FAT H ER H ER EDIA EX H IB IT: THE TOOLS OF TH E TR \ DE S p i r i t i s m a n d C o m m o n S e n s e

BY

de Heredia M. C . ,

“ Th e imprudent wh o run a fter the ” lo se own . spirits , their spirit

Mod er n Mir a cle J . B ois ( Th e )

85 S ns P . J . Kenedy o Publisher s to the Holy Aposto lic S ee

New Yo rk C PYRIGHT 1 2 2 BY O , 9 , P K DY S NS . ENE O . J

Pr inted in U. S . A .

GIFT To THE FATHERS A ND BROTHERS

OF THE NEW ENGLA ND AND NEW YOR K PR OVIN CES OF TH E SO CIETY OF J ESUS IN TES TIMONY OF GRATITUDE FROM THEIR EXILED MEXICAN BROTHER

Le tte r Fro m Th e A po sto lic D elega te

A osto c De e at on U n ted tates o f Amer ca p li l g i , i S i ,

1 8 1 1 B tmore treet Wash n ton D C il S , i g , . .

Nov 2 8 1 2 0 . . , 9

R EVER END FATH ER

Havin g a ssisted a t the two con feren ces which your

r everen ce so a ave in th s c t I am ad to ex ress bly g i i y, gl p

n I m e h m con ratu at o s . a d ted a so an d rate fu y g l i lig l g l , n ot on ly for th e p leasure given m e a n d the r est o f the

spectators but above all for th e good that such con ferences

will doubtless produce . Let u s always open more an d more th e eyes of the — — public especially Catholics to danger s o f Sp iritism ; m akin g them a t the same tim e realize that many ph e n omen a attr ibuted to a myster ious an d occult cause are r c c ev r r ck r edu ible to l e t i e y.

Acce t then th e r en ewed ex ress on of m sent men p , , p i y i t

n in h Lord I h v h f adm rat on . B ess ou t e a e t e o i i l i g y ,

easure to s n m se f pl ig y l ,

’ R everen e rvan i Ch Your c s se t n ri st,

GIOVA NNI B NZA O NO,

A v v di Me ten e De e at A rci esco o li , l g o postolico .

F C M e Hered a S R . . . d . i , J

H C C e Worcester Mass o ross o e . ly ll g , ,

’ Pu blish ers Fo rewo rd

The author of this book, Rev . C . M . de

Heredia, is so interesting a personality to so of meet , fascinating when he , a Jesuit dignity, is at play with his ghosts ” and ectoplasmic “ ” ’ spirits that we give here , for the reader s bene a n d o f fit , a short account description him as taken “ a n from interview , The Secret of Spirit Trick ” B os ton S un da P os t ery, printed in the y of

1 1 2 0 . March 4, 9 “ H Father eredia is a rather short , stocky man , o f o f Mexican birth , with a little forward thrust his head and two of the most a mazing blue eyes I ever saw . One moment they are looking at you , dreamily, quietly, almost sleepily . And the next they sha rpen to a point and ga ze through your f skull at the wall behind you . The e fect was most a discomforting to skeptic l me . “ Fo r Father Heredia is a master of magic and m stifica tion of y , a student in his youth the great o f o f Herrmann , an artist supreme the arts the medium and clairvoyant . Yet, as he told me , his PUBLI SHERS ’ FOREWORD delving into the mystery o f the shadowy world o f the unseen is only a hobby . Primarily he is a stu — dent a student o f the modern l a nguages and the

o f . classics , philosophy and science His father was a very rich Mexican , who had built a pri vate theater for him and his brothers . When any

a celebrity came to Mexico , the father arr nged to have him come and give a private performance ’ in the boys theater . Once Herrmann , the famous magician , was in Mexico , and performed before

a im the boys in their theater . The f ther was so ’ pressed a t the magician s skill that he arranged

in to have him teach the boys his art . With this ’ struction by Herrmann began Fa ther Heredia s interest in magic . All through his life he has fol lowed the various tricks o f the great magicians many o f whom have been personal acquaintances f o his . “ When spiritism became popular , he perceived

a that most mediums were but un dept magicians , and devoted his spare time to disclosing many o f ” so - their called mysterious powers . P J. Kenedy Sons C ON T EN TS ANALYTIC INDEX CHAPTER I

Th e Wor ld Wan ts to be Deceiver' PAGE5 m tifi e - n e a er M s d. o x an —likes to be y — Credulity of people gg ' n a a . a n a o an d . a a d tio G briel J g Leo T xi , his coll bor tors - fi i n —H h a e as a a . His mysti cat o . t ught C tholics lesson When we a re a t wa r we a r e prone to bl a me the enemy for — everything The evil spirits a r e not our only enemies . —S “ a a . o God uses second ry c uses the devil , the Ape of — a c a a a re a God . Bec use ert in phenomen inexplic ble , it does not follow tha t S atan is personally to bl a me CHAPTER II

’ The Or igin of S piriti s m

Th e a a a belief th t the souls of the de d communic te with us , m a n — a a a n a s a s . S old piritism , scientific lly spe king , is — a a a a a hypothesis . As religion , it first m de its ppe r nce in — F — — a a a n a 1 . o x s d 848 Mrs . Her experience M rg ret C th a e — a — a - to . T b rin Beginn—ing of their c reer he de th low a nd . a a S a . a a a piritu lism Mrs . M rg ret Fox K ne Mrs C th — “ rine Fox Jen cken ; their denunci a tion The New York ” “ —Th e a a World . re l origin of the r ps CHAPTER III Th e P sych o logy of th e Obs er ver

u — Spiritism cl a ims it h a s science to ba ck it p . Men of science n m e — rea a d rea l scientific n Prof . Hyslop ; his tremendous soning a bout Ga lileo a n d Copernicus a nd the discovery of a —S ir a an a Americ Willi m Crookes uthority on chemistry , a a n d a s — a but not on mor l religious m tter F cts , hypotheses n — a — a a re a d theorie s S ir Bertr m Windle . Gre t scientists — often like children in the occurrences of da ily life A ’ é a - a . s nce with a scientific observer . His secret ry s notes ’ — There is a nother way of looking at the a fi a in He sticks to - a his conclusions . Men who m ke a living writing books on —W e a ll the questions of the hour . do not ridicule scientific investigation x CONTENTS CHAPTER IV Th e P sych ology of th e Medium — — PAGES Mediums a re industrious peopl e They a r e organized A “ ” — a — a School of Mediumship . Priv te mediums . Eus pia Pa l — “ — a a n Defi n itio n a . a M l dino d E va C . of medium Wh t a r ’ -W a a a a . . a g ret Fox s ys bout mediums mor lity C . I . Cr w ’ — a a a n d a a ~— ford s opinion . Sir Willi m B rrett E—us pi . Com bina tion of fra ud a n d re al power expl ained Priva te me i m d u s y , b y y do n—ot work for mone ut the do get mo—ne for their work The f a scin ation for mystifying other s S cien ifi Eva an d a a — a t C . a c pride of . M d me Bisson Hum n n ture is human nature CHAPTER V Th e P sych ology of a S ea n ce

a an d s —Th e a Singing , d—im l mps , perfume spirits c nnot work otherwis e S c—ien tifi c opinion doubts the conclusions of Sir Oliver Lodg e Considera tion of the mediums inclines us to —A a —I — doubt their honesty sé nce . t is ove n Da rkness or a r a a a the feeblest of lights necess y for dv nced phenomen . a a — Emotion l sensitiveness tends to incre se . Disturbed sensi tiveness a a a a — h rmful for ccur te observ tion . Psychology of —S . a an d the crowd irs Willi m Crookes , Oliver Lodge Wil “ ” — lia m B a rrett ta ken in at a S ea nce Testimony of M a dame B —Th e a a lavatsky . hum n f ctor CHAPTER VI Wha t Ar e P sychica l P h en omena ? — Th e House of Spiritism built l a rgely of rubbish Confusion ’ a s r e a a — La on i s to just wh a t a psychic l phenomen Dr . pp -H a —Defin i a e h a s . wonderful sé nce . no person l exper—ience y a a —S b f t d tion of ps chic l phenomen ensi le ef ec —Provoke Th e y a n a a e Th e m—edium is onl in—strument l c us unseen a gent The principa l c a us e Diffe—rence between the force a n d the mind directing the force Wh at is mea nt by th e “ ” — words forces generally unknown Two types of psychica l -59 CHAPTER VII The R es ear ch f or P sychica l P henomena : Fraud

W a a a h — a a ha t we me n by psychic l rese rc Pheno—men th t a . a b , come under the study of iolog—y p thology, etc Psychic l a n d psychological phenomena Phenomena produced by CONTENTS xi

— m es s trickery or fra ud elimina ted Th e Indi an f akirs and Ja c ’ lli t —I ) r a a a n — l —Fr co o . . a a L pponi g i The f kir s funer . ’ — a a a a n D . E . e Ug rte de rcill s expl n—tio D Hom a n d his f a mous a ccordion How I off er the s a me demon — “ str ation in my lecture s T—he a fter tune th a t sta rtled Sir Willi a m Crookes so much Articles thrown a bout the room a - a an d a - in the d rk The Thom s D venport brothers J N . — M a skelyne exposes the fra ud S ir Con a n Doyle still puts a é a — S a y . a a f ith in rope t ing s nces— ome C tholics lso dm—it them a s genuine phenomena . S ealed envelope rea ding S pirit “ ” a — a a — photogr phy The F iries of Sir Con n Doyle . Hyslop ’ an d ain tin — a n spirit p g H Mrs Lee s psychic photogr phs a d a — a Dr C rrington . N mes of the grea test mediums detected — ’ in deceit Prof . Flournoy s opinion CHAPTER VIII

R esear ch f or P sy chica l P h en om ena : The For ce — Aga in the force an d the mind behind the force Phenomena of unusua l ch a ra cter which m ay be tra ced to some menta l — a —Claira ien a . a . u d c or physic l disorder , or both Cl irvoy ncy y . “ ” — — a a a H allucina tion . M teri liz tion is the scientific n a me for a — a n d fl a ghost Phosphorescence uorescence in miner ls, n a -Mr a a n d a pl ants a d a nim ls . . W lter J . Kilner the hum n — h r k- — a a S c en c . a ura . B ron von Notzing Autom tic writing its — — ff a a a a . y . b ph sic l p —rt Somn m ulism Di e—rent cl sses of som n m ulis a a a . a a b ts . Tr nce ; its physic l p rt Resembl nce to som l —R n d a — n a mbu ism a n d a a 1 . hypnotism p s ,— evit tion The force th at produces them still un—known Simil a r forces in n ature a a . a lo dstone , electrom gnets R ps under control ; experiment - m — n a . a a a ca of Prof . M xwell Hum n m gnetis Mediums th t a a — a levita te a wooden t able c nnot work on met ls . Eus pia ’ a a e — a decla an d met l orn ments on her tabl —Dr . Cr wford s a : a b b d a r tions the—t le must e of woo Spirits c nnot work with metal s Therefore the force or forces that levitate the ta ble seem to h a ve a natural origin 76-90 CHAPTER IX R esear ch f or P sychical P h en omena : The Messag e For the S piritist every un usu a l occurrence at a sé a nce is an f — a evidence for his belie The re l point is , the mind behind — ' — the force Therefore th e imp o rtan ce of the mess a ge W e —W e elimina te mess ages produced by trickery . must not judge the power of the message by the effect it produces on - - us D a a a . . ecl r tions of Fr nces Reed , one time public medium “ - - — h e a . T dope book . How mediums get inform tion xii CONTENTS

PA GES ” P i a wn —Th e B —H lant ng to —lue Book . ow a private medium g ot her i nformation Lip rea ders 9 1-100 CHAPTER X

R esear ch f or Psychica l P h en om ena : The Message fr o m th e S u bconscious Mind — — Powers of the mind We h a ve only one mind Conscious — “ ” ness a n d unconsciousnes s The terms subconscious an d “ ”— — unconscious . The mind like a n iceberg Impressions r e a at by a ; a a b c lled w—ill ment l processes impressio—ns th t c nnot e controlled Ten billion cells in our bra in How the sub — a a a . O j y . —conscious mind works ui giving fr gment of poetr All th at comes from the subconscious mind of the medium must be excluded 101-107 CHAPTER XI

P sychica l P h enome na — — Psychical phenomena exist Process of eliminatio n No m a b a a a a a definite conclusion y e re ched until e c—h p rticul r c se is c a refully exa mined a n d a uthentica ted Two fictitious — a n a - — ca se s The mess a ge of a unt by t ble tilting .—The mes a . a a o f T . Queen through utom tic writing The three s ge h J “ — : a different theories . Note We exclude re l knowledge of ” — the future 108 1 1 1 CHAPTER XII

Th e Dia bolic Th eory

In this theory the devil is the physica l ca use of the psychi a — d — ca l phenomen . The devil is the other min Possession ’ n —Fr a defin ition s — a a n d ob—sessio . Poul in s — W rnings of the R itual Tra nce a n d possessio n A f a mous ca se of posses a a a — a a ff sion in N t l , Afric There is— v st di erence between ordina ry tra nce an d —possession The a rguments in f a vor o—f the diabolic theory The devil h a s preterna tural powers . T a q a a a a here—is no de u te n tur l theory to expl in these phe m a Th e ff a re b a d . omen e ects ; therefore , it is the devil “ — a a The testimony of the spirits . This re soning litt—le spe i — a a a a f t c ous . S t n the mor l c use of the evil ef ec They - usu a l—ly a rgu e in genera liza tions Wh a t Prof . Flournoy s ays The diabolica l expl ana tion for all re al psychical phe — nomena is a theory 1 12 12 5 CONTENTS CHAPTER XIII

Th e Na tura l Theory PAGES Th are m a a ere ny theories , but m inly concerned w—ith the f or ce an d not with the min d controlling the force In the study of telepa thy m ay be found the rea l solution - Sir ’ — ’ . Mr a a Wm Crookes theory of psychic forces . . Denis s r di — ’ — — . a r od a a a a tions Cr wford s The str l body . Wh t R ymond a a it - a a tells his f ther, Sir Oliver, bout . The only n tur l a — a theory worth considering is telep thy . Genuine c ses of — - telep a t—hy a r e known How it expla in—s cross co r resp on dence Expl ana tion of our typica l ca ses This theory is in a —But a f an a a 126-1 2 its inf ncy . it f ords us expl n tion 3 CHAPTER XIV The S piritis tic Th eory Th e explanati—on o f our typica l ca ses very simple : the dis ca rn ate soul s Do not reject natura l theories ; nor the dia li al — a t m — bo c . But there is little the botto Its whole foun — h n a : . w a d tion is the word of the spirits But o —does y one kn ow tha t a disca rnate spirit gives a mess age There is n o a — a ll evidence th t is convincing For Spiritists is evidence . ’ - a Why don t spirits write mess ges by themselves , without ? —A a a. n the h nd of me—dium interesting letter from Mrs . d Mr 11. s a an s . a F . W . H . Myer The se led letter Verr S irit ram s — p g often come from the subconscious . Confusion — between sponta neous an d provoked phenomena 133 143 CHAPTER XV S piritis in a s a R eligion

The a -F0r religious system b sed on the Spiritistic theory . “ ” a —N e its followers every curious —h ppening is evidence . w methods of communica tion The ouija bo a rd the great — a a a a spiritistic receiver . Decl r tion of principles of the N tion l ’ — Spiritu a lists Associ ation of A—merica Spiritism not a scientifically demonstr ated f a ct But to dis cuss S piritism ad a a — we will mit for few moments th t it is so . The con n a — a trol a d the communic tor . Uncert inty about the honesty — can of the medium or the work of the subconscious . How — ’ we find out —th a t the control is honest S ir Con—an Doyle s own words Wh a t Sir Willia m B a rrett says Some of ’ S ir O — Feda s communica tions to good liver . Prof . Flour —T a a . wo noy summ rizes the situ tion messengers , both of — “ ” — them drunk And wh a t a bout the communica tor Doyle — ~ aga in Spirits on the first pl ane a re like recen -ly b 0rn xiv CONTENTS

em a —Th a b bies . e gre test number of communications come from — “ a e a a a this pl n To communic te with other pl nes , spirit ” a d — a re a a a rel y is require Spirits essenti lly hum n , is Cr w ’ e —T 0 y a , ford s experienc trust the t—estimon of person vera city an d knowledge a re required Moral impossibility of ’ a s — certitude through these ch nnel Prof . Flournoy s opinion . — a a s a Even dmitting Spiritism theory , there is little foun dation f or anythi ng that resembles a religion 144-159 CHAPTER XVI S piritis m and Morals Th e actual ignorance of the univers a l c ause of psychical p a way a f a a th e q hen—omen in no fects the mor l spect of ues tion Dealing with the abnorma l h a s a tendency to disturb ’ a — n d a m n s norma l ba la nce Superstitions beliefs a pr ctices . - — — The Holy Oth ee Th e Church knows best The S econd ’ a e — t a s — Council of B ltimor S . Thom s s word Condemned ’ t — - a — a a O . in Holy—Wri ver emotion lism Sir Willi m B rrett s opinion Communica tion with the da mned or devils can — a produce nothing but evil . They p y the price in some a a al —It a s a a ffli f shion , spiritu l or physic is house cted with a a e — a a some cont gious dise s C tholics promise in B ptism , to renounce the devil an d all his works 160-167 EPILOGUE — The Spaniard an d the news of the American W an S o the —W e a a a a Spiritists do . w nt to believe wh t is f vor ble to our —“ ? ”— present desire s Art thou He th a t a rt t—o come And so do the Apostles of the New Revelation Christ wa lks out —I a a i into the open . t seems work of desecr tion to nstitute - compa rison between th—e miracles of Christ an d th e so ca lled spiritistic phe—nomena Let those outside the Church think a s they wish It is our Fa ith th at a ffords us the beautiful —In a expl ana tions of the true spiritua l life — our mort l lives we must rely constantly on huma n f a ith Let us trust Him a Wh o is Our Fa ther a n d knows wh a t is beyond the gr ve . — S at Let the piritist , like the Hindu , when dying, clutch the — T 168 -1 a a C0w . a to t il of the S cred . Words of St P ul imothy 75 APPENDIX I

How I B eca me a S pirit Medium “ r a a An exce pt from Revel tions of Spirit Medium , pub 1 —A a lish ed i 89 . f w b in confession o deception hich eg n in — fun an d continued in e a rnest 177 185

Prolog ue

This book makes n o claim to be a scientific work . That its full significance may be under a stood by the verage reader , I have avoided as far as possible all technical expressions and refer m e ees . The book presupposes some little knowledge of

Spiritism , but not to such an extent as to prevent the ordinary m a n from understanding the argu w t ment and conclusion . It seeks to define just ha psychical phenomena are , and then discusses the advanta ges and disadvantages o f the various the ri f o es o fered to explain these phenomena . It is exh aus a brief treatise . It does not pretend to be tive . If Our Lord wills that it be profitable to

a . some , I sh ll be satisfied F u tni i t m a t n t eci od o a c an or a o e es . q p , f j p

I did what I could , let the powerful do more .

H D . . DE S . . C M ERE IA , J 2 2 1 2 2 June , 9 . CR oss HOLY COLLEGE,

Worcester , Mass .

S piritism a n d Co m m o n S en se

TH E D T BE D C D WORL WANTS O E EIVE . OLD P ( ROVERB . )

m s ifi a AN likes to be mystified . If the y t c tion is well done a n d appears to ha ve a founda tion in fa ct he is not only entertained but

a completely deceived . His natur l credulousness

a makes his deception easy . A wave of the w nd — and presto 'the rabbit appears from the hat . of But not only the feats magicians fool him . Magic is a sort of business nowadays a n d man is inclined to be more wary of its marvels than he is of h o f more mystical oaxes . Tell him some occult a rite , of some secret organization th t deals with of a a demons , some orient l cult th t is privy to the of of so secrets the nether world, some strange c iety that meets the spirits of the dead in unknown — caverns or far -away cita dels and he swallows

Not a a all . only does he delight in these f bric tions , h e as the child in t fairy story, but like the child, he v belie es . 2 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

o f a This credulity people is no ex ggeration .

to . History bears witness its truth Its pages , early and late , tell the story of secret formulae , strange rituals , alchemy, witchcraft , black magic , a n d o f satanic societies , the like , some few which

a may h ve had origin in fact , but most of which were merely the inventions of ingenious , shrewd , imaginative men and women , to mystify their fol no t lowers . And those who were duped have been only the illiterate and simple ; the erudite and trained and so-called intellectuals are in that band as well . My stifi ca tion is particul a rly effective when S a tan and his minions are introduced into the play .

a n not a There is example taken , from the d ys o f the Assyrian mysteries or Jewish ca balism or

a a the Fausti n years of the Christi n centuries , but from the eighties and nineties of the last century

a . in France , that illustr tes my point well It is “ ” of T x il the hoax the notorious Leo a .

a o an d A young Frenchm n , Gabriel J g , born in 1 8 54 at Marseilles , came before the public during the seventies as a vile and violent critic of the o f a Catholic Church . Because his vituper tive abuse o f religion and individuals he paid many 1 88 1 penalties o f fine a n d imprisonment . In he

a bec me a Freemason , but left the order in the same year . He tried various ingenious methods SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 3 o f keeping himself in funds and bringing himself Fo r a before the public . several years he h d ordi

in 1 . 88 nary success Suddenly, 5, he professed — in his conversion to the Catholic Church which , h a d by the way, he had been born and which he — . deserted early and after a renunciation o f for o f mer ideas and associates , and an expression deep contrition , he was received into the Church . Almost immedia tely a fter his conversion he began “ ” a f his revel tions o Freemasonry . In book and pamphlet he spread abroad the most blood-curd “ ” o f a ling revelations the Masonic organiz tion . Two years later he went to Rome where Pope Leo f r XIII received him and blessed him o his labors .

o f a He wrote under the pen name his early d ys , ” Leo Ta xil and under numerous other pseudo

a . nyms , and had many coll borators Church dig n ita r ies and influential Catholic laymen gave him their support . His popularity spread like that o f

the author o f a best seller . His revela tions f were o a startling character . He declared Free o f for masons to be worshippers Satan , and about

a twelve ye rs he wrote in his rapid , gripping style , f o the relations Freemasons held with the devil , o f their shocking rites a n d fiendish sa crifices in

o f . honor the King of Hell Very cleverly, he ” gave an historic background to his revelations , accentuating many points as from his own exper i ' 4 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

a ence . He invented ch racters , such as the notori “ ” ous Diana Vaughan , a woman who as a priest ess of Freemasonry, saw the devils themselves and professed to have been married to on e and car ff ried o by him to his kingdom . His imagina tion of and that his assistants wandered over the globe, placed mystic temples in Calcutta , Charleston , Na ples , Washington, and other places ; described ceremonies with Satan’s crew in a chapel in Sin a ore g p , in the Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, in labyrinths supposed to have been discovered in the Rock o f Gibraltar ; named the devils ; drew de a of t iled pictures them ; and in short , perpetrated n o f f o e the greatest hoaxes o the century . He identified Satanism and Freemasonry . The Ma

. Ta x il in sons protested , but in vain Leo was v ited to the anti -Masonic Congress at Trent in 1 8 6 9 , spoke there, and was welcomed among the high ecclesiastics . ’ ff Ta xil s No evidence was o ered . pastry was

a re dily swallowed, and the clever cook became a hero . For twelve years Ta xil and his colla borators

S . enjoyed themselves . Then the pell was broken o f And it was broken , not by the sudden sense the f on e o . audience , but by the action of the wizards - B a . a C . Hacks , a Germ n whose pen name was Dr ’ on e Ta xil s o f taille, of assistants , the author the

6 SPIRITIS M AND COMMON SENSE

it is to fool people , learned and unlearned . And I give it at the beginning o f these short talks on Spiritism tha t the reader m ay keep in mind

a . here fter this brilliant , gigantic fraud I do not sa a a say here, and I shall not y here fter , th t the - a a r e ll a a so ca lled spiritistic phenomen a ho x . I merely wish to make the point tha t it is very ea sy

a . for mortals , even in gre t numbers , to be fooled

Taxil a a n d has taught C tholics a lesson , that lesson we must not forget in our study o f Spir

itism on . . We must be our guard We must be a of - a very careful not to t ke the word non C tholics, however pretentious is the scientific authority that a on a pronounces it, when th t word touches m tters tha t have to do with faith and endeavors to declare

a or wh t we should should not believe . When we ’ a r e at war we are prone to blame the enemy s intrigue a n d the machinations of his a gents for a lmost every unusual mishap . The spiritual strug

of our a gle for the salvation souls is a w rfare .

We should take care that we , too, under such con diti n f r o s o . , do not blame the devil everything

a a on e f our a S t n is o enemies . But also arr yed a a ou r own g inst us are passions and weaknesses , a n d o f the insidiousness a deceitful world . The our devil is principal enemy, the master mind that tries with all the resources at his command to lead us to perdition . In his fight against man he is the SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 7

a o f moral gent disaster , and sometimes the phys a o f ical gent, as in the cases obsession and posses “ sion . He is the ape of God, to use St . Augus ’ tine s words , and he mimics in his plans the Provi o f dence God . As God uses secondary causes to our a direct steps heavenw rd, and seldom performs a miracles , so the devil uses secondary c uses , and rarely exercises his direct power . Hence we must ’ be careful not to confuse the devil s mor al in flu ence in our da ily lives with his physical in ter f er o f our not ence . Possession bodies is necessary f or him to induce us to sin .

Yet some writers , with the very honest desire o f o f making us avoid every semblance evil , por tray the devil as if he were working constantly h imm t A n against us in a p ysica l and edia e way. ecdotes and parables are an excellent instructive force . But they are but anecdotes and parables , n t and o facts . The devil can and may interfere a inves directly and physic lly . But a very careful tigation must be made before such interference a is proclaimed as his . Because certain phenomen are inexplicable it does not follow that Satan is personally to bla me . now With these few thoughts premised, we can o f ur proceed to a more intimate study o subject . TH E ORIGI N OF SPIRITISM

HE belief that the souls o f the dead can com mun ica te in a s ensible way with souls still on a old earth is lmost as as man . According to the teachings of the Catholic Church it is certain that such communication can take place and has taken place . But that this communication goes on pro m iscuously day in and day out ; that the souls o f the dead are hovering about the earth tipping ta on bles , rapping walls , playing tambourines , mov a to ing h nds write, materializing, superintending of the messages the ouija board, levitating heavy objects ; that these souls come n ot sp on ta neously but at th e bidding of earthly agents ; that these souls are repeatedly imparting information the n on sen great mass of which is trite , inapposite , s ical a , and often bl sphemous ; that they dictate instructions often contradictory, nearly always a n d vague confused ; that these souls , further a r e fo r more , working agents whose motives are v v usually mercenary, and sometimes e en ile 8 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 9 tha t such and S imila r activities have anything to do with genuine communication with the dea d is not merely doubtful but altogether unwarranted to S by fact , as I shall try how in the following pages . . a a h Spiritism, scientific lly spe king, is the y poth esis tha t through the mediumship of persons a n d a of a peculiar speci l sensitiveness , the dead can communicate with us . Spiritism as a religion

f h oth esis is the system o beliefs based on this yp . Spiritism as a r eligion first made its appearance f a in the middle o the l st century . It began with the demonstr a tions o f the fa mous Fox sisters . o f a The mother these girls , whose history I sh ll “ ” a a sketch l ter , he rd mysterious rappings in her

a f home . The f me o her discovery spread quickly throughout the neighborhood . “ I asked the noises to rap my children’s ages F x . o o f successively, said Mrs , telling the first “ on e experience . Instantly, each of my chil ’ a wa s a b e dren s ges given correctly, p using tween them sufficiently long to individualize

them until the seventh , at which a longer pause wa s a n d made , then three more emphatic raps w a e o f ere given , corresponding to the g the

little child that died , which was my youngest ‘

. a a a child I then sked , Is this hum n being ’ tha t a nswers my questions so correctly ? There ‘ P . : s ir it so was no rap I asked Is it a p If , 1 0 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

’ make two raps , which were instantly given as

soon as the request was made .

The moth er ’s narrative goes on into more de tail . But that was the beginning . Neighbors were called in . It was decided that the Fox chil dren had unusual powers Of communication . They were called here and there to give demonstrations .

