The Elbert County tribune., 1908-03-26
SPIRITiSM.


Which?
Ones mere opinion amounts to
naught unless that opinion is based
upon most careful. painstalzing and
unbiased investigation. Even then, the
result of that opinion is wholly as it
necessarily must be, from the investi-
gators point of view. 1t is the weigh
ing of the evidence that constitutes
the proof.
After a thorough and unbiased in
vestigation extending over more than
a quarter of century; an investiga-
tion including every phase of spiritism
extant / have been led, step by step,
to the following conclusions, viz:
1. / believe in the alleged phe-
nomena of spiritism, but not in the al
legged cause.
2. That every true manifestation of
spiritism may be accounted for upon
purely scientific grounds.
8. That the phenomena are not due
to or ev<5dependent upon outside in
telligences.
4. That there is no valid evidence
whatever that spirits Of the dead have
ever communicated in any manne-
with the living.
5. That not all spirit mediums are
frauds, but all spirit mediums that are
not frauds are self-deceived when at
tributing either their power or their
information to spirits of the dead.
6. That clairvoyance and clairaudi-
ence are legitimately within the sphere
of psychic phenomena but are wholly
independent of disembodied spirits.
Z. That premonitions and impress
sions are God-given gifts to all His
children.
In 1874, during my investigation of
what was then designated as spirit
ualism (spiritism), had the pleasure
of meeting the man Ga spiritualisD
who had the distinction of having
given the first public lecture ever heard
on this subject.
These seances, being of private
character, were the more interesting
and with less likelihood of fraud and
furnished a more satisfactory oppor-
tunity for careful investigation.
AS now look back over these inter-
vening years / can see clearly whereas
at that time Il saw, as through glass,
darkly."
1t may not be out of place to state
that at that time and for many years
thereafter l was. in consequence of
many wonderful and unaccountable
personal experiences, a believer in
spiritism; but (and l want that word
but fully emphasized) a believer
with mental reservation as to the
cause of the phenomena. l have al
ways been thankful for that shadow of
a doubt; for, in later years, it proved
to be "the pillar of cloud by day" and
"the pillar of fire by night" which led
me safely out of the wildness of ignor-
ance and superstition.
Ever since childhood have been an
'impressionist," and those impress
sions, having been verified, were the
cause of my early and continuous in
vestigations. 1t was years before
learned to distinguish the one (spirit-
ualist from the other Cmpressionist)
but having distinguished have learned,
also, to discriminate.
In the winter of 1899, in Cleveland.
o., had the pleasure and the honor
of meeting the late DR.. Thomson Jay
Hudson. In the many interviews that
followed the first meeting we ex-
changed notes" on our observations
and experiences along the lines of
psychic phenomena.
We found, to our surprise, that we
had been travelling on parallel roads
for nearly 80 years. Our conclusions,
in the main. were identical; especially
regarding "spiritualism" and hypnot-
ism. We differed in a few minor
points, each looking from his own
viewpoint; therefore. we agreed to dis
agree.
l shall now take up, one by one, the
defense of each plank in the platform
forming the basis of my argument as
hereinbefore stated.
/. 1t may be thought strange that
anyone could or would accept the phe-
nomena of "spiritism" after so many
years of faithful study; or, having ac-
cepted the phenomena, they would also
accept the cause.
Many persons have said to me that
they could find out all there is in "spir-
itism" in about % minutes instead of
as many or more years. Possibly so;
|. e., all that their prejudice would allow
them to investigate.
Because every phase of spiritism
can be faxed is no assurance that it is.
There are honest and conscientious
mediums lin the minority l will ad-
mit), but they are not conscious of the
origin of their power. They attribute
V, in all sincerity. to departed spirits.
Why? Because they have been SO in
formed and having accepted the in
formation it has become a verify in
consequence of the auto-suggestion.
AS has been stated in a previous ar
ticle, the subjective mind is amenable