Indianapolis Iron Clad Age Newspaper Archives November 21, 1891 Page 2

Indianapolis Iron Clad Age (Newspaper) - November 21, 1891, Indianapolis, Indiana Ironclad age november 21,1891. The basis of mind. By Otto Wetta can is there an effect without a cause a subject without an object an agent without a principle no. But mind or mental Phenomena arc Manifest. There is an effect. What is the basis of mind what Are the causes producing these Phenomena Are these effects without causes spontaneous processes generated at random perchance from nothing or must definite causes precede mind As a basis for mind All candid minds must answer in the affirmative. What comprises our knowledge in this direction that mind or the mental process is never discernible apart from a living organism. We study the characteristics of the crudest forms of life under the Microscope and we obtain evidence that these tiny creatures can think , feel and remember we behold like Phenomena when watching the interesting life and activity of ants Birds animals until we see it in its highest manifestation in a Humboldt or Emerson. If we permit the drop containing millions of intelligent creatures to remain exposed but for a Short period it will evaporate and behold what but a few moments before was an Ocean swarming with life exhibiting crude forms of intellect is now transformed into a dreary and silent Battle Field strewn with carcasses of millions of tiny bodies which now dead and motionless cease to exhibit any form of intelligence or sensation whatever. What must be the rational inference from this physical transformation scene that life and mind Are the result of and dependent upon and physical activities or processes of the body. That intelligence and sensation Are simply functions of such living organic bodies and that when these bodies cease to live they cease to engender or generate the necessary forces making possible mental processes and Phenomena. It absolutely proves that a living body and mind Are concomitant cause and effects and if the cause which originated mind and continued such processes ceases or is destroyed dead the effect ceases also. Again we see mind in its highest manifestation in a Humboldt. Twenty five years ago he enlightened the world with his Wisdom philosophy and profound revelations of knowledge. In him the world possessed a Model perfect Many the crowning work of nature the Pinnacle of the evolutionary process. Was it strange that such an Apollo such a King among men such a Superior animal born and reared a favored child of the fickle goddess Fortune herself in ironed by the wit and Wisdom of the sages of Europe and wealth health and Opportunity lavishly bestowed upon him was it strange that such a Superior being should exhibit Superior intelligence engender profound mental Caliper and generate highest mental Force is it strange that in his Case As in All others the effect is commensurate with the cause ? a few years later this grand old Man Lay dead in his coffin. His blood ceased to circulate his lungs refused to inhale the necessary Supply of oxygen to continue the vital processes and the physical activity to move the heart and continue circulation to generate magnetism and electricity sufficient to continue the life and mental processes. He was dead. All that constituted Alexander von Humboldt All that originated him All that gave him life body outline weight All that constituted his magnificent organism and Anatomy which enabled him to see hear speak taste and feel and his massive brain which made him a True King among men All this every Grain and particle of it was consigned to the ground to decay and disintegration. All that was once Alexander von Humboldt was then no More. It was something else and the material once composing his organic form has now assumed thousands of other forms and he has returned to the dreamless eternity where he was before birth. And so it is Ever eternal change beginning growth maturity retrogression. Death Tor All finite forms eternal state quo for the infinite whole. But now a class of visionary philosophers who although sense enough to evolve out old theology still cling to those vestiges of old superstition which tickle their fancy step Forth and insist that Humboldt still lives without his physical body As Well As with it. They insist that a counterpart of this physical body generally including garments and Al possessing identical outline and appearance functions and characteristics can and does exist precisely As did Humboldt in his body. In fact they insist Humboldt still lives and will live so forever. That be can live without the physical body breathe without lungs see without eyes hear without Accousti organs talk without organs of speech feel without nerves think without a brain Etc. Because All these material and tangible parts were Laid away when Humboldt was Laid under the Sod. Not a Grain survived not a particle escaped to form a residue for a new being. What in the name of reason then i insist is it which now Alexander von Humboldt what is he made out of what constitutes his form and organization which is invisible intangible and unwed Gable what gives it form outline color warmth of body How can it live without blood circulation respiratory and digestive or posses will our friends answer in detail in the Ordinary course of life it seems to be considered a terrible calamity to lose a limb an Eye ear or even a tooth because the symmetry and perfection of the body is thus destroyed and in the absence of the sparkling Ivory an a Quot by cavity stares us in the face. But if the belief of spirit its is True All we have to do is to scatter the entire body to the four winds of heaven with dynamite and arcs to change an entire new and perfect body limbs organs blood Bones hair and Teeth will instantaneously materialize and be bestowed upon us besides the necessary apparel to cover our nakedness moreover the aged and decrepit the crippled and deformed have Only to die and the transition from old age to eternal Blooming youth will occur instantaneously freaks fat boys giant women and skeletons in the Sweet by and by will be veritable apollos and venues forever. If not Miracle what is it if not absurd As any of the old Bible miracles so scornfully discarded what is it if not supernatural and unreasonable what 18 it it not effect without causation what is it if not profoundly mysterious utterly incredible absolutely