A practical study of the soul

Preface

Whatever the extent of the infallibility of the Bible, those who interpret its many meanings are not infallible, and do not often claim to be. And yet, it is upon these finite interpretations that humanity mainly depends for its guidance and comprehension of the meanings of life and duty.

Again, Christ claimed to speak in parables. This must imply, if the Bible is to be the only Revelation for all time, that each word must contain a message suited to every situation and stage of development, both of the individual and the race — the most advanced as well as the most primitive. If, however, the interpreters are not fitted to read these messages as fast as needed, it must follow that many individuals and situations fail to receive at all, or receive what is untrue.

This fact seems to demand that somewhere there should exist some test by which all interpretations could be measured; some standard, besides the sincerity of the interpreters, by which the reasonableness of their deductions could be gauged. Such a standard would of course need to be something which man himself had not made. No finite work could become the test of the meaning and will of a viii PKEFACE

Divinity. Only the works of the divine Being Himself, could reveal the will of an omniscient and omnipotent Mind.

The human Soul offers itself as the greatest of the works of the only Creator (though often the one most flouted and degraded by man). This Soul, and the laws which govern it and the material Universe, if understood perfectly, must be also revelations of a divine Will regarding humanity, in every particular. If then these laws could be discovered through a close study of the Soul, they would establish the constant check upon all finite interpretations, which is certainly needed.

While this " Practical Study " was begun for an entirely different purpose, the results are offered as a fragmentary contribution to this much needed search for the laws which govern the Soul. In this volume the study is confined to the Soul while still connected with the material body, and is made through the phenomena which this connection is revealing to observing eyes, every moment of existence.

The material obtained in this way forms the foundation for many interesting suggestions, to be presented later as the past and future of soul life ; relating, that is, to such capacities as seem to be displayed for living a disembodied existence, if Soul has lived and is to live forever.

The study is taken first hand from Soul itself, not from other works upon the subject. For this reason, and also because the search is made by one who is a mother, the deductions may often differ from those of

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other thinkers. There are some incentives which do not come into the lives of men and which would drive a mother to much closer and more discriminating study — to greater caution in coming to conclusions — than could be aroused by any of the motives which usually underlie investigations.

Such a subject as the Soul must naturally furnish inexhaustible sources of information to be gained. No one seeker then, could claim to offer more than a minute fraction of all that is to be said. But in presenting even that fraction, the first consideration, in these busy days, is to avoid the chance of wearying the reader. This has necessitated the attempt to arouse interest in the many directions, rather than yield to the instinct to treat each detail more exhaustively.

The terms Soul, Ego, Psyche, are used interchangeably in order to avoid wearisome repetitions. There are times when the immensity of the subject, with which one must grapple so blindly, makes it necessary to ignore conventional meanings.

The terms science, scientific, scientist, are used solely with their original significance ; never with the meanings attached to them by later theories.

M. M. Barbour Stone.

Contents

Chap. Page.

I. Motives for the Study 1

Kelation of the Soul and Mind 6