The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-17
FORTY YEARS WITH THE mediums.
Tho Experience of an Investigator in the
Field which Prof. Hysiop Enters.

Nioiu WHICH Erot. hysop hShtort'
To THE Enron OF THE SuN-Sir: Nothing
have read in THE Sun for a long time seems to
mo more touched with pathetic interest and
good sense than its comments on the forth
coming proof OF Immortality promised us by a
professor OF Columbia University. It ia now
nearly forty years since my own interest In the
subject first began. In that time have had
interviews with many mediums" prominent
In the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Foster. Miss Fox.
Henry Slade. Pierre Keller and n host of
others-at first with som ewhat eager hope in
spired by youth in the possibility OF finding
truth in the phenomena: then with slowly in
creasing skepticism, as the proofs OF trickery
and duplcity multiplied and at last only as an
interesting study in human gullibillty. as
evinced by the ca Sc with which men OF scen-
tnc training can sometimes allow themselves
to DO deluded.
Special opportunities have como to me by
which conviction would have been possible
had reality q xiatad two ~ my dearest frinnde
pussinR onward. promised tnat assurance OF
continued consciousness should be given. If the
gift were possible. and Tint its reality should
49, mIio roas'po' anu 'i,'' rs ie"iey snout
W. eViuehcea ny word Ihat was nearly
thirty years ago. and the word is still un-
In ~, ,,o, .,,..,. ,,., ,.., -, ,,., ...,.,,.,
III the last thlrty -lVe years nave witnessed
thnH. nnt WAS pu,I noah h stY om
no. eApnsap'e' ou' never
single particle OF evidence OF tho least scien-
tnc value or which trickery could not produce
Never have vot b,d intoryiow ,r,th a 80.
dir,, III y. ma. ~. ,n' e,, WIN me-
against fraud did not inevitably work to the
prevention OF spirltualistio phenomena. Ten
years ago. for instance. placed in the hands
OF Mr.. Charles A. Dana the sum OF $500,
authorizing him to paw tho amount TO any
meulum VINO should transcrlbe single
sentence from bit Of paper In a sealed en-
.eIope under conditions precludlng fraud
again ana again TIE SUN called attention to
acquisition. bnt No ambient aver annesred
NJ H. VIA nv h.,,a' atpsa 49,.
mr. Henry Middle. l believe. suggested that
10 make renat;tion worth the wh;lst
A.. i.,,..l l.'.Gn "o..n sne "n"e' ,,-
will reveal undoubted marves. One Of the
most sinpular is tha may nccarta,ca ~ II.
claim. by men and womsn py Of mcr. than % ord.
nary lhtelilGencc. and their especial suscepti-
hitXto decisions Of the most kinds.
,ualism for those who have only contempt for
me tnt,G creed OF nhristianiy Men to whom the
h and no difficulty in according pnqu,sstoning
peiier III LnSsPelIed msssnRGs aph ghostly
AT any time during the last fifty years. it is
pToDhDy true that the great majority OF those
t3r Whom moasTn Shritpallnsm has any attac-
lect as lncreilDle the auL hority OF tho Bible or
the reality OF miracles. IT would seem as II the
human soul could not be at rest without
renElon;; anp that when keason has made the
aanI,cent faith seem folly the soul reaches in its
Ihnndness Tor the nearest support. Does it seem
Iuuicrous ana pathetlc that me former law
partner 81 Daniel Webster should proudly pro
dpe T discourse With Eve ABOUT the animals
q Euen as PROOF OF man s immortality; or
that disttnEuished educator should find 1t
possible to believe that Shakespeare and Byron
We're the autno1 s OF d i5 Is this Whit
Dr; savage announcing faith In the sppernat;;
u t, orlsin 81 photographic trick. hundred
times exposed. or OF professor n Columbia
d tnlseIs5Ity Eravey tWittering at Mrs. Piper's
A selentiho representation OF the problem OF
lmmortallty. 10 pc convincing must be more
man that OF which, SO tar ,Dr. Savage or
Prof.. HXslop has Afforded the slightest intima-
ton. That which science demands elsewhere
should be given here me PROOF must depend.
skeptic and believer alike and. secondly. 1t
must be capable OF repeated and uniform repe-
titlon. mat which would bring conviction to
the individual 10 no scientific evidence at all.
unless T. is equally accessible to the whole
world BECAUSE .hacGen can see tho ghost OF
murdered BdnQuo. what Is that to one who.