The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-11

disposed to be convinced. and the pre-
disposition overpowered their prac-
tised caution In other lines Of research
that "men most easily believe what
they wish were true" as Cesar put II.
The writer while reading up for
this article was struck by two or three
facts which would easily set a tcoptical
mind in motion. One 10 that almost
no authority, pro or con. has even APP
preached his psychical research in a
condition OF emotional indifference. In
stead. he has approached 1t ready to
believe. or determined to disprove.
Several great men have rejected the
whole thing in advance, not calmly but
savagely. Several others have investi-
gated with curious sceptical zeal and
pertinacity - and have suddenly
emerged converted from a seance.
/ Few really first rate minds have re-
manned unmade up. One that did was
William James's. He died convinced
that things happen which cannot be
explained in any known way but not
that the explanation was the spirits
Of the dead.
The leaders in the English Society of
Psychical Research, organized in 1882,
and OF the sister American society,
organized two years later. have always
been exceedingly guarded, scientifi-
cally conservative, in announcing their
conclusions. In fact. you find Conan
Doyle. the man OF imagination and a
religious bent, remarking:
The world owes a great deal to the
unwearied diligence Of the society, and
to its sobriety OF statement, though
l will admit that the latter makes one
impatient at times, and one feels that
In their desire to avoid sensationalism
they discourage the world from know
ing and using the splendid work which
they are doing"
Both Sides Conscientfsus.
They all strive conscientiousiy 20
draw their conclusions from firmly
established facts, instead OF viewing
such facts In the light OF previous
opinions. And yet almost every one
OF them has pursued his careful study
either as a strong believer or as q
strong disbeliever.
An example OF a believer, the leader
in this country, is DR.. James Hervey
Hyslop, indefatigable secretary or the
American society. He was once a pro-
lessor OF logic. He says he was first
interested In psychical research when
he found that unless he could show
that there Is another existence after
this he had no system OF ethics to Of
fer to the agnostic young man. His
associates say he makes no bones Of
10 ha aai( H..
Ing been brought up in the orthodox
Christian faith, and having been par
TALLY torn away from IT by his scien-
tihc studies. was in just the plight Of
such young man. whose new agnosti-
cism troubles his conscience.
DIR. Hyslop is impatient of the COM
mon kind OF interest in spiritualism
The public, he says, cares nothing
about the scientific precautions and
the necessary slowness Of progress
what the public wants is re-
suits. and 1t impatiently rejects the
whole thing when the mystery of death
is not fully cleared up overnight. He
says that about tho extent OF what is
really proved at present is that per-
sonality does survive and spirits do
communicate. The message describ-
ing a World Beyond do not much i'm
press him. In the fact Of survival he
has been for years an unalterable and
somewhat combative believer.
These scientists have never tried TO
proselyte popular opinion. They have
never set up as public heralds OF a
revelation. In fact. they have always
been dif'ident about appearing to.
Conan Doyle joyously halls the evil
dence OF survival as the basis of q
religion; but the devoted professional
scientists do not sympathize with that
feeling. They prefer the word super
norma" to Supernatural" for this
reason, holding that the World Beyond,
with which they believe themselves in
touch. is all in nature. and perhaps
only tho nearest step higher than ours
OF an INFINITE ascent Sir W. F. Bar
rett writes: