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WHAT ORMOND THINKS 
 
 BY 
 
 "CDFRMCDNjZ) 
 
 AUTHOR OF 
 
 SUGGESTIVE ESSAYS 
 
 ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS. 
 
 CREATION vs. EVOLUTION 
 
 3 c 
 
 THE CREATION OF MAN. FAITH OF THE AGES. TIFF SOLUTION.. 
 
 THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE. THE NATURE OF MAN 
 THE WEALTH OF A WELL STORED MIND. THE LIFE CF 
 MAN. THE PLEASURE OF LIFE. THE SUBSTANCE 
 OF THINGS HOPED FOR. THE EVIDENCE OF 
 THINGS NOT SEEN. THE ART OF COR- 
 RECT REASONING AND OTHERS. / 
 
 
 1894 
 THE BLAKELY PRINTING COMPANY 
 
 1S4 and 1S6 Monroe S'.rcet 
 CHICAGO. ILL. 
 
 ^ 
 
V 
 
 m 
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 OF CONGRESS 
 
 WASHINGTON 
 
 M "l i 'i 
 
 Entered According to Act of Congress in the Year 1894; 
 
 In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, 
 
 By THE BLAKELY PRINTING COMPANY, 
 
 Chicago, Illinois. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 When it is understood that the life of man is so 
 intimately connected with his mentality that it is 
 impossible for him to perform any act without first 
 having the consent of his mind, it should be readily 
 believed that mind is in reality the real man; and it 
 will be the object of these pages to show that the 
 mind must in the very "nature of things" have an 
 endless existence. 
 
 It will not, of course, be expected that such a the- 
 ory as this can be scientifically demonstrated, but it 
 can be believed as absolutely true, and to such a 
 belief science could not add any comfort by affirm- 
 ing it as true. 
 
 The'great difficulty found in considering any met- 
 aphysical subject, is the fact that science cannot aid 
 us in reaching conclusions, because science can only 
 deal with material things and substances, while 
 mind in all its manifestations is beyond the realm of 
 scientific methods of inquiry. 
 
 An effort will be made to introduce a line or form 
 of argument that will be as conclusive as could be 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 the affirmation of any scientific school of thought on 
 this question, at least to the minds of many people. 
 
 It is not expected that all will agree with every 
 thought contained in the following pages, but it is 
 expected that the main argument will be appreciated, 
 because it will be in harmony with the best thought 
 of the day. 
 
 When it becomes necessary to introduce any argu- 
 ment in order to prove the propositions that may be 
 offered, it will be done in a conversational manner, 
 so that both sides will have a respectful hearing, 
 and it is hoped the thoughts presented in this way 
 will not be tiresome. 
 
 It will not be considered premature to close this 
 word of introduction at this point, because it will 
 be understood from what has been said that the 
 philosophy of mind, which includes all that might 
 be said about man, will be the main subject of our 
 inquiry, and it is hoped that some thoughts can be 
 introduced which have never before been in print. 
 
WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 The following pages will be devoted to the con- 
 sideration of some of the most important problems 
 of life, but it will not be necessary to claim for this 
 presentation anything more than a desire to reach 
 the truth. 
 
 It may be thought strange that a layman should 
 attempt to philosophize about matters that all the 
 wise men of past ages have united in saying were 
 unsolved and unsolvable problems. 
 
 The constitution and requirements of the human 
 mind for proper development, are met only by hav- 
 ing a limitless field for investigation, so interesting 
 as to be constantly alluring us on to study, but so 
 related to the " essence of things" that we cannot 
 find any material formula by which to solve the 
 many problems with which we come in contact. 
 
 It has often been said that the human mind, when 
 properly disciplined by study, is able to obtain, and 
 retain, a vast amount of knowledge in any and all 
 the various departments of life, but it has never 
 been claimed by any good thinker that the mind 
 was sufficiently elastic to encompass all knowledge. 
 
 The distance of the planets, suns and stars in 
 5 
 
6 WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 space, may be ' approximately ascertained, if not 
 actually demonstrated, but how many suns, worlds 
 and stars there may be outside the range of the most 
 powerful telescope, no astronomer would pretend to 
 estimate. 
 
 If it were possible to comprehend what is in- 
 cluded in "all space," it might be possible to spec- 
 ulate on the number of distant worlds, by assuming 
 that "all space" was relatively filled the same, that 
 is to say, that the space which we cannot see with 
 our telescope, has, in proportion, as many worlds as 
 we do see. 
 
 The ability of man to reason from cause to effect, 
 or to reverse the process, and mentally construct a 
 flawless bridge between effect and cause, fits him for 
 ascertaining anything within the compass of his 
 finite powers, but every philosopher, prophet, seer 
 and sage since time began, has found that finite 
 powers are limited in their ability for demonstra- 
 tion, to finite or material things. 
 
 It is happily true, that outside and beyond the 
 ability of a finite mind to demonstrate truth, there 
 is a great and inexhaustible field for speculative 
 inquiry, which is as full of truth subject to logical 
 proof, as are the truths of our objective world subject 
 to demonstration by scientific formulas. 
 
 It will be our pleasure before finishing the con- 
 templation on which we have started, to call atten- 
 tion to some of the class of truths above indicated, 
 but . before doing so it will be proper to consider 
 
WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 7 
 
 some of the interesting facts that are within our 
 nearer reach, and which logically lead us up to 
 the higher and more distant problems, to find which 
 we will have to put on our speculative wings of 
 thought, and be careful that we do not soar entirely 
 away from our base line of reason. 
 
 There never can be any proper deductions from 
 known facts regarding the future, unless we are 
 careful to be well anchored in our starting point or 
 proper premise, from which to throw out our plumb 
 line of reason, and it will always be true that in the 
 event of being separated from this connecting line 
 or anchor, we must again make the connection be- 
 fore proceeding with our investigations, for other- 
 wise we will soon be entirely lost in a great world 
 of immeasurable distances, and surrounded by truths 
 that cannot be properly considered, except with the 
 wisdom that is firmly connected with a foundation 
 of demonstrated truth. 
 
 If it was remotely possible to investigate any sub- 
 ject, without reasoning from analogy, it might be 
 possible to cut loose entirely from what we do know, 
 and initiate our inquiry with the unknown, but 
 such a process would not be recommended by any 
 careful student of mental science, because it is an 
 axiom of philosophy that everything in the universe 
 is more or less related with, or to, everything else, 
 and therefore it is that good thinkers always reason 
 from what they know, or think they know, as far in 
 
8 WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 the direction of the unknown as it is possible for 
 them to comprehend or understand. 
 
 When Columbus discovered America it was not 
 because he started out to find an unknown country, 
 but rather his desire to shorten the distance between 
 two known countries — Spain and India. His thought 
 was that there could not be a shoreless ocean, and it 
 seemed to him that sailing westward he must reach 
 the opposite shore. He did not find India, with its 
 teeming millions of people, but he did find a few 
 small islands on the southern coast of a great conti- 
 nent, which is destined to be the greatest country on 
 the globe. 
 
 It is always so in the search after facts; we may 
 not find the identical truth for which we are looking, 
 but while stationed on the bow of our vessel of dis- 
 covery, with telescope in hand, we may catch a 
 glimpse of new countries, new facts, new things, of 
 which we had not before known. 
 
 A consideration of the common things of life 
 always prepares a person for .the proper investigation 
 of any subject that comes within the range of finite 
 or limited powers of thought, and sometimes this 
 supposed impassable boundary, or limit, will grad- 
 ually fade away when we approach it with the for- 
 mulas of logical reasoning, so that we may penetrate 
 within the inclosure of the generally speaking un- 
 known truth. 
 
 If it could be affirmed, with a positiveness based on 
 actual knowledge, that the human family were but 
 
WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 9 
 
 material beings, having but a few short years of life 
 and then returning to the dust of mental nothingness, 
 it_ would be a waste of time to consider further this 
 subject, because it would be but unwelcome mockery 
 to suggest a train of thought which would inevitably 
 have to be abandoned, if material life ends in the 
 positive death of any person. 
 
 The record of man's life on the earth cannot be 
 known as to the number of years since his first ap- 
 pearing, but the nature of man precludes the possi- 
 bility of his physical body ending his mental life, 
 and if this statement be founded on fact, man must 
 have two natures instead of one. 
 
 It will be well to leave this thought for a time 
 and direct our attention to other features that are 
 necessarily connected with our subject, but are of 
 entirely a different nature. 
 
 The life of man must include not only the object- 
 ive world with which he is so intimately connected, 
 but the subjective world with which he is more inti- 
 mately related, but of which he is not so well 
 informed. 
 