The press took up their work . And the world wildly seized this excellent opportunity to be hum bugged . f r So much o the beginnings . I am now going “ to quote to some extent from a book, The Death ”

to . . Blow Spiritualism , by Reuben B Davenport The book is published with a facsimile o f a letter two o f Fox a n d from the sisters , signed by them authorizing Davenport ’s work and giving him full

a permission to use the d ta supplied by them . It is a book of revelations . The ‘rappings ’ produced by the ‘Fox sis ’ ters are certa inly the first of which there is an

authentic account . They began in a little rustic a a cottage at pl ce called Hydesville , in the town f o Arcadia , near Newark , Wayne County , New Ma r York . Here John D . Fox and his wife , two garet, dwelt with their daughters , Mar

a e . ga ret and C therin Two other children , Ann

S . . Leah and David , lived elsewhere “ or al Margaretta , Margaret Fox , as she SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 1 1

18 0 ways signs herself, was born in the year 4 ,

and Catherine Fox a yea r and a half later . “ Maggie and Katie Fox were as full o f petty devilment as any two children o f their a ge ever old were . They delighted to tease their excellent wh o mother , who , by all knew her , is described - as simple , gentle , and true hearted . In their antics they would resort to all sorts o f ingenious in var i devices , and bedtime witnessed almost “ ably the gayest o f larks ( The Death Blow ”

to . 8 1 et . Spiritualism , p seq )

1 Fox to In the year 847 Mrs . began hear the Fox mysterious raps . Then the sisters became famous mediums , giving séances in America and — ' Europe and modern Spiritism was begun . In

18 F x n f 88 . o o e o , Mrs Margaret Kane, the sis ters , made the following confession in a New f York paper o that year . Herein she blames her

- older sister , Mrs . Fish , twenty three years her f or f senior, having led her into the practice o

Spiritism .

When Spiritualism first began, Kate and I old were little children , and this woman , my a other sister , m de us her tools . Mother was a

. wa s a a silly woman She fan tic . I call her

that because she was honest . She believed in

these things . Spiritualism started from just

nothing . We were but innocent little children . ? Ib What did we know ( . p . 12 SPIRITI SM AND COMMON SENSE

of I knew, course , then , she says , at a later “ ff ah date, that every e ect produced by us was um solute fraud . Why, I have explored the a a n known as far as hum n will c . I have gone to the dead so that I might get from them some o f it— little token . Nothing ever came nothing, ”

I . . . b nothing ( , p

Fox en cken f Mrs . Catherine J , the other o the younger sisters , soon after sustained Mrs . Kane in her denunciation . Spiritualism is a humbug from beginning a o f to end . It is the gre test humbug the cen tury Maggie and I started it as very lit

tle children , too young , too innocent , to know

what we were doing . Our sister Leah was - o f twenty three years older than either us . We ot wa g started in the y of deception , and being on o f encouraged in it , we went , course 1 b ” p .

z i 8 st 18 8 . On the of October , , Mrs Margaret Fox Kane first fulfilled her intention o f publicly denouncing Spiritism and its attendant trickery . She appeared a t the Aca demy o f Music in New York and before a large a udience demonstra ted the method she had used in producing the strange “ rappings .

I am here tonight , she declared from the “ on e platform , as of the founders of Spiritual a ism, to denounce it as an absolute f lsehood

14 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

we first got the idea o f producing with the j oints S imilar sounds to those we h a d ma de

by dropping apples with a string . From trying it with ou r fingers we then tried it with ou r f or feet, and it did not take long us to find out tha t we could easily produce very loud r aps by the action of the toe-joints when in contact with any substance which is a good conductor of

sound . My sister Katie was the first to dis cover tha t we could ma ke such peculi a r noises ur a with o toes . We used to pr ctice first with on e foot and then the other , and finally we got ” I b . so we could do it with hardly an effort . ( , 0 p . 9 Thus was born the famous cult that has held the stage with varying degrees o f popula rity for half a century and in these days has attracted the “ ” a t scientific mind . Of this mind I shall speak more length later . For the present I am not ques tion in g whether the Fox sisters developed f a cul ties different from those exercised in the m an ipu

- or a lating of toe joints , whether mediums tod y have powers which were not employed in the f S methods o these sisters . I want to how clearly that Spiritism originated with a fraud , that the phenomena for the explanation o f which the hyp othesis of Spiritism was put forward were o ut produced purely by trickery . I want to bring o f Fox that Spiritism , in the case the sisters , SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 1 5 started with a humbug that would have delighted

L eo Taxil . It is an hypothesis not excogitated by o f the genius a Newton , but by a frightened mother to explain the very ordinary antics of her en childr . TH E PS YCHOLOGY OF TH E OBSERVE R

T is frequently said : Spiritism has Science to ” back it up . Just exactly what that means is nl very hard to determine . It certai y does not mean that science as represented by its aca demies a n d universities has declared the hypoth esis of f t Spiritism lifted to the dignity o fa c . Nor does it mean tha t a number of men who have the right to be called s cien tis ts have declared for the same a om of belief . It may me n that s e men good stand ing have , in a genuinely scientific spirit, examined it . Or it may mea n that two or three men who rank high in some particular branch of science f have declared in favor o the hypothesis . In this last case there is at least something definite . It f or - means , example , that a well established chem ist and a well-established physicist have investi ga ted spiritistic phenomena and proclaimed Spirit ism a very credible hypothesis or pronounced “ ” a u that there is something in it . Why their thor ity on chemistry or physics should be trans ferred to quite a different sphere and considered 16 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 1 7 authoritative in regard to Spiritism is a little mystifying . Such a conclusion would seem to imply tha t because a man knows much on on e subject he knows much also on another subject . And why this transferred authority should estab lish that “ Spiritism has Science to back it up ” is too much for my humble intelligence . ”— This is a n Age o f Science to borrow the of phrase of the Sunday supplements . The work science in the past fifty years has been little short o f a marvelous . Patient , careful work, illumin ted a t r inte vals by flashes of brilliant genius , has added enormously to the sum of human knowl edge . w Men , however , ith little training and less men tal equipment have strutted before the populace with stolen prestige and pronounced themselves

‘ scientists . Oh , the credulous people again

a . Admiration bec me adulation The crowd, as it “ ” S — to always does , lopped over use a vulgar but ff e ective phrase , and accepted these professors with large letters after their names as authorities not only in the work to which they had devoted in a ll thin s on th their ordinary abilities , but g e h a n d under n ea th t ear t a n d a bove i . Especially have they dogmatized on religion . The crowd at the end of the la st century listened to them with such earnestness that it still sedulously believes 18 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

them, even though the hypotheses on which they

a built their te chings have gone up in smoke . — To these pseudo-scientists you can find their

ou on ideas yet among y , the lecture platform , in

— I n o newspapers , books and pamphlets will give more attention . Let me mention only the late

o f Professor Hyslop Columbia University, who , while far above them in mental power , was a fol

o f lower of their methods . Though a professor logic and ethics , he was caught up in the same boastful spirit that encouraged careless thought

o n and downright inaccuracy . In his book Spir “ itism o , C ntact with the Other World , he tells , “ f or example , how Copernican astronomy estab lish ed the falsity o f on e of the fundamental tenets ” on S o f the Church (p . He goes to how h ow the discoveries o f Copernicus and Galileo “ were preludes to the final overthrow o f ecclesi i st cal . a domination (p And then , in his usual apodictic manner , he declares this new astronomy gave impetus to the curiosity which led to the theory o f Columbus tha t la nd a should be found on the opposite side of the e rth , and the discovery of the new world was only another result o f the initial conception o f ” Copernicus (p . Tremendous reasoning, is it not ? Shattering and overwhelming when SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 19 one remembers that in 149 2 Copernicus was a boy o f 19 years and Galileo was not born . a In other words , G lileo , who was to come some seventy yea rs later ( Galileo was born in 1 564) and Copernicus , who was a toddling infant when Columbus conceived his idea a n d a boy when he put it into action ( Copernicus was born in 1473) “ were to overthrow ecclesiastical domination with their “ new astronomy” and furnish Colum bus with the theory and impetus that led him to discover the new world . Such reasoning from a

s o n e not profes or of logic might amuse , did see a so obviously the motive behind the f lsification .

And yet , Professor Hyslop, for a large number o f for on people, has been years the last word

Spiritism . I shall now leave pretenders and pseudo -scien i f i t r t sts . a o s cien t s s e Hereafter when I spe k , I fer to those men of deep knowledge , gained and verified by exact observation and correct think ing, whose work and authority in at least one sub ject entitle them to consideration . Sir William f or Crookes , example , is an excellent authority in o f chemistry . When he speaks chemistry all do a well to listen . It takes man of the calibre o f Berthelot to ca ll either his reasoning or his facts n r into question . But when he speaks o moral o ff religious matters the situation is di erent . His 2 0 SPIRITI SM AND COMMON SENSE carefulness and superb work in chemistry demand ou r that we give him attention , but by no means our credence . I have already mentioned one rea son why this is so : because a man knows much

on e a about subject and its correl ted branches , it in no way follows that he knows as much a bout a subject that is altogether different . His knowl edge o f the former subject is more a pt to be a hindrance than a help . It is true that he brings to his n ew studies on e excellent preparation : his mastery of the scientific method of exact observa tion and careful thinking . And yet , paradoxical though it sounds , when it comes to the investiga o f tion spiritistic phenomena, it is this prepara tion and, indeed , his whole training , that allows him to be fooled, and to be fooled much more eas For ily than alert men of ordinary common sense . or here a factor insignificant in , entirely absent from , his scientific investigations , looms big . The “ ” human element enters into the equation . Just why the careful scientist is so easily misled in his study of the devious ways o f Spiritism I shall try S to how in the pages that follow .

on e a a First of all , must cle rly understand that fact is not a theory ; and an hypothesis is not a theory . An hypothesis is merely a supposition that is advanced a s a temporary explanation . Suf fi cien t S evidence may how that it works as a rule ,

2 2 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

science and if on ninety-nine subsequent occa sions it h a s been found tha t the supposed reve a wa s a l tion only a dre m , let us on the one hun dred and first occa sion ha ve the humility to sa — y as indeed most o f the real frame r s of hy ‘ p oth eses have said : This is a possible explana tion o f the fa cts to hand ; let us see how it ’ a will fit in with later discoveries . It is bun dautly clear tha t we are not familiar with a ny a ll thing but the fringe of science . F cts of a a r e a a kinds yet w iting discovery, and when dis covered it m ay be found tha t they upset some ” o f our a most cherished beliefs , as r dium did . ”

a n d . 1 2 0 . 06 The Church Science , ed 9 , p 4 , D . . . S c . . Sir Bertram C . A Windle , M A , M . D . , ,

LL . D . ,

Now Wh , y is the scientist prone to be misled in his inquiry into the phenomena o f Spiritism ? A man of science is accustomed to la ws o f na ture that are constant and to a pparatus tha t is r e

a liable and exact . In his scientific investig tions he is not a ccustomed to count upon huma n malice and fraudulent skill . So it happens that great scientists are often like mere children in the o c cur ren ces o f daily life . Furthermore , the seien tist always tries to observe the phenomena o n ea ch occasion under exactly the same conditions . a f or Fin lly , he is alert an explanation that will be scientific .

Attend, let us suppose , a séance with a scientific SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 2 3

v Obser er The medium is a woman . Immediately we see that the phenomena to be investigated are not the phenomena o f a chemical reaction o r o f a n o r o experiment with light , of any rdinary sci ifi “ ent c . a test Besides , we remember that the p ” a but o f ex p ratus is not mechanical , human and tr eme s ensibilit — y the medium . With her , let us a e — say, is her ch peron . Of cours not only to help her in her trances but to be on ha nd for an emer geney and to protect her . She is working among

e men and must undergo inv stigation . Surely a Ob chaperon can be admitted . Mr . Scientific server is agreeable . Several doctors and men o f science examine the medium . The examination is scientifically com l n a o f ete . o p There is ex mination the room made , f for it is the home o Mr . Scientific Observer . The positions of ea ch observer a n d o f the chap eron are scientifically arranged . Dressed in tight fitting clothes furnished and scientifically exam

i . . n e . O d by Mr S , the medium enters the cabinet

u . a s and draws together the c rtains The light, a requested by the medium , is red, and sh des all ’ with a sort o f penumbra as in a photographer s

too . developing room . That is but scientific Can you develop a photographic plate in full light ?

N . o . Neither can the medium her powers It

a s must be dark . She is , besides , sensitive as a 2 4 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

n bromide plate , and any strong light may bring o o r a sudden faint hurt her for future experiments .

Mr . S . O . very scientifically observes all the con i i n d t o s . Near the red light is a secretary who takes notes f o . even the most trivial happenings Then , the

a f medium asks them to sing . The vibr tory key o the investigators must be at least similar to that n f o f the medium . Singing is o e o the simplest a n methods of obtaining d attuning vibrations .

They begin intoning a religious hymn in low , quiet voices . There is a strange tenseness in the air . a o f The extraordinary m nner this experiment , no

on e . matter how often repeated , makes thoughtful Wha t may not come from the Gr eat Unknown ?

O . . Mr . S . , however , is emotionless He is ff not impressionistic to such e ects . He sits rigidly and watches with the care tha t has always marked his investigations . Let us glance at the secre ’ tary s notes : a nd At 8 p . m . medium goes to cabinet singing a r e begins . At they still singing ; sobs

a a are he rd from the c binet, the medium is moan “ ” “ a com eb ing . M rgot, Margot , cries her voice , ” hypnotize me . The chaperon goes swiftly to the a ca binet . The hypnosis takes but minute . The chaperon returns to her sea t . medium is breathing more quietly . medium draws Z FATHER H ER EDIA DE MON S TR ATE S A FA K ED MATER IALI ATION . ( S EE A PPEN DI X 11)

SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 2 5

n open curtains with her ow hands . a vague a e f white spot pp ars over the head o the medium .

the blurred spot resembles a human face .

it is a face . At understood signa l from me dium three swift flash-light photographs are taken . Mr . S . O . puts in new plates . “ medium calls faintly for help . Margot 'Mar ” got l she cries . The chaperon hastens to the cabi on a net . leaning the ch peron , exhausted

a - and h lf dazed, the medium leaves the cabinet . a c binet is thoroughly searched . Medium a lso undergoes a nother examination . Result neg

on . ative . Nothing is found medium or in cabinet

a a a r e . The sé nce is over . The pl tes developed ’ Tiny face of a woman is visible over medium s head .

It has been a strictly scientific experiment . All preca utions possible have been taken . There is only one conclusion : the medium is a real mate

lizin f r ia g medium . The materialization o a face visible to the eye and caught by the camera is an ff ’ e ect of mediumistic powers . The medium s ecto plasm brought abo ut the materialization . The existence o f the ectoplasm is the only possible ex ex er i planation . The proof is scientific . The p ment is conclusive . Ob However , with the pardon of Mr . Scientific

z . server , we will analy e the experiment There 2 6 SPIRITI SM AND COMMON SENSE

a o f f happens to be nother way looking at the af air . a f The chaperon is confederate o the medium . o f Inside a specially made comb , the medium very cleverly conceals a piece of muslin which forms o f the material the materialization . The cha peron

a conceals in her handkerchief , which is double f r a on e a o . , more m terial materialization In ca se — o f necessity she off ers it to the medium the me ium h d . e is perspiring, of course When S has it— — used just for a minute , you know she returns

a it to her chaperon . The medium while in the c bi net fixes above her . head the ma ter ialized m uslin

a ce . f Lo , when she draws the curtains wide the materialization appears . The camera catches the face before it vanishes— as it does when the chap a eron goes to the c binet . Thus we have an ex tr a r din a r f a a a o y case o m teri liz tion .

a . h a s Mr . S . O . is well ple sed He enjoyed for some years n o petty reputa tion as a biologist . He writes an article o n his experiment . Is not his word sufficient tha t every scientific precaution has ? For been taken Perhaps a friend laughs at him . a moment he doubts , we may imagine . Then he has a picture of himself before the eyes o f the m a n neighborhood and beyond , as a of reputation

a . No . fooled by a clever wom n , no He sticks to his conclusion . There are more experiments and more conclusions . He publishes a book, with data

2 8 SPIRITISM AN D COMMON SENSE here and in Europe devoured whatever they could al lay their hands upon concerning Spiritism , though it proved the veriest trash . And as bad food invariably helps to spread an epidemic , this silly, unreliable literature has done more than any thing else to augment the spirit -ma nia of these last years . I do not exaggerate . On my desk and around it, there is heaped a mass of evidence as flimsy and allegations as ridiculous as ever were gathered to uphold any wild supposition in the o f history the world . It must not be imagi ned that I consider all p sy chical phenomena ludicrous or easily explained . There are some very interesting aspects of this a new study to which I shall come later . A hum n being is different from a lens or a mathema tical ’ o f problem . It has a soul , and a study the soul s strange powers leads on e to the entr a nce of an unexplored world , at the edge of which we stand f r wh o expectant, waiting o him shall first dis close its riches . Nor must it be thought that I am

a ll ridiculing scientific investigation . On the con tr a r - a y, sensible , cool he ded , resourceful scientific investigation is the on e eff ort needed to prick many bubbles hovering over us . Until very lately , materials carefully ga thered and disinterestedly

a put forth have been lmost entirely lacking, but in the past years better work has been done . SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 2 9

If, in the experiment given in detail above o f a n which, by the way, is a transcription actual — experiment the scientific observer had enga ged on e o f the matrons from the Customs House to search carefully both medium and chaperon , if he of a o f had , regardless the f inting proclivities the on medium , turned a brilliant white light during the experiment , I , for one, would have given much more heed to his conclusion . But these scientific observers of spiritistic phenomena seem to be sof t

a hearted fellows , little out of place at a séance, where they tiptoe about gently, not to err against

r ca u propriety . In their works they list the p e a r ecau tions t ken , and usually you find that the p tions are a na logous to those they would take with

a a piece of mechanical app ratus . The subject calls a for re l scientists , long experienced in handling

a c ts the human problem , who can gather f , not weave fancies and suppositions , who can present

a a those facts in a str ightforw rd, unbiased fash i n — n f o . a a d o If , at l st , there is hope it now sufficien t - , well founded information can be gath ered, then it will be possible to frame trustworthy explanations . THE PS YCHOLOGY OF TH E MEDI U M

D M n ME IU S may ot be the best class of peo ple , but they certainly are a clever , indus “ tr iou f s class o people . The greatest magician in ” a the world, who used to hire the town h ll , the

- - — sleight of hand man who with his sleeves rolled old up, entertained at the whist club , even the

- fortune teller with the shrewd eye, who would read your pa lm and pry the secrets from her

f or a a ll greasy cards half dollar , are gone . The

n world moves o . Now we have scattered across “ ” - - d . . o S o the country M S and . Famous Me ium of Thousands them everywhere , with full equip

to a n d ment , eager to summon souls converse per form for a price that is judiciously ada pted to your

a nd o f . a gullibility the size your pocketbook Al s , tha t the poor gypsy with her tattered shawl h a s gone 'There wa s something picturesque a bout her , something romantic , something in her wiles a n d wa riness tha t wa s obvious a n d moved your

. a heart But these new est blishments , most of them ga udy pl a ces with heavy hangings and dim 30 SPIRITI SM AND COMMON SENSE 3 1

lights , pretending in atmosphere and decoration to or on e orientalism some exoticism , fill with a a strange disgust . They prey on the most s cred f on e memories o man . There never finds the

o f a gusto of the wizard the f ir , the gaiety of the side S how . People want to be mystified . They

too e crave humbug . But it seems bad to feed th m

a in this way, to c pitalize their love for their dead and their yearning for immortality . n These mediums are organized . They are co sta n tly on the look-out f or new devices and f or ” new methods of communication . They have writers and a press . They take up the cudgels h against those w o oppose them . Few of them are honest . Those few may have some abnormal de velo m en t a s o p , , for instance , an ability to g into a o r o an ctual trance , a feeble telepathic p wer , which they capitalize . The others are downright “ O- a a - fakers . I refer to the S c lled p y mediums “ ” or , to use another phrase , public mediums , the people who put the room in darkness a n d flash phosphorescent drawings before strained eyes ; the people who give to pathetic creatures card boards with rings o f crudely-painted flowers on “ ” which is written From Mother ; the people who “ ” sell double exposures as spirit photographs . “ I have a circular o f a school o f mediumship o n before me my desk . It reads 32 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

A LFR ED BE NZ ON—MODER N S P I R I TU ALI S TI C P H ENOME NA CO MPLETE COU R S E

In itiation Fee ( on e th ousand dollars )

Con si sts o f the followin g e ff ects :

Sl a t e Writin g Materi alization C abin et S ean ce B a llot Tests Tr u m p et Sé an ce Va se o f I sis Ph h R o e T n Spi r it o tograp y. p yi g

I presume the initiation fee is high to insure

— a t that you will do no talking least , until you im ha ve ma de some profit . And then it is very

a a prob ble th t you will desire to stop your income .

NO a a o n , fter a p yment you will hold to a wh tever secrets you obtain . Everybody is not lucky enough to be a ble to take advanta ge of such a - n high class educatio . Many poor mediums have own to struggle along and use their wits .

a o f There is nother type medium , however , “ ” known as private . These mediums oftentimes have unusual powers . They are not supposed to ” for work for money . They work a great deal o f f or purposes psychical research , the advance ment of science . They may not take fees , but as very few of them appear to be wealthy altruists , we cannot doubt that they are the recipients o f a n d fo r gifts , now and then receive rewards their a services . There is no reason to indic te why they un should spend their time working for nothing, SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 33

To be less it be for the fun they have . this type long the famous Mrs . Piper , Eusapia Palladino “ ”

Eva . and the present materialization medium, C o f We shall glance at the psychology both types , and thus be able to formulate some idea of what “ ” is meant by the word medium . ( See Appendix

II . ) su os ed A medium, by definition , is a person pp to be qualified in some specia l manner to form a link between the living a n d the dead . When de ou f or ob pendent the public their livelihood , it is vious that the most appropriate thing for them to l m a n do to . ot , is p ease the public It y be always ethical , but that is another matter . The desires You of the people today run strong . cannot l - Y o d . ou amuse them with the , time worn tricks cannot startle them by dropping nickels down on f your sleeves . A public medium lives the a f vor o . the public She must eat, I suppose, and dress , and have a place to sleep . Often she has a family . She must have money . Suppose ( and this is a far -fetched supposition) she really has some power She finds clients in the waiting

a room , and yet to save her life she cannot at th t moment go into a trance . What does she do ? “ ” Not n . o She fakes a trance once, but every “ occasion . Then, she discovers that Madame ” Somebo dy-or-o ther across th e street is making 34 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE more money by introducing new apparatus and l r new foo e s . She imitates . She studies the fine f points o fooling the public . She adopts recog a n ized methods . Perhaps she invents little f n scheme o her ow . It works . It means more

S o . money . , the story goes Very often these mediums are evil women in league with other women and men . They go into i Sp ritism to fleece the public . They stop at noth be ing . They betray every trust . Their rooms come more than offices for communication with

Do ou a the dead . y know th t there is something behind the shadowy mask o f Spiritualism that the ? ” public can hardly guess at asked Mrs . Margaret

F x n f o o e o S . Kane , the Fox isters , in her remorse

And she tells what the public can hardly guess at, “ but I will not reprint it here . ( The Death Blow ” a 0 to Spiritu lism, Davenport, p . 5 , o n Many mediums , the other hand , start in the 1

f . spirit o fun . They begin innocently enough

a a In rare c ses , their ttempts to amuse themselves and others , uncover some peculiar faculties in

for themselves , instance , an ability to produce “ ” r raps . But , as a rule , they delight their sitte s or with a product of their ingenuity, with a trick “ ” that is old stuff for o n e who has been follow f or ing séances , but is startling those who have

See Appendix I .

36 SPIRITI SM AND COMMON SENSE

ffi di cult for a medium , even if she possesses some n ot to power , to deceive, than stop her deception o n after she has practised it a few occasions . When we examine the cases of priva te medi E a s or va C . ums , such Eusapia Palladino , the ff a result is but little di erent . Eus pia Pa lladino for many years before her exposure was con sid ered an extraordinary and genuine medium . There is little doubt that she possessed unusua l

a s a t power . But who could tell whether she w tempting fraud or not ? Sir William Barrett wrote although Eusapia appears to have these a a a low supernorm l powers , she is medium of im os moral type , who has been convicted of p ture in both England and America and with a a whom , therefore , I should not c re to h ve any a sittings . My re son for referring to her at all h a s a a n d in str uc is the notoriety she g ined , the tive psychologica l and mora l considerations her ” “ a ff f c reer a ords . ( On the Threshold o the ” 6 Unseen , p . 7,

This combination o f fraud and real power is f “ easily explained . A person o unusual medium ” istic a a s . power is abnorm lly sensitive , a rule

For a or example , she c nnot go into a trance levi t f ta e every hour o every day . If she is not in the n ot on proper disposition , if the mood is her , she SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 37

r e cannot produce any phenomena . There are no r sults o poor results . Sometimes she will confess

her powerlessness in all honesty . Sometimes she will pretend impotency that a sitting may be post poned and more information be a cquired in the in a terim . But most often when there is an import nt t h e demonstration to be held, and she is medium , and men of prominence are ga thered and a ll a r

rangements are completed, even though she feels or helpless , she will determine somehow other to so ? see it through . Why is this

Private mediums do not work for money, but

in they do get money for their work . Someone ter ested in Spiritism or science rewards them fo r

their time and labor . It is their work that has helped many an ordinarily feeble trea tise on p sy

chical research to enjoy a second or third edition . It is they who today furnish the plot for the sci n ifi - e t c best seller . Private mediums pursue a “ ” more remuner a tive business than public or pay a mediums , except in rare c ses . The great artists tha t graced the courts of kings in olden days were

- not forced, as were their less gifted brethren , to a t for sell their work the market a livelihood . They received bounteous gifts a n d were the r e i ien ts c p of many favors and honors . The private medium today is subject to much consideration by o f scientific men and men power and prominence . 38 SPIRITI SM AND COMMON SENSE

benefi cent au They are her patrons , and also the no thors o f her fame . She gains t only reward but prestige and influence . So , the medium, as in the f a case o Eusapi , feels bound to reciprocate kind ness and consideration . Besides , she is loath to afford even on e opportunity f or detracting from f the reputation o her ability . She wishes to give satisfaction . That is her professional pride . The attitude, at least, is human and very pardonable . The occasion arises when she is not in a spirit to give a satisfying sitting . She realizes that gen uiu c phenomena for that day at least are impos n ot sible She must disappoint the gathering . S ff She resorts to some imple and e ective ruse . It is doubly effective because o f her established repu tation . The deception is successful beyond ex n f pecta tio . She has a scientific reason or every move . A little artifice, unsuspected by the unwary scientific investigator , does the trick . For the f flash of a moment she feels the thrill o the artist .

The fascination for mystifying others , so promi nent in the history of human motives , grips her . After the sitting she feels a glow of satisfaction

f . and pride . Perhaps she has a vein o fine humor o r All alone , with her accomplice , she enjoys an o f - hour pleasant laughter . These serious minded , o f profound men science , lacking the simple wis dom of a child who would have seen through it SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 39 all ' What a chapter for a book 'And so she f starts down the facile and pleasant road o deceit . She has the experience of others before her as a warning . She will not , she determines , be caught a as was Eus pia Palladino . Perhaps she never is . But perhaps there comes a day when a little slip o ccurs and among her sitters is a shrewd and sen sible eye , and her day as a reliable sister of science is over . If , besides her professional and per “ ” a son l pride, she possesses the scientific pride , as

‘ do Eva C . and her chaperon , Madame Bisson , she has another motive tha t strengthens her deter “ ” mination , I must not fail . Her anxiety for suc cess is greater . She resolves , above all , to satisfy .

