Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-06
Relationship of the Spirit World and the War

have no doubt that the failure of
other mediums attempting to trans
nit predictions would be found to be
greater even than that.
1T may take a long time to work
this matter out. Frankly 1 know
nothing whatsoever about it. will
not confidently affirm that accurate
predictions have not been made by
spirits. but will not affirm that be-
lieve In the ability of spirits accu-
rately to prophecy But we ought to
and might know these things.
I'VE find the estimate of biblical
times more accurate than that of mod.
ern science. In other words, we learn
that many sufferers are literally pos
sessed Of devils'-that is, are controls
ed by bad or mischievous spirits.
But also. we find many other things.
among them Is that such possession
is not usually or. probably. ever, the
primary cause of abnormality
X \ 4 X
fne hrst cause always is either a
mental or physical accident to the
patient. Before tuberculosis. can take
hold OF mans lung that lung hrst
must have been weakened by accident
or disease
so with dementia, so called. or,
truly. evil spirits and mentalities.
The first cause must be q mental or
spiritual injury, an accident. Both
the patient and his friends or hers
may be unconscious that such an &C.
cident has occurred. But an injured
mind Is as necessary to possession by
an evil spirit as an injured lung is
to injection by tuberculosis germs
The evil spirits seem to be as dis
concertingly plentiful as the physi-
cal disease germs; unable to affect
normal human beings they seem to
seek as prey those weakened by out
side troubles Gas disease or disaster)
OF the sort which disturb relation
ships between mind and body. OF the
existence and persistence of these evil
or malicious spirits there is a mass
of evidence such as cannot be con-
troverted.
There Is the Thompson-G Clifford case.
The dead painter, Clifford. having left
work unfinished, was distressed, and
seized on Thompson as the means
whereby it should be completed.
Thompson was affected to helpless
ness. Saying to his wife: Clifford
wants me to paint He painted, and
painted not as he. himself. would or
could have done, but only as Clifford
had done and could do. The case is
fully authenticated.
Another is that Of woman affect
ed by the dead singer, Emma Abbott:
another that of a woman who claimed
to be writing for the dead Frank r.
Stockton, author of 'Rudder Grange
and The Lady or the Tiger
I'VE took this woman to Mrs.
Chenowith. the medium. in Boston.
and within ten minutes Stockton
came. proved his identity and showed
that her story Of possession by him
was true. although. perhaps. he ad-
mitted considerable dissatisfaction
with her as material amanuensis for
the transcription of those ideas which
he tried to transmit from the other
side. This poor lady was in rather a
pau state. one uO" Is
normal after Stockton had had his ex-
preston through her. If l had had
the hospital l want we could have
learned much from this case.
"Dr. Meyer Goldman Of Chicago
said, when he was reviewing the cele-
brated case of Doris If DR..
Hyslop's theory is true. it will need
to be applied in all cases Of hysteria.
dementia precox, paranoia. Oppressive
insanity and genius
But an endowment Of couple OF
millions (Which such an institution
would NEEDY seems to be beyond our
reach for these tremendous investi-
cations, which very likely would
sweep US quickly across what is now
the boundary line between the spirit
ual and material.
Upon this matter I am not prepar-
ed to generaliZe, and much expert
menting must be done before l shall
feel safe in so doing. The tragic fact
is that the necessity for this expert
mentation is admitted. yet the means
are not at hand. II such experimental
ton did no more than to convince hu-
manity of the falsity Of the theory. 1t
still would be worth the money 1t
would cost. If. on the other hand, it
proved truth. instead of falsity, the
finding Of that proof would be the
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