 If it were known how many people there are in the 
 world, and how many have once lived on the earth, 
 the grand total would constitute a greater multitude 
 than could be easily fed with the present products 
 of our most fertile soil; but it is the belief of some 
 that every person who ever lived is still living; and 
 our subject will compel us to inquire whether this' 
 belief, which is held by the great majority of the 
 
IO WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 human race, is well founded, or whether it is but the 
 expression of a longing for a continued conscious 
 existence. 
 
 As has been stated, science will not aid us much 
 in this inquiry, because science can only deal with 
 material truth which is capable of demonstration; 
 we must therefore depend on the inherent power of 
 our own minds, of reasoning from cause to effect, in 
 order to have any conception of the great field of 
 truth just beyond the reach of material laws or sci- 
 entific formulas. 
 
 The human mind is fortunately so constituted that 
 it need not depend on the printed rules of any school 
 of thinkers, but may when well equipped for such a 
 journey wander away into the great field of so-called 
 speculative thought, and reach conclusions that are 
 as satisfactorily accurate as they would be if con- 
 firmed by scientific text books. 
 
 If the suggestions so far made are considered by 
 any person as illogical, it will not profit them to 
 continue this reading, because it will be impossible 
 for them to recognize the truth of what will follow 
 if they are unable to concede the correctness of what 
 has already been stated. 
 
 It has been thought best to give in the preceding 
 pages a brief outline of the argument that will be 
 used, so that any person, before reaching the second 
 chapter, might be persuaded in their own mind as to 
 whether they are disposed to follow this presentation 
 of the subject on the lines indicated. 
 
WHAT 0RM0ND THINKS. II 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Several years ago it was my pleasure to overhear 
 a conversation between two parties on the subject of 
 the philosophy of life, and it seemed very interesting 
 at the time, so that by improvising what has escaped 
 my memory, I will endeavor to give the main argu- 
 ment in the form of a conversation. 
 
 For the purpose of this discussion it will be well 
 to call these gentlemen Dr. Jones and Professor 
 Morse, but it will not be necessary for any person 
 to write the publisher for the real name of these 
 parties, because in reality they are not known, and 
 the conversation cannot be given with sufficient ac- 
 curacy to hold any person but the author of these 
 pages responsible for it. 
 
 Dr. Jones. — I have been thinking, Professor, that 
 your theory about the life of man is hardly correct, 
 in that you treat him simply as a material being, 
 and to my concept man has two distinct natures that 
 are as unlike as could be imagined. 
 
 Prof. Morse. — Well, Doctor, I have in previous 
 conversation with you argued that while man was 
 undoubtedly a dual creature, having both a material 
 and mental or mind nature, it was impossible to 
 demonstrate anything but the former, and therefore 
 
12 WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 I have in later conversations simply spoken of him 
 as the physical man. 
 
 Dr. Jones. — I recall now that in our first conver- 
 sation you did say that man was a dual creature, but 
 you did not draw any inferences from this fact, and 
 it has seemed to me that in our later talks you have 
 regarded him as not only a material being, but have 
 substantially claimed that his life was also material, 
 so that the natural inference would be that you be- 
 lieved the death of man's body was in fact the end 
 of his existence. 
 
 Prof. Morse. — The continued life of man after 
 the death of his body is an interesting theory, but I 
 do not know how it can be demonstrated, and hence 
 I have always been careful about making such a 
 claim, though a great many people of my acquaint- 
 ance believe it to be true. If you know of any way 
 that such a proposition can be proven I would like 
 very much to hear your argument, because there is 
 nothing I would rather believe. 
 
 Dr. Jones. — It is of course impossible to defi- 
 nitely prove that man has a continuous life, but it is 
 not impossible to believe that he has, and for such a 
 belief we can find the very best reasons though they 
 may come short of a scientific demonstration. Did 
 it ever occur to you, Professor, that if we depended 
 on scientific demonstration for all the truth we have, 
 our supply would not be very great? When we con- 
 sider that science can only deal with material things, 
 it becomes necessary for us to seek other ways of 
 
WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 13 
 
 ascertaining all that we can know about anything 
 which is of the nature of mind. 
 
 Air is both material and ethereal, that is to say, 
 it has the elements of weight and imponderability, 
 as have every other element of nature; but air is also 
 a combination of all the other elements, so that 
 when we breathe we are assimilating some portion of 
 everything that exists, or more properly speaking, we 
 are partaking of the same elements that constitute 
 everything in nature. 
 
 If you can accept the above statement it will not 
 be difficult to regard favorably another that neces- 
 sarily follows, namely, that man is the world in 
 embryo, and has every power, function, and faculty 
 that could by an all wise Creator be conferred upon 
 him. 
 
 It must not be understood that man has the strength 
 of a horse, the fleetness of a gazelle or the plumage 
 of a bird, because these faculties and endowments 
 are not necessary to his comfort; but he has all the 
 faculties he can use, and his ability is far superior 
 to that of any other created being. 
 
 Assuming that you will not object to that state- 
 ment, it will be well to mention that man is a dual 
 creature in more senses than one; that is to say, he 
 has two hands, two feet, two eyes, two ears, two 
 lungs, all combining with other necessary organs of 
 the body to make the physical or material man. 
 
 If the limit of our investigation was reached on 
 ascertaining the above facts, it would only be neces- 
 
14 WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 sary for us to wait a few months or years in order to 
 see the solution of man's life on the earth, by re- 
 turning him to the elements of nature, through the 
 process of disintegration and decay; but it must be 
 conceded that the mind is not material in its nature, 
 and that it would be impossible to bury any mind in 
 a grave of earth, or destroy it in the fiercest fire of 
 any crematory. 
 
 The ability to prove that man has a mind separate 
 and distinct from his physical organization, must be 
 ■believed without being scientifically proven, because 
 science, as before stated, can only deal with material 
 things, and mind is spiritual. 
 
 If mind cannot be destroyed, it must continue its 
 function and life of thought, therefore it is proper 
 to claim that the life of man is continuous. 
 
 Prof. Morse. — Well, Doctor, I must confess that 
 your reasoning seems good, but it is unfortunate that 
 there should be no way of proving what you claim. 
 
 Dr. Jones. — It might be very agreeable if we 
 could prove every truth by some established scien- 
 tific formula, but you must remember that there is 
 nothing true but what is reasonable, and therefore 
 we are compelled to rely on our reason if we would 
 have any proof regarding the most important prob- 
 lems of life that are outside the range of scientific 
 demonstration. 
 
 Prof. Morse. — I understand your position then, 
 Doctor, to be plainly this, that man is a dual creature 
 having both a material and spiritual nature, which 
 
WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 r 5 
 
 guarantees to him a continuous life, because as you 
 claim, the mind is not subject to the law of death 
 and decay. 
 
 Dr. Jones. — That is my belief exactly,, and it 
 seems to me that it agrees with the best thought of 
 all ages as well as with the aspirations of the human 
 family of all degrees of intelligence, though it may 
 not be expressed by all in the same way. 
 
l6 WHAT ORMUND THINKS, 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 When surveying the field of mental attainment as 
 it presents itself to public view in the literature of 
 the world, there are a few facts worthy of more than a 
 passing notice. 
 
 The materiality once so prominent in the world, 
 is fast being supplanted by a desire to read and hear 
 more of the duality of man's nature, which is equiv- 
 alent to saying that the people are becoming inter- 
 ested in the spiritual part of man, which is in reality 
 his mind, soul or spirit. 
 
 It has been my thought in previous writings to 
 claim that these terms, mind, soul and spirit, were 
 synonymous, but a friend whose letter I have just 
 received argues that man is in reality a triune being 
 instead of a dual creature; therefore it may be well 
 to explain my thought as to the duality of man, so 
 that other readers may not misunderstand my mean- 
 ing when speaking of the dual nature of man. 
 
 It will, of course, be claimed by any good thinker 
 that man must have a spiritual as well as a physical 
 body, which is undoubtedly true, but he remains 
 precisely the same in his nature, except the loss of 
 his physical body which returns to dust. 
 
 The mind, soul and spirit must be of the same 
 
WHAT OR.MOND THINKS. 1 7 
 
 nature which is spiritual, and the physical body of 
 man is material, which constitutes him a creature 
 with two natures, material and spiritual, or if pre- 
 ferred, a dual creature. 
 
 It is not possible to prove many of the claims 
 which will be made in these pages, simply because 
 they belong to a class of facts which are in the 
 "nature of things" true, that is to say, they are true 
 because they are true, and not because any scientist 
 is capable of demonstrating them. 
 
 The people are suffering for truth and not for the 
 formulas by which truth can sometimes be confirmed. 
 It is an established fact in the minds of most people 
 that they are alive, but the wisest man who ever 
 walked the earth could not explain his life. Just so 
 is it with many other facts of nature; we may know 
 they are true without being able to demonstrate. 
 
