Telepathy
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Writings ToughtForceinBusinessandEverydayLife TeLawoftheNewTought NuggetsoftheNewTought MemoryCuture:TeScienceofObserving,RememberingandRecaing DynamicToughtorTeLawofVibrantEnergy ToughtVibrationortheLawofAttractionintheToughtWord PracticaMind‑Reading PracticaPsychomancyandCrystaGazing TeMindBuidingofaChid TeSecretofMentaMagic MentaFascination Sef‑HeaingbyToughtForce Mind‑Power:TeLawofDynamicMentation PracticaMentaInuence ReincarnationandtheLawofKarma TeInnerConsciousness TeSecretofSuccess Memory:HowtoDeveo,rainandUseIt SubconsciousandtheSuerconsciousPanesofMind SuggestionandAuto‑Suggestion TeArtofExression TeArtofLogicaTinking TeNewPsychoogy:ItsMessage,PrinciesandPractice TeWi Tought‑Cuture HumanNature:ItsInnerStatesandOuterForms MindandBodyorMentaStatesandPhysicaConditions eeathy:ItsTeory,FactsandProof TeCrucibeofModernTought TePsychoogyofSaesmanshi TePsychoogyofSuccess ScienticParenthood TeMessageoftheNewTought YourMindandHowtoUseIt TeMasteryofBeing Mind‑Power:TeSecretofMentaMagic TeNewPsychoogyofHeaing NewTought:ItsHistoryandPrincies
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Writings ToughtForceinBusinessandEverydayLife TeLawoftheNewTought NuggetsoftheNewTought MemoryCuture:TeScienceofObserving,RememberingandRecaing DynamicToughtorTeLawofVibrantEnergy ToughtVibrationortheLawofAttractionintheToughtWord PracticaMind‑Reading PracticaPsychomancyandCrystaGazing TeMindBuidingofaChid TeSecretofMentaMagic MentaFascination Sef‑HeaingbyToughtForce Mind‑Power:TeLawofDynamicMentation PracticaMentaInuence ReincarnationandtheLawofKarma TeInnerConsciousness TeSecretofSuccess Memory:HowtoDeveo,rainandUseIt SubconsciousandtheSuerconsciousPanesofMind SuggestionandAuto‑Suggestion TeArtofExression TeArtofLogicaTinking TeNewPsychoogy:ItsMessage,PrinciesandPractice TeWi Tought‑Cuture HumanNature:ItsInnerStatesandOuterForms MindandBodyorMentaStatesandPhysicaConditions eeathy:ItsTeory,FactsandProof TeCrucibeofModernTought TePsychoogyofSaesmanshi TePsychoogyofSuccess ScienticParenthood TeMessageoftheNewTought YourMindandHowtoUseIt TeMasteryofBeing Mind‑Power:TeSecretofMentaMagic TeNewPsychoogyofHeaing NewTought:ItsHistoryandPrincies
Telepathy I,FP
1910
William Walker Atkins tkinson on 1862–1932
信 YOGB:Spl,MO 2010:04:12:11:46:43
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Contents • • • • • • • • •
ChaterI ……………………………………… Whatiseeathy ChaterII …………………………… TeNatureoftheProbem ChaterIII … …………………………… Exerimentaeeathy ChaterIV … …………………………… TeEngishExeriments ChaterV …………………………… MoreEngishExeriments ChaterVI … …………………………… TeWetmerExeriment ChaterVII ……………… ResutsoftheWetmerExeriment ChaterVIII ResutsoftheWetmerExeriment(Continued) ChaterIX … …………………………………………… TeTeories
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Telepathy
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Chapter I
What is Telepathy
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“teeathy” is of quite recent origin. A few yearsagoitwasnottobefoundinanyofthestandard dictionaries,anditsuse wasconnedtothesmacirce of investigators who were ursuing exeriments in thought‑ transference, and who regarded the Society for Psychica ResearchofEngandastheircentreofinuence.Attheresent time, however, the word has assed into ouar usage, is found in the current editions of the dictionaries and heard frequentyonthestreets.ItwasderivedfromthetwoGreek words, tele ,meaning“afar,”and pathosmeaning“feeing.”Te termitsefhasbeensevereycriticizedasconveyinga wrong imression, for thought‑transference is not the same as “feeing”‑transference. Some authorities have referred the term“eæsthesia,”which,freeytransated,means“ercetion bythesensesatadistance.”Teresentwriterhassoughtto introduce the term “eementatian” which, freey transated, means“mentaactionatadistance”andthesaidtermhasmet with considerabe favor among scientic investigators of the subject.But,insiteoftheobjections,theubiccingstothe origina term, and “eeathy” is generay used to designate thehenomenaofthought‑transference,orasthedictionaries 3
lp stateit:“Teactionofonemindonanotheratadistanceand withoutcommunicationbymeansofthesenses.” Tought‑transferenceisnota newthinginthethoughtof theword,athoughitmayseemtotheordinaryreadertobea recentdiscovery.Itsbeginningisostinthehazeofthehistory of the rimitive eoes of the race. Te ancient writings of Indiagiveusmanyinstancesoftheeectofoneminduon anotheratadistance.Andtheoccutegendsofotherancient eoes give evidence that the beief in the eect of mind uonmindata distancewasquitecommon.Inmanyofthe odoccutwritingswendtracesofthisamostuniversabeief inthought‑transmissionandthought‑force,andwehaveevery reasontobeievethattheodachemistswerefuyacquainted withthehenomena. In India, eseciay, has the beief in thought‑transference revaiedfromtimeimmemoria.Passingovertheegendary taes,andcomingdowntothetimeofrecenthistory,wesee manyinstancesoftheaccetanceofthisideabytheeoeof that odandof thestrangeand mysterious.TeEngishwho ivedthroughthegreaturisinginIndiaintheastcenturyhave assedontousmanytaesofthestrangeowerofthenative HinduswhichenabedthemtoashfromoneartofIndiato anotherthenewsofgreatbattesandurisings.Itisrecordedby thosewhoassedthroughthisgreaturisingthattheHindus werenoticedtobeagitatedina strangewayaboutthetime oftheactua occurrencesin fardistantartsoftheand,and seemedtobefuyinformedregardingtheseoccurrences,whie theEngishwerecomeedtowaitfordaysuntitheircouriers broughtthemthenewsinthereguarway.Inotherwords,the natives maintained a menta‑teegrahic system, whie the Engishwerecomeedtoreyuoncouriers,thedaysofthe eectricteegrahnothavingasyetarrived. But,sofarasthesubjectof moderneeathyisconcerned wemayasweassumethateeathyhaditsbirthintomodern scienticthoughtat thetime ofthe formation ofthe Engish 4
Wlp SocietyforPsychicaResearchin1882.Oneofthestatedobjects ofthesaidSocietywas“toconductanexaminationintothe natureandextentofanyinuencewhichmaybeexertedby oneminduonanother,aartfromanygenerayrecognized mode of ercetion.” Whie the atter years of the Society’s existence has been devoted rinciay to an investigation of the henomena of cairvoyance, sirit‑return, trance‑ mediumshi,etc.,itsrstdecadewasamostentireydevoted to the investigation of teeathy, thought‑transference, and simiarhenomena.TeearyexerimentsoftheSocietyhave beenfuyreorted,andthesereorts,whichcomrisesevera voumes,havegiventhewordarecordofsychichenomena ofthegreatestvauetoscience. Te ceebrated Sidgwick exeriments, conducted under theausicesoftheSocietyforPsychicaResearchin1889and 1890,excitedgreatinterestinscienticcirces,andacedthe subject of eeathy uon a basis which science coud not aordtorefusetoerceive.Andtheresuthasbeenthatmany carefu scientists have freey acknowedged that “there may besomethingtoit,”somegoingsofarastooenyadvocate eeathy as an estabishedscientic fact, athough there are manyscientistswhostiadheretotheoinionthateeathy remains to be roven scienticay, whie some of the utra‑ conservativesgosofarastoinsistthateeathyisscienticay imossibe,thisatteroinionbeingcacuatedtocauseasmie to one who remembers how many “scienticay imossibe” thingshaveafterwardbeenroventobenotonyscienticay ossibe,orrobabe,butasoactuayexistent.Itiseithera very bod man, or ese a fooish one, who in these days can ositiveyassertthatanythingisscienticayimossibe.Inthis connectiononeisremindedofthe earnedbodyof scientists who sitting in conference soemny decided that it was scienticayimossibefora vessetocrostheoceanbythe owerofsteam.Whiethedecisionwasbeingrecordedonthe minutes,thewordwasreceivedthatasteamshihadactuay 5
lp made the voyage across the ocean, and was that moment enteringtheharbor.Oneasorecasthestoryoftheeminent Engish scientist who had for a ifetime ositivey disuted the ossibiity of certain facts, and whoin his od age, when askedtowitnesstheactuademonstrationofthedisutedfact, refusedtoook intothe microscoefortheurose, andeft theroom,angriyshakinghisheadandsaying,“Itisimossibe.” Yesterday’s“imossibiities”areoftentomorrow’s“rovenfacts.” Inviewofwhathasbeensaidabove,thefoowingoinions ofcertainwe‑knownscientistsmayroveofinteresttothe reader as indicating the change in the menta attitude of sciencetowardthehenomenaofeeathy. SirWiiamCrookes,inanaddressdeiveredseverayearsago atBristo, Engand,before theRoyaSociety(ofwhich hewas resident),said: “Were I now introducing for the rst time these inquiries to the word of science, I shoud choose a starting oint dierent from thatofod,whereweformerybegan.Itwoudbewetobeginwith eeathy;withthefundamentaaw,asIb eieveittobe,thatthoughts andimagesmaybetransferredfromonemindtoanotherwithoutthe agencyoftherecognizedorgansofsense—thatknowedgemayenter thehumanmindwithoutbeingcommunicatedinanyhithertoknown orrecognizedways.Athoughtheinquiryhaseicitedimortantfacts withreferencetothemind,ithasnotyetreachedthescienticstage ofcertaintywhichwoudenabeittobeusefuybroughtbeforeone of the sections. I wi therefore conne mysef to ointing out the direction in which scientic investigation can egitimatey advance. If eeathy take ace, we have two hysica facts—the hysica changeinthebrainofA.thesuggestor,andtheanaogoushysica change in the brain of B. the reciient of the suggestion. Between thesetwohysicaeventstheremustexistatrainofhysicacauses. Whenevertheconnectingsequenceof intermediatecausesbeginsto bereveaed,theinquirywithencomewithintherangeofoneofthe sectionsoftheBritishAssociation.Sucha sequencecanonyoccur
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Wlp throughaninterveningmedium.AthehenomenaoftheUniverse areresumabyinsomewaycontinuous,anditisunscientictoca intheaidofmysteriousagencieswhenwitheveryfreshadvancein knowedgeitisshownthatethervibrationshaveowersandattributes abundantyequatoanydemand—eventhetransmissionofthought.”
Tesameeminentauthorityasosays: “Itissuosedbysomehysioogiststhattheessentiacesofnerves donotactuaytouch,butaresearatedbyan arrowgawhichwidens inseewhieitnarrowsamosttoextinctionduringmentaactivity. TisconditionissosinguaryikethatofaBranyorLodgecoherer(a devicewhichhasedMarconitothediscoveryofwireessteegrahy) astosuggestafurtheranaogy.Testructureofthebrainandnerves, beingsimiar,itisconceivabethattheremayberesentmassesof such nerve coherers in the brain, whose secia function it may be to receive imuses brought from without through the connecting sequenceofetherwavesofaroriateorderofmagnitude.Roentgen hasfamiiarizeduswithanorderofextrememinutenesscomared withthesmaestwaveswithwhichwehavehithertobeenacquainted, and of dimensions comarabe with the distances between the centersoftheatomsofwhichthemateriauniverseisbuitu;and there is no reason for beieving that we have reached the imits of frequency.Itisknownthattheactionofthoughtisaccomaniedby certainmoecuarmovementsinthebrain,andherewehavehysica vibrations caabe from their extreme minuteness of acting direct uonindividuamoecues,whietheirraidityaroachesthatofthe internamovementsoftheatomsthemseves.”
Prof.CamieFammarion,thewe‑knownFrenchastronomer, says: “Wesumu,therefore,ourrecedingobservationsbytheconcusion thatonemindcanactatad istanceuonanother,withoutthehabitua mediumofwords,oranyothervisibemeansofcommunication.It
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lp aearstousatogetherunreasonabetorejectthisconcusionifwe accetthefacts.Tereisnothingunscientic,nothingromantic,in admittingthatanideacaninuencethebrainfroma distance.Te actionofonehumanbeinguonanother,fromad istance,isas cientic fact;itisascertainastheexistenceofParis,ofNaoeon,ofOxygen,or ofSirius….Terecanbe nodoubtthatoursychica forcecreatesa movementoftheether,whichtransmitsitsefafarikeamovements ofether,andbecomesercetibetobrainsinharmonywithourown. Te transformation of a sychic action into an etherea movement, andthereverse,maybeanaogoustowhattakesaceonateehone, wheretherecetiveate,whichisidenticawiththeateattheother end,reconstructsthesonorousmovementtransmitted,notbymeans ofsound,butbyeectricity.”
Prof.Ochorowiczsays: “Every ivingbeing isa dynamicfocus.A dynamic focustendsever to roagate the motion that is roer to it. Proagated motion becomestransformedaccordingtothemediumittraverses.Motion tendsawaystoroagateitsef.Tereforewhenweseeworkofany kind—mechanica, eectrica, nervic, or sychic—disaear without visibeeect,then,oftwothings,onehaens,eitherat ransmissionor atransformation.Wheredoestherstend,andwheredoesthesecond begin?Inanidenticamediumthereisonytransmission.Inadierent mediumthereistransformation.Yousendaneectriccurrentthrough athickwire.Youhavethecurrent,butyoudonoterceiveanyother force.Butcutthatthickwireandconnecttheendsbymeansofane wire;thenewirewigrowhot;therewibeatransformationofthe currentinto heat.akea rettystrongcurrentandinteroseaw iresti moreresistant,oraverythincarbonrod.Tecarbonwiemit artofthecurrentthenistransformedinto
light.A
heat and light.Tisight
actsineverydirectionaroundabout,rstvisibyasight,theninvisiby asheatandas eectriccurrent.Hodamagnetnearit. Ifthemagnet isweakandmovabe,intheformofa magneticneede,thebeamof ightwicauseittodeviate;ifitisstrongandimmovabe,itwiin
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Wlp turncausethebeamof ight todeviate.Andathisfromadistance, without contact, without secia conductors. A rocess that is at oncechemica,hysicaandsychica,goesoninabrain.Acomex actionofthiskindisroagatedthroughthegraymatter,aswavesare roagatedinwater.Regardedonitshysioogicaside,anideaisony avibration,a vibrationthatisroagated,yetwhichdoesnotass outofamediuminwhichitcanexistassuch.Itisroagatedasfaras otherikevibrationsaow.Itisroagatedmorewideyifitassumes the character which subjectivey we ca emotive. But it cannot go beyondwithoutbeingtransformed.Nevertheess,ikeforceingenera, itcannotremaininisoation—itescaesindisguise….Toughtstays athome,asthechemicaactionofabatteryremainsinabattery;itis reresentedbyitsdynamiccorreate,caedinthecaseof thebattery, acurrent,andinthecaseofthebrain—Iknownotwhat;butwhatever itsnamemaybe,itisthedynamiccorreateofthought.Ihavechosen theterm‘dynamiccorreate.’Tereis somethingmorethanthat;the universeisneitherdeadnorvoid.A forcethatistransmittedmeets otherforces,andifitistransformedonyittebyitte,itusuayimits itsef to modifying another force at its own cost, though without sueringercetibythereby.Tisisthecasearticuarywithforces thatareersistent,concentrated,wesecondedbytheirmedium;itis thecasewiththehysioogicaequiibrium,nervicforce,sychicforce, ideas,emotions,tendencies.Tesemodifyenvironingforceswithout themsevesdisaearing;theyarebutimercetibytransformed,and ifthenextmanisofanatureexcetionayweadatedtothem,they gainininductiveaction.”