And usually she does . What are the conclusions of this chapter ? That there are no unusual phenomena contributed ? by mediums No . Some mediums undoubtedly f a ford, without fraud , remarkable evidence . The power that accomplishes this and exactly what

a . this evidence is , are subjects for l ter chapters Just now I want to impress the mind with this consideration : whether a medium is public or pri a or resum vate , of gre t reputation small , the p p tion is always -against holding his o r her phe n m n a o e a genuine . S id Sir William F . Barrett , 1886 quoting a paper contributed by him in , to the Society o f Psychical Research : 49 SPIRITI SM AND COMMON SENSE

reviewing the numerous séances I have attended with different private and professional 1 a mediums during the last 5 ye rs , I find that by f a r the larger part o f the results obtained h a d absolutely no evidential value in fa vor of Spir itualism ; either the condition o f total da rkness a n r e forbade y trustworthy conclusions , or the sults were nothing more tha n could be explained

by a low order of juggling . A few cases , how ” “

out a s . ever , stand exceptions ( On the ”

o f . Threshold the Unseen, p

Human nature is human nature . As we said f above , it is even more di ficult for a medium never

to to deceive , than change her course after she has practised deception o nce or twice . TH E PSYC HOLOGY OF A SEAN CE

e a OME day, perhaps , th re will be est blished a

a a scientific lly equipped , brilli ntly lighted lab oratory for the investiga tion o f the va rious a ecom plishm en ts of mediums . The human machine will then be subjected to the calm, critical , careful ex amination that mechanica l experiments now u n

der o . g Singing, dim lamps , perfumes , heavy drap a n d a a o f eries , accomplices , the other ppend ges a séance will be ruled out. But the medium will not agree to such conditions . Does she not need every natural aid to reach the sensitivity that will allow the spirit to communicate through her ? f r True . But so much the worse o the medium and Spiritism . That a table is lifted by a human being under certain conditions may have some a facts to uphold it . But that the t ble is lifted by a spirit working through this human being under f those conditions may prove the wildest o fancies . a a of a Admitting levit tion for the s ke rgument , there opens up an unbridgeable gap between the

. one fact and its explanation All right, may say, the table rises . But why the spirits ? 41 42 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

' f . o Or , put it this way In the dusk a séance on something brushes me the cheek . Why can not that something brush me on the cheek in a

- - ? a well lighted , well equipped laboratory Bec use a the spirits cannot work th t way, answers the n ot Spiritist . Then , may I ask how anyone knows how ? the spirits act Oh, they never do , is the

. : answer And so on , in the vicious circle we know the thing ha ppens beca use the spirit acts that wa y ; we know the spirit a cts that wa y beca use the thing on e a happens . It is t sk to establish some phe n m n o e a as certain . It is another task to establish a a an the phenomen as psychic l . And it is still other ta sk to esta blish psychica l phenomena as

or a s a spiritual , , if you wish , instig ted by spirits .

o f h a s a The first these tasks been but ttempted . Scientific opinion h a s not decla red that the a t

a tempt has been successful . On the contr ry, it o f doubts the conclusions Sir Oliver Lodge , Sir

a William Barrett , Sir Willi m Crookes , and the “ ”

. a Clodd rest ( See The Question , by Edw rd , a n d II a a X . Science Spiritu lism , Ch p . ) The sec ond a a a a of these t sks yet w its c reful , scientific

. a t endeavor And the third task is , so far least , in o f o f a the realm supposition . The relation me ’ dium s power to spirits is purely hypothetical . The conditions of a séance lea d a thoughtful mind to the conclusion that any phenomena at that

44 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

to and expectant . If we attend with the desire

S a S a disa ee or he r something, we h ll not be p pointed . As investigators , if not expectant , we are a t least prepared to see or hear something ex

n r tr a or di a y . ’ The medium s face becomes pallid, her eyes close little by little as if their gaze was lost in

a . misty dist nces , her lips quiver There comes a low moan . It moves you as you have seldom been

a . moved before . Another low mo n The tension

a . grows . You w nt to jump , run , do something

But hush, there comes a soft , ominous tap ff a o . ping, and then a little flutter , far it seems

The figures crouch beside you . Then silence . But n f r ot o long . Something invisible touches you lightly on the head . Someone whispers to you that your mother is there , that she wants to talk to ou y . A strange pang comes , as always when you ? of . think your dear , dead mother Can it be true to you ask yourself . Is my mother come this ? strange earthly gathering Your emotion grows . i h ? Perhaps it s S e . Why not For a moment you wonder whether or n ot you should cry out in scorn and laugh , laugh at the whole affair . But no . You th e f feel sacredness o the dead , the sacred f ness o even the na me o f mother .

The tension grows . You feel alone . Hush , you hear a voice . Then the strained , unbearable si SPIRITI SM AND COMMON SENSE 45

? lence again . Is it all a play The thought crosses No your mind . . No play ever moved you as this . The voice comes again , softly, distantly , ’ Y u tenderly . Is it your mother s voice ? No . o try to remember . It comes again , pleading this ’ time . Yes , it is your mother s voice . In broken phrases the voice tells you o f a little incident that You sa happened far back in childhood . want to y Y . ou something But you are dumfounded . are to about rise . a a f The sé nce is over . You go out . Perhaps ter a r d w s you laugh . Perhaps you return again . Perhaps tha t thought o f thoughts haunts you on your pillow o r at your work : the dead have 'You spoken feel as Sir Oliver Lodge , when he believed he had heard from his son Raymond . n s Pass o . Your experience is an interesting p y h l i l You a h c o og ca study . h ve laughed at those w o or told you they had heard from a dead mother , Y or . ou a son , wife now realize th t whatever the circumstances , it is no laughing matter . But o f what worth is your testimony as seien

ific ? . t evidence Very little The setting, and your f disturbed emotions , your expectations , the e fect o f the group , all tended to destroy your accuracy of observation and a ny reliability in the report of a n your observations . The above case may be f on e o f e . extreme , but the di ference is only degr e ' 46 SPIRITI SM AND COMMON SENSE

Suppose we take the experience o f the scien ” tific . observer To begin with, there is the set f o . ting the séance The lights are low , or perhaps a there is no light at all . S ys Dr . W . J . Crawford , on e o f the scientific spiritualists : “ The plain fact o f the matter is that anything like advanced phenomena cannot be obtained in f ” “ any but the feeblest o lights . ( Hints and Observations fo r Those Investigating the Phe m o f . omena Spiritualism , p

Good light is certainly necessary for good Ob servation . That requisite is missing . The theo ries o f the scientific observer may come from in spiration , but surely his knowledge comes through the senses . The light in such cases is not condu f cive to the accuracy o visual observation at least .

And when the séance is held in the dark, as often , there is no observation , no careful scrutiny at all . The strangeness o f atmosphere- a factor eu tir ely a bsent from the ordinary investigations Of — the scientific Observer tends to increase his em o tion a l o f sensitiveness . That feeling mystery, of in flu something extraordinary about to occur , en ces his disposition to see and believe the myste r iou s a n d and extraordinary . If there is music

a singing, these also , unless the investigator is de f , increase his emotional receptivity to vague im m a not pressions . The scientific observer y be ex SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 47

a in differ p ecta nt. Perhaps his mind is bsolutely f o f ent . Yet , the ef ect the setting moves him at in r ea d ess to . least to a believe If , in the séance, the observer receives some apparently startling information which is reported to come from on e deceased, whose memory he still warmly cher to ishes , his emotional balance is apt be completely overthrown . Disturbed sensibilities absolutely ea r -or prevent accurate observation , whether by o f n e or f eye . The evidence o o several investiga tors under such conditions cannot be accepted as reliable . Court trials teach us that it is seldom two o f on that witnesses the same event report, own or their initiative , the same even similar de a tails , even when they have been prep red to watch

h a s the incident, and the incident occurred in o f on e broad daylight . Feeble is the testimony or o f several witnesses under the extraordinary psy lo i l ch o g ca conditions o f a séance . of If there is a group observers at the séance, a new factor enters to render the evidence even o f a less reliable . The tension a group is gre ter f than the tension o a solitary person . With a crowd the predominating impression is conta ious on e g . If man sat alone in the orchestra of a a deserted theatre and watched a gripping pl y, the effect of that play on him would be f a r less than on e o f if he were a strained, hushed multitude at 4s SPIRITI SM AND COMMON SENSE

f a crowded house . At the thrilling finish o a base ball game the emotional force of the crowd grips the normal man until he is no longer himself .

Every one, intellectual and illiterate, artist and la f o . borer , is caught up in the spirit the crowd old Stolid , phlegmatic men leap to their feet with

a . wild hurr hs Similarly, men and women at a séance are no longer merely themselves . Try as f they will to remain unchanged , the ef ect of the crowd influences them . Someone whispers : Did ” you see tha t ? Did you hear that ? And in the strained atmosphere o f the room they soon believe a that they he rd and saw something . — A fa ce a ppears in the dim light the mater iliza tion o f a spirit 'According to my own exp er i out o f on e ence , about eighty hundred present will recognize the features of their grandfathers . To the others the face will appear to be some other a r rel tive o friend now dead . There is no man a who is bsolutely emotionless . No matter how scientific his training, how balanced his faculties , he will be caught up in some degree by the spirit o f a the crowd . In the laboratory his observ tions

a would usu lly be reliable . But in the crowd at a séa nce it is seldom that his testimony will be more a than parti lly accura te . And any theories he for m ula tes under that strain are almost invariably to be looked upon as dubious . SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 49 All these conditions may not be present at a séance . But I set them down at length here in order that people may be guarded against accept ing as absolutely reliable such testimony under To such conditions . be sure, there are conditions f on e under which the testimony o man , or the tes tim ony o f a crowd as a whole may be taken as no r a ll trustworthy . But t where some o of the conditions a r e such that they tend to prevent a c curate observation and to warp and disturb the judgment .

o f Men scientific training, such as Sir William

Crookes , Sir Oliver Lodge , and Sir William Bar “ “ rett , have been taken in at a séance . ( See The l 2 1 C odd . Question, by Edward , p 7 , Me dium s , through frauds that were afterwards de d r a tecte o . confessed, have fooled thous nds Even where the phenomena have not been produced by

a o f a fraudulent methods , report what h ppened ca n seldom , because of the conditions , be accepted as absolutely reliable . How accurate this testimony is and how able men are to observe phenomena o f this sort may be lea rned from the decl a ra tion of of that shrewd woman , the founder Theosophy, Madame Blavatsky

I ha ve met with no more than two or three men who knew how to observe a n d see and r e u mark o what was going on around them . It 59 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

is simply amazing 'At least nine out o f every ten people are entirely devoid o f the capacity of obse r vation and o f the power of remembering accura tely wha t took place even a few hours

before . How often it has happened that , under o f my direction and revision , minutes various o ccurrences and phenomena have been drawn 10 up ; , the most innocent and conscientious peo

ple , even sceptics , even those who actually sus ected en toutes lettr es p me , have signed as wit o f ' nesses , at the foot the minutes And all the time I knew that what had happened wa s not ” in the least what was stated in the minutes . l i 2 2 C odd b . . ( Quoted by Edward , , pp 7 , It is all these considerations—the setting and

o f atmosphere a séance, the poor light , the ex

n c or p ecta y readiness to believe , the strained emotional sta te due to ou r own disturbed sensi

ili ff of b ties or to the e ect the crowd , the common inaccuracy o f man in observing details , and the imaginative fa ctor in reporting what was seen or — heard all these that have led me to conclude that the presumption is against accuracy of observa tion and report o f the phenomena of a séance , as it is a gainst the honesty o f the medium . There ’ a in are influences hinted at bove , such as man s a n d clin ation to believe what he fancies he sees , to grow in his belief as he ponders it . And there

are other factors that enter into the equation,

52 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

Without a consideration o f the natural credu lousn ess o f man and his desire to be deceived , the o f tendency a medium to satisfy this desire , the ease with which an ordinarily accurate scientist a can be fooled , the total dissimil rity between a séance and the regular scientific investigation , and the inclination of observers to imagine and distort and misinterpret, a convincing study of Spiritism cannot be made . As in few other scientific prob a lems , the investig tor must bear in mind the vari i n f a t o s and weaknesses o the human factor . WH AT AR E PSYC H I CAL PHENOMENA ?

HE House of Spiritism is built largely of To out rubbish . gather of the immense mound of rubbish the rea l material tha t deserves scientific considera tion is a task tha t will keep a a host of careful investigators busy f or many ye rs . These investiga tors must cope with a jumble of débris much larger and more confused tha n tha t Lavoisier fa ced when he began to weigh the m a ter ial of the Alchemists to build the magnificent of a edifice modern chemistry . Wh t is true and wha t is n ot ? What is of value a n d wha t is not ? These are the questions the workers must a nswer The work is vast and difficult and the reliable workmen are few . not There is great confusion , only among ordi nary people but among those who ha ve written at on to length Spiritism , as just what are psychical

. a a phenomena Anything unusu l , any demonstr i tion that cannot be read ly explained , any event

a a that has a strange significance, is gener lly he ded “ ” a psychical phenomenon and treated as such . o for h s Dr Joseph Lapp ni , example , in i book, 53 54 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

Hypnotism and Spiritism, describes a séance o f at which, through the agency a single medium , a great number o f happenings occurred in an ama zing confusion that included almost every thing from spirit rappings to Hindu tricks (p . “ 10 - 1 2 8 7 , English They are all psychic ” ’ a l phenomena, according to the Doctor s judg “ f o r him th e o f ment, and constitute foundation . ” Spiritism . One can easily surmise what he him — self admits that he has had no personal exper i I b . . ence in the matter . ( p The first difficulty has been that no on e has given an accurate definition o f psychical phenom

a ? enon . Just wh t is a psychical phenomenon It seems strange that so many S hould have written about psychical phenomena without having first established just what psychical phenomena are . Let us endeavor to supply a practical definition here . A psychical phenomenon is a sensible eff ect pro voked by a medium as an instrumental cause and produced, through forces generally unknown , by an unseen intellectual agent as a principal cause .

E ectus s en sibilis a m edia ta m ua m ( fi . q ca usa in s tr u m en tali r ovoca tus et vir i p , , bus en er a tim in co n itis a b a en te in g g , g tellectuali occulto tam uam ca usa rin , q p i ati r odu tus c p p c . )

SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 55

Once we have this definition clearly in mind , a great number o f the difficulties of the spiritistic problem will be easily expla ined . The germ o f the

a a present confusion reg rding Spiritism , germ that is the cause o f countless ina ccuracies and

a misinterpretations , is just this f ilure to compre m a r e . hend what psychical pheno ena Too Often , the blows directed a gainst Spiritism fa ll harmless f because they are aimed wide o the mark . In stea d Of at once clea ring the field o f everything a bon a de th t is not a fi psychical phenomenon , they enter the lists with every strange circumstance the to Spiritists care introduce, and then by devious unsuccessful devices endeavor to circumvent it . a a a a l The f ct is th t psychical phenomen , indeed o f most all the phenomena a séance , almost all f the evidence o fered by mediums , have nothing to a do with S pirits a t all . The assumption th t every curious phenomenon is a point scored in favor o f o Spiritism, is an assumption which b th sides seem a willing to accept . Then the deb te settles down to on e side vehemently insisting that these phenom S a s ena occur , while the other ide vehemently pro

a or tests th t they do not , , if they do , that they are a a all fraudulently produced . I f it is greed th t the phenomena do occur , then the opponents seem to feel that their only ground for further argument lies in considering just what kinds of spirits cause 56 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

the phenomena . We shall treat in more p a r ticu a lar , l ter , this important question as to when , if o f ever , the agency spirits of any kind must be assumed .

a I shall now expl in my definition . A psychical phenomenon is a s ensible effect ; that is , a phenomenon perceptible by the senses . This sensible eff ect is provoked by a medium :

r ovoked p here means brought about by, elicited . A medium is a person who has the faculty of pro ducin g , in special circumstances , certain phenom ena in which the directive action o f an exterior mind appears . The medium is like a wireless

f r a n receiver that is tuned o certain waves . At y given moment the receiver may or may not receive any message , but it is ready to receive the mes sage when the waves fo r which it is tuned a r e intercepted by the a ntennae . The sensible eff ect is provoked by the medium

a n ins tr um en tal caus e : as that is , the cause that produces the eff ect under the influence o f the prin

i l a f a c pa c use . It is not a principal e ficient c use , “ a usa ins tr umen talis es t but an instrument . ( C

ua e r oducit e ectu m r o u t s ubditur vir tuti q p fi , p ca usa e When the medium is a prin f c ipal e ficient cause in producing the phenomena , a the phenomena cease to be psychic l .

The sensible effect , while brought about by the

58 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

For and directing that for ce . example : the force that produces the movement of the wireless r e ceiver across the Atlantic is electricity ; the mind directing that force is the wireless Opera tor in f New York . The di ference between the force and the mind behind the force is too often overlooked o r n not comprehended and, in consequence , the co f fusion becomes serious . This di ference we will bear in mind while we examine two types of psy chical phenomena : 1 A u tom a tic writin : or o f . g the pencil pen a o f medium, held loosely in her hand over a piece o f own to paper , begins , apparently its initiative , ’ write in the medium s own handwriting or an a a other , message cont ining information unknown ’ to the medium and outside o f the medium s exp e

r ien ce . In this case we have : A : the muscular for ce tha t moves the hand independently o f the medi ’ B in um s will . And : the m d that directs that

Obvi muscular force and delivers the message . l — ous or ce . y , the f is known muscular force But

dir ec tin min i un kn o n the g d s w . It cannot be the subconscious mind o f the medium if the message o f is outside her knowledge and experience . 2 Ta ble tiltin o f . g : delivering a message by tilts a table . In this case we have : A : the tilting produced SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 59

u n kn o r B : min d by an wn fo ce. the that directs the force a n d produces the message . The force that tilts the table is not known . The mind that directs the force is likewise not known . o f we In the first case, that automatic writing, see that the force is known ; in the second case ,

a . t ble tilting, we see that the force is unknown un Hence we say, not that the force is always kn n en r a ll un ow . known , but that it is g e y a rticu With this definition, then , and heeding p la rly the distinction between the force and the to mind directing the force , we shall endeavor separate the false from the true in the heap o f s iritis tic phenomena known as p , and to discover just what may be held as genuine psychical phe m ’ omena . Diogenes quest was simple in compari son with ours ' RESEARC H FOR PSYCH I CAL PH EN OMENA : FRAU D

AM well aware that the expression psychica l r es ea r ch is given a much broa der interpreta “ tion by the English Society for Psychica l R e ” it 1 88 2 search than I give here . When , in , the investigators of tha t Society began their very commendable policy o f collecting such ma teri al as might help to construct a new branch of huma n a knowledge, psychic science , accurate inform tion as to just what might be psychic and wha t might

a not, was not avail ble . Hence these investigators considered it wise to examine every ha ppening

a that had the ppearance of the supernormal , s ir it r a m m stifi whether it was a p g , a theosophist y or cation simply a Hindu trick . This time has a T a a p ssed . oo much spurious a n d superfluous d t

e clog the present treatis s on Spiritism . It is time a n on e now , if y is ever going to establish a reason for a science which is psychical , to define clearly m a just what is to be considered . There y or may a a not be good found tion for a psychic science . m a But we y be sure that there never will be , with 60 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 6 1 out a clear definition of what psychical phenomena ff a re . By considering that they are sensible e ects which , though brought about by a medium acting as an instrument , are primarily produced by an invisible mind using forces which are, as a rule, unknown , we have a starting point and are able to eliminate much that is irrelevant . We can then decide just what phenomena have any bearing o n the supposition that the spirits communicate on o f the provocation mediums , and what are merely a n d n unusual strange , with no bearing o the ques tion of Spiritism . In other words , we are inter ested not in a ny peculiar powers that a medium or may possess of his her unaided self , but in what “ ” the other mind is , that in certain instances in fluen ces the medium .

I may eliminate , to begin with, all the phe n omen a of somnambulism , hypnotism , hallucina tion of the senses , catalepsy, hysteria , automat a ism , and similar phenomen , when their source o r may be traced to the subconscious , , if the “ ” phrase is preferred, to the not yet conscious un mind of the medium . Such phenomena come o f der the study biology, pathology, psychology, and allied sciences , and are not what I have de

fined as psychical phenomena . It may be objected that psychical phenomena of belong to the province psychology . I hold that 62 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE there is in man but on e principle of all operations — n ot f the soul . I do admit the duality o human f personality . Psychology is the study o that soul “ in its various aspects and activities . Psychic ” o f Science , the study what I have called psychical “ ” a o f phenomena, is study the other mind and how that other invisible mind acts upon the mind on e before us . It may, if pleases , be considered as o f a branch psychology, but it must not be con fused with the more prominent activities o f that a unseen in tellec science . It is only by m king the tual agen t our chief objective that we can dis cover ou what grounds the S piritistic hypothesis rests In our study o f this outside influence we may discover new powers o f the subconscious mind , but such discoveries will be only incidental r to ou main purpose .

I may eliminate , also , all that evidence which is accepted by so many gullible writers as genu ine, and which is , to anyone familiar with the art o f a magician o r with the resources o f human m stification invention when y is the object , simply the product o f clever trickery or clumsy fraud . There is an astonishing amount of these “phe ” m or omena , produced by simple humbuggery hon est ingenuity, which is readily accepted both by the oppo nents o f Spiritism and by its followers . Ho w huge this amount is only he can know who SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 63 is familiar with the works o f the host of writers

a th t have treated Spiritism, and who at the same time has taken pa ins to familiarize himself with the methods and resources of mediums and magi e u own in ia s the world over . I know from my timate experience the amazing number o f people wh o come wide-eyed to narrate to me some ex tra or din a r y demonstration they have witnessed, which was but a very interesting trick and which

I could myself do for them in a very few minutes . o f a ccor There is , for example, the playing an “ 0 dion by the spirits . N human hand plays the accordion and yet harmonious music is for th com — ing . It sounds and appears unusual still , it is on but a trick which I will explain a later page .

The S piritistic marvels worked by the In

dian fakirs are guaranteed as true , not only by a ccolliot of J , who spent many years his life in i H ue Ind a, but also by the missionary , by a Eugene Nus , by Olcott , and by m ny other a Europeans , who were ltogether astounded by e ” “ the p rformances . ( Hypnotism and Spirit

ism, Eng . trans . , p .

So writes Dr . Lapponi and he also gives exam “ ” of ples these spiritistic marvels , but the marvels are explained in any good book o f Hindu tricks . “ F r o . : instance , Dr Lapponi says Among the wonderful operations which the Indian fakirs 64 SPIRITI SM AND COMMON SENSE perform and attribute to the S pirits is to be r e f corded that o hastening vegetable growth . He

a a ccolliot then quotes long passage from J , who tells how a fakir he met by chance near Benares

a a a w H a m de a p p w gro . ow the Hindu fooled J c ’ colliot a may be discovered in S mri S . Baldwin s “ ” The Secrets o f Mahatma Land Explained on ’ a o r H er wa r d p ges 55 to 59 , in Dr . Carrington s ” Hindu Magic, page 5 and following . In these booklets a lso may be found explanations o f many “ ” a other spiritistic m rvels .

a S . . F ther Eustaquio Ugarte de Ercilla, J , in “ out of his treatise, Modern Spiritism , goes his way to give philosophic and scientific explana tions o f similar marvels . Beginning with page “ 0 44 , for example ( El Espiritismo he discusses at length the famous phenomenon witnessed by so many travellers in India—the ’ 6 fa kir s funeral . He describes ( page 44 ) how the fakir who is buried can, by regulating his respira

a a a tion, bring upon c t leptic condition and thus remain underground apparently dead . The ex planation is very interesting, but not as interesting

Ib . as that of Baldwin in the work quoted above ( ,

f the Fakirs suggested that one of their fi e number be buried alive . A grave between v and six feet deep was speedily excavated in the

66 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

v . a gra e , which was done It cert inly bore no appearance o f having been disturbed in the

least ; in fact, certain marks and fastenings which we had placed upon it to prevent it be ing tampered with were exa ctly as they had our been left . But to surprise , when reaching the bottom of the grave a n d removing the

planks , the Fakir was not there , and while I was looking at the empty grave in thorough amazement as to where the man could have dis a appeared , I suddenly felt light touch upon my on a shoulder , and looking round , the Fakir S al stood before me in imple humility, bowing a most to the ground, with his hands cl sped in o f front his forehead , making the customary ‘ ’ s ala am S a hib salutation of , , and petitioning ” ba k h e h for s es . “ wa s The grave , continues the writer , pur osel p y made large and roomy, but apparently as if merely in the haste o f digging it and with

out any design in the matter . When the first soil was thrown in upon the a planks covering the F kir , the noise made by the fa lling clods prevented the onlookers from hear a n n a ing y movement o his p rt . He simply broke through the small division o f earth sep a r a tin a g him from an adjoining excav tion , and r which allowed him to ha ve plenty of a i . It then became very apparent why the Hindoos so carefully packed in the soil with their feet every fi ve o r six inches . The noise made by their tramping feet and the crash o f the spade was SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 67

suffi cient to cover the noise and movement o f the Fakir as he crawled into the adjoining cav a ity and made his way gently into hollow tree , o whence , after everyb dy retired at night , he S of emerged and slept the leep the just , sur ” rounded by his virtuous and guileless family .

It is obvious that , if the excavation had been “ ” or two postponed a week , the buried fakir would

a a h ve appe red just the same , or , as is sometimes

a done , would h ve been discovered in the cavity at to the bottom , back which he had crawled before a o r the excav tion was begun , during it , appar ently in the same state in which he had been buried . Father Ugarte de Ercilla makes much o f Sir William Crookes ’ famous experiment with me 1 “ dium . Home ( El Espiritismo Moderno , p in which an accordion held by the medium a c was played, supposedly, by the spirits . The cor dion is held in on e ha nd by the keyless end and the other end allowed to ha ng untouched toward a the floor , so that manipul tion by the medium is impossible . A wire netting is placed around the suspended accordion so that no hand ca n reach the other end to move the instrument to admit the a ir o r necessary for making the sound, to press

‘ a a a a a Sir Arthur Con n Doyle, in recent m g zine rticle ’ “ a 1 2 1 a a a man ( He rst s , July 9 ) c lled The most rem rk ble ” .Home S a . ince the Apostles . Home died ins ne 68 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

the keys to play the notes . Yet , after a few min utes , a tune is heard . This demonstration pro a n ff on duces extraordinary e ect the S itters . It can be done in full light . Usually the accordion is suspended under a ta ble which is a haunt for

S o r a t . pirits , is least so considered This is gen er ally held as one o f the best of the spiritistic phe momena . ff I o er the same demonstration in my lectures . After a few minutes o f expectation I give a signal to a friend behind the partition who plays a tune on another accordion . As he is invisible and as o f the source the sound is not discoverable , espe cially when attention is riveted on the visible in

ff a s strument , the e ect is as convincing the hum o f bug is S imple . The power a demonstration is usually in direct ratio to the stupidity o f the de vice that produces it . Sometimes my friend ,

S taken up with his playing, fails to notice the ignal

a cco r to desist , and continues his tune after the ff dion is no longer suspended . The e ect of this little slip in a rrangements is even more ex tr a or din a r on on y the auditors , as it was Sir William

Crookes . Another rather famous spiritistic marvel is the séance in which the medium is tied and the u lights put o t. Articles are thrown about the room in the dark, sitters feel hands brush their SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 69

r . cheeks o pinch them , and so on When the lights are switched on the room is in disorder . Confetti has been showered , in some cases , over the sitters o f a and the furniture , articles are found out pl ce , hats and coats disarranged, and similar disorders o f that bear witness to the work some agency. n ot m Evidently it was the edium , for his hands ? — are firmly tied . Who was it The spirits has been the answer . of Yet , the answer is wrong . In the dark any the sitters in league with the medium could have a c been guilty . But the medium did not need an ’ o f e complice . There is a manner disengaging on s hands from knots and replacing them almost im e ’ mediately . During the dark the medium s hands were free The trick is very simple . I use it myself in my lectures . The Thomas brothers use it, as did the famous Davenport brothers . J . S . i t O . C s Hickey, , quotes the work of these Daven port brothers as furnishing rea l inexplicable phe “ ” m Philoso hia e ch ola stica e omena . ( Summula p S , 2 2 . 0 1 2 0 . Y . . p , , and note ) et J N Maskelyne , in his book , written together with Dr . Lionel A “ ” ? no Weatherly, The Supernatural exposed this ri us to o fraud .

o f one o f Before the death , however , both them (the D a venport brothers ) publicly r e n oun ced Spiritualism, and declared that the 70 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

whole performance was the result o f trickery

and dexterity . Notwithstanding this admis o f sion and my exposure the tricks , Spiritual ists still maintain that the Davenports were as

sisted by spiritual agency . (p .

i Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, by the way, st ll puts faith in the rope-tying séances o f the Thomas brothers . ( See his introduction to Sydney A . ’ “ Moseley s defence of Spiritism : An Amazing o f Séance and an Exposure . Mention this sort o f v - a phenomena , even with the abo e mentioned p o f o f proval the creator Sherlock Holmes , might seem out of place because o f their very crudeness did I not know that it is just this sort o f phenom ena that is influencing thousands in favor of Spir