 It may be well to mention a few things that every 
 person should believe, and let the question of proof 
 take care of itself; or in other words, let those who 
 demand the proof look for it, while the rest of the 
 human family are having the satisfaction of enjoy- 
 ing, because of believing what is true without proof. 
 
 The statement just made should not be considered 
 as equivalent to recommending that a person should 
 believe anything without some proof, because the 
 human mind is incapable of performing such a feat; 
 there must necessarily be satisfactory proof for every 
 thought we believe. But the point which it is impor- 
 tant to remember is simply this, that in the realm 
 
iS WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 just outside material things the only obtainable 
 proof is within ourselves, and the limit of this proof 
 is determined only by our ability to reason correctly. 
 
 Take, if you please, a very simple illustration of 
 the thought intended: 
 
 Suppose you find yourself suffering from an un- 
 comfortable pain in the region of your heart, you 
 will not attempt to prove by the experience or 
 thought of another that you are afflicted with heart 
 disease, but you will make haste to apply the proper 
 remedy for such an affliction, if you know what the 
 remedy is. But supposing you do not know what 
 remedy is indicated by your symptoms, you will, 
 of course, go to your physician and explain your 
 feelings. Now, if he can from your description diag- 
 nose your case correctly, he will no doubt be able to 
 prescribe a remedy that will be of service in remov- 
 ing the difficulty; but supposing he discovers that 
 your affliction is not mentioned in his textbooks, 
 and he tells you that there is no remedy; will you 
 cease your effort to remove the pain ? rather will you 
 not increase your activity to find a solution of the 
 difficulty outside the range of physiological text- 
 books, and scientific or medical formulas? 
 
 Science can demonstrate some things, and in time 
 we may hope that science can successfully bridge the 
 chasm between the present known and unknown, but 
 whether it ever does or not, we are fortunate in this, 
 that logical reasoning will discover every truth 
 which would be of any real benefit to mankind. 
 
WHAT ORMOXD THINKS. 19 
 
 It must be understood that logical formulas are 
 scientific, that is to say, every scientific truth must 
 be in harmony with reason, and logic is the founda- 
 tion on which to build the superstructure of perfect 
 reason. 
 
 Some schools of scientific thought part company 
 with reason when it leads beyond the range of con- 
 firmation, by and through our sense perceptions; 
 although up to this point of separation reason has 
 been the basis of every scientific experiment that has 
 resulted in demonstrating a great truth. 
 
 If it is possible for the reader to accept the state- 
 ment just made, there will be no necessity of con- 
 tinuing the argument on this line, because there is 
 contained in the thought all the conflict that exists 
 between reason and science. 
 
 Reason must regretfully part company with sci- 
 ence on the border line of a material world, and 
 travel alone amid the subtle " essence of things," 
 where the sense perceptions of man cannot confirm 
 the positive deductions which reason demonstrates. 
 
 The above brief argument will properly introduce 
 some thoughts which will follow, and it is to be 
 hoped that they will not be unwelcome simply be- 
 cause science may not confirm them. 
 
WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 The preceding chapters may all be considered as 
 an introduction to what should now be affirmed, 
 namely, that the dual nature of man is all the proof 
 any person should ask to establish with them the 
 thought of their own continuous existence, and this 
 without any collateral evidence of any kind. 
 
 It has been a great many thousand years since 
 good thinkers first commenced to investigate the 
 philosophy of life, with a view if possible of finding 
 out the probable destiny of man, but strange as it 
 may appear, there is no general or universal agree- 
 ment on this subject, even to-day. 
 
 Every shade of belief is held in different countries, 
 and by different people in every country, and while 
 it would probably be impossible to suggest any 
 thought that would be accepted by all, it is not im- 
 proper for any person to make known the result of 
 their best thinking on this subject. 
 
 Man is the result of a Divine plan and creation, 
 but as to the mode of his creation it is not the pur- 
 pose at this time to inquire. If the plain statement 
 of his creation can be accepted, it will not matter 
 whether an agreement can be reached as to the mode 
 or not, because it is unnecessary that we should agree 
 
WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 21 
 
 as to the Creator's plan or mode of working, so long 
 as we recognize the main fact that some intelligence 
 greater than man has been at work in his own mys- 
 terious and wonderful way. 
 
 If it was possible to regard man as simply the 
 work of a law, without an intelligent Creator to 
 guide and direct the law, it would be a waste of 
 mental effort to attempt any prognostications as to 
 his life or destiny; but believing that all law is an 
 enactment of God or man, we can safely conclude 
 that any law of God will be in harmony with his 
 character as we understand it. 
 
 It may of course be said that all we can know of 
 God is manifested in his works and nature, but we 
 can draw inferences from what we see, and some- 
 times, if not frequently, catch glimpses of what is 
 usually unseen. 
 
 If it was necessary for us to have every truth 
 which presents itself to our minds fully demonstrated 
 before we could accept it, there would be a great 
 dirth of knowledge in the world, because there are 
 comparatively few truths that can be fully proven. 
 
 The truth of anything we may hear can usually be 
 confirmed without appealing to eye witnesses, be- 
 cause reason enables us to judge of its probability, 
 and if our informant is reliable, there is no occasion 
 for doubting the statement; but supposing what we 
 hear seems unreasonable, then we are compelled to 
 reject the thought, no matter how reliable our in- 
 
22 WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 formant, because we cannot believe anything until 
 we can first recognize its reasonableness. 
 
 It will of course be understood that our reasoning 
 faculties will not enable us to accept everything that 
 is true; but this is because our minds are not so 
 educated or organized as to comprehend all truth. 
 
 The point desired is this, that the human mind can 
 only accept as true what seems to be true, and this ex- 
 plains why it is that we have so many good thinkers 
 who differ on almost every question. 
 
 The evolution of thought is not a forcing process 
 that compels all men to think alike, but rather a 
 process which induces people to think, without ref- 
 erence to how they think, and there probably never 
 will come a time when uniform opinions will be 
 held on all subjects. 
 
 The predilection, environment and culture of our 
 minds must always regulate to a very great extent 
 our thinking, and therefore the importance of sur- 
 rounding ourselves as favorably as possible with the 
 necessary helps for mental improvement. 
 
 If it be conceded that man is a dual creature, 
 being in nature both material and spiritual, it should 
 not require any argument to prove that the spiritual 
 part of man continues to live after the death of his 
 material body, without reference to what he may 
 believe or disbelieve about his future state or 
 condition. 
 
 Notwithstanding the undeniable fact of a contin- 
 uous life, which in the "nature of things" must be 
 
WHAT ORMOKD THINKS. 23 
 
 true, whether a person desires it or not, efforts have 
 been made in past ages to supplement this fact with 
 all sorts of theories as to just what the future life 
 was to be, and many of these theories were so unin- 
 viting to good thinkers that some have been induced 
 to reject entirely the thought of any future for man 
 beyond the death of his body. 
 
 We may safely believe that our future existence 
 will be in every way suitable for our changed con- 
 dition, but we can only theorize as to what such a 
 life is. 
 
 If it was possible for us to comprehend anything 
 having entirely a different nature from that of our 
 material bodies, and the objective things which sur- 
 round us, we might have some conception of what 
 our future life will be, but it seems impossible for 
 us to grasp many thoughts that are not suggested to 
 us by the objective things we meet, or that may be 
 conveyed to us in the language of others. 
 
 There are two ways of securing new thoughts 
 without mental effort, that is to say without special 
 study; through our sense perceptions of hearing, 
 seeing, tasting or smelling, or by our intuitive fac- 
 ulties of mind, which seem to work without our 
 volition. 
 
 It is not so much the purpose of these chapters to 
 maintain a consecutive line of thought and argu- 
 ment, as to present certain suggestions that may be 
 elaborated by each reader to suit himself. 
 
 The basis or foundation for inductive reasoning 
 
24 WHAT OR-MOND THINKS. 
 
 being given, it will be unnecessary to mention to 
 such readers as would be interested in these pages 
 the inferences that may be readily drawn from the 
 suggestions made, and the truth of the statements 
 that will appear are likely to be more apparent to 
 each reader, if they will from their own laboratory 
 of thought furnish the argument necessary to sus- 
 tain them. 
 
 If man is a dual creature as has been claimed, he 
 must possess two distinct and separate natures now, 
 so that whatever part of man lives after the death of 
 his natural body, must be a part of his organization 
 now. Both of these facts will be readily admitted, 
 and it is in accord with these facts to believe that 
 the mind must be the imperishable and lasting es- 
 sence or real man, which cannot be affected by the 
 law of disintegration or decay. 
 
