Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-06
Prof James Hyop Chief Pychca Researchers Tells of Study
Stimulated by Deah-Message to Dead Soldiers Mothers
Death in the Course Of Sacrcal Efforts and Its Meaning

Ihe increase In the followers of
spiritism (mind you. l don't say
'spiritualism'; there is wide differ
ence) in these days is rapid 1t rebe-
gan at time when something to re-
vive 1t very sadly was needed. The
exposure of the famous Italian me-
dunn. Eusapia Palladino. had had
most unfortunate effects exactly such
as it was reasonable to expect. The
Society for Psychical Research lost
800 members after that affair,
although the disproof Of a believed
theory in physical science as the re-
suit of Investigation scarcely would
have had similar effect on. for ex-
ample. a society for chemical re-
search. We have regained them now,
however. and as many more again.
The work which now Is being prin-
cipally done is basic and strictly sci
entific. 1t is the sort of work which
we believe presently will make great
revelations
MY own experience OF last year
was significant At Denver 1 spoke to
crowded houses; In Boston I spoke to
audiences filling mighty auditoriums;
in Baltimore. to my surprise, 1,16s
people came at one time to hear me:
in DR.. Percy Grants Fifth Avenue
Church as many came as could find
places; on the Bowery, two weeks
later. had to speak in a large audi-
torium when I had expected to ad-
dress little meeting in a classroom"
asked Prof. Hyslop IL he had any
interesting reports to make Of zap
partitions" remembering a talk we
had upon this subject just before the
war.
Nothing Offering any better evil
dence than we then had at hand"
said he. Nearly all are Of single
persons. have records Of four cases
only OF double apparitions These
were important
"One was the appearance of an
oval light, in which showed the face
Of the observers dead sister, and.
back OF it. that Of a living aunt, who
died the following day. although at
the moment Of the apparition moth
ing showed the probability of such
an event. This was unusual among
spiritistic messages, because, for one
reason or another, principally i'm
perfect ability upon the other side to
send and upon this side to receive
messages, may seem incomplete and
puzzling.
"One of the difficulties we meet in
endeavoring to establish to the sat
isfaction Of the public the genuine
ness Of 'apparitions' lies in the fact
that the predictions which they fire.
remain unfulfilled.
Doubtless this is due merely to
the fact that the spirits themselves
are mistaken. When they make the
predictions they expect them to come
true.
THE astronomer, in working out
his statements Of events in the stellar
or the solar systems months. years
and centuries in advance of their oc-
currence. as, to some extent. the sur
geon, in forecasting the course of an
illness. has law as the foundation of
his prophecy. The spirit may have a
little better foundation for his prog
nostication than we on this plane
can have for that unscientiic guess
ing which we so love to indulge in.
but spirits frequently have confessed
ignorance. Their representations are
not based upon infallible law. Those
among them who are honest and sin
cere simply do the best they can;
those who are mischievous the worst.
II remember a Canadian who was
told by spirit through psychic
that he would go from his home state,
Minnesota. to Canada, and there mar
ry red-haired Irish woman. Two
years later this happened. There
have been many cases Of that sort re-
ported, and tens Of thousands. doubt
less. which never have been reported.
But they do not solemnly impress
the human mind.
Here is an interesting detail OF
that especial matter. Probably the
spirit which gave the man the first
prediction was some one who wished
him to contract that marriage and
put the idea into his mind with the
definite intention OF helping it along.
Personally l do not understand.