Itisquitegratifyingtondsucheminentscienticauthority exressingitsconvictionofthereaityofthought‑transference. Buttheaverageerson,intheend,beievesineeathynot somuchbecausethisscientistorthatonethinksitreasonabe, butbecauseheorshehashadsomeersonaexerienceorbit ofindividuaroof.Whoofushasnothadtheexerienceof thinkingofsomeonewhomwehavenotseenorheardoffor monthsoryears,onytoseetheindividuainersonshorty 9
lp afterward?Ofteninseakingtoanothererson,wewind thathewiuttertheverywordsthatwehadinmind.Itisnot uncommonfortwoersonstostartinatthesamemomentto sayreciseythesamethingtoeachother.Howoftenhasthe ersonofwhomwehavebeenseakingwakedunexectedy intoourresence.Teodsaying,“Seakoftheanges,andyou heartherusteoftheirwings”voicesthecommonexerience oftheraceinthisresect.Severayearsago,Markwainwrote amagazinearticeinwhichhestatedanexeriencecommon tomanyothers.Hesaidthathewasinthehabitofwritinga ettertoaerson,andthen,afterduyaddressingit,destroying it instead of maiing it. He added that he had noticed that veryfrequentyhewoudreceiveananswertotheunmaied etter,writtenbytheersonaddressedaboutthesametime that the origina etter was written,addressed anddestroyed, andthattheseanswersfrequentycoveredtheidenticaoints mentionedintheoriginaetter. Moreover many ersons have exerimented with “the wiinggame”andsimiararorfeatsaongtheinesof“mind‑ reading,”andhavefoundthatthere“issomethinginit,aftera.” TeriseintoouarityoftheteachingsoftheNewToughtor MentaSciencehasfamiiarizedmanyersonswiththeideaof thought‑transferenceinsomeofitsvariedforms,untito‑day wendthatthemajorityofersonsarerearedtoadmitthat “theremustbesomerewherethereissomuchsmoke.”We trustthatwewibeabetomakethesubjectsomewhatcearer inthisittevoume.
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Chapter II
The Nature of the Problem
M
p who are interested in thehenomena of eeathy, andwhoaccettheroofsoeredby its advocates, seem to regard these henomena as quite ordinary and as fuy in accord with the more famiiar manifestationsofNature’sforces.Wefrequentyheareeathy comaredtothemanifestationofeectricity,articuaryinthe haseofwireessteegrahy.Butthematterisnotsosimeas this—itcannotbeightydismissedoracedinanyordinary category. It is, scienticay, sui generis—in a cass by itsef; unique;ecuiar.Whieweshanotattemttoutforward anyseciahyothesisatthisoint,weinviteyoutoconsider thefoowingstatementfromtheisofaneminentEngish statesman,himsefanearnestinvestigatorofeeathy.After reading his statement, you wi begin to areciate the fu natureoftherobemconfrontingthosewho,whieadmitting theroofsofeeathy,woudseektoaccountforthesameby scienticrincies. TeRightHonorabeA.J.Bafour(afterwardPrimeMinister ofEngand)inanaddressdeiveredin1894,whiehewasthe PresidentoftheSocietyforPsychicaResearch,saidinreation toeeathy: 11
lp “Now I wi give you a case of what I mean by a scienticay extraordinary event, which, as you wi at once erceive, may be onewhichatrstsight,andtomanyobservers,mayaearamost commonaceandfamiiar.Ihaveconstantymeteoewhowite you, with no aarent consciousness that they are saying anything moreoutofthewaythananobservationabouttheweather,thatby anexerciseoftheirwitheycanmakeanybodyataittedistanceturn roundandookatthem.Nowsucha fact(iffactitbe)isfarmore scienticay extraordinary than woud be the destruction of this gobebysomeceestiacatastrohe.Howrofoundymistakenthen aretheywhothinkthatthisexerciseofwi‑ower,astheycait,is themostnaturathingintheword,somethingthateverybodywoud haveexected,somethingwhichhardydeservesscienticnoticeor requiresscienticexanation.Inreaityitisarofoundmystery,ifit betrue,orifanythingikeitbetrue,andnoevent,howeverstarting, whicheasiyndsitsaroriatenicheinthestructureofthehysica sciencesoughttoexcitehafasmuchinteectuacuriosityasthisdu andatrstsightcommonacehenomenon. “NowdonotsuosethatIw antyoutobeievethateverygentemanor adywhochoosestosuosehimseforhersefexcetionayendowed withthisso‑caedwi‑owerisotherthanthedueofani‑reguated fancy.Tereis,however,quiteaartfromthetestimony,av astmassof evidenceinfavorof whatwenowcaeeathy,andtoeeathythe observationsIhavebeenmakingdoinmyoinionmoststrictyay. For,consider:Ineverycaseofeeathyyouhaveanexameofreaor aarentactionatadistance.Examesofreaoraarentactionata distanceare,ofcourse,verycommon.Gravitationissuchanexame. We are not aware at the resent time of any mechanism, if I may usethehrase,whichcantransmitgravitationainuencefromone gravitatingbodytoanother.Nevertheess,scienticmendonotrest contentwiththatview.Irecoectitusedtobemaintainedbytheate Mr.JohnMithattherewasnogroundforregardingwithanysecia wonderthehenomenonofactionatadistance.Idonotdogmatize uontheoint,butIdosayemhaticaythatIdonotthinkyouwi ndarst‑casshysicistwhoisrearedtoadmitthatgravityisnot
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NPl ahenomenonwhichstiwantsanexanation.Heisnotready,in otherwords,toaccetactionatadistanceasanutimatefact,though hehasnotevengottherstcuetothereanatureoftheinksby whichtheattractingbodiesmutuayactuononeanother. “Butthoughgravitationandteeathyareaikeinthis,thatweare quite ignorant of the means by which in either case distant bodies inuenceoneanother,itwoudbea greatmistaketosuosethat the two modes of oeration are equay mysterious. In the case of eeathy there is not merey the dicuty of conjecturing the nature of the mechanism which oerates between the agent and theerciient,betweenthemanwhoinuencesandthemanwhois inuenced;butthewhoecharacterofthehenomenarefusestot inwithanyofouraccetedideasastothemodeinwhichforcemay beexercisedfromoneortionofsacetoanother.Isthisteeathic actionanordinarycaseofactionfroma centerofdisturbance?Isit equaydiusedinadirections?Isitiketheightofacande,orthe ight ofthe sun, whichradiatesequayinto sacein every direction at the same time? Ifit is,it must obey the aw—at east,we shoud exectittoobeytheaw—ofaotherforceswhichsoactthrough anon‑absorbingmedium,anditseectsmustdiminishinverseyas thesquareofthedistance.Itmust,sotoseak,getbeatenoutthinner andthinnerthefurtheritgetsremovedfromitsoriginasource.But isthisso?Isitevencredibethatthemerethoughts,or,ifyouease, theneurachangescorresondingtothesethoughts,ofanyindividua, coudhaveinthemtheenergytoroducesensibeeectsequayin adirections;fordistanceswhichdonot,asfarasourinvestigationsgo, aeartohaveanynecessaryimit?Itis,Ithink,incredibe,andinany casethereisnoevidencewhateverthatthisactuadiusionevertakes ace.Tewiower,wheneverthewiisused,orthethoughts,in caseswherethewiisnotused,haveaneect,asar ue,onyuonone ortwoindividuasatmost.Tereisnoaearanceofgeneradiusion. Tereisnoindicationofanydisturbanceequatoequadistancesfrom itsorigin,andradiatingfromitaikeineverydirection. “Butifwearetorejectthisidea,whichistherstwhichordinary anaogieswoudsuggest,whatarewetoutinitsace?Areweto
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lp suosethatthereissome meansbywhichteeathicenergycanbe directedthroughsacefromtheagenttotheatient,fromtheman who inuences to the man who is inuenced? If we are to beieve this,asaarentywemust,wearefacetofacenotonywitha fact extraordinary in itsef, but with a kind of fact which does not t in withanythingweknowatresentintheregioneitherofhysicsor hysioogy.Itistrue,nodoubt,thatwedoknowentyofcaseswhere energyisdirectedaongag ivenine,ikewaterina ie,orikeeectrica energyaongthecourseofaw ire.Buttheninsuchcasesthereisaways somemateriaguideexistingbetweenthetwotermini,betweenthe acefromwhichtheenergycomesandtheacetowardwhichthe energygoes.Isthereanysuchmateriaguideinthecaseofeeathy? Itseemsabsouteyimossibe.Tereisnosignofit.Wecannoteven formtooursevesanynotionofitscharacter,andyet,ifwearetotake whataearsto betheobviousessonoftheobservedfacts,weare forcedtotheconcusionthatinsomeshaeorotheritexists.Forto suosethattheteeathicagentshootsouthisinuencetowarda articuarobject,asyoushoota buetoutofa gun,orwateroutof a hose, which aears to be the ony other aternative, invoves us seemingyingreaterdicutiessti. “Here, then, we are face to face with what I ca a scienticay extraordinary henomenon, as distinguished from a dramaticay extraordinary one. Anyone who has endeavored to wade through themassof evidencecoectedbyour Societyon thesubjectwibe rearedtoadmitthatit isnotexcitingorinterestinginitsef,thatit doesnotarouseafooishwonder,oraeaunduytoanycravingfor themarveous.Butduastheseexerimentsmayseem,duindeed astheyoftenare,theirdunessisreayoneoftheirgreatadvantages.It eectuayexcudessomeerturbinginuencesthatmightotherwise aectthecooanaysisoftheexerimentadata;andinconsequence itmakesthoseinvestigations,inmyjudgment,thebeststartingoint fromwhichtoreconsider,shouditbenecessary,ourgeneraview,Iw i notsayofthemateriauniverse,butoftheuniverseofhenomenain sace….Evenifwecannotentertainanycondenthoeofdiscovering what aws these haf‑seen henomena obey, at a events it wi be
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NPl somegaintohaveshown,notasamatterofsecuationorconjecture, butasam atterofascertainedfact,thattherearethingsinHeavenand earthnothithertodreamedofinourscientichiosohy.”
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Chapter III
Experimental Telepathy
B
theyear1882,andcontinuingforsevera years thereafter, the Engish Society for Psychica Researchconductedanimortantseriesofexeriments ineeathy,the recordsofwhich haveb eenreservedin the severareortsoftheSocietywhichareoneintherincia ibrariesoftheword.Inthe“GossaryofermsusedinPsychica Research” by the Society, we nd eeathy dened as “the communicationofimressionsofanykindfromonemindto another,indeendentyoftherecognizedchannesofsense.” In1882,thePresidentoftheSociety,Prof.HenrySidgwick, aointed a committee to “investigate Tought‑Reading or Tought‑ransference,” the members of the committee being Prof.W.F.Barrett,ProfessorofPhysicsintheRoyaCoegeof ScienceforIreand;EdmundGurney,M.A.,LateFeowofrinity Coege;andF.W.H.Myers,M.A.,LateFeowofrinityCoege, Cambridge. Te urose of the inquiry by the committee wasstatedasfoows:“Isthereoristherenotanyexistingor attainabeevidencethatcanstandfairhysioogicacriticism, tosuortabeiefthatavividimressionoradistinctideain onemindcanbecommunicatedtoanothermindwithoutthe interveningheoftherecognizedorgansofsensation?And 17
lp if such evidence be found, is the imression derived from a rareorartiaydeveoedandhithertounrecognizedsensory organ,orhasthementaercetbeenevokeddirectywithout anyantecedentsense‑ercet?” Te committee cassied the henomena of Tought‑ ransferenceasfoows: I.Phenomenamanifested,inwhichthehandsoftheoerator areincontactwiththesubject. II.Phenomenamanifestedwithoutcontactwiththeerson wiingorsendingthethought‑imuse. III.Phenomenamanifested,inwhichsomenumber,wordor cardisguessedwithoutanyaarenthysicacommunication betweentheoeratorandsubject. Intherstcassofhenomenathecommitteeacesthe ordinary“mindreading”oftheubicerformer,inwhichthe oeratoraceshis handsuonthesubject,orin which heis acedinsomekindofhysicacontactwiththeatter.Ithas beenhedthatthiscassofhenomenareaycomesunderthe head of “musce reading,” inasmuch as there is transmitted to the subject some sight muscuar imuse, often given invountariy and unconsciousy by the oerator. Tis theory was rst advanced by Dr. W. B. Carenter, the distinguished Engish sychoogist, who hed that “the communications are made by muscuar action on the art of one erson and automaticay interreted by the other.” Dr. Carenter exainedthisinvountarymuscuaractionbyhisceebrated theory of “unconscious cerebration,” in which there is “the madeand intermediationofthoseexressionasignswhichare interpretedaikeunconsciousy.”Tefamiiar“wiinggame”so oftenerformedforaroramusementbeongstothiscategory, asdoasotheerformancesofmanyoftheceebratedubic “mindreaders.”Tecommitteeconductednumerousseriesof carefuexerimentswithhenomenaofthiscass,and,whie theresutswereveryinteresting,itwasfetthattheconstanty resent ossibiity of “unconscious muscuar movement” 18
Epllp rendered the henomena unsatisfactory from the scientic standoint. Tesecondcassofhenomenacamemorenearyunderthe truecassicationofeeathy,foriftherebecommunication without hysica contact it is reasonabe to assume that some new hyothesis is necessary. If the subject was abe to seectandroceedtosomeobjectreviousyagreeduonby the oerator or the roomfu of eoe, in the “wiing game,” withoutknowingtheobjectandwithouthysicacontactwith anyersonknowingit,thenitwoudseemthattheremustbe sometransmissionofthoughtimages“withouttheintervening heoftherecognizedorgansofsensation.”Butsocarefuwere themembersofthecommittee,andsocoseydidtheyadhere to the strictest scientic methods, that they discarded this cass of henomena as unsatisfactory andunconvincing, and asoentothesusicionthatthesubjectmayhavereceived invountaryguidancefromtheeyesofthecomany,orerhas from the dierent shades of tone in the conversation as the subjectaroachedorrecededfromtheseectedobjecttobe found.Eventhoughthesubjectmightbebindfoded,itwas ossibeforimressionstobereceivedthroughthesenseof sight. Tewriterremembersaninstanceinwhich,inhisoinion, a we‑known “mind‑reader” visiting in this country received imressionsthroughhersenseofhearing,athoughcarefuy bindfoded. Te foowing quotations are from the account modus written by him at the time, and give an idea of the operandi(thenameoftheerformerisomittedhere,athough aearingintheoriginaubicationoftheaccount): “Te room was we ed with inteigent eoe, eager for an exhibition of the wondrous henomenon of teeathy. Miss —— aearedanddeivereda shortaddressuon herwondrousower…. Shethenacedtwoong‑stemmedowersontheatform,andwas ed away into another room to be bindfoded. During her absence
19
lp twoersonssteedutotheatform,aserinstructions,andeach touchedaower.Miss ——wasthenedbackintotheroom,bindfoded withasikhandkerchief,andstartedintondtheersonswhohad touched the owers. She succeeded and handed each the ower reviousytouched.Shethen‘unitedasearatedcoue,’bynding oneandeadinghimtotheother.Shethenocatedtheweaonwith whichanimaginarymurderhadbeencommitted,themurderer,the hiddenbody,and(wonderuonwonders)evenfoundtheoiceman toarrestthecrimina.Shefoundaieceofjeweryandrestoreditto the owner. She correcty discosed the number of a bank‑note. Te audience was eased and many went away aarenty convinced thatherewasteeathythatteeathed.Itdoesookwonderfu—now, doesn’tit?Wehavegivenyouanideaofhowitseemedtothegenera observer,nowetusteyouhowitaearedtothosewhowere‘on theinside.’ “In the rst ace, Miss ——was a much ceverer erformer than the average ‘mind‑reader.’ She erformed her feats with much ess ‘ersona contact’ than any other ubic erformer whom we have seen.Shewentaboutherworkwithoutossoftimeandwithanair ofcondenceandassurancewhichcreatedagoodeect.Itaeared tous,however,thatherfeatscoudbe fuyaccountedforuon the theoryof theuseof thevesenses,sharenedby ractice,andthat anyofthefeatscoudbeduicatedbyonefamiiarwiththesubject, withouttheaidofteeathy.’Ofcourse,Miss ——
mayhaveerformed
herfeatsby‘mindreading’nobodybuthersefcanseakositiveyon thatoint,—butwesaythatthesamefeats
canbeerformedbythe
useofthevesensesaone.Intherstace,theordinarybindfoding doesnotshutoutthesensesofsightandhearing,asyoumayascertain byaitteersonaractice.Tenthesenseof
eeling isfreeforone’s
use,andwhenitisrememberedthat‘thoughttakesforminaction,’ andthattheaverageersonwigiveunconsciousmovementsinthe direction of the object or erson thought of, it readiy wi be seen thataerformerwhohasdeveoedtouchandercetiontoahigh degree wi beabe to nd a ersonorthing uonwhich a number ofeoeareconcentratingtheirthoughts,withoutbeingcomeed
20
Epllp tofabackuonteeathy.Tisisquitesimewhencontactishad with the audience, but more dicut when contact is not resorted to.InMiss ——’sowerfeat,itwasnoticedthattheentireaudience wasookingintentyinthedirectionofthatoneofthe‘thoughtof’ ersonswhohaenedto bethe nearer toher. Manyeoein the roomwerewhisering,butasshearoachedthedesiredersonthe whisering decreased unti amost a erfect sience revaied when theroererson wasreached.Miss ——acedherhands uona numberofersonsbeforereachingtheroerone,butassoonasshe acedherhandsontherightonetheaudienceaaudedoudy,and thesearchended.Itwasnoticedthatsomeoftheadiesresentwere so carried away with symathy and enthusiasm that, unconsciousy, theywoudwhiser,‘No.no!’‘Yes,that’sright!’‘Tisway,
thisway!’‘o
theright,right!’etc,etc.,andbyotherinvountaryexcamationsand motionsgivecueswhichcoudbetakenadvantageofbyaerformer deendinguontheuseof hersharenedsenses.Inshort,itwasan u‑to‑datevariationoftheodgameof ‘hotandcod,’famiiartoour chidhooddays. “You a know how exert some of your crowd of boys and girs becameinthisgame,andhowsoonthehiddenobjectwasfoundby theaidofthe‘hotandcod’suggestions.Youarememberhowsome symatheticandenthusiasticittegirwoudbecomesoexcitedthat whenyounearedthehiddenobjectshecoudscarceykeeherseat, andher‘hot, hot ,HO!’fairysentyousinningtowardthehidden handkerchief. We we remember our own chidhood days, when this was our own favorite game, and when we were the chamion ightweight‘hotandcod’nderofourjuvenieset.Andweremember, oh,howweweremember,thatittefairfacedgirwiththeonggoden cursandthatsweetittetrickofdemureyiftingherbigbueeyesto meetourownboyishgaze.Wewerememberhowouryouthfuheart woudbeatwhenthoseeyesof buewoud—butthat’sanotherstory. Whatwewishedtosaywasthatthatittegirwasourmascotinthe gameof‘hotandcod.’Evenwhenshewassinging‘cod,cod,cod,’ she woud be ooking intenty toward the hidden object, and even eaninginthatdirection.Andwhenwewouddrawneartotheobject,
21
lp wecoudhavefounditifwe hadbeendeafanddumb,rovidedwe retained our sense of sight. Tat itte gir was our guiding star, our comass. “Tere were many ‘grown‑us’ that evening who reminded us forcibyofthewaysofthatittegoden‑hairedfairy.Tey‘justwanted’ Miss ——tondthosechoseneoe‘theworstway,’andtheynodded their heads, shook them, frowned, smied, incined in the indicated direction, rose to their feet when she got ‘hot,’ and when the right ersonwasnayreachededtheaause.Besstheirhearts,they werejustsendingthoughtwavestoheheraong,and,then,wasn’t shebindfoded,sowhatdierencediditmakeaftera?Oh,itjustmade ushomesickforas ightofthatong‑ostittegir,theresembancewas soerfect.We,Missfoundtheeoewhohadtouchedtheowers, andeachreceivedthechoicebossomasarewardofmerit.Shethen startedintoreunitea searatedcoue.Itwasthesamethingover again—thesamefeat,samemethod,sameresut.Newname,that’s a.Tistimeweexerimented.Weturnedourbackwhen‘thecoue’ wasbeingseected,sothatwemightnotknowwhoweretheguity individuas.Whenthehuntbeganweturnedaroundandfoundthat wewereabetoickoutthesearatedtwin‑soussimybymeansof the‘hotandcod’suggestionsbeinggiven,athoughrememberthat wehadtodeendonsightandhearing,oursenseoffeeingnotbeing caedintoay.Wecoud easiytewhenMiss ——wasgetting‘hot’ and,inshort,wereabetoointouttoourcomaniontherogress ofthehunt. “Whenitisrememberedthatthechosenersonnearyawaysgives an invountary indication to the trained observer who is touching him,itwibeseenthatexerience,trainingandquickenedowersof ercetionaretherimerequisitesfortheerformanceofthemajority oftheseso‑caed‘teeathic’feats.’Insomeofthesubsequentfeats somedoubting Tomaseswoud occasionayaaud when Miss — reachedsomeersonotherthantherightone.Onsuchoccasionsshe woudstojustwhereshewasandwoudaarentythinkthatthe rightartyhadbeenreached,untianominoussiencewoudrevea
22
Epllp thefactthatshewas‘cod.’Tis,ofcourse,mayhavebeenmereya seriesofcoincidences,andwesimystateitasanitemofinterest.”