 We may by the process of logical, reasoning affirm 
 every statement which has so far been made; and 
 now, because we have seen the body of man con- 
 signed to the grave of dissolution, will not the same 
 class of reasoning enable us to accompany his mind 
 into that other condition of life, and see him sur. 
 rounded more favorably for progression than when 
 confined in a material body? 
 
WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 25 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Agnosticism would leave man in his grave because 
 it cannot accept the deductions of reason beyond the 
 ability of science to confirm, and hence to an ag- 
 nostic the future is not a reality, but rather a pleasant 
 dream of optimistic thinkers, which may never be 
 realized in their lives. 
 
 When it is understood that a great majority of the 
 human family in all ages of the world have believed 
 that the life of man could not end with the death of 
 his body, it becomes interesting to inquire as to how 
 such a thought ever entered the mind of man, unless 
 it has some foundation in fact. 
 
 It is true that all believers in this doctrine have 
 not agreed as to the details or conditions of a future, 
 but people do not agree as to the details of anything, 
 and it is not necessary that they should, because they 
 are not so constituted as to see things exactly alike. 
 That there should be a unity of belief regarding the 
 main fact of a future life with people widely sepa- 
 rated, and with environments entirely different, is, 
 to say the least, a strong argument in favor of such 
 a theory, but it is not claimed to be conclusive. 
 
 The simple, belief of any person or people must be 
 supplemented by some evidence in order to fasten 
 
26 WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 conviction on a person who does not believe, and in 
 thjs case we have the positive evidence of man's 
 dual nature, which is so direct as to require no col- 
 lateral or supporting evidence of any kind, in order 
 to establish the continuous, conscious existence of 
 the human race. 
 
 What might be said in support of this argument 
 would not add much to its conclusiveness, because 
 it is not possible to demonstrate such a proposition, 
 except by logical reasoning, and when the duality 
 of man is conceded, his future life is the only de- 
 duction that can be made. 
 
 It may never be possible for everybody who be- 
 lieves in the fact of a future existence to agree on 
 the character or condition of "such a life, but it is 
 not important that they should, and it would not add 
 much weight to the main argument if they did. 
 
 When the world was created it would be impossible 
 to say, but that everything in organized form must 
 have had a beginning we are compelled to believe, 
 and just so is it with the question we have been con- 
 sidering; what the future life is we may not be able 
 to say, but that there is a future for all is an un- 
 deniable fact about which all should agree. 
 
 The mind is so constituted that it sometimes re- 
 jects a part of every truth if unable to see the whole 
 of it, and therefore some people are dissatisfied for 
 the reason that they are unable to fully realize what 
 the future life is to be. 
 
 When it is understood that the mind is in reality 
 
WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 2J 
 
 the real man, it should be equivalent to believing 
 that our future life must be entirely mental in its 
 character. 
 
 If it were possible to name the leading character- 
 istic of our lives on the earth, we should be com- 
 pelled to call it mental, because it is the thought of 
 good thinkers that plans the world's activities and 
 results in the civilization of the day. 
 
 The future life must be entirely void of everything 
 in the way of material duties, and therefore it is 
 proper to believe that it is all mental or spiritual. 
 
 It may be claimed that the theory here presented 
 would be very agreeable if true, but how can we 
 know that it is true? 
 
 In reply to such a query it must be admitted that 
 we cannot know in the sense of having it confirmed 
 by science, but we can know because it is a reason- 
 able hypothesis, and because we are disposed to 
 believe it. 
 
 Why it is impossible to prove anything that is the 
 result of a divine plan or purpose we cannot tell, but 
 it seems to be so ordered. We can, of course, reason 
 from analogy, and usually such reasoning will be 
 correct, though it is simply assuming that a certain 
 thing will take place, because under the same con- 
 ditions it has occurred before. 
 
 We say that the sun will rise to-morrow, for the 
 reason that it shows itself every day when not ob- 
 scured by clouds, and because we believe that na- 
 ture's laws are not spasmodic and uncertain, but 
 
28 WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 work with a uniformity and precision that precludes 
 the possibility of our believing that the sun, which 
 shines upon us to-day, will forget to return to-morrow. 
 
 The operation of nature's laws are so accurate that 
 we are constantly taking advantage of our knowledge 
 of these laws in every way, so that we are governed 
 by them as much as if we knew exactly how they 
 were controlled. 
 
 What farmer would plant in winter with the hope 
 of harvesting a crop in the spring, or what sailor 
 would leave port in face of barometrical changes 
 indicating a great storm? 
 
 It would be a waste of time to argue with a North- 
 ern merchant the propriety of buying a large stock 
 of summer goods, or with a Southern merchant the 
 salable quality of buffalo robes and sealskin coats. 
 
 From what we know of the dual nature of man, 
 wt; are just as well fitted to judge as to his future as 
 we are to judge of the coming days of spring, or the 
 frost of a more distant winter. 
 
WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 29 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 The blessing of peace is only fully appreciated 
 when a country or people are surrounded by the im- 
 plements of war and the sound of musketry. If it 
 were possible to picture the results of a bloody con- 
 flict in such language as would fully portray the 
 danger to each individual participant, the differences, 
 between men and nations would be settled by 
 arbitration. 
 
 In other words, if it were possible to show the 
 folly of demanding proof of every proposition that 
 is brought to our attention before we are willing to 
 believe it, then reason would assert its right to be- 
 lieve whatever seems reasonable, and a mental 
 conflict would be avoided. 
 
 There are people who think that the wisdom of 
 others must be recognized by believing as they do, 
 whether they are right or not, but it is not wise to 
 believe anything that does not agree with our own 
 concept of right, no matter who or how many may 
 believe to the contrary. 
 
 If we are considering a class of facts that are not 
 only true, but capable of being demonstrated, we are 
 of. course compelled to believe them; but when con- 
 sidering the larger number of truths which cannot be 
 
SO WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 proven by any material law, we are at perfect liberty 
 to believe that our own intuitive faculties will fur- 
 nish us all the proof we can possibly have. 
 
 In certain lines of study every person must be 
 authority unto themselves, unless the opinions of 
 others agree with what seems to be most reasonable. 
 It should always be remembered that every truth 
 can be logically demonstrated. 
 
 The class of truths which we are now considering 
 are those which have to do with the spiritual rather 
 than with the material life of man; in other words, 
 truths that are outside the range of scientific formulas 
 for demonstration, and can be perceived only by our 
 subjective or intuitive faculties of mind. 
 
 For the purpose of introducing a few thoughts on 
 this subject, we will listen again to our friends: 
 
 Prof. Morse. — 'Doctor, I have been thinking a 
 good many people must believe as you do about the 
 continuous life of man, for I have heard a number 
 express themselves in that way since our conversation. 
 
 Dr. Jones. — Well, Professor, I hope you are cor- 
 rect in saying so, because it is certainly a very com- 
 fortable theory, as well as being unquestionably 
 true. 
 
 Prof. Morse. — Now, Doctor, I would like to ask 
 you a few more questions, and I hope you can give 
 me some light. 
 
 Dr. Jones. — I shall be very glad, Professor, to 
 give you my best thought in regard to any matter, 
 
WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 3 1 
 
 but you must remember that I do not pretend to 
 know everything. 
 
 Prof. Morse. — Do you think, Doctor, that the 
 future condition of man is anything akin to his life 
 on the earth, and if not, what is your conception 
 of it? 
 
 Dr. Jones. — I believe that the future condition 
 of the human family is as unlike their condition on 
 the earth as it could possibly be, and in saying this 
 I must not be misunderstood. Life on the earth is 
 a continual struggle for bread, or wealth, or some- 
 thing. While the future condition is entirely free 
 from such efforts. I believe, of course, that person- 
 ality and individuality continues, but there can be 
 no want in our future condition that is not mental 
 or spiritual; and therefore there is no occasion or 
 desire for anything that is not secured without effort. 
 If I have made myself understood, you will see that 
 I believe there is a great improvement in the future 
 world over the trials and turmoil of this. 
 
 Prof. Morse. — Well, Doctor, you have replied to 
 my question about as I supposed you would, but it 
 seems to me that you should have some good reason 
 for believing as you do, and I would like to know 
 what your reasons are ? 
 
 Dr. Jones. — I have, of course, what seems to me 
 as a good reason for every belief, and if you will 
 permit me to philosophize a little, perhaps you will 
 see the logic of my belief. When a young man I 
 was inclined to be a materialist, because I could not 
 
32 WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 believe anything that could not be proven by ma- 
 terial laws and confirmed by my sense perceptions; 
 but the more I investigated the mysterious problems 
 of nature, the more convinced I became that man 
 was not entirely a material being. If you will con- 
 sider that a position of mind, or thought, would have 
 to be entirely changed, in order to regard man as a 
 dual creature, you can realize the mental change 
 which L felt compelled to make. After becoming 
 convinced that the mind or real man was in nature 
 spiritual, it did not require much thought to con- 
 vince me that the real life of a spirit must be anal- 
 ogous to what our life would be without material 
 bodies, and all my reasoning regarding a future life 
 is founded on the correctness of above thought. 
 
