CONTENTS

PAGE

INTRODUCTION BY SIR A. CONAN DOYLE

1

PART I

CHAPTER

I. ANTECEDENTS OF MODERN SPIRITUALISM

Fundamental conception of Survival and Communication
not new-Communion of Saints-Rise of Science and
Critical method-Moral revolt against Hell-Disbelief
in Survival resulted from these two causes-Spiritualism
restored Belief, on basis of facts as in Early Christianity
- Providential wisdom shown in delay of Psychical Sci-
ence until after establishment of Physical Science-Bib-
lical Spiritualism-Greek Oracles-Plutarch-Virgil,
Æneas' Vision, Dido's Dream-Pliny-Neo-Platonism-
Chinese Spiritualism-Jews and Teraphim-Nuns of
Cevennes-St. Médard-Irvingites

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II. SWEDENBORG

Birth (1688) and Education Assessor-Scientific genius

-Illumination in 1743—“Arcana Cælestia”—The Stock-

holm fire—The Herteville case of Hidden Receipt-Kant's

opinion-Swedenborg's sanity-Details about Next State

- Recognition by friends-Continuity of character-

Children grow up-Heavens and Hells-Houses, cities-
All Angels first human beings-Swedenborg to be re-
garded as Prophet but not infallible

30

III. CONFLUENCE OF SWEDENBORGIANISM AND MES-

MERISM IN AMERICA .

Swedenborg not unique Other Trance-seers-Mesmer's

patients, Jung-Stilling-Mesmerism in New England

Crank communities~0. W. Holmes-Emerson-A. J.

Davis—Clairvoyance His first book, 1847—Teaching-

Spheres—Hudson Tuttle's doctrine as to the Spheres-

Professor Hare, Epes Sargent, Judge Edmunds

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CHAPTER

IV. THE HYDESVILLE KNOCKINGS

Fox family of Hydesville-Raps, 1848-Supposed mur-
der, not well evidenced-Controversy concerning the
raps—the Buffalo doctors—No certainty now attainable
–Dr. Phelps PoltergeistỮA. J. Davis's opinion-Judge

Edmunds's

V. EARLY DAYS IN ENGLAND

Mrs. Hayden and Mrs. Roberts-D. D. Home-Brown-

ing's suggestion of fraud unfounded-Mrs. Lyon-No-

table sitters with Home-His travels—Sir William

Crookes's investigations-Automatic Writing and Draw-

ing by the Howitts and others-Angel Gabriel-But good

done in spite of extravagances-Secularists converted-

Spiritual Telegraph at Keighley-Davenport Brothers-

Mrs. Everitt-David Duguid-Eglinton-Evidence for

Materialisation inconclusive-The Dialectical Society's

Report

VI. WILLIAM STAINTON MOSES

Birth (1839) and Education-Curacies-Mastership at

University College School-Death in 1892–His phenom-

ena-Serjeant Cox's description of incidents—The Speer

sittings-Musician-spirits- Imperator-Main aim the

broadening of Mr. Moses' theology-Evidential details,

Steam-roller-Blanche Abercromby—Abraham Floren-

tine–Testimony to Mr. Moses' high character--His

books

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70

VII. THE SOCIETY FOR PSYCHICAL RESEARCH

Founding by Cox of “Psychological Society," 1875—Dis-
solved in 1879—S. P. R. founded, 1882-Objects--Meth-
ods—No creed-Critics-Mrs. Piper-Integrity-Phinuit
régime-George Pelham-—“Imperator” band--Classical
matter unknown to the medium-Manner of the trance
Now ceased-Other mediums, non-professional-Mrs.
Thompson-Reports by Dr. van Eeden and Mrs. Verrall
-Cross-correspondences--Classical allusions in scripts of
non-classical Automatists—General mind-stuff theory-
Sir Oliver Lodge's “Raymond”—Sir William Barrett's

“On the Threshold of the Unseen"

VIII. PhysicAL PHENOMENA

Line rather arbitrary, but Physical Phenomena mostly

meaning demonstrably Supernormal movement or Be-

haviour of Matter—The Wesley haunt-Worksop and

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PAGB

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116

CHAPTER

Folkestone poltergeists—Eusapia Palladino-Raps-Dr.
Joseph Maxwell—Dr. Crawford and the Goligher circle
Direct Voice, Admiral Usborne Moore's investigations

Spirit Photography

IX. CONFIRMATORY PHENOMENA IN INDIA

Wide distribution of phenomena–Jacollist's book-Vase-

movements--Raps—Table made heavy-Harmoniflute

playing untouched-Materialisation-Identity-evidence

– Jacollist's Sceptical attitude—The Brahmanic scheme

very like that of A. J. Davis

X. GHOSTS

Facts in nature, though exceptional ones, like globular

lightning-Definition—"Hallucination”—“Proceedings,”

S. P. R., vol x-"Phantasms of the Living”—Mr.

Walker-Anderson's case - Projection of Phantasm by Mr.

