Scientific thought is continually dealing with supersensible reali- 

 ties, so the existence of the supersensible will not be doubted. If 

 then there are occurrences which no other known theory will explain, 

 we must for the present accept the theory of the existence of discarnate 

 spirits. 



Super-normal knowledge and personal identity exhibited by com- 

 munications through Mrs. Piper as medium are occurrences explain- 

 able by no other known hypothesis. Therefore we must, until some 

 better hypothesis is found, accept the theory of spirits. 



Prof. Hyslop like Darwin experimented. But Darwin by his 

 experiment was showing that his explanation was a true one, while 

 Hyslop by his experiments is gathering facts to be explained. Prof. 

 Hyslop performed no experiment to show that his explanation was a 

 possible one. 



The following facts with other similar facts furnish the founda- 

 tion for Prof. Hyslop's theory. Mrs. Piper, a medium, goes into a 

 trance state. While in this state, questions are asked of her, to 

 which neither she in her normal state nor the questioner knows the 

 answer. These questions are answered correctly, questions are asked, 

 and other communications are given by or through the medium. 

 These communications are so given as to appear to be given by 

 some person known to be dead. And sometimes the communications 

 are such as to make it appear that one person is conversing with 

 another, all of whom are known to be dead. Mistakes and con- 

 fusions occur as if memories had failed or as if those appearing to 

 communicate had not adequate means of communication. These 

 are the facts of evidence for the theory and also the facts to be 

 explained by the theory. Everything that is said, is spoken by the 

 mouth of Mrs. Piper; but what she says purports to be the com- 

 munications of others. 



No other theory adequately explains these facts; all other known 

 theories are therefore excluded from belief. Prof. Hyslop thus 

 advocates belief in the theory of survival after death. 



Prof. Hyslop's theory implies the existence of a number of 

 facts. These facts implied are : that in the human make-up, there is a 

 part never yet discovered to science; that upon death this part does 

 not die but becomes separated from the body and leads an indepen- 

 dent existence; that, though in life there seems to be closest depen- 

 dence between physical and mental functions, yet that this spirit dis- 

 engaged, carries on the mental functions, little impaired, after the 

 decay of the physical being; that these spirits, possessed neither of 

 eyes, ears, vocal organs, nor any of the known organs of perception 

 and communication, nevertheless do perceive things of the world and 



[4] 



