THE MEDIUMS’ BOOK

52. Materialistic opinions being put aside, as condemned at once by reason and by facts, we have now to inquire whether the soul, after death, can manifest itself to the living.

Let us begin by considering whether there can be any reason why intelligent beings, living, as it were, in our midst, although, from their nature, we are unable to see them, should not be able to manifest themselves in some way or other. Common sense tells us that there can be no á priori impossibility of their being able to do this; and it is something that the supposition is seen to be not intrinsicaly unreasonable. On the other hand, the belief that they can thus manifest themselves is indigenous among all nations, and has existed everywhere, and at all epochs ; and it is evident that no intuition could be so general, or manifest such vitality, in all ages, without having some foundation. Moreover, this belief is sanctioned by the testimony of Holy Writ and by the Fathers of the Church; and only the materialistic scepticism of our age could have relegated it into the category of superstitions.

But these are only moral considerations. One cause has Contributed beyond all others to develop scepticism in a positive age like ours; an age in which a reason must be given for every statement, and in which people must know the "why" and the "how" of everything. That cause is the general ignorance of mankind in regard to the nature of spirits and of the means by which they are able to manifest themselves. Let the world acquire this knowledge, and the fact of spirit-manifestation will be seen to have nothing surprising in it, and will take its place with all other natural facts.