The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-18
MYSTERIES OF HYPNorIsM.


DR.. Drayton Discusses the Power Given
to Many Persons to see Visions.
From the New York Times.
1t is doubtful il there has over been a
larger or more interested audience at any
meeting Of the New York Society of An.
thropology than appeared yesterday in the
small hall OF Cooper Institute. 1t had he.
come known that Dr. Henry S. Drayton
would speak concerning thought transfer
enee and the communication OF ideas in.
dependent Of the senses. The lecturer
chose Tor his subject, 1.-THE Evolution of
Sixth Sense" aud was followed through.
out his discourse with the greatest inter-
est. When DIR. Drayton concluded, many
OF his hearers contributed experiences OF
visions, particularly those concerning per.
sons.
The extraordinary development Of the
power OF delicate perception, the lecturer
said, had been described by Sir William
Thomson ms the sixth sense; but this class
iiication may be disputed or ii might be
widened 30 as 10 embrace the power, al.
ways mysterious, which has been given
10 many persons TO witness visions.
There were numerous examples of the cul-
ture OF the senses, for instance, that Of the
worker Of textile materials, the beaten OF
metals the Indian scout who knew the
description OF the man who stole his deer
simply from ordinary evidences which he
left behind. OF the tea tustcr, whose deli
cate sense was 30 refined that he could
distinguish and properly classify 100 yarie-
ties OF the leaf
DIR. Drayton insianced the case OF deaf,
blind and dumb Laura Bridgmdn, whose
power Of touch and ability TO absorb intel
lectual refinement was only through this
source. He told OF the enormous vibration
necessary for the perception Of color. IL
was more than probable, he said, that the
time will come when mans sensuous
qualities will become ~ delicate that lac
will be able TO see aud hear better than are
his widest desires ut present Thomson,
in defining hypnOtsm as the sixth sense,
at least indicated his appreciation Of the
importance of this transf renee Of will
mo speaker mentioned the recent expert.
ment 10y a committee OF physicians ol the
University OF Paris and declared that they
had demonstrated lis power, particularly
in one phase that Of carrying out tlie will
OF the operator by the subject after the
trance state had passed. This opened
broad possibilities OF moral influences
which might be cxertcd for good or evil.
He instanccd the case OF the gendarme
who was instructed in his trance to leave
the lecture-room upon revivng and 20
into the garden and stab man with a
wooden spatula. The gcndarme stabbed
airce in the exact location described, and
then manifested all the rcmorse OF muir
dcrer.
Concerning the influence Of one mind
upon the other when the circumsi inces
were equal, the lecturer dwelt at length.
1T has been experienced very often by
many persons" lac went ON, that after
intense or particularly serious thought OF
some friend the door Of ones study has
opened and the friend actually appeared.
Sometimes one has a strong longing for the
presence Of another person. Ia day or
10 ho comes 10 YOU and says Did you
wanl me2 On such aud such a day /
thought | heard you call my name. Two
persons may unquosiionably. and very
often do, place themselves Ia perfect &C.
cord in this way, being able 10 absorb one
anothcr's thought without uitcrance The
London Society ior Psychca Research has
experimental with this thoughi-absorp-
ton"
Then DR.. DHytcn inshn,cd case
where a series Of the most conventional
drawings were made in room apart iiom
the one where the subject Ia LADY, was sit
ting The operator, fixing in his mind the
form OF one Of these drawings, would en-.
ter the room, stand behind the subject,
and, without any exchange, the latter
could within n short time reproduce the
form, though she had never seen IL. "ln
India the secret mail, DIR. Dmyton went
on, "has always been a mystery 30 Euro
peans During the mutiny the sepOys
were constantly receiving the NEST inn
portant secrets Of the English with little
doubt by means of this ttanslcrence OF
ideas. The American Indian, too. has
much the same power Of making one Of
his race alar oil think ~ lac desires him
TO do. This power he calls by tho general
term OF medicine.
MANY say that we have the sixth sensc
IN Intuition. How many percons have
been withheld from journeys which, II
they had undertaken them, would have
meant certain death How many have
preserved other persons lives by this same
strange icclingl Prof Proctor frequently
related an anocdOte Of Abraham LincOln's
dreams Just before the ASSASSINATION. IL
was at the Cabinet meeting the day before
the fatal shot was fired. Lincoln said
Gentlemen, something very cxtraordi.
nary is going 10 happen, and shortly, too
He was asked why. Don't know, he re.
piled, but have had the same dream
three times, once before the battle Of Bull
Run, once before another disastrous bat
lie, and again last night When asked 10,
character he said We'll, am on a great
river, aud am In a boat adfiit -adriit.
But this h not business Next night he |
was shot. One step and We are brought !