The herald., 1893-09-10


ognize Balaam's condition. In the light
of the modern science OF mesmerism, it
cannot be successfully denied that the
recorded experiences of John, Peter,
Paul and Balaam may not have been
true.
Under mesmeric influences the sub
ject is in trance. He Is unconscious to
all surroundings. His eyes are gener-
ally wide open but perfectly oblivious.
He sees or hears whatever Is impressed
upon his mind by the controlling mind.
In this particular the Bible and science
do certainly agree.
Indeed, all the visions and prophecies
OF the Bible were given in the same
manner. A deep sleep fell upon Abra-
ham upon the plains OF Mamre, and ne
saw burning lamp moving about, and
he was foretold concerning bis posterity.
In vision during deep sleep Ellphaz
saw spirit aud heard voice. Daniel
had visions in the night when deep
sleep was upon him and he saw future
events. The conditions seem to have
been better in the dark.
That these slumbers we're not the
ordinary repose is evident from the
fact that they were deep, that is. some
thing extraordinary. That they were
mesmeric, is evident from the fact that
the subjects saw various objects and
heard voices and conversed with angels,
who generally appeared to them while
in trance.
It is known that difficult surgical op-
erstions can be performed while the
subject is mesmerized or hypnotized.
They are put in deep sleep while the
knife is applied. Is it odd that such
was Adams condition when God took
out rib?
David and Abishai visited the head
quarters of King Saul in the wilderness
of Ziph and took spear and cruse of
water from the royal bolster. A deep
sleep from the Lord was fallen upon
Saul and his army, and they knew not
what David and Abishai were doing; in
other words, they were mesmerized for
the time being.
Nor is it sscrilege to so call these phe-
nomena. Mesmerism is a science. Sci
ence is truth. Truth is ever sacred.
The light OF modern wisdom has simply
found name for certain mental mani
festations. The Bible simply describes
certain things and science gives them
names. So with the visions of the
prophets. Webster defines them to be :
AIN scripture. revelation from God !;
an appearance or exhibition of some
thing supernsturally presented to the
minds of the prophets, by which they
were informed OF future events. Such
were the visions OF Isaiah, of Amos, of
Ezekiel, etc." He defines clairvoyance
to be: Literally, clear sightedness q
power, attributed to persons in mes
meric state, OF discerning objects which
arv not present to the senses"
Again has science given a name to an
ancient truth. 1t has been shown that
the prophets or writers of the books of
the Bible simply wrote down or told
what they saw and heard while in
frances. That these frances were purely
mesmeric and that the prophets were
clairvoyant cannot be doubted by any
one who is at all familiar with these
phenomena. Such ia to the minds of
many a clearly scientific and philosophi-
cal account of the manner in which the
Bible came to be written, and not only
the Bible but also many, ii not all
other sacred books which claim 10 be
divine revelations.
An interesting question now arises
If the prophets were the mesmeric sub
jects who were caused to clairvoyantly
see and hear what they wrote, who were
the operators or mesmerists who im-
pressed these sights and sounds upon
their minds? b. A. STEPHENS.
Los Angeles, September 8, 1898.
rro pr coNT1Nurn