Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-08-27

The late Prof James, of Harvard
University, wrote a treatise on va
rieties of religious experience, and
he was leader in the American So
ciety for Psychological Research.
His mind. strangely disposed with
reference to both the natural and the
supernatural after the manner of
certain class of intellects, was in
clined in his later years to adopt
species of spiritualism. According
", II was understood between him and
certain of his friends, who might sur
vive him. that he would endeavour to
communicate with them from the
spirit world. He has been dead near
ly two years, and during that period
his friends have had their ears cooked
1--WE can not say they have had their
"ears to the ground'O to catch the
first accents that he might drop upon
them. Recently they claim to have
received his first message, which
came to them through a boy who has
developed mediumistic powers. The
message concerns a service which he
desires rendered to Professor Hyslop.
the Secretary of the American Society
for Psychological Research, and is as
follows: Il want you to give Hyslop
two pairs OF pink pajamas and
black necktie for christmas.
Now, that is a most interesting rev.
citation! 1t is no wonder that two
years have been required for Prof.
James to make it up and get it
through. 1t carries with it, as any
one can see, the most interesting con-
sequences. We now know that pink
ranks high in the spirit world, as the
proper colour for BAHAMAS and that
black is the modish thing there in the
matter of necl1ties! This is far. more
important than any communication
concerning the prevailing, or pros
pective styles, in Paris. 1t is not quite
clear whether in the district from
which Prof. James speaks, in UNI
earthly but kindly tones to his friends.
gentlemen wear any other apparel
than pink pajamas and black neck
ties; or If he desires Prof Hyslop to
limit his raiment to that amount of
apparel in the latitude of Boston at
the merry season of christmas. But
IT is evident that Christmas is cele-
brated where Prof James is, and
that presents are sent to friends as
men are wont to do here below. Let
us hope ii is celebrated in a per-
fectly sane" way. with nothing in
dulged more dangerous to health than
pin pajamas and black neckties".
What a pitiful outcome is all this
ridiculous stuc! And this is the last
discovery of the Society for Psyche
logical Research" Its latest variety
of religious experience. The figure
of the mountain labouring to give
birth to a mouse is scarcely adequate
to express the case of a pretentious
circle, too scientific to accept with
out qualification the holy Scriptures,
and yet whose members can accept
without question thiS puerile request
as a communication from the spirit
ual world.
1t is the invariable characteristic
of the skeptical age that it runs to
creduhty. Such was the case in
France when all sorts of infidelity
was rife in that land. Jesus and
the apostles were rejected by multi
tudes who ran wildly after the Sicil-
ian imposter, Cagliostro, and the Ger
man trickster, Mesmer. Sir Edward
Bulwer-Lytton has pointed out with
great clearness and force how that,
during that age of doubt and revolu-
ton in France, the leaders of atheism
became the victims of superstition.
Such is always the case; when Saul
loses his hold on Jehovah he runs
eagerly to the witch of Endor.
1t has been supposed that our day
is a period of doubt, and beyond