momentous had
taken place in the entombed body as to amount
to a transformation; a change in nature; — from
a body natural to a body spiritual.
This complete transformation in nature had, as
we have seen, been foretold by Christ " in the
days of his flesh " when He said, " I wQl destroy
this temple that is made with hands, and in three
days I will build amother, made without hands "
(Mark 14 : 58).
His resurrection therefore carried with it a de
struction, an obliteration, a dissolution of the
fleshly element ; not however by the processes of
corruption, but by the process of merging or ab
sorption, analogous to the fecundation of a seed,
yet withal an instamtaneous and not a gradual
fecundation. The body of flesh, still uncorrupt.

284 Christ's "Mighty Works."
was, according to the narrative, merged into the
spiritual element " in a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye." " The temple made with hands " —
of the substance of the Virgin Mother — was mys
tically " destroyed " ; — absorbed into the spiritual
element " in which also " He had gone " and
preached unto the spirits in prison which afore
time were disobedient " (1 Peter 3 : 19f .).
One difficulty, we think, that presents itself,
lies in the relationship between Christ's resurrec
tion and our own.
St. Paul states in 1 Cor. 15 : 20 and 23 : "But
now hath Christ been raised from {Greek: ik,
out of) the dead, the first-fruits of them that are
asleep. . . . But each in his own order ;
Christ the first-fruits ; then they that are Christ's
at his coming " (Greek : in His presence —
7ra?oo<Tta). A commou interpretation of the rela
tionship between Christ's resurrection and our
own is this; Christ died and sojourned as a
Bodiless Spirit in the spiritual world. We shall
do the same. Christ's Bodiless Spirit returned to
embodiment by reanimating the entombed body.
Our spirit shall do the same at the Parousia
when "the trumpet shall sound, and the dead
shall be raised incorruptible."
To our mind this interpretation confuses points
which are unique in Christ's resurrection with
those which we have in common with His
own. The essentially parallel features of Christ's

Christ's "Mighty Works." 285
resurrection and that of those " That are Christ's
at his coming " are, we think, these :
(1) Christ was clothed in flesh. So is the
disciple. (2) Christ tasted of death. So does the
disciple. (3) Christ, " quickened in the spirit " ' so
journed in the Spiritual world. So does the de
parted disciple.
(4) Now the departed disciple in the Spiritual
world lives in a finer embodiment. He is not a
bodiless spirit, as witness Moses and Elijah.
So presumably must Christ have thus sojourned
there ; viz., in a finer embodiment ; for it behoved
Him who took upon Himself our humanity to
pass through aU essential human experiences ; —
only without sin.
(5) Christ arose out of the dead perfect and
complete as touching His manhood ; i. e., with
His human Spirit and corporeity eternally fin
ished; — " the first-fruits of them that are asleep."
This wiU be the resurrection-gift of those that
are as Christ's at His coming.
In these five features we have, we think, the
essential parallelism between the Second Adam
and His disciple from the earth life to the at
tainment of resurrection.
But connected with Christ's resurrection are
certain features which are unique and un
paralleled. 1 1 Peter 3 : 18.

286 Christ's "Mighty Works."
(1) His sojourn in the Spiritual world was
limited to three days.
(2) The mortal body saw not corruption.'
(3) In some mysterious manner it was merged
upon the third day with the perfected body of
glory. In contrast with these features :
(1) Our sojourn in the Spiritual world wiU
extend to the Parousia.
(2) Our mortal bodies wiU have been com
pletely obliterated.
(3) These obliterated bodies will have no part
in our essential resurrection. " Corruption doth
not inherit incorruption," (1 Cor. 15 : 50).
"Thou sowest not the body that shall be,"
(1 Cor. 15 : 37).
A little reflection will show why the unique
and unparalleled features in Christ's resurrection
was necessary.
First, that He might be " declared as the Son
of God with power " (Eomans 1 : 4).
His mortal body had been slain by His
enemies. He had proclaimed that the laying
down of His life had been voluntary ; a free-wUl
offering ; that He had power to lay it down, and
power to take it again. ^
That mysterious merging which took place in
the sepulchre on Easter Morning stood as a
vindication of His words.
Second, had the unique and mighty event not
1 Acts 2 : 31. 2 John 10 : 18.

Christ's "Mighty Works." 287
occurred, the preaching of the gospel would have
been in vain. The Jews would have pointed
sneeringly to the corrupted body in the sepulchre
as an evidence that the disciples were deceiving
them or else telling them ghost-stories.
In the five features named above the complete
and essential resurrection of Christ and that of
His disciples stand parallel. As touching those
essential features, Christ is "the first-fruits of
them that are asleep."
But as touching the three other features named
above, Christ's resurrection stands unique ; for to
Him alone it pertained to be declared and vindi
cated as the Son of God with power. '
Second, Are there any phenomena in modern
times corresponding in principle to the recorded
manifestations of the Eisen Christ ?
We have seen that Christ's resurrection-body,
as described in the New Testament, was spirit-
' The passage most frequently quoted by those who connect
corporeal resurrection with the graveyard-body is John 5 : 28,
29. The Master there refers to the departed as " all that are in
the tombs."
That the phrase is however a figurative adaption of language
to a popular conception can be seen at once by comparing the
passage with the Master's refutation of the Sadducees : iMke
29 : 37, 38. Here it is plain that Christ does not regard the
departed as " in the tombs." He tells the Sadducees that the
fathers are not where their corpses are. " They live unto God.
God is not the God of the dead. "
So when Paul tells us that God will bring the departed with
Him at the Parousia, ( 1 Thess. 4 : 14) he refers not to cemeteries
as their intermediate abiding-place, but to the spiritual world.

288 Christ's "Mighty Works.'^
ual ; that is, it possessed in itself the poten
tiality of becoming visible, tangible, and con
forming to all the tests of materiality ; while,
unlike a fleshly body, it could appear and
vanish at will {Zuke 24 : 31) and pass in and out
of a closed room {John 20 : 19, 26). In these
respects the modern phenomenon of materializa
tion is in exact correspondence. Its attestation
and its phases we have already, we think, suffi
ciently discussed.' Our own personal observations
are in accord with those noted by Sir. Wm.
Crookes, Henry S. Olcott and others. The forms
observed manifested at the time all the attributes
of palpable fleshly organisms, and yet could
vanish or melt away in the twinkling of an eye.
By some law or laws of organic chemistry, un
known to us on this side of the spiritual world,
some of the inhabitants thereof — mostly through
mediumship — ^are apparently able to clothe their
corporeity with material appurtenances for
varying lengths of time. We say "mostly
through mediumship " because we have in mind
cases of apparitions whose manifestations have
been apparently independent of mediumship: —
for example, apparitions of the dying and re
cently dead.
The fact of materialization as a modern phe
nomenon is sufficient to silence a priori objec
tions to the manifestations recorded of the Eisen
Christ. There they stand on the pages of the
' See Part II, chapter ii, p. 74 and chapter iii, ? J 8-10.

Christ's "Mighty Works." 289
record paralleling point for point what we see to
day. The means and instrumentalities which the
Eisen Master employed for bringing about these
manifestations form a subject on which we do
not feel competent to speak. We can only repeat
that on this side of the tomb He manifested a
complete knowledge of aU spiritual laws and re
lations, a knowledge which would of course re
main unaltered by the accident of passing out of
the flesh. He knew all spiritual laws. He said
that He would arise and show Himself after
death. His recorded manifestations after death
are paralleled in principle by what we see to-day.
The evidence therefore is overwhelming that
He did what He said He would do,' viz., incor
porate the entombed body into His spiritual or
ganism, and manifest it as recorded.

Note to Chapter IL
Of apparent thaumaturgic works not mentioned in this chap
ter, there are the following : (1) The catching of the fish that
furnished tribute money ; (St. Matt. 17 : 27 ) plainly a case of
independent clairvoyance combined with telekinesis. (2)
Jesus' escape from His enemies on the brow of the hill at Naz
areth (St. Luke4 : 30). Seemingly a case of invisibility brought
about by psychic force and etheric vibration as is done to-day
by Yogis of India, which is analogous to dematerializing ; or
possibly a case of telekinetic force-projection analogous to that
in Gethsemane (St. John 18:6) whereby the physical powers
'St. Mark 14:58.

290 Christ's "Mighty Works."
of His enemies were temporarily inhibited. (3) His escape at
the temple from those who would stone Him (St. John 8 : 59).
The text of v. 59b as in King James' version is of doubtful au
thority, being omitted in Eevised Version ; thus leaving state
ment, " but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple " ;
— a perfectly normal act.

CHAPTEE III.
THE SUPERPHYSICAL WOEKS OF JESITS' FIRST
DISCIPLES.
A detailed examination of these shows that the disciples con
formed to the conditions laid down by the Master, but
lacked scientific insight thereinto.
§ 1. The few following sections, supplemental
to the considerations of the last two chapters, while
not essential to the plan of this work, will, we
trust, serve to show how the record represents
the first disciples as mindful of one of the psychic
conditions in which they were instructed by their
Master, viz., that of faith ; a faith that expresses
itself in confidence on the part of the healer or
agent, and that must be manifested on the part
of the patient.
It wUl also appear, after our examination of
the recorded cases, as well as during the same,
that psychic force likewise forms a factor ; albeit
one of which the disciples were not appreciative
in the same scientific sense in which the Master
discerned it. We shall see that the disciples un
derstood that faith was a necessary condition,
but not why it was ; that their personal presence,
accompanied in many cases by manual contact,
was necessary, but not why it was necessary ;
291

292 The Superphysical Works.
viz., as a battery, so to speak, through which
psychic force was generated and projected.
The data from which we build up our con
clusions lack the definiteness and circumstantial
ity of detail which characterize the data of the
four gospels. The Book of Acts, from which
practically all of our data are drawn, is evidently
composed of materials not so thoroughly organic
and vital to the traditions of early Christians as
Avere those connected with the life, words and
works of the Master. The hearers of Christ and
the witnesses of His deeds were, for the most
part, present with Him from beginning to end.
All that so great a Personality said and did, we
may well believe, sank into the " subliminal
memories " of those whom He gathered around
Him. Less likely would this be the case with
those who witnessed the words and deeds of the
apostles. While of course the " subliminal mem
ory " takes in everything, it by no means gives
back everything, except under special conditions.
These special conditions would be far more apt
to be operative in the case of those recalling the
words and deeds of Christ than in the case of
those recalling the words and deeds of His
apostles and leading disciples. We must add to
these considerations the fact that Christ's wit
nesses were one body of men ; whereas the wit
nesses of apostolic words and deeds were scat
tered. Some were gathered around Peter, John,
James and the older apostles ; others were gath-

The Superphysical Works. 293
ered around Paul, Barnabas and Silas. Luke,
the writer of Acts, therefore, gets his material
from different sets of witnesses whose memories
may be assumed not to have been assisted to any
marked degree by that potentially perfect store
house of memory, the "subliminal conscious
ness." But Luke, the Gospel-vfviter, has his ma
terials supplied to him from one set of witnesses ^
whose very act of reminiscence, where the Great
Master is concerned, would serve as a potent sug
gestion to their "subliminal consciousness" to
deliver up from its inerrant treasure house. The
circumstantiality of many of the cases recorded
in the Acts being meagre as compared with that
of the gospel-records, our observations and con
clusions must necessarily be somewhat of a con
jectural nature. Yet we are firmly convinced
that enough facts are shown to validate our final
conclusions respecting the apostles' knowledge of
psychic conditions compared with that of Christ.
We should further premise, in deference to
zealous " orthodox " readers, that in this exami
nation we propose to concede to the scientific
critic everything that by any possibility can be
conceded. But in so doing we do not necessarily
identify ourselves with the position thus provi
sionally granted. For example, in certain ther-
'St. Luke 1:2: "Even as they delivered them unto us,
which from the beginning were eyewitnesses,"—!, e., the co-
laborers with Luke who were supplying him with his data for
the third gospel.

294 The Superphysical Works.
apeutic cases we shall find that mere suggestion
without any auxiliary ab extra might be sufficient
to account for the recorded cure. In such a case
we shall concede that suggestion alone does suffice
to account for it.
§ 2. Before His departure Jesus is recorded to
have told His disciples : that " these signs shall
i follow them that believe : In my name they
shall cast out devils ; they shall speak with new
tongues ; they shall take up serpents ; and if they
drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them ;
they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall
recover " (St. Mark 16 : 17, 18).
The same evangelist records that after the Mas
ter's ascension the disciples " went forth, and
preached everywhere, the Lord working with
them, and confirming the word with signs fol
lowing " (v. 20).
The record of the Acts contains instances Ulus-
trating all these " signs " as done through Apos
tolic agency, save only the absence of any re
corded cure of the drinking of poisonous liquids
with immunity.
There is nothing in the record to justify the
exegesis, which the above passage standing alone
might suggest to the insistent literalist, that the
disciples went around, like the lower classes of
modern Hindu fakirs, giving exhibitions in im
mune poison-drinking and snake-handling. As
to the latter, the only case in the record is that
of St. Paul's immunity to the bite of a viper

The Superphysical Works. 295
during his sojourn as a shipwrecked prisoner on
the Island of Malta (Acts 28 : 5).
" He shook off the beast into the fire and felt
no harm," the record runs. Here it would seem
that an unshaken faith on Paul's part is sufficient
to explain the immunity. Translated into modern
terms auto-suggestion produced a dynamo-genesis
strong enough to inhibit the spread of the poison
from periphery to vital centres.
Aside from the gifts of immunity, those which
the Master predicted (in St. Mark's record) fall
into two classes : (1) Therapeutic : — the casting
out of devils, and healing the sick; and (2)
Clairvoyant : — the speaking with new tongues.
The Book of the Acts records in addition to
works of these classes some involving telekinesis
which we shall notice presently ; also some of
angeUc m anif estation. The spiritual charismata
enumerated by St. Paul (1 Cor. 12: 8-10) in
clude telepathy, clairvoyance, psycho-therapeu
tics, telekinesis and mediumship.'
§ 3. The key to the understanding of the
greater gifts exercised by the apostles is their
especial endowment, ab extra with psychic force
or cosmic energy. It is recorded that before
Christ's ascension and after His resurrection He
breathed upon them and said, " Eeceive ye the
Holy Ghost " (St. John 20 : 22). This was in ad
dition to the general Pentecostal outpouring of
the Spirit upon all the disciples ; — the apostles
'See Appendix B., pp. 373-375.

296 The Superphysical Works.
among them. As for St. Paul, he received, we
are told,' a special influx of divine energy. It
is worthy of note that the recorded instances of
higher therapeutics and thaumaturgics pertain to
apostles only, with the one exception of Philip,
the evangelist ; e. g., instantaneous cures of serious
organic diseases ; opening of prison doors by un
seen force ; raising of the dead, etc.
While St. Paul in the course of his epistles
enumerates and alludes to superphysical gifts as
exercised by contemporary disciples, he describes
no specific instance of their exercise. The data
from which we may judge the modus operandi
of the exercise of some of their works are confined
to the Book of the Acts.
Case 1. The Pentecostal Gift of Tongues.
Here the apostles (and possibly the disciples
also) receive temporary power to preach the
gospel in the languages of the various foreign
Jews assembled at Jerusalem to observe the
Pentecostal Feast. It seems to be a case of in
dependent clairvoyance ; possibly of telepathic
rapport with those to whom they preached. It
is a case faintly paralleled by some of the me
diumistio phenomena listed in Appendix A. If
so, it is a manifestation of psychic conditions.
Case 2. Healing of the Zame Man at the
Beautiful Gate (3 : 1-8).
The man asks an alms of Peter and John.
'2 Cor. 12: 1-4 ; Gal. 1 : 12, 15, etc.

The Superphysical Works. 297
The two apostles fasten their eyes upon him,^
and say "Look on us." The man obeys, with
the expectation of receiving charity. Peter dis
abuses him of this idea, and then commands him
in the name of Jesus of Nazareth to rise up and
walk. That this opens the gateway of faith is
evidenced by Peter's subsequent assertion in his
discourse: (v. 16), "And his name through
faith in his name hath made this man strong,
whom ye see and know ; yea, the faith that is by
him hath given him this perfect soundness in the
presence of you all."
After opening the gate of the man's faith,
Peter " took him by the right hand, and lifted
him up ; and immediately his feet and ankle bones
received strength " (v. 7). Psychic force enters
through the open gate.
Case 3. " The Place was Shaken Where They
were Assembled " (4 : 31).
The disciples in common assembly had just fin
ished the offering of a united prayer, when the
phenomenon above described took place. This
appears to be a telekinetic phenomenon, the re
sultant of the projection of the psychic force of
the assembled disciples. Clairvoyant illumina
tion was a further accompaniment ; for, " they
were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they
spoke the word of God with boldness."
Case If,. Death of Ananias and Sapphira (ch. v).
'The "hypnotic gaze" which is a medium of foroe-projec-
ion. See in Postscriptum to chap, i of Part III.