beyond science reason logic analogy and human understanding let the champions of spiritism explain let them also answer my previous conundrum now a Quot spirit in the body Quot can survive a dynamite explosion which scatters such body and one would suppose such Quot inside body Quot too in fragments in every direction if they do not answer ii tacitly implies that the spirit cannot survive such Shock and hence is not immortal or that they believe in Miracle. Either Concession ends All discussion. But to resume the argument from the existence of Humboldt and to prove that with the origin of the body named Quot Humboldt Quot which was conceived and born about a Hundred years ago the mind process of Humboldt began and that when such body ended this process ended also. No one has Ever postulated the existence of any spirit not first born by women. Quot spirits Quot were named As their body was named after birth. Spiritual philosophers have never had forethought enough to realize that in order to bring their theories Down to reasonable probabilities that there must be existing somewhere in space a realm of spirits which As yet have never made their debut upon this sphere of action by Quot entering Quot also an incomprehensible a physical form and thus been born of woman they or their spirit communicants should have revealed to mortals the existence of such a realm its Loca tion and the achievements during All eternity names and occupations of such spirits. But this they have failed to do. They have told us of Plato Christ Galileo Washington Jackson and Many others but never of a spirit who was not at one time in the flesh and named and born Here on Earth. This conceded proves that no spirits exist from All eternity in the past but Only those born of woman. And this implies that All spirit thus and then began and beginning in time implies to end in time when Humboldt was born then this implies that this was the beginning of his physical and mental life. He no doubt was the son of his parents and again no doubt had these never met our great philosopher in spite of his powerful Quot spirit Quot would never have existed. The latter therefore positively originated with the body. The name Quot Alexander von Humboldt Quot was Given to this body and Alexander von Humboldt was this body. No one Ever heard of his Quot spirit Quot before his birth. This proves beyond a Shadow of doubt that it or Humboldt s mental activity rather then began. But what begins must end. There is no analogy in nature for a being thing or Phenomena which begins but does not end. What has one end must have another end. All finite forms begin All end. The infinite alone is eternal. And the eternity of the universe is dependent upon finite forms being resolved Back into their original elements to perpetuate such formation processes forever. For if human forms or spirits were continually evolved and did not return to the grand Reservoir of eternal matter the latter would a even an eternity ago already a have been exhausted All now be such immortal spirits and behold no universe therefore no spiritism Ever having postulated the eternal existence of spirits in the past much less proven eternal existence of an individual spirit like Humboldt s proves beyond Cavil and contradiction that it or what is called so originated when Humboldt originated and from this fact we Are forced to the logical conclusion that such Quot spirit Quot is but a mental process generated from and dependent upon the physical functions of said body and when the body ceases to so function ate a when it ceases to generate heat electricity magnetism and refuses to Supply the necessary vital forces to every portion of the human body that then the mental processes mind and sensation which Are concomitant with them must cease also. And in passant what proof have we that Humboldt Ever thought another thought after be breathed last has be Ever added another word or idea to the Rich treasures he left to humanity has he continued even through alleged mediumship his profound work consummated during life no indeed not an Iota of proof have we to this effect. But Quot the chasm that lies Between these physical agents and intelligence Quot is continually harped upon. Conceded that Here is a mystery. But in the absence of such physical agents what in the name of reason remains As a basis of mind ? absolutely nothing. In belittling these physical sources of mind and divesting them to adequate Powers to produce mind these visionary would be in moralists entirely ignore the fact that in so doing they invest an imaginary but very similar body and entirely beyond human understanding and scientific analysis and which in fact is nothing with adequate Powers to generate mind and capacity to do what they insist the grandest organism in existence cannot do. And then after this glorious coup d eat have they not infinitely increased rather than decreased the chasm Between Whai they concede is then cause and effect. ? supposing Humboldt exists to Day As a Quot spirit Quot and we could see both him in his physical body As of old and his Quot spirit body Quot at one and the same time and Side by Side. Now will our spiritual friends please explain Why the chasm Between his spirit body and his mental activity is any less than Between his physical body and his mental activity How does this spirit body think it real and a counterpart of Man As most spirit its claim it must act automatically precisely As the physical body during life. But Bow can it think is the connection Between body and mind in this Case not fully As mysterious As in the other and would it not be just As reasonable for another More extreme theorist to step up and say to first or. Spiritism Quot How absurd to assert that this Aerial mechanical body can think you fool Don t you see the chasm Between mechanical processes and mind this body is but a machine or a medium through which another spirit acts there is an invisible spirit within this body which does the thinking and which will survive this body at death and live forever Quot and first or. Spiritism would have to surrender because his own arguments have conquered him spirit its in offering a spirit body in explanation of the problem must explain its modes Operand Bow it feels reasons remembers Etc., and if they Are successful they will instantly find the solution of the relationship of the physical body of mind also the chasm will be bridged