 Prof. Morse. — I see, Doctor, you are a good 
 reasoner, and it seems to me that your conclusions 
 are scientific, because you do not try to construct a 
 new life for man, but simply a continuance of his 
 present life, freed only from a material body. 
 
 Dr. Jones. — That is the idea exactly, and to my 
 thought it is a reasonable belief. 
 
WHAT ORMOXD THIXKS. 33 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 When it is known that the world was once form- 
 less, there does not seem to be much difficulty in 
 believing that there must have been an architect or 
 designer, in order that the chaotic elements might 
 be brought together in such relations as would re- 
 sult in the matchless wisdom everywhere shown. 
 
 It is not essential that we should know just how 
 many cycles, centuries or aeons of time were neces- 
 sary to complete the work of creation, but it is im- 
 portant for our comfort to believe that the creator 
 of all worlds and every material thing is an ever 
 living intelligence, and not simply a principle of 
 good, as some have believed. 
 
 The life of man on the earth is so short that it 
 would be impossible for him to form any conception 
 of the age of the world, but it is sufficiently long 
 for him to calculate with a preciseness that needs no 
 confirmation, that the end of his life reaches out 
 into a world or condition that will never end. 
 
 The object of life should be a preparation for the 
 future, every day some progress toward a more per- 
 fect life, so that we may have all the benefit that 
 comes from living, as it was evidently intended we 
 should. 
 
34 WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 It is a well-known fact that the nature of man 
 demands constant improvement, and when progress 
 is not shown there is manifestly something lacking 
 in his mode of life or thought; it has been affirmed 
 by all religious teachers since time began, 'that the 
 Creator has endowed man with a faculty of discern- 
 ing the right from the wrong, and this truth has 
 been confirmed in the personal experience of every 
 human being, notwithstanding the fact that some 
 people act as though they had no conception of the 
 right or wrong of anything. 
 
 It is the belief of many that a future life depends 
 on certain forms or dogmas, but the more correct 
 thought is, that the future life is in accordance with 
 our being or nature, though the condition of that 
 life will depend on our character as it does here. 
 
 The impossibility of the human mind perceiving 
 all sides of any truth at the same time, probably ac- 
 counts for the differences of belief in the world, and 
 hence it may be conceded that all may be con- 
 scientiously honest in thinking as they do. 
 
 Do not understand me to mean that any person 
 can be conscientiously honest if they persist in 
 wrong thinking, because it is within the ability of 
 every person to think right, and they will think and 
 act right if they are rightly disposed. 
 
 It will, of course, never be true that all will think 
 exactly alike, because all will not perceive the truth 
 in the same way, or from the same standpoint of 
 culture, but there is a great difference between believ- 
 
WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 35 
 
 ing a part of any truth and believing what is man- 
 ifestly false and harmful. 
 
 A child may believe that the letter "A" is the 
 alphabet, but years of experience will prove to the 
 same child that the full alphabet is composed of 
 twenty-six letters, each as important as the other 
 for expressing the thoughts capable of being ex- 
 pressed in our language. 
 
 It is just so in the consideration of all questions, 
 and especially those of a metaphysical character. We 
 are most likely to see but a small part of any truth, 
 and think others are wrong if they do not see it just 
 as we do. 
 
 The Brahmin does not believe with the Buddhist, 
 the Roman Catholic with the Protestant, or any one 
 of the several sects exactly the same as any other, 
 and yet it is generally agreed that they are all trying 
 to worship God according to the dictates of their 
 own conscience, and in accordance with their con- 
 ception of the truth. 
 
 Every religious sect in the world has newspapers, 
 magazines, tracts or books without number, written 
 by able exponents of their particular faith, and 
 dwelling with ability on their several church doc- 
 trines, so that it has been thought best to have these 
 writings entirely free from sectarian or denomina- 
 tionalism, presenting only such thoughts as all should 
 believe, without reference to their church affiliations. 
 
 When it is conceded that the authorities of any 
 church or system of religion would only claim that 
 
$6 WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 it was necessary to study their doctrines and believe 
 them in order to reach the best spiritual experience 
 of a well-rounded character, it is hoped that there 
 will not be found a line in these writings that will 
 not be regarded as an assistance in securing such a 
 desirable end. 
 
 Character building is in some respects like build- 
 ing a magnificent city to correspond with the differ- 
 ent tastes of the people; we have a great variety of 
 styles in architectural design, and all sorts of ma- 
 terial, but notwithstanding the great variety there 
 is a harmonious unity in the completed city of houses 
 and palaces, each suited to the particular taste of the 
 occupants. 
 
 Our mental conceptions of religious subjects are 
 somewhat different, but every person or family 
 should find itself in- some religious home where the 
 teaching is in accordance with their best thought on 
 these subjects, and then they will be in a condition of 
 mental and spiritual growth that should result in a 
 perfect character. 
 
 It must not be understood that the term " perfect" 
 as above used is intended to mean Deific perfection, 
 but simply the perfection of life which is possible 
 for any finite person to reach. 
 
 Religion is not cant, but character; and character 
 will show itself in the momentary life of every person 
 who is fortunate enough to possess it. Character is of 
 two kinds, good and bad, so that when we speak of 
 a religious character, it will not be understood that 
 
WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 37 
 
 we refer to both kinds, but rather to the good, which 
 makes for the peace and comfort of every person in 
 this life, as well as prepares them for the future life. 
 
 The trees and plants in our parks and surrounding 
 our homes are all expressing their nature and life, 
 but no two of them are alike in stock, limb, leaf or 
 flower, though all are necessary in order that the 
 great variety may so harmonize into a perfect unity 
 of attractiveness for every beholder. 
 
 So it is with the religions of the world; in order 
 that the predelictions of all may be met, there must 
 be a variety of teaching, but all will culminate in 
 the best thoughts of our duty to God and man that 
 we are capable of assimilating in our own lives. 
 
38 WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 The evolution theories as promulgated by different 
 writers are, to say the least, very interesting, but in 
 reality they do not prove anything, save that every- 
 thing is in the line of progression from its generic 
 or first form to the perfection of its life. 
 
 If it could be demonstrated that any living animal 
 had by and through the working of the law of evo- 
 lution been developed from an animal of a different 
 species, there would be something of a basis on 
 which to postulate an argument for the evolution of 
 the species from an original germ or protoplasm, but 
 failing to find a single instance showing a change of 
 structure, the entire theory is exhausted of merit. 
 
 Evolution is simply a term coined and used to 
 designate a law which was enacted by the Creator 
 for the purpose of unfolding the inherent possibilities 
 of everything that exists, or in other words, every- 
 thing that exists reaches its perfection by the law of 
 its nature and life, which is progression. 
 
 So far as we know everything in the universe had 
 a beginning in a cell, seed or embryonic life, and 
 with capabilities or powers of development, but in 
 the entire realm of nature, from the lowest form of 
 plant life up to and including the human family, it 
 
WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 39 
 
 does not appear that any species has been able to 
 progenitor any other species. 
 
 To deify the law of evolution by claiming that all 
 animal life, including man, is the result of this law, 
 is equivalent to a belief that the entire cosmos must 
 be the result of the law of gravitation, attraction or 
 repulsion, all simply laws of nature, playing the 
 particular part or function for which they were de- 
 signed by the Creator. 
 
 Laws are not self-existing, but are tha enactments 
 of God or man, and it is just as unthinkable to sup- 
 pose that the laws of nature have inherent life and 
 intelligence, as it would be to believe that the ma- 
 terial laws of man were self-existing and self-en- 
 forcing. 
 
 Perpetual motion without the constant application 
 of force or power is impossible, and it is logical to 
 conclude that some intelligence, force and power is 
 necessary to design and execute all law whether spir- 
 itual or material. 
 
 The laws of evolution, attraction and repulsion 
 are simply three of nature's laws, through and by 
 which the world of material things is controUed or 
 regulated by the Creator. 
 
 It would not be correct to say that the Creator 
 could not regulate the entire world without any law, 
 only for the fact that everything seems to be regu- 
 lated in accordance with laws that are so precise and 
 accurate in their working as to force upon us the 
 conviction that an all-wise Creator must have not 
 
40 WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 only designed them, but is not unmindful of their 
 proper execution. 
 
 Reasoning from analogy we are compelled to con- 
 clude that every objective reality, which is the result 
 of man's handiwork, must have first been formed in 
 the mind of the inventor or designer, or it never 
 could have been made. 
 
