The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-09-19
VOLUME 3.
THE POWERS OF MEMORY.
Experience When About Drown
ing in the. Mississippi River. y

written by d. II, Myers,
There have l,een in the past re
markable insta ices Of the powers
Of memory IN individuals; but
these instances were rare, as in
the case of Cyrus, King Of Persia,
Of whom it is recorded that he
was able to call by name every
soldier in the army. Another in
stance is that of young man who
would gather his companions
around him on Sabbath evenings
and repeat, for their amusement,
the sermon he had heard in the
morning, almost word for word.
We have reasons to believe that
these instances, though rare, are
designed TO convey to our minds
some conception of that mighty
power whichis possessed--tho
almost unconsciously-by each
rational and intelligent being.
Though seemingly. slow in it's de-
yelopment, this faculty will yet
put forth a power and energy far
surprising thatdisplayedin those
rare instances which now excite
our wonder.
That power Of mind which we
call memory, seems to embrace
two distinct faculties, or opera
lions of the mind-retention and
recollection. If we reflect mo-
ment, we see that these are quite
distinct. We have no doubt that
we have retained, or laid up in
our minds, many things which we
cannot at the present time. recol-
lect; for instance, we make an eff
fort to remember some particular
thing-a name perhaps-but all
our efforts to recall it are vain;
yet that it is safely treasured up,
is evident from the fact that after
wards itisperfectly remembered.
In these instances, it is very
plain that memory performed the
Office of retention, or storing up,
while, for a time, it failed to per-
form that of recollection. The
one may be compared to gather
ing treasures into % storehouse,
the other to giving them out
again.
Now, we have no reason to be-
lieve that the memories of differ
ent individuals differ in regard to
the former-the power of reten-
ton, but only in regard TO the lat
ter-the power Of recollection.
Memory in every individual, is a
vast storehouse, in which are
treasured up every action and in
cident Of his life; and, also, every
thought, purpose, and emotion,
which go to make up the history
of his being. Sometimes the
storehouse is suddenly unlocked
and some incident, of which we
have not thought for years, will
come wildly to our recollection.
These sudden recollections are
often the most vivid we ever eX-
perience. They seem to carry us
back at once to the time when the
event took place, and we, as it
were, live the event over again.
Can we doubt that many such
scenes are locked up in the treas
ure house If memory, to be, at
some future time, as wildly
brought to our recollectionY All
that is necessary to put us in pos
session Of these treasures of the
past, is an increased power of
recollection.
Most striking instances of the
sudden waking up of this slum-
herring power of recollection, have
been furnished by persons suffer
ing under the influence of disease;
and, also, by those who have been
rescued from drowning state.
One instance of the last named
kind was experienced personally.
! will here relate, as the instance
occurs to mind as wildly as at
the time of its occurrence
On the evening of July 20, 1865,
lincompany with many comrades
OF the 18th Pennsylvania Cavalry,
We're disporting ourselves in the
Mississippi River atl3aton Rouge,