It is interesting to note that the same erformer, at a aterexhibition,inwhichshewassubjectedtoscientictest conditions(incudingtheroercoveringoftheeyesbymeans ofitteovasofsurgeons’cotton,acedneatyoneoverthe other, and a bunch on to of a, and then the handkerchief boundoverthat;andtheingofherearswithcotton,with another handkerchief bound around them) faied uttery to erformthefeatsthatshehadsosuccessfuyerformedatthe reviousexhibition.Shecaimedthatherfaiurewasduetothe audiencebeing“againsther,”andevenaccusedtheersonwho hadbroughtaboutherfaiureofhavinghynotisedher.Te oinionofthescienticinvestigatorsresentwasthatshewas unabetoreceivetheimressions,consciousyorunconsciousy, throughthesensesofsightorhearing,andhencefaied.We have reated the case merey to show that it is ossibe for thesefeatstobeerformedwithoutcontactbymeansofthe ordinary senses. It is ossibe that this erformer may have beensef‑deceived—suchcasesarecommoninthehistoryof exerimentasychoogy. In view of what we have said, it may be seen why the committeeoftheSocietyforPsychicaResearchruedoutthis secondcassofhenomenaasnotbeingabovethesusicionof errorand“unconsciouscerebration.”Ifthe roofsofeeathy terminatedherethedecisionwoudhavetobetheodScotch verdictof“notroven.”Butasweroceedtoaconsideration ofthethirdcassofhenomenawewiseethattheinquiryhas onybegun.
23
lp
24
Chapter IV
The English Experiments
B
to the receding chater you wi see that the third cass of henomena of Tought‑transference, according to the cassication adoted by the Engish Society for Psychica Research, comrises cases in which “somenumber,wordorcardisguessedwithoutanyaarent communication betweenthe oerator andsubject,” so faras theordinarysensesareconcerned. Te exeriments of the Society were eventuay conned tothiscassofhenomena.Itwasrecognizedthatifitwere ossibetoestabishtheexistenceofthiscassofhenomena, in which the oeration of the ordinary senses was inhibited, thentherewoudbeaidthefoundationforarationascientic beief in the reaity of Tought‑transference. Vountary or invountarytransmissionofinformationbymeansoftheve senses being rendered imossibe, it wi be seen that the ony eement of danger wasthatof cousionortrickery. Tis atter contingency was fuy recognized by the Society and itscommitteetookstestoguardagainstthedanger.Itwas rued that exeriments conducted beforea genera audience wereawaysoentothedangerofcousionandtrickery,and that, therefore, resuts obtained therein acked true scientic 25
lp vaue. Accordingy, the exeriments of the committee were conductedbeforeaimitednumberofersons,theindividuas beingersonsfamiiarwithscienticmethodsandhavingno ersonainterestintheresuts. One of the eary series of exeriments by the committee wasthatcommonyknownas“TeCreeryExeriments.”Te subjectswerethefourchidrenoftheR.A.M.C,B.A., ofDerbyshire,Engand.Mr.Creeryhadexerimentedwithhis chidrenfora eriodofseverayears,beginningwiththefamiiar “wiing game,” and then graduay rising to higher hases of henomena such as the“guessing” of names,numbers, cards, etc. Mr. Creery reorted to the committee in these words: “Webeganbyseectingthesimestobjectsintheroom;then chosenamesoftowns,eoe,dates,cardsoutofaack,ines fromdierentoems,etc.,infact,anythingorseriesofideas thatthoseresentcoudkeebeforethemindsteadiy….Tey sedommadea mistake.I haveseenseventeencardschosen bymysefnamedrightinsuccessionwithoutanymistake.We soonfoundthatagreatdeadeendedonthesteadinesswith which the ideas were ket before the minds of the thinkers anduontheenergywithwhichtheywiedtheideastocome toass….I maysaythisfacutyisnot byanymeansconned tomembersofonefamiy;itismuchmoregenerathanwe imagine.overifythisconcusionIinvitedtwoofaneighbor’s chidrentojoinusinourexerimentsandequaysatisfactory resutswereobtained.” Te committee investigated Mr. Creery’s statements, and coming to the concusion that he was acting in good, faith and uon reasonabe evidence, they began this remarkabe series of exeriments which continued over the eriod of about one year. Te foowing reort wi give an idea of the scienticmethodsemoyed,andtherecautionstaken.Te committeereorts:“TeinquiryhastakenaceartyinMr. Creery’shouseandartyinodgingsorina rivateroomat ahoteoccuiedbysomeofournumber.Havingseectedat 26
ElEp randomonechid,whomwedesiredtoeavetheroomand wait at some distance, we woud choose a ack of cards, or writeonaera nameora numberwhichoccurredtousat themoment.Generay,butnotaways,thiswasshowntothe membersofthefamiyresentintheroom;butnoonemember wasawaysresent,andweweresometimesentireyaone.We thenrecaedthechid,oneofusawaysassuringhimsefthat, whenthedoorwassuddenyoened,shewasatac onsiderabe distance,thoughthiswasusuaya sueruityofcaution,as ourhabitwastoavoidautterancesofwhatwaschosen.On re‑enteringshestood—sometimesturnedbyuswithherface tothewa,oftenerwithhereyesdirectedtotheground,and usuaycosetousandremotefromthefamiy—foraeriodof siencevaryingfromafewsecondstoaminute,tishecaed outtoussomenumber,cardorwhateveritmightbe.” Te resut of the rst exeriment was that the chid succeeded in naming the object seected, in six cases out offourteen.Inthecardtestsshesucceededsixtimesoutof thirteen.Inthenametestsshesucceededinvecasesoutof ten.Andinthenamingofsmaobjectshedinthehandsof members of the committee she succeeded in ve cases out ofsix.Tisercentagewasconsideredsoremarkabe,andso muchgreaterthantheaverageexectancywoudindicate,that thecommitteefetthattheywereconsideringac aseofgenuine Tought‑transference.Andaccordingyotherexerimentswere begun. Tefoowingisashortreortofoneofthemostinteresting of the Creery exeriments: “One of the chidren was sent intoanadjoiningroom,thedoorofwhichI sawwascosed. Onreturningtothesittingroomandcosingitsdooraso,I thoughtofsomeobjectinthehouse,xeduonatrandom; writingthenamedownIshowedittothefamiyresent,the strictest sience being reserved throughout. We then a sienty thought of the name of the thing seected. In a few secondsthedooroftheadjoiningroomwasheardtooen, 27
lp andina veryshortintervathechidwoudenterthesitting‑ room, generay aearing with the object seected. No one wasaowedtoeavetheroomaftertheobjecthadbeenxed uon;nocommunicationwiththechidwasconceivabeasthe acewasoftenchanged.Further,theonyinstructionsgivento thechidweretofetchsomeobjectinthehousethatIwoud xuonand,togetherwiththefamiy,sientykeeinmindto theexcusion,sofarasossibe,ofaotherideas.InthiswayI wrotedown,amongotherthings,ah air‑brush—itwasbrought; an orange—it was brought; a winegass—it was brought; an ae—itwasbrought;etc.,etc.” Many other exeriments of the greatest interest were erformed,whichwemustomitforwantofsace.Tefoowing summary,however,wigiveanideaoftheremarkabesuccess attendingtheseries.At otarecordofthreehundredandeighty‑ twosearateexerimentsaearsinthereorts.Acacuation ofthechancesofsuccessaregivenasfoows:“Inthecaseof ettersoftheahabet,ofcards,andofnumbersoftwogures, thechancesagainstsuccessonarsttriawoudnaturaybe 25to1;51to1;and89to1;resectivey.Inthecaseofsurnames the chances against success woud of course be indenitey greater.Cardswerefarmostfrequentyemoyed,andtheodds intheircasemaybetakenasafairmediumsame,according towhich,outofthewhoeseriesofthreehundredandeighty‑ twotrias,theaveragenumberofsuccessesintherstattemt byanordinaryguesserwoudbesevenandone‑third.”Inview oftheabovestatedcacuationofchancesagainstsuccess,itis interestingtonotethatintheseriesoftrias127successesatthe rstattemtwerereorted;56onthesecondattemt;19on thethirdattemt,making the remarkable total o 202 successes out o a possible 382. But one of the secia exeriments reveas a sti more remarkabe resut. Te committee seected a card without fve cards running were reveaingittothefamiy.Atonetime guessed correcty on rst attemt. Te odds against this 28
ElEp haeningwereover1,000,000to1.Anothertimetherewasa sequenceorrunof eight cardssuccessfuyguessedatrsttria, againstwhichtheoddswereestimatedat142,000,000to1;and asequenceorrunofeightnamessuccessfuyguessedatrst tria,theoddsagainstsuchahaeningbeingamostbeyond cacuation.Tecommitteeinmakingitsreortsaidthatthey fetthatachanceoffraudorcousionhadbeenracticay eiminated, and that the hyothesis of coincidence being overbornebytheabovestatedcacuations,thereremainedbut theconcusionthatthehenomenawasreayamanifestation ofTought‑transferance. Prof. Bafour Stewart, LLD., F. R. S., who was resent at a number of these exeriments, reorted as foows regarding certainointsnoticedbyhim: “In the rst instance, the thought‑reader was outside a door. Te objectorthingthoughtofwaswrittenonaerandsientyhanded to the comany in the room. Te thought‑reader was then caed in, and in the course of erhas a minute the answer was given. Deniteobjectsintheroom,forinstance,wererstthoughtof,and inthemajorityofcasestheanswerswerecorrect.Tennumberswere thoughtof,andtheanswersweregenerayright,but,ofcourse,there weresomecasesoferror.Tenamesoftownswerethoughtof,anda goodmanyofthesewereright.Tenfancynameswerethoughtof.I wasaskedtothinkofcertainfancynamesandmarkthemdownand handthemroundtothecomany.I thenthoughtofandwroteon aer,‘Buebeard,’‘omTumb,’‘Cinderea,’andthe answerswerea correct.”
Laterintheyear,thecommitteeresumedtheexeriments with the Misses Creery, this time, however, not at their own homebutattheresidenceofMr.F.W.H.MyersinCambridge, Engand. Tese exeriments continued over a eriod of ten days.Teresutswereasremarkabeasthoseobtainedinthe earier exeriments. Forinstance in thecard tests madewith 29
lp thefuackoffty‑twocards,outof248triasthegirsguessed 22 absoutey correct; on the rst tria; and 18 on the second tria; besides which there were 69 guessed artiay correct. Asthechancesofcorrectguessesshoudhavebeenbut1out of52trias,itwibeseenthattheexerimentwasa decided success.Ononedayoftheseries,outof32exeriments5were cometey successfu at the rst attemt, and 20 artiay correct.Onthisdaytherewasar ecordofthesuitbeingnamed against s uch a n correcty14timesinsuccession,thechances occurrencebeing4,782,969to1. In the exeriments with gures known aone by the committee,outof64triaswithguresrangingfrom10to99, thegirguessed5correctatrsttria;and6atsecondtria.Te average, of course, woud be but 1 in 90 trias, according to theawofaverage,whereasthegirssucceededinaverymuch greaterdegree.
30
Chapter V
More English Experiments
A
of exeriments conducted by the Engish committee which has attracted the attention ofinvestigators,isthatknownasthe“Backburn‑Smith exeriments.”Teseexerimentswereconductedbeforethe committeeunderthedirectionoftwo ofitsmembers,Messrs. F.W.H.MyersandEdmundGurney.Mr.G.A.Smithwasthe erciientandMr.DougassBackburnwasthereciient.Te aceoftheexerimentswasBrighton,Engand. Tereciient,Mr.Smith,wasbindfoded,andsatwithhis back toward the erciient, Mr. Backburn. Every recaution againstfraudwasobserved.Inordertoshutouttheonysense ossibyavaiabetothereciient,thatofhearing,hisearswere covered with heavy bandages; andin certainexeriments his ears were ed with utty which was in turn covered by a thickbandage,overthiswasdrawnabostercase,andthenhis entireheadandbodywascoveredbyabanket.Moreoverthe committeegroueditsefaroundMr.Backburn,theerciient, so as to revent his attemting to communicate with the reciient in any way, Mr. Backburnbeing aso required tosit erfectystiandquietsometwofeetbehindthereciient.Te resutswereobtainedunderthesestrictandrigidrequirements. 31
lp Tenames,gures,etc.,weregivenbythecommittee,oneata timebeforeeachexeriment,toMr.Backburn,theerciient, whothencosedhiseyesandconcentratedhisminduonMr. Smiththeerciient,whoshortyafternamedtheobject,etc., thoughtof,oresedrewwithaencithegureseected. Tefoowingistherecordoftheresutsobtained: Color Selected. ………………………………………………… Answer. God……………………………… Git(coorofictureframe.) LightWood ………………………………… DarkBrown,Saty. Crimson ……………………………………… FieryLooking,Red. Back…………………………………………………………… Back OxfordBue ………………………………… Yeow,Gray,Bue. White ……………………………………………… Green,White. Orange………………………………………………ReddishBrown. Back…………………………………… Iamtired.Iseenothing. •
•
•
Names Chosen.………………………………………………… Answer. Barnard …………………………………………Harand,Barnard. Beairs………………………… Humhreys,BenNevis,Benaris. Johnson ………………………………………… Jobson,Johnson. RegentStreet………………… RembrantStreet,RegentStreet. QueenAnne …………………………………… Queechy,Queen Wissenschaft ………………………………… Wissie,Wissenaft.