and they will forthwith discover that there was no chasm no spirit needed to Bridge it and that the physical after All is the Only True basis for mind in the meantime let them also explain How spirits can perform an impossible material feat write with a Pencil betwee a two slates also Why they can write so Between says the National View a Quot waiting for something to turn up Quot is a moral weakness with some people who Lack the Energy and the nerve to make a Start in life or to take hold of any piece of work that requires present action to move Forward or accomplish. Depend upon it Fame or Fortune cannot be reached in this Way. Things in this world do not Quot turn up Quot unless somebody turns them up. That is to say in other words Quot the Mountain will not come to you Quot but if you reach it you must go to it yourself. The Chance calculation involved in the first specification carries with it a very Uncertain and involved conclusion which ten chances to one will never materialize. For inertia Means nothing. It will not move matter or embody spirit. Waiting for Quot something to turn up Quot Means ust this and nothing More. It is an Ignis fatuous which has no solid foundation. At Best it leads Only to dreamland and is just about As intelligible As consistent. So you May wait and wait and wait and that will be All you will get for it. In the meantime valuable time is lost and your ruin is in sight. Against this there is a More consistent outline and a far better Promise of Eliza tion and Success. If you expect any valuable accretion or what might be called a Quot Streak of Fortune Quot you must work for it. You must earn your spurs and buckle them on to your own heels. Then move on and win Success in securing the object for which you aim a an ungodly Olty. Two slates under the table and out of sight and not on one slate the usual Way in sight. I have a Friend who once was an ardent spiritualist. He insisted in solemn Assurance that once upon a time when away from Home at a strange hotel shortly after retiring a lady spirit came through the apartment floated Over his bed Bent Over him kissed him on the forehead said Quot i am glad you have come Quot and vanished he related a great Many other similar experiences in proof of spiritualism. And he was a very Clever truthful Man. But of late he has renounced spiritism and joined the Church How can we account for this that Good men and women will accept doubtful testimony and doubtful Quot proofs Quot and Quot tests Quot As evidence and when once confirmed in their Faith will in justification of their belief to make it appear reasonable to their friends exaggerate stretch facts embellish Phenomena and even resort to falsehood to make a Point. Hypnotism Clairvoyance mesmerism mind Reading cunning ingenuity Etc., will explain the rest. Until our spiritual friends make Clear to the understanding of the average logical mind the nature of a spirit body what it is composed of what gives it life outline form and the functions of living men what Are its constituents Anatomy organs its Mode of existence and abode the simple fact of such existence is so overwhelmingly More mysterious so absolutely More incomprehensible than All other mysteries that All trivial Phenomena like slate writing raps visions coincident Etc., All connected with Aud partially manipulated by human agencies if not entirely sink into utter insignificance and Are the merest Bagatelle in comparison. If they intend to place their theory upon a scientific basis let them first prove that spirit is something that something does survive the body and what this something is and is like. Until this is accomplished the Issue is simply something is. Nothing. Fact is. Fiction science is. Superstition. -.k. A Don t wait. Kansas City mo., nov. 6,1891. De. Ironclad a thib is probably one of the most a godly cities in the world and yet tall Church Spires Pierce the vault of heaven on almost every Street. Vie have Here everything in the line of soul savers from the roman Catholic Church to the salvation army and yet the sewers Are frequently stopped and upon investigation Are found to contain the bodies of infants. Preachers stand in their pulpits Here and solicit Aid from the congregations for every form of suffering humanity from the russian to the poor missionary fatted Heathen of Africa while above and around the pulpit hangs enough fancy drapery and other Gilt edged ornaments to save Many a starving russian yet god s Bouse Mist have these Silver and Gold communion sets no Mattei How Many people Are starving across the water. Good old Gray headed deacons Bent with age who Are Worth their hundreds of thousands pass Silver plates in sunday school for the children of hard working men to Deposit their Long it saved pennies upon to go to the poor starving children in Africa sometimes. We have one of the most expensive systems of orthodox religion Here history Ever chronicled. Most of the churches Here now have Twenty minutes preaching on sunday even ing and forty minutes concert by a lot of ungodly musicians whom they Are obliged to hire to furnish the music As you rarely Ever find a Church member who has music enough in his soul to play anything and if he had he would be just As liable to play a can can from Offenbach As a holy mass and the congregation would appreciate it a great Deal better. A smile might overspread the countenances of some of the More wily Bald headed deacons but the Long drawn tones of the salaried solemnized would soon Call them Down. The other evening quite a hush fell Over one of the congregations Here As the preacher gave the credit to a speech of very humane principles which All were intensely listening to As having emanated from the brain of ool. R. Q. Ingersoll. That name fell upon the congregation with a Dull thud something like the sound the Devil must have made when he struck Quot no place Quot after having been thrown out of heaven for kicking up a fuss. We have not Learned whether the Dominie was tried for heresy burned at the stake or hired at a larger salary by an advanced Wing of. The same Church but certain it is he must have shared one of these fates. Deacon. 8elf-contradiction8 of the Bible. 1 a Foiw Lions. Theological. Moral i stoical and is Alk Twe proved a Arma Tately and Nettl Cly by quo i it non or Intuni without Eom Keiit embody to to Mort ill Puble and a a King Aall of the to Calm it Pond word of god. Price Isota ;