Part 12

In the Review of Reviews for April, 1893, Mr. Stead suggested that additional experiments should be tried to obtain psychic pictures without the agency of light or the camera. An opportunity occurred in July to try the experiment with a lady who is not known to Spiritualistic or occult circles—albeit she is a good medium and clairvoyant. A dry plate from my packet of unused plates was placed in a mahogany slide. The lady then held the slide between the palms of her hands. She was under continuous and close observation in a well-lighted room, and one end of the slide was held by myself. On putting the plate in the developer, the picture of a child appeared on it. The plate was not tampered with by any one, nor was there any opportunity given to do so, nor was it exposed to light until after it was developed and fixed. A reproduction of the picture is given herewith (see page 145).

Mr. Stainton Moses, at a meeting of the London Spiritualist Alliance, advised those who intended to experiment in photography to employ a stereoscopic camera. He considered that the genuineness of spirit photographs so obtained could not be called in question. This opinion has also been held by other investigators. In June, 1892, some spirit photographs were submitted to an eminent scientific gentleman, together with copies of the notes, detailing fully the conditions under which the pictures were obtained, and giving the names and addresses of all those who were present at the experiments. The opinion of the gentleman was expressed in writing as follows, viz.:—“You have adopted all the precautions I can think of as being necessary. The only one thing else I can think of is the employment of a binocular camera. That is the final Court of Appeal, and a spirit photograph taken by it can leave no room for cavil.” To those who endorse this opinion I may state I have eight photographs taken with binocular cameras, all obtained under test conditions, and all having abnormal figures which are perfectly stereoscopic per se, as well as in relation to the sitters. Halves of two of these photographs accompany these miscellanea. They were obtained on the 21st October, 1893, on dry plates purchased from Mr. Doublet, and the whole of the manipulations, so far as not done by myself, were under my close and continuous observation.

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The results of Mr. Taylor’s investigations are a prophecy and a lesson. A prophecy of the coming time when photographs of our friends, who have passed from earth-life, may be obtainable by the co-operation with us of spirits who desire to help us, and who will find opportunities and conditions to enable them to do so. When Mr. Stead’s proposal for a spiritual bureau becomes an accomplished fact, we may hope, and may reasonably expect, that spirit photography will be a department of it. Many strange events, which, fifty years ago, seemed as unlikely, are now of frequent occurrence. Mr. Taylor’s experiments are a lesson, as well as a prophecy. A lesson to the materialistic spirit of the age, to guide by new paths to old truths. The materialism of to-day is dogmatic and active; it claims science as its handmaid, it boasts that it has sounded the universe and found in it nothing but the material husks of existence, that all spiritual beings are nonentities—the product of diseased brains—of superstitious minds; its scholars have explored space from star to star and have learned that there is no God; that man passes at death into cold oblivion, into blank nothingness. To use the language of its leading teachers:—“Unprejudiced philosophy is compelled to reject the idea of an individual immortality, and of a personal continuance after death. With the decay and dissolution of its material substratum, through which alone it has acquired a conscious existence and become a person, and upon which it was dependent, the spirit must cease to exist!”

Again:—“Experience and daily observation teach us that the spirit perishes with its material substratum; that man dies.”

And:—“There never has been, and never will be, a real apparition, which could make us believe or assume that the soul of a deceased individual continues to exist: it is dead, never to return.”

And once more:—“Spirits and ghosts are only seen by diseased or superstitious individuals.”

Undoubtedly these views are quite honestly arrived at and held by many. By some through early training. By some in the rebound from bigoted and God-dishonouring creeds. By others again in painful perplexity of mind, while trying to solve the problem of existence. But a universe without a Deity, and man without a soul, present little to boast of in the shape of the consolation they can bring to suffering humanity.

Every opinion a man holds must to some extent influence his life, and the knowledge that a man will live after death ought very considerably to affect his entire character.

We know there is no such thing as death, that what we call by that name is really a birth into a higher sphere—or state of existence—an entrance into a holier and happier region, in whose precincts “we will be enabled through untold ages to cultivate our intellects, perfect our moral characters, and enjoy to the full extent of our capabilities all that is pure, good, true, and godly.