 By precisely the same line of reasoning we are 
 forced to believe that the countless worlds in space, 
 including tjiis earth with its numberless species of 
 animal, vegetable, plant and tree life, must have 
 first taken shape in the mind of some being as much 
 greater than man as an infinite mind is greater than 
 a finite mind. 
 
 We need not and should not lose sight of the laws 
 by which this wonderful creation was accomplished, 
 but in our admiration for the seemingly automatic 
 working of these laws, we should not fail to recog- 
 nise the Creator, who designed or enacted them for 
 the working out of his purposes. 
 
 The subject of evolution has been so fully treated 
 in my " Suggestive Essays," under the titles of " Cre- 
 ation vs. Evolution," "Creation of Man," ''Philos- 
 ophy of Life," etc., that it will be unnecessary to 
 enlarge on the subject here. 
 
WHAT OKMUXD THINKS. 41 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 The intuitive faculties of man are not so well un- 
 derstood as are the ordinary sense perceptions of 
 seeing, hearing, tasting and smelling. It might be 
 said that none of the subjective faculties of mind or 
 body were understood in the same sense that the 
 objective manifestation of these faculties are under- 
 stood ; but no person would pretend to doubt the 
 fact that they have a heart, simply because they can- 
 not see it, or question the fact of their having a 
 mind because they cannot understand the source or 
 significance of every thought that comes to them for 
 expression. 
 
 What may be said of any one person can with 
 equal emphasis be affirmed of all, namely, that the 
 material avenues for conveying messages to the spir- 
 itual mind are the sense perceptions of seeing, hear- 
 ing, tasting and smelling; in other words, by and 
 through these faculties the material world may be 
 photographed or transferred to the mind. 
 
 If man had no other faculty of mind, he would 
 not be able to cognize anything which was not 
 within the range of his sight or hearing, because he 
 would not be en rapport with it, but the intuitive 
 faculty of mind can wander away from material 
 
42 WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 things and catch a glimpse of etherial or spiritual 
 things. 
 
 Thought is the result of some wave of action, and 
 it does not matter whether it is objective or sub- 
 jective, the thought would be in quality the same, 
 though it might be entirely different as to matter 
 and spirit. 
 
 Perhaps this theory will be better understood if 
 stated differently; therefore, let us consider that 
 thought is an action or result of the mind's activity, 
 and that this activity may be the result of what we 
 see, hear, taste, smell, or what we cognize intuitively 
 without the use of our sense perceptions as above 
 named. 
 
 The mind is not an objective, but a subjective 
 essence or spirit; in other words, mind is the real 
 man or person, and the body is simply a manifesta- 
 tion of mind; therefore, it is plain to be understood 
 that the sense perceptions are simply for the purpose 
 of carrying information to the real person, and not 
 for the purpose of weighing this information, which 
 is a function and power of mind only. 
 
 The ancient philosophers were unable to postulate 
 any satisfactory theory as to the operation of the 
 mind, but they were all satisfied that it was of a 
 different nature from the material body, and this 
 thought has been pretty generally held in all ages 
 of the world's history. 
 
 If mind was material in its nature, it would be 
 impossible to believe in any future condition for the 
 
WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 43 
 
 human family, because we see unmistakable evi- 
 dences of the fact that the body of man returns to 
 dust. 
 
 It will, of course, be understood that the term 
 man is used to represent the entire human family, 
 including both sexes, and all ages. 
 
 The only way that a person can have a proper 
 conception of the underlying principles of nature, is 
 to study such subjects as are treated in this work 
 and philosophize about them until they seem to be 
 perfectly plain and reasonable. 
 
 It would not be proper to claim that all the mysteries 
 of nature can be understood by any finite mind, but 
 there is always great benefit from the consideration 
 of such questions as have to do with the very essence 
 of things, whether we can fully understand them or 
 not. 
 
 The limit of man's ability to study is not circum- 
 scribed by his inability to secure and retain all knowl- 
 edge. If it was, the progressive civilization of this day 
 and age would not have been seen, because it is the 
 constant seeking after the unknown that develops the 
 mind of any person or people, so that they are able 
 to comprehend the knowable. 
 
 When it is necessary to exercise the muscles of the 
 physical body in order that they may be developed 
 in strength, we should without difficulty understand 
 that the mind must be exercised in the mental gym- 
 nastics of turning over and over again the knotty 
 problems of life's intricate enigmas, so that we may 
 
44 
 
 WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 pose on the topmost round of attainable knowledge, 
 without any balance pole of doubt and uncertainty 
 to keep us from falling back into the rank of those 
 who do not make an effort to reach the highest alti- 
 tude for the examination of all truth. 
 
WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 45 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 The realm of mind is not confined to this material 
 world, but extends into the illimitable space which 
 surrounds us, and having in thought fully investi- 
 gated the countless suns, worlds and stars of the 
 heavens above, its limit has not yet been reached, 
 for it can cross the border line of material worlds 
 and enter a new condition which in nature is a coun- 
 terpart of itself. 
 
 Mind is not material but spiritual in nature, and 
 therefore it is that what cannot be cognized by or 
 through the sense perceptions, may sometimes be 
 observed through the subjective or intuitive fac- 
 ulties. 
 
 For fear that some may not understaand what is 
 meant by the intuitive faculty of mind, it may be 
 well to add that there are but two ways in which 
 new thoughts are suggested to any person, namely, 
 by the sense perceptions of seeing, hearing, tasting 
 or smelling; or by the intuitive faculty, which might 
 be called another and superior sense. This faculty 
 is not confined in its field for observation, but is 
 impressionable beyond the limit of explanation, so 
 that it has been claimed some people are uncon- 
 
46 WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 sciously able to cognize or understand the thoughts 
 of others who may be at a great distance. 
 
 It must be true that thought travels very fast, be- 
 cause we know by the practical demonstration of the 
 mechanical telephone that time and space is no bar- 
 rier to the transmission of spoken words, so that we 
 may conclude thought itself will travel much faster. 
 
 If it can be demonstrated that the use of a tele ; 
 phone is not necessary in order to transmit thought, 
 a revolution in business methods would soon result, 
 but we can at present only speculate as to the possi- 
 bility of such demonstration, and express the hope 
 that in time all the faculties of mind will be fully 
 understood. 
 
 What can be said of the lightning speed which 
 enables us to instantly think of the distant sun, in 
 its fiery mass of electricity in motion, and compre- 
 hend the fallacy of the theory that the sun's light 
 and heat is caused by showers of meteors which are 
 constantly feeding the self-consuming sun? 
 
 The most powerful telescope ever constructed will 
 not bring to view but, comparatively speaking, a 
 small number of the most distant stars, but a suffi- 
 cient number can be seen with the naked eye to cause 
 us to wonder how such a mighty, matchless and 
 wonderful world of worlds could have been created. 
 
 It is occasionally only that a person is found who 
 seems to think that the millions upon millions of 
 objective realities which can be found on the earth 
 and in the waters of the sea, with the great innu- 
 
WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 47 
 
 merable multitude of worlds in the limitless space 
 surrounding us must have come by chance, or through 
 the working of some law without the guiding mind of 
 superintendence. 
 
 The greatest enigma of the centuries would be a 
 diagnosis of a mind that is able to comprehend the 
 marvelous works of nature, and not be astounded 
 with even a thought that everything they see could 
 by any possibility have come without the planning 
 and execution of an intelligence far greater than 
 man's. 
 
 As an inventive and mechanical genius, man has 
 accomplished wonderful things, but the wizard o{ 
 all the geniuses that ever lived could not duplicate 
 a single blade of grass or manufacture a strawberry. 
 
 Every living thing in nature has not only been 
 originally created, but given the power of perpetu- 
 ating its own kind and species, so that as long as 
 the earth lasts there will be substantially the same 
 varieties of vegetable and animal life that are to be 
 found to-day. 
 
 Wonderful beyond description must be the mind 
 that could have conceived and planned such a cos- 
 mos, filled with its multitudinous variety of animate 
 and inanimate life, so distributed over the face of 
 the earth that every living thing lives on the product 
 from nature's soil and breathes the air of content- 
 ment with its lot and surroundings. 
 
48 WHAT ORMOND THINKS, 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 The philosophy of mind is one of many subjects 
 which allows a wide range of thought, because, in- 
 deed, it covers and includes the mind's action, or 
 expression, which is all thought. 
 
 It will be claimed by some that all animals think, 
 and hence they must all have minds, but while it 
 must be admitted that some animals are much more 
 intelligent than others, it cannot be that they are 
 endowed with minds like unto those of the human 
 family, and therefore it is not the mind or instinct 
 of the lower orders which we have been considering, 
 but rather the minds capable of reasoning from cause 
 to effect, and weighing the problems that are in- 
 separable from human life. 
 