- m Ib . 1 2 . itis . . ( See , p 9 7, inc ) I mention these cases of trickery because they of are quoted by Catholic opponents Spiritism , as f uin e hen omen a examples o g en p . One can easily imagine what sort o f evidence is needed to move f the ordinary devotee o Spiritism . There are thousands o f cases o f so-called spir i ti ” it s c phenomena, which are current as genuine and yet are simply the product o f trickery o r fraud . There is , for instance, the famous dem on stration in which the medium reads sealed writings . When an adept performer does the trick the result is extremely mystifying . There SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 7 1

f to are several ways o doing it, according the on e circumstances . Describing method , David P “ Abbott writes ( Behind the Scenes with the Me “

i m . d u , p I use for this (the envelope sealed with wax containing a name) colonial spir its an m a nu f ac , which is odorless wood alcohol tur ed in this country . If a sponge saturated with of this be rubbed across any piece paper , it is ren dered instantly transparent , as soon as moistened ; and any writing under it can be easily read . In a v few moments the alcohol e aporates , and the ” a transp rent condition of the paper disappears . The author goes on to describe in detail how he skillfully accomplishes his object . He also explains h ow other secret writings are read by a d t medium, and escribes at leng h the various proc of - r e esses slate messages , their reading and the in ply to them . His book is a very good fund of formation ou this question of mediums and their “ ” various messages . Spirit photography is o ne o f the greatest “ ” sources of evidence and at the same time on e o f the best examples o f the success o f sheer hum f bug . Spirit photography o the type which Sir A . - o f Conan Doyle considers genuine, snap shots ’ “ fairies , and Mrs . Dupont Lee s psychic photo ” graphs , are in the class of nursery amusements . Spirit painting o f the Thomson-Gifford class as 72 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE reproduced and explained by Professor Hyslop

2 08 X a ( see p . , figures I to , in his Cont ct with the ” Other World ) deserves no better appella tion . “ ” And photography o f materializations similar to

S ch r en ck that reproduced by Baron von Notzing, “ ” practising physician in Munich , in his work , o f o f Phenomena Materialization , in most which even an unexperienced eye can easily detect

a s o f fraud , can be held only a blot on the study 1 a a ll psychic l phenomena . In almost spirit pho tog r aphy a student of the science can discover the of - most Obvious forms deceit , from double expo a a n d sures , superimposed dr wings , other devices “ o f to plate doctoring, the very simple schemes by which the medium fools the photogra pher . In the last mentioned case it is often hard to believe that the investigator was not collaborating with the medium in a plan of deception . f ’ The mention o Mrs . Lee s psychic photographs recalls to mind an experience of mine during a lec S ture in New York City . I was peaking of this obvious form o f deception and during my talk I a held up to the audience a photogr ph by Mrs . Lee,

a reproduced by Dr . Herew rd Carrington in his “ ”

o . . book, Modern Psychical Phenomena ( pp p 1 2 o f described by him (p . 3 ) as a profile f R . o Dr . , the balance the plate being filled with

1 See Appendix II .

SPIRITI SM AND COMMON SENSE 73

o f faces , most which are strikingly biblical in ” character . At the same time I held up a copy o f f ’ “ ” m Ho fman s Christ Before the Doctors . A co parison of the two pictures made it immediately “ ” obvious that the biblical faces h a d simply been ’ clipped from a reproduction o f Hoffman s paint a ing . Dr . C rrington was in my audience, and with that splendid fa irness tha t has marked a ll his a research, he arose and decl red publicly that the picture would not appear in any subsequent edi

o f a tion his work . I mention this not to detr ct f a o . from the work Dr C rrington , than whom there is no abler and more honest scientific in ves ti a to r o f g psychical phenomena today, but to point “ out how easily spirit photography can be p r o d ced u . ( See Appendix IV . ) S O much o f the phenomena adduced in favor of

a Spiritism has been shown , fter careful investiga tion and after the confessions o f mediums them a n d a selves , to be the result of trickery deceit , th t “ on e finds it difficult to give ea ch new and start ling piece o f evidence the fair and disinterested consideration which the pursuit o f scientific truth

a dema nds . The suspicion th t fraud and trickery are lurking somewhere and tha t the overwhelm~ ing evidence o f today will be overthrown by the A n d o f a . exposure tomorrow, cannot be c st aside is there any wonder when on e recalls the names 74 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE of the greatest mediums who persuaded scientific men o f the genuineness of their demonstrations and afterwards were detected in deceit or con ? fessed it Among the Americans , there are such

Fox names as the sisters , Bly, Colchester , Foster , “ ” the Davenport brothers , Mrs . Fay, Dr . Slade,

Mumler Florence Cook , Eglinton , ; those among the English are Mary Showers , Hudson , Herne , “ ”

. a n d Williams,Rite , Dr Monck, Petty Farman ; among the French, Buguet, Debord , and Madame Amouroux ; Frau Rothe from Germany ; and the

a famous Eusa pia Palladino from Ita ly . For S light idea o f the various methods o f the numer ous impostors who have worked under the banner o f Spiritism on e has only to glance through works such as Abbott ’s “Behind the Scenes with ’ “ the Mediums , J . Frances Reed s Truth and ” ’ Facts Pertaining to Spiritualism, Weatherly s ’ “ ” ’ a n d Maskelyne s The Superna tural ? Baldwin s “ ” o f a The Secrets Mahatma Land Expl ined , ’ “ Clodd s — o f The Question, and most striking all ’ “ - a Dr . Carrington s The Physical Phenomen of ” Spiritualism . I do not claim that all phenomena a r e f r a udu “ lent . Here I am referring to psychical phe ” a nomena , classification which has its genuine examples ; but note that I do not say that Spiritism

RE SEARC H FOR PSYC H I CAL P H ENOMENA ? THE FORCE

N this chapter , which forms another step in

a the process of elimin tion, I come to phenom ena a a n d f a r which are unusu l , as as it is possible

a to determine, free from fr ud .

In the treatment , a distinction previously made

or ce will be used , the distinction between the f that min d produces the phenomena , and the that di r ects o f the force . A brief consideration the force or physical part o f these unusual phenomena will S how that in most cases a natural expl a nation is probable , and in the remaining cases , possible .

a a o f a Later , consider tion the few phenomen that point clearly to the direction o f an ou tside min d S a , will likewise how that a natural expl na tion o f this outside mind is in most cases probable . Consequently there will be left but a few cases which do not r ea dily admit the possibility o f a I n a tur al . t explanation . is then that we shall have reached the bottom of the matter . And it is then that we shall endea vor to answer the ques 76 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 77

: Which o th e thr ee h otheses the s ir tion f yp , p itis tic th e dia bolica l or th e n a tur al o ers the , , , ff m os t pr oba ble explan a tion of th ese r emainin g phe n om en a ? I shall here consider briefly various n a tur al phe m a r e omena, which nevertheless constantly intro duced a s overwhelming evidence in favor o f a f r Spiritism . Here I tre t o the force o physical

S a part of the phenomena . Later , I h ll discuss whether or not there is an unseen intellectual agent at work .

a First, we consider phenomena , the unusu l character o f which may be traced to some mental or a physic l disorder , or both . Cla ir voyan ce : the supposed supernormal fac ulty o f seeing persons and events which are dis a or t nt in time place , and of which it is supposed no knowledge ca n rea ch the seer through normal

- a sense channels . The f culty is usually exercised in the trance state . When a glass globule is used a t a by the seer in a w king s ate , it is c lled crystal gazing . The physica l part o f clairvoyance may be very obviously classified under the head o f hal lucin a ti n o . It must be remembered that here I do not refer to any m ess a g es that are given by a me ium d exercising this faculty of clairvoyance . Clair a udien ce : the supposed supernormal fac ulty of hearing sounds or words inaudible to the 78 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

ff o f normal ear , a ording knowledge present , past , o r n ot a future events , which knowledge could h ve reached the medium through normal sense -chan a nels . This f culty, too , is exercised often in the trance state When it is exercised in the wak S ing state , a hell or small sounding board is em

a a f ployed to provoke activity . The physic l p rt o

o f a ca n clairaudience , like that cl irvoyance , be eas a a a ily expl ined by the n tural , though abnorm l

o f a phenomenon hallucin tion . “ H allucin a ti on is a false perception o f sensory vividness arising without the stimulus o f a co r ” - ff responding sense impression . It di ers from “ ” illusion in that it is not merely the m isin terp r e ta tion o f an actual sense perception . Visual and auditory hallucinations are very common . Almost a ll o f us have experienced at some time o r other the hallucination of a song o r tune which haunts

our ca r . , sometimes for days Our dreams are but

f a a forms o hallucin tion . Hallucin tions are usu a lly a ssociated with various mental and physica l a f o f o r dise ses , sometimes the e fects drugs liquors , and some hallucinations far surpass true sensoria l impressions in their vividness . Indeed , a victim o f a strong hallucination cannot distinguish b e tween his purely subjective sensations and those is that are objectively produced . Hallucination o f Often accompanied by a change voice, just as

8 0 SPIRITI SM AND COMMON SENSE

o f juring the sensibility the medium, as the me dium is considered to have a vital connection with the ghost . There is nothing so extraordinary about the physical p a r t o f materialization that on e need look a n beyond nature for explanation . There are many miner a l substances which possess a phos h or escen t o r or p fluorescent, , to use the ordinary “ so- word , a luminous power . The called radium used in recent years to illuminate watch faces is a f miliar to everybody . There are plants in trop ical countries that exhibit this phenomenon , and the phosphorescent glow of tropical seas caused o f by the presence myriad luminous infusoria , as well as the existence o f luminous fishes in the dark sea depths , is commonly known . There are the o f or fire fly, the glowing eyes owl cat , the lumi n osit o f y the human retina , under some condi ff a to . tions , to be r witness this very natural e ect The ordinary man has in his body phosphorus suf fi cien t f or the manufacture o f more than half a million matches . It is not a mere fancy, then , to

o u r believe that in some circumstances body, or at

o f least some parts it , may become luminous enough to produce a sensible glow or halo tha t can

a . . impress a photographic pl te . Mr Walter J Kil “ ner of London in his recent book , The Human “ ” o f Aura , asserts that by the use dicyanin , a SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 8 1

h u coal tar dye , he has succeeded in making the

man aura visible to the human eye , thus transfer “ ” ring the study o f this occult phenomenon to the province of physics . The assertion that this luminous emanation is to susceptible touch and may be weighed, does not to detract from , but adds rather , the evidence for a a purely natural explanation . It must be st ted , “ o f however , that the proofs this assertion ( Phe m o f a S ch ren ck omena Materialization , B ron von 1 Notzing) rest on very dubious ground . The study of ma teria lization is a t present in a very

a crude state, and the conclusions from th t study afford little help in determining an explanation . Tha t the explanation may be found in ordina ry a n o n ture , however , is most probable . There is difficulty in admitting tha t under some morbid or a bnormal conditions a luminous ema nation may

a th e f a appe r around body o medium . Another unusual phenomenon which is a sub ect o f j constant discussion is automatic writing . A u tom a tic writin g is executed without the medi um ’s volition and sometimes without the medi ’ um s knowledge . The medium, for example , holds a o f a n d pencil over a pad paper suddenly, with out a ny conscious control the hand moves the pen cil to inscribe a message . The message is some 1 III See Appendix . 82 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

be times of an astonishing character , apparently a yond the power of the medium . The mess ges of the ouij a board are but a form of automatic writ f ff o . ing, though the method production is di erent Is there anything extraordinary about the phys ical part of automatic writing, anything so baf fling as to surpass all possibility of a natura l ex ? planation Nothing . (The message is another f question . ) The physical part o automatic writ ing o r of the movement of the indicator over the ff ouija board , is little di erent from that exercised S om n am in the many forms of somnambulism . bulism is a natural though abnormal condition in o f which talking, walking, and other actions a more complicated nature are performed during ’ sleep without the agent s consciousness o r after or - recollection . Somnambulists , sleep walkers , f : A a are of di ferent classes , those who spe k with out — S B acting automatic peaking , those who act S C without peaking ; , those who both act and D wh o a n d S speak ; , those , besides acting peaking , o f have the sense touch active , and also possess active senses of S ight and hearing . This last class merges into the physiological condition o f mes

r a merism o hypnotism . All these v rious forms o f somna mbulism are natural though a bnorma l phenomena and a study of them is the Object of branches o f physiology and allied sciences It

84 SPIRITI SM AND COMMON S ENSE

a general definition and then endeavor to explain .

Accordingly, a mediumistic trance may be con sider ed as an abnormal state resembling in many a r e p rticulars the somnambulistic state , but also sembling in some degree the hypnotic state , dur ing which the medium frequently displays an ex al ta tion o f memory ( hypermnesia) o r o f the senses ( hyp eresthesia) o r even o f the intellectua l f a cul a a t ties . Although the medium appe rs times to on fall into a deep sleep , and to retain , regaining o f ex er i the normal condition , no memory any p S of u n con ence during the trance , in pite this sciousn ess in , it seems that the medium displays telli en ce g in her movements , speech and writing, whether exercised spontaneously o r in response to verbal interrogation, and even greater intelligence

a than in her conscious state , together with gre ter a emotional activity . In many c ses the parts of the medium ’s body not directly at work remain in a complete lethargic condition . In these cases the medium often writes automatically or talks a u toma ticall or o y , does b th, displaying a knowledge o f which in her normal state S h e has no exp eri ence . According to some reports this knowledge is o f such an extraordinary character as to admit o f no sa tisfactory explanation save that o f a third

ffi to S mind . This brief description is su cient how f how di ficult it is , even for experts , to disting uish SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 8 5 the trance state from the somnambulistic o r hyp n otic or a h siolo i state , from similar abnorm l p y g or cal states , from a state that is a combination of ffi . to S them This description is su cient also , how a fo r a f th t there is no need, the expl nation o the a physical p rt of a trance , to leave the realm of f natural hypotheses . A consideration o the mes

or out a sage , the knowledge , given during trance, is reserved for the cha pters that deal with this di ur vision of o study . Volumes could be devoted to the investigation o f the trance alone , but it is not the purpose of this book to give an exhaustive study of a ll or any Of the phenomena connected in recent years with o f S the study Spiritism , but rather to how how few o f these phenomena have any bearing on the spiritistic hyp othesis , and to point out how feebly a n d those few uphold that hyp othesis , by this elim ina tion wa , and also by this outline, to clear the y f r a o those who study the question here fter . It is for these reasons that I emphasize the distinction min d or ce between the at work and the f at work , and it is for these reasons tha t I insist tha t b e cause certain phenomena may be inexplicable they are n ot th er efor e spiritistic . Perhaps the most common phenomena met with in this study are “raps ” and the movement and levitation o f tables and other objects . These raps 86 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE and disturbances may have a meaning or they may “ ‘ ’ ” n o t . a . Evidence for r ps is good , says Mr “ Wh iter id e Northcote g , and there is respectable ” f E n c lo ~ evidence for movements o objects . ( yc “

a . a pedi Britannica, Medium Raps occur usu lly under circumstances such as these : the medium is

a a in the room which is in darkness , parti l or tot l ; on o r a suddenly, summons spont neously, a tapping

a on a a a is he rd , usually light, the t bles , ch irs , w lls ,

a etc . , without the intervention of any app rent a a or o f physical gent . The levit tion movement ta bles a n d other objects occurs under simila r o r circumstances . Sometimes the Objects moved levitated are touched slightly by the medium ; sometimes there is no physical contact . It is obvious that the for ce in these phenomena f r a is unknown . But there is no reason o seeking preternatural cause . Nature, as we know it , ex h i bits a force S imilar to this : magnetism . Load for stone, example, can attract steel , and can communicate this property by contact . A piece of amber after rubbing will attract bits of pa per . A

-S a a n d horse hoe m gnet will attract iron filings , the filings around the poles will arrange themselves in such a way a s to indicate the field and direction

f ? . o the magnetic force . Why We do not know n ot We know the fact . We do know the explana u -S n a t tion . A powerf l horse hoe mag et will not

88 SPIRITI SM AND COMMON SENSE

S ight o f an electric spark . And yet today we do f n ot know what an electron is . We know some o

n its phenomena a d how to control them .

a a Dr . C rrington quotes very interesting ex

er im en t . p of Professor Maxwell and his friend , M ’ “ : Meurice , given in the Professor s book Meta ”

a . 2 1 . physic l Phenomena , p 9 “ a n a When I tried experiment I b de M . i a n a a n d Meurice S t in rmchair lie perfectly still . I pla ced his arm at about on e foot from the table a n d told him to fa n cy he lifted his a r m o f and struck the table , without , course , mak

ing the slightest movement . We obtained some excellent raps in this

way . This is a fine experiment for it shows clearly the production of raps by the will—the

direct , conscious and personal will . “ We tried three series of experiments : six raps in each series were willed ; we received

a to sa 66 . four raps in each , th t is y , per cent of

. a on e . success The r ps were loud , was double The medium nea rly fainted after this exp er i h a s ment , but came round quickly, though he ” ’ not been well since . ( Dr . Carrington s The ”

a . Physic l Phenomena of Spiritualism , p

o f a Here is another point . The existence hum n h a s o f magnetism been a subject much dispute , but there never has been a dvanced any good rea son f o . for denying the possibility it Now , I have dis covered from my o wn experience and from what SPIRITISM AN D COMMON SENSE 89

I have read and heard in consultation with a u th or ities a ca n at , that medium , while he or she tra ct a wooden table o f heavy weight and levitate a a or it, c nnot attr ct move a metal table that is a n d or smaller lighter of the same size and weight .

me th a t a Dr . Carrington told Eusapia P lladino always refused to work with a table on which a there were metal orn ments or even nails , assert ing that she could not levitate a table if it had r metal in o attached to it . Dr . Crawford in his “ Hints and Observations fo r Those Investiga ting ” 8 the Phenomena of Spiritualism declares (p . 7 , 79 ) The type o f table used in these experiments is o f some importance if good results are hoped f . o for To begin with , it should be made wood , no and a wood of t too great density. An open porous wood is also best for the reason tha t the — a a psychic energy which , as I h ve s id , seems to be a ssociated with matter in on e of its finest — forms a ppears to be required to be stored up a too in the wood, and if the l tter is dense and f hard , these particles of matter cannot e fect a ” satisfactory lodgment .

Dr . Crawford, in his latest experiments , says ’ that out of the medium s body extends a sort o f

rod r o d or , and this prolongated arm is what “ Ex moves the tables and produces the raps . ( eriments do p in Psychical Science , I not 9 0 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

or admit reject this proposition . I offer it only as an argument in favor of the possibility of a ’ force emerging from the medium s body in a wa y to similar the magnetic force from the loa dstone . It must not be ima gined that here I endeavor to give an explanation of the physical side o f levi

tation a . a a , r ps , etc I merely dv nce some few a o f S ide s out many, which go to how that a nat ural explanation o f these phenomena is very pos

a or c or o sible . I maint in that the f e f r ces which produce the phenomena mentioned in this cha p ter may be ascribed to the list of already kn own natural forces or compa red with other forces a l f r . o ready known to us At best ( the spiritists ) , it must be admitted tha t it is almost impossible in cases under dispute to decide whether the physica l part o f the phenomena is to be traced to some a b o i normal , though natural , condition the medium or to some preternatural force

9 2 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

his opponent either denies the occurrence itself , or laboriously tries to prove it the product of fraud

o r . caused by the Devil Yet the phenomenon is , b ff o f in all proba ility, the e ect some natural but abnormal power . The mind that directs the force so that a mes sage is produced is the factor that must be looked “ S O a m e to for spiritistic evidence . I say that s ” s a e is r odu ced it g p , because is only by a study of the message tha t we may arrive at a knowledge o f f the oth er mind outside that o the medium . I think this must be clear . If , for example , a table b e tips at a séance , there is no good reason to lieve that a mind other than the medium ’s is di

f . ree ing the force that tips it If , however , the S O table is tipped that it produces a message , the content of which is entirely outside o f the medi ’ um s knowledge and experience , then we are justi fi ed in assuming that a mind other than the me ’ dium s is at work, and we are acting reasonably when we attempt to discover just what and where that outside mind is . In this chapter we begin our study o f these mes

- sages , whether they are produced by table tipping, a - r raps , automatic writing, cryst l gazing , wo king

i o r no t. our the ou j a board, what Following pre viou s S a method, we hall try first to elimin te those v messages which, of howe er startling a character , SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 9 3 may nevertheless be produced by the medium through trickery or through the powers o f his or her subconscious mind . ( As will be expla ined “ n later , subconscious mind is used here in o rigid

o f sense, but merely to denote the acting the mind “ ” or which is unconscious , not yet conscious , as ’ h e ter m one prefers to interpret t . ) Fra ud plays such a prominent part in the pro duction of messages that I will devote a little space here to the devious methods employed by f mediums in the use o it . The effect o f any message is startling when its

a or source, whether n tural preternatural , guess or a work, playfulness , deliber te deceit , cannot be determined a t the time the message is received . F r a r e o the moment we astonished . It is the same mysterious impression tha t a conjuror incites when he concea ls from us the connection between f the cause and the e fect . Accordingly, we must be careful not to judge the p ower of th e m essag e by th e e ect it r oduces on us ff p , but only after we have made a thorough investigation of the cause , and determined that it is , at least , extraordinary . a n One attends ordinary séance , and is aston ” ish ed when the medium , through her control , “ ” or accomplice in the other world , it is intimated or declared , tells the auditor something about his or or past present life, about his dead or living 9 4 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

o r r relatives friends , that he thought few o he himself alone had known . He is entirely ignorant ho w ff of the information was obtained . The e ect

a n d th e in tim t u startles him , he assumes a ed ca se to be th r e c or ect on e. ' Yet, if he only knew One method of obtaining this informa tion is so ’ a o simple that it r rely occurs t the auditor s mind . ff And still the e ect is considered marvellous . I refer to the gathering of information before a

a séance . Before I give lecture in a city, I go about visiting the friends and relatives o f persons

S who are to attend the meeting . These hort visits

a supply me with a v st stock of information , some of it being so small and unimportant ( for exam “ ” o f a a ple , the number a w tch ) th t the victim is

n e just so much the more amazed . If o begins

o f with a small bit information, the clever cross

a examination , especi lly when the one examined is somewhat puzzled , will produce much more . This “ ” examina tion is called fishing and is a very fruit ful resource for a medium who is caught un pr e pared . on e- J . Frances Reed , time public medium , in her “ a n d a a a book, Truth F cts Pert ining to Spiritu l ” a n a o f ism , gives interesting ccount how medi

a on ums Obt in information a large scale, by the “ ” a i of d a dope book .

9 6 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE strange medium arrives in a city he at once hunts up the most prominent mediums and r e ‘ ’ ive so- ce s this called dope (p .

On the following pages of her book the author i s gives some extracts from a dope book . One particularly interesting . It runs “ — — M. Allen , Hattie widow friend of a o f S h e Jesse Carr , dressm ker Chicago ; has her mother ’s estate to settle in Ten n essee a ; maiden name, H ttie Clure ; ’ mother s name before marriage , Hop

kins . ’ — Husband s name Edmund P . ( I have kept my promise to come back) ( died

She has living sister , Mrs . O . J .

Babcock , living with her . She does not

believe in Spiritualism ; is a Catholic . ( Will she ever see the truth ?) ( She

will learn in the spirit world . ) ’ Father s name , J . R . Clure . He had long

black beard . Daughter Emma died when Ln a baby . Has daughter living, Mrs . ” cile Hanford , in Chicago .

Dr . Carrington quotes an interesting passage ” ’ “ - Tr uesdell s . 10 12 from Bottom Facts , p 3 “

m o f . 1 ( Physical Pheno ena Spiritualism , p 3 3 ,

The most feasible way o f introducing your self to a new town is by means o f a systematic SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 9 7

o f canvass the same, with the ostensible pur pose o f disposing of some manner of merchan

d dise , such as books , patent medicines , and house a hold utensils . Do not disclose to nyone your

or . real business , ultimate design Keep your a n d a all ou eyes and ears Open , le rn y possibly o f a n d can , both the living the dead , among

prominent Spiritualists . Provide yourself with a a f or blank book suit ble the pocket , which con

tains an index . Under the proper letter , record every name and date which you imagine may

o f . be future service From these notes , you

will be able to prepare , at your leisure , such a ” ou history as will materially assist y afterward . Truesdell also gives instructions how to find who are the principal spiritualists in town , and how to obtain information o f them at the post

ffi r - f o ce o news room o the town .

“ ‘ This preliminary work is ca lled planting a ’ a town . The larger the are planted, and the a more thorough the work, the more bundant ou a the harvest . When y have c refully can y on e assed town , according to these directions , to proceed another , and there repeat your la o f bors . Never think entering upon the harvest ou until y have planted at least six towns , though

double the number would be still better . If , by e any means , you can sustain yourself for a p r iod sufficient to thoroughly plant from twelve vir to twenty large towns , a good business is f ” tually ensured you or life . 9 8 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

” o f Dr . Carrington speaks a Blue Book issued “ ” o f a by the Brotherhood Mediums , great refer ence book which was compiled from the con tr ibu o f a a n d tions v rious mediums , which contained vast amounts of information of use to mediums “ a in séances . ( Physic l Phenomena of Spiritual ” “ ” e ism , p . This Blue Book was imm nse in

ob size . An idea of its thoroughness may be f ained from the f a ct that under Boston alone it contained data a bout seven thousa nd na mes . The “ ”

a s . existence of the Blue Book, however , Dr Carrington rema rks in the second edition o f his I b . . work, is not proved ( vi) But that some rec ords of informa tion are kept by mediums ca n hardly be doubted . Priva te mediums use methods similar to those f o . public mediums Sometimes , as their field is A t much smaller , their work is much easier . other o f a times , however , because the c refulness with which they are watched while under investigation , their work must be more insidious and ingenious . A prominent priva te medium who was demon straf ing for a group of scientific men once told me a rather interesting scheme which she em ployed to receive information . The medium was secluded in a country cottage and had no direct communica tion with anyone in the outside world . She received no mail except

100 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE f or apparently startling messages to be merely the result o f very unspiritual prying into the life and ff f a o . ou r airs the victim It is obvious that , in quest for psychical phenomena, we must omit all a or a S these mess ges that are fraudulent , th t how the probability o f having been obtained through ordinary or deceitful means . We a r e examining messages that come from

in d a the m . Th t most of the messages which come from a mind originate in the mind of the medium , is my next proposition . Then , we shall be free to consider those messages which we can believe with some certainty to have come from an outside mind RE SEARC H FOR PSYC H I CAL P H E N OME NA I THE M E SSAGE FROM THE SUBCONSCIOUS M I ND

r T will be well , at this point , to say a few wo ds f about the powers o the mind . Only the barest o f a outlines can be given here , but even brief f a summary, it is hoped, will be su ficient to fford an idea of the startling mental resources which we possess . one We have only mind, but this mind can r work either consciously o unconsciously . When S o r in we are dreaming, during lumber under the fluen ce of an anesthetic, we are said to be in an di unconscious state . Nevertheless , in this con tion of dreaming our minds are at work . When, a in a dream, we see some person , we h ve a sub iv our ject e impression . In sleep we cannot de termine if that subjective impression h a s a cor a or respo nding extern l object not . On the other hand, in an hallucination , we may, for example , see the same person . The impression is so vivid that we advance to touch this person— and we find that the person was only a creature of our mind . I OI 102 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

In the first case we cannot verify our impression ; in the second case , we can . We may call con scious n ess the state o f mind in which we a r e a ble to compare the objective evi

un dence and the subjective apprehension , and cons cious n ess the state in which we are not able to ma ke this comparison . f f r This definition will be su ficient o our needs .

u n It must be understood, however , that many conscious actions and functions are performed

while a person is in a conscious state . When we f or un con talk, example , we may move the hands ’ s iousl c y . A piano player s fingers find and press the various keys unconsciously . Many functions o f o f o f the body, such as the functions digestion , on breathing, and so , are ordinarily performed a n r without y conscious thought o direction . Dur ing deep reflection or a bsorbing conversation we ma y lose all consciousness o f the action a n d direc f tion o f our feet in walking . The examples o this unconscious action in a conscious state are many

and common .

The human mind is one . We consider it con our un con scious when it directs conscious acts ,

scious when it directs our unconscious a cts . It is n ot a f that we admit the du lity o the human mind . It is merely that we take two diff erent points o f

view in considering its operations .

19 4 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE in its search for an impression S 0 incites the sub conscious mind that later , when the will is intent ou ff um a matter totally di erent , the impression successfully sought lea ps into the field o f con i sc ousn ess . o f This is the exp erience everybody . to Oftentimes , in endeavoring to recall a name , or o f remember the location an article , the will gets f no information . Later , while talking o some o r thing else searching for some other object, the r name o location is suddenly remembered .