Ten foowed a series of exeriments in which ain was inictedonthebodyofMr.Backburn,theerciient,andMr. Smith,thereciient,todwhatartofhisownbodyfetthe ain. Part o Body. …………………………………………………… Answer. LeftUerArm ……………………………… LeftUerArm. LobeofRightEar………………………………LobeofRightEar. 32
MElEp HaironoofHead …………………… HaironoofHead. LeftKnee………………………………………………… LeftKnee. Tenfooweda seriesofremarkabeexerimentsinwhich geometricaandsimiargureswerevisuaizedbytheerciient, and reroduced by the reciient, the reroduction, however, usuaybeinginreverseorderandusidedown.Outofaseries of37drawingssubmitted,ony8wereconsideredtobefaiures. Infourcasesthereciientfaiedtoseeanything,andinfour casesthereroductionwassoimerfectthatitwasCassedas afaiure.Teoriginadrawingsandthereroductionsthereof are given in the Society’s reorts, and must be seen to be areciated. In the committee’s reort, the resuts obtained are summarizedasfoows: “Tusgivingeveryexerimentwhenthechancesagainstsuccesswere beyond50to1,wenduwardof40ercentcorrectyanswered…. Purechancewoudhavegivencertainyessthanfrom1to2ercent. As the chance of hitting, by ure guesswork, on a ctitious name, inventedbyoneofus,woudbeateastonetomanythousands,and asnoneofthechanceswasessthan1to50,wemayroughysaythat ifureguessworkonywereconcerned,weshoudnothavehadmore thanonequiterightinonehundredtrias;whereasourexeriments showedwehad,ifrstresonsesonybeaowed,onequiterightin4 1‑3trias.Intheseresutswehavenotincudedtherecentexeriments on the reroduction of drawings. Here, obviousy, an incacuabe number of trias might be made before ure guesswork woud hit uonaresembanceasnearasthatobtainedinamosteverycaseby Mr.G.A.Smith.”
Inadditiontomany seriesofexeriments,simiar tothose recorded above andinthe recedingchater, theSociety for PsychicaResearchgatheredaargevoumeoftestimonyfrom various sources, in which reutabe ersons reated cases of 33
lp involuntary teeathy which had come under their ersona observation and in their own exerience. It is imossibe to reroducetheseaccountsatength,butthefoowingmaybe quotedasafairreresentativecase: “TeateBishoofWiberforcewasinhisibraryatCuddeson,with three or four of his cergy with him at the same tabe. Te Bisho suddenyraisedhishandtohisheadandexcaimed:‘Iamcertainthat somethinghashaenedtooneofmysons.’Itafterwardtransired thatjustatthattimehisedestson’sfootwasbadycrushedbyan accident on board his shi, the son being at sea. Te Bisho thus recordsthecaseina ettertoMissNoe,datedMarch4,1847:‘Itis curiousthatatthetimeoftheaccidentI wassoossessedwiththe deressingconsciousnessofsomeevihavingbefaenmyson,Herbert, thatattheast,onthethirddayafterthe13th,I wrotedownthatI was quite unabe to shake o the imression that something had haenedtohim,andnotedthisdownforremembrance.’”
TeSocietyasoreortsuonanumberofinterestingcases ofvountaryteeathyatad istance,butfromthenatureofthe casetheseexerimentscoudnotbeconductedunderthesame stricttestconditions,andtheresutsacktheositivequaity ossessed by the cass of exeriments we have mentioned. I omitaseciareferencetothese“ong‑distance”exeriments inthischater,morearticuarybecauseIintendcaingyour attentiontoaw eknownseriesofsuchexerimentsconducted byProf.S.W.Wetmer,ofNevada,Missouri,andhisson,Mr. Ernest Wetmer, which is generay known as “Te Wetmer Exeriment,”andwhichhasattractedmarkedattentionfrom investigatorsofthesubjectbothinthiscountryandinEuroe: Inoeringtheresut ofthe Engish exeriments I make no attemttoroveanyseciahyothesis,ortheory,butmerey desire to ay the facts before you that you may inteigenty determineforyoursefwhether“theroofsofeeathy”are 34
MElEp worthy of carefu consideration and account. Northcote W. Tomashaswesaid,inhisworkon“Toughtransference”: “Nothing is more dicut than to sum u the net resut of exeriments so diverse in their nature and outcome as the various seriesdescribedabove.Withtheexcetionofthecardseries,noneof thetriasembracedanygreatnumberofsearateexeriments,andin noneofthebriefseriesistheossibiityofchancecoincidenceexcuded, howeverimrobabeitmayaearincertaincases.Teresutsofthe cardexeriments,ontheotherhand,arehardysucientydecisive forittobeossibetobaseanyconcusiononthem.Iamessdisosed tosumuthemisceaneousexerimentshereubished…asitis, priori ,certainthatnoargumentbaseduonthemisikeytoaect any one’s convictions. Tose who are satised that teeathy ‘and athatnonsense’isimossibe,winotbemoved,evenifanange comefromheaven.Tosewhohodthatthemassof evidenceisyet toosma,or that inmanyoftherevioustriasthe conditions have notbeensuchastoexcudeundesirederturbations,winotndin theresentcontributionmatterofsucientweighttoturnthescae in favor of teeathy. Perhas those who are aready convinced that thought transference isa factwithinkmeunduy exacting, when I demandmoreevidenceandeseciaymore
recentevidencethanany
whichtheSocietyof PsychicaResearchhasutbeforeus…. I adot, therefore,thesaferanofeavingmyreaderstomakeutheirminds on the subject of these exeriments for themseves. If I venture to exressmyownconvictiononthesubject,itisthatmuchmoreeort, andarticuary,muchmoresystematiceort,isneededbeforewecan safeyassertthatteeathyisa rovedfact.(BythisI meanroved bydirectexeriment.Whenwetakeintoaccountcrystagazingand thesontaneouscases,theweightofevidenceinfavorofteeathyis considerabygreater).Noinquirycanaycaimtobescienticwhich exressesItsresutsingeneratermswhenitcangivetheminrecise. terms….TeSocietyforPsychicaResearchwasformedtoinvestigate teeathy as we as sirituaism. At resent a its energies seem to be directed towards inquiries into trance mediumshi, automatic
35
a
lp writing,andtheike,totheexcusionoftheworkwhichshoudreay formthefoundationofthewhoestructureofPsychicaScience,the estabishmentofthetheoryofteeathy,iftrue,anditsformuation inthemostdenitetermsossibe….Forifthoughttransferenceis evertoberoved,itmustbebyshowingthatitisafacutycommon to the human race and not absoutey imited to a few individuas. Reasonaby or unreasonaby, if thought transference cannot, with sucient atience and sucienty deicate methods of anaysis, be demonstrated on the corpus vile , or rather the anima vilis , of the ordinaryman,itwiforthemassofscienticmenremainatanyrate ontheborderand,ifnotintheimboofsuerstitionsanddeusions.If ahundred,orvehundred,orvethousand,ersonswererearedto try,underroerconditions,exerimentsofthesortdescribedhere, eavingthediscussionandanaysistoexerts,itmightbeossibe,if nottodemonstratethought‑transferencefromtheresuts,atanyrate tosaymoredeniteythanwecanatresent,whethertheordinary ersonshowsanytracesofsuchafacuty,”
36
Chapter VI
The Weltmer Experiment
P
pbestknownseriesofexerimentsineeathy conducted by investigatorsin Americais that known as “TeWetmerExeriment.”conductedbyProf.SidneyA. Wetmer.andhisedestson.ErnestWetmer,ofNevada,Missouri. Prof.Wetmeristheheadofthe“WetmerInstitute,”ofNevada, Missouri,atwhichinstitutionheaingbysuggestionandother menta agencies, incuding “absent treatment” by means of teeathy,hasbeenracticedsuccessfuyformanyyears.Mr. Ernest Wetmer has investigated the subject of teeathic henomenaformanyyearsandhasconductedag reatnumber of ersona exeriments aong these ines. Feeing, however, that it was advisabe to institute a series of exeriments on a much arger scae and covering a much broader ed, the Messrs.Wetmerbegantheceebrated“WetmerExeriment” in1907. In the August, 1907, issue of “Wetmer’s Magazine,” the foowingannouncementaears:“Fortheastyearwehave beenconductinga cass(inadditiontothereguarcoursein heaing)fortheinvestigationofsychichenomena,andthe resutswehaveachievedconvinceusmorethaneverthatitis ossibetoaycarefumethodsofobservationtothestudy 37
lp oftheunseenasweastotheseenword.Wehavemadea greatmanyexerimentsinteeathy,withofttimesremarkabe resuts,andnowwewishtoextendourresearchestobroader ines and in one series of exeriments gather more materia thanwoudordinariybeobtainabeinaife‑timeofhardwork. We are goingto begin a seriesofexeriments inteeathyto test the possibility o a large number o people receiving messages rom one sender . We are we tted to make this exeriment successfu.Wehaveamagazinewhichreachesa argenumber ofeoeeachmonth,throughwhichwecancommunicate with the ones who are heing to make the exeriments, andwehavea centrearoundwhichtogathera greatdeaof eortandfromwhichtosendweekymessagestoawhoare tryingtoreceivethem.Wehavemenwhoaretrainedtosend thoughtstoothers,whounderstanderhasasweasanyone attheresenttime,theactionofthenaturaawswhichmake thesethingsossibe,and,infact,wethinkwehaveeverything necessary to give the exeriment a arge chance of being a success.Webeievethatwecansendtoathousandeoeas weastooneanythoughtuonwhichweconcentrate;that thedicutywibeingettingreceivers,notsomuchingetting senders,athough,ofcourse,fortheatterisrequireda man oftrainedmindwhocanthinkwhathewishestothink;and further,webeievethattherewibeittetroubeinteaching eoehowtoreceive,iftheyarewiingtomakeaneortto earn,asourexeriencehasshownusthatitiscomarativey easytoteach,themainthingbeinganeortontheartofthe uitoearn. “eeathyisarovenfact.Ithasbeenrovensomanytimesunder stricty test conditions that it is no more questioned now than is hynotism, and ony, as one woud exect, by the same eoe, to wit:thosewhoknownothingwhateveraboutwhathasbeendonein eitheroftheseines;inotherwords,bytheignorant.Wedonotexect inthisexerimenttoroveanythingnewsofarasordinaryteeathy
38
WlEp isconcerned,butweexecttoconformwhatisareadyroven,and wewishtodiscover,ifossibe,whetheroneersoncansendmessages toaargenumberofeoeatthesametime….Tenwewicarrythe exerimentastefurtherandendeavortodeterminewhetheraarge numberofersonscanbemadetofeethesamesensationsatac ertain timefromonevoitionofthesender,withouttheirconsciousnessof thesender’sintention.Tiswoudmakeafurtherbasisforanabsent methodoftheraeutictreatment. “Ouranforthisexerimentisasfoows:Wearerintingabank inthisnumberofthemagazinewhichweexectateastvehundred ofoursubscriberstocutout,signroeryandreturntous,thereby romisingtosendhafanhour,moreoress,eachweek,intrying toreceiveamessagetobesentfromhereandtoreortimmediatey afterthetriathethoughtstheythinktheycanidentifyasbeingthe messagetheyhavebeentryingtoreceive.Weshaubishfourbanks eachmonthforthemtouseinmakingtheirweekyreorts,which wisavethemmuchtroubeofwritingettersandmakeiteasierfor ustotakecareofthemassofmateriathatwihavetobe arranged inrmwhatisareadyroven,andwewishtodis‑ubishatimetabe fortrying theexeriment,making thetimesuitfor thewhoeword, sothatwhenthesenderistryingtoreachthereceiverstheycanabe waitingforthemessage.Teneachweekatthetimeset,oneofour trainedsenderswiconcentratehismindonsomethoughtforthe uroseofsendingitouttoawhoaremakinganeorttoreceiveit. Hewiasowritethewordsexressingthethought,onasiofaer whichhewihavewitnessedbyanotaryonthesameday,makingit imossibetosubstitutea bogusmessageforthereaonesent,and giving the evidence obtained from an agreement of the thoughts receivedwiththemessagesent,strongvaueinthemindsofthemost sketica.Or,ifthiswinotdohewibegiventhemessagetobesent afterenteringtheroomintheresenceofwitnesseswhowimake adavit to this fact. Tese messages wi be ubished each month, togetherwithathereiessentin,andthenwhenthereceivergets hismagazinehecanseewhatsuccesshehashadandhowotherswho aretryingtheexerimenthaverosered.Astheenromentbanks
39
lp arereceivedweshanumberthemandwhenweubishthereies oftheresondentsweshaubishonythenumbers,butwesha asokeeoneatheoriginareiessignedwiththefunameofthe writersothatifanyofthemarecaedinquestionbythesketicawe canrovethemgenuine. “Tis manner of conducting the exeriment wi make its resuts concusive,andifwearesuccessfuinrovingthatthesethingsare ossibe…withdataofthissortitwibeossibetomakeascienceof teeathywhichshahavearighttothename.”
In the Setember, 1907, issue of the same magazine, the editorsstate:“TeeeathyExerimentisa‘ go.’Wehaveover threehundredreceiversenroedto‑day,andeverymaibrings abigsheafofnewaications.Athosewhoareenroedwi receiveas heetofinstructions,timetabes,etc.,encosedintheir magazine.” Tefoowingquotationsfromthe“Instructions”senttothe ReceiverintheWetmereeathyExeriment,wigiveanidea ofthemethodsfoowed,etc: “eeathy is a function of the deeer, subconscious mind, both as to the sending and receiving of messages. Toughts sent by the subconsciousness come to the consciousness of the sender ony incidentay or erhas not at a. Messages received by the subconsciousnessarisetotheconsciousnessofthereceiverwhiehis mindisinaconditionwhichacestheordinarysensorythoughtsin thebackground,andastheresutofthetransmittedvibrationscausing amovementorconditioninthereceiver’smindsimiartothatwhich inthesender’smindroducedconsciousness.eeathicmessagesare neithersentnorreceiveddirectyinconsciousness,whethervountary orinvountary.However,sinceaofthethinkingfacuties,thosewhich normay roduce consciousnessandthosewhichdonot, are under controoftheconsciousness‑roducingorconsciousmind,controed bytheconsciouswi,itisossibetosotrainthesubconscioussending facutythatonecandeterminethemessagessent,bythethoughts
40
WlEp whicharisetoconsciousness.Hecanasoearntoraisetoconsciousness a desirabe messages received by the conscious receiving facuty. Tisisa matterofeducationandracticeandtherststetoward rociencyintheartofsendingandreceivingmessagesistoearnto receivethem.oteachthisistheobjectoftheseessons. “About the ony thing that is fuy roven about teeathy is that thereissucham eansofcommunication;thatminds
cancommunicate
withoutanyoftheordinaryhysicaaids.Tisisroven,butnoone understandsfuyhowthisisaccomished.odiscoverthisisoneof theaimsofthiseeathyExeriment.Teotherendforwhichwe areworkingistoteachmentousethismeansofcommunicationso thatitmaybeaiedineverydayife,assistinguswiththework:we aredoingwithourheadandhands.Ourrinciaobjectatresent, however,isexerimentation.Inordertogetthebestresutswemust aya anuonwhichtowork.Tisanmustointtheroadtosuccess, thewaytoreachtheendofthejourneyweareundertaking.Itmustbe formuatedfromak nowedgeofthegroundoverwhichweshatrave. Wehavethesameuseforitthatthearcticexorerhasfortheanof theroadheshatravetondthePoe,andwemustbe,asheis,aways readytoabandonitatanytimewhenitrovesinadequateorseems iabetoeadusastray.Hetakeshismasandatheaccountshecan ndofarctictravesandfromthemeagerinformationtheygivehim hesketchesouttherobabecourseheshahavetofoowandforms someideaofthenatureofthecountryoverwhichheshaassand thedicutiesheisikeytomeet. “So we take our knowedge of teeathy geaned from our own exeriences and a the trustworthy accounts of the exeriences of otherswecanget,andstudyingthese,weevoveanexanation,sofar asweareabe,ofthishenomenon,andfromthisexanationweay aanforfuturework.Tisexanationandanwecaahyothesis, whichisroosedtoaccountforsomethingnotunderstood,aan throughwhichweexecttogetanunderstandingofthehenomenon, andaf uknowedgeofthetruth.Terearemanyhyothesesroosed toaccountforteeathy,butnoneoftheseseemstoustobefounded onthefactsas theyoccur, aearingratherto bestatementsof the
41
lp references of their makers, exressions of their hoes rather than foreshadowingsof thetruth;thereforewe havediscardedaof them fortheonewhichweshagivehere,beievingthatthisisthemost comrehensibe, the sanest and most ogica concusion, from the natureofthefactsforwhichwearetoaccount.
