The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-14
New Philosophy OF Health.
7TH PAPER.
Copyrighted. 1877. by II. b. b.


ordered mental states back 90 their hrst
cause, we find it either i'm Ignorance or
IN Wilful violation of the laws of mind.
"A partial knowledge unwiseiy applied
may become the most prolific oi all
sources OF error and mischief
1hat psychic, power may be developed TO
certain extent indeed 10 a remarakable
extent, for purposes of mere display, will
not be denied 10y any one who has wit
messed the remarkable exhibitions of that
power by East Indian adopts or by those
who have obtained "a knowledge of these
Things from them. That it is actual
soul power need not be questioned al
though we may SEQ It's exhibitors
governed by any but spiritual motives,
ana It's objects may prove anything but
salutary either upon the performer or up
on society at large. This does not mill
tate against the fact that moro or less
complete control OF the body and of the
lower nature by the soul is necessary TO
the deyelopment of that power. "A virtue
may be cultivated for selfish purposes
tho laws Of mind may be obeyed in those
directions necessary 10 the production oil
occult phenomenal, while yet the adept is
entirely unit In respect 10 character
70 te the possessor of such power over
his iellowmen. On the other hand, inno-
cent people, having learned certain of
these laws, but Ignorant Of others, may
la led TO an entire misinterpretation OF
the results which they themselves are able
20 produce and may not only lead others
astray but be drawn themselves into evil
practices, nervous derangoment OF even
insanity.
The modern touchstonc for good and
evll Is the test OF health. IL n practice is
conducive 20 health both OF body and soul
we know that IL is in accord With divine
law, and right and honorable. If we can
trace eNil effects TO its agency We know
that 1T Is violation of law In respect TO
tho occult sciences We have at the out
SET strong presumptiye evidence against
the hoalthfulness OF many of the practices
depending upon them, in the fact that
among all peoples in the early ages there
existed great fear of the magician, the
conjurer, the witch and all their sinister
fraternity. Among the Hebrews, the law
was very strict against consultin-
familiar spirits even for purposes APP
parently most laudable If it can be
proved that unhoalthful effects follow
these practices today. we shall be able TO
understand why such laws were enforced
and such fears entertained by people
whose reasoning powers were unde-
veloped, but whose intuitions were often
far more correct than ours
A person under the influence of hypno-
tism may be made To believe that he Is
George Washington or Henry Clay or any
other individual suggested by the hypno-
tiscr. He will assume the character sug-
geSted and act oct his part with startling
accuracy, provided be knows anything
about the person mentioned or inGeed If
any one present knows anything about
him. for hypnotic subjects are capable
Of mind reading as are also persons I'm
state-of trance. a supposed spiritual.
istic medium always assumes TO be somo
one else, invariably the spirit of sonlc
dcnd person, unless he is made TO believe
that some one really living is dead The
very possibility of such "a mistake con.
stitutes strong proof that the medium is
not under the control of spirits. but is
merely exercising his own subjective
powers, under the delusion that he Is the
mouthpiece for an intelligence not his
own.
The little instrument known as the
planchette and the similar one called the
Ouija board, by means OF which messages
from the subjective mind are spelled out
while the objective will is entirely un.
conscious of doing anything to assist in
the performance, are supposed ly some To
DC moved by disembodied spirits When
asked "Who are you that writes the
subjective mind of tho operator imme-
diately seeks name not his own for the
reason that his own objective faculties
assure him that they know nothing of
this business, and therefore that it cannot
be himself. He will assume any name
that circumstances or his own precon-
ceivcd beliefs may suggest as appropriate,
and having assumed the name he will act
his part exactly as does the hypnotic sub
joct.
All this evidence would seem to be CON
elusive against the belief that spirits of
the dead actually speak through spirit
ualisiic mediums. Yet there are still
multtudes of people who firmly believe
that they hold communict ton with
beings of the spirit world That belief
AVA ly halH bn IInl.r
the practice was none the less forbidden
True or false, If the practice leads TO in
furious results it Is To Dc avoided as con-
trary TO divine law. To beiove that ono
il under the control OF an intelligence not
his own, for whose statements he is i'm no
sense responsible, but must receive ns
absolute truth. regardless of their moral
quality, tends strongly to unsettle moral
character especially as ones own desires
are apt to be reflected i'm the savings OF
the supposed spirit and excuses for wrong
action To be insidiously suggested. These
suggestions are not then regarded as
temptations but as coming from one who
sees no longer through glass darkly."
but who is in possession Of all truth and
whose advice may be safely followed.
Another danger Is that one may come to
be haunted" 10y one or more spirits. The
flriner the belief in them the more diff
cult il becomes to drive them away, and
one can avoid such possession" simply
by not believing in it, is il not better not
90 believer And since one may control
his moral actions and ideals by holding
fast belief In his own responsibility for
every suggestion that comes into his
mind. is IL not better 10 hold fast TO the
faith that saves than to turn to faith
that may destroyg
. subtle dangers may also lurh I'm the
practice Of hypnOtism for amusement. IL
is quite possible that person having once
assumed a fictitious name iI that way,
may again assume 10 without apparent
reason. The phenomenon known as dual
personality, in which one suddenly loses
his consciousness of personal identity and
wanders away TO remain perhaps for years
under another name until something
restores the normal consciousness, might
easily bo traceable to some youthful frolic
Uf this sort.
We know that Christ never made use of
His power for mere display. oven when
such display would have done more than
anything else 60 win adhorcnts IN His
CAUSE When He was tempted Co cast Him
self down from n pinnacle of the temple |