Future life in the light of ancient wisdom and modern science

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FUTURE LIFE IN THE LIGHT OF ANCIENT WISDOM

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INTRODUCTION xxiii

CHAPTER I The Idea of Survival in the Various Civilisations OF Antiquity 3

The Spiritual Insight of the Ancients. — Tradition and Primitive Philosophy to be appealed to for Help in understanding Spiritual Matters. — Evidences of a Belief in Survival among Prehistoric Races and Modern Savages. — Chinese Ancestor-worship. — The Evolution of the Survival Idea among the Egyptians. — Transmigration of Souls believed in, but abhorred, by the Hindus. — Survival as viewed by the Chaldeans, and by the Gauls. — Immortality obscurely taught in the Old Testament. — Taught also by the Greeks, and for a Time by the Romans. — The Christian Doctrine of Immortality and Divine Love. — Disagreement of Roman Catholics and Protestants on the Question of a Purgatory. — Survival as viewed by Spiritists, and by Theosophists.

viii CONTENTS

CHAPTER II Pagb

Primitive Funeral, Rites as Evidence of Belief in Survival. — Evolution of the Idea of Future Rewards and Punishments. — Influence of this Belief on Laws and Customs. — Customs which show that the Soul was believed to be entombed with the Body. — The Importance ascribed to Burial Rites. — Manes and Penates. — In the Stone Age, Resurrection regarded as a New Birth. — Drawings on Prehistoric Tombs, expressive of the Hope of Resurrection. — The Sun regarded as the Author of All Life. — Symbolical Ornamentation of Tombs in Egypt and Greece. — Summary of M. Soldi's Ideas on Prehistoric Monuments. — A Forecast of the Modern Theory of a Vibrating Etheric Fluid.

Chapter III

Customs of Savages resulting from the Universal Belief in Survival. — Embalming. — Cannibalism. — Slaughter of Aged and Infirm Relatives. — Metempsychosis. — Division of the World into Infernal Regions and Blessed Regions. — Independent Elements in the Human Soul as viewed by Fijians, Greenlanders, Algonquins, Polynesians, Malagashes, Dakotas, Siamese, Konds, and Burmese Karens.

Chapter IV

Influence of the Survival Notion on the Development of Ancient Civilisations as exemplified in the Chinese. — The Origin of Ancestor-worship among the Chinese, Hindus, Greeks, and Romans. — The Family System founded by Confucius. — His Sacred Books. — His Contemporary Philosophers : Lao Tsze in China, Pythagoras in Greece, and Sakyamuni in India. — Lio Tsze's Belief in the Survival of an Individual, Conscious Soul. — Composition of the Soul. — The Necessity for Correct Funeral Rites and Offerings to the Dead. — Chinese Horror of being deprived of Obsequies. — Swords and other

CONTENTS , ix

Page Pointed Articles used by Ancient Nations to drive away

Importunate Spirits. — Analogy between the Chinese Funeral-tablet and the Roman Imagines. — The Part taken by Departed Spirits in all Family Matters. — The Son's Duty to continue the Daily Ceremonial for the Happiness of his Deceased Father. — How the Law provides Heirs for Men who have no Sons.

Chapter V

The Influence of the Learning of the Egyptians on that of other Nations. — Their Knowledge of Pure Science. — Their Knowledge of Astronomy. — Their Constant Preparation for the Life to come. — Belief in a Fluidic Intermediary between the Body and the Spirit. — The Individual Elements of the Soul. — Effects of various Foods upon the Soul. — Regulations for the Preservation of Purity. — Provision for the Support of the Life of the Double. — Trial and Final Destiny of the Soul. — Metempsychosis for the Wicked only. — Monumental Evidence for the Idea of Survival. — Creative Power of the Sun. — Symbols of the Sun and of the Soul. — The first Rough Outline of the Atomic Theory.

