|
CHAPTER XII -
IS IT AN OCCULT FORCE?
HAVING tried to make it appear reasonably certain that the
forms seen on the platform in the circle-room are not character--personations by William H. Eddy, I am prepared to consider the
only remaining alternative-that they imply the manifestation of
some occult force, either spontaneously generated or under the
control of intelligence. Here we have plain sailing, for, as students
of science, we ought to find no difficulty in grappling with a
subject which submits itself to analysis as freely as any other
within the reach of our faculties. I see no more reason why we
should not be able to trace the phenomena of modern Spiritualism
back to their source, than those of heat, light, motion, electricity or
chemical action, if we only use the same patience and resort to like tests.
We should take nothing for granted, and respect no man's
judgment who does. We should demand from the Spiritualists as
broad a basis of facts for our belief as we do from Huxley before
receiving his theory, or from Tyndall if he would have us accept
any of the dogmas
169
propounded in his Belfast address. A philosophy that shrinks from
crucial tests I want none of. No real investigator takes things on
faith. We should flout at and cease debate with the Spiritualist who
assumes to set his creed above all other creeds as too sacred to be
tried and tested by every appliance of reason and science. The
individual preferences or fears of mediums are nothing to its, for we
are in quest of the truth, and would seek it even at the bottom of a
well. We should weigh the mediums and their phenomena in the
balances, and reject whatsoever appears false. In this spirit, which
is the very essence of all scientific inquiry) I have tried, as far as
lay within my power, to grope my way among these Eddy
apparitions, and think the ground grows firm beneath my feet. I
know that I am only the guide carrying the torch, and that the
master spirits are to come after me ; but at least I have traversed
the country and tried to observe the path so carefully as not to lead
my betters into the bog at either side.
Now, that a fair understanding may be established between my
reader and myself before I state any more things that I have seen,
let us consider this question of the materialized spirits being the
product of an undiscovered force. The dogma of Tyndall has not
yet been demonstrated, either by him or any other man of science.
The word "demonstrate" is used advisedly; for, while it is true
that the very recent experiments of Dr. Bastian, F. R. S., in
England, and of Dr. Timothy Lewis, in India, seem to indicate that
the thermal death-point of living matter has been finally
ascertained, and that the flask experiments of the former
gentleman, based
170
upon this hypothesis, make it probable that the spontaneous
generation of Bacteria germs has been observed, yet the majority
of scientists agree with Dr. Jeffreys-Wyman in the opinion that
the question is still in doubt,
Unless, therefore, we are ready to concede that Bastian has
settled the point in dispute, we may safely say that all the efforts
of the most learned philosophers of France and Great Britain, have
hitherto failed to show spontaneous generation, under conditions
which absolutely excluded the admission of germs from the
atmosphere. The experiments already made, may ultimately lead
to this result, but they have not as yet; and even if tile
indestructibility and convertibility of force were proven, the
experimenters would still have to account for that something
behind, that "dynamic, unseen agency," of which it is only the
exponent, and which evolves and directs the force towards its
multiform manifestations.
Alas! when they have wrested from space the secret laws under
which matter accretes and forms itself into systems and worlds,
and by which the myriad types of vegetable and animal life are
evolved, the mind will return weary from its search after the
Infinite Power that established those laws and holds them to their
appointed work.
Well, then, if the English and French chemists, with unlimited control of the
best apparatus, and every other help, have not evolved so much as microscopic
animal life, independent of germs admitted from the atmosphere, is any one so
audacious as to say, that these Vermont farmers, without a penny's worth of
mechanical or chemical appliances, have gained such mastery over the
171
imponderable fluids of the air, that at their pleasure, palpable
human forms can be evoked, to cheat the senses into the belief that
they are endowed with life? Can any one dare to maintain that to
such evanescent, self-generated forms, these conjurors can impart
the faculties of hearing, speech, and sight? Can make them walk
like human beings, breathe, sing, convey ideas, and sustain
conversations in divers foreign tongues ? To walk may be
automatic, as Doctor Carpenter attempted to show, in his
pamphlet on the unconscious action of the human brain, and, if the
spontaneous generation of the Eddy ghosts were conceded, it might
be as easy to allow them the capability of mere motion; but to
walk to a given point, by request, or to do any other suggested thing,
is not automatic, but the evidence of motion guided by intelligence.