298 The Superphysical Works.
Plainly the result of the suggestion by Peter
transformed into a potent auto-suggestion by
Ananias and Sapphira. This was a graphic illus
tration of the principle that " the wages of sin
is death." Cases 5, 6. Angelic Deliverances of the Apos
tles from Prison (5 : 18f.). Compa/re also
12 : 7f.
Concerning Angelic Manifestations, see Ap
pendix B under head of " Spirit-Communication."
Case 7. Stephen's Clairvoyant Vision (7 : 56).
About to be martyred, he cried out, " Behold,
I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man
standing on the right hand of God."
An objective vision through independent clair
voyance, or a subjective vision through auto
suggestion : — which ? Either is scientifically
possible. We choose the former alternative.
Case 8. Therapeutic Works Ascribed to
Philip : but circumstances not specified (8 : 6, 7).
Case 9. Philip instructed concerning his mis
sion to the eunuch by clairaudient voices (8 :
26 and 29). In v. 26 the voice is ascribed to an
angel : and in v. 29, to the Spirit.
Case 10. After the baptism of the eunuch,
" the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that
the eunuch saw him no more. . . . But
Philip was found at Azotus (8 : 39, 40).
A telekinetic phenomenon. (See Appendix A :
Class III : " Phenomena of Supernormal Intelli
gent Power " ; (4) " Ascension, or self-levitations

The Superphysical Works. 299
of agent's body." Compare also Sir Wm.
Crookes' testimony.)
Case 11. The Conversion of Saul of Tarsus
(9: 3-8). Apparently a phenomenon of clair
voyance in which those who were with Saul
were partial sharers or percipients.
According to 9 : 7 : " The men which jour
neyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice
but seeing no man." According to 22 : 9, in
which Paul's speech at Jerusalem is reported, the
record runs : " And they that were with me saw
indeed the light ; but they heard not the voice
of him that spake with me."
In passing we may conjecture that some in the
company saw the light and some merely heard
the voice ; according to their different degrees of
psychic sensitiveness. Saul alone appears to have
been sufficiently sensitive to have perceived the
whole content of the phenomenon.' To him it
was a revelation of God's Son in him (Galatians
1 : 15, 16).
Case 12. Mutual Vision of Ananias am,d
Paul at Damascus (9 : 10-16). Here again we
see independent clairvoyance as the Spirit's in
strument whereby Ananias and Paul were made
acquainted with each other.
(1) Ananias is clairvoyantly instructed as to

'Sir Wm. Crookes testifies that some of the luminous mani
festations reported by him were visible to some, and invisible to
others.

300 The Superphysical Works.
Paul's conversion and is commanded to seek him
out in the house of Judas on Straight Street, and
there restore his sight.
(2) Paul, while praying in Judas' house, has a
clairvoyant vision of Ananias coming to him and
restoring his sight.
Case 13. The Bestoration of Paul's Sight
(9 : 17). Ananias speaks a therapeutic sentence
accompanying it with laying on of hands.
Paul's faith may be assumed without question.
The imposition of hands is apparently the vehicle
of psychic force.
Case 111,. Peter heals ^Eneas of Palsy (9 :
33, 34). -^neas had been bed-ridden with palsy
for eight years. Peter's therapeutic sentence
was : " Mneas,, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole ;
arise and make thy bed." Eesult : " And he
arose immediately." Could he have arisen unless
he had had faith in the truth of Peter's state
ment ? We must admit that for all the evidence
in this particular case he might have done so.
But the context of previous cases raises a reason
able presumption that ^neas confidently ac
cepted Peter's statement. No mention is made
of any vehicle whereby psychic force was con
veyed. To offset this, it may be remarked that
in the majority of telekinetic cases psychic force
is discharged without manual contact : though in
therapeutic dynamics manual contact is usual. It
is at all events certain that Peter's agency was
necessary for the cure. In other words, the cure

The Superphysical Works. 301
was generated through him. How else than
through his control of psychic force ?
Case 15. Peter Baises Dorcas frotn the dead
(9 : 36-41). The circumstances are as follows :
(1) Dorcas dies at Lydda near Joppa; her
body is washed and laid in an upper chamber.
(2) The disciples at Lydda sent to Joppa to
Peter to come to Lydda without delay. Peter
responds. (3) The upper chamber was filled with weep
ing widows who presumably were excited and
hysterical. (4) Peter puts them aU out of the room ; pre
sumably mindful of his Master's example in the
case of Jairus' daughter.
(5) In the silence he kneels down and prays.
(6) He turns to the body and calls out,
" Tabitha, arise."
(7) Tabitha or Dorcas opens her eyes ; sees
Peter, and sits up. We see the same condition
observed here as in the case of the raising of
Jairus' daughter, viz. : the removal of discordant
elements. We see the intense mental concentra
tion of prayer. We see the departed soul reached
by that something which prayer sends forth —
psychic force — and, being reached, returning.
We conjecture that as in the cases of the raising
of the dead by the Master, where, as in this case,
death was recent, a residuum of psychic force
still remained in the body ; — enough to maintain
rapport or psychic connection between body and

302 The Superphysical Works.
departed soul. Dr. Gibier in his "Psychism"
ably maintains the theory of a residuum of
animic or psychic force remaining for several
days after decease in cases where death is not
the result of a radically disorganizing disease.
If this theory be correct, psychic connection be
tween body and soul would not be wholly broken
untU the residual force had entirely left the
body ; albeit the intelligence is definitely centred
in the soul. So sure was Dr. Gibier of this
theory that he directed in his will that his body
should not be buried untU eight days after his
death. While we are by no means so sure as
was Dr. Gibier, nevertheless we are impressed
with the reasonableness of his theory. It cer
tainly seems significant to us that all records of
raising of the dead by Christ and His apostles
are confined to cases of recent death : — four days
after decease — as in the case of Lazarus, being
the longest post-mortem period.
Case 16. Angelic Appearance to Cornelius
(10 : 1-6).
Cornelius sees and hears this angel in a vision
or trance (v. 3). It is open to critics to say that
the angel might have been subjective; though
the message was veridical.
Case 17. Peter's Vision of the Sheet Zet
Down from Heaven (10 : 9f.).
This was a trance-phenomenon, as expressly
stated in v. 10. In the trance, how^ever, there is
revealed to him the great moral principle of

The Superphysical Works. 303
human brotherhood in which there is no distinc
tion between Jew and Gentile.
Case 18. A Veridical Clairaudient Message
to Peter (10 : 19f.).
" WhUe Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit
said unto him. Arise therefore, and get thee
down, and go with them " — (the messengers from
Cornelius) — " doubting nothing " — etc.
Case 19. Peter's Auditors Speak with Tongues
(10 : 44f.).
As a result of Peter's preaching, Cornelius and
his fellow-hearers experience the above-mentioned
clairvoyant phenomenon ; i. e., insight into and
power to speak in foreign languages.
Case 20. The Veridical Prophecy of Agabus
and others concerning the Great Famine
(10:28f.). Case 21. Peter Delivered from Prison by an
Angel (12 : 4f.).
Compare cases 5, 6. Here it may be open to
critics to say that the dynamic agency was
telekinetic ; (as in Case 26) and that the angel was
a product of subjective vision ; for it is recorded
that Peter " thought he saw a vision " (x. 9).
Case 22. Paul Smites Elymas the Sorcerer
with Temporary Blindness (13 : 9f).
Paul "set his eyes on him,"^ (Elymas) and pro
nounced sentence. Apparently a case of sug
gestion with psychic force.
'Again the "hypnotic gaze."

304 The Superphysical Works.
Case 23. Paul Heals a Cripple at Zystra
(14 : 8f .).
" Impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his
mother's womb, who never had walked" — are
the words describing the ailment.
There is no specific mention that the malforma
tion, if any, was corrected. It is merely stated
that as a result of Paul's sentence the man
"leaped and walked." Therefore it is open to
belief that the impotence was chiefly due to a
psychosis, and as such removable by suggestion.
That suggestion was the main factor is evidenced
by the statement : (v. 9), " The same heard Paul
speak, who steadfastly beholding him, (fixation
of gaze) and perceiving (telepathically) that he
had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice,
(thus imparting a strong suggestion) stand up
right on thy feet."
Case 21),. Paul's Clairvoyant Vision of the
Man of Macedonia (16 : 9).
This Paul interpreted as a call from the Lord
to preach to the Macedonians (v. 10).
Case 25. Paul casts out an obsessing spirit
from a Damsel of Thyatira (16 : 16f.).
Compare chapter iii, " Demonic Possession."
Case 26. Belease of Paul and Silas from
Prison (16 : 23f.). This on the face of the record
is a direct telekinetic phenomenon. "At mid
night Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises
unto God : and the prisoners heard them.'" They
' Darkness again. See pp. 274, 275.

The Superphysical Works. 305
thus passed partially into the same psychic state
as that which spiritists at seances often induce by
prayer and singing, so that psychic force is pro
jected to perform the desired phenomena. Here
evidently the desire is that of release. "And
suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that
the foundations of the prison were shaken : and
immediately the doors were opened, and every
one's bonds were loosed ; " — the other prisoners
by hearing the prayers and hymns were brought
into psychic rapport with the apostles. This, be
it observed in all reverence, is faintly paralleled
to-day by the telekinetic (and quasi-spiritistic)
phenomenon of the occult untying of knots and
loosening of handcuffs, etc., upon the persons of
mediums in cabinets.' In the case of Paul and
SUas, God utilizes this power of human mentality
in the interests of His kingdom — viz., the release
of His messengers. All of God's gifts, both
normal and supernormal may be either con
secrated or perverted and prostituted. Note the
difference, for example, between clairvoyance as
used by a prophet of God, and as prostituted by
the common fortune-teller.
Case 27. Another Pauline Vision (18 : 9f.).
No comment necessary.
Case 28. Za/ying on of Paul's Hands followed

^ E. g., The tying of a knot in a handkerchief in a corner of a
room at a distance from the medium, as reported by Sir Wm.
Crookes.

306 The Superphysical Works.
by the Clairvoyant Gift of Tongues (19 : 6).
Compare Case 19.
Case 29. Psycho-therapeutics through Faith
and Psychic Force (19 : 11, 12). " And God
wrought special powers ' hy the hands of Paul :
so that from his body were brought unto the sick
handkerchiefs or aprons,^ and the diseases de
parted from them, and the evU spirits went out
of them." (Compare statement in 5 : 15.) Here
obviously are the two therapeutic factors of faith
and psychic force. The sick, who know of Paul's
healing power, are told that these articles came
from his person. Hence their faith is established.
But it is a known fact (see Part II, chapter iv, p.
157) that persons of high psychic development
can infuse their fiuidic aura into material " con
ductors." The "Horace Pelletier" experiment
(chapter iii. Part III, p. 220) is a case in point.
When this is done voluntarily, as seems to be the
case in the instance which we are now examining,
' Dunameis.
^ In phenomena of this character, where material objects are
made the conductors of the psychic aura, the two persons, healer
and patient, are brought apparently into a circuit, so to speak, as
complete as though manual contact had been employed. This con
stitutes their dynamic rapport. This in turn seems to beget a tele
pathic rapport wherein the two minds or spirits blend in the space.
less medium of the absolute spirit ; the healer's intelligence here
acting as transmitter and that of the patient as recipient. In cases
of ' ' Absent Healing ' ' the letter or the messenger bearing the re
quest from patient to healer is the material conductor through
which or through whom first the dynamic and next the tele
pathic circuit is established.

The Superphysical Works. 307
the force is charged with the character of the
voUtion — here that of healing.
Case 30. Paul Baises up Eutychus (20 : 9f .).
The text does not warrant our classifying this
case with certainty as one of the raising of the
dead: although we are aware that most com
mentators do so classify it. The statement is
that Eutychus, while Paul was preaching, fell
asleep as he was sitting in a window in the third
loft ; that he feU therefrom and " was taken up
dead." Can the diagnosis by those who took him
up be trusted ? Paul's statement was, " Trouble
not yourselves ; for his life is in him." He
restored the ebbing life by contact with the
young man, viz. : He " fell on him, and embra
cing him, said" — etc. Apparently an imparta
tion of psychic force.
Case 31. Paul's Immunity to the Bite of a
Viper (28 : 3f.). This case has already been com
mented upon.
§ 4. Eliminating the cases of angelic mani
festation, we perceive, we think, that all the rest
show (with the possible exception of Case lli),
an appreciation on the apostles' part that faith is
a necessary therapeutic condition. This, be it
understood, applies only to the strictly thera
peutic cases. Whether the apostles were con
scious of psychic force as a therapeutic factor is
more than doubtful. We think we may safely
say that they did not understand its nature;
even though they doubtless knew that their per-

308 The Superphysical Works.
sonal presence, accompanied in some instances by
personal contact, (manual or otherwise) was
necessary to effect cure. We may say that they
understood that faith and that personal presence
were necessities ; but had no scientific conception
as to the why of either. Their understanding of
the that came not from intuitive perception, but
from instruction ; viz. : the instruction of their
Master who knew and understood both the that
and the why because " He knew all things." He,
as we have seen in our study of His super-
physical works, knew that faith was necessary
and why it was necessary.
As we shall show in the chapters that follow,
Christ knew without any instruction ah extra all
those psychic conditions which modern science
knows only as the result of long and labored ex
perimentation. Not so with Christ's followers. AU that they
knew, came apparently from those instructions
which their Master saw fit to impart to them,
viz. : the that of faith, and the that of personal
presence or contact, — " Lay hands on the sick."
He saw fit to impart to them only the religious
side of psychic facts and conditions. He left to
man's naturally developable intellect the task of
discovering the scientific side, viz., both the why
and the that of superphysical phenomena.

CHAPTEE IV.
cheist's PSYCHIC AGENCY COMPAEED WITH
THAT OF OTHEES.
To-wit with Faith-Curers, Eddyites, Spirit-Mediums and Ori
ental Thaumaturgists ; showing their lack of scientific in
sight as contrasted with Christ ; as well as their subser
viency to bizarre, unhinging and anti-social "suggestions"
from which Christ was free by virtue of His Insight and
His Harmonious Life.
§ 1. That Jesus knew the psychic conditions
which modern science has within the past decade
or so discovered and formulated, now, we think,
stands demonstrated.
We shall in this chapter compare the psychic
agency of the Nazarene with that of those human
agents through whose mediation phenomena, the
same in kind as those produced through Jesus'
agency, but differing in degree, have been mani
fested so as to become subject-matter for scien
tific investigation and classification. This com
parison, we trust, will lead us to a recognition of
Jesus' uniqueness among the sons of men.
The psychic agents with whom we shall deal
are the various psychic healers of many names,
the spirit-mediums and the Oriental "Adepts."
Let us begin with 309

310 Christ's Psychic Agency.
§ 2. (a) The Faith-Curers.
Most of them recognize that success depends
upon the patient's faith; at least, they explain
their failures by alleging lack of faith in the
patient ; and so far they are scientific and in
accord with Jesus. But their central belief is
that cure is effected in each case by a special
interposition of Divine Power suspending cosmic
law, and that faith is merely an exercise so pleas
ing to Deity that in response to it God suspends
nature's order and performs the desired cure.
Hence, in the estimation of the average " Faith-
Curist," each case is a miracle in the commonly
accepted sense of that term — i. e., not a manifes
tation of superphysical law, but a suspension of
cosmic law. This, as has been shown, is contrary
to the practice both of the Nazarene and of mod
ern science.
§ 3. We consider next,
(b) The Eddyites or Christian Scientists.
That the teachings of this cult are both un
christian and unscientific is apparent on the
merest review. The Nazarene and the modern
scientist both recognize the reality of matter and
of disease, facts which the Eddyites stoutly deny,
classifying them as "false beliefs of mortal
mind." That Jesus keenly appreciated the reality of
matter is shown by His frequent and beautiful
lessons drawn from nature, by the physical
fatigue which He confessed through His oft

Christ's Psychic Agency. 311
withdrawals for rest^ and food, and most con
spicuously by His shrinking from the bitter cup
in the Garden of Gethsemane. His recognition
of the reality of disease is shown,
(1) From the fact that He frequently diag
nosed the malady, thus recognizing its objective
existence. Take the following instances : (A)
The Man with Withered Hand. " Stretch forth
thine hand." (B) The Woman with Issue of
Blood. "Be whole of thy plague." (C) Peter's
Wife's Mother. "He rebuked the fever." (D)
The Blind Man of Bethsaida. Jesus " asked him
if he saw aught."
(2) The same recognition is shown from Jesus'
frequent employment of physical therapeutic ad
juncts whereby He imparted psychic force, which
facts in themselves presuppose a diagnosis. (A)
The GalUean Leper. " Jesus put forth his hand
and touched him." (B) Peter's Wife's Mother
(again). " He touched her hand." (C) The Man
Deaf and Dumb. " He put his fingers in the
patient's ears and having spit he touched his
tongue." (D) The Blind Man of Bethsaida
(again). " He spat upon the patient's eyes and
put his hands upon him." (E) The Man Born
Blind. He prescribed washing in the pool of
Siloam. Now Eddyites despise both diagnosis and phys
ical contact, and logically so from their own
^E.g., St. John 4: 6, "Jesus therefore being wearied with
his journey, sat thus on the well."

