Psychic Phenomena Part 9

[Ill.u.s.tration:

ORIGINAL REPRODUCTION]

A final selection of Thought-Transference Drawings will be taken from the records of several series of experiments of different kinds made in 1897 and 1898 by Professor A. P. Chattock, of University College, Bristol. The drawings were made with two old students of Professor Chattock's, Mr. Wedmore and Mr. Clinker.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 6.

ORIGINAL

REPRODUCTION (1).]

REPRODUCTION (2).]

No. 6 of a series done at Harrow, September 1897. Agents, Professor Chattock and R. C. Clinker. Percipient, E. B. Wedmore. E. B. W. about three yards from agents, with lamp and table between. To reproduction (1) these words are added: "I thought of these, and then suggested we should try three musical notes." And to reproduction (2) these words are added: "Got this result."

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 1.

ORIGINAL Agent, E. B. Wedmore.]

REPRODUCTION Percipient, R. Wedmore.]

No. 1 of a series done in London, a little later. The reproduction was drawn in about one and a half minutes after the sitting commenced.

The Report of the various series of experiments is printed in the _Journal_ of the Society for Psychical Research for November 1898.

Instead of giving detailed references to all the quotations in the descriptions of these various Thought-Transference Drawings, a list of the several Reports is appended. They can be referred to for further information.[65]

Second Report of the S.P.R. Committee. _Proceedings_, vol. i., part ii., 1882. See p. 92.

Third Report of the S.P.R. Committee. _Proceedings_, vol. i., part iii., 1883. See pp. 94, 95.

Experiments in Thought-Transference, by Malcolm Guthrie.

_Proceedings_, vol. ii., part v., 1884. See pp. 96, 97.

Experiments in Thought-Transference, by Oliver J. Lodge, D.Sc.

_Proceedings_, vol. ii., part vi., 1884. See pp. 100-102.

Some Recent Thought-Transference Experiments, by Oliver J.

Lodge. _Proceedings_, vol. vii., part xx., 1891. See p. 104.

Experiments in Thought-Transference, by Henry G. Rawson.

_Proceedings_, vol. xi., part xxvii., 1894. See pp. 105, 106.

Experiments in Thought-Transference, by Professor A. P.

Chattock. _Journal S.P.R._, vol. xiii., No. 153, Nov. 1898. See p. 107.

During the last few years no important addition appears to have been made to the series of Thought-Transference Drawings. A revival of similar experiments would be of great interest and value.

The question may fairly be asked, What have these Thought-Transference Drawings to do with the Physical Phenomena of Spiritualism? A reply is easily given. The reader is referred to a pa.s.sage in the concluding chapter, quoted from Mr. Myers, in which he claims an exalted position for Telepathy, as almost the fundamental doctrine of Spiritualistic Philosophy. He speaks of the beginning of Telepathy as a "quasi-mechanical transference of ideas and images from one to another brain." The Thought-Transference Drawings const.i.tute the primary evidence of this. They may be looked upon as const.i.tuting the physical basis of a belief in Thought-Transference, and therefore as the physical basis of a belief in Telepathy, the action of which, as Mr. Myers says, "was traced across a gulf greater than any s.p.a.ce of earth or ocean--it bridged the interval between spirits incarnate and discarnate." Thus we may look upon these Thought-Transference Drawings as supplying the chief--perhaps the only--physical basis for a belief in one of the main doctrines of spiritualism. Hence they legitimately find a place in the present examination.

FOOTNOTES:

[64] _Proceedings S.P.R._, vol. i. p. 13.

[65] A list of all the publications of the Society for Psychical Research, with prices of the different volumes and parts, can be obtained from the Secretary, at the Society's Rooms, 20 Hanover Square, London, W.

CHAPTER IX

MATERIALISATIONS

By "materialisation," in this chapter, is not meant the production of more or less complete portions of the human body--generally hands--a phenomenon alleged to be frequent in spiritualistic circles. A "materialisation" of the whole figure is meant, the production of a figure which to the spectator appears as a new human being, so to speak, occasionally exhibiting signs of independent organic life. Such a phenomenon would be the most astounding that can well be imagined. I am not in a position to offer any scientific evidence in its support. By far the majority of the accounts which have been published of full form "materialisations" are dest.i.tute of any evidential value, and in many cases the circ.u.mstantial evidence for fraud is strong. Were it not for a small number of cases which present _prima facie_ evidence of a different character, the question of the reality of this phase of "mediums.h.i.+p" would be scarcely worth raising. But the existence of even a small amount of evidence of such a kind raises the question into a different position, to one which reasonably demands the searching investigation of scientific men. I propose to give one ill.u.s.tration only of this better cla.s.s of evidence, but it is one in which common-sense precautions against deception seem to have been carefully taken.

