The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-01
SCOTS At SPIRITS
CoId-BIooded Science Keeps
Asking for a "Sign."
TESTS THAT WOULD TEST
Three Ways of Accounting
for Manifestations"
TESTS THAT WOULD TEST

New York, June SO.-Dr. Albert Letting
well writes the following for the Journal;
As one absolutely sceptfcal regarding the
reality of so-called spiritual communica-
tions," the Journal invites me to give
sone reasons for that increduadty, and to
explain from that standpoint the manifes-
tations said to have been produced
through the mediumshlp Of Mrs. Piper, as
published In its issue of Sunday last.
What Renan says of miracles is especi-
ally applicable to these mediumistic claims.
1--WE do not say that a miracle " impossl-
BILE, we say hitherto there has no miracle
been proved
Is a scientific test of the claims OF Mrs.
Piper or any other medium impossible!
| Let me suggest method OF investigation.
1. Let a committee embracing scientists
as well as believers obtain from MS.
Piper's "controi'' an exact statement OF
what is possible to disembodied souls. Are
such lnteIligences all about US? Are they
Indifferent or eager to communicate? Is
there not some scientifs man on the Other
| side who would for love of humanity place
his services at the disposition of the COM
mittee? Surely their ghosts have not al
| fed into space.
2 Let us know precisely what Is posi-
BILE to disembodled intelligence. How
| quickly can distance be covered? Can il
| go from the presence of the medium tC
| Europe and return in an hour? Can Il
read the thoughts of the living? Can Il
summon other intelligences to its aid?
Assuming that satisfactory replies t
these inquiries are received that botl
medium and those who contrib her ar
eager to afford every opportunity for sat
isfactory tests, It would not be difficult L
suggest conclusive experiments. VIVA
might we ask that the whole world woulc
recognize as evidence Of value?
Three tests occur TO me.
FIRST-On Friday every week there ar
on the Atlantic ocean a large number o
ocean steamers and sailing vessels ap
preaching the port Of New York. At
seance held that day let the medium, Mrs
Piper, give the names, the hour of depart
ure and some extract from the log book o
the day, showing exact positions and tn
names of any distinguished passenger
coming to this country, and some Incl
dents OF interest in the voyage of eac
vessel. Publish these in the papers O
Saturday and note to what extent tn
statements thus made are proven by tn
log books and passengers IL the arrivin
steamers. Repeat this experiment severa
weeks in succession and see if reports ar
uniformly correct.
SDCOND-Announce a single real add
ton to the sum Of human knowledge q
any value to mankind. For instance, in
dictate how diabetes, ir cancer, or Bright
disease may be avoided.
THIRD-Disoover something. In
Coptic monastery IN upper Egypt 4 wa
shown a room full of ancient parchment.
covered with the dust OF years. Some
where in such a place or in some Egyptia
tomb there is possibly Still in existenc
copies OF the lost books of Tactlcus an
Livy, perhaps of the earliest manuscrip,
Of the Gospels or Epistles. II Mrs. Pipe
would only point out where such atreasuI
might be found, Its discovery would 'ea1
her the undying gratitude of the world.
But no such tests as these will ever I
offered. They preclude the possibility
fraud. Why, indedd, should they be give
when so much less, the revelation of one
middle name. the color az a smoking ca
or the tantrums of a baby, are receive
with wonder and gratitude as convlneir
evidence?
My scepticfsm is based upon an exper
ence extending over long period. Durir
the past tsairty-five years opportunities f
investigation have been abundant. Throw
into ASSOCIATION with intimate friends vi
were earnest believers. have been pre-
ent at seances given by some OF the mo
noted mediums in the United States. ]
Charles Foster. Henry Slade. Miss Fo
Pierre Keller, and a host of others
note.
8 Never once during the entire period
Ir Investigation have I ever seen or hea
b anything whatever wh!csl seemed to me
le the slightest scientific value as a proof
8 the reality OF disembodied intelligenC
IL Tricks innumerable have been worked, b
ID Of evidence under conditions which pr
Guided fraud not particle. All Of the 5
> called "spiritualistic phenomena" may
explained by natural laws without resc
to supernatural agency.
OF the conditions most potent in givt
:. rise 10 manifestations we may name:
l. The attitude Of investigators.
ID Fraud on part Of the medium.
ie r Collision Of sine associate.
FIRST-That attitude of the investie
Oh tor. In % per cent Of all Investigators
l sp;ritualism there exists an antecedent d
:, position toward credulity. a predisposi;i
TO faith. Sometimes faith comes throu
r. longing. touched by emotion. Nothing c
be more pitiful than the yearning cry NJ
- mother when she thinks she recognizes
shadowy form Of her lost child. or s,es
the whisper OF familiar name. What
scientific evidence to love that can char
To such a vision into reality? II Il Is al
IS. trick. said well-known citizen Of Wa.
ington. then there are a thousand int