312 Christ's Psychic Agency.
premises, inasmuch as the employment of either
would amount to a confession of the objective
reality of disease and of matter. The Nazarene's
employment of both demonstrates the unchris
tian character of Eddyite philosophy.
But that Eddyites have achieved successes in
therapeutics cannot be denied. We have seen
that in a limited range of maladies (non-organic)
they have effected gradual cures even where the
maladies have been aggravated. We have also
seen that this is equally true of physicians who
have employed the suggestive method. We have
seen also that the Eddyite method is that of
auto-suggestion. The patient constantly reiter
ates and reaffirms the proposition, " Sickness is
mortal error; God, spirit, truth, is the one re
ality " ; a proposition whose first clause is a state
ment of falsehood; and the second, an affir
mation of Pantheism. Nevertheless therapeutic
auto-suggestion, whether its content be true or
false, is liable to produce (among a certain limited
range of functional maladies) a curative result.
The functional trouble, or nerve-inhibition, is
removed. Homoeopathy has produced results fully equal
to those of Christian Science, and better authenti
cated, inasmuch as the homoeopathist studies
physiology and anatomy ; yet who that is ac
quainted with the ab cot suggestion does not rec
ognize that homoeopathy, like Christian Science,
is a form of suggestive therapeutics ? Who can

Christ's Psychic Agency. 313
doubt that the efficacy of the "potential decil-
Uonfold dilution " is due solely to suggestion ?
Mrs. Eddy herself was shrewd enough to see
this point. In her " Science and Health " — etc.,
she informs us, that she experimented in homoe
opathy. " Her experiments in homoeopathy,"
she writes (p. 46) " had made her skeptical as to
material curative methods." This is the conclu
sion to which she was led : " The highest attenu
ation of homoeopathy, and the most potent, steps
out of matter into mind ; and thus it should be
seen that mind, or metaphysics, is the healer,
and that there is no efficacy in the drug." (p. 46).
Thus Mrs. Eddy recognized through homoeopathy
the principle of suggestion. It was easy indeed
to clothe this principle in religious garb and pro
duce the " Divine Science."
In Part II, we have explained what the secret
of Eddyite success is : viz., how auto-suggestion
is a psychic force which may inhibit the possible
counter-forces in the strata of consciousness and
take control of the automatic forces in the sub
conscious strata which do the required work ;
the patient all the while being fully awake. We
have also pointed out how a healer of "mag
netic " personality may in many cases by fixed
gaze or mental concentration project psychic
force into the patient's organism.
Needless to say, neither healer nor patient is
aware of the psychic process whereby the sug
gestion, " sickness is a mortal error " takes effect.

314 Christ's Psychic Agency.
The healer affirms and the patient believes that
it is all due to the principles of that "Divine
Science " which Mrs. Eddy has laid down in her
book, " Science and Health " — etc.
Contrast an Eddyite healing transaction with
any of the therapeutic cases dealt with by the
great Master Healer :
Christ recognized that His patients were reaUy
diseased. The Eddyite healer denies that any dis
ease is there. Christ demanded faith from His pa
tients, knowing the obstructing power of adverse
suggestion. The Eddyite pretends that faith is
entirely unnecessary ; but arouses it just the same
by subtle suggestions. Christ recognized and
employed an emanating power which He usually
communicated by manual contact. The Eddyite
pretends to scorn this, but owes a large part of his
success to its unconscious use by the means de
scribed a few paragraphs above. Christ evinces
His knowledge of psycho-therapeutic conditions,
and uses His knowledge openly and honestly.
The Eddyite is ignorant of the conditions, but
has blundered into them ; or else he knows them
and dishonestly uses them under false names.
The foregoing section is our last criticism upon
Christian Science. It contains little, if anything,
in addition to what has already been said by
other psychological critics. We submit, how
ever, that it is based upon stubborn and incon
trovertible psychic fact. We can but conclude
by saying, in behalf of ourselves and of other

Christ's Psychic Agency. 315
critics along the same lines, that the Eddyites
can, and probably will, answer in only one way,
— their stock-in-trade answer to all demolishing
criticisms : " You have no business to criticise
our divine science because you do not understand
it. You are unsympathetic outsiders. Spiritual
things must be spirituaUy discerned. ' The mind
of the flesh is death.' — Get inside the fold ; sit at
our feet ; try our divine methods ; and you will
become ardent disciples. Then it will be plain
to you that ' Christian Science is the truth.' "
To this anticipated answer we can only rejoin :
We do understand your methods, because we
have tried them; tried them under their real
names. We are not unsympathetic because we
know that your methods under their true names
are exceedingly good. We quarrel not with you
about things. Our only difference Ues in the
names and terms to be appUed to the things and
facts. We must respectfully but firmly insist
that we are the truer Christian Scientists.
§ 4. (c) The Spirit-Medium.
Here of course we are speaking of honest and
genuine mediums and not of charlatans and jug
glers who pass themselves off as psychics. The
limitations of genuine mediums may be stated in
a few words.
(1) They evidently know the how, but not the
why of the phenomena which they produce. We
have been surprised many times at the crass ig
norance of psychic principles which even the

316 Christ's Psychic Agency.
most intelligent mediums have displayed. By
them every superphysical phenomenon is attrib
uted without question to discarnate spirit-agency.
They seem utterly to ignore the independent
powers of the incarnate soul in telekinesis, telep
athy and clairvoyance.
The auto-suggestion, " AU is the work of our
discarnate friends " seems to have taken complete
possession of them, and to have destroyed their
power of discriminating between mundane telep
athy and super-mundane agency.
In contrast with this Christ " knew what was
in man " and " perceived their thoughts " by His
own constant rapport with the Infinite. He clair
voyantly saw Nathaniel praying under the fig-
tree and told him so afterwards, to the latter's
astonishment ; but knew better than to attribute
it to spirit-agency.
When He did materialize two spirits upon the
Holy Mount, He saw to it that the witnessing
disciples should recognize them as such. But in
His "mighty works" He attributed the power
to His own unmediated agency ; or rather to His
Heavenly Father working through Him.
(2) Spirit-mediums often resort to the trance-
state ; which undoubtedly is a condition insuring
that self-confidence so indispensable to the pro
duction of their phenomena. (See Part II, pp.
168-170.) Christ never entered into the trance-state to
produce His manifestations. We shall see pres-

Christ's Psychic Agency. 317
ently why it was unnecessary for Him to
do so.
It is a well-known fact that he who frequently
induces trance places himself in great danger ;
the danger, namely, of ultimate mental unhinge
ment. Man's normal state on the earth-plane is
that in which the psychic forces in the strata of
consciousness shall act without artificial interfer
ence. True it is that when they act wrongly an
artificial interference through hypnosis may be
highly beneficial. But Nature and Nature's God
have arranged our psychic forces for normal
work upon the earth-plane. When we coerce
them into abnormal work, no matter how worthy
our motives may be, we are running up an ac
count with Nature which we may have to pay
with compound interest when we least expect it.
Christ's abstension from the trance-state as a
condition for the performance of His works is
evidence that He understood its dangers.
§ 5. (d) The Oriental Adepts or Yogis.
That these psychic agents have produced many
astounding phenomena we cannot well doubt in
the face of the reliable testimony which is at
hand.' The eight steps of Baja Yoga through which
the aspirant must pass in order to become a Yogi
or Adept are calculated to bring him into won-
' J7. g., Louis JacoUiots' " Occult Science in India ; " a work
which did not come to our notice until after our ' ' Bibliography ' '
had gone to press.

318 Christ's Psychic Agency.
derful control over his psychic forces. He be
comes transformed however from a man into a
mystic who dwells continually in a state of qui
escence and holds in supreme contempt every
thing which makes a man a man. We say this
advisedly after a careful perusal of Vivekananda's
lectures upon the " Vedanti Philosophy " ' to
which we refer the reader.
The aims of Jesus and of Yogism are as wide
asunder as the poles of heaven. Here are some
of the precepts of Vivekananda : " What wiU
be the result of the constant practice of this
higher concentration? All old tendencies of
restlessness and dulness will be destroyed, as
well as the tendencies of goodness too. . . .
Those good and evil tendencies wiU suppress
each other, and there will remain the soul in all
its glorious splendor (Sic.) untrameled by either
good or bad " (Lectures, p. 121). " When people
are happy, we ought to be happy, and to the
wicked we must be indifferent " (p. 179). " Even
love is selfish, and the Yogi says that in the end
we shall find that even the love of husbands and
wives and children and friends slowly decays.
Decadence seizes everything in this life. It is
only when everything, even love, fails, that, with
a fiash, man finds out how vain, how dreamlike
is this world. Then he catches a gUmpse of re
nunciation, catches a glimpse of the beyond"
(p. 162). ' N. Y., The Baker & Taylor Co., 1889.

Christ's Psychic Agency. 319
" Isolation, that is the goal ; when that is at
tained, the soul will find that it was alone all the
time, and it required no one to make it happy "
(p. 206).
" Therefore, know that thou art He ; thou art
the God of this Universe, and all these various
ideas, I am a man, or a woman, or sick, or
healthy, or strong, or weak, or I hate, or I love,
or have a little power, or more power, are but
haUucinations. Away with them ! " (p. 246.)
(This, by the way, is Eddyism carried to its
logical Pantheistic conclusion.)
The system of Yogism is in its methods wholly
contemplative, introspective, quietistic, ascetic.
Its moral result in the individual is the ascend
ancy of the subjective element ; in society, the
condemnation and dissolution of the social fabric
by the segregation of the individual therefrom ;
in politics, the impotence of the nations in which
the system predominates, unfitting them to cope
with the keenly ambitious Occidentals ; hence,
the political subjection of India and China to
European powers.
The system of Jesus, on the other hand, com
bines the methods of introspection and objectivity
in perfect balance. The follower of Jesus must
die to self and bear his daily cross. He must be
crucified with Christ and buried with Him, ma
king not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts
thereof. He must pray without ceasing and hold
his spirit in constant communion with the Father

320 Christ's Psychic Agency.
of spirits. All this is on the introspective side of
Christian discipleship. Yet aU this is but the
means to a higher moral end, the latter being the
uplifting of society and the molding of it into
the ChristUkeness. " Not every one," said Jesus,
"that saith unto me. Lord, Lord, shall enter into
the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the
will of my Father which is in heaven;" and
" Inasmuch as ye have done it — or done it not —
unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye
have done it — or done it not — unto me."
The perfect moral balance in Jesus' system
between egoism (as distinguished from its per
verted form egotism) and altruism is apparent in
His commandment, " Thou shalt love thy neigh
bor as thyself" — the higher, godlike self being
here contemplated. "Therefore, love," writes
Jesus' greatest follower, "is the fulfilling of the
law." Another follower writes, "Pure religion
and undefiled before God and the Father is this,
to visit the fatherless and widows in their afflic
tion (objectivity) and to keep himself unspotted
from the world " (subjectivity).
Jesus' teachings, if carried out, produce the
ideal individual and the ideal social fabric. The
individual must withdraw himself from the con
taminations of the world, yet mingle in the thick
of those temporal concerns which are in them
selves legitimate, conquering them for Christ.
Jesus frequently communed with God in desert
places ; yet He was styled by His enemies as a

Christ's Psychic Agency. 321
gluttonous man and a winebibber, a friend of
pubUcans and sinners ; being unfavorably con
trasted with His ascetic forerunner, John the
Baptist. The religion of Jesus has imparted strength
and virility to the nations wherein it prevails.
It has made them possessors of the earth, though
in many cases, sad to confess, at the expense of
the Golden Eule. When once the great Christian
powers of the Twentieth Century free themselves
from the Eule of Gold and place themselves
under the Nazarene's Golden Eule, that strength
and viriUty which belongs to them will then have
its Christian value, — namely, that of the preser
vation of peace on earth and good-will towards
men, of which Jesus' life is the exemplification.
The world-wide difference between the Ori
ental systems and the system of Jesus may be
expressed by saying that the aim of the former
is the attenuation of life here and hereafter,
whereas the aim of the latter is the expansion of
life here and hereafter.
How absurd, in view of this, is that passing
fad of scholarship which seeks to prove that
Jesus was secretly educated by Oriental adepts !
That the Nazarene borrowed His teachings and
methods from Buddhistic sources ! If He did so.
His teachers must have felt chagrined at the
turning upside down to which their Pupil treated
their teachings.
§ 6. It now remains to show, in contrast to

322 Christ's Psychic Agency.
the above, how Jesus of Nazareth came to know
the conditions whereby He wrought His super-
physical works, as well as to bring out the
various points of uniqueness.
First, as to His knowledge of the conditions :
That He possessed a scientific insight into
them has, we think, been fully demonstrated.
Whence did He derive this insight ?
Not from Oriental sources, as has been shown.
Did it come from Egypt ? Egyptian thaumatur
gists, if any of the old line were surviving in
Christ's time, which is extremely doubtful, seem
to have been what to-day would be called
" mediums." Their thaumaturgy was the result
of passive, trance and auto-hypnotic states. Not
so was Christ's.
Was it derived from the Essenes ? We do not
know that the Essenes produced any super-
physical phenomena at all. We do know that
Christ's entire attitude was diametrically opposed
to the root-principle of Essenism, which was
asceticism. With some plausibility John the
Baptist may be connected with Essenism on ac
count of his asceticism. But there is neither
record nor tradition that John ever produced any
superphysical phenomena ; and there is a very
distinct record of the striking contrast between
that prophet and the Christ.
That Christ's knowledge of psychic conditions
came not from the orthodox Judaism in the
midst of which He Avas humanly reared, is

Christ's Psychic Agency. 323
evident to any one at all acquainted with the
Judaism of Christ's day; divided as it was be
tween Sadduceeism, which denied angels, spirits
and a future state ; and Pharisaism, which was a
bloodless code of legalistic quibbles.
There is not the faintest scintilla of evidence
that Jesus' human education differed in any
respect from that of the other Jewish youths of
His day ; viz., a course of instruction in the
Hebrew law and prophets given partly at home
and partly in the local synagogue school.
When He began His public ministry, He as
tonished the doctors at Jerusalem, who recognized
at once that He was a man of learning, albeit a
simple Galilean peasant. Their astonishment
was voiced in the exclamation, "How knoweth
this man learning, having never learned ? " He
had received in Galilee what would be called to
day a " common school " education. He had not
taken the technical course prescribed for rabbis.
AU that He had acquired over and above His
common school education He had acquired of and
by Himself. But the superiority of that which
He had thus acquired profoundly impressed the
Jerusalem rabbis. The common people were
drawn to Him because " He spake as one having
authority, and not as the scribes." He taught
with an authority which was felt by scribes and
people alike, though they were puzzled to dis
cover whence it came. He taught a doctrine
concerning God and man which was catholic in

324 Christ's Psychic Agency.
contrast to the narrow, sectarian doctrines of
Judaism. Its catholicity was, in the eyes of the
ruling authorities, revolutionary. He taught a
relationship as subsisting between the Father
and Himself, a relationship of whose nature He
and His Father alone understood, ' which teach
ing caused the rulers to seek His life.^ This
wonderful Teacher, who evinced His inerrant
knowledge of psychic law and conditions,
whencesoever He derived it, answered the ex
clamation of the rabbis, " How knoweth this man
learning, having never learned ? " — answered it
by the following statement : " My doctrine is not
mine, but his that sent me " (St. John 7 : 16).
We have here the word of this Ideal Man,
whom none could convict of sin, that His in
struction was derived directly from God. In the
language of to-day, it was the result of Intuition,
and not of man-given instruction. Eightly does
Dr. Hudson speak of the Nazarene's insight as
"His intuitive perception of the laws of the
human soul, a mental attribute in which He
stands unique on the earth." There is every
evidence that this perception was indeed intuitive
and not man-derived, and no evidence to the con
trary. Hence, then, we have one element in
Christ's uniqueness.
§ 7. But this element — His unique intuitive
insight into spiritual laws and conditions, — ex-
• St. Matt. 11 : 27 ; St. Luke 10 : 22.
^Bt. John 8: 58, 59.

