Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-05-10
CUpraUs QUESTION:,

1-N~~
science made such rapid strides forward, the
attention of the world has naturally been
turned mainly toward material phenomena.
To 30 great an extent has this one aspect oil
great philosophical problem absorbed
thought, that even grave and brilliant sdUdas
have not scrupled TO impute to matter power
and potency sufficient to produce all emotion,
thought and moral sentiment. But there are
mysteries in the human mind, pregnant
problems in psychology, which cannot be
unlocked by using matter as key, and by q
natural reaction attention is beginning TO be
turned toward the phenomena of mind. AT
the very outset an apparently insolulble
mystery presents itself. In chemistry, il
physiology, aud in other branches of re-
search, we can trace the connection
between antecedent and consequence,
and ascertain something Of the ma
ture OF the connection between cause and
effect; but when we have traced the action OF
blood aud nerves, and. watched the Observable
facts preceding mental action, and have after
ward traced the loss of atoms used up in
that action, we cannot form the bsrest idea
after all is done of why or how thought
should follow particular series of molecu-
lar changes. In the neutral salt we can
trace the acid and the a!kali by whose union
it was produced; but what trace of blood or
nerve or molecular changes can we find in
any human thought? There ia some ante
cedent 10 the birth of thought which can
not be expressed in terms of matter, nor can
the minutest and the most persevering
scrutiny gain the fsiniest clew as TO why GER
tain material phenomena are followed or
preceded by certsin mental phenomena. The
subject is of the profoundest interest to man.
1t involves the problem of Immortality, and
raises again the awful question put by Job
5000 years ago: "If a man die, shall
he live sgain?" which he, according 10
the science of his day, had to
answer in The negative tree cut down
aud the stump dead in the earth may revive
il the scent Of water reach minute tendril,
SO that ii shall live aud bring forth foliage,
but when man dice. aye, where liz he? He is
piooA a'Su anu fisfs nor NC dHdkeb not
again while the heavens endure. The
preacher also, il the spirit of the same phil.
osophy, declared that man has no advantage
over the beast, they have the sane breath, as
one dies so dies the other, both are dust and
both go to one place, 30 that there is nothing
better, as the ,sum of all human labor and
aspiration, than that man should eat and
drink and enjoy good things. A later and q
brighter philosophy said this mortal cha
put on Immortality, this natural body b,
raised spiritual essence. Could We under
stand how and why thought follows certain
material changes, then we should probably
be able TO decide between Job aud Jesus
therefore we may look for the Occurrences
very soon of earnest attempts to apply
experimental investigation 10 mental phe
nomena. But little has hitherto been at.
tempted ia this way. An instance will
make our meaning plain. Most persons car
rice earlier by determining TO do so; soms
persons on being required TO rise at different
hours on certain days acquire quite degree
of skill in rising at any hour they choose 10
set. To accomplish this something about us
must be awake 10 arouse the sleeper when the
time comes. Complete insensibility could new
err keep conaeious watch of the lapse of time.
Men have tried the effects of different kinds
of diet upon themselves, but we never heard
of an expert Psychologist who ever acquired
the skill to wake at any set time in order to
observe and discover the nature or degree Of
the consciousness which, though itself within
the sleeper, awskens him from Unconscious.
ness to consciousness. There are several men
tai problems worth that experimental kind OF
investigation. DR.. g. II. Beard, whose death
has recently been announced, was keen in
vestigator of mental phenomena especially 10
abnormal forms, such as are called frances,
mesmeric and 90 on, and there is evidently
something, whatever it may be, that is worth
more attentive scienti6, investigation into
these conditions, whatever those conditions
may be, than they hsvs ever yet received
For instance, lat The reader take hen from
the yard, and placing her upon the table, his
hands clsspiug h,r w;ugs with his FORE
fingers, press gently her beak upon the
surface OF the table. Now, let another per-
SOD, with piece Of chalk, draw line of ten
or dozen inches length upon the table.
The chalk line must begin al the point where
the beak touches the table, and be drawn in
line with it. Now remove the hands from
the hen, and there she remains as she was
placed-the head down, the beak upon the
table. II corn is thrown to a fowl
we know why it pecks, but who
knows why, when chalk line
is drawn with its beak rs starting point, it
remains there, as il bound in that position?
This appears to be the same thing as what is
called mesmerism in men, but the cause of
such phenomenon has never been traced;
showmen and tricksters have made their use
OF these phenomena, bat sober science has
neglected them, and it is regretted that DR..
Beard has been removed By death from his
Investigations. When the same careful and
experimental research has been made into
mental as into material nature, and The
knowledge OF man Is extended as 10 the ma
lure OF mind by sdding physio' osieAl facts,
and the results of intelligently conducted
experiments to sound metaphysical specula-
tions, our notions of matter and mind, and
probably Of mortality and Immortality, will
have undergone great change.