River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-03-19
sPlRITISM.


normal union with living mans body
possess more knowledge than a living
mans spirit in normal union with his
own body? Why should we expect
that spirit to possess any more knowl-
edge than our own spirit possesses?
We should not, for it does not and
cannot. l used to believe such was
the case and was ever ready with the
argument that the disembodied spirit
is no longer subject to natural law
That was merely an assertion without
a single prop to sustain it. Every
thing and everybody is subject to nat
ural law. There is no other; there is
nothing supernatural, except in the
sense OF law in realms beyond our
knowledge
The Origin of the Messages.
Surprising medium gives informa-
tion concerning some transaction dur
ing the earthly career Of one now
dead; and said transaction not OBJ
jectively known by the one consulting
the medium. What does 1t argue?
Does the so-called message come from
q departed spirit? An honest medium
will say so, and an honest medium
will think so in consequence of the
autosuggestions that all information
is from the departed. But what are
the facts? 1t does not now come from
the dead but it came from the dead
when the one now dead was living. All
this is explainable by telepathy.
Inasmuch as telepathy is faculty
belonging exclusively to the subjective
mind, this information, previously to
the death of the departed, was uncon-
sciousIy communicated to the subject
i've mind Of the sitter (the one consult.
ing the medium), but was never ele-
waited above the threshold of his nor
NAL consciousness and in all prob
ability would never have become
known to the sitter had he not come in
touch with psychic (medium).
How did the psychic get it? Tele-
pathically from the sitter; not from
the dead but from the living.
In the same way the sitter is told of
the death of friend possibly tragic
death, of which he had no objective
knowledge. The psychic reveals to
him the minutest detail, claiming, of
course, that the messages are from his
dead friend when, in reality, he (the
psychic) is merely receiving, telepath-
ically, the information lying latent in
the subjective mind of the sitter.
How did the sitter get it? Telepath-
ically from his dying friend-at the
very moment of the tragedy.
OF the $50 cases cited in "Phantasms
of the Living" a large proportion of
the cases were of such nature as to
furnish unmistakable evidence that
dying persons make an effort to in
form their relatives and friends of
their condition, especially if there is
any object to be gained by so doing.
These messages lie latent in the sub
jective consciousness of the sitter IN
til they are revealed by psychic.
This is what is known as ''telepathy
by three" 1t has been ably handled
by DR.. Hudson in his thorough treatise,
''The Evolution of the Soul" The
question hinges on this: Can informa-
tion GEOGRAPHICALLY received be tele-
pathically transmitted to a third per-
son?
IF 1t can" says DR.. Hudson, spirit
ism, as a scientific proposition, has not
a leg to stand upon; for not case has
yet been recorded that cannot be tele-
pathically explained if that simple
proposition is true. If it is not true,
there must be valid answer to the
proposition; but that answer has never
been attempted otherwise than by the
bare assertion, without argument, that
it is carrying telepathy too far On
the other hand. if the proposition is
true, spiritism, considered as a scien-
tific proposition, is disposed Of"
Mediums, or Psychics.
What constitutes a psychic? One
who can reach the content of the sub
jective mind of another
Is it gift? Yes, and is susceptible
of great cultivation.
Is it a desirable gift to cultivate?
Not unless one wishes to make it
profession.
Is it q desirable profession? No;
because the power is purchased at
very great cost-the weakening of the
objective faculties. This, however, is
not so much the case where the
psychic realizes that the information
is received, GEOGRAPHICALLY, and has
nothing whatever to do with departed
spirits.
While perfectly healthful persons
may pass into the psychic condition
the fact remains that the habitual in
diligence will invariably result in some
form of nervous arrangement and dis
ease.
mo one," says DR.. Hudson, can be-
come a good psychic until a nervous
arrangement has been induced. The
best psychics are those whose nervous
systems are completely shattered; and
the degree of psychic power attainable
by anyone is in exact proportion to the
intensity of the nervous arrangement"
When the idea is once implanted in
the mind that the communications are
from the spirits of the dead, that dom
1nant idea soon takes possession of
the ones so deluded that they lose all
interest in the everyday affairs of life,
read no books Except on spiritism),
read no papers, do not keep abreast of
the times and when questioned as to
the reason, invariably say, "Oh, they
tell me all 1 ought to know" Who are
they? Why, my guides, of course"