When, therefore, these apparitions have, at my demand, moved
to the right or left, or stepped forward, or taken hold of some
object, or assumed certain attitudes, or otherwise shown that they
were capable of not only hearing my voice, consenting to my
request, and doing the desired thing, but also were as able to
control their individual movements, by the power of their
individual will, as I myself, I saw that all theories of automatous
action must be abandoned, and the problem re-cast. In such case I
have to deal with sentient beings, and it crowds me nearer and
nearer to the verge, where I must either surrender or leap.
If we have not to deal with a question of spontaneous
generation, are these apparitions the result of some occult
172
force, Set in motion by any human will ? In other words, his the 11
medium," William H. Eddy, such power over it, that he can cheat
mothers into the belief that they see their children, children their
parents, brothers sisters, friends friends? And are the apparitions
subjective or objective ? Let us see. If he "psychologizes" any
particular one of his audience, he does all, for all see the same
forms, hear them speak the same words, and witness them doing
the same actions. If they are not phantoms of the mind, but
temporarily solid and substantial shapes, created by the medium's
will, out of the invisible molecules floating in the air, what does
that imply ? Simply that William can not only read our thoughts,
but see the pictures of our deceased friends, as they are impressed
on our memory, and conjure up shapes that duplicate them in
dress, appearance, manners, and conversation : that this
uneducated man can at will speak any language he chooses, recall
family names, observe secret actions so as to refer to them, and
without time for preparation, delude visitors arrived just before the
hour of assembly with the spectres of those nearest and dearest to them.
Is not this absurd ? To believe such nonsense is far more
difficult than to yield at discretion, and acknowledge that perhaps
the spirit world may be a fact after all. What hard climbing this is
to reach the peak, from which the Mind's eye may take in the
whole plain of Truth at a glance! If we could only swallow the
spiritualistic pill at a gulp, how much trouble we might be spared.
For their explanation is so easy; every single phase of these
phenomena is so transparently simple, so in accordance with law--
an occult and as yet undiscovered law, it is true, but still
173
law and not chance--that one " finds peace in believing."
A clergyman asks me if the world would not demand that the
Spiritualists should show something of practical benefit brought
about by the spirits-something that would add to the world's
wealth. I referred him to the position he took every Sunday of his
life, when he asked: " If a man gain the whole world and lose his
own soul, what profiteth him ? " and put it to him as a clergyman,
if the proving of immortal existence were not the most priceless
blessing that could be conferred upon the world by these modern
wonder-workers. He had not regarded the matter from that side.
I am glad to receive a reinforcement of my appeal for scientific
investigation of these so-called spiritual phenomena from a most
unexpected quarter. Long after this chapter, as originally written,
appeared in the Daily Graphic, the Scientific American, a
conservative journal, uses the following language:
"In the first place, then, we can find no words wherewith to
adequately express our sense of the magnitude of its importance to
Science, if it be true. Such words as profound, vast, stupendous, would
need to be strengthened a thousand-fold to be fitted for such a use. If
true, it will become the one grand event of the world's history ; it
will give an imperishable lustre of glory to the Nineteenth Century.
Its discoverer will have no rival in renown, and his name will be
written high above any other. For spiritualism involves a
stultification of what are considered the most certain and
fundamental conclusions of Science. It denies the conservation of
matter and force ; it demands a reconstruction of our chemistry and
physics, and even our mathematics. It professes to create matter and
force out of nothing, and to annihilate them when created. If the
pretensions of spiritualism have a rational foundation, no more
important work has been offered to men of Science than their
verification. A realization of the dreams of the elixir vita the philosopher's
174
stone, and the perpetual motion, is of less importance to
mankind than the verification of spiritualism.
But some may say that we exaggerate the pretensions of
spiritualist, and that spiritualists, in the ratio of their intelligence,
make claims which are modest and moderate ; and perhaps the
average man says that, although a great part of spiritualism is
deception and imposture, yet there is something about it which is
new and true. To such we say that if there is any truth in it, of
interest to science, however small, it is worth while to seek for it
with great diligence and labor ; its discovery will surely bring an
abundant reward. if we positively knew that there was contained in
spiritualism a scintilla of new fact about matter, though it were as
the needle in all the hay stacks, or as the grain in all the sands of the
sea, we would not discourage the ambitious man of science in his
search for it.