Christ's Psychic Agency. 325
plains another feature in which Christ stands
uniquely contrasted with other psychic agents,
viz.. His exemption from the necessity of enter
ing into the " psychic " state ; i. e., into passivity,
trance, or auto-hypnosis, in order to produce His
superphysical phenomena. There is no record,
as Dr. Hudson keenly observes, that Christ ever
entered into the psychic state to produce any of
His phenomena. Why was He exempt from the
necessity of entering into the " psychic " state ?
We need only to remind ourselves that the in
duction of this state is necessary to insure that
self-confidence so indispensable to the control of
one's psychic forces ; a confidence which is Uable
to be interfered with when the forces in the
strata of consciousness are active.
But if a psychic agent possess a complete in
sight into psychic laws and conditions, interfer
ences from the consciousness strata are impos
sible ; for all such interferences come in the form
of suggestions of failure. In other words, these
adverse suggestions are the forces which interfere
with psychic success ; and their strength is de
rived from the agent's partial knowledge of
psychic laws and conditions.
Given an agent with complete knowledge of
psychic laws and conditions, and we have one in
whom there are no adverse forces to be suppressed.
We have already shown that Christ possessed such
knowledge. Hence, there was no necessity for
Him to induce the trance condition.

326 Christ's Psychic Agency.
% 8. Christ's unique exemption from the ne
cessity of entering into psychic states to produce
superphysical phenomena, then, is due to His
unique spiritual insight. The consequence is that
He, unlike other psychic agents, manifests only
divine truth.
To Him therefore that later warning written
by one of His apostles would have no application,
viz., "Believe not every spirit, but try the
spirits, whether they are of God " {1 John 4 : 1).
No inferior spirit, either ignorant or malicious,
could deceive Him with spurious revelations be
cause His normal state was that of rapport with
the Absolute ; a condition in which all spiritual
truth was lucid to Him.
In the case of those who commune with dis
carnate spirits the possibility of deception is al
ways present ; for the rapport in such a case
represents not rapport with the Absolute, but
telepathic rapport with a finite discarnate intelli
gence and because finite, limited in knowledge.
Whatever communion Christ may have had with
such intelligences, as for instance with Moses and
Elias, the possibility of being deceived was al
ways excluded by that constant rapport with the
Absolute to which we have referred ; in other
words, by His inerrant spiritual intuition.'
' All men have spiritual intuition, but it comes to the sur
face only, as it were, in fitful flashes giving us passing glimpses
of some aspect of spiritual truth. The light of Christ's spiritual
intuition seemed to bathe His whole nature and to shine with :

Christ's Psychic Agency. 327
§ 9. Christ's manifestation of the truth, and
nothing but the truth, is furthermore illustrated
by the use which He made of His superphysical
agency. His employment of it was entirely self
less. It was always in the service of His
Heavenly Father ; never for His own physical or
temporal benefit. Whenever He employed it He
did so either for the uplifting of His fellow-men,
or to impress upon His disciples some principle
of the Kingdom of God.
These propositions are so self-evident to all
students of the life of Christ that we need only
state them to be sure that their truth wUl be
recognized. § 10. In concluding this chapter, we quote
steady unflickering glow. His disciples by flashes of inspiration
would see some aspect of the truth ; while at other times they
would fall into gross error. One of these flashes was that
lucidity which for the moment illumined Simon Peter's soul
and manifested itself in his confession of the Master's Divinity
and Messiahship. That it was a lucidity which resulted from
passing rapport with the Absolute, Christ affirmed in His bene
diction upon that disciple, " Blessed art thou . . . for flesh
and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in
heaven. And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon
this rook I will build my church, and I will give unto thee (and
unto all my disciples, of. Matt. 18 : 18) the keys of the kingdom
of heaven" (Matt. 16: 16-19). The rock and foundation
and chief cornerstone is Christ and all that Christ stands for.
He holds in his grasp the keys of the kingdom of heaven who,
grounded upon this Eock, keeps his soul open and receptive to
the light and life which come from "the Father of Spirits."
Thus we see that the key to the spiritual world is telepathy and
clairvoyance (Cf . Acts 10 : 3-5 ; 2 Cor. 4 : 3, 4, etc.).

328 Christ's Psychic Agency.
some pertinent extracts from chapter viii of Dr.
Hudson's "Scientific Demonstration of the
Future Life " :
"Christ Himself was the most stupendous
psychic phenomenon the world has ever seen.
He is the one example of a being in whom the
synchronism of development, physical, intellec
tual, psychical, moral, was absolutely perfect. In
Him the objective and subjective faculties pre
served, at all times under all circumstances, an
exquisitely harmonious balance. His reason was
always in the ascendancy. He never allowed
Himself to be placed in such a mental condition
as to render it possible for Him to be dominated
by a false or vicious suggestion. He never exer
cised His psychic power except for the accom
plishment of some good object."
He demonstrated His exclusive right to say,
" I am the light of the world. He that f oUoweth
me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the
light of life. ... I am the way, the truth,
and the life; no man cometh unto the Father,
but by me."

CHAPTEE V.
" THAT JESUS IS THE CHEIST, THE SON OF GOD."
Christ's psychic or spiritual Inerrancy being demonstrated. His
claim to unique Divine Sonship must be accepted.
§ 1. If Christ in His superphysical works em
ployed means utilizable by human psychics, what
becomes of the doctrine of His divinity ?
We reply that it would be left wholly un
touched. His employment of conditions as such,
whether physical or spiritual, has no bearing
whatever upon the question of His deity. All
conditions, no matter what their nature, are in
the last analysis of God's ordering. If God is a
God of law and order, and if Christ truly mani
fested God, we would expect to find Him em
ploying conditions rather than breaking through
them, or setting them aside.
We submit that it is not by Christ's super-
physical works as such that His divinity is
demonstrable ; for did He not assure His dis
ciples that they would do mightier works than
His own ?' "Because I go to my Father." — He
there intimated that He would in heaven become
a source of spiritual outpouring whereby His
own mighty works would be reproduced. Those
'St. John 14: 12.
329

330 Jesus is the Christ.
who were en rapport with that proceeding Spirit
could do those same mighty works.
Again, He prophesied that great signs and
wonders would be done by false prophets so as
tounding as to deceive, if it were possible, the
very elect.' Possibly these " wonders " would be
done by the agency of "the spiritual hosts of
wickedness in the heavenly places " ^ of which
Paul speaks.'
At aU events, our present point is that super-
physical phenomena as such are not conclusive
proofs of any doctrine respecting Christ's person.
We take it that the real proof of His divinity
rests upon His own affirmation of it ; that the
proof of His authority to affirm it depends upon
His demonstrated knowledge of all the laws and
relations of soul and spirit ; and we submit that
such knowledge on His part stands demonstrated
from His acquaintance with those psychic con
ditions which modern research has brought to
light. This being admitted, we now find ourselves
led one step further ; namely, to the recognition
of the fact that He was entitled to speak with
authority upon the nature of God, the Infinite
Spirit, and the relations of God to man ; and
lastly, upon the relations of Himself to both God
and man.
' Matt. 24 : 24 ; Mark 13 : 22.
' Eph. 6 : 12.
' For the test of good or bad agency see 1 John 4:1.

Jesus is the Christ. 331
§ 2. It remains, therefore, only to enquire.
What did He say as to those relations ? We
may now consider ourselves transferred to the
field of historic record.
Of God He taught that He was an Infinite
Spirit and at the same time a Being who stands
in direct personal relationship with each indi
vidual son of man in such wise as to be called
upon and communed with as a Father. He
taught that God's will is that no man should
perish but that all should win eternal life. To
this end Jesus proclaimed that He Himself had
come into the world : " God so loved the world
that he gave his only begotten Son, that all
who believe in him should not perish but have
everlasting life."
§ 3. This brings us to the consideration of
that unique relationship which, according to
Jesus' teachings, subsisted between Himself and
God on the one hand, and Himself and humanity
on the other.
Two titles were employed by the Master, one to
indicate the God ward and the other the manward
aspect of His being. The former was " Son of
God," and the latter " Son of Man." The lat
ter is used far more frequently than the former ;
but whenever the Master refers to His relation
ship to the Father, under the title "Son," His
Divine Sonship is understood, as will presently
appear. The title " Son of Man " has reference
primarily to His Messiahship, as by that title the

332 JesMS is the Christ.
Messiah is called in the Book of Daniel. It is,
therefore, in the Master's estimation a unique
title ; that is, one which is appropriate to Him
self alone in a technical sense ; though in a loose
and general sense every human being is a " son
of man." The same thing is true of the title
" Son of God." God being the creator of men,
every human being is a " Son of God " ; but, as
wUl presently be shown, Jesus looked upon His
Divine Sonship as unique and different from the
divine sonship of human beings. As He looked
upon Himself as the Son of Man, so also He re
gards Himself as the Son of God.
The passages which show His estimation of
the uniqueness of His Divine Sonship are numer
ous, both in the synoptics and in the fourth
gospel. The foUowing are selected as the most
conspicuous :
"God so loved the world that he gave his
only begotten Son " (St. John 3 : 16). " Before
Abraham was I am" — an utterance which was
interpreted by the monotheistic Jews as blasphe
mous (St. John 8: 68). "What think ye of
Christ ? " the Master enquired of the Pharisees.
" Whose Son is he ? They say unto him, The
Son of David. He saith unto them. How then
doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying. The
Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right
hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool ?
If David then call him Lord, how is he his son ?
And no man was able to answer him a word "

Jesus is the Christ. 333
(St. Matt. 20 : 42-46 ; St. Mark 12 : 35 f.; St. Luke
20 : 41 f .).
The Master here shows that though as Son of
Man or Messiah He is by lineal descent of David's
seed, yet inasmuch as David speaks of Him in
spirit under the title "Lord," or Jehovah, His
fleshly descent does not explain His being or
nature. There appertains to Him another Son-
ship which the learned students of Messianic gen
ealogy — the Scribes and Pharisees — have over
looked. Again : " No man knoweth the Son but the
Father, neither knoweth any man the Father,
save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will
reveal him " (St. Matt. 11 : 27 ; St. Luke 10 : 22).
These are perhaps His most emphatic words
anywhere recorded as showing the uniqueness of
His relationship to the Father. He here states
that His sonship is of a nature which only God
understands. But the divine sonship to which
every man is born was commonly understood.
The Hebrew prophets had written about it. So
was the Fatherhood of God commonly under
stood. Even the Greek poet, Pindar, had written
that man was the offspring of God. But it was
reserved for Jesus to reveal that which no man
knew or could know, viz., God's eternal Father
hood — the Eternal Father of the Eternal Son.
How appropriately after this utterance follow
those words of universal invitation recorded by
St. Matthew : " Come unto me all ye that labor

334 Jesus is the Christ.
and are heavy laden and I will give you rest " ;
— an invitation which none but the eternal Son
of God could give without presumptuousness.
Again, " I am the way, the truth and the life ;
no man cometh unto the Father but by me "
(St. John 14 : 6). This statement opens the way
to a new consideration. Jesus did not say, as
the leaders of other ethnic religions have said in
effect, " The principles which I teach, the laws
which I reveal, these form the way, the truth and
the life." He might have said that with perfect
consistency ; but He said something more ; — pre
cisely that " something more " which distin
guishes Jesus in His claims from other ethnic re
ligious teachers ; and this " something more " is
that which is contained in the " I am's " of Jesus.
He proclaims Himself to be more than the " Way-
Shower " ; He proclaims that He is the way, that
He is the truth ; that He is the life. He places
His own person as the corner-stone of His system.
He who denies this gives the Ue to Jesus' solemn
declarations ; gives the lie to Him who proves
Himself to be entitled to speak with all authority
upon the laws and relations of soul and spirit.
Some more of the " I am's " of the Christ :
" I am the light of the world. ... I am the
resurrection and the life. ... I and my
Father are one. ... I am the vine, ye are
the branches. . . . I am the Good Shepherd.
. . . I am the bread of life."
Note that in this same discourse in which He

JesMS is the Christ. 335
proclaims Himself to be the way, the truth and
the Ufe and the bridge way between mankind
and the Father, He asserts that belief in Him is
the condition whereby the disciples may be en
abled to perform greater works than He Himself
had done (St. John 14 : 12).
What does this mean ? It means that He sees
in Himself the incarnation, the embodied princi
ple of all cosmic law ; for " the world was made
by him" — that same world which "knew him
not." Faith in Him, even though no greater
than a grain of mustard seed, is the gateway
through which comes the divine force which
heals the sick, raises the dead, casts out demons,
removes mountains ; for He embodies cosmic law
and is the source of cosmic energy and life. He
as the embodiment thereof is bound to respond to
the outpouring of a faith sufficiently great,—
bound by the law which He ordained from the
beginning and which admits of no suspension.
He responds not from caprice, as the despot re
sponds to some flattering petition and refuses to
respond to some other petition couched in less
flattering terms; but He responds according to
the eternal law of which He is at once the author
and the embodiment.
Does this seem to place all petitions, worthy
and unworthy alike, upon the same footing, pro
vided only that the faith of the petitioner is
intense enough ? Such a possibility is checked
by the fact — the psychic fact — that an un-

336 Jesus is the Christ.
worthy petition carries in itself a w^eakness
which reacts upon the faith of the petitioner and
negatives its efficacy. Yet unworthy and trivial
manifestations of psychic power do unquestion
ably abound. This only shows that Christ has
left to His followers the completion of His re
demptive work; and that upon their fulfilment
of the apostle's exhortation, "Be instant in
prayer. . . . Pray without ceasing," depends
the cancellation and negativing of faith mani
fested by the unworthy for ignoble ends. Surely
then " the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous
man availeth much ! " How much religious as
well as psychic truth is contained in that patristic
saying, " To pray is to work ! " The prayers of
the saints are indeed mighty factors in the ac
complishment of Christ's redemptive work.
To cite two more passages in demonstration of
the fact that Christ stands before the world as
its embodied life-principle, we may refer to these :
(1) " For as the Father hath life in himself, so
hath he given to the Son to have life in himself "
(St. John 5 : 26). (2) " Therefore doth my Father
love me, because I lay down my life that I might
take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I
lay it down of myself — I have power to lay it
down, and I have power to take it again " (St.
John 10 : 17, 18).
§ 4. We may perceive from these last quoted
words the value which Christ's divinity has in
imparting to His death and resurrection eternal

Jesus is the Christ. 337
significance. As respecting the former, these
words show the willingness of His final sacrifice ;
that it was entirely a free-will offering, even ac
cording to the prophecy of the Psalmist : " Burnt-
offerings and sacrifice for sin hast thou not re
quired ; then said I, Lo, I come ; in the volume
of the book it is written of me to fulfil thy will,
0 God ; I am content to do it, yea thy law is
within my heart " (Psalm 40 : 9, 10).
As to His resurrection, it has been contended
that His divinity forms no assurance that we too
shall rise from the dead. But to this St. Paul's
reply is sufficient : " Knowing that he {i. e.,
the divine life-principle, — God), which raised up
the Lord Jesus from the dead will raise us up
also by Jesus " — i. e., by the faith which we have
in Him who has " life in himself " ; and who is
the "resurrection and the life."
WeU spake the evangelist as he completed the
record of the gospel, saying : " These are written
that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God; and that believing ye might
have LIFE THEOUGH HIS NAME."

