The record-union., 1899-06-25
OF IMMORTALITY.

Professor Hyslop of Columbia Univer-
sity says that within year he Will lay
before the world indisputable proofs OF
the immortality Of the soul. of life after
death. and of communication between
the living and the departed. THESE
proofs will be in the nature of COM
munications received through the me-
diumship of a certain woman, and re-
late to. matters which completely put
aside the thought Of deceit, collusion or
cheat.
We have no right to question the sin
cerity and honesty of Professor Hy-
slop's faith in this matter. He entered
upon the investigation Of the subject a
year or more ago, and as scientist ap-
proaches any subject fit for investiga-
ton. But the Professor is not the first
who has done so, nor the first who has
under such search arrived at the same
conclusion. But none Of them have
ever been able nor will any to follow be
able to establish beyond the possibility
Of reasonable controversy, that the
phenomena they denominate proof is
really evidence.
The evidence that the proofs upon
which he bases his statement cannot be
established as emanating from super
natural source simply because they dis
close facts known only to the inquirer
and which it IS impossible the medium
should have had any knowledge Of is.
and always will be found in reason.
We may grant the Professor all his
promises and it will still remain that
he.will be unable 70 SO far identify his
witnesses and establish that they are
of the spirit world, as to carry general
conviction That there is life after
death, that this id not all there is of be-
ing, the mass of men believe already.
With them such belief is the result of
conviction from reason as well as rev
elation.'' They; do not ask for tangible
proofs, they do not ask for witnesses
from the other world to confirm them
in that faith.
When, however such pretended wit
challenging their integrity, since it
must first be shown that the witness is
credible A distinguished divine In San
Francisco the other day declared from
the pulpit that he believes there are
communications received from the spirit
land, but not from credible inmortals.
Such communications he ascribes to
spirits who deceive, cheat, and glory in
misleading mankind. His proofs he
draws from the Bible, and they are
sufficient for him as they are for mil
lions who believe as he does.
But no mere communication through
a so-calded medium will be received by
the scientific world on the strength OF
the assertion of the communicate that
he is worthy of belief, nor yet because
the assumed supernatural intelligence
happens to know and be able to speak
or write of matters concerning which
only he and the party addressed have
any knowledge. Testimony OF that
character lacks the chief elements
which carry conviction of truth.
1t merely establishes probability of
communication, but whether it is from
spirit land or the result of the opera
ton of psychical forces and natural
laws wholly related to mortality, will
always be questioned by thoughtful
men, People will recall the fact that
scientific men who dive into this subject
very often, oftener than not, become the
easiest of dupes. the most plastic of
instruments for deceit, and this uncon-
sciously.