Chapter VI

Ancestor-worship among the Hindus. — Interdependence of the Living and the Dead. — Similarity between the Laws of the Chinese and of the Hindus for supplying Heirs to Men who have no Sons. — The Soul's Destiny as stated in the Laws of Manu, and in the Vedas. — Metempsychosis the Cause of the Hindu's Reverence for all Living Things. — The Moksha of the Brahmins, the Nirvana of the Buddhists. — Extracts from the Sacred Books on Reincarnation. — The Theory expanded in Hindu Poetry. — Abhorrence of the Hindus for Reincarnation. — Asceticism and Meditation the Best Means for shortening the Cycle. — Reincarnation the Basis of Caste. — The Buddhist Doctrine of the Brotherhood of Man. — Antagonistic Views of the three Principal Schools concerning the State of the Soul after Death. — Hindu View of the Composition of the Soul similar to the Egyptian. — Classification of the Soul's Elements. — Yama, Arbiter of the Soul's Destiny.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER VII Page

The Religion of the Magi Lofty in its Conceptions and Free from Idolatry. — Chaldeans the Founders of Astronomy. — Their Belief in a Complex Soul, a Bodily Resurrection, the Soul's Immortality, and Rewards and Punishments after Death. — A Parsee Priest's Summary of the Doctrine of the Nature of the Soul. — Opinions of the Magi on the Future Life opposed by Jinandii Modhi in 1893. — The Wicked to be purified in Hell and admitted to Heaven. — Ceaseless Struggle between Ahura-Mazda, the Spirit of Good, and Agramal-Nyons, the Spirit of Evil. — Evolution of the Conception of <L Single God. — The Eternal Progress of the Soul toward Perfection. — Guardian Angels to be rewarded according to the Good Deeds performed under their Inspiration. — The Prayer to the Ferohers, or Guardian Angels. — The Progress and Kinship of all Living Beings. — Respect for Women. — Monogamy.

Chapter VIII

Immortality the Distinctive Doctrine of the Gaulish Religion. — Relations between the Celts and the Greeks. — Resemblance of Druidic to Pythagorean Doctrine. — Druidic Religion and Philosophy now known only by References in the Classics and in the Songs of the Bards. — Ascent of the Principle of Life from Plants, through Animals and Men, up to God. — Plurality of Inhabited Worlds. — The Moon a Preparatory Region for Earth, and for Heaven. — Immortality not a Theory, but a Dogma. — Effect of this Doctrine on the Lives of the Gauls. — Their Belief in Divine Unity. — Resemblance of their Sacrificial Rites to those of the Hebrews. — Analogies between Druidic and Chaldean Religion. — The Mistletoe a Symbol of Immortality. — Adoption of Christianity by the Druids. — Vestiges of Druidism in Early Christianity. — Joan of Arc.

CONTENTS xi

CHAPTER IX Page

Immortality obscurely taught in the Old Testament, — Quotations on this Subject from the Book of Wisdom, Ezekiel, Job, Daniel, Maccabees. — Why Job and Maccabees cannot be viewed as proving that the Jews believed in Immortality. — Moses probably a Believer in the Doctrine. — A Wide-spread Belief that the Pentateuch holds a Hidden Meaning. — Three Different Words used in the Bible to signify the Immaterial Part of Man. — Evidence that the Old Testament admits a Belief in Survival, and in the Power of the Dead to manifest themselves. — Probability that the Israelites practised Ancestor-worship. — Their Laws for providing Heirs for Men who had no Sons. — Their Hopes for the Dead. — Sheol compared to Purgatory. — Survival plainly taught in the Cabala and the Zohar. — Rotation of the Earth taught in the Zohar.

— Reincarnation taught in the Time of Christ.

CHAPTER X The Greeks 109

Immortality inherent in the Traditions, Poetry, Philosophy, and Religion of the Greeks. — Their Ancient Custom of sacrificing to the Shades of the Heroes. — Their Horror of being deprived of Sepulture. — Examples from Homer, Pindar, and Valerius Maximus. — Funeral Banquets participated in by the Dead. — Tombs decorated with Images of the Goddesses of Life. — Hesiod's Description of the State of the Dead. — Reinach's Interpretation of the Eternally Renewed Labours of Sisyphus and Others. — Metempsychosis. — Marks by which the Greek Mythology shows its Egyptian Origin. — Results of the Visit of the Poet Orpheus to Egypt. — The Doctrine of Immortality formulated anew by Pythagoras. — How he became initiated into the Egyptian, Jewish, and Assyrian Religions. — His View of the Relations of Body, Soul, and Spirit. — The Role of the Etheric Fluid. — This Fluid as viewed by Pythagoras and by Newton. — The Delphic Oracle.

