The times., 1899-12-31

by him in the course Of his Investigations.
The hypothesis on which he works Is well
defined in his preface. Here he says, ia
part:
The Society of Physical Research is engaged in
The task ~ investigating "a large body of facts,
whatever may ultimately be regarded the oX-
PLANTATION OF them. Several different explanations
have been offered. Tic principal ones are these:
l. Fraud.
> Auto suggestion; that IS: the sitter uninten-
iiuHaly gives himself aw8y''-J- the phrase goes.
BE me3nsciously hnparts the Information which
SO astonishcs him when he gets it back again.
have seen great deal Of both of these.
g. That the facts the work of The SubCon-
seloUs mind OF either the sitters, the psychic or
ali together
T. Niind-Taadiue OF tclepathy
J. The spirit theory. This means, OF course,
that persons who have died and are now In the
life which is ordinarily regarded as the abode OF
silence and iuvisibility and do Cat least oc-
C4siOuaily' manifest their presence and cUmmUnI-
eat. their thoughts
Nov. 81 lie first place. il can be settled as to
whether ANY ot these claimed facts are facts Then.
lu tGc second place il can be determined as TO
whether aug one OF these theories can explain the
isetS III il can, then il would be Professionally
established q scientific hypothesis, in precisely
she same sense that the CopeTncan theory o. the
universe is established. and W tn as scientific a
validity. Like that, it would still be liable 70
question or revision, provided new facts should
sTlse which il could not find place for. And con-
ceivabiy ii might be displaced altogether, pro-
ylded q more satisfactory theory should present
Itself. But meantime il would rightly claim the
intelligent acceptance OF all educated and free
minds.
submit then to all competent thinkers that
the psyclical problems can be scientifically in
vcstIcated, and that true scientific theory con-
ceIniug them can be framed and verified
This defines clearly enough the general
scope and nature OF DR.. Sayages book
Among the essays which il contains are
Primitive Ideas, "Ethnie Beliefs 'Je-
sus and Immortality" The Worlds Con-
dition and Needs as 70 Belief in ImmOr-
tality," Possible Conditions OF Another
Life and an appendix containing "Some
Hints as to Personal Experiences and
Opinions"
WheG. one thinks of the way in which
Miss Phelps modest and entirely reverent
little book, Gates Ajar" was received less
than one generation ago, the progress of
the =JTld in certain directions may be the
lore easily realized. Miss Phelps contend
ed that human beings did not aitogelher
change their nature in passing from this
world into the next; that all eternity was
not 10 be spent either in playing halps and
singing hymns, or in actual, literal to-
neut Of fire and birthstone. and that it was
not impious to hope that the inhabitants
OF heaven would have pianos, houses,
flowers, concerts, pictures. and other things
which 90 to make up happiness on earth.
She was roundly abused by nearly the
whole orthodox press. while the private
letters which she received revealed tec
fact that so-called orthodox faith" had
left an immense number of people with a
very unpleasant idea of God ana the here
after. And here we have a minister OF the
Unitarian church writing in the ca.mest
and gentlest way Of phenomena and theo-
ries which less than ffty years ago would
Cd &C
works Of the devil. It is probable, too
that Dr. SaVages book viii be quite as
eagerly read by members Of the variocs
orthoGoz churches as by Unitarians and
theosophists. Truly opinions change with
astonishing rapidity sometimes
AS to DR. Savage's book, considered IN
itself. apart from the probable opinions Of
any religious or nOn-religious critic, il
must be said that it is a wonderfully clear
and logical piece Of work fun Of con-
viucing force and gentle tolerance which
characterize the best type OF modern Uni
tarianism. His arguments are original,
too and unlike many theological writer's,
he seldom quotes the opinions Of others
His attitude is that Of one who carefully
weighs evidence. considers probabilities,
and makes his own theory. Nowhere do
his arguments give one the impression Of
being hackneyed or hashed over. or
course. they are not all new in them
selves-n0body but an absolute genius
could produce that sort Of thing, and the
world gets along very well with only one
Shakespeare in a thousand years-but his
work ls the product OF a clear brain which
takes conclusions from nobody,
For example here is a paragraph thrown
in il. connection with the teachings Of
Christ on the subject Of immortality;
one great principle it viii he vel fgr You to
bear IN miud: u Jesus is reported as saying
something which We know 20 have connected
with The popular opinion d hIs Time u he is
reDoYted as doing something that everybody eN-
rected tire 8fpaziah would do when DE c5nes II
be Is reported as holding some opinion that the
popular thought attributed TO him as betting
the Messiahic Office. you mag be htie sHs-
picious ~ this report.
That is II there is any mistake anywhere, II
would be hke-E to BE- iu the direction ot the
popular expectation. But, when Jesus ls Te-
ported as holding some npiniou winch was dis
lnct, which was new, which cut against popa-
Jar prejudices OF went contrary TO tho eypectt-
ticus Of his time, then you may leei practically
certain that IL is true that Jesus SAID or did
that particular thing
This shows profound knowledge Of hu-
man nature. not only IN the individual, but
in the type. Every great religious leader
and an leaders Of thought have been either
products Of their Xpressions Of its
AMOAEUE anu AtEi4EE bA 4IoAtlDA4- e-tzf~---th
ID, and when the latter is true the man is
apt 10 be misunderstood and misrepresent-
cd 10 a most alarming extent.
In dealing with The AguOstic Reaction
DR. Savage says another striking thing, and
in il he strikes at one OF the most serious
faults Of the church OF today. AS most
honest people outside Of the church VIII
admit, one of the commonest sayings IN
any religious community is that one must
.s..r~ -N. L rss.T5
a subject because 1t viii make trouble.
This principle. is carried so far that many
really conscientious men viii quibble, pre-
. yaricate. keep silence. and all but lie, be-
cause they have sn idea that somehow OF
other they are serving the church by not
being frank and outspoken. Dr. Savage
is not that kind of man. Had he lived
forty years earlier he might have been re-
garded with horror as an infidei Here Is
a paragraph as bold as anything Ingersol
( ever said:
! That which the church ordinarily calls iaiu
IS the sheeTist crcdulity- Take The position @
Z the old Father IerJullian, whose sweet words
I have quoted o. YOU, about eEultiug and rcjoic
. ing on seeing bis opponents by and 10y IN IN
3 flames of hell What did he say about belief
I Credn. ouia impossible osi. q believe heeaus
+ ft IS inpoe ible) And be thought ID q piou
/ thing 10 say. The only thing that I know o
. 30 match the stupidity and in5olence of say
ing like lhat is the parody or parallel OF ]
. made by "a ittlc boy iH Sunday school whei
/ somebody asked him what faith was lie sal,
it was believing something thai sou knew WASH
I trle
And tae church carried Ills matter SO far a
10 make if a yiftue-uot, ] say with pcriec
. careiu.usss and weighing the responsibility @
Z rnv WoIds-a virtue 10 lie. An English bsho
within this present century has said that a MAJ
would better lie-i e., deny his doubts and hi
( red belief than urler beliefs which would dis
tlrb the faith of the members Of the church
( lt may be virtue 10 lie; but, il il ls, ] an
going 10 practice a vicious course ! viii az