The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-03-09
scleRtino Men who Believe That They
Anord Proef Of the Independent
Action OF the Soul

fered 20 the soul in sleep are not only not
produced by IL, but there Is no conscious
ness Of any action Of the viii 20 intro
duce them. They are involuntarily obtrud-
cd upon 10. lie cannot conceive Of any
thing more absurd than TO suppose that
the SOUL ns "a nightmare, would lay a
plot 10 flighten itself In reply 10 the ar
gument Of those DO contend that dreams
Indicate the activity Of the soul separate
from ard independent Of the body. DIR.
priestly asked: Why does not this indie
pendent entity contemplate the state Of
tho body and brain during sleep, which
might well afford IL matter enough for
reason aud reaectiong
So. too, DR.. Cromwell, IN his work on
The Soul and the Future Life, )" asserts
that dreams take place only when the
sleep Is unsound and arise from partial re-
turns Of activity Of the brain itself. These
views fairly reflect the consensus of Opin-
ion regarding tho origin aud character Of
the phenomena.
On the other hand, there is authority
as eminent for the belief that all dreams
cannot be satisfactorily explained on the
grounds above stated-that there is
something left out which Il is of the high
est consequence 20 understand before
IL
The student Of Nenophon will recall the
remarkable passage which the historian
puts into the mouth Of the dying Cyrus
the Elder: Nor do feel convinced that
the soul will be devoid Of sense when Il is
separated from the senseless body, but IL Is
probable that when the mind is separated,
unmixed and pure, it is then also most
intelligent. When the frame of man is
dissolved, every part Of him is seen return
ing 20 that which is OF the same nature as
itself, except the soul, which alone is seen
neither present nor departing. Reflect,
too, that nothing more closely resem bles
the death Of man than sleep, but IL is in
sleep that the soul OF man appears most
divine, and il Is then that It foresees some
thing Of the future, for then, as IL seems,
it is most at liberty"
The letters Of the great Euler to n Ger
man princess contain the following state
ment: "Sleep furnishes something like an
example Of the state Of the soul after
death, as the union OF the soul and body
IL then, in a great measure, interrupted,
and the soul ceases not from activity, be-
ing employed in the production Of dreams.
These are usually disturbed by the re-
naming influence which the senses exer-
else, and we know by experience that the
more this influence is suspended, which is
the case In profound sleep, the more regu-
lar and connected are Our dreams"
Blackwell aflirms that TO be able 70 see
without the eye. 10 hear with the ear and
10 feel without touching objects. as we do
in dreams, arc facts which afford direct
proof that the ptrcipient principle Is indie
pendent Of the organs Of sense and lead
TO the inference that the material organi-
cation Of the brain, by which the impres-
sions Of external objects are originally
conveyed 20 the mind, must be distinct
from the power that receives and retains
these Impressions; otherwise IL would be
impossible TO account for the activity Of
the perccptive power during the time when
the brain ceases TO hold any direct com
munication with the material world. Lord
Brougham cites the inconceivable rapid
" of the minds operations as a proof Of
its independence of matter and capacity
to exist without il, and after adducing "a
multitude Of facts chiefly connected with
the phenomena Of dreams says that moth
ing can be conceived better calculated
than these facts TO demonstrate the ex-
treme agility Of the mental powers, their
total diversity from any material sub
stance or action. Nothing better adapted
TO satisfy US that the nature of the mind
is consistent with its existence apart from
the body"
There is no denial by the advocates Of
the latter view thnt dreams can ordinari-
ly be accounted for on the hypothesis gen
orally accepted by medical men. Impaired
digestion. feverish condition Of the body,
intense nervous strain, and other physic-
al causes, It is admitted, may be reasona-
bly, adduced 20 explain the phenomena.
But there are well authenticated cases OF
dreams Of character 50 remarkable as 90
render the theory Of physical causes Who'll
ly inapplicable TO them. They seem to
demonstrate the power OF the soul. during
sleep. 60 evolve clear ideas and new de
velopmeuts of thought which are not the
result OF automatic or unconscious reflex
action.
COlcridge tells us that "Kuhla Khan"
was composed entirely while he slept. "the
images rising up before him as things with
a parallel production Of the corresponding
expressions, without any sensation or con-
sciousness OF effort" For a man Of his pc
culiar temperament that does not seem 80
strange an experience. but that the famous
mathematician and philosopher, Condor
Get. saw ia his dreams the hnal stage Of a
him during the day Is "a most extraordina-
~ fact aud one that Is scarcely to be eX-
planned by reference 20 any abnormal
bodily conditions. But II we admit the
souudncss ~ Colquhoun's doctrine, we
shall have an adequate means Of explanR-
tion. he maintained that dreaming Is
the exercise 81 an original spiritual ener-
gy: TINT 10 4 an effort OF the soul 20 man
ifest itself free from material trammels.
that all sleep Is accompanied with dream
ing and that, ia the case Of the soundest
sleep. dreams are not MON bcred because
the soul has not notified the scnsoriuin Of
them Therefore we only catch glimpses
% the souls activity In sleep when the
scssihility ~ the corporeal organs j. not
altogether suspended and these glimpscs
are called dreams New York Times.
His secead WIFE