Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-12-03
wrists, and thus slip out of handouts and


Sirth-Phenomena oftrances, erroneous
ly called animal magnetism. A passive
state of the mind very easily excited il
some persons and closely allied to som.
nambulism and certain types of hysteria
In this state there may be great exaltatiou
OF special faculties; but no new facultie:
appear any more than they appear in in.
sanity, or sleep. or hysteria.
Assuming the Justice OF the above ex
plantations, 1t Is clear enough that no Que
but Psychologist or practical physician
or one who has made hmself expert in
physiology or diseases OF the nervous sys.
TIN. is capable OF scientifically study ing
these phenomena.
CHALLENGE.
In closing, the lecturer gave the follow.
ing Challenge: Ii there Is anywhere on
the giooe any member of the human race
who processes to have any ciairvoyant,
mlnd-reading, or second-sight power. or to
be medium through which spirits of the
departed manifest themselves to us by
signs that are appreciated by the senses,
or to be endowed with any new or I'M
known force, and he will come to New
orh and allow me the same opportunity
Tor investigating his claims that am ac-
customed to have in Investigating other
and allied questions, will prove surely and
speedily that he does not possess auy such
power in any degree.
Calmly and deliberately, with full
sense OF its importaDca. 1 offer il to the
world. The day is coming, when scholar.
snip and science must array Themselves Oh
one side or Ihs other OF mighty supersti-
ton, and earnestly call upon the men-
bers OF my profession, aud especially those
who are experienced in the study of the
nervous system. to give somewhat of their
time aud force, rs the need shall arise, to
tue arrest ot this tide of folly. | have been
asked whether did not feel that such re-
searches were uudiynitied and unworthy of
scholar. aud have replied that some
times that feeling has come over me. I
must confess; aud when stood the other
evening at the light seance Of lloratio Ed
dy, aud saw the silly aud sincere woman
by his side, in her husbands presence.
trantIcally and repeatedly Kiss the hand OF
Horatio a he thrust it bttwecn the torn
ana ragged curtains, did feel degraded.
ana reloiced 10 think that in a few hour,
should De back to civilization. But
whel. on my return home. | saw In va
fiou, journal, aud heard from many lips
Tue report OF the experience of some of the
Faculty OF lale with Brown, the so-callel
"mind-reader," whom but last summer
had been fully shown, to the satisfaction
not only OF myself but OF medical friends,
to have no rnindreadng power whatever,
then felt that 1t was time for some one 20
be degraded.
III IL be inquired what kind of an inyesti-
CATION desire, | reply that it Is Just such
an ihVc>ti-atIon In general as Brown the
ihlhd-rcader, promised to give me in case
accepted his challenge in Music Hall. II
i trne that he alterward violated IN.
promise to give me an opportunity to study
his claims IN II quiet, private way with the
aid OF scientific men. Those VINO should
have me study their claims, whatever they
be. will please keep the PROMISE which
Brown violated
The more essential thought. on thi, sub
Ject-thosr which should be kept in mind
at every step OF our investigations-ar
these:
Ftrst-The cnuufcrfrits of science. rs
can theiu-tif"'o do!n-iuns that steal the
livery OF science 10 serve superstitisn-
clalrvoyance, mind. reading, and mediums.
can be successful y studied only by experts.
others Who write aud speak In public on
this theory should take the opinions of ex-
pert, as their guides. Just a In astronomy.
medicine, chemistry, and other sciences
- - - taNf"iltlt- FNItTIs may some
times err. but they will always be nearer
To the truth than those who know NOTHING,
OF the subject All real experts in the
study of clairvoyauce. mind.readiur. and
medlnmship agree that these three pho
nomtha can be explained by known laws.
OF the nervous system. gue-Swurk and
trieAery, and that beyond these, there j.
IN them absolutely nothing whatever.
Here, a IN other departments OF science.
the opinions aud statements of the average.
man are worth nothing, and should not be
listened to by an expert.
Hence all the Infinite array of stories
that rise on every lip about the wonders of
clairvoyant, nind-reading and spiritualis-
nc trlckery, are worth nothing-an are
but partial truths or total lies. Experts in
these matters must dismiss them without
thought-in short, they must treat them aS
experts IN astronomy, chemistry. and
medicine treat similar gossip among un-
trained minds about subjects of which they
know nothing.
In Bulwer's bright romance. The Conn
ing Race, We are told that at the touch of
The rods which contained the yril. even
the most powerful and hidrous monsters
crumolcd I" ashes. The vril of tn. pres
ent race i science as learned by the right
use OF reason. | ask of the eminent men-
oers oil my own profession who are pres
eut. To take this vril in their hands and
point II toward all the counterfeits OF sci
ence. and at its touch they will find that
all these horrid deceptions shall wilt and
wither Then shall it be proved now as
ni old. that 1.-The worst enemies of the dew
il are the doctors"
After the lecture D.. Beard explained
and performed some of the tricks of the
Eddy mediums, OF Brown ..th e mind-reader.
and OF Foster. Hough. and others. The
meeting then adjourned