It has been estimated that there are, in the brain , more than ten billion cells ready to receive o f ur the sense impressions o whole lives . Of these a very small proportion is controlled at will . The greater control a person has , the greater we say his memory is . Some people have a memory espe cially sensitive to color and especially tenacious o f

or a . color impressions , but not so for figures f ces Others have especially retentive memories for m u s ica l sounds but not for historical facts . And S O

subcon Ordinarily, and it is well for us , the

scious mind keeps in the background o f ou r lives . S Or perhaps I hould say, in the normal man the

whole mind is not deeply and actively conscious . The subconscious mind sometimes gains con trol o f our nerve centers so that we may act dur

ing our S leep as if we were conscious . This takes SPIRITISM AN D COMMON SENSE 19 5

place commonly with the somnambulist . At times the somnambulist under the control o f the sub conscious mind, accomplishes things that he could n ot a — for in accomplish in conscious state , as , wr itin o f or o f stance, the g a poem the solving a ‘ mathematical problem . This condition may be on o f o r brought by the use anesthetics , it may become more or less habitual , as with many who go into trances . a of I rec ll a story which a friend told me , a young man who , about to go under an operation , t requested him o be present in the room . After “ ” no the young man had taken ether , his friend ticed that he was making various peculiar r e ma o f rks , some which were profane and startling, for the young man was o f a mild and retiring

in fl temper . As he went more deeply under the u ence o f the anesthetic he began to murmur various f verses with some degree o consecutiveness . His friend took them down in shorthand, and review ing them afterwards discovered that the young man had composed a poem . He thought this strange since he was quite sure that the young man was not inclined to writing verse . With the intention of finding whether or not his friend was secretly fa vored by the Muse he kept his notes a and said nothing . Not long fter , the young man , o fully recovered fr m his operation , was amusing ’ 106 SPIRITIS M AND COMMON SENSE himself and a group o f friends with the ouija o f board . The first messages the board were very profane and succeeded in horrifying the compa ny n ot a little . Then the indicator became rapturous in its communing, and its full communication u turned o t to be a little poem . Astonishment gripped the curious audience . The indicator then — moved over the board and spelled the name R ob ert Burns . A hush fell over the spectators . For a second every one imagined that he felt the in fl n f - ue ce o . the heather roaming rhapsodist Then , the young man’s friend who had been with him in

- the operating room produced his note book . The profanity and poem were the same as those which had been stirred from the subconscious by the o f S anesthetic . And the prestige ouija was hat r te ed in that crowd . I tell this story a t length not for any specia l les to u n son attached it, but because it shows what usua l and oftentimes startling phenomena may be tra ced to the incited subconscious mind . A dis turbed o r a bnormal mind may produce extr a or di ff nary e ects . The explanation may not always be h at hand, as in the example above . But too muc care cannot be taken to avoid confusing the prod u cts o f this subconscious mind ( which is an n u fathomable ocean o f many and va ried ideas ) with S a the products of a third mind . I have no p ce

PSYC H I CAL P HENOMENA

RE there real psychical phenomena ? In the presence o f all the materia l accumu lated through the centuries it seems that the a n b e— swer must yes . We are like the builder who stands before a hea p o f ruins endea voring to dis cover whether or not there is material there good

f a enough for the erection o new edifice . In all o f that rubbish there must be something use , he argu es . But he can be sure only after he has ex a m in ed it .

Here, it is well to recall the method we have used in examining the débris hea ped a bout Spir i i m o f a ll t s . First we eliminated all the phe momena whose physical part could be tra ced to

o r a fraud trickery . Then , from the phenomen

a out that remained, we ende vored to strike all h those occurrences the physical force for w ich ,

a though abnorm l , was nevertheless natural . With the remaining body o f phenomena we turned our consideration to the intellectua l factor and pro ceeded to omit all evidence that bore marks of 108 YA R D S OF ECTOPLA S M J U S T MATER IA LI Z ED FROM A FAL S E FIN GE R A ND THE CR OS S BAR MB OF A CO . ( S EE A PPEN DI X i i i )

1 10 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

would be unscientific to admit any o f the evidence that is so fluently and abundantly off ered us from

a platform and printed page, unless the phenomen on which such evidence is based have been hon tl es y and carefully investigated and authenticated . 1 o r - . A medium through raps by table tilting conveys the following message to a S itter : “ a I am your aunt . When you were eight ye rs old you sprained your ankle in a fall from a f You tree in the corner o the orchard . had ’ climbed the tree in search of a bird s nest . I o f f or ou alone knew the incident , y told no one ” else, not even your mother .

The S itter remembers the incident . He had told

his aunt and no on e else . This is a hypothetical o f case , course, but we will consider it as having

happened and as true in detail . 2 . A medium in a trance writes automatically this communication : “ o f t I see a man about six y years , rather a n d - stout, bearded wearing steel rimmed spec a u taeles . He has just now been killed in an

tom bil . o e accident in Melbourne , Australia His d wa s a . a n name , he s ys , is Thomas J Queen , he to formerly in Los Angeles . He wants you s n communicate with his o , John , who is now

in San Francisco .

The sitter investigates the case . He finds that

there is a John Queen in San Francisco , that his SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 1 1 1

f . o father , Thomas J Queen , formerly Los Ange les , was in Melbourne , Australia , and that he was killed on the very day that the medium gave him the message . Now , if these cases are true , as we suppose , min d what was it that, using the medium as an intermediary, furnished the information given in the messages ? Three different theories have been advanced to “ ” : answer this question The Diabolic Theory, “ “ the Spiritistic Theory, and the Natural or ” Telepathic Theory . . These three theories I will discuss briefly in the following chapters . I do not admit or reject any of the three . I propose merely to present the reasons fo r and a gainst each theory and leave the decision to the judgment of the reader . Note : We must remark that in these two typical cases we ha ve purposely avoided any “ thing that may appear as real knowledge o f ” the fu tur e or reading the heart o r inner

thoughts of men . In either case , according to the teaching of theologians a n d the sense o f the onl God a a n d Church , y is ble to do this , so a a neither telep thy , the disc rnate souls , nor the v or de il , can know the future read the hearts o f men . TH E DIABOLI C THEORY

HEN the question is asked , what is the a a physic l c use of psychical phenomena, — many immediately answer the devil . Applying this theory to the two cases we are considering we would mean that the devil , using

a his preternatural powers , produces the r ps , tips o r o f the tables , moves the hand the medium to write , so that by his power and direction the me dium supplies the information that is furnished a prim rily by him . This information is startling ’ because o f the preternatural powers of the devil s ’ mind . According to this theory the devil s mind

th min in str u is the o er d . The medium is only the

a menta l ca use . The force th t physically produces

r the phenomena, as well as the mind that di ects

a r e the force , both from the devil , who in these instances exercises his preternatural powers . In

m u d a d ever edi m is oss ess e . other words , y p The voca tes of the theory do not state this explicitly ; but to declare that the devil is the physical cause o f the phenomena is equivalent to declaring that the medium is possessed

1 14 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

. i b . dies St Philip Neri , says Father Poulain ( , p . who had great power over demons , was extremely S low to believe in the reality o f a pos ” session . I have said enough about methods that medi ums employ when working legitimately and , as in our two a hypothetic l cases , giving real psychical phenomena , to enable the reader to judge whether o r n ot mediums show any signs we would expect in a diabolical possession . The ordinary phenom of o f ena of the trance, automatic writing, table tipping, etc . , are undoubtedly well enough known to allow the reader to make a comparison . But , lest he should not be familiar with the phenomena f o o a . p ssession , I will give a typical c se at length D ela lle This particular incident is told by Mgr . , “ -a of a n d vicar postolic Natal , is quoted from The f ” o . . . Question Miracles , by the Rev G H Joyce, 12 et S .J. (p . 5 “Two months ago I promised the editor of ” Rome a rel a tion of certa in facts which hap

pened in my vicariate last year ( May, concerning two native girls ( Germa na and

Monica ) , whom I believe to have been possessed a by the devil . I shall simply rel te the facts a without a word of comment , and sh ll content

myself with vouching f o r their a bsolute truth . ff o n th e If anyone thinks di erently fr'om me subject, he is quite free to do so I mean , pro SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 1 1 5 vided he admits the facts , he may draw his o wn conclusion . “ There is in the Vica riate o f Natal a mission a a now in ch rge of the Trappist F thers , where a o f a gre t deal good is done , although it was a a n long time before y results could be seen . This

a to . mission is dedic ted St Michael , and is about twenty miles from the nearest village, the ma m in t gistr a cy of U g o . “ Fo r several months I was constantly r eceiv f ing letters from the priest in charge o St . Mi ’ ch a el s o f , in which he declared that two girls the mission native school were possessed by the devil , and asked for permission to practice sol em n exorcisms . After some time I allowed him so for to do , and things were quieter a little a while , but soon the distressing phenomena p a p ea r ed worse than before . I w s very much annoyed and hardly believed it was a case o f possession but rather put it down to hysterics . to Unable go at the time , I gave permission to the Abbot o f Ma r ien h ill either to go himself or to delegate a priest who would inquire into the facts and if necessary exorcise the girls . m But a few days after , I found I could go y ’ c self and wrote to St . Mi hael s telling the priest to expect me . “ . I was very uncertain yet and called the a priests ( three Tr ppists ) and also the Sisters , and asked them some particulars about the ways f o f o these girls . Here are some the things they told me : 1 1 6 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENS E

They carry enormous weights , which two men could hardly lift ( the girls are about six teen yea rs old ) they unde rstand La tin when in t e their fits , and even speak it sometimes ; they a o f ve l the secret sins the school children , etc . ; sometimes they a r e lifted Off the ground in spite o f a the Sisters holding them ; a few d ys before ,

whilst the Sisters were holding Germana , she ‘ shouted I a m on fire The Sisters withdrew ’ and saw the girl s dress a bl a ze . Another time a her bed began to burn lso , though there was no

S O o n . fire near by, and “ It was getting very serious , and the poor o f Sisters , weary this terrible life , begged me

to help them . After all this I thought it was my

. o duty to begin the solemn exorcisms I rdered ,

therefore , the four priests and three Sisters to ’ a 2 be ready to begin t p . m . in the Sisters on e Choir , and excluded every else from the h a d Church . Just before the time I the Holy a a Water font emptied and filled with pl in w ter , whilst I took a small bottle o f Holy Wa ter in my a pocket . Then I put on the ro chet and mozett a and waited for Germ na . “The sisters brought her into the chapel and I sprinkled her a t once with water fr om th e on t S h e locked S f . At first up with a light shud a s der , but I continued she laughed mockingly ‘ and cried : You may go o n ; this is not Holy ' Water Then I took the bottle out of my

pocket and sprinkled her anew , but this time she

shrieked and cried , and asked me to stop .

1 1 8 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

‘ : again Stop it , I know it better than you ; I ’ knew it long before you were born . “ As on e of the Fathers commanded her to be ‘ S h e : You ' quiet , turned on him fool Who gave you authority over me ? Did the Bishop ’ o r Abbott delegate you ? “ a a n d a At times she rem ined quiet disd inful , a a n d but sometimes she r ged gnashed her teeth . ‘ ’ ’ a ou I ll m ke y sweat before I get out , she said : of a a l once then all sudden , she asked to be ‘ a a lowed to go into another girl , An st sia . Stop ’ ‘ your prayers , she said also , they hurt me . If l ’ you stop , I sha l go out tomorrow morning . “ on com Time went , and as I was tired , I missioned on e o f the priests to rea d the prayers f r o . me He did so , but with a droning voice . o f As he stopped at the end a paragraph , she ‘ turned fiercely upon him : Exi immun de S pir ’ itus , she said . “ From time to time S h e went into awful fits f a a o . ro ring On such occ sions , I had only to two place fingers lightly on her throat , and she To could not utter a sound . make a counter on e o f experiment , I asked the Sisters to do ‘ ff e the same as I did , but it had no e ect . T ll ’ ‘ a r e a th e me , I said , why you so much fraid of ’ ’ ‘ priest s fingers ? Because they are con sec r a t ’ S h e S h e ed , answered , and made the motion of ’ the bishop a nointing the priest s ha nds a t his

n 2 . . ordination . We went o thus from p m till

m . 9 p . , when I decided to stop till the follow

ing morning . SPIRITISM AN D COMMON SENSE 1 19

a a Afterw rds , Germana was somewh t not quieter , and she came begging me to give ‘ ’ ‘

. a h a a her up I am sure , she s id , t t if you s id ’ a your M ss for me tomorrow it would be ea sier . ‘ ’ ‘ a e S a on Yes , I nswer d , I h ll , but condition that you will go to confession a n d communion to ’ morrow morning . “ wa s a The night wful , and the poor Sisters l had to rema in with her a l through . She went to a n d o confession c mmunion in the morning , a n a d remained quiet until at a . m . we beg n the exorcisms aga in . From the very first S h e a a a n d h a d words , bec me unmanage ble , we a n d S to tie her hands feet , ince eight of us to gether could not control her . ‘ ’ a a You have sent away Anast si , she cried ; ‘ I ca n see her with a nother girl on their wa y ’ ’ to a . another mission , but I ll find her ag in It a s w true . Early in the morning I had sent her a a w y, but Germana could not possibly have known it . After a whole hour , someone called a priest a way ; he ca me ba ck half an hour la ter . ‘ ? ’ ‘ Where h a s he been I asked . He went to ’ baptize a man who got sick suddenly . That wa s a a o f lso true , but nobody in the ch pel knew S h e f o r a o f it . Then asked drink , and one us a fetched her cup of water . After drinking ‘ ’ o f : some it , she stopped Wretched man , she ‘ ’ ou ' said , y gave me Holy Water Still , I made o f a her drink the whole it , and she bec me quite ‘ defiant . All right , give me more still ; it will ff ’ n ot make me su er more than I do . 12 0 SPIRITI SM AND COMMON SENSE It would be too long to repeat everything f sa she said . Su fice it to y that every moment it a a n d a a t h e bec me more more wful , until last S

. a tried to bite a priest He , somewh t excited , a o n gave her little tap the mouth , at which she beca me worse and call ed him the most stupid of a men , who wanted to strike spirit . “ A S S h e I commanded her to keep quiet , cried ‘ ’ Now , no more obedience . It was the end evi tl r den . a y , but the struggle was ter ible At l st S h e to a n d a a fell the floor , mo ned with wful h a . S O p ins Her face swelled up suddenly, t at S h e a n d th e a could not even open her eyes , te rs S n f came down her cheeks . But the ig o the cross brought the face instantly back to the a n d natur a l size . Then a kind of convulsion

she remained motionless as if dead . After

about ten minutes , she opened her eyes , and ‘ ’ Di r oa . knelt down to thank God . had gone “ This is the summa ry of what happened to

a . ca n S German If anyone explain the igns , the a n d symptoms , the words the cure otherwise a a th n by possession , he will be more clever th n S a I am . I hall perhaps rel te some other time a o f a n d the c se Monica , in the meantime I give “ ” the editor o f Rome leave to do with this wha t

he likes . I have in my possession a letter sent a a w S h e me by Germ na afterw rds , in hich begs h a s that I will pray for her death . She seen too ” much and is afraid o f life .

Here we ha ve a good example of possession . One does not have to be a scientific observer to

12 2 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

r who directly o indirectly call upon him . Fur therm or e S a , ince there is no dequate natural the or a s a y to explain the phenomena , they llege , the causes o f these phenomena must be a ttributed to f some preternatural power ; but, as the e fect is

a a a r e a bad, it cannot be th t the ngels the gents .

Therefore it must be the devil . And this conclu “ ” sion is borne out by the testimony o f the S pirits

a themselves , who sometimes assert th t they are

Satan or his minions . I state the main argument or arguments in fa f o . vor this theory I must , however , remark that f o . some the reasoning is a little specious For , to begin with , there is no reason why, if some phys

a a ical phenomen at present appear inexplic ble , that we therefore S hould seek for preterna tural causes . Because we cannot explain the phenom ena o f wireless telegraphy is no argu ment that we should go in quest o f preternatural powers fo r

a a . o n e . th t explan tion Indeed , today no does But it was n ot so long a go tha t ma ny when told that messages could be sent fo r miles without any sensible means of communica tion immedia tely de c la r ed a o r th t such was impossible , if possible , h a s S wa s the work of the devil . History hown ou r that when any phenomena occur , novel to ex

er ien ce o f p but still in the range physical powers , it is better to await a natural explanation tha n to SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 12 3

n jump to a preternatural o e . The multiplication ’ of loaves is outside o f nature s power ; substa n i ll ’ t a y it is contrary to nature s laws . The lifting of ex er i a table , however , is common to human p ence . When the table is lifted by an invisible agency the phenomenon itself is substantially the same ; the difference lies only in the manner or o f method lifting it . While Sata n may or may n ot be the physical of to cause psychical phenomena, he may be said f ff be the moral cause o the evil e ect . He may not a always be, it is true , for man in his fallen st te can accomplish ill by himself , without voluntarily ’ allying himself with the devil . Voltaire s works may be in great measure diabolical , but it does not follow that his works were written by the devil . o f a If the advocates the di bolical theory would, in explaining physical cause or moral cause o f spiritistic phenomena , confine themselves to a par ticula r case, much more progress could be made in a f f discussion o the theory . They do not o fer - do concrete, well authenticated cases, nor they point out clea rly the details of such cases as lead a them to attribute the c use to the devil . They a usually argue in gener lizations , speaking of so many cases recorded by authorities like Sir Conan

Doyle, Sir Oliver Lodge , Sir William Crookes , ” a n d O of many thers , all whose names seem some 1 2 4 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE how o r other to have made a very deep impression on them . These advocates are ready to discover a f case o possession in almost every medium . Far

lou r no different is the attitude of Professor F y, “ s iritualism s ir itism a believer in p , not p ( Spirit ” 1 1 1 ism and Psychology, 9 , Chap . VIII ) , who could find nothing in favor of any preternatural explanation in the demonstrations of on e of the most amazing mediums the modern world has “ ” a s seen . ( From India to the Planet M r ) If the advocates o f the diabolical theory would fol low the example o f the Church in the exa mina o f S or a tion miracles , and how us in this th t case ffi su cient proofs in favor of the preternatural , there would be no difficulty at all in a dmitting a ff diabolical explanation . It is an altogether di er ent process to off er sundry unfounded generaliza

a a — tions to support a greater gener liz tion , that S is , to declare that Spiritism as piritists consider f o . it, is directly the work the devil The Church does not declare every extraordinary event a mir acle ; nor is i t common sense to declare every ex traor din a ry psychical phenomenon the work of

a a preternatural gent . The argument that off ers the testimony of the ” S pirits who declare that they are Sa ta n or his — on e fo r servants is a two bladed , if such testimony to is be considered , one must also put credence in

CHAPTER XIII

THE NATURAL THEORY

HE greater number of the theories evolved to give a natura l explanation o f psychical

b e phenomena demand little consideration here , cause they are ma inly concerned with the for ce and not with the mind behind the message or con trolling the force . As it is only by discovering the real source of these messages , only by locating the

a other mind behind the force , th t anything definite can be obtained for or against the existence and S of ignificance psychical phenomena , the theories which deal mainly with the force are of little value .

Indeed, the only theory deserving much investiga tion in a cursory examination such as this , is the telepathic theory, the theory that supposes that the human mind has the power here on ea rth of com m un ica tin g with and to some extent controlling other human minds . Telepathic phenomena exist , a s is well known . f or on e I , , think that the real solution of psychi ca l phenomena will be found in the study of te le a th S p y , possibly within a few years , ince more 1 26 SPIRITISM AN D COMMON SENSE 1 2 7 attention is being paid to this unusual activity o f the mind . However , in passing, I will mention a few o f the natural theories offered to explain the strange phenomena gathered under the name o f “ o f psychic during the last few decades . Some out of these theories are vogue , and others are swiftly heading to the Oblivion which they de serve Sir William Crookes is the supposed author o f the theory of psychic forces which held that the medium was capable o f certain vital ema na tions which were productive o f various phenom ena . The theory is occupied mostly with an ex planation o f the force and neglects the mind be i o f t. S hind Besides , it is imply an exposition certain faculties which it is well known some me ium f d s . o possess An amplification this theory , of the theory psychical radiations , was proposed

a by Mr . L . Denis at the Intern tional Con

of a 1 0 gress Psychology at P ris in 9 0 . It holds to that radiations from the medium , similar Hert

a zian waves , are what cause levit tion and S imilar

. f o . b e phenomena The theory Dr Crawford ,

decla r fore mentioned , is particularly interesting, out o f ing, as it does , that the medium projects a “ ” rod o f a peculiar nature . This rod is composed of a series o f tubes which are filled with some sort o f r ethereal matter , which makes the od rigid and 1 2 8 SPIRITI SM AND COMMON SENSE

thus enables the medium to levitate a table , pro duce raps , etc . These theories likewise are con

f r r cerned only with the force . The theory o Go es ’ that the medium s thoughts can work a t a distance as does the wireless transmitter , is a variation of the telepathic theory . one The most popular theory, and that has occa sion ed much humor even in its serious presenta “ ”

a . tion, is th t of the astral body The astral body a o f b e is sort third body , ethereal , and existing tween the physical body and the soul . It is said to possess the form o f the material body and o f unites it to the soul . The explanation Grasset “ may be taken as characteristic . In the same “ ’ ’ i m H r L Occul s e d ie . V manner ( t , Chap III ) that the carbonate of soda unites two things so different as oil and water to produce soap that is so a homogeneous substance , the astral body unites the spiritual oil with the material water ” making a vital soap . This astral body, they out of claim , may radiate the material body and produce the luminous o r dynamic eff ects common l y observed in psychica l phenomena . At death we

a keep this stral body . Animals likewise possess E n cause an astral body, and accordingly, Mr . , also “ ” a s Pa us du known p , in Echo Merveilleux “ 00 a of ( Denis ) , p . 4 , decl res that the mould a ’ dog s body after the suff erings of a terrestr ial

SPIRITISM AND COMMON S ENSE 12 9 incarnation is transformed into the mould or a stra l body of a future monkey Sir Oliver ” a Lodge tells us in his famous book , R ymond,

ff our a nd how the astral body su ers as does body, a or when the materi l body is blown to pieces burnt, the astral body is also in pain .

“ ’ He s ays my bo dy s very S imilar to the on e I h a d before . I pinch myself sometimes to see if ’ ’ it s real , and it is , but it doesn t seem to hurt

as much as when I pinched the flesh body (p .

a Yes , yes , and eyel shes , and eyebrows , ex l n a ct a a n d a a d . y the s me, tongue teeth He has got a new tooth n ow in place o f a nother on e ’ — n he had o e tha t wasn t quite right then . He has got it right and a good too th h a s come in

the place o f the one that had gone . ’ to when anybody s blown pieces , it — ta kes some time for the spirit body to complete a n d itself , to gather itself all in , to be com plete “ Oh, if they get burnt by accident , if they a o n S know bout it this ide , they detach the a a - spirit first . Wh t we c ll a spirit doctor comes ” around and helps (p .

o f And so on . We shall have more this when we

come to a discussion o f the Spiritistic theory . The only na tural theory tha t deserves serious

. consideration is , as I have said, the telepathic It ’ begins with the fact that one man s mind can com 1 30 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE mun icate o f with the mind another . The power is S imilar to that displayed in hypnotic demonstra tions . It is true that the telepathic theory is not concerned with the physical side of psychical phe m f o r omena . It does not explain , instance , the f or ce that tips a table . But it does endeavor to explain the mind that directs the force tha t ~tips o f the table , and that for a true solution psychical d phenomena is far more imp ortant . It a mits that d h an outside min can work , and declares t at this outside mind is not necessarily the mind o f de parted soul or devil .

The foundation of the theory is very rational . o f Genuine cases telepathy are known to science , as , for example , the mother who knows that her son has been killed though that son may be miles to away . It likens minds wireless transmitters and receivers . Some minds can send messages ; some minds are better at receiving them . Some minds are tuned only f or certain kinds o f mes fo r o f sages ; some , others . It explains much the

- o r famous cross correspondence , in which two three or more mediums widely separa ted comm u

nicate apparently incoherent messages which , A c when put together , make a coherent whole .

cording to the telepathic theory, some mind sends forth the quotation as some wireless station sends f forth a message . Parts o it are tuned for some

1 32 SPIRITI SM AND COMMON SENSE

t cep ed . It is true that in this hyp othetical case telepathy has not a ready expl a nation of how the ’ medium knew the man s appearance , etc . , but it would maintain tha t some form o f clairvoyance ’ may have accompanied the medium s reception of ’ the dying man s thoughts . At any rate , the the o ry holds that in the receiving o f these details there is nothing that points conclusively to either a o r a diabolic l a spiritistic agency, and excluding f both, it would seem that the natural theory of ers the most probable explana tion . This theory may have the correct explanation f r o . psychical phenomena On the other hand , it may not . Time and the accumulated evidence

a and continued research th t time allows , will some

in day tell . It is only a theory . But it is in its fancy, as is all psychology that now studies the I h a s a abnormal mind . t some prob bility to back a on it . And its studies are but st rted the road

a a s . th t leads to a future , dim yet but promising

one a It is not too much for to say that here perh ps ,

o r a ma th e in telepathy in some llied study, y lie solution of the problem that vexes the blurred vi sion of today ; here may lie the explana tion of

f . much that is ba fling in psychical phenomena We ,

c a n a ff a n at least, say th t it a ords us explanation o f the typical cases which we presented . CHAPTER XIV

THE SPIRITISTI C THEORY

HE Spiritistic Theory is what its name implies— the theory that the outside mind active in psychical phenomena is the mind of a discarnate spirit . It provides a very simple expl a nation o f ou r

a a typical c ses . In the first instance , that of the f ll

oth er min d from the tree, the which provides the

a a e information is the disembodied, the disc rn t ’ f o f soul o the S itter s aunt . In the case the man a killed in Melbourne , the other mind is the disc r

a nate soul of Thomas Queen . These discarn te souls ha ve power to levita te t ables and produce raps a n d similar phenomena . They know the past “ e and the present . As Sir Conan Doyl says ( The ” “ ma a . New Revel tion , p 75) It y be remarked in passing tha t these and other examples S how clearly either tha t the spirits have use o f a n excel lent reference library or else that they have mem ” o r ies which produce something like omniscience . The spiritistic theory is o f universal applica tion, for it can explain all cases It does not ex 133 1 54 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

f or elude natural theories , these theories merely explain the methods employed by the S pirits in on their relations with men earth . Nor does it reject the diabolical theory, for it admits that at times devils may take the place o f the discarnate souls , as these souls themselves confess . This theory, it is declared, has come as a balm to a to weary world , as an inspiration a blind people , to give new ideals to many long grown materialistic . v ff It comes , its ad ocates proclaim , to a ord at last a pr oof Of the immortality o f the soul and the cer tainty o f a future life o f v The statement this theory gi ing, as it does , a wide range and radiant subject fo r the human imagination , is much more pleasant and more easily swallowed whole than taken bit by bit o f in the logical propositions a sound proof, not coated by any imagination . There is little wonder

fo r that so many have swallowed Spiritism , it has a sugar coating . Much ado has been made about “ so little because it came in the guise o f absolute ” evidence . If its advocates had worked harder “ to display the rock bottom on which the evi ” dence rested, if there had been more logic and o f real science , and less enthusiastic acceptance a a f ce values , the theory would have ttracted less a ttention , made less noise and achieved less pres A S o f tige . it happened the stories wondrous phe

136 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE judicious man could put his finger and honestly say : That message comes only from the soul of r e the dead . But , objects the Spiritist, I have f ceived messages describing the land o the dead . Ask him how he knows that the description is ve r acious and n ot S imply the product of some human

a . imagination , and he c nnot reply But , he objects

a a again , these mess ges have told me things bout this world that only the S pirit of someone dead l c f cou d know . The fa t is that the subject o the message is bounded by the earth . Ask him why he concludes tha t only the soul of the dead can k now it , how he is sure that some abnormally sen sitive mind on earth may not have received im pressions of the same thing and communicated it to another mind, and he can give no convincing reply. How does any man know that it is a discarna te spirit that gives the message ? Obviously the S so usual explanation that the pirit itself says , is S ridiculous . But, it is argued, if it is not a pirit, ? what is it , who is it It must be a discarnate for spirit it cannot be anyone else . They ignore the convincing body o f evidence tha t it can be — th e someone else , someone communicating mes a or sage through fr udulent means , someone em ploying an unusual power o f the subconscious a mind . In a dre m I may imagine myself the King SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 1 37

f o England and speak as if I were that King .

The medium may do the same thing in a trance .

