The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-11-04
SUPERSTITION
IS DENOUNCED
WRITER DECLARES THAT MRS.
EDDY IS NOT A BELIEVER IN
MALICIOUS ANIMAL MAGNE-
TISM.
Editor Pensacola Journal.

"A 1dIC ISSUE VI sOOi paper
an extract from a recent magazine
article which mistakenly attributes
the origin of malicious animal mag
netism to the teachers of Christian
Science and also attempts to show
that Mrs. Eddy embraces it in her be-
lief. That Mrs. Eddy does not believe
in the existence of malicious animal
magnetism as a force or poker to be
feared is clearly shown by the Chris
tfan Science text book, Science and
Health with Key to the Scripture"
Of which she is the author. The be-
lief in malicious animal magnetism
anti-dates the Christian era, and was
no doubt the cause of the hatred and
persecution encountered by Jesus and
his followers. In this age Mrs. Eddy
has exposed and denounced this an
cient superstition, and has shown
mankind how to be free from it's
baneful decisions. She has made clear
the malicious" phase of animal mag
netism and has perhaps given a
clearer expose of this phase than any
other writer.
According to the International En-
cyclopaedia, hynotism, mesmerism
and animal magnetism mean one and
the same thing, and refer to a sup
pOsititious force or power which one
person is supposed to exert over an
other through hypnotic suggestion.
The word ma gnetism is derived from
Magnesia, a district in Thessaly where
magnetic stones abounded. The mod
ern history Of mesmerism (hypno-
tism) begins with F. A. Messmer
(1733-1815) German physician who
practiced hypnotic therapeutics i'll
Paris from 1878, causing SO great a
stir in scientific circles that his pre-
| tensions We're made a matter of in
quiry by a royal commission 1850
Benjamin Franklin was a member of
the commission which reported as
follows:
I'm regard to the existence and util-
ity of malicious animal magnetism
we have come to the unanimous con-
illusions that there is no proof of the
existence of the animal magnetic
are observed in the public practice of
magnetism are due to manipuations
or to the excitement Of the magma
ton and the Impressions made upon
the senses, and that there is one
more fact to be recorded in the his
tory OF the errors of the human mind
and an important. experiment upon
| the power of imagination
Again, the International Encyclo-
| paedia says: These phenomena pro-
duced by mesmerism and hypnotism
| - have been discussed and
| exploited from time immemorial. The
medicine men of primitive and saw
age tribes, the magicians of Egypt
and Chaldaea, the Hindu ascetics, the
Monks of Mount Athos. the quack
physicians of all ages have made use
of hypnotism (animal magnetism) to
enhance their personal prestige, to
cure the sick or to induce states OF
religious ecstacy."
In considering the psychology of
the hypnotic state, there is a total
surrender of the will of the subject
either to sense impression or to the
experimenter's personality
The experimenter has not power ex-
cept as the subject gives him power
b" Moreover there is always
the danger of setting up an hypnotic
habit or breaking down ine subjects
self reliance, in which event the rem
edy is worse than the disease"
This briefly states the history OF
animal magnetism and shows that
it did not originate with Mrs. Eddy
and it's effect upon those who are de-
luded by 1t or it's practice is disas-
trous. Mrs. Eddy has clearly and
fearlessly pointed out the malicious
effort of individuals to practice this
superstitious belief in a power apart
from God and has earnestly endeav-
ored through the teachings of Chris
tian Science to free the deluded from
the baneful effects of this false be-
lief. She teaches the omnipOtence of
God, and makes clear that in so far
as we follow the command 10 Let
this mind be in you that was also
In Christ Jesus" we are freed from
the delusions of animal magnetism
ST. Paul described it as the ''carnal
mind which he declared to be en-
nifty against Cod
The subtle arguments of malicious
animal magnetism, which the evil
minded through mental malpractice
seek to use in opposition to the spirit
ual power which heals and reforms.
can have no effect upon those who
are aware of it's presence and who
understand that God is the only real
Mind or power. The malicious pha-
ses as well as the mild forms of ami
NAL magnetism are known to all stu
dents of psychology and we may safe
ly say to all reasonably well informed
persons. One may be mentally domi-
mated by another il he is not awake
to this evil and prepared to resist the
deception, not because mesmerism
(animal magnetism is a power, but
because it decieveth the unwary.
There have been for many years
schools which advertise their abilit,
to teach a system of subjUgati1g the
will of another for the purpose of con-
trolling him and in order to gain sell
fish ends We submit that no man
has moral right to influence the
acts or thoughts of another except
when invited to do so.
Those who correctly understand
| Mrs. Eddy's writings do not believe
| in or regard malicious animal mag
netism as force or power to be
| feared It was those who did not
understand her instructions and re
| belled at her Christian demands and
exactness who turned against her.
| Thus. some who progressed to beliey g