“OHp” “1. Mind acting in the norma caacity of thinking, roduces vibrationsinether. (“So far as we know, every exression of inteigence and force is throughsomeformofsubstancebysomemodeofmotion.Conscious thought is an exression of an inteigence and force and requires substance for its exression. What this substance may be, whether brain or mind, or both, (if we may seak of mind as substance,) we do not know, but we nd we cannot think of motion aart from something to move. We conceive that there must be motion associated with thought, not ony because we nd motion back of everyexression,butaswebecausewecannotreaythinkofitas aart from substance. Te motion of mind is not, stricty seaking, in brain substance, but it is in ether and exressed through brain substance,justasheatisnotintherodbutisam ovementoftheether exressingitsefthroughthegowing,red‑hotiron.Tewhoethinking rocess,assuch,issubconscious,androducesconsciousnessonyas aresutofcertainitteunderstoodconditions.Beoweveryconscious thoughtthereisaverycomexrocessofmentaactivityandabasis ofethericmovement.) “2.Ether,caabeofbeingsetintovibrationsbymentaactivities,s asace. (“Wedonotmeantobedeniteinthisstatementbutratherto exresstheideathatwecanacenoimitstotheextentofetherand donotknowofanythingwhichitdoesnotermeate,inwhichitdoes notexist.Wecannotknowwhetheritsasace,becausewedo notknowasace.Wedoknow,however,thatteeathicmessages havebeenreceivedfromthefarthestcornersoftheearthandthat
42
WlEp therefore, so far as we are concerned as human beings, it s a of extendedsace;thatitateastsathesaceweoccuy.) “3.Ethertransmitsthoughtvibrationstoeveryartofitsmass. (“Tisisanotherstatementwhichisdescritiveratherthandenite. Wecoudnot,ofcourse,saythatthewhoemassofetherisdisturbed bythoughtvibrationsinanyoneartofit,butthisideaisnecessaryin ourconcetionoftheethericbodywhichisofaninniteyextended andexceedingy attenuatedbut atthesame time more oress soid substance.Hereagainwendthatitmattersittewhetherornotour statement is exact, since vibrations have beentransmittedfrom the antiodes,whichmeansthatsofarasweareracticayconcerned ourstatementistrue.Tatvibrationsaretransmittedthroughetheris rovenbythefactthatmessagesaretransmitted,anditisanecessary concetioninourhyothesisthatthoughtsroducevibrationsinether. Intheabsenceofanyhysicamediumoftransmissioninteeathywe conceivethatetherservesthisurosejustasthewireessteegraher conceivesthatwavesofeectricityarecarriedbyetherwhenhesends messagesfromonemachinetoanotherwithoutusingwiresorany othervisibemeansofcommunication.) “4.Teetherictransmissionofthoughtvibrationsisindeendentof theconsciousvoitionoftheroducer. (“Many instances come in the exerience of every one in which messageshavebeensentandreceivedwithoutanyeortontheart ofeithersenderorreceiver.) “5. Te transmission of thought vibrations can be directed and intensiedbytheconsciousvoitionofthesender. (“Forinstance,Imayconsciousywithatmyteeathicsuggestions sha reach and aect a certain erson in a denite manner, and exeriencerovesthattheeectroducedisroortionainsome degreetotheintensityofmyvoition.Tisisossibe,notbecausethe consciousthinkingofthesenderroducesastrongereectthrough stronger conscious activities. Tis is so because Will is, po- 1which,under the inuence of the consciousy directed wi, roduces a stronger conscious eect, roduces aso a stronger etheric wave through 1 yesettingerrorinorigina:Correcttextreacedwithduicate.SeeBeow.
43
lp subconsciousactivities.TisissobecauseWiis,otentiay
1
ateast,
masterofathefacutiesandowersofman.) “6.Mindcanreceiveandtransatethoughtvibrations. (“Everyinstanceofteeathyrovesthatmindreceivesthoughts in som some e ma mann nner er fr from om di dist stan antt mi mind nds. s. Our hy hyot othe hesi siss ass assum umes es th that at themanneroftransmissionisintheformofvibrations.Hence,itis nece ne cess ssar ary y th that at we co conc ncei eive ve th that at mi mind nd ca can n re rece ceiv ive e th thes ese e th thou ough ghtt vibrationsandtransatethemintoconsciousthoughts.) “7.. Mind receives ony those thoug “7 ugh ht vibra rattio ion ns which nd a harmoniousresonseinthereceivingmind. (“Toughtvibrationsarereceivedbytheirroducinginthereceiving mind min da new newmode modeof ofmotion otioncorreson orresondin ding g with withthe motion motionof ofthe mindwhichroducedthem.Whenthereceivingmindisatacertain tension,whichitiswhenthinking,orim
-
string on a violin is tuned
to a certain tension2 ,onyvibrationswhichwoudberoducedbya
mindatthesametensioncanaectit.oiustrate:ifa stringona vioinistunedtoacertaintension
3
onysoundvibrationswhichcome
fromanotherstringtunedtoiketensionwisetitintovibration.So itiswiththemindandteeathicsensitiveness.Toughtsofhoe,for instance,havea itchecuiartothemsevesandrequirethemind roducingthemtohavea certaintension.Whenthemindistuned tothetensionwhichroducesthoughtsofhoeitcanonyanswer tovibrationswhichhavestartedfromothermindshavingthesame tension.Forthisreasonthethoughtshethinksdeterminestowhat thoughtsthereceiverwibesensitive.Tisaiesineveryhourand minuteofyourife.) “8.Toughtsofikenatureroducemutuayharmoniousvibrations. (“Tisisnecessariysosincemindcanreceivethoughtvibrationsat onetimeandtransatethemataatertime.Itisobviousynecessary thattheybestoredbeowtheconsciousnessinsomemanner.)
1 2 3 4
Duic Du icat ated ed tex ext. t. yesetti yesetting ngerror rrorinorigina: origina:Correct orrecttext textreaced reacedwith ithduicate. uicate.See SeeBeow. eow. Du Du ic icat ated ed tex ext. t. Missi Mi ssing ng tex extt8–10 8 –10..Erro E rror? r?
44
4
WlEp “11.Ac ertainconditionofmindcaedteeathicsensitivenessmakes ossibe oss ibe the con conscio scious us er erce ceti tion on and int inter erre retat tation ion of the st store ored d thoughts. (“Exeriencerovesthatthemindmustbeconsciousywithdrawn fromsensorythoughtsandmadesensitivetotheinnermindinorder toraiseteeathicmessagestoconsciousness.) “12.. ee “12 eeat athic hic sen sensit sitive iveness ness ch chang anges es the re reat ation ion of the con conscio scious us andsubconsciousminds. (“Ta (“ Tatt te tee ea ath thic ic se sens nsit itiv iven enes esss a aec ects ts on ony y th the e re eat atio ion n of th the e cons co nsci ciou ouss an and d su subc bcon onsc scio ious us mi mind ndss is i iu ust stra rate ted d by th the e fa fact ct th that at messagesreceivedatonetimecanbeinterretedatanother;asoby thefactthatteeathyisnotaconsciousfacuty.Itisimiedbyour assumtionofsubconsciousrecetivitytovibrations.) “13.eea “13. eeathic thicsensitiven ensitiveness essdoesnot aect aectthemindinits externa externa reat re ation ionss wit with h the obje objects cts and in inuen uences ces of its en envir vironm onmen entt exc excet et thattheattentioniswithdrawnfromthem. (“Tisisreay eaya negative negativestatement tatementofthet wefth wefth..Sinceteeathic eeathic sensitivenessconsistsinoeningtheconsciousmindtosubconscious activ act ivit itie ies, s, it co coud ud no not, t, of co cour urse, se, a aect ect its re rea ati tion onss wi with th th the e ou oute terr word,excetasitwithdrewaattentionfromit.) “14. “1 4. To Toug ught ht vi vibr brat atio ions ns wi wi r rod oduc uce e th the e sa same me co cons nsci ciou ouss e eec ectt uonthemindofthereceiverthattheyroduceuonthemindof theroducer,excetastheirinterretationiswaredbyanimerfect conditionofteeathicsensitiveness. (“Co (“ Consc nsciou iouss th thoug ought ht is th the e re resu sut t of mot motion ion in et ethe herr, r rodu oduci cing ng consciousnessthroughthebrain,deendingforitsnatureuonthe rateandintensityofthismotion.Wheneverthebrain,throughthe etheri eth ericc motion motions, s, is isgivenan iven anyy sort sortof mot motion ion,, there therewibe rod roduce uced d a co corr rres eson ondi ding ng e eect ect of co cons nsci cious ousne ness. ss. Te Tere refo fore re,, wh when en th thoug ought ht vibrationsofacertainnaturecommunicatetheirmotiontothebrain ofthereceiver,theresutantconditionofconsciousnesswibethe sametothereceiverasthesamemotionoriginaycausedinthemind oftheroducer.Afautyconditionofteeathicsensitivenessmight introduce introdu cecertain certa ineements eement sof ofdiscord discordintothe ntothethoughtmotion thoughtmotion,,tingeing tingein g the mes message sage rec receiv eived ed wit with h the rec receiv eiver’ er’ss own tho though ught. t. Tis a aies ies
45
lp onytotheraisingofthethoughttoconsciousness.Weconceivethat themessageisreayreceivedinthesubconsciousreceivererfectand iswaredonywhenitisinrocessofbeingraisedtoconsciousness, athoughtheremightbesomedistortionbeowthis.) “15. “1 5. An im imer erfec fectt co cond ndit itio ion n of te tee ea ath thic ic se sens nsit itiv iven eness ess wi wi te tend nd to mi mix x th the e th thoug ought ht of th the e re rece ceive iverr wi with th th the e th thoug ought ht of th the e sen sende derr, distortingtheinterretationofthereceivedthought. (“Tisisobviousfromtheforegoingexanation.) “16.Animerfectconditionofteeathicsensitivenessmaycausea receivedthoughttobeinterretedinsensations,feeingsorideas. (“No (“ Noth thin ing g is mo more re co comm mmon on th than an fo forr ou ourr th thou ough ghts ts of th thin ings gs to arouse ar ousetheiracc heir accoma omanyi nying ngsensation ensations. s. Tus, Tus,whenyou sit sitin ina tra train, in, ooki oo king ng ou outt at an anot othe herr tr trai ain n wh whic ich h is jus justt beg begin inni ning ng to mo move ve on a araetrack,youaeartobemovingandcanfeethemotionof thetrain,athoughyouare arestandingstia athetime.Tere ereisthesame reactiontoathoughtreceivedteeathicaythatthereistotheidea createdbyfaseinterretationofsensorystimuation.) “17.eeathicsensitivenessissometimesnatura. atura. (“Ti (“ Tiss is r rov oven en by th the e fa fact ct th that at te tee ea ath thic ic me mess ssag ages es ar are e of ofte ten n receivedwithoutanyunusuaconditionsorvountaryeort.) “18.eeathicsensitivenesscanbecutivatedwhere hereitisnotnatura. (“Common (“C ommonexerience xerienceinteachingthe heart of ofsendingand ndreceiving eceiving teeathicmessagesrovesthisstatement,makinganyexanations unnecessary.) “19.. ee “19 eeat athic hic sen sensit sitive ivenes nesss is best cu cutiv tivat ated ed by ex exerc ercises ises whi which ch tend ten d to abs abstra tract ct one fro from m con conscio scious us re reat ation ion wit with h his en envir vironm onmen entt androduceastateofhysicaandmentareaxation. (“Si (“ Sinc nce e te tee ea atthi hic c se sen nsit itiive vene ness ss con onsi sist stss in wit ithd hdra rawi wing ng on one’ e’ss conscious consc iousattention ttentionfromsurroundingswhich urroundings whichwi wiroducesensation, ensation, itnaturayfoowsthatexerciseswhichromotethisstatearebest adatedtoitscutivation.Exeriencerovesthetheory.) “20. While artifcial telepathic sensitiveness is at frst a slow and dicult process, training will enable one to produce it instantaneously at will .
46
WlEp (“Tisaststatementofourhyothesis
is not hypothetical at all ,but
is a statement o actual results obtained by us in the work o teaching telepathy.” Foowing the above statement of “Te Wetmer Hyothesis,” Mr. ErnestWetmermakesthefoowingstatement,andgivesthefoowing directionsfor“TeWetmerExeriment:” “Fortheurosesofourexerimentyouneedtoearntoreceive messages;itisasobetterforyoutohavethisdeveomentbeforeyou trytotakeutheworknecessarytothesuccessfusendingofthem; therefore,Is hagiveyouinstructionsatresentonyinthecutivation of teeathic sensitiveness which is necessary to the conscious interretation of teeathic messages received by the subconscious mind.Asstatedinourhyothesis,weassumethatthereceivingfacuty orowerdoesnotbeongtotheconsciousness‑roducingfacutiesof mind,butthatitisa artofthosefacutieswhichdonotnormay roduce consciousness, and that it needs no secia cutivation ofitseftoexerciseitsfunctions.Wefurtherassumethatwhenthe consciousness‑roducing facuties are withdrawn from the senses andsensorythoughtsandtheattentionisturnedinwardtowardthe deeersef,thatthemessagesreceivedbythesubconsciousreceiving owerscanarisetoconsciousnessandbeconsciousyknownbythe receiver.Tisconditionofthemindturnedinwardfortheercetion ofteeathicmessagesiscaed
telepathic sensitiveness ,andabiityto
roducethisconditionatwiiswhatwemustnowtrytocutivate. “Te rst necessity for the roduction of vountary teeathic sensitiveness is that theattentionshabe fuy withdrawn from the body, and that the body sha be aced in such a condition that itssensesshanotintrudeuonthemindforthetimebeing.Te hysica condition that most fuy insures these resuts is that of erfectreaxation,ofthebodyandanequareaxationofthemindin itsreationtothebodyandthingsconcerningit.Inordertoroduce themosterfectreaxationwehaverecoursetooneofthebestknown awsofsychoogy,towit:—Temindseesbycontrasts,andwhena verystrongshadowisacedbyacomarativeystrongight,themind magniesthestrengthoftheight,etc.,—thisweaytoourrobem,
47
lp and an d ex exer erie ienc nce e bea bears rs us ou outt in th the e sta state teme ment nt th that at wh when en a er eriod iod of in inte tens nse e ac acti tivi vity ty is qu quic ick ky y fo fo ow owed ed by a e eri riod od of co com mar arat ativ ive e reaxation,themind mindmagniesthe hedegreeofreaxationandmakesone feemorereaxedthanhereayis.Hereanotherawofsychoogyis broughttintoay, brough ay,to wit:—Te wit:—Tebody reacts reactsto the thementa entaconditions onditions andexressesasfuyasossibethethoughtsinthemind;therefore, whenweroduce roduceafeeingofreaxation eaxationthebodyquicky uickyfoowsthe feeingwiththeactuacondition.Weaytheserincieswiththe samebeneciaresuts.Tefoowingisthemannerofaication: “Appl.Afterhavingreadtheforegoingcarefuy,gointoyour roomaone,ifossibe,andhavingrearedyourbedoreasychairso thatt you tha youmayie ay ieor orsitat easeand ease andcom comfort, fort,tak take e this thisexercis xercise, e,either ither sitting sitti nguoryingdown, own,orevenstanding. tanding.Itisbettertotake akeitinthe ositionyouwimaintain osition aintainduringyourreaxation eaxationeriod,butifthis hisis inconv inc onveni enien entt andyou and youhaveto tak take e theexe the exerc rcise isein oneosition osition and and then the nrestin anothe anotherr, ace aceyoursef oursefin theosi the ositio tion n you youwishto ish tokee, ee, beforeyouarereadytoreax.I shadescribetheexerciseasifyou weretakingitsittinginyoureasychair,andyoucanadatitfromthis descritiontomeet meetyourownrequirements. requirements.Extendyour yourarmsin infront andkeeingyourattentionrmyxeduonwhatyouaredoing,haf cosethehandsandthen thentrytooenandcosethematthesametime, uingthemuscesthatwoudoenthemagainstthosewhichwoud cosethem;hafbendthewristsandthenmakethemusceswhich woudbendthemfartheruagainstthosewhichwoudstraighten them;bendtheebowsinthesamemanner,andiftthearmsasoat thesametimethat thatothermusces muscesaretryingtohod hodthemdown; down;when athehand,wrist,ebowandshoudermuscesarethusuingagainst eachother,suddenyreaxthemandetthearmsfa,whenyouwi feeasenseofbodiyeaseandreaxationrunuyourarmsandsread overyourshouders. houders.Dothissevera everatimes;ifyoudoitroery, roery,three orfourtimesaresucientunessyouareaccustomedtothisarticuar formofexercise.Ten
mentallyaythesame mentally ameexercise xercisetoaartsof
yourbody,yourneck,trunk,egs,etc.Ifyouhavedoneitrightwith yourarms,youcanbythementaaicationtoaotherartsofyour bodyroduce roducethesamereaxation eaxationineveryart.When henexercising xercisingthe
48
WlEp arms,besurethat hatthehands andsdonotreaxwhenyoubeginbendingthe wrists,andthatboththehandsandwristaretensewhenyoubend theebows,etc.,sothatwhenyoucometoreax,everymusceinthe armssandshouders arm houdersth that atwoudbe oud beinvoved nvovedinsuchactions ctionsas those those described,wibeuingashardasossibe. “Whe “W hen n yo you u ha have ve re rea axe xed d yo your ur bod body y in th this is ma mann nner er th then en e eav ave e it aone;giveitnofurtherthought;forgetitifossibe,thengiveyour atte at tent ntio ion n to som some e co com mex ex r rob obem em su such ch as th the e fo foo owi wing ng:: Po Ponde nderr themysteryoftheformationofachickenoutoftheyeowandwhite arts a rts of an egg egg,, or th the e h hen enom omen enon on of fr fros ostt fo form rmin ing g a att tter erns ns on thewindows,ortheeveningskybecomingred,oranythingeseyou cannotunderstandthatwiermitofintensementaaication,or ifyoudonotiketheserobems,takearobeminmentaarithmetic andsoveit;anythingwidothatrequiresconcentrationandasmuch mentaexertionasossibe.Whenyouhavebroughtyourmindtoa highdegreeofvountaryactivitysuddenyetgoacontroofit,rest andreaxyourmindas asyouhavedoneyour yourbody,then henjustetyoursef aone. aon e.Makeno eorts eorts to tocontro ontroyour yourtho though ughts; ts;et come come what what wi wi anddo and donoteven venmakeaneort ortto hear hearor see seeanythin nything. g.
