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"that in 1825 a new investigation was appointed 

 by the Royal Academy of Medicine in France. The 

 -Committee eat for a period of six years and at 

 length presented tbeir report, which confirmed 

 many of the things Mesmer bad taught. This 

 caused a lot of disputes and wranglings, which 

 went on for a long time, during which time, 

 however, many works were written on the 

 fiubiect. The Church took the matter up, and in 

 1846 came a sermon preached at Notre Dame 

 eulogising magnetism as a power for confoand- 

 ing infidi-ls and demonstrating the power of God 

 hy it-s means. Then came an encyclical letter to 

 the Bishops in France with a view to patting a 

 stop to the practices, but without success. It came 

 over to England and attracted the attention of 

 many medical men, until at length came another 

 theory demonstrated by Dr. Braid, which caused a 

 revolution in the methods and practices for the 

 production of phenomena. He started as a eCBptic, 

 but eventually established a theory, and gave to 

 the world a name which still clings to the practice. 

 This he called hypnotism, from the Greek word 

 signifying sleep, and this name we still hold to as 

 being the most expressive. His methods differed 

 from Mesmer's. He discarded the tedious pro- 

 cess of passes, finding that by placing a bright 

 object before the eyes of his subject he could pro- 

 duce practically the same result. This put it upon 

 another basis, and caused the profession to be 

 attracted by what they thought was a physiological 

 explanation to the matt-*r. Many methods began 

 to be used for producing the hypnotic condition. I 

 will mention one method only, as time will not 

 allow of more. The subject is placed in a com- 

 fortable chair, with his back to the light, and the 

 operator standing by his side holds two fingers of 

 his own hand a few inches from the eyes.while the 

 subjf'ct is told to look intently at these, and, if 

 possible, to keep his mind a blank. As soon as 

 the eyps show signs of weariness the operator 

 begins in a monotonous tone to suggest sleep He 

 will say *' You are getting drowsy " and " Your 

 eyes are closing," until the eyes close and a 

 deep breathing commences. This is the first stage, 

 which is followed by others producing phenomena. 

 To arouse from this state, as to place in it, is 

 effected by suggestion. Physical means can be 

 used, such as blowing in the eyes or fanning the 

 face, and if the patient does not awake, then he 

 may be left to sleep off the effects, which usually 

 happens in about four hours, leaving no ill effect 

 whatever. The phenomena are very numerous. 

 and seem to be all based on suggestion — all 

 muscalar movements can be suspended at the will 

 of the operator. Thus, if he says *' You cannot 

 open your mouth," or " You cinnot raise your 

 arm," it is sufficient to procure the desired effect. 

 Those of you who have seen the phenomena dis- 

 played in the public halls for the amusement of an 

 audience, will remember the ease with which the 

 operator caus-^s his subject to perform grotesque 

 things : they will laugh, cry, sing — in fact, perform 

 almost any action which does not encroach upon 

 their sensitiveness and morality. I saw on one 

 occasion a young man. on being told that be was 

 dirty, take off bis jacket and tuck up his sleeves, 

 and go through theprocesfeof washing his face and 



hands with exactness, as if he bad the necessary 

 things before him. I have seen men play an 

 imaginary game of marbles, quarrelling about it 

 as though they were schoolboys. These things, 

 however, are trifling compared with some of the 

 greater wonders produced, such as clairvoyance, 

 clairaudience, or telepathy. In some cases the 

 memory assumes marvellous proportions, bringing 

 from past life events which had long since been 

 buried and forgotten. I quote the following from 

 lectures on metaphysics by Sir W, Hamilton : — 

 "The evidence on this part shows that the mind 

 frequently contains whole systems of knowledge 

 which io our normal state have faded into absolute 

 oblivion, which may in certain abnormal states 

 flash out into luminous consciousness, and even 

 throw into the shade of unconsciousness those 

 other symptoms by which they had for a long 

 period been eclipsed and for ever extingnisbed." 

 Dealing more particularly with the phenomena 

 known as *' Psycho Therapeutics," the lecturer 

 said : This has its students of every shade of 

 opinion, each producing theeffects.but professedly 

 by contradictory means. None will deny the 

 wondrous cures effected at Lourdes. Their name 

 is legion. Cases given up bv the physicians 

 brought to successful issue. The weak gaining 

 renewed health and strength. Tde hopeless going 

 away filled with a hope which bad seemingly 

 gone for ever. The Christian Church in all its 

 ages has given testimony of healing power which 

 it has attributed to divine means. The relics of 

 the Saints have been called into requisition with 

 the same results. While we have amongst us to- 

 day systems known as Faith Healing, Christian 

 Science, etc, each while antagonistic to each 

 other as to their theories, producing exactly the 

 same results, and though many may ecoff 

 at the processes and ridicule those who 

 believe in them, yet it is impossible to deny that 

 cuies more marvellous than any ever effected by 

 the physician, have been wrought by them. You 

 will notice that although so many theories are 

 put forth and so many different methods employed, 

 some of which are contradictory to each other, it 

 must appeal to the tbouehtful that, underlying 

 all this, there must be some principle not yet dis- 

 covered, which must embrace them all and cover 

 the whole ground of the phenomena produced. It 

 would be difficult forme in the time allowed to 

 enumerate the various theories, but I have selected 

 one which, as far as my judgment goes, is as 

 plausible as any, based on the duality of the 

 mind. For this theory we are indebted to Mr. 

 T. J. Hudson, who has written several books upon 

 the bubjecr, in one of which he gives us a working 

 hypothesis. His first proposition is, that man 

 has a dual mental organization, or rather two 

 minds, each of which is endowed with separate 

 and distinct attributes and powers, capable under 

 certain conditions of independent action. These 

 he has named the objective and the subjective 

 minds. The difference between them be gives as 

 follows ; — "The objective mind takes cognizance of 

 the objective world. Its media of observation are 

 the five senses. It is the outgrowth of man*s 

 physical necessities, his guide in his struggle with 

 his material environment. Its highest function is 