“There is no death: what seems so is transition. This life of mortal breath Is but the suburb of the life elysian, Whose portal we call death.”

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Some persons admit the reality of supermundane photography, but say it is the work of the Devil. How long is this old myth—this theological superstition—to be flaunted in the face of investigators? how long to be set as a bugbear—a “bogey-man”—not merely to frighten naughty children, but to scare grown men and women, to bar mental progress, and to stereotype from age to age distorted views of God, and of spiritual law and truth?

Some thoughts expressed by “Imperator” to Mr. Stainton Moses, relating to this imaginary prince of evil, are so excellent that no apology is required for appending a few of them: “Cease to be perplexed by thoughts of an imagined Devil. For the honest, pure, and truthful soul there is no Devil nor Prince of Evil such as theology has feigned. Evil comes not nigh him, the adversaries flee from his presence, and the powers of evil are powerless before him. He is guarded around by angel guards, ministered to by bright spirits, who watch over him and direct his footsteps. For him there waits a career of progressive increase in knowledge, and in all that elevates and ennobles the intelligence. He need fear no Devil, unless he creates one for himself. His affinity for good draws around him influences for good. He is fenced around by guardians; nor can he, save by voluntary surrender, fall a victim to the foe.”

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In narrating his experiments, Mr. Taylor confined himself to a statement of facts; he did not set forth the spiritualistic hypothesis, nor did he say that any other would account for the results. Some members of the Association before whom he read his paper were angry because Spiritualists claimed the results as an argument in support of Spiritualism. But why be angry? Any explanation must cover the whole ground. And the explanation offered by Spiritualists is the only one which covers the whole ground. After all, the facts are only one department of the wonders of modern Spiritualism. What is the good of the latter? is asked by those who have not come within the range of its beneficent teachings. The good of it? It has freed the mind from the bondage of dogma, it has swept away the fear of death and the gloom of the grave, it has purified the affections, it has brought much-needed consolation in some of the hours of earth’s bitterest sorrows, it has brought us into communion with those we love and whom we are wont to call dead—given us the knowledge that they live, and given us a reason which appeals to our personal experience that as they live in a higher state of existence, we also shall live after the change we call death.

Our grandest triumphs of science are but trifles compared with what is before us to be realised in the higher life. Yet men and women of education and refinement can content themselves with referring the most mysterious spirit phenomena to conjuring and delusion, and can descend to the inanity of trying to shelve the whole matter by attacking the characters of those whom they ought rather to thank—to bless as the instruments through whom the death-blow must be given to the doctrine which denies the existence of the spirit world, and of our after-life.

At the Photographic Congress held at the World’s Fair, Judge Bradwell, of Chicago, was chairman of the opening meeting. In his introductory remarks, after summarising the work done by photographers, he said: “I have no doubt there are those within the sound of my voice who will live to see the time when photographic reproductions will be sent from country to country as quickly as are telegraphic messages to-day. In conclusion, may I not ask, who shall say that the camera, adjusted by the hand that feels, and focussed by the sensitive eye that sees beyond, with the aid of the intensely sensitive dry plates, shall not bring to light and view the forms of our departed friends, and solve the problem of immortality and life?”

JUDGE BRADWELL IS ANSWERED. THE VEIL IS LIFTED.

FOOTNOTES

In a recent patent case the judge referred to Mr. Taylor as “the eminent witness.”

Published at the office of The Two Worlds, Corporation Street, Manchester. Price 6d.

Reprinted from the British Journal of Photography, March 17th, 1893.

On taking the chair, Mr. Brown said he did not know why they had chosen him to preside that evening, unless it was because he knew nothing whatever of the subject.

This sensible proposal has been entirely set aside by subsequent insinuations of the Association, directed against those who were witnesses to the experiments, and by the passing a resolution of such a character as to lead to dissension within the Association.

See note, page 50.

The Practical Photographer. Monthly, 1d. Double number containing copies of Photographic Views, &c., on fine plate paper, 2d. Published by Percy Lund & Co., Memorial Hall, Ludgate Circus, E.C.; also by L. N. Fowler, and by John Heywood.

The Review of Reviews, monthly, 6d. 125 Fleet Street, London; Editorial Office, Mowbray House, Norfolk Street, Strand, W.C.