Just relax relax..If
yougotosee,thatwinotmatter;youwiawakeafteratime,and evenifyoudoseeanightthatisaright;trytoraisethemessage toconsciousness onsciousnesstherstthingnextmorning orningbeforearising. rising.Itwoud beweifyouwoudracticethisexerciseeveryday,makingnoeort toreceiveanything,however,excetonthenightssetforthetests. Youcaninthismannermakemoreraidrogressthanifyouractice onyoncea weekatthetimewhenyouwishtoreceivea message. Every Ev ery ti time me th that at yo you u r ract actic ice e th the e ex exer erci cise, se, re read ad th the e hy hyot othe hesi siss an and d instructionsfuy,thinkingoftheirmeaningascoseyasifyouhad neverseenthembefore,andconcentratethewhoeofyourattention ontheexercises exercisesyou youareracticing. racticing.Becarefuto toavoidanyerfunctory erfunctor y erformanceofanyartoftheseinstructions.Tethoughtthatyou utintoitiswhatwicountforyou. “D “D Ep Ep :: Every Every Tursday Tursdaynig night, ht,as ong ongas as theExerimentiscontinued,whichwibeduringthewhoeofthe comi co ming ng wi wint nter er,, at an any y ra rate te;; fr from om ni nine ne to ni nine ne‑t ‑thi hirty rty,, St Stan anda dard rd or
49
lp Rairoadime,Centraime,Prof.S.A.Wetmerwisendamessage fromheretoathereceiverswhoareenroedintheExeriment.At that th attimeyou shoud shoudmakeyour ake yoursef sefrec recet etive iveand andtry tryto receiv receive e the the messagehesends.Ifyou youiveinEasternime, ime,youshoud shoudtakethetime time from fr om ten ten to te ten‑ n‑th thirty irty fo forr re reax axat ation ion;; if yo you u i ive ve in in At Ata ant ntic ic or Inte Interr‑ Cooniaime,fromeeventoeeven‑thirty,orifthishouristooatefor you,reax eaxwhenyouareready eadyforbedandthen,nextmorning orningbefore arising,trytoreceivethemessagewhichhasbeenstoredinyourdeeer mind.IfyouivewestofNevada,(Missouri),andyourtimeisWestern orMountainime,youshoudreaxfromeighttoeight‑thirty;ifPacic ime,fromseventoseven‑thirty,inordertobewaitingatthetimethat themessageisbeingsent.RememberthatweareusingonyStandard ime,whichis isthesame sameasRairoadimeandoften ftenverydierentfrom from Sunime.Receivers eceiversivinginforeigncountries countriescanadatthetime timethey usetothis,usingmeanSunime,whichwibearoximateycorrect. “Assoonasyoureceivea messagewriteouta reortofit.
Be sure
to report ,evenifyoudonotgetanything; nything;butthere hereisnochance hancethat you yo u wi wi fai fai to ge gett
something if you wi something if wi fo foow ow di dire rect ction ions, s, an and d th that at
somethingmaybethemessage.Youmustearntodistinguishwhatis themessageandwhat whatisnot notandthereorts reortsyoumakewiheyouin in this.Tis isisoneofthemostdicut icutthingsyouwihave avetoearnand youcannotbetoocarefuaboutreortingroery.Manyeoeget themessagecorrectyeverytimebutdonotknowhowtorecognizeit. Tisissomethingthatyouwihavetoearnargeythroughexerience, by com comar aring ing your exe exerie rience ncess whi whie e re reaxe axed d wit with h the re reorts orts you sendinandthemessagessenttoyou.Inthiswayyoucanseewhere youhavebeenmaking akingyourmistakes istakesandearntoknow nowwhatisfrom theoutsideandwhatisfromthesenderofthemessage. “Whi “W hie, e, as I ha have ve sai said, d, ex exer erie ienc nce e wi wi ha have ve to be you yourr te teac ache herr in thiis, the th herre ar are e se seve vera ra wa ways ys in wh whic ich h yo you u ca can n id ideenti tify fy tee ea ath thic ic messageswithafairchanceofsuccess.Forinstance,theywinotbe associatedwithanyoftheotherthoughtswhichhavereviousybeen inyourmind;they heywiimress mressyouasunfamiiar;wi ibemoreoress ersistent;wibringafeeingofassociationwiththesender,making you,ifyouarevery verysensitive,feethesender’s sender’sresence;when henyouhave ave
50
WlEp a thought thatbringsa feeing of thesender’s resence,
that will be
the message.Or,ifyoucanearntoknowjustwhenyouhavebecome thoroughysensitive,whenthewarmgowofawakeningheathgoes aoveryourbody,andwithenickoutyourrstimression,itwi oftenbetherightone.Besuretoreorteverythoughtthatbringswith itanyfeeingthatthesenderiswithyouorthatyouhavecometohim, orevenifthereisnomorethanastrongfeeingofassociationwhich doesnotreachtheextremeofmakingyoufeehisresence.Donottry togovernthethoughtswhichcomeintoyourmindunesstheyshoud beuneasantor undesirabe.akeanythingthatcomes,soongas it isnotuneasant.But, do not under any circumstances accept anything that is in any sense unpleasant, or we shall send nothing o the kind, and you must learn to protect yoursel against the reception o anything o this kind that you may receive rom any other source .Youwinotget into any conditionwhere youwibe unabeto refuseany thoughts youdonotwant.”
51
lp
52
Chapter VII
Results of the Weltmer Experiment In the November, 1907, issue of Wetmer’s Magazine, Mr. Ernest Wetmer makes his rst reort of the Wetmer Exeriment.Hesays:“OurgreateeathyExerimenthasbeen makingweekytestssinceSetember12th.Utodatewehave any number beenconcernedwithtestingthehyothesisthat o people can receive the same message at the same time rom one sender, irrespective o distance or location ,iftheycaneach onebecomeroerysensitive.Iresent,asfoows,theresuts oftherstfourtests.”Hethencasattentiontoa fac‑simie reroductionofthestatementofthecommitteeseectedfor thersttest,whichreadsasfoows: “Set.
12,
“We.asCommittee.haveseectedthismessageforProf.S.A.Wetmer tosendto‑nighttothereceiversintheeeathyExeriment,andwe herebytestifythathehasnotseenorbeentodthismessageuntiwe havegivenittohimat9 P.M.thisdate.Temessageisasfoows: ‘Telepathy is a act.’ (Signed) John “ Wilson , Wm. Weinrich , Emma T. Metz.”
53
1907.
lp Mr. Ernest Wetmer adds the foowing footnote to the reroductionoftheabovereort:“ Teaboveisa hotograhic facsimieofthedocumentrearedbythecommitteewhich seectedthisrstmessage.Eachtestiscarriedonwiththesame recautions,andatheseaersarekettocomarewiththe reorted resuts. Te dated reorts, taken with the aers reared by the various committees, give the evidence we gatheraositivescienticvaue,andexcude,oneverycount, achanceoffraud.” Teresutsofthisrsttest,asstatedbyMr.Wetmer,show that 310 ersons reorted according to the requirements. Of the messages reorted, the foowing have more or ess resembancetothemessageactuaysentout: “eeathyisag randscience.” “eeathyisafact;itisroven.” “Learneeathy.” “eeathyisag randscience.” “Toughttransference.” “MentaHeaingisafact.” “MentaHeaingisasuccess.” “Fe aseeimmediateyafterreaxing;didnotawakenunti6 .. Myrstconsciousnesswasthesingeword‘eeathy’ringingthrough mybrain.”
Manyreortswerereceivedhavingnoaarentconnection withthemessagesentout. TemessagesentoutonSetember19,1907.wasasfoows: “Health is wealth.”Tereortshavingsomeaarentconnection withtheactuamessage,areasfoows: “Imression.‘PerfectHeath.’Ifetthevibrationsathroughmyright side,neckandthroatwheremytroubeis.” “Heathwentaovermeandmymindwascear.Isawhowtohod mymindforheath.”
54
RlWlEp “A bounding circuation. Seemed to rise and oat away, Heard beautifumusic;haderfectrest.Afterward,restfusee,thenerfect heath.”
Te message sent out Setember 26, 1907, was as foows: “God is Love.” Te reorts having some aarent connection withthemessagesentout,areasfoows: “Godisomniresent.” “Godisife,a.” “TeLordismysheherd.” “Teword‘Love’seemedtobemorerominentthananythingese, excetbeautifuowers.”“Loverues.”
I smell TemessagesentoutOctober3,1907,wasasfoows:“ a rose.”Tefoowingreortsseemtohavesomeconnection withthemessage: “Nomessage,butanodor.” “Smeedtheodoroffeverbush.” “IcearysawMr.ErnestWetmerat hisdeskwithhisfaceburiedin somebeautifuinkroses;hiswhoeattentionseemedgiventothe actofsmeingtheargestoneinthevase.Ihadtheimressionofthe odorwhieIwasookingatthemandMr.Wetmer.Tiswasfoowed byad istinctimressionofseeingyouatyourocesningtheodorof someuidsubstanceinthetinybottewhichyouhedinyourhands.”
Referringtothisastmentionedreort,Mr.ErnestWetmer statesthat:“Shedescribesverywebothmyfatherandmysef aswesentthemessage;hewithtwoviasofroseerfumeandI withavaseofargeinkroses.” TeDecember,1907;issueofWetmer’sMagazine,continues thereortoftheexeriment.
55
lp A wise TemessagesentoutOctober10,1907,wasasfoows:“ head carries a still tongue.”Tereortshavingsomeaarent connectionwiththemessagesentoutareabsentinthistest. I Te message sent out October 17, 1907, was as foows: “ am hopeul, I am growing strong .”Tistestaso,faiedtobring satisfactoryreorts. I TemessagesentoutOctober24,1907,wasasfoows:“ have cast ear out o my lie and now trust the law o my being .” Tistestasofaiedtobringsatisfactoryreorts. I dwell TemessagesentoutOctober31,1907,wasasfoows:“ in love.”Abouttheonyreortseemingtohaveanyconnection withthemessagewasoneasfoows: “Idonotknowhowtodescribeitexcetasafeeingofgoryed mybeing,ingmewithstrengthandower,andoveforeverybody.”
TeJanuary,1908,issueofWetmer’sMagazinecontinuesthe reortoftheexeriment. Te message sent out November 21, 1907, was as foows: “Love and Hope.”Tereortshavingaarentconnectionwith themessagewereasfoows: “GodisLove.” “HoeisthekeytoHeaven.” “GodisLove.” “GodisLove.” “LearntoLove.” “Lovethyneighborasthysef.”
Joy.” TemessagesentoutNovember28,1907,wasasfoows:“ Mr.ErnestWetmerstatesinconnectionwiththisarticuartest that:“Tereseemedtobeatotaackofrecetivityaaround. Tere were very few who reorted receiving any message at a, erhas because they did not try. Tis was robaby due to the fact that it was Tanksgiving and those who did not 56
RlWlEp forget entirey had their minds so occuied with thoughts oftheoccasionthattheywereunabetoconcentrateonthe exeriment.” Relax, TemessagesentoutDecember5,1907,wasasfoows:“ the country is sae.”Tereortshavinganaarentconnection withthemessageareasfoows: “Isawaargecrowd.” “Ifettheresenceofmanyersons.” “Wearethehaiesteoeonearth.” “Learntoreaxandgoodwifoow.”
Fear TemessagesentoutDecember12,1907,wasasfoows:“ not; all is well.”Te reortshavingsomeaarentconnection withthemessageareasfoows: “Fearnot;aiswe.” “Fearnot;aiswe.” “Fearnot;aiswe.” “Fearnot,itteock.” “Ineedfearnoevi.” “IthoughtI wasina crowdofeoeandtherewassometroube andIs aidtoonefeow,‘Don’tbeafraid;itwibearightsoon,butwe tooknoart.”
TeFebruary,1908,issueofWetmer’sMagazinecontinues thereortoftheexeriment. Te message sent out December 19, 1907, was as foows: “Peace be unto all .”Tereortedresutsareasfoows: “Peacebeuntoa.” “Peacebetoa.” “Peacetoa.” “Peacebeuntothee.” “Heath,hainess,heathtothee.
57
lp “Peacebeuntoyou. “Peaceandgooduntoamen.”
Inaddition,19reortedsomevariationof“Peaceonearth, goodwitomen;”6reortedsomevariationof“Peace,besti;” and25reortedsomeotherformof“Peace”message.Mr.Ernest Wetmerreortedofthisarticuartestthat:“Atogetherthere waseevenercentofthereortswhichgavesomeart,ora, ofthemessage.” A TemessagesentoutDecember26,1907,wasasfoows:“ happy New Year to all .”Tereortedresutsareasfoows: “AhayNewYeartoa.” “AhayNewYeartoa.” “AhayNewYeartoa.” “HayNewYeartoa.” “Cheerandah ayNewYearuntoa.” “Iwishyouaah ayNewYear.” “AhayNewYear.”
Inadditiontherewere15otherreortsinwhichsomeformof NewYearmessagewas mentioned,athough many attributed thisthoughttotheassociationsoftheseason. Prosperity TemessageforJanuary2,1908,wasasfoows:“ awaits you.”Tereortedresutsareasfoows: “Hainessandroseritytoa.” “Successandeasuretoa,andabrightertimecomingtoa.” “Successinmyeortsasamagneticheaer.” “Heathandroseritytoathrough1908.” “Successtoa.” “Athought ofeaceandheathtoa,andthenaroserous New Year.” “Successtoa.” “Tiswibearoserousyear.”
58
RlWlEp “Successfora.” “Successuntoa.”
Inadditiontherewere14who“seemedtogettheidearetty we, but did not exress it in the roer words.” Te March, 1908,issueof Wetmer’sMagazinecontinuesthereortof the exeriment. Te message sent out January 9, 1908, was divided into threearts,regardingwhichchangeMr.ErnestWetmerstates: “BeginningwithJanuaryninththemessagewassentoutatthree dierenthours.Itwassentrstatseven,thenateight,andater atnineo’cock.Onthiseveningadierentmessagewassentat eachhourfortheuroseofdetermining,ifossibe,whether timeanddistancehadanythingtodowithtransmission.Te messagesentatseveno’cockwas‘ Wisdom is Mine.’Ateight o’cockthemessage‘ Health is Wealth’ w as s ent, a nd ‘ Right is Might’isthemessagewhichwassentatnineo’cock.Tebest reortswereasfoows: “Wisdomismine.” “WisdomandHeath.Youmadeachangeinteeathy,didn’tyou? Seemedtomeikeyoudid.” “Yoursforruth.TenseemedtocomeKnowedgeisyours.’” “InniteWisdomisMine.” “HeathandSuccess.” “HeathandSuccess.” “Heath,Success.” “Heathisworthmorethanaese.” “Heath,WeathandSuccess.” “Heath,StrengthandProserityareyours.”
All is Te messages for January 16, 1908, were as foows: “ Right ;”“ You are growing stonger ;”and“ Love one another .”Te foowingareafewofthebestreortsfoowingthistest: “AisRight,andYouareGrowingStronger,asoLoveOneAnother.”
59
lp “AisWe.TeKingdomisWithin.TeRecognitionofthatPower givesmegreatPeace.” “AisWe”(Tisreortwassentinby6ersons.) “AisGood.”(Tisreortsentinby4ersons.) “EverythingisO.K.” “Iamarightandgrowingstronger.”
