Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-02-04
one in Ike light of an Obvious devel-
ODmput of ctyjliz9 tion

one III Ice lgHI OF an CDNiouS ucNc
opment of civilization.
Reason, CT course, the sermon OBJ
served, never would accept any occur
renee until 1t actually had been demon
Strated as practical. The demonStra-
ton, too, must be a physical one af-
fecting distinctly at least one OF the
five senses. But because the reason
ing ability in man decries seem
ingly miraculous event is no proof,
said Father Walsh. that the rest of his
intellectual system will cast it cut as
untrue. Often a person will subcon-
scieusly believe in something, such as
superstition. which he would deny alb
solutely.if questioned upon it.
The Rev. Father Walsh is one of the
| thirty priests, members Of the congre-
CATION of st. Paul. whose duty it is to
| travel about the United States as mis-
| sionaries of the Catholic faith.
| The announced subject or the dis
course was "Prayer-Is 1t Reasonable"
| BY many examples of the consumma-
| ton of the apparently impossible the
| preacher sought to convert the minds
Of his congregation to his view Of the
| efficacy of prayer. In his opening
| phrases he mentioned those unbeliev
! ers who insist that communication
| with God is impossible.
They say that for man to kneel
and fix his thoughts upon his Maker
| ard thus establish spiritual communi-
cation with him is opposed by every
| law CT the universe and that to have
such a feat made possible would mean
| the breaking of these laws" said the
priest. But Marconis invention broke
no natural laws, though it was at first
| considered modern miracle. Why
| should there not be a spiritual teleg
raphy to make possible intercourse
| between God and his humplcst sub
/ ject? Must we see the wires that in
vlsibly connect the kingdom of heaven
with the world of mankind to believe
/ in them?
"Clairvoyance and clairaudience are
| Scoffed at as impossibilities. But in
my missionary work have encounter
| ed striking examples of these unseen
powers. 1t was my fortune once to
become acquainted with the work of
certain clairvoyant, and l, after
| hearing much of her ability, resolved
to put her to test. With friend l.
attended a seance given by this me-
! dunn. My friend lived more than 250
miles away. AS soon as he entered
the room the woman said she could
tell what was going on in his home.
.'She went on TO describe in minut-
est detail all the persons and objects
in the room. L can see them just as
plainly as if l were right among
them, she said. Just now they have
broken a crucifX and are trying to
mend it. The base of the crucifix was
smashed in the fall. They are trying
to glue it to the cross
"My friend wrote home and learned
that exactly two weeks before our
visit to the clairvOyant the crucifix
was broken and mended in the man.
ner described by her. Yet she was
unaware even from what part of the
country he came. All this only goes
to prove~that if ordinary mortals have
; this power how great must ,be the
power of God"
: Father Walsh spoke of the wonder
full attainments of hypnotism in sub
> jecting one man to the will OF. another
He said one cannot reconcile the idel
of a man being in complete subjec-
ton to the brain of Il hypnotic spc-
} cialist with the laws of the universe
Therefore, he added. hypnotism is not
TO be regarded as the breaking but
{ merely as a suspension. of such laws