S. H. Beard-Possible subjectivity-Local Ghosts—

Lytton and eidola, ghost being only a partial manifesta-

tion of the total self—"Induced” Ghost seeing: normal

Clairvoyance Illustrations of Mr. Wilkinson's medium-

ship-Evidence that deceased people come to meet their

dying friends

XI. ON EVIDENCE, PROOF AND BELIEF

Survival accepted even by sceptical wing of S. P. R.-

Mrs. Sidgwick—Difference between Psychical Research-

ers and Spiritualists—Subliminal Memory-Coleridge's

story of the polyglossal servant-girl-Hypnotic experi-

ments-Multiple personality-Blanche Poynings-But

evidence goes beyond Subliminal Memory-Nature of

Trance-Controls—Standards of proof-Critic's low stan-

dard-Must be cumulative-Coercive proof not possible

-Psychology of belief--Personal history in reaching

convictions

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PART II

143

I. SPIRITUALISM AS A RELIGION .

Cause of Spiritualistic Secession from other sects-Not

antagonistic to any except those holding crude beliefs

mainly as to Eschatology-Seven Principles of Spiritual-

ism-More Christian than some modern forms of Chris-

tianity-Organisation Number of Societies-Demo-

cratic, as Christianity was at first-Specimen service,

with Clairvoyance-Sunday Schools or Lyceums-Their

methods

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171

CHAPTER

II. SPIRITUALISM AS A RELIGION (continued)

Internal friction and fission in Societies—Lack of Rever.

ence in services-Longwindedness of speakers-Some

"mediums” not mediumistic but only cases of Multiple

Personality-Necessity of evidence of Supernormality-

Private circles-Questionably good-Dark sittings—But

notwithst ing crudities, Spiritualists have the root of

the matter—They have forced the facts into prominence

-Spiritualism in America, France, Italy, Germany,

Spain, South America, Russia, Australia, New Zealand-

Agitation at home for repeal of Witchcraft Laws-Case

for and against

III. MATERIALISTIC AND OTHER OBJECTIONS . 180

A priori negations—The things do not happen-Professor

Münsterberg, Mr. Frederic Harrison, Tyndall-Huxley's

wiser attitude-Mr. Edward Clodd—Sir E. Ray Lan-

kester-No experimental demonstration of Volcanic erup-

tions, Earthquakes, or even Thunderstorms possible

IV. ROMAN CATHOLIC AND MYSTICAL OBJECTIONS. 191

The things happen, but are the work of Devils-Lord

Alfred Douglas-Prohibition wise for many people-But

conservatism may be overdone-High moral teaching-

Father Bernard Vaughan-Mystical objections—Some

force in them, and valid for some people--But Reason is

a Divine Gift, as well as Intuition-Civilisation a good

thing But each must decide for himself-All extremes

to be avoided, but no directions banned

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V. SOME PROTESTANT OBJECTIONS

Misunderstanding that spirits can be “called up”-The

Christian and Joyful News—Allegations of insanity

caused—Probably more insanity caused by Hell-belief-

Specific answers to the charge—“Triviality” of Messages

-But small things are often the best evidence-And

A. J. Davis wrote thirty volumes of serious matter, non-

evidential-Leviticus—But do its quoters observe its

other prohibitions as well?—Bishop of Oxford-A weighty

objection—Belief in Survival more wholesomely based on

faith in God than on phenomena-But the Early Chris-

tians based their belief on Phenomena (Christ's Resur-

rection)-And for many people a Phenomena-based Be-

lief seems the only way back to Religion

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CHAPTER
VI. FECHNER'S THEORY OF LIFE AFTER DEATH

The World-Soul-Human Personality perhaps a part of
it-Inorganic Matter not unconscious-Saturated with
Mind-But Selves do not merge after bodily Death-
Individuality continues to grow—The post-mortem Body
- Material results of Earth-Actions and Thoughts
Rapport-objects-Links up with Myers's Subliminal-
Recognition after Death-Deeper sleep, wider memory,
till Death restores all, forgotten things having preceded

us—Scientific nature of Fechner's system

VII. SPIRITUALISTIC CONCEPTIONS OF AFTER-DEATH

CONDITIONS

Swedenborgian in asserting Similarity to Earth-life, but
more optimistic—Universal Salvation—Spheres, Jews
and Plurality of Heavens-Paul's “Third Heaven”-
Summerland Tuttle, McKenzie, Wilson—The Theo
sophical scheme-A compromise scheme suggested, in-
cluding elements of Origen and Fechner-Best Spiritual-
istic opinion wisely restrained as to Definite Spheres-
Stead's “After Death"-Excessive Mourning wrong-
Love the chief thing-Experiences at Death-Stainton
Moses, information from spirit about conditions over

there-Reality of the life

VIII. CONCLUSION

Summing up-Belief in Survival became moribund in

early nineteenth century-Spiritualism revived it by

finding and emphasising same sort of Phenomena as

those on which Christianity was based-Swedenborg had

prepared the way-S. P. R. work-But Spiritualism is

more than belief in Survival and Communication, it is a

Religion-Includes Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood

of Man Is nearer the Christianity of the first three cen-

turies than is the Christian Orthodoxy of to-day-Oppo-

sition based mainly on ignorance-Nature of future life

Spiritualistic opinion regarding Christ—The seven articles

repeated

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