TemessagessentoutonJanuary23.1908,wereasfoows: “We are Encouraged:”“ I Will Succeed ;”and“ Telepathy will Win.” Te reorts regarding the rst message were very vague, but thesereatingtothesecondandthirdaremuchcearer,aswi beseenbeow: “IwiSucceed.” “SuccesswiCrownYou.” “YouwiRiseorSucceed.” “YoushareceivethatwhichyouareStrivingfor.” “SuccessisYours.” “Success.Sure.” “eeathywihaveSuccess.” “eeathyisProven.” “eeathyisBenecia.” “eeathyisaS uccess.”
TemessagessentoutonJanuary30,1908,wereasfoows: “Mental Healing has come to Stay; ” “ Rejoice with Me;” a nd “ All is Yours.” No stricty correct answers were received, athough manywerereceivedgivingthethoughtofoneofthemessages, theformofexressionbeingdierent;forinstance:“Joyand Gadness.” Inthisnumberof themagazine,Mr.ErnestWetmermakes thefoowinginterestingstatement: “Ihavenoticedthatonthesucceedingnightthereareusuayamost as many who receive the message sent on the receding night as
60
RlWlEp receiveditthenightthatitwassentout.Ifthishadhaenedinony oneortwocasesI shoudthinknothingofit,butsinceithaens nearyeverytimeIa medtobeievethattheremaybesomeverygood reasonforit. Itmayhavesomethingtodo withtheretentionofthe messagebeowconsciousnessandtimeconsumedintransmission.I amnotrearedtoventureanexanationnow.”
Te Ari, 1908, issue of Wetmer’s Magazine contains the account of the tests of February 6, 13, 20, and 27, 1908, resectivey.TemessagessentoutonFebruary6,1908,were asfoows:“ We are growing stronger and better every day;”“ I am well;”and“ Be o good cheer .”Tefoowingresutsarereorted: “Youaregrowingstrong.” “Heathisyours.” “Beofgoodcheer.”
Besidestheabove,27arereortedas“aroximateycorrect bothinthesenseandthewordingoftheirreorts;”and84 “reortedthesenseofthemessagesbutnotthewords.” Te message sent out on February 13, 1910, was as foows: “God is Love, Lie, Health and Peace.”Tefoowingwerethebest reorts: “GodisLove,Life,HeathandPeace.” “Becomforted,forGodisLoveandHeathandPeace.” “GodisLife,HeathandPeace.”
Mr.ErnestWetmerstatesregardingthereortsofthistest: “Besidesthesethree,whichareerhasthebest,athoughthere aremanyothersamostifnotquiteasgood,25othersreorted thesenseandwordsofthemessageinwhoeorinartand maybeconsideredaroximateycorrect,and70reortedthe senseofthemessagebutdidnotgetthewordingcorrect.” 61
lp TemessagessentoutonFebruary20,1908,wereasfoows: “ All possibilities are mine;” “ All power is mine;”and“ Truth leads me.”Tereortsareasfoows: “Aismine.Powerismine.Heathismine.Successismine.BeHay.” “Letthewordsoftruthandoveeadthee.” “ruthismighty.”
Mr.ErnestWetmersaysofthereorts:“Tesethreearethe onyoneswhoreortedthewordsinanythingiketheright combination,athoughmanyhadthesenseverycorrectyand gotartofthewordsright,and66reortedthemeaningbut notthewordsofthemessage.” TemessageofFebruary27,1908,wasasfoows:“Youcan dowhatId owhenyouknowwhatIk now.”Mr.ErnestWetmer saysregardingthistest:“Tistestwasamostatotafaiure.No onereceivedthemessagecorrecty,andonyfourandone‑haf ercentseemedtohaveanyideaofthemeaningofit.”
62
Chapter VIII
Results of the Weltmer Experiment (Continued)
T
M, 1908, issue of Wetmer’s Magazine gives the resuts of the tests of March 5, 12, 19, and 26, 1908, resectivey. Mr. Ernest Wetmer made the foowing statement:“Forsomeunknownreasonthismonthhasbeen theeastsuccessfuofanysincetheexerimentwasstarted.I havethoughtoverthequestionfromeverysideand I cannot discover the reason for this…. I cannot see what makes the dierence, but, whatever it is, I hoe that it wi soon ass andthatweshabegintomakerogressagain….Everyone ofthefourmessagessentduringthismonthwoudhavebeen an easy one to receive if its recetion had deended uon the suggestions of association, guessing or coincidence, for theyareaof thenaturethat wewoudbe exectedtosend. Te rst one, eseciay, is one which woud have a strong backingofsuggestionfromtheenvironmentofthereceivers andtheseasonoftheyear,andtheotherthree,beingfamiiar quotations, woud be as ikey to come into the mind of the receiversasanyoftheotherquotationsofthischaracter,excet twoorthreewhichhavebeensentseveratimesandwhich 63
lp arereortedcontinuay.(Iwishtosay,inassing,thatwesha infutureendeavortoreventanycommitteefromseecting either of the foowing messages:—“God is Love;” “Peace on earth;goodwitomen;”“Loveoneanother;”andifanyone ‘receives’anyoneoraofthesemessages,assomanyarein thehabitofdoing,theymaybesurethattheyaresuggested bytheirownexectationsandsuggestionsofassociationsof ideas and are not true teeathic messages. We endeavor to have messages chosen which have not been sent before, in ordertoavoidtheeement ofassociation that woud existin thereeatedmessages.Iinterjectthisnoteinthisaceforthe benetofthosereceiverswhocontinuetoreortthemessages mentioned…Tatweshashortydiscoverthecauseforour ate faiures and achieve a much greater success than ever before,Iamcondent.Iamingreaterhoesthaneverbefore, asI havesaid,becauseI ammorecertainthatoursuccesses havebeenduetoteeathyandnothingese;I amingreater hoesthaneverthatwesharoveourhyothesisthat‘one receivercansendthesamemessagetoanynumberofeoe atthesametime.’” Awake TemessagesentoutMarch5,1908,wasasfoows:“ with Spring to New Lie.”Not onereortedthecorrectanswer, andonythreereortsevenfaintyhintedatthemeaningof themessage. Know TemessagesentoutMarch12,1905,wasasfoows:“ ysel .”Teresutswerebutashadebetterthanthoseofthe reviousweek. Lie TemessagesentoutMarch19,1908,wasasfoows:“ is real; lie is earnest.” None seemed to receive it correcty, athough“amostoneandone‑hafercentofthosereorting seemedtohavesomeideaofwhatwassent.” Truth TemessagesentoutMarch26,1908,wasasfoows:“ is mighty and will prevail.” One erson, iving in the state of Washington, reorted the message correcty, and ve others “seemedtocatchitsmeaning.” 64
RlWlEp(C) Te June, 1908, issue of Wetmer’s Magazinecontained the resutsofthetestsofAri2,9,16and23,1908,resectivey. Te message of Ari 2, 1908, was “ Have courage; you can win.”Terecordshowsthat35reortswerereceivedindicating thatthemeaninghadbeenreceived,athoughnotintheexact wordsofthemessage.Someofthebestreortsaregivenbeow: “Successiscertain;youcannotfai.” “Beofgoodcourage;youwisucceed.”
Be cheerul, TemessagesentoutAri9,1908,wasasfoows:“ hopeul and happy.”Onereortwasreceivedintheexactwords ofthemessage;one,givingthewords“cheerfuandhay,”and 15givingtheideainwhoeorinart,butnotinthesamewords inwhichitwassent. Kindness TemessagesentoutAri16,1908,wasasfoows:“ is Godliness.”Oneandone‑hafercentofthereortsreceived wereinsomedegreecorrect,athoughnoabsouteycorrect reortwasreceived.Tefoowingindicatethe“insomedegree correct”answers: “Bekindtoeveryivingthing.” “Bemercifu,kindandtruehearted.”
In Te message sent out Ari 23, 1908, was as foows: “ our own unettered hands lies our eternal destiny .”A number seemedtocatchthegenerasiritofthemessage,butnone reorted itwitha sucientdegree ofcorrectnesstojustifya “correct”mark. IntheJuy,1908,issueofWetmer’sMagazine,thefoowing statementofMr.ErnestWetmeraeared:“Itwasdecided,on the30thofAri,tomakeac hangeintheeeathyExeriment fortheuroseofdeterminingwhetherourackofsuccesswas notdue,inart,ateast,tothenatureofthemessageswewere tryingtosend.Tecommitteewasinstructedtochooseinthe 65
lp aceoftheusuasentence,somesimegeometricadesign, theideaofwhichthesenderwastotransmit tothereceivers withouttheirknowing“thatanychangehadbeenmade.Te designseectedwasad rawingofas maagandwhenthiswas giventoProf.Wetmer,thesender,headdedtoitas macross.” Tefoowingreortsreatingtothistestwerereceived: “Isawas hiassingnearshore.Itwasinad isabedcondition.Onthe sidetotheshorewasanencosureaintedwhite,withakey,ointu.” (Tedrawingofthe“key”accomaniedthisreortbearsaverystrong resembancetothesmaagwithswaow‑taiendswhichwasthe designseectedbythecommittee.) “IthinkIm usthavehadaforetasteoftheFourthofJuy,asaIc oud makeofthemessagethistimewasags,boxesandtheike.” “CingtotheCrossisasymboofChrist,theagmeanseace.”
Severaothersreortedthattheyhadreceivedgeometrica gures.OnMay7,1908,thecommitteeseecteda designof twocircesconnectedbyastraightine,thegureresembing thefamiiar“dumb‑be.”Tefoowingweretheonyreorts received having any aarent resembance to the seected design: “adoe.” “womenfacingeachotherwithsomethingbetweenthem.” “Pairofbaances.” “Ainkobongbreast‑in.”
On May 14, 1908, the committee seected the gure of a crescent. Te foowing reorts were considered to have an aarentreationtothedesignseected: “Amarkintheshaeofar ainbow.” “Asquare,andyeowcrescent.”
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RlWlEp(C) OnMay21,1908,thecommitteeseectedthegureofan anchor . Te foowing reorts have a cose reation to the seecteddesign: “Ananchor.” “Ananchorwithmotto‘HeathandHainess.’” “Hoeasananchorofthesou.Is awas aiorcastingananchorwhich seemedikeame.”
TeAugustissueofWetmer’sMagazine,1908,containsthe reortofthetestsofMay28,June4,11,and18,1908,resectivey. triangular shaped TedesignseectedMay28,1908,wasa tripod” geometricaform,whichmightasobedescribedasa “ or a n “ arrow-shaped ”gure.Tefoowingreortsindicatea reationtotheseecteddesign: “Atriangeaboutveinchesfromcornertocorner.” “riangewithcircethroughit.” “Aow‑share.” “Anarrow.”
double triangle” OnJune4,1908 the design seected wasa “ six-pointed star .Tefoowingreorts arrangedintheformofa indicateareationtotheseecteddesign: “Lookingthroughaninstrumentatthestars.” “Starandring.” “Teskywasfuofstarsandtheneverythingwassobright.” “Abigbrightstar.” “Abeautifuforest.Teskywasaarentyaame.Starsaearedin theameandseemedneartheearth.”
a carpenter’s square. OnJune11,1908,thedesignseectedwas Tefoowingreortsindicateareationtotheseecteddesign:
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lp “AargesteesquareanditseemedthatIwashodingitinmyhand.” “It seems the gure must have been an ange of some kind. Te diamondorsquareseemedtogivethedeeestimression.” “Teetter‘L.’”
On June 18, 1908, the design seected was a circe. Te foowingreortsindicateareationtotheseecteddesign: “Circewithad otatitscenter.” “Tecirce.” “Circe.” “Acirceofbrightsots.” “Awhiringcirceofvibratoryforcewhichtooktheformofafunne, focusawayfromme.” “Whiringdiscwithahoeinthecenter.”
Anumberofothersreortedabaorsimiarobject. Te Setember, 1908,issueof Wetmer’s Magazinecontains the reort of the tests of June 25, Juy 2, 9, 16 and 23, 1908, resectivey. OfthetestofJune25,1908,Mr.ErnestWetmerstates:“On thenightofJune25th,Prof.Wetmerwasattendingam eetingof theOhioAssociationof SuggestiveTeraeuticsin Coumbus, Ohio. When the time came to send the message he was seakingtotheconvention.Hehaddecidedbeforegoingonto the atform that he woud imress uon the minds of the receivers the sight o his hand ,withathengerscosedexcet theindexnger,whichwoudbeointing.Tisthoughtwas ketinmindmoreoressduringtherogressofhisseech,and when hehad nishedhefetthatmanyshoudhavereceived themessage.Tefoowingreortsindicatea reationtothe seectedimage: “Severahandsointing.” “Ayoungmanointingngertoforehead.”
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RlWlEp(C) “wohandshodingavase.”
Severaothersreortedthattheyhadreceivedanimression of Prof. Wetmer addressing a number of ersons. On Juy 2, 1908,thedesignseectedwas the capital letter “A.”Tereorted resutsofthistestareasfoows: “Sawtheetter‘A’standoutinbodreief,anda‘ B’after.”
Mr.ErnestWetmer,adds:“Tisistheonyonewhoreorted theetter‘A’butthereweremanywhosentdrawingsoftrianges whichweresoikeitinformastobeamostsuccesses.” On Juy 9, 1908, the design seected was somewhat comicated,being a large circle in the centre o which was a square, a cross being drawn over the square and extending to the circumerence o the circle.Tereortedresutswereasfoows: “Astrongimressionofasquareandtwocirces.” “Acircethesizeofa siverdoar,theinsideedwithdesignsof somethingIhadneverseen.” “Severa times this design (a circe encosing a cross) came to my mind.” “ReceivedtheictureinwhiteofaMateseCrossanddreamedofa ring.” “Feaseeanddreamedofacircewithdotsinthering.”
OneJuy16,1908,thedesignseectedwas“ wheel.”Tereortedresutsareasfoows:
A wheel within a
“Isawacirceandtheetter‘X.’” “Acirceinsideofacirce,connectedatfouroositeoints.” “A series of circes something ike that (accomanied by a sketch showingfourcirces,eachencosedwithintheonearger,andwitha dotinthecentreofthegrou).”
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lp On Juy 23, 1908, the committee again resumed the “word” message, and the foowing message was sent out: “Determination conquers diculties.”Tereortedresutsfoow: “Tere wassuch a quietandeacefu wave,anddeterminationon myarttoconquer.”
Othersreortedthegenerameaningofthemessage,butin dierentwordsandformsofexression. Te October, 1908, issue of Wetmer’s Magazine contains thereortofthetestsofJuy30,August6,13,20,and27,1908, resectivey. When in TefoowingmessagewassentoutJuy30,1908:“ doubt, say ‘I Can.’ ” One reort gave the exact words, but Mr. Ernest Wetmer hesitated to admit the reort owing to the factthattheostmarkonthereortwasburred.An umberof othersreortedthegenerasenseofthemessage,butinother words. Courage.” Te message for August 6, 1908, was as foows: “ Teresutsareasfoows: “Courage,fearnot.” “Courage.” “Nevergiveu,orCourage.” “IheardthewordCourage,butcouddistinguishnothingmore.” “Courage.” “Benotdiscouraged.”
TemessageforAugust13,1908,wasasfoows:“ an act o aith.”Tefoowingresutswerereorted: “Faithisthebasisofaactions.” “Faithisdynamic.”
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Every act is
RlWlEp(C) Faith brings TemessageforAugust20,1908,wasasfoows:“ knowledge.”Mr.ErnestWetmerconsideredthistestac omete faiure,asoutof363reortsreceived,onytwocoudbejudged toshowanyarticuarsensitiveness. Faith is belie TemessageofAugust27,1908,wasasfoows:“ in action.”Tistestwasasoafaiure,asonythreeshowedany great degree of sensitiveness andnone reorted themessage correcty. TeNovember,1908,issueofWetmer’sMagazinecontained a reort of the tests of Setember 3, 10, 17, and 24, 1908, resectivey. I can and TemessageofSetember3,1908,wasasfoows:“ I will do it now.”Teresutswereasfoows: “IcanandIwidoit.” “IcandowhatIwi.” “Whatyouwitodoyoucando.”
I will fnd TemessageofSetember10,1908,wasasfoows:“ a way or make one.”woersonsreortedthemessagein the exact words. Manyothersreortedthemeaning,exressedin otherwords. I will Te message for Setember 17, 1908, was as foows: “ succeed.”Teresutswereasfoows: “Iwisucceed.”(2ersonsreortedthis). “Iwiwinout.” “Icansucceed.”
All is TemessageofSetember24,1908,wasasfoows:“ well.”Tereortsshowthat six persons reported in the exact wordsofthemessage. TeDecember,1908,issueofWetmer’sMagazinecontainsthe reortofthetestsofOctober1,8,15,and22,1908,resectivey.
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lp TemessageofOctober1,1908,wasasfoows:“ Teresutwasasfoows:
Truth is light.”
“Godisight.” “Ideaofight.Seektheightoftruth.” “Aisight.” “Tethoughtthattruthwibeandisaighttome.”
