110 
CREATURES OF MYSTERY 
mesmerism is not very clear, but experiments in dual conscious¬ 
ness, in the possibilities of suggestion, the transference of 
thought, and in the production of profound sleep, appears to 
be only the outer fringe of an ancient secret knowledge by 
which the sanctuary of the innermost man may be unlocked. 
Mesmer finally settled in Paris where he established a 
school, all of his pupils becoming celebrated. One of these 
pupils hypnotized his gardener and found that his patient was 
capable of carrying on a conversation while in this induced 
sleep. He discovered also that the patient not only understood 
the words, but the unexpressed thoughts of his master as well, 
and would answer with equal clearness and with as much ease 
whether the question be a mere suggestion of the mind, or 
whether it be clearly expressed to him by the master. 
We see that the origin of hypnotism, and its allied arts, if 
we wish to think of them as being in any way different, is 
beyond the power of man to find out. It may seem like begging 
the question, but we would like to invite attention to the fact 
.that all through Holy Writ, the practice of such art is frowned 
upon. If we may be permitted to suggest a reason for such 
disapproval, we would say that the practice of such arts would 
always appeal to the superstitious and the illiterate, and thus 
operate as a hindrance to moral, spiritual and intellectual de¬ 
velopment. We believe that the Creative Power undertakes 
to vouchsafe to man the best possible means of attaining his 
highest destiny. A highly developed system of hypnotism in 
the hands of an unscrupulous operator might prove the means 
of no end of corruption and oppression. We find, as it is, char¬ 
latans practicing it to the detriment of those who are weak. 
Let us repeat: we know not from whence man got his hyp¬ 
notism and magic, nor how long he has been using it in one 
form or another. However, we must believe that our First 
Parents lived for centuries in the open with all forms of animal 
life, and that during all these years they must have learned 
much from the lower animals about them. We will return to 
this line of thought later on. 
Let us insist again that serpents certainly exercise some sort 
of control over their intended victims, similar in many ways, 