The following extracts are from a report made by Mr. J. Slater, and published in _The Two Worlds_ of 15th February 1895:--

"IS MATERIALISATION A FACT? YES. SCIENTIFIC PROOF.

"After the recent suspicions and exposures of materialising mediums, I determined to take the first opportunity of applying further and more stringent tests, which should absolutely preclude the possibility of deception. For this purpose I wrote to the Middlesbro' materialising medium, asking for a test sitting, and stating the conditions--which he readily accepted....

"The conditions were that he should strip to the skin 'naked as he was born,' and in the presence of witnesses dress in clothes to be supplied by me....

"I made him understand that after he had dressed in the clothes supplied by me, he must consider himself in my charge, and must not attempt to do or touch anything, or go anywhere except to the chair provided for him. He readily agreed to this, and imposed upon himself a still further test, viz. that as soon as the phenomena had ceased, he would instantly place himself in our charge, to be held fast until the light was turned up, and the company had retired to the next room, the same process of undressing being gone through."

This was all carried out preliminary to a seance, and a final examination of the room was made.

"The light was then lowered so that we could just see each other--the company sang a hymn, a prayer was offered, and then came the crisis--to be or not to be? In less than a minute a form of exceeding whiteness appeared at the opening of the curtain; I should judge the height to be three feet six inches or a little more. We could not distinguish the face. The form appeared twice. Then a child form appeared, its raiment white, luminous and very distinct. Then came the well-known and lively black child, opening the curtain with her small arms and bowing repeatedly to us. This child would be about two and a half feet in height. The folds of s.h.i.+ning drapery hung from her head in gipsy fas.h.i.+on, which she opened for us to see her round black face. I was quite close to her, but did not pat her face and woolly head as I have done before. She climbed upon the medium's knee, and then came close to us again, and then disappeared....

"The meeting then concluded with prayer and doxology. We then seized hold of the medium's hands, and held him until the company retired, and then went through the undressing and dressing process as before, every article of clothing being rigidly examined as removed. We then searched the corner as before, and found all intact, and not a sign anywhere of the abundance of drapery we had seen."

Sixteen ladies and gentlemen present at the meeting allowed their names to be published as a testimony to what they saw. The evidential value of the seance depends entirely on the honesty and truthfulness of Mr.

Slater and of the two friends who a.s.sisted him in the carrying out of the precautions taken.

Mr. Slater had been in the York Post Office for over thirty years, and for nearly seven years before his death in 1902 had occupied the position of superintendent. Mr. Slater was a frequent contributor to the newspaper press of his own district, and also occasionally to other periodicals. He appears to have been a man of considerable intelligence and force of character, and to have been widely respected. I am informed by Mr. J. P. Slater, a son of Mr. J. Slater, and who is in the Post Office at York, that the name of the "Middlesbro' medium" was Kenwin, and that he was an "ordinary working man" in some steel works. He died six or seven years ago.

CHAPTER X

"SPIRIT PHOTOGRAPHY"

For over thirty years photographs have been taken in London, on which, when they were developed, figures appeared for the presence of which there seemed to be no physical cause. They appeared both with professional photographers and in private studios. Two or three professional photographers laid themselves out to encourage such appearances. Others were annoyed by them. One in particular, whom I knew personally, was greatly annoyed in this way, fearing it might injure his business. Naturally, but unfortunately, the term "spirit photographs"

was invented. Unfortunately, because, granting the reality and genuineness of some of the results, it by no means follows that a "spirit" stood or sat for its portrait, as a human sitter does.

Naturally also, various explanations were soon alleged, two being, either that the plates had been used before, and had been imperfectly cleaned, or that the results were produced by deliberate artifice and fraud on the part of the photographer. There is no doubt that artificial results can be obtained in a variety of ways, which are extremely difficult, if not impossible to distinguish from the professed genuine article. It may therefore be said that no examination of a professed "spirit photograph," or as we should prefer to call it, a "psychic photograph," is sufficient to determine its nature and origin. The true test must be sought for in the conditions under which the photograph was taken. Very few of those who have had to do with "spirit photography"