CHAPTEE VI.
THAT JESUS IS THE MESSIAH OF HEBEEW
PEOPHECY.
Showing that His life and works consummate a phenomenon
of veridical prevision.
§ 1. Having undertaken the task of studying
the gospel's superphysical features in the light
of established psychic facts, we find that there is
one further feature which must claim our atten
tion ; and that is Messianic prophecy as fulfilled
in Him around whom the gospel centres.
Gospel " miracles," so-called, are of two classes,
first, those which are discrete and separate, as
the Immaculate Conception, the works of heal
ing, the " Mighty Works " or dunameis, and the
resurrection ; secondly, those which are of a
general and continuous character pertaining to
Christ's personality. Our last chapter dealt with
one of this last-named class, — Christ's unique Di
vine Sonship. Now we shall consider the Mes
sianic element in His personality.
§ 2. It must be obvious to every reader of
the New Testament that of all the superphysical
evidences appealed to by the first preachers of
the gospel, the evidence from fulfilled prophecy
stands second only to that of the resurrection.
338

Jesus is the Messiah. 339
For the sake of concreteness we shall confine
our study of this topic to a consideration of two
propositions :
(1) Veridical prevision or fulfilled prophecy
in general is a well-established psychic phenome
non. (2) Christ's Ufe and works stand as the fulfil
ment of Old Testament Messianic prophecies.
§ 3. Upon the first of these propositions we
need not detain ourselves ; for in chapter ii.
Class IV of Part II, we have, we think, placed
in evidence sufficient cases to establish ve
ridical prevision as a fact beyond dispute. Its
modus operandi we have discussed in chapter iv,
§ 19 of Part II ; where we were constrained to
conclude that veridical prevision results from
rapport with the Absolute. We may pass on
therefore to our second proposition.
§ 4. That Christ's life and works as repre
sented in the gospels are facts of history has, we
trust, been made plain by our " psychic verifica
tion " in the foregoing chapters.
Were they foretold by the ancient Hebrew
prophets ?
We answer that in vain may " Higher Criti
cism " divide up prophetical books once assigned
to one author ; in vain may it postpone the dates
of certain prophetical books for centuries beyond
the age in which they were formerly supposed
to have been written ; in vain may it assign as
references to local contemporary events words

340 Jesus is the Messiah.
wh|ch have commonly been regarded as Messianic
in their outlook. After conceding to the severest
critics all that they have thus claimed, we shall
find, if we have eyes to see, outlined in the He
brew prophets a Messianic portrait of a future
ideal, represented sometimes as a dispensation,
sometimes as a glorious theocracy, sometimes as
a prophet, sometimes as a priest, sometimes as a
servant of Jehovah righteous and faithful in the
midst of suffering, in which or in whom both
Jews and Gentiles shall find their perfect con
summation. That this portrait in any of these
general aspects is a veridical dream, is evinced by
its highest ethical and spiritual fulfilment in the
prophetic, kingly and priestly offices combined
in the historic Jesus and the dispensation which
He ushers in.
§ 5. Says the eminent German critic. Dr.
Edward Eiehm, in his great work on " Messianic
Prophecy " (p. 311) : " The circumstances, how
ever, that in several instances the coincidence
. . . between prophecy and fulfilment is of so
special a nature as to include even particular ex
ternal incidents, ' can hardly, we judge, be con
sidered by a living faith in God otherwise than
as divinely intended . . . such coincidences
are designed as finger-posts, pointing to the
deeper and more essential connection between
prophecy and fulfilment — as external holdfasts,
aiding a still weak understanding, and attracting
' Italics ours.

Jesus is the Messiah. 341
attention to the fulfilment of prophecy in such a
way as to encourage a more penetrating investi
gation into the nature of the bond that unites
these two correlates of revelation."
This recognition of coincidence between spe
cific prophetic passages and fulfilment in par
ticular external incidents in Christ's Ufe is signifi
cant, coming as it does from a critic who writes
with an anti-supernatural bias, from a critic
who lays the chief emphasis upon the larger
and more general outlook of Messianic Proph
ecy — *. e., who treats it as a national hope and
ideal. The same critic goes on to say (pp. 311, 312) :
" Such was obviously the design of Christ in ar
ranging His Messianic processional entry into
Jerusalem, in the literal conformity to the words
of Zechariah 9 : 9. Take for another instance of
coincidence Mioah's prophecy (5 : 2), that the
Messiah wiU proceed from Bethlehem ... a
prediction which, if the historicity of the record
upon the point can be otherwise established, was
fulfiUed not only in its ideal substance but liter
ally. For arguments establishing the historicity
of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem " (observes
Dr. Eiehm in a foot-note), "see B. Weiss Das
Zeben Jesu,' I. pp. 236ff."
The same critic continues : " Quite unassail
able, however, by historical criticism is the re
markable coincidence of the New Testament
' Italics ouis.

342 Jesus is the Messiah.
record of fulfilment with the prophecy in
Isaiah 9 : If., according to which the light of the
Messianic salvation was to shed its rays upon the
tribal districts of Zebulon and Naphtali, the
region by the sea of Gennesaret, and the Jordan.
— An equally remarkable agreement, affecting
even details, between the record of New Testa
ment fulfilment and the words of the Old Testa
ment scripture is to be found, moreover, in rela
tion to several points which can be regarded as
prophecies referring to Christ only, in virtue of
their typical significance. The most striking in
stance of this is the twenty-second Psalm, which
represents to every Christian eye an unmistaka
ble picture of the crucified Christ surrounded by
His triumphant foes. The agreement also of the
servant of God, as delineated in prophecy, with
the picture of Christ extends to several quite
minute points " (Isaiah 42 : 2f. ; 50 : 5ff . ; 62 : 14f.,
and chapter 63 — which passages Dr. Eiehm refers
to in a foot-note).
Indeed the remarkable and startling corre
spondences between detached prophetic passages
and external incidents in Jesus' earthly career
are so numerous as to justify the rebuke which
the risen Lord administered to the two disciples
to whom He made Himself known at Emmaus
in the breaking of the bread : " O fools, and slow
of heart to believe all that the prophets have
spoken ! " (Luke 24 : 25.) It is there recorded
that, " Beginning at Moses and all the prophets,

Jesus is the Messiah. 343
he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the
things concerning himself."
§ 6. We may well conjecture some of the
most pointed prophetic passages which He may
then have cited :
I. That He was the seed of the woman who
had by overcoming sin and death bruised the
serpent's head (Gen. 3 : 15).
II. That He was that prophet raised up from
among Moses' brethren like unto Moses, speaking
all that Jehovah commanded him (Deut. 18 : 15).
III. The Virgin's Son (Isa. 7 : 14cf. ; Jer.
31 : 22).
IV. Of the seed of Abraham in whom all the
families of the earth shall be blessed (Gen. 12 : 3).
V. The Shiloh of Judah to whom the gath
ering of the people shall be (Gen. 49 : 10).
VI. Of the House of David (2 Sam. 7 : 12-15 ;
1 Chron. 17 : 11-14 ; 2 Chron. 6 : 42 ; Ps. 81 : 4-36 ;
Isa. 9:7; 11 : 1 ; 55 : 3, 4; Jer. 23 : 5, 6 ; Amos
9 : 11).
VII. Born at Bethlehem, the city of David
(Micah 5 : 2).
VIII. The preacher to the lowly and the
healer of diseases (Isa. 61 : 1).
IX. The righteous servant of Jehovah (Isa.
52 : 13).
X. The light that radiated from Zebulon and
Naphtali (Isa. 9 : If.).
XL The exalted, extolled and High One whom
kings despise because they see in Him lowliness

344 Jesus is the Messiah.
and humiUation about which expounders of the
prophets had told them nothing (Isa. 62 : 13-15).
XII. His visage marred by a thorn-crown
{Ibid. 5 : 14).
XIII. The sprinkler of many nations {Ibid.
6 : 15).
XIV. Despised and rejected of men (Isa.
63 : 3).
XV. Wounded for our transgressions {Hid.).
XVI. Bruised for our iniquities (53 : 6).
XVII. Oppressed and afflicted (53 : 7).
XVIII. Brought as a lamb to the slaughter
{Ibid.). XIX. Pierced in His hands and feet (Psalm
22 : 16of. ; Zechariah 13 : 6).
XX. His garments parted among His slayers,
and lots cast for His vesture (Psalm 22 : 18).
XXI. Who received gall for His meat and
vinegar for His drink (Psalm 69 : 21).
XXII. Who made intercession for the trans
gressors (Isa. 53 : 12).
XXIII. Who made His grave with the rich
(Isa. 53 : 9).
XXIV. Whose soul was not left in Hades;
whose flesh saw not corruption (Psalm 16 : 10).
XXV. Whose dominion is an everlasting
dominion, which shall not pass away, and his
kingdom that which shall not be destroyed
(Daniel 7 : 14).
XXVI. To whose light the Gentiles come,
and kings to the brightness of his rising (Isa. 60 : 3)-

t/esMS is the Messiah. 345
XXVII. Even the Prince of Peace (Isa.
9:6). XXVIII. And the priest forever after the
order of Melchizedec (Psalm 110 : 4).
XXIX. The crucified Christ (Psalm 22).
XXX. He shaU not cry, etc. (Isa. 42 : 2f .).
XXXI. I hid not my face from shame and
spitting, etc. (50 : 5ff.).
XXXII. See foot-note,^
Take Messianic prophecy either in detaU, or as
a whole, as you choose. In either case it stands
as veridical prevision fulfiUed in Jesus Christ.
§ 7. Eeturning to the view of messianic
prophecy as a whole; that is, as a growing
' (I) The reader is referred to the Oxford and Cambridge
edition of the Eevised Version, "Helps to the Study of the
Bible," p. 71, XXXI: "Prophecies Eelating to Christ," for
reference to Old Testament passages predicting: (1) His
advent; (2) His forerunner ; (3) His nativity and early years ;
(4) His mission and office ; (5) His passion ; (6) His resur
rection ; (7) His ascension ; (8) His second advent.
(II) The wise men from the East (Matt. 2 : 1, 2), were un
doubtedly the Magi from Persia. The Persian priests or magi
received their instructions from the priests of Babylon in
Chaldea. The Babylonian priests were renowned for their
prophecy and knowledge in astrology. From their long ob
servation of the planets and what was revealed unto them of the
coming of Christ, they knew something extraordinary was about
to occur ; hence they followed the star, i. e., the materialized
light, which astronomical ignorance mistook for a star ; and
were led to the manger in Bethlehem.
" And being warned by God in a dream that they should not
return to Herod, they departed into their own country another
way " (Matt. 11 : 12),

346 Jesus is the Messiah.
expectation on Israel's part of a coming Messiah
or Messianic Era, we see plainly prophecy and
fulfilment ; for whatever may be said about de
tached prophecies, it is indisputable that from the
earliest period of Hebrew history down to the
appearance of Malachi the Hebrew consciousness
had been developing the Ideal, — the dream if you
choose, — of the coming Messiah who was to be at
once an Ideal Man and an Ideal King, the glory
of Israel and the desire of all nations ; and the
ideal manhood and kingship of Jesus of Nazareth
stand as a self-evident proof that this dream of
ancient Israel must be classified under the head
of dreams veridical.
This being so, we have in Christ's life and
works as fulfilments of long-standing prevision
the most convincing " psychic verification " of
gospel claims that can be adduced.

CHAPTEE VII.
A FEW WOEDS TO THE ORTHODOX CONCERNING
THE FOREGOING.
In which possible objections from the orthodox wing are con
sidered and answered.
§ 1. The authors are not aware that Christian
scholarship has as yet made use of the new psy
chology in the field of evidence. Hence much
that we have said in this work wiU be a new con
sideration for some orthodox Christian readers
into whose hands it may chance to fall.
Eecognizing the fact that among the orthodox
since Galileo's day considerations that are new
are presumed to be untrue, we feel caUed upon to
forestaU, if possible, the objections which may
arise from zealous " defenders of the faith."
§ 2. We anticipate an objection from that
school of believers who think that it is defide to
regard the superphysical phenomena of Holy
Writ as sheer miracles, i. e., as arbitrary sus
pensions of the ordered totality of God's creation.
Such a view, we unhesitatingly say, is rank
heresy, and does great injury to the faith.
Every Bible student must be aware that those
higher manifestations commonly caUed "mir
acles " are in the New Testament called " signs "
347

348 A Few Words to the Orthodox.
{semeia) " powers " or " mighty works " {dunameis)
and " works " ; {erga) and that the term " miracles "
in the sense of "wonders," "marvels," "prodi
gies " {terata) is never used except in conjunction
with one or more of the first-named designations.
For some reason the term " miracle " or " mar
vel" has been selected and isolated by the
Christian religious consciousness as the character
istic of these higher manifestations. Our Lord
is made to say, " No man which doeth a miracle
in my name shall lightly speak evil of me."
What He said was, " No man which shall do a
power," etc. We read, " This beginning of
miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee." St. John
wrote, " This beginning of his signs." St. Paul
is made to speak of the " working of miracles "
as one of the Spirit's gifts. What he said was
" the working of powers." And so we might
multiply examples of mistranslations to show
how the notion of these higher manifestations as
marvels, anomalies, infractions of divinely es
tablished order, has come about.
Only to those who are accustomed to regard
the physical or material as the all of God's
created system are these " signs," " powers " and
" works " of the New Testament miracles,
{terata) i. e., disturbances of the divinely created
system. In insisting upon their anomalous char
acter the orthodox forget that God is the maker
of all things invisible as well as visible. It is
perhaps by reason of this insistence that so-

A Few Words to the Orthodox. 349
called Liberalism has arisen and rejected in toto
the super-jphysicai. element in the Bible. If
" things visible " form a system governed by law,
— the physical world — is it possible to think of
"things invisible" as aught else but a system
governed by law ? If the spiritual forms a de
partment of God's creation ; a department which
interpenetrates and compasses the physical round
about {2 Kings 6 : 17 ; Hebrews 12 : 1), is there
not by reason of this fact a system of laws and
conditions of a superphysical order liable at any
time to be manifested upon the physical plane ?
If you admit this, you have explained, so far as
they can be explained, the " signs," " powers "
and "works" recorded in the New Testament.
They are manifestations of the superphysical
order in the physical. In that case the totality
of order is in no wise disturbed. The lower is
merely for the time superseded by the higher.
They are occurrences on a large scale the same in
principle as that which happens every day on a
smaU scale ; i. e., whenever human volition,
which is a spiritual factor, suspends temporarily
the operation of a physical law, — say that of at
traction. For example, you drop a book but
catch it in its downward flight. Here your
spiritual volition has superseded a physical law.
§ 3. The most serious religious objection, we
take it, against subsuming our Lord's higher
manifestations under law is that thereby these
mighty works are rendered mechanical and auto-

350 A Few Words to the Orthodox.
matic, being divorced from the agency of His
personal will.
But we think this objection loses its force
when we remember that all our own conscious
intelligent acts in every-day life are done through
the agency of will, even though subject to law.
Hedged about though we are on the earth-plane
by physical conditions, the will, a spiritual
factor, is the great power of man.
Again, let us once more remind ourselves of
the higher or " psychic " phenomena which are
occurring in our own day ; those, namely, which
scientific psychical research has brought to light.
Some of the fixed conditions under which such
phenomena happen have been discovered by care
ful observation. It is known that one of these
conditions is a certain mental state in those
persons (commonly called " psychics ") in whose
presence such phenomena occur. Mind, there
fore, and not blind, automatic, material forces,
seems here to be the primary factor. True it is
that the servant of mind is apparently a subtle
force ; viz., psychic force ; yet mind or spirit is
the primary agent, as the intelligence manifested
in the phenomena bears witness.
The presence of laws, conditions, limitations,
then, in the operation of higher phenomena in
nowise excludes personal volition as the supreme
determining factor.
There can therefore be no valid religious ob
jection d priori against looking upon our Lord's

A Few Words to the Orthodox. 351
"mighty works" as manifestations of a super-
physical body of law, — the " unseen universe," —
if we keep in mind the fact that His personal
wUl was always the supreme agency.
§ 4. And now from defense we venture to
attack our possible objectors in this field. Their
conception of Christ as a, fiat miracle- worker in
His divine capacity seriously impoverishes the
doctrine of His Saviourhood. In this way : If
in His therapeutic works He worked as God,
these works can form no part of that great sacri
ficial offering which culminated upon the Altar
of Calvary. If He wrought these works as
" Very God " and not as " Very Man " they cost
Him nothing; they were not sacrificial works.
If however He wrought them as man ; as a man
who knew and utilized the psychic conditions
which they called for, then were they sacrifices ;
— outpourings of portions of that life which was
completely outpoured on Calvary's altar.
If these works were His works as " Very God,"
the unanswerable question is in order : " Why
did He not then use this fiat-healing power as
' Very God ' in curing all the ills of humanity ?
Why did He confine these acts of mercy to that
small fraction of humanity who personally re
quested them ? "
If we assume that He wrought these works as
the " Son of Man," this question presents no
difficulty ; for as the " Son of Man " His entire
ministry was subject to the limitations of locality.