— Heaven without Reincarnation only for the Few. — Pythagoras's Theosophy. — Survival the Basis of the Pythagorean xii CONTENTS

Page Doctrine and of the Revelations made in the Mysteries. — The Sacred Symbols used in the Mysteries. — The Survival Idea expanded by Plato. — The Influence of his Ideas in developing Christian Dogma. — His Belief in Plural Existences. — His Views on Man's Immaterial Part. — The Objective Existence of Ideas. — Resemblance between Plato's Theory of the Divine Za^os and the Exordium of St. John's Gospel. — Immortality and Reincarnation in the Writings of the Neoplatonists.

Chapter XI

Roman Ideas and Institutions bequeathed to Modern Civilisations. — Resemblance of the Ancestor-worship of the Romans to that of the Chinese and other Ancient Nations. — Care of the Romans for the Happiness of the Shades. — Offerings to the Lares. — Functions of the Pater. — The Absolute Need of Heirs in every Family. — Importance of the Tutelary Deities at all Family Ceremonies. — Relation of City Government to Family Organisation. — Patricians and Plebeians. — Recognition of the City Gods in Wars and Treaties. — The Etruscans probably acquainted with the Egyptian Doctrine of the Nature of Man. — Testimonies of Cato and Cicero. — Roman View of Immortality not Personal, but Collective. — Fear of the Future Life combated by Lucretius, and shared in by Virgil. — Belief that the Souls of the Dead lived in or near the Grave. — Spirit-raising. — The Animus and the Anima. — Ovid's Recognition of Transmigration. — Survival taught in the iEneid. — How Rome was prepared to receive the Christian Doctrine of Personal Immortality. — Spread of this Doctrine throughout the World.

CHAPTER XII Christianity 137

Immortality brought to Light in the New Testament. — Christ's Teachings on Heaven, Hell, the Resurrection, and the Last Judgment. — Divergences of Opinion regarding the Interpretation of the Resurrection and the Judgment. — Immortality proved by the Raising of the Dead, by Christ's

CONTENTS xiii

Page Statements, and by Paul's Argument. — The Glorified Body of Christ a Pledge of the Resurrection Body of Christians.

— The Influence of Science in modifying Theological Views of the Resurrection. — Constitution of the Soul. — Theory that the Glorified Body exists now in the Physical Body.

— This Fluid-like Body and Preexistence both disregarded in Traditional Doctrine. — Declaration by the Councils of Constantinople and Chalcedon that Human Destinies are fixed for ever at Death. — The Notion of Preexistence not condemned in the Gospels. — Hints of it in the Cases of John the Baptist, the Man that was born Blind, and Nicodemus. — Believed in by Origen and St. Augustine. — The Last Judgment accepted in the Religion and Philosophy of the Principal Civilisations and in Christianity. — Opinions regarding it held by St. Ambrose and St. Augustine. — Premonitory Signs of the Judgment. — The Judgment itself. — Modification of the Popular Idea of Hell in Times of Origen, St. Gregory, and St. Augustine. — Dante's " Inferno." — Man's Inability to conceive the Joys of Heaven. — The Legend of Alfin, the Monk of Olmutz. — Degrees of Glory in Heaven. — Possibility of Forgiveness after Death. — Gradual Rise of the Notion of Purgatory. — Decision of the Council of Trent. — Necessity of the Doctrine for the Comfort of Christians. — Sale of Indulgences the Chief Cause of the Reformation. — Purgatory a Felt Want in Protestant Churches. — Conditional Immortality.

CHAPTER XIII Conditional Immortality in the Protestant Churches i6o

Dr. Edward White's "Conditional Immortality, or Life in Christ." — Immortality not natural to Man, but bestowed on the Righteous. — This Theory strengthened by the Darwinian Theory, and by Drummond's " Natural Law in the Spiritual World?' — The Same Line of Argument in OUiff's " Le Problfeme de I'lmmortalit^." — Immortality for all Mankind implies the Same for Animals and Plants. — Preexistence from all Eternity a Necessary Postulate for Universal Immortality. — The Immortality of the Righteous due to the Merits of Christ. — The Survival of the Righteous in the Spiritual World compared to the Survival of the Fittest in the Natural xiv CONTENTS

Pagb World. — St. Paul's References to the Fate of the Wicked

suggest Destruction, and not Eternal Suifering. — Universal

Immortality a Dogma of the Church as early as the Fourth

Century. — Christ having suffered for All, All may attain

Immortality.

