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I am presenting a truthful account of facts, witnessed by myself; I do not deny but that these facts seem fantastical and incredible; but I do not ask credence of them in the least, nor do I care whether I am believed or not. I know that a good many of the errors that crept in while humanity was in the course of its development, are chiefly due to the superabundance of implicit faith in so-called authorities; and what sort of authority can I pretend to be in the domain of phenomenal manifestations, heretofore ignored and completely new to any known science?'' ''I desire but one thing, namely, that all those who will not believe me, may prove to me that I am wrong; but in such a case they will have to support their case with ''facts'', as positive and as undeniable as those that forced me to my present conviction, that the mediumistical, or so-called spiritual, phenomena are real existing facts. | I am presenting a truthful account of facts, witnessed by myself; I do not deny but that these facts seem fantastical and incredible; but I do not ask credence of them in the least, nor do I care whether I am believed or not. I know that a good many of the errors that crept in while humanity was in the course of its development, are chiefly due to the superabundance of implicit faith in so-called authorities; and what sort of authority can I pretend to be in the domain of phenomenal manifestations, heretofore ignored and completely new to any known science?'' ''I desire but one thing, namely, that all those who will not believe me, may prove to me that I am wrong; but in such a case they will have to support their case with ''facts'', as positive and as undeniable as those that forced me to my present conviction, that the mediumistical, or so-called spiritual, phenomena are real existing facts. | ||
Faith in these manifestations increases with striking rapidity. True enough, it may be that this belief is entirely based upon erroneous and thoroughly mystical ideas; but the number of Spiritualists in America alone, which is computed at 11,000,000,(?)* proves undoubtedly the existence at least of some facts, since they are strong enough to support so firmly those errors. On the other hand we arrive at the same conclusion in consequence of the fact of so many well-balanced persons, sober, and armed to the teeth with all the implements of modern science, having, notwithstanding all that, arrived at the full conviction of the reality of the same mediumistical phenomena. The names of these persons are known to the world of science as those of capable, meritorious, and worthy investigators of its questions. But it is evidently the common lot and propensity of the human mind, as soon as the question of facts overthrowing its habitual convictions or ideas is presented to it, it rouses itself immediately in opposition to them. At the time when Crookes, Huggins, and Varley were preparing to give to the public the account of their scientific researches, the scientific world never once thought of opposing or doubting the accuracy of their researches; but suddenly arose the question as to the mediumistic phenomena and the same army of scientists instantly go back on their own brethren, and treat their discoveries with the utmost contempt and skepticism. It seems to me I should have never accorded to myself the right of condemning such proceedings had I not personally experienced all their inconsistency. I, too, had suspected somewhat the investigation of Mr. Crookes, in the psycho-dynamical phenomena, until {{Style S-HPB SB. Continues on |3-221}} | Faith in these manifestations increases with striking rapidity. True enough, it may be that this belief is entirely based upon erroneous and thoroughly mystical ideas; but the number of Spiritualists in America alone, which is computed at 11,000,000,(?){{Footnote mark|*}} proves undoubtedly the existence at least of some facts, since they are strong enough to support so firmly those errors. On the other hand we arrive at the same conclusion in consequence of the fact of so many well-balanced persons, sober, and armed to the teeth with all the implements of modern science, having, notwithstanding all that, arrived at the full conviction of the reality of the same mediumistical phenomena. The names of these persons are known to the world of science as those of capable, meritorious, and worthy investigators of its questions. But it is evidently the common lot and propensity of the human mind, as soon as the question of facts overthrowing its habitual convictions or ideas is presented to it, it rouses itself immediately in opposition to them. At the time when Crookes, Huggins, and Varley were preparing to give to the public the account of their scientific researches, the scientific world never once thought of opposing or doubting the accuracy of their researches; but suddenly arose the question as to the mediumistic phenomena and the same army of scientists instantly go back on their own brethren, and treat their discoveries with the utmost contempt and skepticism. It seems to me I should have never accorded to myself the right of condemning such proceedings had I not personally experienced all their inconsistency. I, too, had suspected somewhat the investigation of Mr. Crookes, in the psycho-dynamical phenomena, until {{Style S-HPB SB. Continues on |3-221}} | ||
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{{Footnote return|*}} This number is quoted from statistical information, presented to the Congress of Roman Catholic Bishops, in 1876. ( Judge Edmond’s letter, Spiritual Magazine, 1876, p.327).— {{Style S-Small capitals|Ed.}} | |||
{{Footnotes end}} | {{Footnotes end}} | ||