352 A Few Words to the Orthodox.
He could respond only to requests personally
preferred to Him. He could minister only to
those who came into contact with Him — whether
tactual or telepathic. — We do not of course deny
that as the Son of God He might have broken
through these limitations at any time. Was He
not tempted to do this on that memorable oc
casion in the wilderness when the suggestion was
presented that He possess Himself of all the
kingdoms of the earth ? And did He not reject
this suggestion as Satanic ?
But as St. Paul states. He, " being in the form
of God, counted it not a prize to be on an equality
with God, but emptied himself, taking the form
of a servant, being made in the likeness of men "
(PhU. 2 : 6-7).
We stand with a goodly company of eminent
theologians, whose orthodoxy is above reproach,
when we interpret this statement of St. Paul as
meaning a real kenosis or giving up of divine
attributes on the part of Him who " was made
flesh." We interpret it as meaning that the In
carnate One laid aside His divine power and
knowledge (though they were never out of His
reach) that He might come to us and live with
us and for us as the Son of Man ; doing the will
of Him that sent Him. We believe that He
never lost sight of this His mission ; and that
this rendered His mind always clear to spiritual
and moral relations. He knew the power that
was potentially His, along with that which actu-

A Few Words to the Orthodox. 353
ally pertained to Him (by His self-imposed Umi-
tations) as the Son of Man. Because He was the
Son of Man, i. e., true to the highest standard of
manhood, the Father committed all judgment unto
Him (John 5 : 27). Therefore He had " power
on earth " even " to forgive sins." Because He
kept true to the highest standard of manhood.
He "grew," as St. Luke states, in everything
pertaining to an ideal man (Luke 2 : 52) ; and His
growth must necessarily include development as
a psychic agent.
§ 5. Another objection which our treatise may
arouse is this : " You have played into the hands
of spiritualism ! "
Have we not rather brought that which is
true in spiritualism into the service of Christian
truth ?
What is " Spiritualism " ? We refuse to identify
it with that sect or denomination known as " The
Spiritual Association." We neither fight nor ad
vocate that or any other sect ; for in this work
we are, or try to be, non-sectarian. We are not,
nor shall we ever become sectarian spiritualists.
With all due respect to our friends in that body,
we must confess our failure to see any reason
why a separate religion or denomination should
have been founded upon the modern fact that
communication does occur between discarnates
and incarnates. (See Appendix B.)
Spiritualism or spiritism is simply a name for
the demonstrated psychic fact of spirit-communi-

354 A Few Words to the Orthodox.
cation. As such it stands on a level with any
other psychic phenomenon. All superphysical
phenomena are immensely valuable as religious
evidences. Telepathy and telekinesis alone would
refute materialism. But discarnate spirit-com
munication as a modern fact has this additional
evidential value : It shows that age-long human
tradition and New Testament records of com
munication with the Spiritual World are not
baseless superstitions but are grounded upon fact
scientifically verifiable.
Belief in spirit-communication as a modern
fact no more commits the believer to the va
garies that have been perpetrated by certain
mediums and their friends than belief in hyp
nosis at a distance commits one to the practice
and sanction of witchcraft.
That little syllable ism is too often substituted
as an objection in lieu of reason. We are not
alarmed at any possible cry of Spiritualism ; re
membering that, properly defined, it means be
lief in the standing possibility of spirit-com
munication. We use this established fact as an
evidence. It is indifferent for our purpose what
the natu/re of the communications may be. The
fact that communications occur is the evidentially
important thing ; i. e., a twentieth-century wit
ness to New Testament record ; a corroboration,
for example, of the scene recorded on the Mount
of Transfiguration, or of St. Paul's mention of
the gift of the " discerning of spirits " ; or of the

A Few Words to the Orthodox. 355
fact referred to by St. John when he wrote " try the
spirits " ; or of that recorded in the Epistle to the
Hebrews, viz., the nearness of the spiritual world
which compasses us round about (Hebrews 12 : 1).
The psychic data which we in this work have
placed in evidence supply, we believe, a long lost
evidential Unk in demonstrating truths which are
most precious to Christian believers : — life after
death (see further in Appendix B), and the gen
uineness of the agency of Christ, the prophets
who preceded Him, and the disciples who fol
lowed Him ; — the genuineness of their agency as
ambassadors of the spiritual world in making
known its reality to men in the flesh.
In these phenomena, we repeat, there is noth
ing that is per se a religion. They are " signs,"
and not the "things signified," — outward and
visible signs of One inward and spiritual grace
which has never been without its witness and
manifestation among the sons of men in any
nation or tribe. They have accompanied and
borne witness to the power behind every fresh
spiritual advance from the mission of Moses to
the awakening inaugurated by the Wesleys.
Only when the love of many in the church
waxed cold ; only when it began to surrender
to a colorless, materialistic Sadduceeism ; only
when it looked askance at these phenomena as
the work of " devils " ; — only then did these signs
cease to follow ; for it was said of them, " These
signs shall follow them that believe."

356 A Few Words to the Orthodox.
They had ceased in the Old Church when
Pharisaism and Sadduceeism had supplanted
Prophetism. They ceased in the New Church
when the same isms under new names had re
gained the ascendancy.
Now they have returned to put once more the
Sadducees to silence ; to demonstrate that God
is not the God of the dead, but of the living, to
vindicate those who have hoped against hope,
that things seen are temporal, and things not seen
are eternal ; and that " what is seen hath not
been made out of things which do appear."

CHAPTEE VIIL
RECAPITULATION.
Points in the Gospel's Psychic Verification Summed up.
Now let US briefly review our findings. The
field has been great; the journey perhaps too
rapid for one that carries us through a new and
hitherto unexplored region of Christian evidences.
Others, however, may perhaps be stimulated to
explore more thoroughly and to travel with
greater deliberation.
Part I. The historical verification of the
gospel, being itself in the nature of a review,
needs no summarizing.
Weighing the historical argument, however,
we found ourselves confronted with the dictum
of modern materialism, " miracles," *'. e., super-
physical phenomena, " do not happen."
This dictum we found to be completely nulli
fied by the well-established psychic data which
are placed in evidence in Part II.
We have summarized in chapter vi of Part II
the known conditions under which modern super-
physical phenomena take place. Thus we lay a
foundation for our main task, that, namely, with
which Part III deals ; the enquiry. Do the evan-
357

358

Recapitulation.

gelists represent Jesus as performing like phe
nomena under like conditions ?
We find that they do so represent Him ; and
this with a minute circumstantiality in the re
ports both of His works of healing and His
" mighty works " or dunameis.
The following tables may serve to recapitulate
the correspondence in character and conditions
between modern psychic phenomena and " Gospel
Miracles " as shown in Part III of this book.

(A) Character.
Modern Phenomena :
1. Mesmeric heal- { To a
ing. .j lesser '¦
2. Absent healing. ( degree.
3. Telekinetic phenomena.
4. Psycho-chemical phenom
ena as in materialization.

Gospel " Miracles " :
1. Healing through f To a
physical contact. ¦! greater
2. Absent healing. ( degree.
3. Walking upon waves, etc.
4. Water turned into wine,
etc. Moses and Elias ma
terialized.

(B) Conditions Employed
I. In psychic healing.
Modern Healing :
1. Emanating psychic force.

2. Confidence of operator nec
essary.
3. Emanating force commu
nicated by contact.
4. Patient free from adverse
suggestions.
5. Avoidance of adverse sug
gestions after cure.

Gospel Healing :
1. "I perceived that force
had gone forth from me"
(Luke 8: 46).
2. " Because of your little
faith"— ye failed (Matt.
17: 20).
3. ' ' Lay hands on the sick
and they shall recover ' '
(Mark 16: 18).
4. "According to your faith
be it unto you ' ' (Matt.
9: 29).
5. "See thou tell no man"
(Mark 1:44, etc.).

' See, however, Postscriptum to chap, i of Part III.

Eecapitulation.

359

II. In other psychic phenomena of a physical
order. Modern Cases :
1. Presence of the psychic or
agent.
2. Emanating psychic force

Gospel Cases :
1. Presence of Christ.

under control of will.

3. Confidence on psychic's
part.
4. The "psychic" or "sub
jective " state ; auto-hyp
nosis or trance.
5. Absence of adverse sug
gestions in surroundings.

6. Darkness or subdued light
for the highest physical
phenomena.

2. Christ's works are de
scribed as powers or forces
(dunameis) always willed
by Him.
3. "All things are possible
to him that believeth "
(Mark 9: 23).
4. Mental caliu — abnormal
state unnecessary.
5. "He could there do no
mighty work . . . and
He marveled at their un-
beUef" (Mark 6:5).
6. Darkness or subdued light
in all the physical phe
nomena of Christ outside
of psychic healing.

This correspondence constitutes a psychic verifi
cation of " Gospel Miracles " ; a demonstration of
gospel veracity ; and a proof of Christ's insight
into psychic laws and conditions ; added to which
is the psychic verification supplied from Christ's
life as the veridical fulfilment of ancient Hebrew
prophecy. Thus it is shown that the miraculous or super-
physcial element in the Bible came through the
quickening of the Spirit manifesting itself in the
incarnate and discarnate by producing psychic
phenomena.

APPENDIX A.
CLASSIFIED TABLE OP SUPERNORMAL PHE
NOMENA.
Class I. — Phenomena of Supernormal
Communication.
A. Telepathic.
1. Mental telegraphy (Innumerable in
stances).
2. Transference of gustatory, olfactory and
tactile sensations and optical images when
percipient is either normally or hypnotic
ally passive (S. P. E. Proceedings, Pod
more's "Apparitions and Thought-Trans-
ference," etc.).
3. Psychologizing by mental concentration
on agent's part (Lectures by Edward B.
Warman, of Chicago).
4. Eeception of veridical messages through
automatic writing from living agent (Ee
ports by W. T. Stead and other sources).
5. Veridical dreams as telepathic messages
(S. P. E. Proceedings).
6. Veridical clairaudient messages (S. P. E.
Proceedings). 360

Appendix A. 361
7. " Telepathie a Trois " (Thomson J. Hud
son).
B. Alleged Spiritistic.
1. Communications through mediumistic con
trol containing reports of incidents in
earthly life of communicator ; which inci
dents are objectively unknown either to
mediums or sitters, but are afterwards
verified by latter from information ob
tained from surviving acquaintances of de
ceased (Professor James Hyslop's report
of Piper case in S. P. E. Proceedings,
Part xli.

Class II. — Phenomena of Supernormal
Knowledge.
A. Through Incarnate Mentality.
1. Subliminal memory (Part II, Chap, iii, [1] )•
2. Subliminal intuition (Part II, Chap, iii, [2] ).
3. Independent clairvoyance. (a) Distant
Sight in Dreams. Camille Flammarion's
" The Unknown " ; through Crystal Vision
(Dr. E. O. Mason's "Telepathy and the
Subliminal Self " ). (b) Veridical Prevision
or Prophecy (W. T. Stead's Eeports ; C.
Flammarion's " The Unknown " and other
sources).
4. Psychometrical clairvoyance (Wm. Den
ton's " Souls of Things " ).

362 Appendix A.
B. Through Alleged Discarnate Sources.
1. Mediums under control discoursing upon
themes and topics foreign to their waking
intelligence (A. E. Wallace's "Miracles
and Modern Spiritualism"; C. De Mor
gan's " From Matter to Spirit " ).
2. Mediums under control conversing in lan
guages foreign to their waking intelli
gence {Ibid. Also Prof. Zollner reports a
case in slate-writing).
Class III. — Phenomena of Supernormal
Intelligent Power.
A. Through Incarnate Agency.
1. A. P. Sinnett and other theosophists are
authorities for the following :
(i) Tiltings, levitations, raps, bell-chimes,
wafting of air-currents, perfumes, etc.
(u) Transportation of Objects over great
distances.
(iii) Self-levitations.
(iv) Passage of matter through matter-
apport.
(v) Agent's body rendered invisible.
(vi) Projection of astral body.
2. Magnetizing of water (Paul Gibier's
Psychism ; Louis JacoUiot's " Occult Sci
ence in India " ; and Dr. E. O. Mason's
" Hypnotism," etc.).

Appendix A. 363
3. Chemicalization in psycho-therapeutics ;
Part II, chap. ii.
4. Direct and Distant Healing, Part III,
chap, i, Postscriptum.
5. Psycho-dynamic obsession or distant hyp
notic control (D'Assier's " Posthumous
Humanity " and JacoUiot's " Occult science
in India."
6. Projection of the "Double" (C. Flam
marion's " Unknown "; A. D'Assier's " Post
humous Humanity," etc.).
7. The " Double " of an incarnate person ma
terialized at spiritistic seances (five cases
reported personally to the authors).
8. Sorcery or " Black Magic," including Ly-
canthropy and Vampirism (D'Assier's
" Posthumous Humanity " ; J. C. Street's
"The Hidden Way Across the Thresh
old," etc.).
B. Through Alleged Discarnate Agency.
1. Apparitions seen by percipients at moment
of or shortly after agent's decease (" Phan
tasms of the Living " ; by Messrs. Gurney,
Podmore and Myers).
Note : — These cases are also ascribed by some
authorities to ante-mortem telepathy.
2. Magnetizations of water, etc., by discarnate

Su- Wm. Crookes'
report in Part XV
S. P. E. Proceed
ings.

364 Appendix A.
spirits at seances (E. D. Owen's two works.
See Bibliography of Parts II-IV).
3. Tiltings, levitations, raps, chimes, air-cur
rents, transportations, etc., etc. (Eeported
by nearly every investigator of mediumistic
phenomena).
4. Ascensions of medium's
body.
5. Elongations and shorten
ings of medium's body.
6. Production of immunity
to fire in medium and
sitters.
7. Alterations of weight of bodies (Sir Wm.
Crookes).
8. Passage of matter through matter-apport
(Sir Wm. Crookes and Prof. Zollner. See
also our experience, p. 123).
9. Inorganic psycho-chemicalization (Sir Wm.
Crookes and H. S. Olcott).
10. Psychography or slate-writing (Numerous
reports ; see also Part II, chap. iii).
11. Precipitated paintings (Part II, Chap. iii).
12. Direct healing by spirits (E. D. Owen's
books. See Bibliography).
13. Obsession. (See Appendix B.)
14. Materializations manifesting following
phenomena : talking or phonation ; walk
ing, eating, drinking, smoking, etc. (Ee
ports of Sir Wm. Crookes, H. S. Olcott,
Florence Marryatt, and others).

Appendix A. 365
15. Independent Phonation (Phonation pro
duced in presence of the authors).
16. Objects rendered invisible (Prof. ZoUner's
" Transcendental Psychics " ).
Class IV. — Endemic Phantasms or Lo
cality-haunting Ghosts.
See S. P. E. Proceedings under head of
" Haunted Houses."

APPENDIX B.
CONCERNING SPIRIT-COMMUNICATION AND
demonic POSSESSION.
I. — Spirit-C ommunic ation.
§ 1. In this appendix it is our purpose to
gather up fragments concerning spirit-communi
cation left ungarnered in chapters iii and iv of
Part II, and chapters i and iv of Part III.
We shall deal first with the subject of spirit-
communication, i. e., with the a priori possibility
of communications between minds incarnate and
discarnate together with the evidence bearing
upon the question of fact.
§ 2. We are not unmindful, however, of a
logical difficulty which confronts us at the out
set. Our critics may enquire with perfect jus
tice what right we have to discuss spirit-com
munication before we have proved that there are
such things as discarnate spirits ; before we have
established the fact of a life after death. In
other words, he who plunges in medias res into
a discussion of spirit-communication tacitly begs
a very momentous question ; that, namely,
whether there are any spirits with whom com
munication may be had. 366^

Appendix B. 367
What then, before aU subsequent considera
tions, are the evidences of a life after death ?
Convincing to the heart but not to the reason
are aU those arguments from race-aspirations,
beliefs, etc., which may be summed up as " inti
mations of immortality." Persuasive as they
are, they will not do as evidence.
We might, it is true, rest our case for a future
life upon those facts concerning Christ, partic
ularly His resurrection, which we think we have
established in the foregoing work. We believe,
however, that Ufe beyond death is capable of
inductive proof from modern data; therefore,
without retracting any arguments advanced in
chapter ii of Part III, we shall in the present
instance rely upon induction from contemporary
facts. As we can add nothing essential to Dr.
Hudson's presentation of inductive proof in his
work, " A Scientific Demonstration of the Future
Life," we shall offer it in summarized form :
(1) Nature never produces faculties, functions,
etc., that have no normal use in some sphere of
life. (2) The intuitional, telepathic, clairvoyant,
and telekinetic faculties of man's mind are, on
the physical plane of life, abnormal and prac
tically useless ; for their every exercise demands
objective verification.
(3) Therefore, unless we are ready to affirm
that nature has made a mistake in the production

368 Appendix B.
of these faculties, we are logicaUy forced to
assume that beyond the physical plane there is a
sphere in which the exercise of these faculties is
normal : — that there is a future life for man.
We repeat that we can add nothing essential to
the argument. All that we can do is to recon
struct some of its terms in the light of our
psychological conclusions in chapter iv of Part
II. For example, for "faculties," "functions,"
etc., we would substitute main's psychic organism;
concerning whose existence and constitution we
have adduced facts and inferences in the chapter
just now named.
We might reconstruct the foregoing propo
sitions as follows :
(1) Nature never produces organisms or func
tions of organisms that have no normal use in
some sphere of life.
This proposition is recognized as fundamental
in physical science.
(2) The psychic organism of man in its strictly
superphysical activities is an organism with func
tions which have no normal use in the physical
sphere of life.
(3) Therefore, it is not a mere inference, but a
strictly necessary conclusion that there is a sphere
of life beyond the physical in which man's psychic
organism will exercise its superphysical functions
normally. Here we have in very truth " a scientific dem
onstration of the future life " ; — a demonstration

Appendix B. 369
whose denial involves that of a fundamental
proposition of physical science. Only by affirm
ing that nature sometimes may produce organisms
or functions of organisms that have no normal
use in any sphere of life ; and that the psychic
organism of man with its superphysical activities
is precisely a case in point ; — only by affirming an
unsupported proposition like the above, can this
demonstration of the future life be disputed. In
plain terms, the demonstration rests upon a
necessary induction from facts. Its possible
denial is nothing else than wild conjecture.
But even without the scientific demonstration
we are stUl within the bounds of the reasonable
when we say that the burden of proof rests upon
those who deny that man's psychic organism,
which is the efficient cause of his physiological struc
ture and which is itself in corporeal form,^ will
cease to exist when the fleshly covering of its
own making shall be dissolved. It were as logical
to say that the tearing down of a house destroys
its architect.
§ 3. We may then pass on to this twofold
enquiry :
First, when man's psychic organism passes out
of its fleshly covering into the superphysical
sphere, is it reasonable to suppose that under
certain conditions it may communicate with
spirits still in the flesh ?
• See Part IV, chapter iv.