A man will do the same thing while hypnotized . The medium in a trance may speak as Charle not magne or Shakespeare , but that does mean a o r that Charlem gne Shakespeare is talking . Still ,

a says the Spiritist, there are messages which h ve our to do with daily lives , with the small things a s well a s the great; tha t are beyond the knowl f m o . on e a edge the mind of the medium Yes , y a n reply, those are the mess ges that co stitute real

a psychical phenomena . Such were the mess ges our a n d e given in typical examples , such messag s may be explained by telepathy . Only in the source and S ignificance o f the message can we expect to f r o . find a scientific basis Spiritism Yet, that these messages come from another , an outside mind, is proved in very few cases , if it is proved decisively at all . And in these very few cases the a ssumption that the other mind is the mind o f a

S a . discarnate pirit , has no found tion at all We early distinguished between the force and the S mind directing the force . We howed that the n whole matter turns o the other mind . And when we examine the evidence in favor o f this other mind being a discarnate spirit, as Spiritists allege , we find that there is no evidence that is in any way convincing . 138 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

Spiritists persist in pointing out the table-tip “

. : ping, the raps , etc , saying Behold , here is the ” a — evidence . And ag in we say the force con sid o f ered alone , the physical side the phenomena dis tinct from the mind involved , proves nothing ex cept that there are certain vagaries o f nature o f u h which we know practically nothing, and s c a n conclusion , I feel sure , would surprise no o e . That certain material phenomena without any in tellectual a signific nce are strange and mystifying , proves only that they are, thus far at least, beyond r e ou knowl dge . —on e But why, cannot refrain from asking the v o f — S ad ocates Spiritism , why do not the pirits of own use direct means communication , do their writing and speaking instead o f employing a me dium as a phonetic organ o r a writing instrument ? Why must they resort to such a suspicious a n d wasteful intermediary method ? Because they

a cannot communic te without the medium , is the S answer . Consider , however , did not the pirits in the famous experiment of Sir William Crookes play an accordion on e end o f which was held by ? D . D . Home Were not the keys seen to move under the power o f invisible fingers ? Has not a Dr . Crawford shown that ( in the presence of medium) the S pirits have rung an electric bell “ f ” o . ( Reality Psychic Phenomena, p that

140 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

on or ship with the person while earth , , at least , to lodd a n his influence while here . C quotes inter

a . . esting letter from the f mily of F W . H Myers , “ the famous spiritistic enthusiast . ( The Ques ” 2 2 0 2 2 1 tion , p . , )

To the Editor o f The Mor ning P os t “ Sir : For some time papers a n d periodicals have been dra wing the a ttention of th e public to various spiritualistic messages purporting to a come from my husb nd, the late F. W . H . a n d Myers . My son I wish to state , in reply to many inquiries we have received , that after a a o f very c reful study all the messages , we have found nothing which we can consider o f the

smallest evidential value . Yours , etc . , “ Eveleen Myers

Clodd then goes on to remark : “ Surely wife and children would be the first

to have messages from their beloved on e . - Added to this there is the well known , damning too fact that cannot be widely known , how S o Myers left behind him , in the care of the ciet y for Psychical Research , a sealed letter

1 8 1 o f . written in 9 , the contents which Mrs a a s r e Verr ll medium , believed that she could i veal . When the sea l wa s broken ou the 3th o f 1 0 December , 9 4 , three years after his death , there was found to be no resembl a nce between ’ o f n d e r r ll s the contents the letter a Mrs . V a automatic scr ipt which purported to contain a SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 14 1

communication from the disincarnate Myers . Sir Oliver suggested that Myers may have f or gotten wha t he had written in the envelope : as

if he could have forgotten that which , at his own o f initiative , was to be the crucial test the t ” surviva l o f his personali y .

The S pir itg r a m s that come to different mediums i e . uncontrolled by the Observer , . , not under strict

a a n d surveill nce , may bring unusual sometimes startling information , as sometimes happens in our a o f dre ms . But when it is a question obtain

o f a ing definite results , discovering inform tion which we are sure cannot be communicated to the 1 medium by telepathic or other natural means the test fails ; or if there are some results obtai ned they are o f a na ture S O ambiguous and un satis m a n o r factory as to mean nothing . This that may be convinced of the reality of a spir itis tic communication , but such is merely subjective certitude , which certitude can be given by fraud o r ob ordinary wizardry . But to furnish us with jective proofs o f communica tion o f the dea d with f the living, through mediums , is a di ferent under taking a n d on e tha t a waits the l a bor o f the S pir itists if they are to dema nd attention and credence from the more sensible inhabitants of this c r edu a f ur lous world . I h ve already written o o belief

s on tan eous o f in p apparitions the dead, but it is 142 SPIRITISM AN D COMMON SENSE yet to be proved that man has the power to com i t i mun ca te with them a w ll.

Non - Catholic writers , as Sir Conan Doyle , often confuse sponta neous phenomena with phe n omen a that are supposed to be incited by some

n u S n o e o earth . This distinction hould ot be for

Go d a ca ses a a gotten . may, in speci l , llow soul to a f ppear because o His Divine disposition . No

a fo r Go d Christi n , however , who has any respect and His providence, would believe that He allows the souls o f the blessed or the souls in purga tory

o f to hover about the earth , ready at the summons

o f various mediums dubious character , to join

o f S a the frolic a piritistic séance , tipping t bles ,

on u a blowing trumpets , strumming g it rs , jangling

o on tamb urines , conversing idiotic matters , com m un icatin g mere nonsense , and sometimes even

a a uttering bl sphemy . And as regards the C tholic

a o f a ide hell , it seems impossible th t God would a llow the s ouls of th e da mn ed to a ttend a t ca ll

f a the orgies o the ordinary séance . God may llow

a we the devil to act , for speci l reasons which

a may not know , but to believe th t God permits man to ca ll the inha bitants o f hell to ea rth a s suits

a h o r r idic their p ssing w im curiosity , seems so n lou a s s to be beyond probability . That this is not an apodictical reason , I admit , but it has a

SPIRITI SM A S A RELIGION

P IR ITIS M a , as religion , is the religious sys tem that is based upon the “Spiritistic The

r e o y . It is the religious belief that th souls of the depa rted a ctually communicate with us through the instrumentality o f some persons of a speci a l sensitiveness called mediums . To a great extent the faith and morals of this belief are based upon these communications . I need not delay long here to comment upon the peculiar attitude o f the followers o f this be lief who grasp at every curious happening as evi a dence for their religion, and who spe k and write a n d a s wa s a act if there a vast , accumul ted and verified evidence which has placed their belief be o y nd any doubt . Anyone who has read these few pages with any thoughtfulness can easily see what a tremendous leap o f the imagination must be taken , to link the spiritistic theory, feeble , vague , a s and uncertain it is , with the cocksure doctrines f a o the spiritistic religious beliefs . Psychic l too phenomena , as we have seen , are at best few 144 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 145 and too dubious to afford any ground for any ordinary beliefs much less for the intricate and fanta stic doctrines o f Spiritism . The Spiritist presents his case in a way that is

to o f appealing many . Methods communication ,

a he s ys , have improved with the centuries . The wireless telegraph and telephone which allow us to communicate with Asia and Europe in a S hort

— old time , how far have they surpassed the ’ S methods that were imply travellers tales , and ba sed on fa ith in human testimony 'Today we receive a wireless message telling us what hap pened a few hours ago in Asia ; once we would have had to rely on a Marco P 010 to tell us the incidents o f years back . And just as modern methods of communication have improved upon the old , so Spiritism has surpassed the Catholic do Church . No longer men have to take the word o f Christ or of the Church as to the fa te of our Now on e souls after dea th . we call from heaven or hell with the aid o f a medium o r a ouija board a n d all the informa tion is supplied us .

Such is the presentation o f the case . It is need less to remark tha t such a presentation is not true .

If Spiritism could do what is claimed , it would be but a matter of months before millions would be enrolled under its banner People may be 146 SPIRITISM AN D COMMON SENSE

fooled , but no great number will be fooled for a f great length o time . Just what Spiritism is m ay be found in the fol f . a o lowing quotations ( St tistics Religious Bodies , 1 6 2 . . . 0 6 compiled by U S Gov , 9 , vol . II , p . 7 ; “ ” P s Spiritualists , Their Declaration of rinciple )

We believe in a n Infinite Intelligence ; a n d o f a the phenomena N ture , physical and spir itual o f Intelli , are the expressions Infinite

genee . “ We a ffi rm that a correct understanding o f

such expressions , and living in accordance with ” them , constitute the true religion .

The way to obtain the correct understanding is by communication with the dead who , of course , a r e supposed to know much more of the phenom ena of nature than we . Accordingly, the whole foundation o f Spiritism as a diff erent religion is :

that the existence and personal identity o f the individual continue after the change called ‘ ’ so death , and that communication with the ‘ ’ called dea d is a fact scientifi cally proven by ” the phenomena of Spiritualism .

This declaration o f principles h a s been printed on small ca rds a n d distributed a mong the believ a ers . It is considered authentic , at le st by the ’ members of the Na tiona l Spiritua lists Associ a tion of America . From this declaration we have

i t is well to note the meaning attached ‘ ’ ‘ ’ to the words control and communicator . By r the former is meant the intelligence which is , o

professed to be , in direct communication with S o r f the itter through the voice , writing o the ‘ ’ medium . By communicator is meant the intel ligen ce for which the control acts a s a m a n uen or o r o r sis interpreter , whose remarks tele pa thic impress the control repea ts to the sitter

through the medium . This definition , given by “

a . Mrs . Sidgwick, is generally ccepted ( On the

o f . 2 2 Threshold the Unseen , pp 4 ,

We discussed how difficult it was to find a de a wa s o f pend ble medium , how hard it to be sure a o f the results Sir Con n Doyle , writing Home , declared “ It is to be remarked in the career o f this en tirely honest and unvenal medium that he had periods in his life when his powers deserted him

completely, that he could foresee these lapses ,

and that , being honest and unvenal , he simply absta ined from all a ttempts until the power r e It o f turned . is this intermittent character the o gift which is , in my Opinion , resp nsible for ca ses when a medium who has passed the most a a rigid tests upon cert in occ sions , is afterwards r e detected in simulating, very clumsily, the sults which he h a d once successfully a ecom li h s ed . a p The re l power having failed , he has to not the moral courage admit it , nor the self denial to forego his fee which he endeavours to

earn by a tra vesty o f what was once genuine . SPIRITI SM AND COMMON SENSE 149

S uch an explanation would cover some fa cts

which otherwise are hard to reconcile . We must also admit that some mediums a r e ex tr em ely irresponsible and fea ther -headed peo ” “ ” 0 ple . ( The Vital Message , pp . 4 ,

f First , then , is the great di ficulty of finding a wh o dependable medium does not, consciously or or own r e unconsciously, employ his her wits , but produces the message a s far as possible in a ccord f ance with the communication o the control . Sup pose we have found such a medium, and are able , or to be s ur e in some way other , of this honesty f and dependability . Then , the di ficulty presents itself o f determining the honesty a n d reli ability o f our —n o a im control e sy task, as you may Ho w ? agine . are we going to do this I , for one, cannot answer . I have no influence with these f modern operators o the other world . I do not know . Sir Conan Doyle quotes a General Dray son on this subject : The truth is that every spirit in the flesh

passes over to the next world exactly as it is ,

with no change whatever . This world is full r o f weak o foolish people . So is the next . You n ot need mix with them , any more than you do ’ in this world . One chooses one s companions . who But suppose a man in this world , had lived in his house alone and never mixed with his fel a t to out of lows , was last put his head the win 1 50 SPIRITIS M AND COMMON SENSE

( ’ o f wa s low to see what sort place it , what would happen ? Some naughty boy would prob a bly say something rude In a mixed séance , a a with no definite aim , you h ve thrust your he d into the next world a n d you have met some “ 2 1 naughty boys . ( The New Revelation , p . ,

“ Good as well as mischievous agencies doubt ” a less exist in the unseen , says Sir Willi m Bar “ o f rett ( On the Threshold the Unseen , p . “ a This , Of course , is equ lly true if the phenomena are due to those who have once lived ‘ a r a s a o n the earth . There e gre t fools in the ’ a s thiS spirit world there ever were in , as 2 Henry More said over 00 years ago .

o f These naughty boys , these jesters the S S pirit world , appear very often in piritistic com m un ication s o f a , and some them have chieved more fame than if they had acted in seriousness , as for example , the famous John King , who con trolled Eusapia Palladino ; the no less famous Phi nuit, for so many years the control of Mrs . Piper ,

- and finally the well known Feda , who controlled a Mrs . Leon rd and furnished Sir Oliver “ with the informa tion for his enjoyable Ray mond . I cannot resist quoting a few words from ’ on e o f Feda s communications to good Sir Oliver : “ a A chap c me over here the other day , and ‘ ’ ’

ou d . w l have a cigar That s finished them , he

1 52 SPIRITI SM AND COMMON SENSE the judgment of savants who are familiar with the question a n d the current opinion of the o r r din a y spiritistic circles . “ For these latter nothing is more easy o r more common than to converse with the depa rt It f fo r a r e ed . is su ficient a medium to obt in s on ses a o r o f p through table by means a pencil , a and , setting side the risk of meeting with de ceivin g S pirits ( for there are dishonest people

in the other world as there are here , we are a told) , there is no reason to doubt th t the usual communications proceed from the source from

which they purport to proceed . For the special ists a on of the Society for Psychical Rese rch , the contrary—even if they are spiritistic in con viction — , like Hodgson or Hyslop nothing is a more r re than to find a true medium , and more difficult than to distinguish the a uthentic from F . or what is not authentic , in their messages the best mediums constantly mix their drea ms and their subliminal reveries with what comes o f to them from the Beyond , without speaking perturba tions due to the influence o f the liv ing ; a n d with the disincarnate themselves it seems tha t there are such difficulties to over come in order to communicate with us tha t we can never be sure o f the verbal correctness of

any of the messages received . Hodgson compa red the communica tion which he held with the deceased through the o f channel the medium ( Mrs . Piper ) to the con ver sation s which might ta ke place in this world SPIRITISM AN D COMMON SENSE 1 53

between two persons widely separated from who a re to each other , compelled exchange their o f messages by means of two messengers , both so a them drunk . But if this be in the c se o f o f our the most powerful medium generation , and of a deceased person who had given his life to the solution o f this problem a n d had r e solved to do everything possible after his death

to manifest himself to us , what ought it to be in ordinary cases ? And how completely duped a r e a n d a those mediums , professional mateurs , who ima gine tha t they are the recipients o f com mun ica tion s freely coming from innumerable? ‘ ’ ” “ spirits o n the other S ide ' ( Spiritism and ” 1 8 Psychology, p . 3 But suppose we have found an absolutely de

ob pendable medium, and suppose , also , we have ta in ed and identified beyond doubt an absolutely dependable control ; admitting the possibility of this almost impossibility, let us see, if we can , “ of com in any way, be sure the third agency, the ” mun ica tor on e , the who , using the control as an operator , communicates with us in this world . S First of all , according to piritistic revelations , there are different planes and spheres in the next o f world, and the spirits know little outside their n e own plane or S phere . They pray and die in o “ sphere before entering another . ( The New Rev ” o f elation , p . Furthermore , duration life in 154 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

n I S o . b the next sphere is horter than earth ( . , p . Fo r spirits to communicate between one plane and another , they need mediums and con

h n trols in eac pla e to act as spiritual relays . The

fi o f a dif culties then , communic ting between the “ a r e planes , Obvious . Communications usually

ho a come from those w h ve not long passed over , ” to a s on e and tend grow fainter , would expect . “ The cases o f spirits who give good proofs o f authenticity a n d yet have passed some time are ” n ot common . The grea ter number of communications come

. a s from the first plane On this plane , regards S - their knowledge, the pirits are like recently born

a . o b bies , or at the most , like children Are we g ing to put any faith in the accura cy o f their tes tim ony ? At best our informa tion would be a very — vague a n d inconsequent hodge-podge such as ’ was witnessed in our quotations from Raymond s communications through Feda . But, says Sir Conan Doyle :

If on e o f us were suddenly called up by the o f - denizen some sub human world , and were to a a a o r asked expl in exactly wh t gr vity is , e ' what magn tism is , how helpless we should be o f We may put ourselves in the position , then ,

a young engineer soldier like Raymond Lodge , who tries to give some theory o f matter in the

1 56 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

v o r belie ing that the medium may be dishonest , or or or the control , the communicator , all three , one of or or that them all may be mischievous , or confused , misinformed , that it is practically impossible to obtain even on e message that could in any honest consideration be held reliable . And if such is the case how is on e to build up h ow o n e to a religion , is discover rules for living, how is on e to know what to believe and what not ? f r to believe The answer is too stupendous o me . And this utter uncerta inty presents itself even for o f after we have admitted the sake clarity , that discarnate spirits do communicate with us — through mediums which admission is most du bious o f all . To o f ou trust the testimony any person , y need 1 to a , be mor lly certain that the person telling you the fact is telling you the truth as f a r as he knows 2 it ; and , that such person knows what he is talk o f ing about . According to the admissions the al Spiritists themselves , as we have quoted , it is most impossible to be certain of the identity o f the S a n d pirit who is communicating with you , if you o f are not certain his or her identity, you cannot d o f r . a be certain his o her truthfulness But , mitting that you are certa in o f the identity and S truthfulness of the pirit communicating, it is — — impossible for you know nothing about it to SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 1 57

be sure that he knows what he is talking about . ( See quotation above from Doyle ’s “The New ” 8 Revelation, p . 7 , And even if both these necessary conditions were positively established, “ how is anyone to know that the line o f communi cation ” is trustworthy and unhampered ? All these questions should be answered before Spiritism i even beg ns to have a foundation as a religion . Many have been having their knowing laugh at il the faith of Catholics . Spiritists look at it as an lu sion that is passing in the penetrating light o f their beliefs . But the Spiritist believes far more than the Catholic, and he believes it with infinitely

o f less foundation . And the faith Catholics is not

- a only well est blished , but it is reasonable , and has f endured the test o twenty centuries . Another quotation from Professor Flournoy is apposite

I fear for mediums and p ra ctica l spir itists a S a th t , when their hypothesis h ll have been r scientifically demonst ated , the result may be very different from that which they now im

agine it to be . It might well happen that the o f cult the table , automatic writing, séances ,

and all other mediumistic practices , may receive their death -blow from the officia l recognition

o f . spirits by science Suppose, in fact , that contemporary researches should at last have 1 58 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE proved clearly that messages actually come from the discarna te ; it has already followed from a a the same rese rches that , in the most f vorable r a ffi cases , the ve itable mess ges are very di cult to distinguish from those which a r e not a u h en i to a t t c . When people come understand th t this sorting of messages is almost always be

yond their power they will , perhaps , be put out o f conceit with experiments in which they have - on e o f ninety nine chances against being duped , or —a still by themselves others , and in which — more vexatious matter if they S hould even be so fortunate as to light upon the hundredth o f chance , they would have no certain means

knowing it . “ We hardly see people seeking f or gold in o f the sands the Arve , though there is some ‘ there , nevertheless , because the game is not ’ on e a worth the candle , and no would c re to move so much mud fo r the sa ke o f seeing a

problematical glitter at the end . In like manner it appears to me probable that spiritistic practices will lose more and more their charm in proportion to the extent to which science S hows us the r a rity o f authentic mes a f s ges , and the impossibility o recognizing them

once received . But it is true that to children , paste will always produce the same illusion a s ” veritable jewels . Spiritism and Psychol ”

o . 186 gy, p , In a word : If you admit the spiritistic hy poth esis that communication with the souls o f the

CHAPTER XVI

SPIRITISM A N D MORALS

HE fact that at present we have no certain knowledge of the r ea l a n d un iver sal ca use of psychical phenomena in no way affects the moral f o . aspect the question Even if some day, in the

- future , it is discovered that the mind part of these phenomena admits o f a telepathic explanation and the force tha t produces the physical eff ect is o f a S natural origin , the ituation now is what it is ; future decisions do not change its present form . I see a table moving under my fingers and sud denl y rising unaided before me, and I am awe

m stifi ca ti n t h om en t n o struck . My y o a t a t m is or - greater less , if a half hour later I am to be told that the table was levitated by an ordinary magi ’ S o r or eiau s trick, or by the pirits devil , simply by the control o f some rare natural force .

Ordinarily attendance at séances , dealing, as they usually do , with the abnormal , has a tendency ’ a t to disturb a man s normal balance . A man tends a séance deliberately to communicate with o f or communica the souls the dead , to see if such 169 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 1 6 1

ff ro tion is possible . Startling e ects may be p tr i uce a . Ex aord d d . He does not know the c use a ff n ry explanations , the e ects themselves , the gen a ll eral atmosphere of the séance , tend to upset o f his ordinarily sound standards judgment , and u titious be ie s a n d r a cti incline him to s p ers l f p ces . It is to prevent this sup ers titious a ttitu de that the Church from the early ages has always forbidden any attempt to communicate with the dead . This can be seen in the declara tions o f the Fourth o f o f Con Council Carthage , the Fifth Council sta n tin o le o f p , the Second Tours , the Sixth of o f a Paris , the First Ancr , the Fourth , Fifth ,

Twelfth , Sixteenth , and Seventeenth of Toledo , a and m ny more . In all these the practice of communica ting with

a h a s . the dead is forbidden . Rome lso spoken A f question was proposed to the Holy O fice, inquir ing whether it was allowable to t ake part in spir itistic communications o r manifestations of any o f o f a kind , such as asking questions souls the de d and hearing their answers ; o r even to ta ke part without any desire to communica te with the spir

f a its . The Holy O fice replied that all such pr ctices

fficii 1 a c . O . S . . . were illicit ( Cong S , 7 Apr ,

The Church , however , it must be remembered , h as n ot declar ed s irits n or devils that it is the p , yet , who communicate with us by the way of mediums . 162 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

A number o f ecclesiastical writers ma intain tha t the devil is the agent in many o f the phenomena f f “ o . o Spiritism ( For a discussion this , see Spir ” itism a n d en cr a n ts Religion , by Baron John Lilj , A M . . , In the condemnation o f immoral books the

Church gives no S pecific reason for her course . a n d She speaks with authority, her credentials are a sound . Thus lso she forbids Catholics to con

in n a a w . sult with the dead , y y The Church

f r r o . knows best , and it is Catholics to obey The e is a document of particular importance on this a n matter issued by American Council , the Second

11. 6 Council of Baltimore ( Title I c . VII 3 ) “ However it seems a well esta blished fa ct that many o f the wonderful phenomena which are said to be produced a t Spiritistic Circles a h are either ltoget er fictitious , or are produced ‘ by a fraudulent conspi r a cy among the perform ’ o r to a a ers , are be attributed to the im gin tion o f o r persons called mediums , to the credulity o f o r a r the spectators , fin lly, are to be asc ibed to a certain S leight of hand such as ma gicians a practise . However , it seems h rdly to be doubt a t a S a ed that certain things , le st , are due to tan ic intervention , since they can scarcely in h ” any ot er way be satisfa ctorily expla ined . “ B en e v r o vid etu r e s ex lor a tu m lur a e s e p , p qua e in Cir cu lis S pir itismi ex hiber i ph ae n om en a m a n da dicu n tu l es e omn in o emen tita et ir r, ve s

1 64 SPIRITI SM AND COMMON SENSE observance We constantly find the evil spirit seeking to ensnare men in various erroneous ex

a o f a pl nations the Hereafter , so th t , in the words “ 2 -2 - i i o f St . Thomas ( q . be ng mplicated in a these Observ nces , they may become more curious and get themselves more enta ngled in the mani f ” fold sna res o pernicious error . The practice of consulting the dead through

a n d S a sorcerers , necromancers , conjurors , imil r agencies ( “mediums ” of the past) is expressly condemned in Holy Writ . In Leviticus (xx : 6) we read : The soul that S hall go aside after ma

ician s a n d a a g , sooths yers , I will set my f ce a out ag inst that soul , and destroy it of the midst ” a o f its people . And the S cred Book goes further “ a a a : th n prohibition and m lediction , s ying Wiz ” n ot ards thou shalt suffer to live . ( Exodus 1 8 xxii : . ) There are other rea sons why a Catholic should avoid actively p a rticipating in the production of spiritistic phenomena . Apart from any moral a consideration , such pr ctices tend to cultivate over -emotionalism and lack o f mental bala nce in a the particip tor , as any similar practice would , whether connected with Spiritism o r not . But besides this , these practices are a menace to health

n a S ir a n d bring o various nervous diseases . S ys William Barrett : SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 165

there is certainly some evidence in dicat ing that continual sittings for physical phe momena cause an illegitima te and excessive a on a o f a dr in the vit lity a medium , cre ting a a t a nervous exhaustion which is p to le d , in ex or treme cases , to mental derangement , to an a n o de habitu l resort to stimulants , with a less ” “ l r bl o f U n p o a e end . ( On the Threshold the ” seen , p . o f And again , speaking mediums , he says “ The danger to the medium lies , in my opin ion S a , not only in the loss of piritual st mina , but in the possible deprivation of tha t birthright a ou r we e ch are given to cherish , individuality , our true self -hood just as in another wa y this o r a l may be impaired by sensuality, Opium , ” Ib 2 0 cohol . ( . , 5 , If a Catholic admits the spiritistic hypothesis and ascribes the phenomena to discarnate spirits , S ince he cannot admit tha t these souls are souls or from heaven purgatory, he must admit that they are the souls of the damned . The results from any communication with these souls can be o f nothing but evil . The danger even attempting such communication must be obvious . If a Cath on olic , the other hand, believes that the agency of a these phenomen is the devil , and still indulges o r in producing assisting to produce them, he is simply perpetrating the slow suicide o f his soul . o f n o Any intimacy with the practices Spiritism , 166 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE matter how we believe the phenomena to be pro duced our , endangers moral , physical , and relig

sa ious health . It is probably an exaggeration to y , a s a e some do , that those ctive in spiritistic pra tices become in time afflicted with insanity in o r x to some form other , but it is no e aggeration sa y that they pay the price in some fashion , spir i l 1 tua or physical . When a mother hears that the people in a house ff nearby are a licted with some contagious disease ,

S h e forbids her children to play near that house ,

a rti u or to associate with those in it . She is p c la rly strict in her prohibition if she sees that many or of those who dwelt in the house visited it , have been carried away in death . She may not be sure that there is some contagious disease lurking in that house . It may be only a rumor , utterly false h . S e or without foundation Nevertheless , insists a th t her loved ones keep away . She does so, not own merely for her sake , but for the sake of her

. f children Such , likewise , is the position o the

Church , when she forbids her children to avoid “ a spiritistic practices , when those pr ctices take ” o f the form consultation with the dead . The our Church is mother . Her maternal eyes are ff keen to detect danger even afar o . She is ever

‘ a m Dr . Cr wford , often quoted in this book, com itted suicide a a o few months g .

EPILOGUE

G - URIN the Spanish American War , a Span

ia r d a a a in a sm ll South Americ n city, nxious a ll to follow the details of the struggle, subscribed f r f a n o scores o newspapers d reviews . Among these publications was o n e that published only - fi a ver i ed . ccounts that were well These accounts , a necessarily, were unfavorable to Sp nish hopes , listing as they did the various triumphs of the

Americans . The Spaniard was infuriated . He not only dropped his subscription to the publica

o . tion , but he did all in his p wer to ruin it At the same time, he did everything he could do to assist those papers and reviews which fabricated news favorable to the fortunes o f Spa in . He or - or f a n wanted news , true false , well founded if l c u own . , that would cater to his sentiments He “ ” a n ot f a c red if it was faked . But it must be l vor ab e . This Spa niard reminds me Often o f those at present who are eager to obta in information from S f o f the other ide o the grave . The Church Christ has told us about the next world . Purgatory is 168 SPIRITISM AND COMMON S ENSE 169

o f ff a place su ering. Hell is infinitely more dread f . a not o ful And he ven is the state men dream , while under the thraldom o f worldly passions and a fancies . It is a joy, str nge and distant , beyond f r the dim vision o ou earthly eyes . But Spiritism ff reports otherwise ; it o ers to tell us all , down to the smallest details . It assures us that there is no o f our hell . It informs us relatives and friends of who have gone before us . It tells us the amuse — o ur own a ments there, very like , only more t tractive . It gives us pleasant news and such as a ur appe ls to o weak human nature . It caters to r t ou inclinations . It is favorable o our present

. or desires And for that reason , whether true to false, many subscribe its tenets , as the Spaniard did to the paper crammed with his favorite p r eju Not o f dices . the teaching the Catholic Church , o f but the teaching Spiritism , say they, must be our f or our guide , guide shall be the teaching we ff t desire . It makes no di erence o us that the cre den tials of Spiritism are the shaking of tables and a o f a strange noises , the cl nging t mbourines and o f the strumming guitars , words spoken in a dazed condition or in the rapture o f semi -mad f o . ness , ludicrous ghosts and the scraping ouija It makes no difference that most of our demon str a tion s of are fraudulent , that the originators our belief were confessed impostors , that many 1 70 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

f o its apostles have been caught in deceit . It ff for makes no di erence , Spiritism tells us what caters to our weaknesses . It tells us what we want to believe . o f When St . John in prison heard the works of

a sk : Christ , he sent two of his disciples to Him “ a n Art thou he that art to come , or look we for

‘ A n d esus to : other J , making answer , said them “ GO and relate to John what you have heard and : seen the blind see , the lame walk, the lepers are a a cleansed , the deaf he r , the de d rise again , the ” poor have the gospel preached to them . ( Matt . xi : 2 And so do our apostles of the New Rev

' “ elation declare to those wh o come to them G0 u and tell others what yo have seen in the séances . a The tables totter , the ch irs dance ; and if you o f have not seen because the darkness of the place , you have heard the accordions and trumpets and a ou the strange . r ps ; and y have found that the poor may pay and receive spir itgram s from the ” S pirits of their beloved dead . Christ walked out into the Open under the sun o f Galilee , followed by thousands who yearned ,

n ot f or . wonders , but for the words of eternal life

He saw that the multitude was hungry, but there were only a few sma ll loaves and a few fishes at ll a a . hand . There w s not enough to feed them And there was not money among them to purchase

1 72 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

f Saviour unless we admit the miracles o Spiritism .

