The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-06-17
UBSTANTIALISM
A Correspondent Explains Its
Technical Points.
A MAN OF
And His Endeavors Toward Further.
ing the Development of the
New Theory.

While reviewing the history OF the world
we find the death OF one empire was
the life OF another, n over the ashes
OF one kingdom another doomed up until
under the redeeming radiance OF freedoms
holy light and the luminous flashes OF
truths electric pen they eliminated into
republics giving rights and mmunit to
all. Similar changes have been wrought in
the empires of thought and kingdoms OF
philosophy. The tree Of intellectual inquiry
and progress planted in the revival OF let
tiers and during the incipient stage OF the
inductive method of reasoning was slim
ulated to vigorous growth by the colossal
minds that succeeded the above mentioned
periods, waxed great and bent under the
weight of luxuriant abundance.
Some of it's fruit was seen in the rich spec
linens of mental strength which character
lied Newton, Leibnitz and many Others
whose names constitute a galaxy OF veneer
able and luminous stars in the ~slgnlhcant
watch OF times dark night.
But this mighty tree overshadowing the
world has brought forth a rare quality OF
fruit in these closingdecades ofthe nineteenth
century in the shape OF a man who founded
a system of philosophic truth that is des.
tined to expand to elicit attention and
excite admiration and kindle alteration,
unCll 6arIl anu ucdVcu art by uOuy HOuS.
We refer to Alexander MILFORD Hall OF New
York, the Shakespeare of philosophy.
We have been urged again and again by
numerous friends to write an article on sub
notwithstanding al outline of it's teach
ings 80 that they mightjudge OF its merit or
dement,.
But we acknowledge our inability to give
a pen portraiture OF a system OF phlloso-
ply whose profound questions have already
enlisted the serious attention OF the worlds
most noble inteilects, and whose beauty Is
UNSURPASSED in it's powers of fascination
o over the devout lovers OF organic truth.
Already both hemispheres OF our globe are
sharing in it's gracious benedictions, and the
wise men of the Orient, the T~heOsOphists OF
Asia have caught a glimpse of this ascending
star which promises a elimination glorious
and are beginning like the Eastern magi OF
old to pour out their gifts OF gold rankin
cense and myrrh.
This system is just in the formative
period of it's existence and from it's infancy
we nave studied it with all the fervor OF
enraptured earnestness.
It's rise, success and glory constitute one
of the grandest paragraphs in philosophy's
vast and splendid page. We believe it to
be a system for the scientific regeneration
of the world not the least among the princes,
but believing that out of the enshrinement
u lB OFSdIllC duu PTOSIC66lSO OuOuSHU oA0A
finally appear the rising, r~eigning, imperish-
able truth, whose goings forth have been
from old, from everlasting.
The author assumes as a pivotal prOpO-
sition that all the life OF acting organic things,
including man and the forces of nature, light,
heat, sound, magnetism, gravitation and
electricity, so far from being modes Of
molecular vibration, are entities.
That the force within which gives direc-
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being ia not simply the oscillation OF brain
molecules, but an organic entity that has
an immortality that will outlive the stars
and a glory that is destined to outshine the
sun.
All the entities that come under the recog-
milton of sensuous, chemical and mechanical
tests are termed material, and all the en-
tites that transcend the domain Gf the
physical senses are termed substantial.
Thus there is found in this system q recog-
milton of two grand divisions in the universe
OF entitative existence. We look into the
physical world OF substances and we find
it consists OF a graduated scale of entities
from the denser to the rarer, from the
grosser to the more refined. Such as the
metals, minerals, earthly substances, wood,
water, flesh, air, vapor, the gases, etc. So
the immaterial world of entities presents a
corresponding graduation OF substantial
existence, rising from the grosser to the
more subtitle spheres OF nature, beginning
the ascent at odor, where the physical left
off, and proceeding with electricity, magne-
tism, ~gravitation, heat, light, sound, life,
mind, soul, up to God Himself, as the foun-
tain OF all life and mentality and the ulti-
mate source whence came the entire material
and immaterial universe.
One of the phases among the many of this
new philosophy and which gives it the
stamp OF originality, is it's violent and ir-
resistible attack on the wave theory OF
sound, a theory that has never been ques-
toned before since it's birth with Pytha-
goras.
The wave theory makes sound consist in
a molecular or undulatory motion OF the
matter through which it is conducted. The
new theory, which is termed the corpuscu.
lar theory, holds that sound is something
in itself-an element of force-a substance
as different from the medium through which
it travels as electricity is different and dis
tinct from the material wires which serve
as the medium of its conduction.
Substantialism assumes that sound is an
entity h%armonizing it with all the accepted
forces Of'nature.
No one believes heat to be the stove, or
the air through which it radiates, or the
mere sensation produced thereby. Gravity
is not the earth, neither is it the pebble
which the ~gravital force causes it to fall,
nor isit the motion OF either of them.
Magnetism, which lifts a piece OF iron, is
not the steelfrom whichit emanates, norany
motion of the atmosphere through which it
passes in it's mysterious mission. Odor is
not the rose, nor is it any part or motion
of the air through which it travels to reach
the olfactory nerve, neitheris it the motion
of the rose or of the nasal membrane. If,
therefore, odor is a real substance, which
produces sensation by actual contact with
the appropriate sense nerve, why are not
heat and light II sound substances?
though possibly more refined in their ma
ture, analogous to the substantial currents
of electricity, or rays of substantial mag
netism.
The corpuscular theory of sound has Gre
ated an immense disturbance among the
priests in the sanctuary OF science. There il
an uproar in in the synagogue OF established
theories. In the scholastic institutions Of
the land young students are boarding theil
professors and are clamoring for some
thing like a wreck of matter and a crash oil
words to break the miserable monotony Of
scholastic diagrams and chalk, to silence
the discordant noise of tin tubes and tunine
forks and to hush for ever the impious
claims of a monstrous imposition. A new
text book based on the corpusculal
theory of sound will soon see the light o.
day n already myrladS nave turned then
faces towards this commanding summit
where truths symmetric temple shines afar
Men of gigantic minds are swelling thu
ranks of s~ubstantialism and the gallant
leader OF the newly ~imbannered host will
lead them on to the scientific land of prom
Use.
DIR. Mott, one of the most renowned sci
entists of America, recently uncovered hi
scholarly head and made obeisance to tn
majesty OF truth az" disclosed in the rap
and luminous pages of "The Problem o
Human Life" a book that is doing NOR
toward revolutionizing the frauds and falla
cies OF science than any other of this grea'
century. Substantialism wears no mask
It's features are too symmetrically proper
toned to require this. It invites criticism
and earnestly and r%everently asks a hear
ing. Before it's mighty blaze Of light tn
shadows of opaque theories vanish. Thu
Microcosm is a monthly journal which il
published in the interest of the new philos
ophy. This leading journal OF American
science has a significant title. 1t comes
from two Greek words, micros Qittle)
cosmos (world), little world, orthe universe
in miniature embodiment. And let every
candid man or woman scan it's contents anC
they will readily perceive the matter is il
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