 The mind's action may never be understood, but 
 the expression of mind has resulted in filling every 
 shelf of every library in the land with good, bad and 
 indifferent books, magazines and papers, besides sup- 
 plying the same class of thoughts for all readers. 
 
 Predilections or taste of every person could not be 
 consulted by all writers, because if they were it 
 would be found necessary to have as many writers 
 as there are readers, for strange as it may appear, 
 there are no two people in the world who think ex- 
 actly alike on many subjects. 
 
 It is true that human nature has been the same in 
 
WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 49 
 
 all ages of the world's history, but that is not equiv- 
 alent to saying that the people have ever thought 
 alike, but rather affirming that the physical organi- 
 zation has been substantially the same. 
 
 The law of supply and demand may regulate the 
 marts of trade, but it does not regulate the realm of 
 mind, because the mind regulates itself and can hold 
 all the good thoughts that were ever uttered, and 
 still have room for more. 
 
 It is in the contemplation of nature's laws that the 
 best mental exercise is secured, because it is not 
 possible to fully understand them, and therefore 
 these subjects always present to our thought some- 
 thing new, which in all our previous searching we 
 have not observed. 
 
 Life in all its relations to the material world is 
 very mysterious, but the mystery of mysteries is the 
 passing of a human mind, or person, out of this ma- 
 terial world into another condition of life, that adds 
 to the mystery a thousand fold, and continues in the 
 very nature of things forever. 
 
 It will, of course, be claimed that such a statement 
 is beyond the ability of any writer to prove, but 
 please bear in mind that no attempt should ever be 
 made to prove what is in the " nature of things" true. 
 
 If any reader is unfortunately so constituted men- 
 tally that they must have proof for everything they 
 believe, it would be well for them to study all met- 
 aphysical subjects until they find it easy to believe 
 without proof, save their own powers of reasoning. 
 
50 WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Time and distance are annihilated in the realm of 
 thought, so that we can think of any of the occur- 
 rences of our past life in an instant, or if you please, 
 we can think of the most distant planet or star quicker 
 than light or electricity can travel a mile. 
 
 There is no instrument in existence that can meas- 
 ure the speed of thought, and therefore there are no 
 words in our language that can describe its velocity 
 or weigh its potency for good or ill on those who 
 hear it. 
 
 If time would permit all people to think only their 
 best thoughts, and these thoughts could in some way 
 be transmitted to each other as quickly as the light 
 of the sun sheds its rays over the earth, there would 
 be a great change for the better in the culture of the 
 world. 
 
 It is unfortunately true that all are not interested 
 in reading good books, and the best thought of the 
 world does not reach such people, but if some pro- 
 cess of thought transference could be discovered that 
 would minimize the necessity of reading, then we 
 might hope for a great advance in knowledge. 
 
 The claim has been frequently made that mind 
 reading or thought transference was under certain 
 
WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 5 1 
 
 circumstances possible, but in order to be of practical 
 value to the people, it should be general, and if it is 
 in accordance with the law of our being that our 
 thoughts can be transmitted to another without the 
 use of spoken words, or any mechanical contrivance, 
 it would seem as though the process should in some 
 way be made useful. 
 
 The centuries that have preceded the one in which 
 we live have all been noted for some advancement 
 in knowledge, and it may not be too much to hope 
 that the belief of some in mind reading or thought 
 transference will prove to be actually true, and so 
 capable of demonstration as to be generally ac- 
 cepted. 
 
 If thought transference is possible as many claim, 
 it must be in accordance with natural law, and be- 
 tween minds that are in a normal condition of health, 
 otherwise we could not expect any permanent good 
 to result from such phenomena. 
 
 The reports which have been made by the various 
 psychical societies in this country and Europe would 
 seem to establish the fact that thought transference 
 between two persons at a distance is possible, but it 
 is very difficult for some people to believe in such 
 phenomena unless they can personally witness suc- 
 cessful experiments. 
 
 It would be a waste of time to attempt arguing 
 with some as to the reliabilty of experiments that 
 had been made under test conditions by prominent 
 investigators, because they could not be convinced 
 
52 WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 of any truth which they cannot confirm by their own 
 perceptive faculties of mind. 
 
 New sciences are of very slow growth, and in- 
 deed, so slow that thousands of people may have 
 practical demonstration of the truth of certain 
 claimed phenomena before the generally recognized 
 scientific thinkers will give such claims any consid- 
 eration whatever, much less indorse them. 
 
 Every branch of scientific study requires specially 
 fitted investigators, or there never would be conclu- 
 sive demonstrations of truth, which alone constitutes 
 science. 
 
 The science of astronomy, geology, anthropology, 
 medical, and in fact all sciences, have their spe 
 cialists, but outside of their particular line of study 
 these specialists are not considered authority, be- 
 cause their inclination of mind is always directed to 
 their special department for attainable knowledge. 
 
 The Psychical Science Congress held in connec- 
 tion with the World's Columbian Exposition attracted 
 wide interest, and was attended by a large number 
 of people, the papers read were of exceptionally 
 high order, and seemed to be logically accurate in 
 their deductions. 
 
 It is to be regretted that the managers of this 
 congress could not have extended their sessions long 
 enough to have proven to the masses who were in 
 attendance, the correctness of the premises from 
 which the deductions of the different writers were 
 made. 
 
WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 53 
 
 The truth or fallacy of any argument cannot be 
 determined unless we can have a clear conception of 
 the premise from which it emanates, and therefore 
 the Psychical Congress managers were at a disad- 
 vantage, by not having assigned to them sufficient 
 time in which to present all their papers, or supple- 
 ment those that were read by phenomenal demon- 
 stration. 
 
 It was not the privilege of the writer to hear but 
 a single one of the many interesting papers which 
 were read at this congress, but the extracts made 
 from them by the magazines and newspapers warrant 
 the statement that they were carefully prepared by 
 competent investigators in this new science. 
 
 The statement is made that Psychical Research 
 societies are well organized in almost every large 
 city, so that we may expect from time to time reports 
 of their investigations and conclusions regarding the 
 interesting phenomena which, many claim, estab- 
 lishes the certainty of a continuous life for man. 
 
54 WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 It is not certain that the design or purpose of these 
 pages will be fully understood by the casual reader, 
 but it is hoped that every person will be impressed 
 to read what has been written a second time, and 
 then they will surely discover that the main object 
 has been to emphasize the great fact of the duality 
 of man, which once fully established in one's mind, 
 secures for them nothing short of the ultimatum of 
 a continuous life, or more properly speaking, secures 
 for them such a belief in advance of the transition 
 which will prove the belief well founded. 
 
 To have incidentally mentioned the nature of man 
 as being both material and spiritual, would not have 
 fastened this thought upon the mind of any person, 
 and therefore it has been repeated over and over 
 again in as many different ways as possible, so that 
 the very repetition of the thought would attract 
 some attention. 
 
 Philosophers of all ages have written on this sub- 
 ject, but strange as it may appear, many people do 
 not know exactly what is meant by the term " dual 
 man;" therefore, it becomes necessary that some 
 writer should subject themselves to the criticism of 
 frequent repetition of thought, in order to fully ex- 
 plain the meaning of terms. 
 
WHAT ORMOXD THINKS. 55 
 
 With the advent of wider knowledge concerning 
 the subjects treated in this work, there will be 
 greater interest centering around the duality of 
 man's nature than ever before, because it is the piv- 
 otal point from which radiates the light that makes 
 plain almost every unseen problem concerning the 
 life and destiny of mankind. 
 
 The art of correct reasoning requires that we 
 should have a proper premise from which to start 
 this mysterious mental process, and if man has two 
 natures, it will not do to lose sight of either, if we 
 would reach any satisfactory conclusion regarding 
 his present or future life. 
 
 If there was any way to fully explain all the de- 
 tails of the life that is to be, it would no doubt have 
 been done a great many times, because there is no 
 subject which has attracted more attention, and 
 probably no subject about which so little is known. 
 
 The condition of life on the earth is entirely ma- 
 terial, and it requires no argument to prove that the 
 future life must be the direct opposite or spiritual, 
 but having no words in our language to fully describe 
 what a spiritual life really is, we can say very little 
 about it. The figurative language of Scripture is 
 intended to convey to our minds the suggestion that 
 it is far more desirable and beautiful than any lan- 
 guage of man could portray, so that every person 
 may indulge in the loftiest conception possible for 
 them, and still come short of the reality. 
 
 It will be observed that if the theory of this writing 
 
56 WHAT ORMOND THINKS. 
 
 is true, there can be no room for the opposite theory 
 of a conditional immortality which is held by some, 
 and which in effect means annihilation for millions 
 upon millions of the human race. 
 
