New-York tribune., 1910-05-11
REFIVIEG SUPERSTITION.

Even the casual observer of daily life
IN New York must be struck by the in
creaSing evidence of q rapidly snread-
ing revival of the old belief in fortune
telling in all its forms. old and new,
chiefly among women. The ancient prac-
tice is disguised under new names for
the benefit OF the cultured. OF these
laura reading" appears to be the latest,
nut crystal gazing; taroS cards, palms.
try (Which may be cIasscd with forgot
ten phreno!ogyl, astrology, clairvoyance
and trance mediumship more than hold
their own, while at the bottom the Ell-
rOpean peasant Witch's divination by
tea leaves and coffee grounds still -four
ishes, the latter. by the way, method
Of comparatively recent origin, since
coffee was not introduced in Europe
until the end of the eighteenth century.
The latest revival OF superstition is
also the worst yet, that of belief
in the wCman with the death thought. -
the caster of spells, the witch Obi in
New York i'll the twentieth century,
1t was pointed out some wears ago
that the wonders of science would de-
vciop new form of credulity in the un-
scientific, and offer them fresh oppor-
tunity to indulge their liking for being
humbugged- \ term was even invented
for this latest form of an old human
weakness, ''SciCntific Sunerstition." The
first to take advantage Of it were the
electrical" charlatanS. who reaped fort
unes with electrical rings. belts, insoles
aud even electrified" wa ters guaranteed
TO exterIninate all injurious microbes
absorbed by the system. Their hour
i,assed-they did not exnect it to last.
Perhaps they are now Diding their time
for new raid on peoples pocketbooks
with radium cure-aIls
Inc connection III the popular mind
between science and superstition ap-
pears TO be almost as close, at least for
the present, as was that between SUPER
sfition and religion in past ages. The
warfare between science and religion
has ended in an enlightened truce: that
CT both with the powers Of Intellectual
darkness appears to have a new and
vigorous campaign in prospect. 1t Is q
sign Of the times that the new cr.eduIity
Eases its confused claims even more on
science than on faith. Spiritism iustffies
Itself by reference to psychology. and
rolls under its tongue that imposinr
nersel of a word. "metapsychics." The
New Thought floats in the atmosphera.
icilowlnS its own nfathonable I'M
pulses wherever they lead. Its chief at
traction lies in the fact that it requires
lie preliminary course of Icgic. which.
indeed, its practitioners scorn ms n
uammel upon the intultive majesty IF
the mind. "CFcd0 QuiG abSurduJp.. Thus
are we leaving the deadeniug material
ism OF the last half Of the nineteenth
century far below us "a Il merry go-as-
Xou-please race up toward higher
spiritual sphere
As we began by saying. the revival Of
superstition finds its Justification largely
IN misty conviction that, sooner )r
later. in one way or another. we shall
discover that it lies within the domain
Of science. Why should not a psychic"
(which word suggests sort of uncom-
ln0nly gifted psychologists be able TO
see cur aura" and. seeing. read in it
"a little journey. some trouble. a false
friend, but your star looks bright, and