370 Appendix B.
Second, what is the testimony of weU-estab-
lished facts ?
§ 4. As to the rational possibility of spirit-
communication, we can perhaps do no better
than to quote a passage from a certain author
who has recently produced a book advocating a
doctrine of reincarnation upon a professedly
Christian basis, and strenuously opposing spirit
ualism. We refer to the Eev. Columbus Brad
ford, author of " Birth a New Chance." — This
author unquestioningly accepts Dr. Hudson's
dual-mind psychology as set forth in his " Law of
Psychic Phenomena " ; but thus reproaches his
learned preceptor for that to which the latter has
laid himself open in his " Scientific Demonstra
tion of the Future life" : — " The very bulwark of
spiritualism consists in this inconsistent theory
that when a human being dies, the intelligent
person goes out of the body into an active and
conscious realm. Accept this as an unquestioned
fact, and you cannot advance a single good reason
why our dead friends should not be both able and
eager to communicate with us. The fact of telep
athy is coming more and more closely to
light. . . . If it is true that the spirit leaves
the human body at death, and carries with it the
intelligent personality, with consciousness com
plete and the power to think and convey thoughts
to other minds, then of course (italics Mr. Brad
ford's) such a spirit ought to be able to communi
cate by means of telepathy with the subjective

Appendix B. 371
mind (?) of a living person" ("Birth a New
Chance," pp. 74, 76).
That this author's point is exceedingly well-
taken we think is obvious. The scientific dem
onstration of a future life does, as Mr. Bradford
affirms, make spirit-communication a very rational
possibiUty. We acknowledge our debt to Dr.
Hudson for showing this point ; and we cannot
overlook the fact that this "scientific demon
stration" likewise disposes of Mr. Bradford's
somewhat dismal denial that "the inteUigent
person goes out of the body into an active and
conscious realm."
Upon this last matter we would say in passing
that the hypothetical " entity " called " subjective
mind " seems chiefly responsible for the peculiar
theory of unconscious post-mortem existence prior
to an aUeged reincarnation which is advocated in
Mr. Bradford's book. We would add that Dr.
Hudson's argument in his " Scientific Demon
stration " depends in no degree upon the truth of
his dual-mind theory. Take away the " subjective
mind" and the psychological foundation upon
which Mr. Bradford builds his theory crumbles
away ; while Dr. Hudson's argument still stands.
Yet, as Mr. Bradford observes in the passage just
now quoted. Dr. Hudson's conclusion does lead to
spirit-communication as an inevitable possibility.
The fact that telepathy and hypnosis at a dis
tance home been proved beyond doubt to be a means
of communication between minds incarnate con-

372 Appendix B.
stitutes a stamding possibility of communication
between minds incarnate and minds discarnate.
% 5. Third, what is the testimony of well-
established facts as to spirit-communication ?
We recognize of course that a scientific en
quirer will admit in evidence only those facts
which are attested by modern witnesses in good
scientific standing. Yet one source of human
conviction not to be despised is that of cumula
tive testimony.
It is conceivable that out of a hundred thou
sand people who testify to a certain order of oc
currences, every one, upon being cross-examined,
might be found from a strictly scientific stand
point to be an unreliable person. In every single
case the testimony might be found wanting as
formally valid evidence. Nevertheless there
would remain over and above everything a
cumulative force which carries conviction with
it. In just this way communications from departed
spirits are largely attested. In every race of
mankind from the earliest dawn of history there
stand thousands upon thousands of witnesses who
testify to spirit-communications in various forms.
Each case taken alone may be punctured by a
scientific scrutiny ; but we cannot get rid of the
cumulative force of race-testimony. If there be
life after death, if there be, as psychology shows,
a standing possibility of communication between
the people here and beyond, and if race-testimony

Appendix B. 373
affirms that such communication has taken place
— well, we ought at least to be able to examine
modern reputable witnesses with candor.
§ 6. Again before coming to modern wit
nesses of good repute, we must stand by what we
have gained in the main argument of our book
concerning gospel-veracity. We must not forget
that spirit-communication is attested by three
evangelists whose accounts of the particular case
we have in mind show a recognition of con
ditions identical with those of to-day. (See
treatment of Transfiguration phenomena, p. 270
et seq.) Sts. Matthew, Mark and Luke leave no
doubt of the fact that Jesus communicated with
Moses and Elias in the presence of Peter, James
and John.
A manifestation of spirits who " appeared to
many in the Holy City " (Matt. 27 : 53) is re
corded as taking place on the first Easter morn
ing. The Hebrews- writer, after rehearsing the deeds
of certain Old Testament fathers, states : " See
ing we are compassed about with so great a cloud
of witnesses " (12 : 1).
In other words, the spirit-world and its in
habitants compass us about and hold us in full
survey. " Ye are come . . . unto innumer
able hosts of angels, and unto the spirits of just
men made perfect " (12 : 22 f .).
AngeUc communication : " Are not they (the
angels) all ministering spirits sent forth to do

374 Appendix B.
service for the sake of them that shall inherit
salvation ? (Heb. 1 : 14.) (Compare instances of
angelic manifestation recorded in Acts.)
We must not forget that a certain kind of
" spirit-communication " is recognized both by
St. Paul and St. John as among the extraordinary
" gifts " of the Holy Spirit (or charismata) in the
Apostolic Church.
Thus St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 12 : 10 enumer
ates among the spiritual gifts that of the " dis
cernings of spirits." On the face of the text this
looks like the possession by some of a clairvoyant
vision able to penetrate the veU that screens
from fleshly sight the " cloud of witnesses " by
which we " are compassed about." According
to St. Paul it is a gift from God's Holy Spirit ;
hence its recipients would be protected by the
Divine Donor from the dangers and pitfalls to
which one is exposed who, unprompted of God,
forces intercourse with the spiritual world : — the
danger, namely, of getting under the control of
undesirable spirits. In passing we may observe
that the gospel, unlike the law "which was
given through angels " (Gal. 3 : 19), ^ came from
God directly. Bapport with the Absolute was
its source. The source of Christ's deliverances
was His Father in heaven ; that of the apostles
"The passage reads: "it (the law) was ordained through
angels by the hand of a mediator." The mediator was Moses.
An alternate reading might be : " ordained through angels by
the hand of a medium."

Appendix B. 375
the Spirit who was given to guide them into all
truth and call to their remembrance Christ's
teachings. Though an angel from heaven might
preach another gospel, he was to be rejected
(Gal. 1 : 8).
From St. John's statement in his First Epistle
(4 : 1, 2), which was written towards the close of
the first century, it is evident that a vicious
phase of mediumship had developed. Spirits of
a lower order had begun to communicate through
certain persons who claimed the rank and au
thority of Christian prophets.
Accordingly, St. John writes (4 : 1, 2) :
" Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove
the spirits, whether they are of God; because
many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Hereby know ye the spirit of God : every spirit
which confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the
flesh is of God: and every spirit which con
fesseth not Jesus is not of God."
This apostolic warning ought to be instructive
to many who in our own day have been carried
away from the gospel of the Incarnate Christ by
the testimony of spirits who either know not, or
profess to know not, the Jesus whom the New
Testament sets forth, even Him who was pre
dicted by the " sure word " of Ancient Prophecy.
The following New Testament passages are
also significant in their bearing upon discarnate
spirits and their communion with men :
(1) Acts 23 : 8, " For the Sadducees say that

376 Apypendix B.
there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit;
but the Pharisees confess both."
The word confess is significant, as though St.
Luke, the writer of the Acts, had said, " But the
Pharisees acknowledge that which is a threefold
fact : a resurrection, angels and spirits."
(2) Christ, while denouncing the Pharisees
for many things, confirmed their eschatology
against their opponents, the Sadducees, when He
affirmed of God : " He is not the God of the
dead, but of the living, for all live unto him ; "
— or, " all are living unto Him," as it might be
translated {Zuke 20 : 27). In other words, there
are no dead people. In the New Testament the
terms dead and death are either (i) terms of con
venience ; (ii) or referring to a state of sin ; (iii) or
referring to destruction as a possibUity.
(3) Acts 23 : 9, " And some of the scribes of
the Pharisees' part stood up and strove, saying.
We find no evil in this man : (Paul), and what if
a spirit hath spoken to him, or an angel ? "
This shows plainly that spirit-communication
was then an orthodox Jewish belief ; the Phari
sees representing the orthodox party. Now St.
Paul was brought up a Pharisee, and in becom
ing a Christian changed none of his early escha-
tological beliefs, but rather made use of Jesus'
resurrection as a fact confi/rmative of the Hebrew
prophetical eschatology. He appeals to the
Pharisees themselves, saying, " Brethren, I am a
Pharisee, a son of Pharisees ! touching the hope

Appendix B. 377
and resurrection of the dead I am called in ques
tion " (29 : 6). (Here dead is a term of conve
nience or accommodation.) So much for the
New Testament record concerning spirit commu
nication as a possibility and a fact.
§ 7. Now let us pass to the testimony of
modern psychic facts. We are not unmindful
that many, perhaps the great majority of modern
cases reported as "spiritistic," are in reality of
" subliminal" ^ origin, manifesting either direct
or indirect telepathy between incarnate minds.
In examining modern evidence we find very
few cases of which we may validly say, " these
represent indisputably genuine phases of spirit-
communication." So far as technical proof is concerned, we con
fess that there are very few cases in which the
discarnate nature of the communicator is demon
strated beyond reasonable doubt ; in which mun
dane telepathy is absolutely excluded. Still there
a/re some ; and for purposes of proof one case is
as good as ten thousand.
Among the indisputable spiritistic cases is the
famous one of Mrs. Piper, to which we referred
in chapter i. Part III, p. 237. It is indisputably
spiritistic for these reasons :
(1) The high scientific auspices under which
the Piper manifestations are conducted are guar
antees against fraud and error.
' We use subliminal here as a convenient designation for those
arrangements of psychic forces which lie below the strata of
consciousness. See Part II, chapter iv.

378 Apixndix B.
(2) Professor Hyslop of Columbia University,
a member of the investigating committee, has al
ready reported numerous communications re
ceived through Mrs. Piper's mediumship from
which telepathy between medium and sitters is
excluded. These communications conveyed facts in the
earthly life of the alleged communicator unknown
either to sitter or medium. The sitter was Dr.
Hodgson and the communicator was an alleged
relative of Professor Hyslop who was not present
at the sitting and futhermore was ignorant of
the facts conveyed. By making enquiries from
relatives of the deceased, who lived at some dis
tance, he ascertained that the facts reported had
actually occurred during the deceased's earthly
life. Where does telepathj'- come in ? Did the
deceased's surviving relatives telepath the in
formation from their subliminal memories to
Professor Hyslop's " subliminal mind " ? Did
the latter surreptitiously pass it on to Dr. Hodg
son ? Did Dr. Hodgson then deliver it up to
Mrs. Piper ; and did the latter then proceed to
" raise it above the threshold " ? '
' Since the writing of this paragraph there has appeared the
sensational interview between Mrs. Piper, now honorably dis
charged from the S. P. E.'s employ, and a New York Herald
reporter (issue of Oct. 20, 1901). The gist of the interview is
Mrs. Piper's expressed opinion that in her trance-deliverances,
the reports of which she has recently perused, there is no evi
dence of spirit-communication. Opinion is one thing, and fact
another. The test tacts as reported by Messrs. Hyslop and

Appendix B. 379
Did the telepathy come in this way ; or did it
not rather come from the mind of the departed
spirit to that of Mrs. Piper directly? Which
supposition will stand the test of reason ? Surely
not that of the endless-chain series ! Eather that
of the direct character; and especially so be
cause, as we have seen, telepathy is a standing
possibility of communication between minds in
carnate and disca/rnate.
We must acknowledge our indebtedness to Mr.
Bradford for inadvertently supplying us with an
other excellent test-case of spirit-communication ;
one whose significance we confess having failed
to grasp in our first perusal of Professor Flour-
noy's book " From India to the Planet Mars."
The case to which we refer is cited by Mr. Brad
ford as conclusively demonstrating a memory of
a previous incarnation. It is this :
Professor Flournoy's psychic " ward " Helene
Smith, speaking under the aUeged control of a
discarnate spirit named " Leopold," affirms that
in a former incarnation she was the wife of an
Hindu rajah, one Sivrouka, who in the year 1401
buUt a certain fortress at a certain place.
Professor Flournoy after corresponding with
the chief authorities in Hindu history for the
Hodgson must speak for themselves. In only one respect is
Mrs. Piper's anti-spiritistic opinion valuable ; and that is in
making previous assurance doubly sure that the proceedings
have been honest and absolutely untainted by fraud. The in
terview confirms the integrity of the distinguished lady-medium,
and evinces a mind of high culture.

380 Appendix B.
possible verification of Sivrouka's existence, had
come to the conclusion that "Leopold's" state
ment was unveridical. But one day as he was
searching through a library he found an old dust-
covered volume which, chancing to open, he
found to contain a statement that the rajah
Sivrouka actually founded this fortress in the
year 1401. The professor says he is prepared to
vouch for the fact that Helene was entirely ig
norant of Hindu annals and had never obtained
access to this obscure volume.
Now what is the explanation ?
Professor Flournoy, who rejects spiritism, con
cedes that " subliminal memory " is here out of
the question.
Independent clairvoyance of such astounding
power would involve a tremendous tax on our
faith. " Telepathie a trois " would, in this case, be
more like telepathy ad infinitum.
Was it a manifestation of a memory of a former
incarnation, as Mr. Bradford alleges ?
On its face it was not Helene's memory, but in
formation imparted to Helene by her spirit-con
trol, Leopold.
Now reincarnation may be regarded as an ab
stract possibility ; but only as such. It is a
proposition to be accepted if proved by facts.
But spirit-communication rests, as the Piper
case shows, upon a solid foundation of proof.
This being so, reasoning from the known to the

Appendix B. 381
unknown, we are logically compelled to take this
Leopold case at its face- value ; to conclude that
Leopold was verily and indeed a discarnate spirit
controUing Helene Smith and imparting to her
this veridical information concerning Sivrouka.
While we must needs accept "Leopold's"
statement concerning Sivrouka, substantiated as
it is by historical records; we hold ourselves
free to reject his statement concerning reincar
nation, because we are warned to " believe not
every spirit," but to " try the spirits." Trying
this particular spirit, we find that he manifests
only a mediocre calibre; that he may perhaps
be relied upon for commonplace facts ; but by
no means as a guide in vital doctrines. The
testimony of all returned spirits so far as it bears
upon life after death, is all for progress through
the spirit-spheres, and none for progress through
the reincarnation method.
Perhaps the most conclusive case of modern
times in the demonstration of spirit-communica
tion is that cited by the Hon. Eobert Dale Owen
in his book " The Debatable Land " (pp. 411-433).
Assuming that it has been forgotten by the
general public, for it happened in the year 1866,
we here place it in evidence :
"Monsieur N. G. Bach, grandson )f the cele
brated Sebastian Bach, and a respectable citizen
of Paris is the principal. He was then (1865)
weU on in years, but still active as a musical
composer. His son, Leon Bach, was a gentleman

382 Appendix B.
of antiquarian tastes. In a bric-a-brac shop in
Paris he purchased an ancient spinet, a species
of piano, inscribed with the name Antonius
Nobilis, Eome, 1564. He presented it to his
father, who was much delighted with the gift.
" That night (May 4, 1866) the old gentleman
had a most vivid and remarkable dream. There
appeared to him in vision a handsome young
stranger, wearing a carefully trimmed beard,
and elegantly dressed in the ancient costume of
the French Court. . . . Doffing a high-
pointed, broad-brimmed, and white-plumed hat,
this young man advanced, bowing and smiling,
towards M. Bach's bed, and thus addressed the
wondering sleeper :
" ' The spinet you have belonged to me. I
often played on it to amuse my master. King
Henry. In his youth he composed an air with
words which he was fond of singing while I ac
companied him. Both words and air were writ
ten in memory of a lady whom he greatly loved.
He was separated from her, which caused him
much grief. She died, and in his sad moments
he used to hum this air.'
" After a time this strange visitor added : ' I
will play it to you, and I shall take means to re
call it to your recollection.' '
" Thereupon he played the air upon the spinet.
" When M. Bach awoke in the morning, he saw
lying upon his bed a sheet of paper headed in old
' This tautology is not ours.