This is not so . I have spent many pages explain ing that there is a vast difference between the a d mission o f a fa ct and the admission o f some ex t f pla n a ion o that fact . I shall not go over the

n subject ow. Let those outside the Church think

as they wish . They will never understand our o f Faith unless they have the gift Faith , as they will never understand him who speaks in a n other langua ge unless they first know that lan guage . We cannot forget that if we believe, it is o f because we have the gift Faith , a gift that v con was gi en to us in Baptism, and has been sta n tly nourished by the grace of God and the

Sacraments . And it is this Faith that affords us the beautiful explanations o f the true Spiritual o f our Life, and tells us spiritual relations with the living members of the Body of Christ , as well 1 as with those who died in the state of grace . We have much more than we need to satisfy the most God anxious person about the future life , and if in His wisdom h a s not given us more deta ils a bout that life beyond the grave , it is because we cannot “ understand what the eye hath not seen , nor the r ear heard . ( I Co . In our mortal lives we must constantly trust the

‘ Th e a uthor h a s in p rep a r ation a nother book entitled True ” a a a Spiritualism th t will ppe r soon . SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE 173

f n v o . ot authority and alidity human faith Is it , i to only conven ent , but wise trust Him who is Our

Father , Him who knows what is beyond the

grave, and admit His testimony without seeking

to pry into what He , in His Divine and Merciful ? Providence , has hidden from our eyes He may allow the souls of the dead to appear to us as suits be His wisdom, as , we have seen, He has done F r u r . o fore o part , let us not entertain any pre sumptuous desire for rending that veil which He has drawn before our vision . Such vain curiosity, too lov if pushed far , would be an insult to His ing Wisdom and endanger that Faith which is precious to us beyond any earthly possession . He

ma . is Our Father . As children we y trust Him

Under His care we shall n ot come to ruin . If a real communication between the living and the dead were established there might be some rea son for pardoning our curiosity . But no such f method o communica tion exists . There may be to some way for the devil communicate with us , o f ou r but certainly, there is no way conversing at will with the souls o f the dead . The belief that a t our s ummon s they will come to us , is but the a n o last straw clutched at by those who h ve belief , and endeavor to console themselves by means as outlandish a n d feeble a s those practiced at a n o séance . Those who have t the Faith may per 1 74 SPIRITISM AND COMMON SENSE

h O e suade themselves that therein lies their p , as o f the Hindu, when dying, clutches at the tail the

Sacred Cow that it may draw him to Heaven . f or on e d I , , if I had not the gift of Faith , woul

i n a be very loath to place my confidence creed , o f the founders which were tricksters , and the a postles o f which have so associated their greed to with their religion , that it often seems be an

inseparable part o f it . I could not bring myself to aspire to a condition after death in which it would be my privilege to move furniture, produce raps , and engage in the other unbecoming and f somewhat la ughable activities o a séance . And if I did believe that I could communicate with the o f soul some loved one by such means , I think that of I would not . It would seem a desecration their rema ins and an act against that eternal pea ce and happi ness which I wished them so fervently and often . f o . For my part , I want , in the words St Paul “ fly to Timothy, to these things , and pursue jus tice , piety, faith , charity, patience , meekness , and

fight the good fight of faith , laying hold of eter ” a nal life , whereunto I was c lled . This I ear n estl y desire so that , when the great hour comes , after I have believed with a ll the strength o f my o f intellect , worked with all the strength my will , : o a I may say I have fought a go d fight , I h ve

APPEND IX I

H OW I BECAME A SPIRIT MEDI UM

This rema rkable confession of deception is from R evel ations ” a S 18 1 a . of pirit Medium , published in 9 , uthor unknown It is d s a id tha t the pla tes for the book were a fterwa rds bought up an destroyed a n d many hundreds of copies burned by persons wh o did not w ant the book circul ated .

N the year 1 87 1 I wa s a young man of seven a a n d a t a teen ye rs , working my chosen occup tion in one of the capital cities of the middle

a a a a a o f St tes . I w s m teri list the most pro n oun ced believe a type . I did not nything, holding a th t what wa s truth could be demonstra ted . a o f My f mily, with the exception my father , were converts to Spiritualistic philosophy and a a n d a a t phenomen , were regul r attendants the séances of the three or four loca l mediums and the meetings held on Sunday by the orga nized society o f of Spiritualists my city . My family a t n o time

m e obtruded their views upon , nor said anything in Opposition to the ideas held by myself . Not being given to airing my opinions in speech at any and all places and times , it came about that the members of my family had been numbered in 1 77 1 78 APP ENDI X the fold o f the Spiritualists for perhaps four years before my attention wa s sufficiently attract ed to the subject to undertake an investigation o f its peculiar claims . Knowing that the members o f my family were possessed o f ordinary in telli gence and exhibited average powers of logical ar gu m en t on questions other than religious o r Spir itua listic , I concluded that either there was some or fire beneath the smoke , there were some clever ac artists engaged in the business . From the counts Of the phenomena occurring with and in o f the presence their favorite medium , given me S by my married ister , a lady with a liberal educa tion and a cool , analytical mind , I was forced to “ ” the conclusion that those kings of magic, Herr mann and Hellar , still had a few things to learn . The first séance that I attended was one given in my native city by a man reputed so wonderful that I found it impossible not to go just once , any way . That first séance changed the whole course o f my then honorable life and led to a professional o f career deception and adventure . Had I never come in contact with other than

finished , professional mediums , the chances are that I would not have become an adventurer . It a a o f finally struck me that , in order to m ke cert in o f the truth the matter , it would be the proper thing to S it for the development o f a medium

180 APP ENDIX

any progress had been made . I was abjured to be “ ” a patient by the sitters , who told me th t it was an easy thing for the spirits to be mista ken as to o f the length time required to bring about results ,

a a a r but th t they were prob bly not f wrong, and possibly the next S itting would see the first o f the manifestations . f or Thus encouraged, I continued the sittings six months . Nothing occurred , except a healthy desire on the part o f both medium and sitters that a n the manifestations be forthcoming, giving me inclination to cause some phenomena on my own a hook . The more I thought bout it the stronger beca me the desire to practice a little deception on a my friends , then , after telling them bout it, drop the matter entirely . After turning it over in my mind for some time, I concluded I would see what effect a few S purious manifestations would have upon my friends . It would be easy, they having unbounded confidence in me . My mind made up to do it, I hardly knew what to try, and finally con cluded I would wait until the S itting came around and , after getting into the cabinet , see what sug gested itself . o n e This was the course I pursued, and on Sat u r da y evening, after the first song had been sung , S the sitters were delighted to hear harp raps , on o f seemingly the walls the room , within the APPEND IX 1 8 1

cabinet . Of course , I had to be happily surprised ,

r S O o f o appear , which I did, and my first act de c eit was done . I was forced to deny the author s h a d , hip of the raps also , and the first lie been a to given birth . The sitters ende vored get replies to questions , but they did not succeed, for I did not care to go to that length with my deception a a and, besides , did not know what nswers to m ke

a to the inquiries . Nothing occurred but the r ps , although every ear and eye was a lert to catch a nything tha t might transpire . The sitters also displayed a tendency to connect any noise occur

to S . ring piritual agency Noting this , I could not help reflecting with what ease one could deceive

a them . It also gave me an idea that the aver ge medium had pretty smooth sailing when he h a d none but spiritualists in his circle . If he could not readily Off er an explanation f or anything oc o f curring, some one the sitters would do it for him , thus educating him in the business . When nine o ’clock had struck and I came from the cabinet, you may rest assured I felt strange . I was sure that every time one o f the S itters looked upon my face they not only knew that I h a d ma de the raps , but had lied about it afterwards . A dozen times I was on the point o f pea chin g on my o f S a self , but as many times did a sense h me over come my resolution and I told myself that I would 1 82 APPENDIX

on e tell them at a time , as I met them , laugh it S down and dismiss any further ittings .

a n d f The sitters were so delighted , o fered so many unselfish congratulations a n d encoura ge

S n ments , haking my hand and patting me o the back, it is no wonder that I felt my smallness . One o f the ladies remarked : “ There 'I a m sure none o f us need ever have any doubts regarding physical ma nifestations after this . I am sure Mr . would be guilty f ” o no act of deceit .

Think of it , reader . A respected lady friend off ering such an expression o f perfect confidence in me regarding the very thing in which I h a d just been deceiving her 'Would you ha ve felt per ? f ectly at ease in my place I think not . wa s a h a d I gl d when the sitters departed , and thought long and deeply on my deception , and concluded n ot to say a word to any of them about

S on . it, but just hut down any more séances My wits were at work the entire time that elapsed b e tween the regu lar sitting nights trying to concoct some plausible rea son why I discontinued the de I m en t ve Op course .

The evening came , however , and no excuse that I could Offer without exciting the suspicion tha t the manifestations o f the previous sittings were a S fraud , had been formulated . After the itting

1 84 APPENDIX

sitters to be entranced . It struck me as the proper to thing to allow them remain undeceived, which I did . The sitters took this for a S ign that some

a new phenomena was bout to occur . It did not , on e however , until evening I found about twenty feet o f rope that had been concealed in the cabi net without my knowledge . I found it nicely coiled and tied with thread to the underside o f

a a h a the c ne ch ir seat in which I sat . I d no o f knowledge rope tying feats , but undertook to bind myself with the ropes , and this I finally suc

a ceeded in doing . I then ess yed my first speaking “ under control by exclaiming, Look, look , look, until the S itters understood that the spirits wanted ’ them to examine the medium s condition . The S itters were delighted beyond measure at

finding me apparently so securely bound . The light was so dim that it was impossible to detect anything wrong with the knots o r manner of ty ing . I was fearful , though , all through the ex amination that some o f them would discover my a n d a deception , only bre thed freely when the ex amination had been completed a n d I wa s admitted “ a to be most securely bound , and in a way th t it ” was impossible to have accomplished himself .

I realized , however , that the absolute confidence o f the sitters in my honesty had as much to do with the successful termination of my rope tying APPENDIX 185

of test as anything else , and that with a circle a ff skeptics , it would h ve been an entirely di erent matter . Little did I think at this time that at on e day deser v in the future I would have the reputation , edl o f a n d y too, being the best most satisfactory a phenomen l medium in the United States . Little did I suspect that I would be able not only to du plica te the performances o f the most skilled medi o f ums , but improve them and be the means con verting hundreds to a belief in the phenomena o f modern spiritualism . Such, however , are the facts in the case APPENDIX II

EVA C .

our E have purposely avoided, in present o f o f work , a discussion the true value the manifestations o f the great mediums . Our work a a a is , rather , a psychologic l study th n criticism Of the true value of the proofs adduced by diff erent “ writers as Spiritistic Phenomena . But the “ ” materializing medium Eva C . has acquired such great notoriety through the voluminous book of “ von S ch r en ck- Baron Notzing , Phenomena of ” a our in Materialization , th t work would seem

if no sa complete we did t y a word about her . We prefer to quote verbatim the a uthorized Opinions o f o ur other writers , rather than to express own There has just been issued an English ’ r n i A l e f a . ou er d b o tr nslation by Mr F , the Ger o f S ch ren ck- man work Baron von Notzing, Ma ter ialis a ti on s -P h a n om en e which contains between two and three hundred excel lent photographs o f materialisations with this

medium .

188 APPENDIX

1 1 appeared in 9 4 , and Mme . Bisson brought out in French a much S horter and more discreet - version, a German lady doctor , Mathilde von a Kemnitz , published drastic and annihilating o f Moder n e Medium or sch un criticism it ( f g, n ot I need repeat the criticisms here , but the reader will quite fail to understand modern Spiritualism unless certain details o f a

rather delicate character are given . Baron von S ch r en ck-Notzing claims to have carried these precautions to the most rigorous wa s conceivable point . Marthe stripped before

S . a n d each itting by Mme Bisson , sewn into the -fi in tt . tight g garments In any case , it is

certain , and is admitted by the Baron , that , in o f spite all his search , she smuggled articles

into the cabinet . In some photos he admits

that Marthe is the ghost , with fine drapery o f about her . In most the others the ghost is a - on quite obviously a p per picture , pinned the a a curt ins . There is strong reason to believe

that she swallowed her material in advance , and

was able to bring it up from her stomach .

Many such cases are known in science . Here the rea der has the last word in medi um shi o f p the physical type . The medium is

o f . pitted against men science , and wins At least Marthe Beraud is considered by Spiritual ists o f , and by some men the scientific psychic

school , to have won . She has recently been

in London , and the leading London Spiritual ists g reeted her with admiring enthusiasm . APPENDIX 189

For ( further details , see Spiritualism , 1 8 A Popular History from 47, by Joseph Mc

Y . . a Co . . Cabe Dodd Me d , N ,

We take the following account from the Fort ” 1 8 1 2 0 : nightly Review, July , 9

Spiritism a n d th eScientists Lon Messrs . Kegan Paul , we see from the don Tim es Liter a r S u lem en t y pp , have in press f von an English transla tion o Baron Dr . ’ h r en ck-Notzin s a a Ma ter i S c g sens tion l work, — alis a tion s P h a n om en e : ein B eitr ag e ur E r for s ch un g d er m ediumis tisch en Telepla s tik ( Mu

nich, Ernst Reinhardt , which has been on our ta ble for several months a n d has puzzled

us not a little . The book embodies the results o f certain scientific experiments ca rried out by

the author , who is a practicing physician and a o f scientist considerable renown , assisted by a n d other physicians scientists , with two medi ums—the one a French woman and the other a a a Mu Polish girl , p rtly in Paris and p rtly at e nich, shortly b fore the war . There are numer “ ou s photogra phs showing telepla stic strue ” a tures in v rious stages of development . The

English translation is by Dr . E . E . Fournier ’ d A lbe a nd will be published under the title, The Phenomena of M a teria lization : A Contri bution to the Investigation o f Mediumistic Phe ” m n n o e a .

von S ch r en k- i n Dr . c Notzing is the first sc e tist who has undertaken to ascertain whether 19 0 APPENDIX the ghosts that materialize at Spiritistic sé a n ces actua lly exist and o f what substance they

are made . The first a n d ma in series o f experiments “ a a were m de with French girl , Eva whom S ch r en ck- a Dr . von Notzing describes as h ving

moral sentiments only in the egocentric sense , “ a a as not virgin, and as h ving a very erotic

imagination . She had interested M . Bisson , a - a well known French writer of some reput tion ,

and especially his wife , Mme . Bisson , in her ’ a performances . Mme . Bisson became Eva s p

tron ess and attended most of the séances . Dr . von S ch r en ck- Notzing took the phenomena very o f seriously, devised most the rigorous control o f the medium , raised the lights to a high pitch o f a a a illumination , fired five c mer s at time at “ ” a cin em ato the ghost , and even installed

graph . The young woman was stripped before every performa nce a n d sewn into something ” f o . like tights black cloth Her mouth , nos

trils a . , ears and rmpits were carefully examined There was a superficial examination also o f the f lower part o her body . After three years of

n . research u der these rigorous conditions , Dr von S ch r en ck- Notzing published the results in - wa s his above mentioned book . He convinced a a a ff th t the phenomen were re l , but o ered no expl a nation o f the manner in which they were a a produced . He disd ins Spiritism and cl ims only a mysterious teleplastic po wer on the part o f S a the medium . The pecial v lue of his book

19 2 APPEND IX

and she had a quarter o f an hour or so to ar range the marvelous “peep—show The faces appea ring on the photographs are explained as illustrations cut out of the French papers ; they are very crude a n d resemble flat paper sur a S ch r en ck- faces . B ron von Notzing admits that on several occasions Eva deceptively smug gled pins into the cabinet in spite of his rigid ou t control . Critics of his book point that one o r two of the photogr a phs plainly S how th e wa s marks of pins and that on one , which taken ” E va a prematurely, is d ngling the ghost on

the end o f a string . Another doctor pointed “ ” out that there are human ruminants who can lower things into their gullet or stomach and a bring them up at will , and he remembered th t Eva occasionally bled from the mouth o r gullet S o f after a sitting . For seven ittings ( four

which were quite barren ) , a net was put over a S h e her he d, but stipulated that her dress be on left open when the net was , and very soon

forced them to lay it aside . Mc Cabe In short , says Mr . , although Baron S ch r en ck , Professor Richet , Doctor Geley, and other scientific and medica l men cling to the “ ” ’ in abnormal theory, the whole three years i i vest ga t on really turned into a farce . It was ‘ ’ wa s admitted tha t Eva C . Marthe Beraud ; and it is clear that she concealed her light and a compressible material about her body . He dds that it has not yet been demonstra ted that some women mediums may not develop an abnormal APPENDIX .1 9 3

secretion o f mucus and blow o r trail it from the

mouth, making it assume fantastic appearances ” in the red light .

o f . For Americans , the authority Mr Houdini , a s a the great magician, cannot be denied he is “ ” edn s master in the a r t o f deception . On W e 1 2 2 to o f day, July 5, 9 , he writes , the Editor the “ New York Times

To th e E ditor of the N ew Yor k Tim es :

f - Ha ve rea d the letter o H . Edwards Ficken and believe it calls f o r an explanation o n my

part . I did not expose Mlle . Eva , the protégée

o f . a n d Mme Bisson , had given my promise not a to do so to the Hon . Ever rd Fielding during the eight séances a t the rooms o f the Psychic

Research Committee in London , at which I was

his guest . I gave him my word tha t nothing would be published by me until after the Psychic R e sea rch Committee h a d published its proceed

ings regarding its séances . They were pub lish ed h a about a mont ago , which rele sed me

from my promise , and I can now give my views a publicly . I feel th t it is necessary to explain E n ot . va that I did expose Mlle in London . In the majority o f these séances I was o n e o f a E va the committee to ex mine and hold Mlle . in a S O the c binet . Each séance lasted three hours , “ ‘ I had ample opp or tun ity in the twenty-four Of hours , which were spread over a period at 194 APPENDIX

one least month , to carefully note what the me i m d u was trying to do . She positively did not do anything that would ca use me to believe S h e was domg something

which was not produced by natural means . Have made minute detailed notes o f the hun dred séances which I attended and participated o n in my last trip abroad , and although those

present saw and heard extraordinary things , I

was n ot convinced . Am afraid that the greater part o f the things we read about in full-page a rticles are very ’ S a bon ee s much like materialization , which is n ow being so vigorously denied . At the time o it appeared I knew it was not p ssible , and hav — ing gone carefully through S ch r en ck Notz ’ o ing s b ok, all I can say is that to my belief it could not have ha ppened in the minds o f some or con fiden ces v who were there , their ha e been betrayed

19 6 APPEND IX where she was caught by the camera h olding the “ to spook with her right hand , while confuse in o f S h e the dark the observations von Notzing, put on S a piece of cloth her right knee , imulating her right hand . 108 If we look at the picture facing page , ” we S hall see nearly three feet o f ectoplasm (gauze) drawn from the cross bar o f on e comb where it had been ingeniously concealed by the

. es author The comb is an ordinary article, not “ ” i ll a f r pec a y m de o this psychic purpose . On the same picture the “ finger ” shows in exactly the

1 a n d 1 8 o f v n . o same position as in Figs 47 4 Dr . ’ ” in Notz s . g book Of course , the ectoplasm ( or gauze) hanging to it was stowed away “ inside ” o f a the finger , th t was itself , easily concealed ; “ ” the rest of the ectoplasm (gauze ) on the table wa s concealed in the handkerchief . In another picture we see how the ectoplasm “ (gauze) and a picture concea led inside of the fi n ger ” is used by the author to produce” ( fake) o f the materialization a spook, precisely in the

ifi i n f a f or ed ca t o o . same w y Eva C . does the Dr a von Notzing and his friends . ( F cing page ” But there is something very striking and r e ’ markable in von Notzin g s book that gives us a n f ’ other example Of the truth o P . T . Barnum s famous saying . I refer the scientific reader to APPEND IX 19 7

2 0 . 1 1 2 12 o f page 9 , Fig 9 , and page the same dee l cien ti c 1 18 s . . p y fi book In Fig , besides the “ ectoplasm protruding from her nose, we ’ “ ” s o f h alO - see around Eva C . head a kind a p a — per halo o u which we can r ea d three printed lines “ ” o f the newspaper from which the ectoplasm

. 1 1 was taken But there is still more . In Fig . 9 u we find o t from what newspaper Eva C . cut the “ ” a a ectopl sm We cle rly read , printed on the “

: . ectoplasm , these letters MIROI ( Miroir ) Let ’ us quote von Notzin g s own words on this won ful a 2 1 der . : phenomenon He says , p ge 3

Of much greater interest is the result o f the photogra ph taken with the ca mera inside the fla t cabinet ( fig . Here the Object which projects behind the medium ’s head towards the a a a back, appears with four distinct p r llel cre ses , which are also shown in the ster eoscOpic photo

a . a a gr ph There is a n rrow horizont l strip , also a on interrupted by cre ses , which we can recog ‘ ’ ‘ ’ nize the words le ( small type ) Miro ( large ‘ a type ) . That is evidently me nt to be Le ” ca n n MIROIR . We just recog ize the top of ‘1’ ‘ ’ ‘ ’ an following the O , but the next word R

is covered . I CANNOT FORM ANY OPIN H ” ION OF T IS CURIOUS RESULT . ( Cap l ita s mine . )

t After reading this , we need not wonder as o M be o f a . cCa wh t Mr J . England said in the de 198 APPEND IX bate on Spiritualism between S ir Arthur Conan Doyle ( who is a great believer in von S ch renck 8 Notzing and Eva C . ) and himself , page 4

ow N , even in Germany and Austria , Baron von S ch ren ck-Notzing is the laughing-stock o f ” his medical colleagues .

v lectur Ne ertheless , there are many writers and “ ” ers who quote von Notzing as an authority . We ” a f do not firm or deny the existence of ectoplasm . ’ ffi von otzin s o We simply a rm that Dr . N g bo k does not prove anything except as it is further confirmation that Barnum was right when he “ said : There is ONE born every minute

2 00 APP END IX

n o finally, although the audience could t see the “ ” large arm and hand of the astral body o f the ” wh o author, was moving furniture , making “ ” ” chairs dance and lifting tables , when the pho “ to ra h s g p were developed , the astral arm and ’ ” hand o f the author s astral body appeared very clearly, as shown in the illustration . Of o f course all it was fake , but the method used by “ the author is an entirely new one , as he does not use double exposure but a very simple device “ f o n o his w invention to impress the plates, not handling them at all APPENDIX V

LEVI TATI ON

HE levitation of a human body by the ” hands of the spooks wa s on e of the famous stunts or phenomena performed by the famous medium , D . D . Home . “ The author h a s reproduced this phenomenon “ in his lectures , under test conditions . We reprint here the account given by the ” Springfield Republican o f the lecture during which levitation of the human body was demon 2 02 stra fed . Facing page is an authentic “ ” photograph of the stunt as accomplished in

Springfield . f . . . S . . o Rev C M de Heredia, J , Holy Cross a college, treated a p cked audience of Springfield “ ” people to a demonstration of S piritism which might well vie with the best efforts o f the most

distinguished professional mediums , last night a a re in the h ll of the technic l high school . He created practically all o f the illusions o f me diumism , including table tipping, levitations , ff and apparitions , so e ectively that the audience “ was completely baffled . Regard for respectable 201 2 02 APPEND IX professional magicians restrained him from h ow revealing the things were done , but the S people went away laughing at piritism . Father

de Heredia admitted it was all trickery .

DESIRE To EXPOSE FRAU DS

’ Motivating Father de Heredia s extr aor di nary performance was the desire to expose the frauds which he claimed a r e being perpetrated upon the public in the na me of communion with

departed souls . He admitted that there is such a thing as psychic phenomena but argued that f or so - it is quite another thing a called medium, f or a sa working a consider tion , to y arbitrarily “ that this thing I S how yo u is psychic phe nomena” and to claim that the agency thereof is

a departed soul . “ We Catholics , the father said, have faith

a . in immortality, in life after de th We believe our a a fo r that we will see relatives g in , but the ’ sake o f decency and love we don t want to call ‘ ’ our mothers back to the shimmy table . The latter was the lecturer ’s picturesque reference to the syncopated tipping o f a table which

formed part o f his demonstration .

NEED A DARK PLACE Prefacing his demonstrations with the r e “ mark that mediums need a da rk pla ce in which ” to work Fa ther Heredia caused the lights to be extinguished and proceeded to reproduce his “ ” ” a o r astr l body nimbo , which appeared to be

APPENDIX 2 03 a small phosphorescent glow against the solid f black o the stage drop . He emerged from this experiment in a carefully simulated state o f exhaustion , announcing that such an impor ’ tant deta chment from one s body was liable to f cause the best mediums some su fering . The next important illusion was a communica tion with the son of Sir Oliver Lo dge by way o f the a table r pping route . After he had established relations with Ra ymond Lodge by means o f a “ ” “ con troler on , named Moonshine , the other ” a side , he announced th t he would have the sa me conversa tion with the young man which his father records in his book . The answers ’ to Father de Heredia s questions were given by means o f ra ps “ ” ou ? Hello , Raymond , are y there Yes Do they have houses there ?”

Yes . Cigars ? ” Yes . And whisky ?” ” Yes . SH I MMY NOT U N KN OWN

Inasmuch as A . Conan Doyle says there are of reference libra ries in the land the departed, a a to Father de Heredi argued , it is reason ble “ ” suppose that the shimmy is not unknown , and f as a matter o proof the lecturer , by the use of f in his extraordinary power o communion , “ ” duced a spirit to instill certain motions into 2 04 APPENDIX

the table, which might be understood as the well -known dance ( with interpretative reserva

tions ) . Next in order o f illusions ( requiring a dark ened house also ) was the recalling of a few de a e - parted rel tiv s who , in white ghost like forms , fli e a eerily tt d about the stage . Then c me a demonstration o f the extra ordinary psychic power o f a simple bit of machinery consisting

o f a false hand resting upon a board . The hand moved three times in rendering a “yes ” answer ” and on e for no to questions put by members f o . the audience After that , the lecturer worked himself up into a perfectly good trance and went among the audience telling diff erent people things a bout themselves which were a b solutel sa y true and some y , he had no business o f knowing . One these things was the location o f a pin , supposed to be lost , which the father declared could be found in a particul a r corner o f a particula r drawer o f a particula r young ’ woman s dresser . The young woman was par ticular about not revealing her identity .

I NTERE STI NG DEMONSTRATION A demonstration o f unusua l interest was the message reading which Fa ther de Heredia per ' m a n n er o f formed , somewhat after the Mrs .

