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also rooted in materialism； and discarded all its own very excellent axioms
when it was faced by an entirely new and unexpected proposition。 Faraday
declared that in approaching a new subject one should make up one's mind
a priori as to what is possible and what is not！ Huxley said that the
messages； EVEN IF TRUE； 〃interested him no more than the gossip of
curates in a cathedral city。〃 Darwin said： 〃God help us if we are to believe
such things。〃 Herbert Spencer declared against it； but had no time to go
into it。 At the same time all science did not come so badly out of the ordeal。
As already mentioned； Professor Hare； of Philadelphia； inventor； among
other things； of the oxy… hydrogen blow…pipe； was the first man of note
who had the moral courage； after considerable personal investigation； to
declare that these new and strange developments were true。 He was
followed by many medical men； both in America and in Britain； including
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Dr。 Elliotson； one of the leaders of free thought in this country。 Professor
Crookes； the most rising chemist in Europe； Dr。 Russel Wallace the great
naturalist； Varley the electrician； Flammarion the French astronomer； and
many others； risked their scientific reputations in their brave assertions of
the truth。 These men were not credulous fools。 They saw and deplored the
existence of frauds。 Crookes' letters upon the subject are still extant。 In
very many cases it was the Spiritualists themselves who exposed the
frauds。 They laughed； as the public laughed； at the sham Shakespeares and
vulgar Caesars who figured in certain seance rooms。 They deprecated also
the low moral tone which would turn such powers to prophecies about the
issue of a race or the success of a speculation。 But they had that broader
vision and sense of proportion which assured them that behind all these
follies and frauds there lay a mass of solid evidence which could not be
shaken； though like all evidence； it had to be examined before it could be
appreciated。 They were not such simpletons as to be driven away from a
great truth because there are some dishonest camp followers who hang
upon its skirts。 A great centre of proof and of inspiration lay during those
early days in Mr。 D。 D。 Home； a Scottish…American； who possessed
powers which make him one of the most remarkable personalities of
whom we have any record。 Home's life； written by his second wife； is a
book which deserves very careful reading。 This man； who in some aspects
was more than a man； was before the public for nearly thirty years。 During
that time he never received payment for his services； and was always
ready； to put himself at the disposal of any bona…fide and reasonable
enquirer。 His phenomena were produced in full light； and it was
immaterial to him whether the sittings were in his own rooms or in those
of his friends。 So high were his principles that upon one occasion； though
he was a man of moderate means and less than moderate health； he refused
the princely fee of two thousand pounds offered for a single sitting by the
Union Circle in Paris。
As to his powers； they seem to have included every form of
mediumship in the highest degreeself…levitation； as witnessed by
hundreds of credible witnesses； the handling of fire； with the power of
conferring like immunity upon others； the movement without human touch
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of heavy objects； the visible materialisation of spirits； miracles of healing；
and messages from the dead； such as that which converted the hard…headed
Scot； Robert Chambers； when Home repeated to him the actual dying
words of his young daughter。 All this came from a man of so sweet a
nature and of so charitable a disposition； that the union of all qualities
would seem almost to justify those who； to Home's great embarrassment；
were prepared to place him upon a pedestal above humanity。 The
genuineness of his psychic powers has never been seriously questioned；
and was as well recognised in Rome and Paris as in London。 One incident
only darkened his career； and it； was one in which he was blameless； as
anyone who carefully weighs the evidence must admit。 I allude to the
action taken against him by Mrs。 Lyon； who； after adopting him as her son
and settling a large sum of money upon him； endeavoured to regain； and
did regain； this money by her unsupported assertion that he had persuaded
her illicitly to make him the allowance。 The facts of his life are； in my
judgment； ample proof of the truth of the Spiritualist position； if no other
proof at all had been available。 It is to be remarked in the career of this
entirely honest and unvenal medium that he had periods in his life when
his powers deserted him completely； that he could foresee these lapses；
and that； being honest and unvenal； he simply abstained from all attempts
until the power returned。 It is this intermittent character of the gift which is；
in my opinion； responsible for cases when a medium who has passed the
most rigid tests upon certain occasions is afterwards detected in simulating；
very clumsily； the results which he had once successfully accomplished。
The real power having failed； he has not the moral courage to admit it； nor
the self…denial to forego his fee which he endeavours to earn by a travesty
of what was once genuine。 Such an explanation would cover some facts
which otherwise are hard to reconcile。 We must also admit that some
mediums are extremely irresponsible and feather…headed people。 A friend
of mine； who sat with Eusapia Palladino； assured me that he saw her cheat
in the most childish and bare…faced fashion； and yet immediately
afterwards incidents occurred which were absolutely beyond any； normal
powers to produce。 Apart from Home； another episode which marks a
stage in the advance of this movement was the investigation and report by
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the Dialectical Society in the year 1869。 This body was composed of men
of various learned professions who gathered together to investigate the
alleged facts； and ended by reporting that they really WERE facts。 They
were unbiased； and their conclusions were founded upon results which
were very soberly set forth in their report； a most convincing document
which； even now in 1919； after the lapse of fifty years； is far more
intelligent than the greater part of current opinion upon this subject。 None
the less； it was greeted by a chorus of ridicule by the ignorant Press of that
day； who； if the same men had come to the opposite conclusion in spite of
the evidence； would have been ready to hail their verdict as the undoubted
end of a pernicious movement。 In the early days； about 1863； a book was
written by Mrs。 de Morgan； the wife of the well…known mathematician
Professor de Morgan； entitled 〃From Matter to Spirit。〃 There is a
sympathetic preface by the husband。 The book is still well worth reading；
for it is a question whether anyone has shown greater brain power in
treating the subject。 In it the prophecy is made that as the movement
develops the more material phenomena will decrease and their place be
taken by the more spiritual； such as automatic writing。 This forecast has
been fulfilled； for though physical mediums still exist the other more
subtle forms greatly predominate； and call for far more discriminating
criticism in judging their value and their truth。 Two very convincing forms
of mediumship； the direct voice and spirit photography； have also become
prominent。 Each of these presents such proof that it is impossible for the
sceptic to face them； and he can only avoid them by ignoring them。 In the
case of the direct voice one of the leading exponents is Mr