Appendix B. 383
French chirography the words, ' Air et paroles
du Boy Henry III. '
"It was a rare archeological specimen; the
notes minute ; the clefs there used in former
times ; the writing careful and old-fashioned,
with here and there the Gothic tails to be found
attached to certain letters in the manuscripts of
the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; the
orthography, too, that of two or three hundred
years ago.
" On playing the air at the spinet, M. Bach
recognized both the music and words of the
dream. He found moreover that the manu
script was part of a four-page sheet of music
paper on the first two pages of which he had
jotted down a composition the day before, leav
ing the sheet in his escritoire. How had it been
removed thence ? for M. Bach had never been
either a sleep-walker or a sleep-talker.
" M. Bach related these incidents to his friends,
and soon the matter became widely known.
Among his visitors were some spiritists who
suggested that the case was one of spirit-mani
festation. This was a new thought to M. Bach
who had heretofore had nothing to do with
spiritism. " One day, three or four weeks after his dream,
feeling a headache and nervous trembling of the
arm, the idea struck him that perhaps some spirit
wished to write through him and thus to furnish
an explanation of the mystery.

384 Appendix B.
" The result was that he received a communi
cation through automatic writing signed by the
name of Baldazzarini informing him that King
Henry, his (B's) master, had given him that
spinet and with it a verse written upon a parch
ment ; (quoting the verse). The parchment he,
Baldazzarini, when about to travel, had placed
within the spinet, in a small niche, on the left of
the key-board, ' where,' wrote he, 'it still is.'
" M. Bach and his son opened the spinet and
after diligent seaxch found the parchment in the
place indicated, and upon it was the verse quoted
in the automatic message with only a few words
different." (Mr. Owen quotes both the automatic version
and the original on page 419 of his book. On
page 420 is a facsimile print of the parchment.)
Among the slight differences between the
automatic version and the original was the word
ma interpolated and bracketed in the latter.
This puzzled M. Bach. But soon he received
through automatic writing the following message
from Baldazzarini :
" Amico mio : The King joked about my
Italian accent in the verse he sent with the
spinet. I always said ma instead of mais " {=but).
Now for the verification of these communi
cations in the light of historical record :
(1) The parchment with Henry Ill's sig
nature " was submitted for verification to ex
perienced antiquarians, and by them, after

Appendix B. 385
critical comparison, pronounced to be a genuine
autograph of Henry whencesoever obtained."
(2) The communication regarding King
Henry's "grande passion" is true to fact, for
he was enamored of the Princess Marie de
Cleves who died in an abbey.
(3) In the chronicles of the historian, Abbe
Lenglet-Du-Fresnoy, was found the foUowing

" In 1579, Baltazarini, a celebrated Italian
musician, came into France, to the Court of
Henry III."
(4) Mr. Owen subsequently found in a French
Dictionary of Musicians in the Athenaeum Library
of Boston the following notice :
"Baltazarini, an Italian musician, known in
France under the name of Beaujoyeux, was the
first vioUnist of his day. The Marechal de
Brissac brought him from Piedmont, in 1677, to
the Court of Queen Catherine de Medicis, who
appointed him her Director of Music, and first
valet de chambre. Henry III entrusted to him
the management of the Court f§tes," etc.
Upon this Mr. Owen comments as follows :
(p. 430).
"Baltazarini was, then, at Henry's Court, sur-
named Beaujoyeux — ' the handsome and the
joyous.' Compare with this the second line of the
stanza, as it appears on the discovered parchment :
' A Baltazarini, mon gay musicien — '
GoA, being the synonym of joy eux.

386 Apypendix B.
" But in the stanza (the automatic version) as
M. Bach's hand predicted it would be found, the
same Une reads :
'A Baldazzarini, ires bon musicien.'
" A trifling coincidence this. Yet a most sig
nificant one, because inconsistent with any
arranged scheme of deception. There can be no
stronger proof of authenticity than just such
incidental trifles as these."
" What shall we say," adds Mr. Owen, "of M.
Bach's story ? The documents from which I
compiled it were procured for me by an English
friend in Paris. . . . That friend, having
made M. Bach's acquaintance, obtained per
sonally from him all the particulars, with cor
rections of the newspaper statements " — (the case
was a seven day wonder in the Paris press) —
"and answers to various queries of mine sug
gested by the documents as I first obtained them ;
also, through M. Bach's courtesy, the various
photographs I possess," etc., etc.
The case surely will speak for itself. We may
safely challenge the most astute psychologist to
devise any theory aside from the spiritistic
which will satisfactorily explain the facts con
tained in it.
There are several other test-proof spiritistic
cases which we might cite did space permit. We
think, however, that the cases already placed in

Appendix B. 387
evidence are sufficient to convince any reason
able mind that spirit-communication is a fact of
modern occurrence.
To this conviction many eminent thinkers have
come : A. E. Wallace, Prof. C. De Morgan, Sir
Wm. Crookes, Camille Flammarion, Professor
Zollner, Professor Hyslop, Dr. Hodgson, F. W.
H. Myers, W. T. Stead, and the latest convert, if
recent Associated Press dispatches may be trusted,
is Dr. G. Lloyd Tuckey, who, according to Mr.
Edward T. Bennett, Secretary of the London
S. P. E. "has made important tests of trance
mediumship, and has been convinced of the
possibility of speaking with disembodied intelli
gences." We have purposely not placed in evidence the
materializing phenomena reported by Sir Wm.
Crookes and those witnessed by ourselves, inas
much as they are weak in those points whereby
personal identity is established. In no case does
the evidence seem to us conclusive that the
materialized form is the real departed person
that it purports to be. Mechanical fraud in the
cases to which we refer is in our belief out of the
question; nor can we work ourselves up to a
sufficient degree of credulity to think, as Dr.
Hudson contends, that a human medium could
by any " subliminal " T^ov^er produce such palpable
living beings, especially two or three simulta
neously. They are, we are persuaded, beings from
the other side temporarily clothed with material

388 Appendix B.
appurtenances ; yet beings of a decidedly inferior
order and moreover somewhat clumsy person-
ators, as note the case of the pseudo "Anna
C  " described on p. 130.
But the cases of telepathic communication
through mediumship, which we have just cited,
are, we think, sufficient to establish spirit-com
munication as a present fact in the most technical
and formal manner that could be desired. Their
evidential significance moreover is far-reaching, —
retroactive, we might say ; for they go far towards
confirming as valid evidence the age-long testi
mony of all races of men to discarnate spirit-re
turn; of which testimony that of the Bible
writers forms but a link in a long chain. They
effectually dispose of all reincarnation theories ;
they affirmatively answer the question, " If a
man die, shall he live again ? " and they give us
the assurance, not of faith and hope, but of posi
tive knowledge that those whom we " loved long
since " and have lost, are but " lost awhile " ; that
the sphere into which they have passed on and
up is not " an undiscovered country from whose
bourne no traveler returneth " ; that to some of
the sons and daughters of our fleshly humanity is
still vouchsafed the "discerning of spirits" by
that " one and the selfsame Spirit who divideth
to each man severally as He will."
§ 8. We must now turn aside for a moment
from strictly evidential to religious and personal
considerations.

Appendix B. 389
Our review of evidences has led us to spiri
tualistic conclusions. Are we then spiritualists ?
Yes and no. If spiritualism be defined as the
standing possibility, in aU ages, of manifestations
from the spiritual world, then we are spiritual
ists ; as we think every one must be who accepts
the New Testament as the record of an authori
tative revelation.
If however spiritualism be defined as a separate
religion under an official organization with tenets
based upon communications from the other side
denying all the essential teachings of Christ's
gospel, then we must place ourselves on record
as repudiating spiritualism. We do not hesitate
to say that if such denials have really been com
municated by discarnate spirits, the latter in our
behef are branded ipso facto as " not of God "
(1 John 4:: 1, et seq.).
To say that our belief in the standing possi
bility of manifestations from the spiritual world
commits us to the spiritualism of the anti-Chris
tian type were as just as would be the affirmation
that we must be Christian Scientists because we
believe in suggestive therapeutics !
For a clear and temperate statement of the
place in Christian belief of the sort of spiritual
ism to which evidences have brought us we would
commend the work of the Eev. Arthur Chambers,
a Church-of-England clergyman in good stand
ings — « Man and the Spiritual World."

390 Appendix B.
II. — Demonic Possession.
§ 9. " That evil spirits are permitted in some
ages of gross wickedness to possess men has been
the doctrine of the church in all ages, until the
cavils of some modern thinkers, more skeptical
than wise, brought it into question." '
That skepticism has laughed demonic obsession
out of court is a fact too well known. It has also
laughed at God, the Spiritual World, and super-
physical phenomena. Its cavils respecting these
have been silenced. Is its mirth over demons
well-grounded ?
§ 10. Before examining evidences of demonic
possession, let us satisfy ourselves that the New
Testament does really assert that men were pos
sessed of evil spirits, i. e., personal intelligences,
and not mere figurative personifications of dis
eases, evil thoughts, etc. ; for not only do mate
rialists pooh-pooh at personal demons, but many
who accept the New Testament as a record of
divine revelation do the same ; among others the
Christian Scientists who have resolved aU spirits,
good and evil alike, into principles.
We shall let the Eev. W. McDonald, author of
"Spiritualism," etc., speak for us:
" If you call these demons a personified prin
ciple of evil, you encounter the facts of a legion
of these evil principles entering into one man,
' Whedon's notes, Matt. 4 : 24 quoted in Eev. W. McDonald's
"Spiritualism," etc., p. 65.

Appendix B. 391
and that these personified principles of evil were
transferred from men to hogs.
"If you call them diseases . . . you en.
counter the difficulty that when these diseases
were about to be cast out, they express an earnest
desire not to be sent out of the country, preferring
to go into the swine, which request is granted.
That must have been a complicated disease of
which a legion are cast out of one man, and seven
go out of one woman.
" If you say that by devils is meant insanity,
you wUl encounter the difficulty of a legion of
insanities entering into one man, and then trans
ferred from the man to swine, at their own
request. "The New Testament writers clearly distin
guish between diseases of all kinds, and devils, or,
as they are sometimes termed, ' unclean spirits.'
Two texts must suffice : Matt. 4 : 29, ' And they
brought unto him aU sick people that were
taken with divers diseases and torments, and
those which were possessed with devils, and
those which were lunatic, and those that had the
palsy, and he healed them.' From this scripture
we learn that being possessed of devils was not
being sick with divers diseases and torments, nor
was it being a lunatic, a madman. What could
it have been to answer the description of the
writer ?
" Mark 1 : 34, ' And he healed many that were
sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils ;

392 Appendix B.
and suffered not the devils to speak, because
they knew him.'
" The additional facts in this case are the
knowledge displayed by the demons, and the dis
position which they manifested to speak. . . .
If these possessions were diseases, then diseases
have intelligence, volition, and the power of
speech. " All this was done in the presence of a people
who firmly believed in the reality of demoniacal
possessions. Now, if Christ did not cast out real
devils, He deceived the people by practicing a
solemn farce before them " (pp. 61-64).
That the Jewish people of that day did believe
in real demonic possession Dr. McDonald pro
ceeds to show by a citation from Josephus ;
" Who," as the author justly observes, "may be
regarded as a safe expositor of Jewish opinion
on this subject " (p. 65).
Josephus' words are, " Demons are the spirits
of wicked men, who enter into living men, and
destroy them, unless they are so happy as to
meet with speedy relief."
§ 11. We shall find corroborating modern evi
dences of demonic possession if we can point to
any case or cases of malicious or evil manifesta
tions by discarnate inteUigences.
We will not press the chief point made by
Dr. McDonald in the book just quoted from that
all the anti-Christian and anti-ethical deliver
ances given through modern mediumship are of

Appendix B. 393
demonic origin in that they come from a low
order of discarnate inteUigences, for we cannot
prove that they are not the vaporings of the
medium's subconscious mentality, and hence of
incarnate origin. All that we would safely ven
ture to say under this head would be this : If
there can be found any specific cases of spirit-
communication proved to be such under test-
conditions, — the test being the absolute exclu
sion of incarnate telepathy ; — and if these attested
spirit-communications be anti-Christian or anti-
moral in character, then we would have evidence
of demonic manifestations ; demons being de
fined agreeably with Josephus as " the spirits of
wicked men." Possibly an exhaustive investiga
tion of the voluminous spiritistic literature scat
tered abroad throughout England, continental
Europe and America would bring such cases to
light. We would commend this field of research
to those having leisure and inclination for it.
There are however other data which strongly
indicate that demonic possession is a modern
phenomenon. Those who will take the trouble
to read the reports written by the most reliable
and scientific investigators of mediumistic phe
nomena will find records of many cases of mali
cious spirit-control.
None, we venture to think, will question the
scientific standing of the late Paul Gibier, M. D.,
sometime head of the New York Pasteur Institute.
In his work " Psychism," he writes (p. 191), " In a

394 Appendix B.
general way, we scarcely deem it safe to give one's
self up assiduously to the practice of ' evocations ' :
one may not always receive whom one wishes,
and when the ' medium,' having become passive,
allows his animic energy {i. e., psychic force) —
to escape, any evil intelligence, becoming at
tracted by certain magnetic influences of an in
ferior order, any larva, as the occultists term it,
may take possession of it and cause irreparable
damage. " It is chiefly during seances taking place in
the dark that such events occur."
Dr. Gibier then cites several cases in point.
First is that of three English gentlemen who
were earnestly desirous of testing the allegations
of spiritism. They assembled in a room abso
lutely bare save three chairs and a table. Here
they sat down silently and in darkness.
" Suddenly," writes Dr. Gibier in his report,
" a strident cry of distress burst upon the silence
of the night. Immediately after a fearful noise
was heard and a hail of projectiles feU upon the
floor, table and observers.
" Filled with terror, one of those present
lighted a taper, as had been agreed upon, and
as soon as the darkness had given place to light,
two of them only stood in the presence of each
other, and saw their companion was missing and
his chair upset at the end of the room.
"As soon as they had recovered from their
astonishment, they found their missing friend

Appendix B. 395
under the table, inanimate, with his face and
head covered with blood.
" What had taken place ?
"It was seen that the marble mantelpiece,
broken in pieces, had been torn from the wall,
and cast at the unfortunate man's head."
Another case which Dr. Gibier relates is that
of a somewhat similar experience which befell a
Mr. P  , a distinguished member of the Parisian
press. In this case various musical instruments floated
about the room, one of them violently striking
Mr. P.  in the forehead and inflicting a wound
whose scar he carried for the remainder of his life.
Dr. Gibier also relates several thrilling ex
periences of his own in connection with medium
istic obsession by evil influence, in one of which
both the author and his companions had a most
narrow escape from death. The reader is re
ferred to pages 196-206 of Gibier's " Psychism."
These cases we cite as specimens of many
similar ones attested by equally eminent au
thority. They go to show that the " influences " opera
ting are extraneous to the psychic force of the
members of the circle ; for the subliminal depart
ment of the soul is controlled by the instinct of
self-preservation. If left to itself, it would auto
matically avoid any display or direction of
psychic force calculated to kill, maim, or injure
the subject.

396 Appendix B.
The only intelligent explanation of the phe
nomena described in these and similar cases is
that the forces were under the control of ex
traneous minds of a malicious and evil character.
The reader cannot fail to observe a striking
similarity between these manifestations and
those of a violent nature delineated in the gos
pels under the head of Demonic Possession.
§ 12. All the most reliable data which we
have examined under the general head of spirit-
communication constrain us to the following con
clusions :
(1) Spirit-communication has occurred in
modern times.
(2) Some of the communicating spirits, —
to judge from their manifestations, — are of an in
ferior and evil nature.
(3) Spirit-communication varies in degree
from simple telepathic suggestion to complete
control of the person communicated with; in
which case it amounts to obsession.
We may add that those cases of mental alien
ation exhibiting vicious mediumship, wherein the
phenomena are veridical and not hallucinatory,
are amenable to hypnotic treatment. In the
case of the insane, however, that is, where the
phenomena are purely pathological and subjec
tive, hypnosis is generally conceded to be ineffi
cacious.

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