Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-10-04

An age of scepticism quickly runs into
an era of superstition. Doubt ends in
,credulity. When Saul, the first king of
Israel lost his faith in the God Of
Samuel. he was soon found in the cave
of Endor consulting a witch. The age
of reason in France witnessed the frauds
and shame of Mesmer and Cagliostro. A
lecaying faith always puts forth such
fungus growths.
We have had in recent years not a lit
tile rationalism and infidelity in certain
Iuarters. In some instances this evil
has made it's way into the pulpit, and
men haves been found preaching AFTER
they had ceased to believe any thing
worth preaching In such a state of
hings we might have foreseen easily
and certainly that sundry superstitions
would soon arise. They have come, and
We may look for others.
Here for example is the case OF Pro-
essor William James, who recently
lied. During his life he gave a qualified
belief to some sort of spiritualism. 1t
was inevitable, therefore, that mediums
would be pretending after his death to
nave talks with him in the spiritual
world. A Mr.. Aver, of Boston. has come
onward with the first word. He took
medium and some friends to his home
in Boston for a seance with Prof. James,
and the following is what they pretend
to have gotten from the departed philos-
opher:
II am at peace, at peace" (there were
some words Immediately after that that
could not be Distinguished with myself
and all mankind. l have awakened to a
life far beyond my highest conception
while a denizen of the earth Tell my
brothers that 1 will transmit message
thaf xrvflI a
my individuality when 1 can manifest
more clearly than at this time. 1 did not
realize how difficult 1t would be to mani
fest from this plane of life to the mortal
plane" There is much very much, for
US to learn and many conditions to over
come"
Poor Professor James! He seems to
be suffocating in the spiritual world, so
that he talks with much difficulty! And
then he has in a few brief weeks for
gotten how to speak English with the
purity and precision with which he was
accustomed to use his native tongue
while still in the flesh! The spiritual
world is nanifestly deteriorating him in
body and mind.
The editor of the New York World
comments thus on the message from
Professor James which these people pre-
tend to have received:
when alive Professor James abhorred
pretentious twaddle. He knew exactly
what he wanted to say, and in saying 1t
he did not misuse the English language.
It is deplorable to think that in the
spirit world he should have relapsed into
such careless habits and along with the
body of clay have cast off the niceties OF
speech and clear, precise, PORTED style
of expression that distinguished him in
the class room and in his writings. APP
parently the severe mental discipline, the
practised power of condensation, the
keen intelligence and the faculty OF ac-
curate observation have all disappeared
with the frame of flesh, and in his ram
bling efforts to make himself manifest
from this plane of life to the mortal
plane he talks just like an ordinary
medium at a darkroom seance."
This reminds me of a case which
came within my eJyia knowledge. Some
years ago there was a III edium here in
Atlanta, deceiving the guluble. A cred
uious acquaintance of mine went to her
to obtain talk with General Washing
ton and to get some political advice from
1.-The Father Of his Country" OF course
the medium had Father George subject
to her beck and call; she could make him
talk like a photograph, ]. e. whatever
she put in him she could get out of
MIN Wnen she Cdllcu Inc pClplCASu NiNi-
zen got some counsel from the General,
and was greatly elated He had 1T writ
ten on a bit of paper when he met me
on the street, and told me how wonder
full II all was. He urged me to go at
once and have a talk with the first pres
ident of the republic. 1 told him that I
hesitated to disturb so soon after his
own interview the venerable father of
our country. that 1 had heard the Cen
eral when in this world was impatient
with intrusive callers and sometimes
used language in getting rid of them
more vigorous than reverent or cour-
teous, and that / did not desire to have
any alteration with him under circum-
stances so disadvantageous to one in my
position 1 confessed, however, that 1
too needed political advice in view of
the perplexing issues Of the campaign
which was then pending and that even
secondhand counsel from General Wash
ington would be most gratefully received
by me If it was clearly genuine. 1 beg
ged him to give me the benefit of the
fresh advice which he had obtained