The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1916-05-19
DOES DEATH END
OUR EXISTENCE?
Trustworthy Evidence For Be.
lief In Life Hereafter
FAITH IN HUMAN IMMORTALITY

Experience Of Sir oliver Lodge and
Other PsychIcal Researchers Has
Done Much Toward Sweeping Away
skeptlcIsm-Ali Are Convinced OF
The souI's Survival Of Bodily Death
The wholesale loss of life In the
present terrible war raises questions
concerning the general subject OF hu-
man immortality that the usual course
OF events would never occasion.
II the existence OF the warriors
actually ceases with the breath or
their mutilated bodies, war takes on
an added horror from this frightful
annihilation OF personality. But hu-
manity In general possesses a faith
in Immortality that will not consider
such a possibility; and many per-
sons never have a doubt concerning a
life after. death.
In times of bereavement, however,
most Of us cannot help asking: Is be-
lief In the other life to remain for
ever merely a matter of faith; or Is
there some trustworthy evidence on
which to base that faith?
In spite OF the general skepticism
! concerning the latter question. there
are many who believe that there are
abundant grounds for positive con-
clusion.
During the last third OF century
oil kinds OF evidence bearing upon this
question have been subjected to most
careful examination by the Society
for Psychical Research, an organi-
cation established for that purpose in
England thirty-four years ago.
Expert Investigators
Among the members OF that So
ciety were university professors and
noted men Of science. including Sir
Oliver Lodge. F. r. s.; Sir William
Crookes, +. r. s., and Sir William
+. Barrett, F. r. s., who have
been knighted OF recent years In
honor OF their eminent attainments
In scientific lines.
All OF these gentlemen, after years
OF familiarity with the subject, have
openly expressed their conviction that
there Is sufficient evidence to prove
the fact OF the souls survival OF bodily
death.
Perhaps the most noteworthy pro-
nouncement OF this conviction in re-
cent years was that made by Sir OIL
YER Lodge before the British Asso-
citation for the Advancement os Sci
ence, when delivering his address as
president OF that organization In
1913. During his remarks he took
occasion to dlSress from his subject
to forcibly interpolate the following
statement, with the purpose OF put
ting his conviction on record 30 as to
attract attention:
Although l am speaking ex cathe.
dra, as one OF the representatives or
orthodox science" he said, IL will
not shrink from personal note sum-
marking the result on my own mind
OF thirty years experience OF psychi-
cal research, begun without predilec-
tion-indeed with the usual hostile
prejudice. In justice to myself and
to my CO. workers must risk annoy
Ing my present hearers, not only by
leaving on record our conviction that
occurrences now regarded as occult
can be examined and reduced to or
der by the methods OF science care
fully and persistently applied, but by
going further and saying. with the ut
most brevity, that already the facts
so examined have convinced me that
memory and affection are not limited
to that association with matter by
which alone they can manifest them
selves here and now, and that per-
sonality persists beyond bodily
| death"
Early in the present year, Profess
sor James II. Hyslop, Phi ID. Ill. D.,
formerly OF Columbia university, made
an emphatic statement on these mat
! ters to the American public through
the columns OF the National Sunday
magazine supplement to the Sunday
newspapers Of January 23rd. Since
1903 this gentleman has devoted
himself to psychical research work.
He has published several books upon
the subject, and edited the periodical
reports OF the American Society for
Psychical Research, OF which he has
been secretary from its organization.
His statement contains the following
significant sentences:
AT present the evidence for the
fact OF survival and OF communication
with the dead is overwhelming for
any and every intelligent person."
n should be noticed that the
opinions here expressed are not those
OF ignorant and credulous persons.
They are the words OF distinguished
men whose distinction has been won
by the work that their trained minds
have enabled them TO perform. These
men are the sort who would be chosen
to investigate a subject where every
possible precaution should be taken