The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-03-25

The Rev. Minot J. Savage, an able and
useful preacher Of the Unitarian church in
Boston. has issued a little book called
"Psychics; Facts and Theories" Mr..
Savage includes among scientific facts"
the so-called phenomena of clairvoyance.
telepathy, hypnotism and the whole class
OF mediumistic or spiritualistic pranks.
He seems to consider them as WELL attested
and scientifically accepted facts like facts
In electricity or chemistry. He counts
cIairyoyancc. clairaudience, hypnotism
and telepathy as recognized powers Of the
physical side of human nature and per.
sonaily believes that some individuals have
the power of obtaining knowledge from
sources external 70 themselves under con.
ditions which make It at least possible
that these sources are spirits who have
ceased to have an earthly existence.
Ciairvoyance is seeing without physical
eyes and in spite of physical obstacles,
and telepathy is the tranference of thought
from one mind to another without physi-
cal means Of communication.
Mr.. Savage accepts these assumptions A.
established facts. but the vast majority of
scientific men do not accept them as facts.
A few persons of high scientific repute
such as rrofs. Crooks and Wallace believe
in spirituslism. and . few French sci
en,ific men believe in hypnotism, but the
vast majority OF scientific men and men OF
judicial quality do not include these as
sumptions ~ among established facts Of
science, but deem them decisions hastily
accepted by Q few eredulous men Of
science.
DIR. Ernest Hart, editor Of the British
Medical journal. at the opening of the
psychieal science congress at Chicago said
he did not believe in hypnotism, mesmer-
ism, teiepathy and so-calIed spiritual COM
municstion. Among other things DR.. Hart
said
"A lifetime during which have given a
good deal of attention 10 the subjects of
hypnotism and mesmerism, white en-
Aiding me TO verify the physical phenom-
ena Of hypnotism and so~called mesmer-
ism as the result OF self-suggestion or
hysterical manifestation or conveyed sug-
gestlon by word or look, has equally con-
WINGED me that thus far AT least all the
alleged phenomena Of clairvoyance, teler-
atay thought transference and social ed
spiritual communication are either deIu-
sionS, inpostures or misinserpreted facts
II now repeat, In the presence in this
city OF a considerable number of experts
and believers. the challenge TO any of
these gifted or experienced persons to give
simple evidence OF the existence of one
of the powers which so many claim to pos
sess and which undHrlies the pretenS sion.
oi all. | Will place bank order for Si00
IN a sealed euvelope Enclosed in an orai.
nary pine box. and the 81, 90 note shall he
At the disposal of any one--man. woman
or child, medium. thought reader. clair.
voysnt ar ieiepaihl.t~who can within
forty eight hours of announcing their in
tention to DO SD and claim the depoSit
read The plain EnEilsh writing aud give
the uUn Der on she order. Any person AZ
eepting this challenge will depost, si1o, 10
he given 10 any charity that | shall name
IN this e'ty. II they are able TO claim the
sl,1o which | here offer on the terms
stated IL Will he ~ sheiT disposal for what
ever purpose they choose. tor their own
oeueai or tor the benetlt OF any charity, or
for the adyancsmens OF tho cause Of
psyoaieal research"
DR.. Harris very simple test has never
been accepted, although shs literature Of
footballs on the boundary of another
worlds full OF assertions ths, wsraciou,
and respectable persons had read innuu-
cradle sealed letters. Tho argument Of
common sense IL With Dr. Hart IL Il,
true that any man or woman, suffering
from nervous exhaustion consequent uron
loss Of sleep OF some other eAase. can hear
words or sec things from a coekroseh up
30 oamsiopard that no well person can
see or hear. Luther, exhausted by his
vigils and breeding over bis religious
studies, records that he ssw the devil and
threw bis lnkstAnd al him. and vsFaeious
people have insisted that shsy saw appari-
ITEMS and heard voices Ia the air. bai give
them dose II medicine that ssll restore
sac equilibrium % their nerves and the
sounds aad siEas tAse quick departure.
rae great aaass Of intelligent men af
healthy nerves Usser see or hear anything
that tie mass 81 thar fe.low msa do not
sse OF hear.
Ii Ar. Gladstone should rise sesno-yow
aud Ias.st thas tAess VAS No sunshine,