Chapter XIV

The Astral Body the Same as the Egyptian T'ii and the Elysian Shades. — Its Existence forgotten under Scholastic Teaching.

— Spiritistic Theory of the Fates of Discarnate Souls. — Diabolical Possession. — Power exercised by Discarnate Spirits through the Astral Body of the Medium. — Table-Turning, as a Means of Communication, inferior to Hypnotic Trance. — Lack of Authenticity in Spirit Communications. — Theory that the Incarnation of Man is unitive. — Character of the Astral Body determined by the Life led in the Physical Body. — Need of Repeated Reincarnations. — The Five Invisible Bodies distinguished by Theosophists, in Addition to the Physical Body. — Resemblance of this Doctrine to the Doctrines of Egyptians, Hindus, and Chaldeans. — Functions and Composition of the Etheric Body. — Of the Kamic or Astral Body. — Rise of the Soul when freed from the Astral Body.

— Development of the Buddhistic Body. — Reincarnation demanded by the Law of Karma. — Evolution after Reincarnation. — Majority of Mankind blind to Karma. — Inflexibility of this Law. — Development continuous from Mineral Molecules to the Highest Living Beings. — Development of the Invisible Bodies parallel to that of the Faculties. — Essential Difference between Theosophy and Spiritism. — Theosophical Theory of the Means of acquiring Knowledge of the World beyond.

CONTENTS , XV

FUTURE LIFE IN THE LIGHT OF MODERN SCIENCE

CHAPTER I Page

Deductions from the Fundamental Sciences . . 185

The Future Life generally pictured by the Imagination. — Science now expected by its Votaries to solve Problems outside the Domain of Matter. — It has already modified our Views of the Nature of the Soul. — Why Theories of a Future Life are subject to Experimental Investigation. — -The Material Existence of Heaven and Hell. — Our Right to inquire into the Nature of Psychic Force. — General Principles revealed by Astronomy, the Physical Sciences, Mechanics. — The Function of Ether in the Physical Forces and in Life. — The Personality of Every Living Organism not affected by Changes of its Molecules. — Probable Connection of the Life Force with the Vibrations of Ether. — The Inability of Science to acquaint us with Absolute Truth. — The Assumption of the Presence of Ether necessary in the Study of Matter.

CHAPTER II Astronomy. — The Earth's Place in the Universe 195

The Role of Astronomy in correcting False Views of Cosmogony. — The Erroneous Conceptions of the Old Theologians not necessarily those of the Bible. — Opposite Views as to the Relative Ages of the Earth and the Sun. — The Probability of the Existence of Beings like Man in the Other Worlds. — Possibility of exchanging Ideas with the Inhabitants of Venus and Mars. — How the Theory of the Plurality of Worlds affects the Incarnation and the Redemption. — Light thrown by Geology on the Length of the Habitable Period of Each World. — The Agreement between Science and Religion to be effected by the Pope.

xvi CONTENTS

CHAPTER III Page

The Physical Sciences. — Indestructibility of Matter and Energy 210

The Future Influence of the Physical Sciences in modifying Religious Beliefs. — The Law of Indestructibility applicable to Energy as well as to Matter. — The Unchangeableness of Molecules of Living Matter. — Atoms subject to Disaggregation. — The Resurrection Body conceived to be Etheric. — Apparitions also Etheric. — Interdependence of Heat, Electricity, and Light. — Interchange of Energy between the Sun and the Planets.

CHAPTER IV The Conception of Ether in Matter and Energy 220

The Nature of Ether. — Indispensable for the Transmission of Energy. — Its Vibrations rapid beyond Imagination, and connected with Light, Heat, and Electricity. — Its Atoms infinitely Small. — The Vibrations of Rontgen Rays. — Ether is the Agent of all Manifestations of Energy. — Essential to Matter also. — The Indivisibility of Atoms purely Theoretical. — Electrical Experiments seem to demonstrate their Complexity. — The Theory of Ions. — The Complexity of Atoms confirmed by Rontgen Rays. — Perrin's View of the Structure of Atoms. — Revolutions of their Constituent Parts. — Radio-activity a General Property of Matter. — It is the Manifestation of the Internal Energy of the Atom. — Dr. Le Bon's Experiments reducing Certain Elements to the Colloid Condition. — Isomerism and the Principle of Varying Afiinities. — The Oscillatory Movement of Atoms. — Meta-elements. — All Inert Matter supposed to consist of One Ultimate Element. — The Return of Matter to Chaos.