Isabel Bradley, who recently conducted services under the a uspices o f the First Spiritualistic f Church in this city . One o the chief differ en ces between the two , however, lies in the fact

LIST OF BOOKS CONSULTED

T D D P . t ABBO T, AVI , Behind the Scenes wi h the Mediums ,

. Co . a 1 0 Open Court Pub , Chic go , 9 7 . A DA 1\ S . . D . a and a a , W H , Witch , W rlock M gici n, New York, 18§Q D AKSAKOV, ALEKSAN R NIKOLAEVICH , Animisme et

S a 18 . piritisme , P ris , 9 5

D a a 18 ANGEL WORL , THE , The New Revel tion , Utic , 77 . el ANGLEMONT , DE, COUNT ARTHUR , El Hipnotismo, M a gnetismo y la Mediu mida d S cien tifi ca m ente Demonstra

a a 18 . dos , B rcelon , 9 5 DE S C C a . ANNALES S IEN ES PSYCHIQ UES , P ris ’ a P 1 a a a . 0 . ANONYMOUS , The Devil s Leg cy, P lmyr , , 9 4 1 . 0 5 Fe no m eno s Mediani os ANTONELLI , J , El Espiritismo o c .

S a Th eolo ica Dis u AQUINAS , THOMA , Summ g , Questiones p a a a t t e Contr Gentiles .

a n d a 1 S . a 8 6 A HTON , J , The Devil in Brit in Americ , London , 9 . ’ 188 A . a . SSIER, A D , Posthumous Hum nity , London, 7

a a a a E S . x BALDWIN , SAMRI , The Secrets of M h tm L nd Y 8 a . . 1 pl ined, Brooklyn , N , 9 5. R PP a la Vitalite Hu BA ADUC , HI OLYTE, Les Vibr tions de

a a 1 0 . m ine , P ris, 9 4

a 18 BA R ETY La Ma n etisme a 0. , g Anim l , P ris , 9 Man Kenn erle Ne E . a a w BARKER, , Letters from Living De d , y, 1 1 York, 9 4 . B W a r e a Man E. ARKER, , L tters from the Living De d , Ken 1 1 nerley, New York, 9 5. 8 A . 1 . BARNES , W . , Synopsis of Hypnotism, Boston, 97 S IR E Um BARRETT , WILLIAM , On the Threshold of the 1 1 seen , Dutton , New York, 9 7.

B F. a a n ARRETT, SIR WILLIAM , Psychic l Rese rch , Londo , 1 1 19 . ‘ B LE B G a au Pa . ATAILLE, O TEUR, Le Di ble XIX Siecle, ris 2 07 2 08 LI ST OF BOOKS CONSULTED B ATES, E . K a S an d a 1 0 . Psychic l cience Christi nity, 9 9 a a ? a n d O 1 08. Do the De d Dep rt ther Questions , 9 a 1 10 The Psychic Re lm , 9 . a d 1 0 n 8 . Seen Unseen, 9 - D DE C. a 18 6 BAU I VESME, , Stori dello Spiritismo , Turin , 9 7 .

C . an d a BAUDOIN , , Suggestion Autosuggestion, Dodd , Me d, 1 2 1 New York, 9 . D M B . . S a EAR , G , Psychology of the lem Witchcra ft Excite 16 2 188 2 ment of 9 , New York, .

D M a B . . 18 EAR , G , Scientific B sis of Delusions , New York , 77 .

B C . a a a 18 EECHER , , Spiritu l M nifest tions , Boston, 79 . B Ll H E . . a : a J , Obe h Witchcr ft in the West Indies, London, 1éég N BE EZE CH A . Ph en om enes et La , , Les Psychiques Question ’ - la A u a a 1 12 . de Del , P ris , 9 D B . S G . . ER EN , MRS F , Current uperstitions , Collected from a a -S a 18 6 the Or l Tr dition of English pe king Folk, Boston, 9 .

B H . S a a ERNHEIM , , Hypnotisme, uggestion , Psychother pie, P ris ,

1886.

B H a 1 . 88 ERNHEIM, , Suggestive Ther peutics , New York, 9 .

B L La a 1 00 ERTRAND , , Religion Spirite, P ris , 9 . - B D W E 2 . 18 6 IE ERMANN , . , lectro Physiology, vols , London, 9

i 898 .

B A a a 1888 INET , . , Anim l M gnetism , New York, . B 1- 1 88 . INET ET FERE, Revue Philosoph . , Nos . 3, 5 ’ BIZ U A R D a l H m m e a le O . o , J , Des R pports de vec Demon, a 186 P ris , 3 . B - 1 0 B . a . JORNSON , , Wise Knut, Br ndeis , New York, 9 9 188 S . . . BJORN TROM , F J , Hypnotism , New York , 7

BOIR A C La n a 1 12 . , EMILE, Psychologie Inco nue , P ris , 9

BOIR A C 1 1 . , EMILE , Our Hidden Forces, New York, 9 7

B G . OIS , ,

a 1 00. Le Peril Occultiste, P ris , 9

a 1 0 . Le Monde Invisible, M rseilles , 9 3

a a 1 0 . Le Mir cle Moderne , P ris , 9 7 a a M BOLO , HENRY, Nuestr s Comunic ciones con los uertos , 1 0 Mexico , 9 4 - h a a Co . B B . T e BOND , F . , Hill of Vision , M rsh ll Jones , oston, 1 19 9 .

2 10 LIST OF BOOKS CONSULTED

HER WA R D C ntin u ed CARRINGTON , ( o ) a a a 1 1 Modern Psychic l Phenomen , Dodd , Me d, New York, 9 9 . a a a 1 12 De th Deferred , Phil delphi , 9 . a S a o 1 1 Person l Experiences in piritu lism , L ndon , 9 3 . R S a n d a a 1 0 CA U , PAUL, The Old New M gic , Chic go , 9 3 .

B A utobio ra fi a a 18 2 CELLINI , ENVENUTO , g , M drid , 9 . T M. CHA EO . a , I , Hypnotisme, Complete Works , vol . ix, P ris , 1fRQ ’ ’ ’ ’ 188 8 0 1 2 CIVILTA CATTOLICA , 4, 5, 9 , 9 , 9 , 9 5. L DD C O E . : a Man a , , The Question If Die Sh ll He Live

. 1 18 E J . Clode, New York, 9 .

. E a a E COAKLEY , TH , Spiritism ; the Modern S t nism , xtension a 1 2 0 Press , Chic go , 9 . R 18 C . . . CO KE , J , Hypnotism , Boston , 94

L . . a W R CONSTANT , A , The History of M gic, . ider Son , 1 1 London , 9 3 . D - . . a n d 2 CONWAY , M , Demonology Devil Lore, vols . , New 18 York, 79 .

W . a a a 1 1 . 0 . COOK, W , Pr ctic l Lessons in Hypnotism, Chic go , 9

D a a COOVER , JOHN E GAR , Experiments in Psychic l Rese rch

a t a S a r . a 1 1 Lel nd t nford, J , University, St nford , 9 7 .

H a S . a n a COR ON , , Spirit Mess ges , with Introductory Ess y on

S a a . piritu l Vit lity, New Edition , Austin Pub , Rochester, 1 N . Y. , 19 9 .

a Ma n a n COX , SERGEANT , The Mech nism of , Answer to the “

a 2 . 18 6. Question , Wh t Am vols , London, 7

R . C AWFORD , W J

a a 1 1 6. The Re lity of Psychic Phenomen , London, 9 Hints a nd Observations for Those Investigating the Phe

n o m ena S a 1 18 . of piritu lism , New York, 9

a 1 1 . Experiments in Psychic l Science, New York, 9 9

W M. a a CROOKES , SIR , Rese rches in the Phenomen of Spirit ua lism o 18 , L ndon , 74. I M a nd a S R W . a CROOKES , , Spiritu lism Science , Qu rterly a S 18 0- 1 Journ l of cience , 7 7 .

LL R R E Ma n etisme et a 18 CU E . , g Hypnotisme , P ris , 9 5 D - ’ T C . a CUMBERLAN , STUART , A Thought Re der s houghts ; d 1 a n 888 . Impressions Confessions , London ,

- B s M G . M a Ma o . . V. DAHLGREN , MRS ( ) , South ount in gic ,

1882 . ton, LI ST OF BOOKS CONSULTED 2 1 1

. a a DALLAS , H A De th , the G te of Life Dutton, New York, 1 1 9 9 .

DALLOZ a , Article on Escroquerie, Dictionn ire des Sciene . D h . esc a mb re Med , of . P B - . a a DAVEN ORT , REUBEN , The De th Blow to Spiritu lism , 1888 New York, .

DAVIS , A . J . , Dia kka n d a a . The Their E rthly Victims , Austin Pub , Roches Y 18 ter, N . . , 73 . a a a a n d E 1 868 . Memor nd of Persons , Pl ces vents , Boston , S a 1 2 8 . Philosophy of piritu l Intercourse , Boston, 7

P OR a a a 18 . DE GAS ARIS , AGEN , Des T bles Tourn ntes , P ris , 57

GAU DE MBE R G D Le a 18 DE , GIRAR , Monde Spirit, P ris , 57.

D 2 0 a t DE GRAN MAISON DE BRUNO, Cures Lourdes , St . 1 12 Louis , 9 . B G . ELANNE , , S a la a 188 Le piritisme Dev nt Science , P ris , 5. la Medium n ite a 1 02 . Recherches sur , P ris , 9 a 1 0 Le Monde Invisible, M rseilles , 9 3 . M ium ni e 1 0 et ed t s a . DENIS , LEON , Le Spiritisme Les , P ris , 9 4 ’ D L E h o ux a c . ENIS , LEON , due Merveille , P ris

- R e a W . S DENTON , , oul of Things , or, Psycho Metric es rches

an d . 18 Discoveries , 3 vols , 73 . ’

a L H n otism e a 18 . DE ROCHAS , Les Et ts Profonds de yp , P ris , 9 5 “ ”

DE S CHA MB R E La Ga z . . . , Doctrine Spirite , Hebdom de Med

et de . 18 . Chir , 59

S a 18 . DE VERE , M . . , Modern M gic , 73

8 . B . an a 1 DODS , J . , Spirit M ifest tions , New York, 54 EA NNIA R D S Pa DOT, DU, A . J , Ou en Est Le piritisme ris , 1 0 90 .

DOYLE, SIR A . CONAN ,

a 1 18 . The New Revel tion , New York , 9

a a 1 1 . The Vit l Mess ge , New York, 9 9

a S a 1 2 1 . The Wonderings of piritu list , New York, 9 D DUNCAN , ROBT . KENNE Y, The New Knowledge, New

1 06. York, 9 Ph siol ic a E . et o DUPOUY , , S cience Occultes y g Psychique, P ris , 1 898 .

T Th e W 18 . DYER, T . F. . , Ghost orld , 9 3

D T. a 2 d . W . a n . ( EDMONDS , J , EXTER , G , On Spiritu lism ’

18 8 . New York, 53, 5 2 1 2 LIST OF BOOKS CONSULTED

D D S W . t . E MON S , J . , Le ters on piritism B in EL E , LOUIS , Future Life the Light of Ancient Wisdom

a n d a 1 06. Modern Science, Chic go , 9

E e . ELWORTHY , Evil y ’ L cultism C PA PU S G . Oc e et a EN AUSSE ( ) , , Le Spiritu lisme , a 1 02 P ris , 9 .

C P B a EN YCLO EDIA RITANNICA , p ssim .

P D T a . ENCYCLO E IA, CA HOLIC, p ssim E NN MO S R . r E E a . a W . , J , Histo y of M gic ; tr from Germ n by

2 18 . Howitt, vols . , London, 54

a . ETUDES , LES , P ris

D G . Ten a a FAIRFIEL , F. , Ye rs with Spiritu l Mediums , New 18 York, 75. B a 1 8 a 0 . FARGES , MGR . AL ERT , Le Cerve u, P ris , 9

S . a a FARMER, JOHN , A New B sis of Belief in Immort lity, 188 1 London, .

R a a . FARRINGTON , ELIJAH, evel tions of Spirit Medium , St a 18 1 P ul, 9 .

18 6. L . a FIGUIER , , Le Spiritisme, P ris , 9

FILIA R E E a a 1 1 1 . , J Occultismo xperiment l , M drid , 9

R C . FLAMMA ION , ,

a a n d a 1 2 1 . De th Its Mystery ; Before De th , Century, 9

a a 1 0 . Les Forces N turelles Inconnues , P ris , 9 7

n N ew 1 00 . The Unk own , York, 9

S a a a 1 0 . Mysterious Psychic Forces , m ll , M yn rd , Boston, 9 7

T. FLOURNOY , , a n d a a n d Spiritism Psychology, H rper , New York London , 1 1 1 9 . From India to the Pla net M a rs ; a Study of a Ca se of Som l m 1 00 n a mb u is , 9 .

et e a 1 1 1 . Spirits Mediums , G nev , 9

D e t a 188 . FONTAN ET SEGAR , Hypnotisme Suggestion, P ris , 7 ' Ph to r a h ic et l Etude G . La o FONTENAY , DE , , g p des Phenom

a 1 12 . enes Psychiques , P ris , 9

1 0 . FOREL, M . D . A , Hypnotism , New York , 9 7 ’

T 1 0 . E . F D . OURNIER , ALBE E , The Electron heory, London , 9 9

18 . G . S FRANCO, , Lo piritismo , Rome , 9 3 ’ K a n d FUNK, I . . , The Widow s Mite Other Psychic Phenom - na W a n alls a n d 1 0 . e , Funk g , New York London , 9 4

2 14 LI ST OF BOOKS CONSULTED

F . a d a n a 1888 . HARTMANN , , M gic , White Bl ck , S HARTMANN , K. R . E . VON , piritism , London .

a a nd E HASTINGS , JAMES , Encyclopedi of Religion thics, a 1 2 1 p ssim , New York, 9 .

. B . a a HAYNES , C , The Other Side of De th , N shville . D ' P . . . a a HEI ENHAIN , R H , I Cose Dello M gnetismo Anim le, ’ ’ It 188 8 . 8 . . . 0 1 a Ma Arch Med , 3, 4, 5 ( Hypnotism Anim l g m n etis ,

. Z a 1 01 HERRERO, F GON ALES , El Hipnotismo , Cuenc , 9 . HEY IN E R n W . a d a B S G . a r , I , Spirit M tter Before the of Mod

S 1 10. ern cience, 9 l . S . 0 . Cas t S a Ph i o so hiae S ch ola stic ae HICKEY, J , ummul p .

IG IN N Th e a a S a H C S O . W . , T , R tion le of piritu lism, New York, I g59 .

A . a a 1 1 HILL, JOHN , Spiritu lism , Dor n, New York, 9 9 .

A . a a 1 1 HILL, JOHN , Psychic l Investig tions , 9 7. F HOFFMAN , PRO ESSOR , a a a Modern M gic , Phil delphi .

e a a a . Mor M gic , Phil delphi

a a 1 0 . L ter M gic, New York, 9 4

a a . L test M gic, London R a 2 T . HOL , HENRY , On the Cosmic el tions , vols , Houghton , 1 1 Boston, 9 4 . - zu d . o 186 2 . D . HOME, D . , Incidents in My Life , vol , L ndon , 4 7

D . 18 MR . . . . S 0 HOME, D . , , Gift of D D Home, London , 9

d 1 D H . M a a n 20. HOU INI , , ir cle Mongers Their Methods , 9

-R n d A . a a 188 HOVEY, W . , Mind e ding Beyond , 5.

n d a a G . a a S and HUBBEL , G . , F ct F ncy in piritu lism , Theosophy

a a a 1 01 . Psychic l Rese rch , Cincinn ti , 9

La a 1 w a . . . 8 HUDSON , T J , of Psychic Phenomen , Chic go , 9 3

R and a a New HULL , BURLING, ope Ties Ch in Rele ses , York,

19 15.

F a a - HUNTLEY , . , The Gre t Psychologic l Crime , Indo Amer.

Bk. 1 . , 906 H HYSLOP , J . . , a 1 1 Cont ct with the Other World , New York, 9 9 .

a 1 18 . Life After De th , Dutton, New York, 9 a a a S a a a Enigm s of Psychic l Rese rch , m ll , M yn rd , Boston ,

1906. LI ST OF BOOKS CONSULTED 2 1 5

. . Con tinu ed HYSLOP, J H ( ) a a a S a a a Borderl nd of Psychic l Rese rch , m ll , M yn rd, Boston, 1 06 9 . a a a n d a a n a Psychic l Rese rch the Resurrection , Sm ll , M y rd ,

1 08 . Boston , 9 a a a n d S a 1 1 Psychic l Rese rch urviv l , 9 3 .

a n d rk 1 0 . Science A Future Life, New Yo , 9 5

JAMES , WILLIAM ,

z d . 1 2 u 0. The Principles of Psychology , vol , New York, 9 a 1 8 a 8 . Hum n Immort lity , Boston , 9 18 The Will to Believe, New York, 97 .

P a a H ster i ues JANET , IERRE , Et t Ment l des y q , Les Accidents 18 a a . Ment ux , P ris , 9 4 L’A m ti m P uto a s e a 188 . JANET, IERRE, Psychologique , P ris , 9

n d a 1 0 . OS . a a 0 JASTROW , J , F ct F ble in Psychology , Boston , 9 F S a S . JOHN ON , , The New Psychic tudies in Their Rel tion to a 188 Christi n Thought , 7 . d C . a a a an R a JONES , H . , The Electric l N ture of M tter dio a 1 06 ctivity, New York, 9 .

H . a 1 1 6. JOYCE, G . , The Question of Mir cles , London, 9

R D a 1 KA EC 86 . , ALLAN , Le Livre des Esprits , P ris , 5 ’ ELW A Y- 1 1 K a . BAMBER , Cl ude s Book, New York, 9 9

B . o a a KING , , The Ab lishing of De th , Cosmopolit n, New York, 1 1 9 9 .

d 1 . A . a an 8 LANG, , Cock L ne Common Sense , London, 94 d A a an . LANG, . , Book of Dre ms Ghosts

L TS I . 1 LANS O . . 1 , D , Spiritism Unveiled , St Louis , 9 3 . an d n m an s 1 G . Lo 0 LAPPONI, , Hypnotism Spiritism , g , 9 7 .

LEE , F. G .

a n d S a 18 . Sights h dows , 94 in 188 Glimpses the Twilight, London , 5. Th e : S a a 2 Other World Glimpses of the upern tur l , vols ., 1 8 75. 8 o 18 . More Glimpses of the World Unseen , L ndon, 7 H ster i ues a 18 1 R . LEG AND DU SAULLE , Les y q , P ris , 9 LE PI ER o , ALEXIUS, The Unseen World , L ndon , 1gCé

La a LES COEU R L . et a , , Science Les F its Surn turels Contem

o rain s a 18 . p , P ris , 9 7 2 16 LIST OF BOOKS CONSULTED

T a a a an d a R a LIGH , Journ l of Psychic l , Occult , Mystic l ese rch ,

London . LIL E NCRA NTS an d R - a J , JOHN , Spiritism eligion, Devin Ad ir, 1 18 New York, 9 .

R R a nd a LILLIE, A THU , Modern Mystics Modern M gic, New 18 York, 9 4.

C . a a 18 LINTON , , He ling of the N tions , New York, 55. D S IR a Man 1 0 LO GE , OLIVER, The Surviv l of , London , 9 9 . R a a n d e a Dora u LODGE, SIR OLIVER, ymond ; or, Life D th , , 1 16 New York, 9 . a — a ? S LOMBROSO, CESARE, After De th Wh t piritistic Phe h a a n d a 1 0 omen Their Interpret tion, London, 9 9 . LON ON ua DIALECTICAL SOCIETY , Report on Spirit lism

i g7 1 .

a a 18 0 e . LUYS , Hypnotisme Experim nt l , P ris , 9

A a 1 0 1 MACGREGOR , ., Highl nd Superstitions , 9 .

C . a a a a n d MACKAY, , Memoirs of Extr ordin ry Popul r Delusions

a 2 . the M dness of Crowds, vols MA GGIO R AN I fl a a a a a , In uenz del M gnetismo Sull Vit Anim le , a 188 1 N ples, . S E a a r . MAGICO , EL, DE A TRAKAN , Los Suenos xplic dos , P is

M. 1 0 . S . . 0 MAHER , J , , Psychology , London , 9

F a 18 1 . MARRYAT , . , There Is No De th , New York, 9 MA K LYN a n d h a a S E N . T e E, J . , WEATHERLY, Supern tur l

18 1 . Bristol, 9 A 1 1 1 S KELYNE N a . M . , , Our M gic, London , 9 n d S a New MA S N O . a a , R . , Telep thy the ublimin l Self, York 1SQ

and S 1 0 1 R . O . . MASON , , Hypnotism uggestion, 9

R a a . MATHER, em rk ble Providences ’ L E a i n 1 02 A voc t o a . MATIGNON , ., Des Morts , P ris , 9 d a a m MAU I LEY H . a a a an , , N tur l C uses Supern tur l See ings , 1Sgg

a 1888 MAX , SIMON , Le Mond des Reves , P ris , .

O S . a a a 1 0 . MAXWELL , J , Met physic l Phenomen , 9 5 C P a a a 18 M CABE , JOSE H , Spiritu lism , Popul r History from 47 ,

a n d 1 20 . New York London , 9

C S a n d a . M CO H , J Certitude , Providence Pr yer

2 1 8 LI ST OF BOOKS CONSULTED

d P . a a a n 18 . ARISH, EDM , H llucin tions Illusions , New York, 97 n d S r 1 16 N . a . PEARSON , , The Soul Its to y , London , 9 8 . 1 6 . PEEBLES , JAS MARTIN , Seers of the Ages , Boston , 9 ’ ' H . a a n P . E a d EMBER , G , rth s E rliest Ages , Revel , New York a Chic go . : S a PENN UNIV . eybert Commission for Investig ting Modern S a a a a 188 piritu lism , Prelimin ry Report, Phil delphi , 7 . a PHILPOT , A . J . , The Quest for Bridgm n Conner, Boston , 1 1 9 5.

O F. PODM RE , ,

a 2 nd . 1 02 Modern Spiritu lism , vol , London , 9 .

S a 1 10 . The Newer piritu lism , London , 9 a a n d a 18 App ritions Thought Tr nsference , London , 94 . a a S a a 1 a 08 . The N tur liz tion of the upern tur l , New York, 9 u a a 18 St dies in Psychic l Rese rch , London , 97.

P . a a S . . . POULAIN , J , R , The Gr ces of Interior Pr yer, London . ‘ EXPIR ITA 1 06 PRIMER CONGRESO NACIONAL , Mexico , 9 .

D T a n d a P a a REE , J . FRAN CES , ruth F cts ert ining to Spiritu l

1 1 1 . ism , 9 h DE . P en m en di es a 1 C o es O u 0 . REICHENBACH , , , Les q , P ris , 9 4 l S I l i n is 1 . M. et u s o tes a 0 REMY, , pirites , P ris , 9 9 R ID LEY H S a C . a , EVANS , The pirit World Unm sked, Chic g o , 1é 9 7 .

DR a S . R W . S OBACK, . C . , pirit l te Writing ’ U S TINIA NI S a L Histoire a ROS I DE J , Le piritisme D ns , P ris ,

1§79 .

S . . a 1 1 ROURE, J , LUCIEN , Le Merveilleux Spirite , P ris , 9 7 . D . V. a . RY BERG , A , M gic of the Middle Ages , tr from the S 18 wedish , 79 .

L . . h . an d t e a a SAGE, X , Mrs Piper Society for Psychic l Rese rch , a n d a tr . bridged from the French by N . Robertson , New

1 0 . York, 9 4 ALV R TE B Th S E S . . . . e , J , E , Occult Sciences , tr. from the 2 18 6 French , vols . , 4 .

W . a 1 . 8 . SAVILE, B , App ritions , 74 D W . 1 20. SCHNEI ER , , The Other Life , New York, 9 D . S Its an d R e SCHOFIEL , A T Modern piritism , Science li ion a a a 1 20 g , Bl kiston , Phil delphi , 9 . LIST OF BOOKS CONSULTED 2 19

S CHR ENCK- Z a Ma NOT ING, BARON VON , Phenomen of ializatio n 1 20 ter . , London , 9

u d a 1 C s e a 1 8 . S IENS , p , How to Spe k with the De d, 9

S IR a nd W SCOTT , WALTER Letters on Demonology itch a 1 8 8 cr ft , 9 .

W a - SEWALL , M . . , Neither De d Nor Sleeping, Bobbs Merrill , 1 2 0 New York, 9 . D 1 . . o 1 SEYMOUR, J , True Irish Gh st Stories , 9 4. D S 1 20 SI IS , BORIS , The Psychology of uggestion , New York, 9 . D i E . e t a l S 18 SME LEY, , . , The Occult ciences , 55. P C SOCIETY FOR SYCHICAL RESEARCH , AMERI AN , im a ss . Proceedings , p C P C SO IETY FOR SY HICAL RESEARCH , LONDON , Pro din s a n d as m cee . si g Jour , p . L . a ass im SPENCE, , An Encyclopedi of Occultism , p , New York, 1 2 0 9 . M TE . DE a S T. C . a a o GERMAIN , C , Pr ctic l Hypnotism , Chic g , 1 0 1 9 .

. at 1882 STOCK , ST GEORGE, Attempts Truth , London , . Z S R A NCIS CU S a a ' , a . SUARE , F De Anim Sep r te, De Angelis 188 1 SULLY, JAMES , Illusions , London , . L D S U R B E ,

S et a 1 0 1 . pirites Mediums , P ris , 9 a et S a 18 8 S . piritu lisme piritisme , P ris , 9 S a La S a 1 0 Le piritisme Dev nt cience , P ris , 9 4.

I a 1 12 SYLVAN , . , Le Monde des Spirits , P ris , 9 .

d E . an TANNER, A . , Studies in Spiritism , Appleton, New York 1 10 London , 9 .

H. a T . . . . APPAN , MRS C L V , Discourses on Religion , Mor ls , 18 8 a n d a . . Philosophy Met physics , Vol I , New York, 5 D T T a THOMAS , NORTHCOTE, WHITRI GE, hought r nsfer 1 0 ence , London, 9 5.

M. 18 8 T . . HOMPSON , M , The Witches of New York, 5 P a a - a 1 1 C. a 6 THOR E, , Pr ctic l Cryst l G zing, London, 9 . FY 1 6 TR OU S a a 8 . , CHA , C userie Spirito , P ris , 9 D W . a TRUES ELL, JOHN , Bottom F cts Concerning the Science a r 18 2 of Spiritu lism, New Yo k, 9 . T a an d TUCKEY , C . LLOYD, re tment by Hypnotism Suggestion , o 1 0 L ndon, 9 7 . 2 2 0 LIST OF BOOKS CONSULTED

a a a a 1 0 TUTTLE , HUDSON , Arc n of Spiritu lism , M nchester , 9 0. S TUTTLE HUDSON , tudies on the Outlying Fields of Psychic e Scienc , Tuttle Pub .

GAR TE A . T I U S . EU S U S E DE ERCILLA , J , Q , El spiritismo a a 1 16 Moderno , B rcelon , 9 .

i n l A B R . In . i e Phi s h U R R U U S . . st tut o s i a , J , J , o op c e . ' J , Vol VI , . a S a a a 18 8 Psycho P rs ecund , V ll dolid , 9 .

LLEM In stit ti n s h ilo o h i e r VI S C . u o e P s ca T v r is 1 . e e 06 , , p , Vol II , , 9 .

M. a 1 08 VIOLETT, , Le Spiritisme , P ris , 9 .

d . a a n M a WALLACE, A RUSSEL, Mir cles odern Spiritu lism , a 18 Three Ess ys , London , 75.

S . a 1 2 0 . WALSH , W . , The Psychology of Dre ms , New York, 9

S . . a n d a WASMANN , J , ERIC , Instinct Intelligence in the Anim l

o 1 0 . Kingdom , St . L uis , 9 3 D a a . a a WATSON , A . , The Twentieth Pl ne , J cobs , Phil delphi , 1 1 9 9 .

Th a L . a : e WHITING, , After Her De th Story of Summer, 1 1 Boston , 9 7 . L a 1 1 WHITING , . , The Adventure Be utiful , Boston , 9 7 . d D B D A . an WIN LE , SI R ERTRAN C . , The Church Science ,

1 1 1 2 0. London , 9 7, 9 an d DE B D A . a R S IR . WIN , ERTRAN C , F cts Theories , Lon

1 12 . don, 9 h a a a 1 2 0 D . T e WRIGHT, , Epworth Phenomen , Phil delphi , 9 .

Le a et a a YUNG , EMILE, Sommeil Norm l P thologique, P ris , 188 7 .

ZANCIN a T GS , THE, Two Minds with but Single hought , Lon 1 0 don, 9 7 .

F . a a . Z . . a : OLLNER , J K , Tr nscendent l Physics tr ns from the 88 1 a ri a 1 . Germ by C . C . M ssey, Boston,

14 DAY U SE

ta l or s mp ed be ow ,

enewed .

LD 2 1 - som (A2 8 4 S S I O ) 4 7 6