Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-03-15
Joseph Cooks Lecture.

Astonishment that one head, however large.
could carry all the Lecturer knew was undoubt-
edly predominant sentiment in the minds of
the hearers of Joseph Cook last night. as they
withdrew from Lincoln Hail. Classic illusions
and choice bits OF poetry, theology biology,
psychology, logical axioms figures drawn from
politics and astronomy, and appropriate quo
tations from al sorts of writer's, in ancient
and modern times, were welded into a COM
pact and logical argument, to be employed as
a powerful weapon for rendering untenable
the materialistic position that death ends
all" The lecturer is large, heavy-built and
remembering: his voice Is of great power,
but his articulation is not Of the sfp8Neeia4
me Sot The ss q ,as
Socrates" served as a text for the lecture. A
distinction between mind and matter was
placed on the ground of strong probab ility by
to the contrary. Matter was shown to be
characterized by inertia, an incapacity for
originating movement. 1t is the mechanism
through which motion is transmitted. Ii the
two are one substance, the same thing is char
acteriZed at the same time, by weight, color,
inertia and the absence of these qualities. The
same words cannot be applied to both. When
Lincoln emancipated the slaves, was his joy at
the act round or square? We're the emotions
OF those who saw Caesar fall hexagonal or pen
tagOnal?
figure maintained by the lecturer through
out his remarks was that of the brain as the
key board of musical instrument on which
an invisible musician plays. Tyndall says II
care only. for the motions of the keys. do
not care for what is behind them" Mr. Cook
does care. Many of the most effective hits in
the lecture were condensed, epigrammatic
sentences, enunciated with great emphasis by
Mr.. Cook. Sometimes. STOPPING over with his
hands on his knees, eyebrows elevated, and
an interrogation point in each eye, he would
hurl question at the audience. that would
carry even ything before it. Showing that bio
plaSm, the spots of living matter in the body.
are unOrganiZed, he asked with tremendous
emphasis IF organization does not begin all,
why should isorgSnizatiOn end all?" Again,
May not death be an interfering not a dis.
embodiment-the freeing of the spiritual BODY
from its earthly cIOgs?' After claiming that
nature furnished us moon and stars to guide
our steps. he asked, holding up the Bible IN
his hands. But do you wish to see the sum-
He moulded handkerchief in his
hand to represent the brain and its nerve ex-
tensions. The effect of this performance was
somewhat married, however, by the forget
fuiness OF the lecturer, who wiped the per
splratlOn from his face with the handkerchief
at an untlmely moment. The tone of Mr.
COOKS remarks was temperate and guarded.
and he lmpreSSeS one as a man of great fair
ness. Considering the prOfundity Of the sub
lect and OF its treatment and the length of the
lecture, the way in which the attention and
interest of the large audience We're held till
the last moment, is convincing evidence of
Mr.. Cooks powers. His impressive words
have no doubt gone far towards convincing
his hearers that our lives are not as TASKS
emptled i'll the sea or candles burned out. ana
that death does not end all.