Te Purvontnes or Tur Seavce Rooss—By De. Eawin F. Bowers, Rider, Landen. 1/6. humanity real powers have Throughout the whole existence of
been claimed oF attributed to certain individuals which have been associated with certain alleged physical manifestations in direct conflict with the orderly operation of natural forces which cumulative scientific Knowledge declares to be inviolable. Until little more than half a century
powers or the occurrence of suc no sclentife enguiry 2s to such manifestations had been made or was Indeed possible as the scientific mind absolutely rejected the possibility of their existence. Except as [associated with some form of religious belief, those who claimed such super~ normal powers as, were responsible for" these "occult" manifestations were Very generally "regarded a charlatans and those who believed in them as their dupes.
Deep-rooted prejudice against any alleged physical phenomena conficting with the exactitudes of scientific Knowledge had to yield nally to the Insistent demand for a scientific enquiry by the ever-increasing number 'Of responsible persons convinced of their existence. From' the moment that eminent men of science, such as Sir William Crookes, Cammile Flam. marion, Professor Lombreso, Paul Richer and others, began courageous ly to assert, as the result of their own investigations, the "possibility" of this group of mysterious physical manifestations explicable by Known natural laws and apparently fu conflict with them, It, gradually became recognized in scientific circles that fraud, credulity, auto-suggestion, Thynotism, " mental aberration and other such explanations salistactory fo scientific conceptions could no Tonger account for the ever-increasing testimony to their actual occurrence, Sir Oliver's Certainty About 25 years ago Cemmile Flam-marion, a distinguished French astronomer, published: the results of his own researches in a book entitled "Mysterious Psychic Forees". In this he gave evidences of their actuality irrefutable as to demand the re~ spectful consideration of all _unpre-Judieed persons. In the concluding chapter he confessed his inability to advance any theory to account for them on a basis satisfying to current scientific Frowledge.
'Since the publication of that book many others have been published by men of scientific attainments such as, in England alone, Sir Oliver Lodge, Professors Myers, Podmore, Gurney and many others and also' by men distinguished in other professions and whose Intellectual integrity and sanity is beyond all question. The author of the book under review Quotes from a statement made by Sir Oliver Lodge in his report to the Society of Payehical Research in the early stages of his own investigations as follows: certain urnally considered imy experience is to convince me that
Belong to. the order ature, and asa corollary from thie that' these. phenomena ought Investigated and recorded by"
Knowledge.
It is necessary to preface with this introduction a review of Dr. Bowers' book in order to establish' the fact that the existence of much of the Phenomena of the stance room lready largely confirmed at the present day by what scientific investiga tion has been undertaken in spite of the fact that much that is fraudulent has been proved to be associated with it The author candidly admits that considerable. proportion of the Phenomena of the seance room fraudulently produced but argues with good reason that this does not, imply that all can be dis~ credited for this reason any more than that the existence of counterfeit money implies that there is no good money. Fraud is indeed encouraged from the very fact thst accumulating research and experience tend to substantiate the verity of such phenomena, Increasing Interest Dr. Bowers is mainly concerned not iso much with proving the "possibility"
the existence of mysterious psychic forces as that the nature of their lusty physical manifestations in the seance oom is such that they can only be accounted for by the agency of discarnate intelligences using the substance of a living human body as a edi ud on this assumption the spiritualistic theory is adopted as only rational explanation of the Phenomena. The adherents of this whilst Paychlcal Research Associations, Such as have their headquarters in London, New York and elsewhere, are increasing In membership and pre-stage which can only be accounted] for by the fact that unbiased and Gisinterested investigation is having positive results in establishing the existence of the phenomena of the 'seance room as beyond all reason= able doubt, 'Admitting, as indeed we must, this overwhelming testimony, there'. room for a wide difference of opinion as to whether "spiritualism" affords. the only" satisfactory explanation even though at the present stage of progressive experience it appears 10 be the mest plausible.. Theories oc- rivalry to Boyd's business but ex-counting for ordinary phenomena are constantly. undergoing the affections of Boyd's modification and Dr. Bowers is altogether too severe in his strictures on those who, while admitting. the evidence of these mysterious psychic forees as conclusive, are unwilling fas yet to accept the "spiritualistic" theory accounting for them, "Those already acquainted with the phenomena of the seance room will find ttle that is new In Dr. Bowers' very excellent review of them basec fon over 35 years continuous research. His objective in publishing his experiences is to present his argument in favour of the agency of the spiritual world for the occult manifest tations in the seance room and certainly builds up a strong case for hhis thesis. Of his intellectual integrity us also his sincerity of purpose there can be no question as most any unprejudiced reader will Be, forced to admit. His experiences, which he narrates in 22 chapters, are absorbing general interest however tone may regard them, They include Sil the mysterious phenomena at resent apparently outside of the Range of accountability by recognized dentine laws. The author claims that those observed and recorded by him and many others are no less credible than. the super-normal cle ent with which almost all form: fof religious pellet are closely as elated and thus the indubitable testimony to their actuality becomes 'a matter of tremendous importance to humanity.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.