The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-07-25
PSYCHIC PHENOMENA

The war has given us many rude jots and Jared us loose
from many ancient and firmly fixed ~prejudices, and lifted us out
Of many mental ruts, Among the many thi0gs it has done, one
of the strangest i. its stimulation Of serious attention to psychic
phenomena, and especially that phase of it which essays to COM
muncate with departed spirits. Matenahsts may scott at the
idea and brush it aside as of no consequence, but when we
consider the character and ability Of the leading opponents of
this fascinating investigation we are given pause, II the great
est minds in the world have seriously occupied themselves with
it, the ordinary person displays temerty in %summarny casting it
aside and reprobating it.
Sir Oliver Lodge during his lifetime occupied an eminence
as a scientist attained by no one else in England, or perhaps the
world, and he was a firm believer in his ability to communicate
with the dead. William T. Stead, the great journalist, who went
down with the Titanic, was another, and scores of men Of SINH
lar mental cahber gave it attention, Communicating with spirits
used to be confined to frauds and thaumaturgists, who, by
mechanical means, used to rock tables and other furniture, and
do many other mysifying things which even the keen and alert
members of the Society of Psychcal Research could not expose
or explain, or some ignorant epileptic would delude himself and
his ignorant votaries by receiving messages written on a slate
by unseen hands and by telling things that only the departed
spirit knew.
The bourne from which no traveller returns is a terra
incognita. Yet we would all know something about it. There
is not probably one normal man or woman who would not
gladly embrace the opportunity to exchange messages with some
one whom he or she knew and loved while living. There is an
unsatisfed yearning to know how it goes with them which all
feel. If mind and soul and spirit are the same, those who
believe that the soul is immortal can easily believe that the
mind and spirit are also indestructible. Scores and scores of
intelligent people whom we meet every day are fully convinced
that the spirits of our dead are lowering around us constantly,
Why not communicate with them?
1t has been proven beyond all question or peradventure that
by what is called ~telepathy living beings have communicated
with each other when their bodies were distanty separated
Mark Twain was a firm believer in telepathy and praciced it
constantly. If the minds Of the living can communicate, the
minds of the dead that undergo no metamorphoses should find
nc difficulty in doing so. Just because people do not know is
no valid reason for hostility to the idea, They do not like it
and cannot tell why. 1t is with many a case OF Sabidius
as given by Martial in one of his ~epigrams; Non amo tie Sabidi
nee possum deere quare,"
Tom Browns rendering of this into English, substituting th
name of his preceptor, DR., Fell, for Sabidius, is world famous, :"
do not love thee, DR.. Fell" etc.
People do not believe in spirit communication and know
not why. Surely if such a thing is possible, it would be a bless
ing to mankind, and we could rejoice and exclaim exuhingly
20 Death, where is thy sting? 0 Grave, where is thy vietoryF
Investigation pros proceeds cas- lanes James H. d. G 6yioI,s formerly rm;ay and 10 10
written a book which is soon to be issued by the Century com
pany, which will contain the latest evidence as to communica
ton With the dead" This should be of absorbing interest I
many, and especially to those whose loved ones have gone before
Mere existence seems an extravaganza at the present level
rents and commodities.
Money travels much faster than it used to, but it doesn
10 pet anv,vhere.