CHAPTER V The Function of Ether in the Universe .... 241

All Manifestations of Energy connected with Variations of Ether Atoms. — Deductions from the Laws of Etheric Action in this World may be extended to the Universe as a Whole.

CONTENTS . xvii

Page

— The Universe believed to be Finite. — The Tendency toward Uniformity in the Distribution of Heat. — Gradual Exhaustion of the Energy of Ether. — Arguments against the Eternity of Matter. — Dynamical Transformations in the Universe Susceptible of Mathematical Investigation. — An Infinite Intelligence would thus have a Perception of the Future. — The Indelible Trace of Past Action throughout the Universe.

Chapter VI

Living and Conscious Force amenable to the Law of Indestructibility. — The Probability that any Organic Force independent of Matter will -survive the Death of the Organism. — The Usual Division of Nature into Three Kingdoms. — Man's Place in Nature. — Uncertainty of the Boundaries of these Kingdoms. — Life the Outcome of Molecular Affinities. — Apparent Evolution of Inanimate Matter. — Internal Movements in Liquids and Metals. — Phenomena that seem to indicate Memory in Metals. — Leibnitz's Opinion that no Inorganic Kingdom really exists. — Determinism in the Cells, or Plastids, of Living Bodies. — Determinism in the Vital Phenomena of the Lower Organisms. — Consciousness governed by the Determinism of Natural Law. — The Power of the Will subject to the Same Law. — The Freedom of the Will an Illusion.

Chapter VII

All Organic Forces subject to Determinism and to the Law of Indestructibility. — Determinism not inconsistent with Intervention of a Purely Directive Force. — Recognition of this Principle by Claude Bernard and Edmond Perrier. — The Difference between Elementary Cells and Mere Protoplasm.

— Cuvier's Comparison of the Movement of Molecules in the Body to that of those in a Whirlpool. — Action and Reaction between the Body Molecules and the Ether. — The Function of Microbes in Vegetation. — What it is that determines the Kind of Animal that will spring from a Lifexviii CONTENTS

Page

germ. — The Theory of Heredity. — The Part it plays in preserving the Lives and Instincts of Animals. — Immutability of Species not Absolute. — Evolution of Human Faculties. — Ether as an Aid to Evolution. — The Action of the Moral upon the Physical. — Views held on this Point by Quatrefages, Milne-Edwards, and Perrier. — Replies to the Materialistic Theories of Le Dantec and Others. — The Mind creates the Brain, not the Brain the Mind. — The Gradual Consumption of Vital Energy in the Production of Heat. — Man's Hope for the Time when this Consumption will be Complete.

CHAPTER VIII The Border-land of Science 283

The Higher the Organism, the more Complex is the Etheric Grouping constituting its Life-force. — Revival of the Ancient Theory that Various Faculties may be distinguished in Etheric Bodies. — Equilibrium of Material Forces undisturbed by the Intervention of the Life Principle. — Evidence of the Independent Existence of this Directive Element to be looked for among Certain Mysterious Phenomena. — The Difficulty of Proof lies in the Fact that these Phenomena cannot be reproduced at Will. — Inquiry hindered by the Apathy and Hostility of Scientists. — Even Physics and Chemistry not free from an Illusive Irregularity in their Phenomena. — Examples mentioned by Camilla Flammarion. — Scientists cannot explain Phenomena producible at Will, without the Agency of Certain Hypothetical Elements. — Outline of the Plan to be followed in Subsequent Chapters.

CHAPTER IX The Odic Fluid

Lack of Direct Proof of the Existence of the Fluidic Body. — Odic Radiation Imperceptible to the Majority of Men. — Believed in by Maxwell, and afterwards by Mesmer and De Montravel. — The Odic Fluid as described by Deleuze. — Researches of Drs. Charpignon and Despine. — Experiments by Baron Reichenbach, who applied the Name Od to this Radiation. — The Difference between the Odic Radiations from the Right and Left Sides. — How the Odic Fluid is

CONTENTS xix

Page transmitted. — Not to be confounded with tlie Magnetic Fluid. — Reichenbach's Efforts to bring the Odic Fluid to the Perception of Ordinary Men. — His Conclusions accepted by Wharley, Chazarein, D^cle, Barety, and De Rochas. — Description of the Fluid as observed by De Rochas. — Its Objective Existence not yet a Scientific Certainty. — Recent Experiments in which Light Objects are moved apparently by Odic Radiation. — Baraduc's Theory. — Answer to the Objection that the Effects attributed to Oii may be due to Heat. — Radiations from Bodily Organs photographed. — Experiments by Charpentier and Blondlot and Maxwell.

