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vol. title: vol. period: 1879-1880 pages in vol.: 577 |
< Spiritualism and Theosophy (continued from page 10-565) >
chambermaids with which we have to deal. Those who would deny the reality of these contemporaneous phenomena, must confront a multitude of our most capable men of science, who have exhausted the resources of their profession to determine the nature of the force at work, and been baffled in seeking any other explanation than the one of trans-sepulchral agency of the same kind or other. Beginning with Robert Hare, the inventor of the oxy-hydrogen blow-pipe and Nestor of American Chemistry, and ending with Fr. Zöllner, Professor of Physical Astronomy in Leipzig University, the list of these converted experimentalists includes a succession of adepts of Physical Science of the highest professional rank. Each of them—except, perhaps, Zöllner, who wished to verify his theory of a fourth dimension of space—began the task of investigation with the avowed purpose of exposing the alleged fraud, in the interests of public morals; and each was transformed into an avowed believer in the reality of mediumistic phenomena by the irresistible logic of facts.
The apparatuses devised by these men of science to test the mediumistic power have been in the highest degree ingenious. They have been of four different kinds—(a) machines to determine whether electrical or magnetic currents were operating; (b) whether the movement of heavy articles, such as tables touched by the medium, was caused by either conscious or unconscious muscular contraction; (c) whether intelligent communications may be received by a sitter under circumstances precluding any possible trickery by the medium; and (d) what are the conditions for the manifestation of this new form of energy and the extreme limitations of its action. Of course, in an hour’s lecture I could not describe a tenth part of these machines, but I may take two as illustrating two of the above-enumerated branches of research. The first is to be found described in Professor Hare’s work. The medium and enquirer sit facing each other, the medium’s hands resting upon a bit of board so hung and adjusted that whether he presses on the board or not he merely moves that and nothing else. In front of the visitor is a dial, like a clock-face, around which are arranged the letters of the alphabet, the ten numerals, the words “Yes,” “No,” “Doubtful,” and perhaps others. A pointer or hand, that is connected with a lever, the other end of which is so placed as to receive any current flowing through the medium’s system, but not to be affected by any mechanical pressure he may exert upon the hand-rest, travels around the dial and indicates the letters or words the communicating intelligence wishes noted down. The back of the dial being towards the medium, he, of course, cannot see what the pointer is doing, and if the enquirer conceals from him the paper on which he is noting down the communication, he cannot have even a suspicion of what is being said.
The other contrivance is described and illustrated in the monograph entitled Template:Emphasis, by Mr. William Crookes, F.R.S., Editor of the Template:Emphasis, and one of the most successful experimental chemists of our day. A mahogany board, 36 inches long by 9½ inches wide, and 1 inch thick, rests at one end upon a table upon a strip cut to a knife edge; at the other end it is suspended by a spring balance, fitted with an automatic registering apparatus, and hung from a firm tripod. On the table end of the board, and directly over the fulcrum is placed a large vessel filled with water. In this water dips, to the depth of 1½ inches from the surface, a copper vessel, with bottom perforated so as to let the water enter it; which copper vessel is supported by a fixed iron ring, attached to an iron stand that rests on the floor. The medium is to dip his hands in the water in the copper vessel, and as this is solidly supported by its own stand and ring, and nowhere touches the glass vessel holding the water, you see that should there occur any depression of the pointer on the spring-balance at the extreme end of the board, it unmistakably indicates that a current of force weighable in foot-pounds is passing through the medium’s body. (The speaker here explained by diagrams upon the black board the apparatus of Mr. Crookes and Professor Hare.) Well, both Dr. Hare with his apparatus, and Mr. Crookes, with his, obtained the desired proof that certain phenomena of mediumship do occur without the interference, either honest or dishonest, of the medium. To the power thus manifested, Mr. Crookes, upon the suggestion of the late Mr. Serjeant Cox, gave the appropriate name of Psychic Force, and as such it will hereafter be designated by me in this lecture.
I mention these two mechanical contrivances merely to show those who perhaps have never enquired into the matter, but have nevertheless fallen into the common error of thinking the phenomena to be all deceptions, that the utmost pains have been taken by the cleverest scient<... continues on page 10-567 >