TemessageforOctober8,1908,wasasfoows:“ is all-sucient.”Teresutswereasfoows:
My strength
“Mystrengthisa‑sucient.” “Strengthisgiventoatobearourburden.”
e power TemessageofOctober15,1910,wasasfoows:“ o the Infnite is mind.”Tistestwasafaiurenoreortsbeing correctornearyso. I seek Te message of October 22, 1908, was as foows: “ perect health.”Teresutswereasfoows: “Iwanterfectheath.” “HeathismineandIshaattainit.” “Iwanterfectheath.” “Heathiswhatweseek.” “Iseekerfectheath.” “Iwanterfectheath.”
Te March, 1909, issue of Wetmer’s Magazine gives the reortofthetestsfromOctober29,1908,toFebruary4,1909, incusive.Tesereortsarestatedbrieyasfoows: October29,1908.Message:“ Lie’s music is health.”Onereort wasintheexactwordsofthemessage,andoneothernearyso (“Life,musicandheath”). November5,1908.Message:“ All is well, be content.”Fifteen reortswerecountedasracticaycorrect. 72
RlWlEp(C) November12,1908.Message:“ Love toward all things warms my heart.”Tistestwasafaiure,notonereortbeingcorrect. November 19, 1908. Message: “ I am one with all love and power .”woreortswerereceivednearycorrect,asfoows:“I amonewithaower;”and“Iamove,Ia mower,Ia mheath, Iamstrength.” November 26, 1908. Message: “ I am able to do anything I want to do.” wo reorts were correct, which was deemed remarkabe,consideringtheengthofthemessage. December 3, 1908. Message: “ I am flled with good cheer .” Nonereortedcorrecty. December17,1908.Message:“ I love my ellow men because I can.”Onereortaroximateycorrect. December24,1908.Message:“ I wish that every person in the world could know the Christ within themselves .” One erson reortedinamosttheexactwords. December 31, 1908. Message: “ I will strive to see only the good, the beautiul, the true, in each person and thing that lies in my path this year .”Mr.ErnestWetmersays,regardingthis test,“strangetosay,twoofthereceiversreortedthismessage correcty—thatis,theygaveitssenseandtheargerartofits wording.” January7,1909.Message:“ I live and love because I can .”One ersonreortedthemessage“aroximateycorrecty.” January14,1909.Message:“ He who loves his ellow man is loving God the holiest way he can.”Nonereortedcorrecty. January 21, 1909. Message: “ Mind is the only power, and thought the only orce in the universe.” One erson reorted correcty. January28,1909.Message:“ It rained to-day.”Treeersons reortedcorrecty. February4,1909.Message:“ I will be strong, brave, and happy .” woersonsreortedcorrecty. Te March, 1909, issue of Wetmer’s Magazine was its ast number, for that magazine was then consoidated with the 73
lp “New Tought” magazine; the eeathy Deartment being continued.Tereortsoftheexerimentcontinuedduringthe yearof1909,andinto1910,andisstiinoerationatthedateof theresentwriting(Juy,1910).Butastheresutsareracticay thesameasthosereortedintherecedingchaters,itseems useesstorecountthetestsatfurtherength. Whiethescienticinvestigatormayfeeconstrainedtohod that anyexerimentconductedwithaargenumberofeoe inaartsofthecountrymust,ofnecessity,acksomeofthe rigidconditionsofthetestsofthesychoogicaaboratory,and beoentothedangerofdecetionontheartofthereciients, nevertheesstheresutsoftheWetmerExerimentmustbe seriousyandthoughtfuyconsideredbyainvestigatorsofthe subject. It is the rst exeriment aong this articuar hase ofteeathy,andthearticuaradvantagesossessedbythe exerimenters(theestabishedcirceofreaders,students,and atients)mustbetakenintoaccount.One,readingoverthe detaied reorts issued from month to month by Mr. Ernest Wetmer, is struck by the sirit of frankness and fairness manifested by that genteman. He refuses to accet reorts when there is a ossibiity of doubt, and often decides cases againstthesuccessoftheExerimentwhenothersmighthave admitted the roof. He reorts comete faiures as readiy as he does those of marked success, and in every way gives evidenceoftheossessionof“thescienticsirit”andtheove oftruth,ratherthanofthedesireto“makegood”atanycost. Intheoinionofthewriter,the“messages”ofthecommittee wereoftenooryseected,inmanycasesbeingtooinvovedor comicated,andoftenfartooong.Tisisarticuarytrueof someoftheatermessages.Itwoudseemthatwordsindicating some articuar and cear concet, such as Courage, Love, Strength,Heath,orthoseindicatingsomearticuarcoor,or somearticuarobject,suchasRed.Green,orHorse,Book,Hat, woud be much betterthansuchmessagesas: “Iwistriveto seeonythegood,thebeautifu,thetrue,ineachersonand 74
RlWlEp(C) thingthatiesinmyaththisyear;”or“Iwishthateveryerson inthewordcoudknowtheChristwithinthemseves.”Tisast mentionedcassofmessagesis,infact,decidedyunfairtothe “receivers,”andtotheExeriment. TeWetmerExerimentwirobabybefoowedbyothers aongthesamegeneraines.Considerabesacehasbeengiven totheminthisittebook,thatothersmayrotbythestrong oints and avoid the weak oints indicated by the reorts; andasothataermanentrecordofthetestsmaybehad.Te Wetmer Exeriment is the ioneer which is bazing a ath throughthewoods,aongwhichathothersmayfoowinthe future.Itistobehoedthatthosewhofoowwiremember togivefucredittotheioneerworkerformedintheirbehaf.
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Chapter IX
The Theories It has been we said that “Teories are but mighty soa‑ bubbes,withwhichthegrown‑uchidrenamusethemseves.” oomanythinkersdevotesomuchtimetothecreationand suortoftheoriesthattheyosesightofthereafactsying aroundooseoneverysideofthem.Atthebest,at heoryshoud be regarded as but a “working hyothesis”—a “suosition orrincieassumedortakenforgrantedinordertodrawa concusionorinferenceoftheointinquestion”—“atheory assumed to account for something not understood.” As TomasL.Harrishassaid: “Tesimeeasantwhoobservesatruth, Andfromthe actdeducesrincie, Addssoidtreasuretotheubicweath. Tetheoristwhodreamsar ainbowdream, Andcasthehyothesishiosohy, Atbestisbutaaernancier Whoamshisseciousromisesforgod. Factsarethebasisofhiosohy; Phiosohytheharmonyof acts , Seenintheirrightreation.”
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lp And so it is in reation to the facts of teeathy. It is not necessarytoaccetanyarticuartheoryofteeathyinorder to accet the facts. One may accet any one of the severa theoriesadvancedtoaccountforthehenomenaofteeathy— onemayevenrefusetoaccet anyofthesetheories—andsti “beievein”teeathy. Itis ossibe—andextremeyrobabe— that the severa theories regarding teeathy may be found afteratobebutmereguesses,andthatthereatheoryisyet tobeunfoded.So,toastudentsandinvestigatorsofteeathy, Iwoudsay:Useanytheoryasbuta workinghyothesisand notasanestabishedaworrincie—stickcosetothefacts, anddonotwastetimeghtingabouttheories. Inorderthatthereadermayknowwhatworkinghyotheses havebeenadvancedtoaccountforthehenomenaofteeathy, etustakeab riefganceattheeadingtheoriesofthetheorists. In the rst ace we have the theory most commony advanced—thetheoryofthought‑wavesintheether.Youwi nd this articuar theory forciby stated in the quotations fromeminentscientistswhichaearintherstfewchaters ofthisittebook.Itishedbythesethinkersthatjustasthe vibrations of ight, heat, eectricity and magnetism roduce wavesintheetherofsacewhicharethencarriedtodistant ointswheretheyreroducetheoriginavibrations,sodothe vibrations of thought create ether‑waves which trave unti theycomeincontactwiththebrainormindofanothererson and are then transformed into thought vibrations. Tis idea has received suort from the hysioogica fact that there is noticed a ercetibe increase in the temerature of the brain during eriods of thought‑activity, and that there are knowntobechemicachangesinthebrain‑substanceduring the rocess of thought—which woud seem to indicate the manifestation of ower, energy or force of some kind. Te ideahasasobeenstrengthenedbytherecentdiscoveriesin wireess teegrahy many writers freey using the atter as an iustrationofthemanifestationofteeathy.Scientistsfreey 78
admitthatthereisaaceforthought‑vibrationsinthescae of vibrations, there being immense gas in the scae which evidentybeongtosomevibratoryforcesasyetunknownto us.Forinstance,Prof.EishaGraysays:“Tereismuchfood for secuation in thethought that thereexistsound wavesthat nohumanearcanhear,andcoorwavesofightthatnoeye cansee.Teong,dark,soundesssacebetween40,000and 400,000,000,000,000 vibrations er second, andthe innity ofrangebeyond700,000,000,000,000vibrationsersecond, whereightceases,intheuniverseofmotion,makesitossibe to induge in secuation.” And, Prof. M. M. Wiiams says: “Tere is no gradation between the most raid unduations ortrembingsthatroduceoursensationsofsound,andthe sowestofthosewhichgiverisetooursensationsofgentest warmth.Tereisa hugegabetweenthem,wideenoughto incudeanotherwordofmotion,ayingbetweenourword ofsoundandourwordofheatandight,andthereisnogood reasonwhateverforsuosingthatmatterisincaabeofsuch intermediateactivity,orthatsuchactivitymaynotgiveriseto intermediatesensations,rovidedthereareorgansfortaking uandsensifyingthesemovements.” I sha not go into further detai regarding this articuar theory,whichisthemostouarone,fortheeminentscientists quotedesewhereinthebookgiveac earer,strongerandbetter resentationofitthantheresentwritercoudhoetodo.Te reader wi noticethat the“WetmerHyothesis” isbased on thisideaofwavesintheether,thefoowingstatementthereof beingunmistakabe:“1.Mind,actinginthenormacaacityof thinking,roducesvibrationsinether.2.Ether,caabeofbeing setintovibrationsbymentaactivities,sasace.3.Ether transmitsthoughtvibrationstoeveryartofitsmass,”etc. Te second ouar theory of teeathy is that of the “Subjective,Subconscious,orSubiminaMind,”whichhasfound favorwithagreatnumberofersons,articuarywiththose interested in Psychic Research or the ouar metahysica 79
lp movement. Tis theory is based uon the hyothesis that (1) there exists in each individua a “mind” or hase of mind beowthethreshodofconsciousness;and(2)thatthis“beow‑ consciousness” mind of each individua is in sychic touch and connection with the simiar mind of each and every otherindividua;and(3)that,therefore,theremustbenatura communicationbetweenthe“beow‑consciousness”mindsof individuas,withoutnecessityforthought‑wavesintheether, themeansandrinciesofsuchcommunicationbeongingto metahysicsratherthantohysicsandthereforenotcoming underthehysicaawsgoverningmatterandforce. Terehasbeenmuchwrittenregardingthistheory,andabout this “beow‑consciousness” mind, to which I must refer the reader.Itmustberemembered,though,thatonemayaccet the “beow‑consciousness” mind or hase of mind, without asoaccetingthe“subconscious”theoryofteeathy.Norisit necessarytoignorethe“subconscious”evenwhieaccetingthe thought‑wavetheory.Asroofofthisast,Ia skyoutoconsider the statement of Mr. Ernest Wetmer, who, whie advancing the“waveintheether”hyothesis,nevertheess,ainystates: “eeathyisaf unctionofthedeeer,subconsciousmind,both as to the sending and receiving of messages. Toughts sent by the subconsciousness come to the consciousness of the senderonyincidentayornotata.Messagesreceivedbythe subconsciousness arise to the consciousness of the receiver whie his mind is in a condition which aces the ordinary sensorythoughtsinthebackground,andastheresutofthe transmitted vibrations causing a movement or condition in thereceiver’smindsimiartothatwhichinthesender’smind roducedconsciousness.” Tomson J. Hudson, in his we‑known work, “Te Law of PsychicPhenomena,”didmuchtomakeouarthisarticuar theory of teeathy. His views may be gathered from the foowing quotation from the said work: “Tere is inherent in mankind the ower to communicate thoughts to others 80
indeendentyofobjectivemeansofcommunication….Now teeathy is rimariy the communion of subjective minds, orratheritisthenormameansofcommunicationbetween subjective minds. Te reason of the aarent rarity of its manifestationisthatitrequiresexcetionaconditionstobring itsresutsabovethethreshodofconsciousness.Tereisevery reasontobeievethatthesous,orsubjectiveminds,ofmen cananddohabituayhodcommunicationwithoneanother whennottheremotestercetionofthefactiscommunicated totheobjectiveinteigence.Itmaybethatsuchcommunion is not genera among men; but it is certain that it is hed en rapport.Tefacts betweenthosewho,fromanycause,are recorded by the Society for Psychica Research demonstrate thatroosition.Tusnearreativesareoftenestfoundtobe incommunion,asisshownbythecomarativefrequencyof teeathiccommunicationsbetweenreatives,givingwarning ofsicknessorofdeath.Nextinfrequencyarecommunications between intimate friends. Communications of this character betweencomarativestrangersareaarentyrare.Ofcourse theonymeanswehaveofjudgingthesethingsisbytherecord ofthecasesinwhichthecommunicationshavebeenbrought totheobjectiveconsciousnessoftheerciients.Fromthese casesitseemsfairtoinferthatthesubjectivemindsofthose who are deey interested in one another are in habitua communion,eseciaywhentheersonainterestorwefareof eitheragentorerciientisatstake.Bethisasitmay,itiscertain thatteeathiccommunicationcanbeestabishedatwibythe consciouseortofoneorbothofthearties,evenbetween strangers.Te exeriments of theSociety above named have demonstratedthisfact.Itwibeassumed,therefore,forthe urosesofthisargument,thatteeathiccommunioncanbe estabishedbetweentwosubjectivemindsatthewiofeither. Tisfactmaynotbeerceivedbythesubject,foritmaynot riseabovethethreshodofhisobjectiveconsciousness….Te secondroositionisthata stateoferfectassivityonthe 81
lp artoftheerciientis themost favorabeconditionfor the recetion of teeathic imressions or communications. It needs no argument toestabishthetruthof this roosition. Itisuniversayknowntobetrue,byawhohavegiventhe sightest attention to sychoogica science, that assivity on theartofthe subjectistherimary conditionnecessary for theroductionofanysychichenomenon.Passivitymeans simythesusension ofthe functionsofthe objectivemind forthetimebeing,fortheuroseofaowingthesubjective mindtoreceiveimressionsandtoactuonthem.Temore erfectytheobjectiveinteigencecanbehedinabeyance,the moreerfectywithesubjectiveminderformitsfunctions.” Tethirdtheoryishedbyanumberofthinkersaongthese ines,morearticuarybythosewhohodthehiosohica viewthatthereisagreatUniversaMindPrincieinwhichthe universeandaitsconstituentartsaearasideas,images, oraearances.Grantedthisfundamentaremise,itwoud naturayfoowthattherecoudbecommunicationbetween articuar centres of consciousness, or being, within that Princie—some have caed this “the circuation of mind.” Such communication coud be had without the necessity of wavesintheether,oranyothermateriaforce,fortherewoud benoneedofany mediumo fcommunicationotherthanMind itsef.OfthisUniversaMindPrincie,theresentwriterhas saidinanotherwork:“InthedethsoftheOceanofMindthere isquietandcamandeace—theembodimentofatentower andotentiaenergy.Onitssurfaceareries,waves,great movements of energy, currents, whiroos, eddies—hases of erce temest aternating with hases of cam and quiet. AndfromthedethsofthatOceanofMind,amentaand hysica ower emerges—and to its bosom a must return. AndinthatOceanofMindthereisaninnitestoreofenergy, fromwhichmaybedrawnthatwhichthehumancentresof consciousnessandowerrequire,whentheyearnthesecret.” Ishanotattemttoenargeuonthattheory,foritbeongs 82
moreroerytotheedofhiosohyandmetahysicsthan tothatofsychoogy.Imereymentionitherethatitmaybe taken into consideration by those studying and investigating thehenomenaofteeathy. But,aftera,whydweuontheories?Tereisagreated offacts awaitingtheinvestigatorof teeathy.Te surfacehas mereybeenscratchedasyet.Teioneershavebazedafew athshavemadeaf ewsuccessesandaf ewfaiures,aofwhich wibeofusetothosewhofoowthem.Perhasthisittebook wiservetointerestsomeonewhomayinafteryearsbeoneof thosewhowibringorderoutofchaosinthiswonderfued ofhumanthought. Tere isroomfortheearnest worker and investigator—weareasyetonyinthekindergartenstageof teeathy.Tenexttwentyyearswiwitnessgreatadvances.In themeantime,etusthink,study,investigateandexeriment, ifwewish—etusregardtheoriesasbuttemorarymakeshifts, untitheyareroventobeawsorrincies—etuswecome truthwhereverfound—etuscarenaughtfornamesandhigh‑ actsn soundingcaims,butbeeverontheookoutfor omatter bywhomoeredorbywhatnamecaed—and,abovea,etus keetheoenmindandthedisositiontograntaf aired,and nofavor—inshort,a“squaredea”—toahonestandsincere investigation. F.
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