Mr. Crookes, as the discoverer of thallium, has achieved a great
eminence in science, and he is now nobly employing his talent in the
investigation of spiritualism, if he find in it, positively, something
new to science. He does not need to be told that, if he really
discovers his psychic force, or any other unknown force, capable of
acting on matter, all the future ages will name him with Galvani and
Newton. Finally, say we emphatically, if there be truth in
spiritualism, in whole or in any part, let it be investigated. But
concerning such investigations, in view of very serious harm which
heretofore has often been caused by shallow and superficial dallyings
with the subject, we thoughtfully and solemnly advise that no
investigation is worthy of the name unless it is inspired by the
passionless common sense of science. Also, remember this: The
evidence required to establish a fact, is proportioned to the
improbability of the fact."
In the farther discussion of his theme, the Editor commends to
the consideration of Mr. Crookes and myself, respectively, resort
to force to solve the materialization problem; but I agree with that
eminent Englishman, that it is better to avoid resort to such
unscientific methods as long as possible.
So here we are at length: Confederacy, disproven; personation,
discredited ; spontaneous generation of the apparitions,impossible;
mind-reading by the medium, followed by his creation of the shades of our
175
deceased friends, absurd. Result: A possibility that, by some
occult control -over now unknown forces of nature, beings,
other than those in the body can manifest their presence to
sight, touch, and hearing. If beings, what beings? Those
they purport to be, or the simulacra of such, formed and
fashioned by tricky creatures, who are suffered to trifle with
the sacredest feelings of our hearts? If spirits, those of
persons who have lived on this earth ? -or those from other
planets, where the same relations as ours of body and mind,
the same laws of life and death, do not prevail ? Who and
whence are they? Are they all evil, all good, or partly both?
Is there a limit to their power to interfere in the affairs of men;
and, especially, to control those sensitives we call
mediums? Do the things they do and the things they teach,
indicate that the law of evolution follows us beyond the
grave, and we may rise to grand heights of light and wisdom?
--or must we shun them as the angels of hell itself, let loose
to ruin us in body and soul? That is the issue. That is where
we stand; and now the reader is prepared to let me take him
by the hand through this maze, and with me, "try the spirits,
if they be of God."
The illustration represents what happened on the first
evening of my visit, after William's materialization seance
closed. It shows some of the visible manifestations at
Horatio G. Eddy's light-circles. Thousands who have
attended the public exhibitions of the Davenports and other
traveling mediums, will recognize them as familiar. I was
chosen as one of the committee, on the evening when the
Davenports first appeared in the
176 177-178 drawing
Cooper Institute, several years ago, and saw five hands
simultaneously thrust out of the aperture in the cabinet door,
and, grasping one, had my hand squeezed so that I felt the bruise
for hours. Instead of using a wooden box, Horatio Eddy hangs two
shawls upon the line that stretches from the chimney in the circle-
room to the south wall; leaving, an open space between it and the
ceiling of about two feet.
The one next the chimney, and behind Horatio's chair, is a short
one, and does not reach the floor by nearly three feet ; and
therefore, if it were possible for him to execute tricks behind the
other curtain, without betraying himself by movements of his
head, feet, shoulders and body, or the disturbance of the shawl, he
would be favorably placed to do so. I have watched him closely,
and have never detected any such indications of fraud. Besides, it
will appear in the course of my narrative that, even if he had had
both hands free to do what he chose, he could not have done any
one of several things that I will recount.
The shawls merely form a screen, behind which it must be
almost as light as in front, by reason of the open space between
the cord and ceiling. A table is pushed into the corner, and on it
are laid the following: One guitar, one concertina, seven bells of
various sizes, two tambourines, eight harmonicons (mostly
disabled), one flute, one piccolo, one flageolet, one tin ditto, and
one triangle. Horatio sits on a chair in front of the curtain, to the
left, next to him some gentleman selected from the audience, and at
the right of the latter a lady similarly chosen. I give these positions as they
179
are upon the platform. To the audience they would appear
reversed, Horatio being at the right and the lady at the left.
William Eddy then pins across tile breasts of the two males
a third shawl, attaching the ends to tile curtain. A bright
light is thrown upon the group from a kerosene lamp placed
near and turned up high.
