MODE OF DIVINE ACTION. 107 



monly known as " magnetic " or " mesmeric ;" and the world 

 is indebted to that philosopher for physical demonstrations in 

 this department, which place the fundamental doctrines of 

 Animal Magnetism beyond all possible doubt. 



Now, operations called "magnetic" as performed by one 

 human being upon another, are known to depend greatly, for 

 their character and efficiency, upon the exercise of the will. 

 If, therefore, the medium through which such magnetic oper- 

 ations are performed, is generically the same with the " odic" 

 spheres given forth by all bodies in nature, do we not find in 

 this " odic " element the general connecting link between mind 

 and matter? If, upon the basis of this certainly plausible 

 idea, we should suggest that this everywhere present " odic " 

 element, as associated with the different bodies in nature, and 

 with nature as a Whole, may hereafter prove to be a medium 

 through which mind can, in certain conditions, and to a certain 

 extent, act upon and move outer tangible matter, without the 

 contact of the physical organs, the suggestion would doubtless 

 be met with general incredulity, especially by those who are 

 not familiar with certain strange phenomena of our day. It 

 could not be esteemed more incredible, however, than would 

 have been an assertion made fifty years ago, that by a 

 peculiar mechanical contrivance, a certain subtile agent in 

 nature might be efficiently employed in the accurate and 

 instantaneous transmission of thought to the distance of a 

 thousand miles! But not to press these thoughts for the 

 present, if our foregoing generalizations are correct, then we 

 hazard little in saying, that as the all-pervading "odic" 

 sphere of the universe, as a whole, in its ultimate degree, con- 

 nects with the sphere of the Deity, so the Deity, through this 

 medium, acts upon the universe, in the same way as any two. 

 juxtaposed substances or forms in nature act upon each other 



