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=0FACTS FADS FALLACIESDealing with Personal Magnet* isxn, Telepathy, Psychology, Suggestion, Hypnotism, and Spiritualism.ByEDWARD B. WARMAN, A. M.SPIRITISM.Why look for Information to the spirit of one who has passed over? Why should a dead man’s spirit in abnormal union with a living man’s body possess more knowledge than a living man’s spirit in normal union with his own body? Why should we expect that spirit to possess any more knowledge than our own spirit possesses?We should not, for it does not and cannot. I used to believe such was the case and was ever ready with the argument that the disembodied spirit is no longer subject to natural law. That was merely an assertion without a single prop to sustain it. Everything and everybody is subject to natural law. There is no other; there is nothing supernatural, except* in the sense of law in realms beyond our knowledge.The Origin of the Messages. Supposing a medium gives information concerning some transaction during the earthly career of one now dead; and said transaction not objectively known by the one consulting the medium. What does it argue? Doss the so-called message come from a departed spirit? An honest medium will say so, and an honeSt medium will think so in consequence of the auto-suggestions that all information is from the departed. But what ,are the facts? It does not now come from the dead but it came from the, dead when the one now dead was living. All this is - explainable by telepathy.Inasmuch as telepathy is a faculty belonging exclusively to the, subjective mind, this information, previously to tfye death of the departed, was unconsciously communicated to the subjective mind of the sitter (the one consulting the medium), but was never elevated above the threshold of his normal consciousness and in all probability would never have become known to the sitter-had he not come in touch with, a psychic (medium).How did the psychic get it? Tele-pathicatly from the sitter; not from the dead but from the living.In the same way the sitter is told of the death of a friend, possibly a tragic death, of which he had no objective knowledge. The psychic reveals to him the minutest detail, claiming, of course, that the messages are from' his dead friend when,- in reality, he (the psychic) is merely receiving, telepath-ieally, the information lying latent In the subjective mind of the sitter.How did the sitter get it? Telepath-ieally from his dying friend—at the very moment of the tragedy.Of the S30 cases cited in “Phantasms of the Living,” a large proportion of the cases were of such a nature . furnish unmistakable evidence that dying persons make an effort to inform their relatives and friends of their condition, especially if there is any object to be gained by so doin; These messages lie latent in the subjective consciousness of the sitter until they are revealed by a psychic.This is what is known as “telepathy by three.” It has been ablV handled by Dr. Hudson in his thorough treatise, “The Evolution of the Soul.” The question hinges on this: Can information telepathically received be tele-pathically transmitted to a third person?“If it can,” sa.ys Dr. Hudson, “spiritism, as a scientific proposition, has not a leg to stand upon; for not a case yet been recorded that cannot be tele-pathically explained if that simple proposition is true. If it is not true, th'ere must be a valid answer to the proposition; but that answer has never been attempted otherwise than by the bare assertion, without argument, that ‘It is carrying telepathy too far/ the other hand, if the proposition true, spiritism, considered as a scientific proposition, is disposed of.” Mediums, or Psychics.. What constitutes a psychic? One who can reach the content of the subjective mind of another.Is It a gift? Yes, and is susceptible of 'great cultivation.Is it a desirable gift to cultivate? Not unless one wishes to make it a profession.Is it a desirable profession? No; because the power is purchased at a very great cost—the weakening of the objective faculties. This, however; is :not so much the case where the psychic realizes that the information is • received, telepathically, and has nothing whatever to do with departed spirits. 'While perfectly healthful persons may pass into the psychic condition, the fact remains that the habitual indulgence will invariably result in 89m0 form of nervous derangement and disease.“No one,” says Dr. Hudson, “can become a good psychic until a nervous derangement has been induced. The best psychics are those whose nervous systems are completely shattered; and the degree of psychic power attainable by any an* to in exact proper tiuii to tho intensity of the nervous derangement.’* When the idea is once implanted in the mind that the communications areI from the spirits of the dead, that dona-i bnant idea soon takes possession of ; the ones so deluded that they lose all interest in (he everyday affairs of life, read' no books (except on spiritism), read no pay-rfs, do not keep abreast of the timeB and when questioned as to the reason, invariably say, “Oh, they tell me all I ought to know.” Who are j. they? “Why, my guides, of cpurse.” Men and women who expend their vitality in the cultivation of the subjective faculties are comparatively worthless in the practical, everyday affairs of life.Let me caution all who are interested in psychic development to first count the costs. It is much! easier to awaken the subjective power than it is to control it. All is well so long as the objective has control but not so when the subjective gains, supremacy beyond the power of the objective to say— “thus far and no farther.”Not long ago a well-known educator in this state (California) extended his investigations to the extent that he heard, or thought he heard, voices. He lost his mental balance, reason abdicated her throne and he ended life’s fitful dream by his own hand. Thus Dr. Jekyl changed himself into Mr. Hyde once too often.Possibly the greatest stickler in the minds of spiritists, is the query so often propounded by them, viz.: “If two embodied spirits can communicate with each other by means of telepathy, why cannot a disembodied spirit communicate with an embodied spirit in the same way?”This is usually supposed to be a settler. It is, from the viewpoint of the spiritist because-his miud is settled when he asks It. No amount of argument can ever convert a deep-dyed-in-the-wool spiritist. ’ »This important question is best answered in Dr. Hudson’s own words: ‘As for myself, I do not know why they cannot—I do not even know that they cannot—so communicate. The question is, Do spirits of the dead coiri-uni-cate with the living through mediums?” * ...Throughout the who field of investi-: at ion, including every phase of spiritism extant, and with unbiased judgment, have I sought and sought In vain for the proof that spirits do so communicate. I have 'been personally acquainted with the very best and most prominent mediums in this country, but I have yet to meet one that has been able to give me any intelli-;ent or definite message of the beyond :—“from that bourne whence no traveler returns.”I have every reason to believe that Christ had a fijll, accurate, intuitive knowledge of every attribute of the human soul. I further believe that in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus wc have a full, clear, concise and definite expression as to His view of spirit return.Note the following expressions and see how significant and unmistakable are the utterances,—“between us and you is a great gulf fixed; so that they which would pass from lienc£ to you cannot, neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.” Also, “though one rose from the dead,” etc.Mark well that word “though,” and see what it implies. What is the conclusion t.o which we must naturally arrive? I believe it will be the general consensus of opinion that if Christ considered it possible for spirits of the dead to commune with the living He would have taken this occasion tlt;? impart the information. Not having done so; the Import of tlie parable is that it is neither possible nor expedient, for any purpose whatever, for spirits of the dead to communicate with the living.
Newspaper Details
Atlantic Evening News
Atlantic, Iowa, US
Sat, Apr 04, 1908
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Caroline A.
NA, 12 Nov 2024
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