CHAPTER X The Extern alisation of the Ethereal Double . 313

The Link between Soul and Body. — Visible Manifestations of the Ethereal Body. — Externalisation by Telassthesia and by Materialisation. — Difficulty and Danger in studying the Astral Body. — Only Exceptional Persons suitable as Subjects for Experimentation. — Pioneer Investigators. — De Rochas on " The Externalisation of Sensitivity.'' — Bewitchment by means of a Simulacrum, or " Mummy.'' — Sensitivity in the " Mummy " Analogous to Rapport during Hypnosis. — Manifestation of the Ethereal Body by so-called Spirit Rapping. — Levitation. — Bilocation. — Luminous Manifestations. — Materialisation. — The Spiritistic View of Spirit Rapping and Oral or Written Messages. — Wonderful Powers of Mediums under Hypnosis. — Present Impossibility of provitig the Genuineness of Spiritistic Phenomena. — The Author proposes a Dematerialisation Experiment that would be Conclusive.

CHAPTER XI Manifestations at Great Distances. — Telepathy 331

Several Kinds of Telepathic Impression. — Recent Investigations giving New Insight into the Human Organism. — Spontaneous Telepathy described. — Telepathy distinguished from Pure Hallucination. — Points to be determined in making this Distinction. — Investigations made from 1883 to 1886 by the London Society for Psychical Research. — The Appearance of a Phantom and the Death of the Person not

XX CONTENTS

Fags always Simultaneous. — Investigations by the International Congress of Experimental Psychology, Paris, 1889, and by Flammarion, 1899. —The Proportion of Coincidences in a Large Number of Cases taken as a Test of Telepathic Manifestations. — Spontaneous Telepathic Manifestations explained. — Facts showing that such Manifestations require a Certain Concurrence of Circumstances. — Experiments in Transmission of Thought and Images, by Richet, Gilbert, Janet, and Others. — Experimental Telepathy differs somewhat from Spontaneous. — The Vibration Theory. — These Vibrations explained by Analogies. — The Action of Telepathy Uncertain as that of Lightning. — Compared to Wireless Telegraphy. — The Objective Existence of Ideas. — The Psychic Image apparently independent of Space and Time.

CHAPTER XII An Examination of the Proposed Hypothesis . . 350

Impossibility of finding a Single Solution applicable to every Mediumistic Phenomenon. — The Theory that the Medium's Personality is doubled. — Dr. Grasset's Exposition of this Theory. — The Particular Part of the Brain occupied by the Conscious Ego. — Other Brain Centres. — The Double Personality of the Medium conceived as a Result of Independent Action of the Brain Centres and a Splitting of the Etheric Body. — The Ego's Resistance to Suggestion an Argument in Favour of a Voluntary Element in the Soul. — Annihilation of the Will under Hypnosis. — Characteristics of Double Personality. — Dr. Grasset's Theory as applied to Telepathy. — Consciousness relatively independent of the Ego. — The Medium's " Guiding-Spirit " his own Personality. — Thought-reading. — Hypotheses founded on the Idea of the Interposition of Discamate Souls. — Difficulty of proving the Authenticity of Spiritistic Communications. — Tests applied by Members of the Society for Psychical Research. — Insignificance of Revelations supposed to be made by Spirits.

