148 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



is from the incarnation of mahatmas. The mind healer, the faith 

 healer, the curative theories of 'neminism/ the sale of the patent 

 medicine, the medical marvels of radium, the wonders of the electric 

 belt and the power of animal magnetism are all witnesses of the potency 

 of suggestion in the untrained mind. To the same class of phenomena 

 the witch-hazel rod belongs. Experiment shows that its movements 

 are the involuntary muscular contractions and that these follow simply 

 the preconceived notions of the holder of the rod. 



" If, as some one has lately said, all men sought healing from the 

 blessed handkerchief of the lunatic or from contact with old bones or 

 old clothes, if all physicians used ' revealed remedies ' for the remedies 

 nature suggests for each disease, if all the supposed ' natural rights ' 

 of men were recognized in legislation, the insecurity of such actions 

 would speedily disappear. The long and bloody road of progress 

 through fool-killing would for centuries be traversed again. Without 

 the instruments and methods of precision which belong to science we 

 should find ourselves in the weakness and babyhood which was the 

 heritage of the common man through the middle ages. 



" In the degree that ' organized common sense ' or science, has been 

 a factor in the lives of men and nations, men and nations have been 

 happy and effective. The ultimate function of science is the regula- 

 tion of human conduct. 



" Not long since one of our sciosophical friends proposed the theory 

 that the chemical elements were each of them forms of ' latent oxygen.' 

 This theory he defended by the argument that the business of science 

 was to propose all sorts of theories. As some apples on a tree will be 

 sound so will some of these theories be true. To make every con- 

 ceivable guess is the way to hit on the truth. Some such notion as this 

 is common among cultured people of all countries. To accept it is to 

 ignore the whole history of science. No advance in real knowledge 

 has come from guessing, dreaming or speculating. If we want a pic- 

 ture taken we find a man who has a camera and who knows how to use 

 it. If we want the truth on any subject we must find a man who has 

 the instruments or methods of precision and who knows how to use 

 them. There is no other way. As well expect a man without a 

 camera and who knows not how to use it if he had one to take a photo- 

 graph as to trust to a speculator, guesser or dreamer to find the truth. 

 To work without tools, in the world of objective reality, can yield only 

 illusion and fraud." 



At the conclusion of the address, President Marvin expressed the 

 thanks of the Astral Club for the bold and straightforward declara- 

 tion of materialistic principles. But at the same time he could not 

 refrain from reminding Mr. Grimshaw that he was still very young 

 and that there were many things in heaven and earth and Devachan 

 which are not yet taught in the schools. 