Presently there is a commotion among the articles on the
table, and loud knocks resound. The bells ring, various
instruments are displayed above the curtain; the guitar is
played upon near the ceiling, beneath the sitters' chairs,
between the chimney side and Horatio's chair to the left, flat
against the south wall, beyond the lady sitter to the right,
and elsewhere; a familiar air is played in concert by a
number of instruments; bells are rung singly and in harmony
together, and hands of various sizes and tints dart into sight
through the aperture in the curtain, or show themselves
above the cord.
On the occasion referred to, the gentleman sitting next to
Horatio was requested, after a while, to give place to a lady,
who, when she had taken her seat and the shawl was
readjusted, was caressed by a child's hand, a tiny little
thing, that might have belonged to a girl of two or three
years. It patted her cheek, was held at the lips to be kissed,
laid upon her head, smoothed her hair, and when her eyes
filled with tears, wiped them away and renewed its caresses.
The artist has shown me, standing far in advance of the rest
of the circle, where it will be noticed I had unobstructed
view of all that transpired; but when this little hand was
thrust from another world to cheer and encourage
180
the mother, whose bosom it had so often clasped in life, I
had drawn close up in front, and saw the very dimples on it.
I am therefore, entirely able and ready to affirm that, even if
the medium were an impostor, and had wished to deceive
his sitters with a clever juggle, he did not then nor could
not, for he could not transform his long, brown bony,
sinewy hand, and his wrist, mutilated by the cruel tying of
many "committees," into the size, color, and shape of the
baby hand that was materialized before my eyes.
Let the reader judge. Here we have front and back views
of Horatio's right hand, and a view of the baby hand that
I have referred to. The peculiar mutilation of his wrist by
the compression of the small bones of the wrist by
ligatures when they were soft, will be observed, as well
as the long, slim, almost claw-like
181
fingers. Observe also, by reference to the large picture, that, as
Horatio sits at the extreme left of the three, he could only use his
right hand for juggling, whereas the child-hand is a left one.
It has been doubted, by certain persons who have written to the
newspapers, that more than one hand is shown at once in these
light circles, but aside from my own observations, which prove the
contrary, here we have the certificate of a clergyman of Albany:
CHITTENDEN, Oct. 29th,1874.
This is to certify that at a light circle which I attended last evening
at the Eddy homestead I distinctly saw three spirit-hands displayed
at one time; of which, one was that of a lady, a long, slim
hand as white as marble ; a second, the great hand of a man with
the entire little finger of the right hand missing ; the third, another
man's hand, very white.
HENRY J. CLINKER.
28 Hawk St., Albany, N. Y.
A call was soon made for writing materials, and a succession of
spirit-bands clutching the pen that William offered them, and
using my note-book as a tablet, wrote names on cards and threw
them towards the audience. Some were names of the dead, some of
the living; none, I am satisfied, familiar to the medium.
The performances of the evening concluded, at the request of a
visitor, with a series of imitations of the boring, sawing, and
splitting of wood, the filing of iron, and the pumping of water, the
sounds occurring behind the curtain, and all being so true to nature
as to evoke great applause.
During the entire sitting, as during each of like character,
Horatio's two hands are supposed to have clasped the bared left
arm of the person next him; his eyes were closed, and, as I said
before, there was neither
182
rustle Of the curtain, nor movement of his feet, body, or shoulders.
For all the attention he apparently gave to what was going on he might
have been in a stupor, or enjoying a nap after a full meal.
Now, this experience offers, perhaps, as favorable an
opportunity as any for the application of the theory, that no
reliance should be placed upon the evidence of the senses. I either
saw the baby-hand, and other larger ones, not the medium's, heard
the coincidental playing upon several instruments, and saw the
guitar played upon, not only beyond the reach of Horatio's arm,
but also flat against the south wall, in a position where he could
not possibly hold, much less play upon it; or I did not.
If not, who psychologized my senses, and made me fancy all
these things? Not Horatio, for stronger wills than his have vainly
attempted to "magnetize" me, and he could not do it, if he tried
ever so long. Who then? Nobody else in the flesh, for no one else
had the slightest interest in the success of his circle; William and
he never interfering with each other. Shall we say, then, some self-
directed, vagrant force, allying itself with this medium ? Or, as a
last extremity, shall we say a spirit or spirits out of the body, and
" let it go at that ?"
183 |