Evidences of Future Life found in both Science and Tradition. — Traces of this Belief found in Ancient Monuments, Laws, and Customs. — Its Value in quickening Man's Higher In-

CONTENTS xxi

stincts. — Man's Unwillingness to believe in Absolute Extinction. — Light thrown by Astronomy upon the History of the Universe. — Science as an Aid to Philosophy. — Indestructibility of Matter and Force. — Applicability of this Law to Past Events and to Thought. — Ether the Medium of Action for All Forces. — The Hypothesis of Ether necessary to the Explanation of Material Phenomena, and perhaps of Life. — Phenomena connected with the Astral Body. — Unreliability of Mediumistic Communications. — The Existence of an Immaterial Element in Man a Matter of Hypothesis, as with Ether. — Probability that Consciousness is transformed, if not destroyed, by Death. — Moral Attainments of this Life probably conserved in the Next. — The Astral Body probably the Medium of Feeling in the Life to come. — Inability of Science to throw Light upon our Condition after Death. — Revelation of Man's Likeness to the Divine Trinity. — Dependence of Souls in Purgatory upon the Prayers of the Living, or else on Reincarnation. — Difficulties in the Way of Belief in Reincarnation. — Importance of clinging to the Principle of Survival, as founded on both Science and Tradition.

Introduction

Science is available in Discussing the Survival of the Human Soul. — The Existence of the Soul not a Question of Metaphysics. — Philosophers of the Present Day have supplied Matter for the Inquiry. — The Author's Anonymous Pamphlet on this Subject. — The Existence of Ether affirmed by Antiquity and assumed by Scientists. — Universal Belief that the Spirit is destined to outlive the Body. — Ether found in Organic Life, and now looked for in Conscious Life. — We apply to the Human Soul the Law of Indestructibility of Matter and Energy.

THE aim of the present work is to broach once more the problem of the survival of the human soul. It recapitulates all that the wisdom of the ancients and remote tradition have to say upon the subject, in order to discuss that evidence in the light of the theories put forward by modern science. Divers critics will no doubt condemn such an attempt unheard, with the objection that laws derived from the observation of the perceptible world cannot be made to serve as proof of any deduction which attempts to go beyond that world. We opine, on the contrary, that at the present day any such discussion would be devoid of all authority unless it had, in so far as possible, undergone the preliminary test of positive science, seeing that this latter has become for us the one and only source of uncontested truth.

In the midst of the enthusiasm which the marvellous discoveries witnessed by us have evoked, our contemporaries have come to discard all faith except xxiv INTRODUCTION

that based on material science; and as the majority of them are entirely unable to verify for themselves the exactness of the principles which it teaches, the French Academy of Sciences has, to use a famous expression, acquired, in their opinion, all that moral authority which the canons of religious faith possessed over the minds of our forefathers.

Through the exaggerated application of a principle just in itself, they have come to reject as empty and unfounded affirmations all dogmatic ideas, and sometimes even all conceptions of moral duty, because in their view such ideas and conceptions cannot be directly connected with the data of positive science.

This state of mind, nowadays of such common occurrence, certainly constitutes the cause of the moral disorder of our times; and the situation will remain incurable so long as it is not decided to transfer the discussion to the only ground where it is not repudiated from the first, and above all to give it the support of the great scientific laws which are to-day accepted, and of the conclusions deducible therefrom.

Let us note, moreover, that the problem of the existence of the human soul is in this aspect quite distinct from the doubtless unfathomable speculations upon which metaphysical philosophy spends itself in vain. It is practically alone in being with advantage amenable to experimental investigation, and it is, besides, as we shall see hereafter, closely related to all the theoretical conceptions nowadays held by science with respect to the material world, the manifestations of which it studies.

Hardly need we add that the question of the survival of the soul is of urgent interest to each one of

INTRODUCTION . xxv

us, since it strives to discover the nature of the dread unknown which awaits us all when we shall have paid death's inevitable toll. This explains the eager, restless excitement with which the problem is now being discussed from every available point of view.

Were it permissible to cite ^-he experience of daily life where a question of eternity is concerned, we should be disposed to say that this question possesses the world to-day in a very striking degree, and a whole library might be made up of the publications to which it has given rise within the last few years alone.

In their attempt to grapple with this mystery which always eludes them, philosophers (religious apologists and scientists alike) have at all events clearly restated the elements of the problem; they have given us new insight, brought facts into unexpected juxtaposition, and furnished us with startling observations, all this supplying matter for the inquiry which is still pendent.

For humanity, too, it is an all-important question. Do what we will, it forces itself upon us, and positive science is incapable of solving it. Yet positive science may at any rate assist in shedding light upon the solution, and we should enter upon our inquiry with all the resources which are thus afforded us. This is the task which we have undertaken in the present book; for we endeavour to show that the idea of a survival follows, by what appears to us a necessary sequence of argument, upon scientific laws accepted at the present day.