El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12


devOtees, the mysticism of Chasidism was
equally aggressive The materialisrn OF
Hobbs is followed by the mysticism OF
Locke and the utiIitarian philosophy OF
Pragmatism runs parallel with fantastic
Christian Science
With the Increased Importance of the
manufacturer and the merchant. the
philosophy of materialiSm gained
ground; faith was ready 10 be cast aside
Men judged life and actions not by mo-
tives but by results. not by broad gen
eral principles but by temporary facts
1t seemed as If the well springs of ideal
ism had dried UP and cold blooded bust
ness principles ruled In all matters Men
scoffed at faith; religion became a
hooking and those who sought TO realize
ideals were laughed at as dreamers. The
ledger became the bible Of life and utili-
tarianism the basis Of action
Little wonder then that the tide has
turned Having given materialiSm a fair
trial. human thought has turned 30 the
other extreme. Faith and religion are
now looked at with more charitable eyes
and the minds and hearts of men are
more open to truth and the consideration
of the deeper problems of life
As Times Change.
The success of The Witching Hour"
proves this change of sentiment. Ten
years ago people would have scoffed at
the play and the critics would have read
IL off the boards. Ten years ago men
would have been justified by the ques-
tions presented and called for some prac-
teal problem or else for some airy
nothing that would soothe their shat
tered nerves People whose God is stamp
ed on the coin OF the realm have no pa
tiance with the more delicate shades of
human endeavor and no time for the
deeper problems of the mind
The story OF this play presents a
study in the psychology of human ma
ture Jack Brookfield, a man Of great
emotional and intellectual power. has
wasted his energies in conducting
fashionable gambling house. This place
is frequented by the swells of the city,
also by the assistant district attorney,
Frank HHrdmuth. The latter. relying on
his friendship for Brookfield and the
help he had given him. time and again.
by tips as to when the police would
make raid. asks help in winning the
hand of Viola Campbell. Surprised at a
refusal based on the fact that he lacked
moral fiber" Hardmuth determines to
win the girl. lie finds an opportunity to
further his cause, when he sees his RI
val. Clay Whipple. tortured by the sight
of cats eye in q scarfpin and driven
thus to madness. suddenly strike a man
dead. Through the zeal of the assistant
district attorney his rival is adiud ged
guilty of murder.
The Trial Scene.
During the second trial and before ac-
Quittai Brookffeld makes public the
fact that Hardmuth had killed the late
governor and, declaring TO his friends at
the same time: DO you think that half
a million good Kentuckians can be in a
white heat over that knowledge and
T. If I
men?" The closing scene brings Hard
puth TO Brookfield's place He PUSHES
in and pushes q derringer at the stom-
aeh of the gambler intending to kill him.
Rrookfield suddenly flashes a light up
on him and tells him that he cannot
pull the trigger, that he cannot hold the
gun and thus by the power of suggestion
he drops II. In the closing scene Brook
field prepares 70 take Hardmuth out of
the reach OF warrant for his arrest be-
cause he feels that he had often mental
iy planned the death of the governor in
the very way that IL had been accom-
plished and that "a guilty thought is
almost as criminal as guilty deed
/ have outlined only that much Of the
play as pertains to our discourse this
evening and / wish now to take up the
thou ghtF suggested.
Creatures of circumstances.
We are more than creatures of CIR
cumstances Our acrions are governed
By more than our intellectual training
We bear the inheritance of generations
that have long passed 10 the great be-
yond and we cannot completely rid our
selves of this Influence rs nature faith
full only in physical matters" says judge
Prentiss in this play. You are like the
portrait of your mother. Margaret Price
Natures behes1 should have also en-
braced some of the less apparent pos
sessions" The power Of the cats eye
over the feelings of Clay Whipple is ex-
planned by Jack Brookfield-'-somei idiot
told your greatgrandmother that a jew
Ell with different colored strata in 1t
vas bad luck or a -'hoodoo." He be-
passed the lunacy to your grand
mother
Surely such a phenomenon is not rare
You or I may have some pet aversion.
we cannot explain IL. Te know not why
i thus affects US. the only thing we do
know is that il exists. And if we would
ook closely inSo the matter we could
aversion. something THAI Impressed II
elf indeiibly upon our forefathers and
las equal Influence upon US. The faith
IF an ancestor in good luck or i'll luck.
las been handed down TO US and though
We may scott at faith. In a religious
sense. We still have blind faith In this
Inherited tendency
Study of Psychology
One Of the most interesting of modern
studies is that Of psychology, especially
With reference to the homeopathic and |
We are learning more and more that the
diseased mind must be trea ted with even
greater skill than the diseased body |
And our study reveals ar each step that !
he practical is not the all-in-a1l of life, |
hat existence Is more than a satisfying |
4 physical needs II IS also study /
ng of the physical needs of the indi- /
-idual. a study of the latent energies |
n every character. that the best might |
'e developed. Fear may be the result |
4 an accident TO come one in generations |
ong passed and power to overcome can |
'e brought about only by showing the |
oolishness of the fear and by sugges-
ion.
The Power of Suggestion.
And this brings me 10 the SECOND point /
pon which it Is well worth our time to !