The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-18
DR.. ROBT. A.MsIEKh

" HE recent conversion of DR.. Richard Hodgson
president of the American Society of Psychcal
= Research, to the belief that spritism is a re-
atty and not a sham, and the frank admission
of Professor William James, the eminent psychologist
of Harvard University, that he has found the phe-
nomena which were instrumental In the conversion
of Dr. Hodgson 1.-The most absolutely battling thing
that he has known, have aroused much interest
in the thinking world
Ever since death first entered into the scheme OF
life the human heart has longed to know the truth
or something of the truth of the after death The
that such distinguished and thoroughly rena-
bic as Dr. Hodgson has, after seven years spent
in the most rigid investigation and unremting study
the subject, openly declared that he is convinced
that it is possible disembodied spirits to return
and hold communication with their living friends has
created decided sensation among the foremost
students of such phenomena.
Some of our prominent local scientific and profess
sional expressed themselves on the subject
follows:
have not seen the full text of DR.. Hodgsons report
of the singular case of Mrs. Piper has he given
PRESIDENT DAVID STARR Of of this ss case to the public
JORDAN because he regards them
Stanford University S as 100 peis nf "Caorga
Pelham" All that give then is tentative sum-
mary of my own impressions
l nothing in the report that would give to me
the slightest foundation for the belief that the spirit
of the dead called George Pelham had any
connection with these phenomena.
We may accept Professor James statement that
there conscious fraud in the case, and that
DR. Hodgson not conscious accomplice In any
deception. ...,.. 49,
nomena, the results of unconscious, unguided mental
taking place under special conditions extremely
puzzling the outsider. We know that even the
ceVerest of observers liable to interpret these
phenomena in accordance with their own theories We
know that in cases of this type no revelation or out
giving above the intellectual level of the me
dunn himself. Hence the Stiffness of all revelations
spirit world thus far recorded-eXcept fraudu-
lent Professor James we'll says that The spirit
hypothesis exhibits vacancy, triviality and inco.
herence of mind painful to think of the state OF
the departed"
The theory of floating mind-stuf in the universe
manifesting itself in these grotesque seems to
nonsense.
1 think that Professor James remaining sugges
ton is probably the correct one Mrs. PlperS own
brain in its unconscious crazy action masquerades
in this and plays these fantastic tricks before
higH heaven, using its preternatural q should say,
rather diseased abnorma) powers OF cogniton and
memory for the basest of deceits.'
In all of alleged spirit manifestation (not
mere fraud of which have knowledge the plain
PLANTATION of the phenomena lies in the nature of the
nervous system of the so-caled medium" In other
words, they belong (when not assumed or frauduenO
the category of symptoms of nervous arrangement
disease and their testimony has the objective
reality that of the inebriate who mistakes the
of cerebral congestion for snakes and mice
The theories of Wtchcraft and demoniacal posses
sion which troubled grandfathers and which de-
ceived far subter minds than Dr. Hodgson, rested
similar phenomena and were supported by
of abnormal mental action quite as difficult to
plain these manifestations which failed to
the existence of witches and devils likewise fail as
proofs of Immortality.
manifestations of kind and truthfuy declare
that have had
ppOE tOcEpHI & CONTF personal experiences that
~ 49, = I do not feel certain were
university o. Uanoha clearly explainabe on
plain, straightforward "a
tural lines 1 have yet always avoided taking the
position of simply denying the existence of such mani
festations and experiences
iS certainly possible others