 The condition of our future life must in the very 
 nature of things depend on our characters; but the 
 fact of a future life depends on our organization of 
 matter and spirit combined, instead of matter only. 
 If we were but material beings, there would be noth- 
 ing to live after the death of the body; but the real 
 man or mind being spiritual in nature, must con- 
 tinue to live after the body has returned to its orig- 
 inal elements. 
 
 In contemplating the wonderful organization of 
 man with his unexplainable powers of thought, it 
 should require no argument to prove that the very 
 best use should be made of these powers, to the end 
 that his life in this world and the next should be of 
 the very highest order possible for him to reach. 
 
 The inherent powers and faculties of man enable 
 him to judge between the right and wrong of things, 
 and to choose the wrong is a violation of duty to 
 himself as well as to his Creator, therefore all men 
 from a purely selfish interest should choose the right. 
 
 Right living and thinking establishes a person in 
 proper relations for the enjoyment of this world, 
 and at the same time fits him for the world or con- 
 dition which immediately follows, when he has for 
 the last time admired the beauties of nature through 
 material eves. 
 
A CHAPTER OF BREVITIES; 
 
 OR, SHORT EXTRACTS FROM THE AUTHOR'S UNPUBLISHED 
 
 ESSAYS. 
 
 The Nature of Mind.— A careful consideration of the 
 nature of mind compels us to conclude that it is not material, 
 and we are therefore obliged to regard it as spiritual, or coin 
 some new term that will express our idea of its nature, because 
 so far as we know, everything in the universe must be material 
 
 or spiritual in nature. 
 
 * # * 
 
 The Philosophy of Life — When wise men of every age 
 have exhausted their wisdom in trying to explain the real es- 
 sence of life, it becomes to the human mind one of the great 
 mysteries that is destined to be an interesting subject of inquiry 
 as long as man continues to live. 
 
 * * * 
 
 The Life of Man. — When time began we do not know, 
 but the days of man on the earth are but few in comparison, 
 though the length of his days will span the chasm of death, 
 and reach out through endless eternity. 
 
 * -x * 
 
 The Wealth of the World. — Bimetalism, or a recog- 
 nition of gold and silver as the standard for money, should be 
 universal in its application, but the real wealth of the world 
 will always be the good thoughts that are generated by cultured 
 minds, and to be found in the libraries of the people. 
 
 * * * 
 
 The Essence of Things — The aroma of a flower proves 
 that constant work is going on in nature's laboratory, but all 
 things may be reduced to an essence without in each case being 
 able to detect the transformation by any of our sense percep- 
 tions ; man himself is reduced to the essence of spirit when his 
 body returns to the elements from which it. came. 
 •**•■* 
 
 The Power of Thought. — Thought may be said to have 
 great power, when we consider that it is the initial motive 
 force that designs and plans every movement which takes place 
 in every department of a progressive civilization. 
 
 * # * 
 
 The Capacity of Mind. — Mind is not material, and its 
 circumference cannot be measured by material tape lines ; its 
 capacity is limitless for good thoughts, so there need be no 
 fear of crowding them, 
 
 I 
 
2 A CHAPTER OF BREVITIES. 
 
 The Faith that is Valuable — Faith is our estimate of 
 things unseen, and the most valuable faith is such a conception 
 as agrees with our best reason, because our best reason should 
 be accurate in its conclusions. 
 
 * * * 
 
 When You are Tired, You Rest. — The duties of life are 
 sometimes onerous and tiresome, but the mind should be always 
 active in the formulation of good thoughts for the benefit of 
 mankind, so that the moving car of progress may keep pace 
 with an advancing civilization. 
 
 * * * 
 
 The Nature of Man. — Man has a complete nature which 
 cannot be expressed by any single term or word, and embraces 
 all the elements of both matter and mind, therefore the reason 
 why philosophers have termed him a dual creature, being bcth 
 material and spiritual. 
 
 * # * 
 
 The Philosophy of Death. — A knowledge of the ulti- 
 mates is learning far beyond the possibility of recognizing the 
 death of one's body as the end of their life. Mind can generate 
 thought as long as life lasts ; hence the mind must be the real 
 man or person. 
 
 * * * 
 
 The Sunshine of a Good Conscience. — Some people live 
 gloomy lives, but the sunshine of a good conscience always 
 brightens the path of life, so there is no danger of falling by 
 
 the way. 
 
 * * * 
 
 Truth When Perceived Cannot be Forgotten. — It is 
 an old saying that "truth crushed to earth will rise again," but 
 truth when perceived cannot be crushed or disfigured ; it is like 
 a diamond in its brilliancy, and can be discovered in twilight. 
 
 * * * 
 
 The Starry Heavens.— The beauty of the sky with its 
 countless worlds of brilliant perfection, are conclusive argu- 
 ments, proving an intelligent Creator who must have planned 
 the length of their days, and the circle in which they should 
 
 travel. 
 
 * # * 
 
 The Wealth of Poverty. — Poverty is a great blessing 
 when it induces a person to secure the wealth of a well stored 
 mind, because it is the only kind of wealth that is everlasting 
 in character. 
 
A CHAPTER OF BREVITIES. 3 
 
 The Climax of Reason — If good thoughts are cumulative 
 in character, the climax of reason consists in securing and as- 
 similating all the good thoughts we can from every source. 
 
 * * # 
 
 The Poverty of Wealth — When we consider that money 
 is of no value unless properly used, we are ready to admit that 
 unless used to develop a well rounded character, a person's 
 wealth becomes like the poverty of nothingness. 
 
 * * * 
 
 Continuity of Life. — The life of man is continuous, and 
 there is no time that he loses his consciousness, from his birth 
 to the end of time, except when he is in his earthly condition 
 
 of sleep. 
 
 * * # 
 
 Knowledge is Power. — In many of the sciences and de- 
 partments of life, it would seem as though man must have 
 reached the very pinnacle of perfection in knowledge, but not 
 so, because out beyond and all around them are collateral and 
 new facts not yet considered. 
 
 * * * 
 
 True Happiness — A generous, open-hearted disposition 
 toward others, always brings true happiness, because such a 
 friend is always appreciated and happiness comes from making 
 
 others happy. 
 
 * * * 
 
 What is Thought. — A great deal might be said about the 
 mind of man and its uses, but when the limit of our knowledge 
 is exhausted, the mind remains an unexplored and unexplained 
 realm where thought has its secret laboratory, the doors of which 
 do not open to investigators. 
 
 * * * 
 
 Poetry and Poets. — To honor the authors of our cheap 
 verse so common every where with the title of Poet, is equivalent 
 to naming the man or woman a mathematician who cannot per- 
 form the simplest propositions in multiplication or division ; 
 calling a person an astronomer who cannot point a telescope 
 toward the north star, or explain the problem of ascertaining the 
 distance of the sun ; or equivalent to calling a person Professor 
 of Botany, who cannot descrioe the genus of plants, dissect a 
 flower or tell the difference between poison ivy and poke weed. 
 What an immense chasm does this little word have to jump 
 from the head of the sainted Whittier and others of his class, 
 to the heads of the great host of so-called poets, who grind out 
 their thoughts which have in them neither rhyme or reason. 
 
4 A CHAPTER OF BREVITIES. 
 
 Do Your Own Thinking. — There is not a successful man 
 living, or ever lived, who did not think and act for himself. A 
 man may assimilate the best thought that comes to him from 
 every source, but any attempt to be governed by the thoughts of 
 another which do not agree with ones own thought results in- 
 variably in failure. 
 
 * # * 
 
 Public Schools — The public school system of America will 
 result in a citizenship superior in mental attainments, to any 
 the world has ever known. It is to be regretted that our public 
 schools do not have as a part of their instruction manual train- 
 ing, so that all the scholars would graduate with some useful 
 occupation, and thus be fitted to provide for the necessaries 
 of life. 
 
 * * * 
 
 The Errors of Life. — Life is a condition in which we 
 have every opportunity to think right or wrong, and it is to be 
 regretted that so many people seem inclined to think wrong on 
 almost every subject, because all the errors of one's life are but 
 stumbling blocks in the way of reaching that perfection which 
 should be the ambition and aim of every person. 
 
 * * # 
 
 A Cyclone of Truth. — It is not usual for truth to reach us, 
 except in small quantities, at a time, but occasionally the process 
 is varied and it seems as though it came to us in overwhelmingly 
 large quantities, so abundantly that we are led to compare it to 
 the rushing of a mighty wind or cyclone, that to all appearances 
 blows away every error, and we are more than likely at such 
 times to believe that we possess all the truth we shall ever need. 
 It is proper foi us to remember that a finite 'mind is not capable 
 of comprehending all truth, therefore we are perfectly safe in 
 being receptive to good thoughts from every source. 
 
 * * * 
 
 Truth of Life — Man's average life is about thirty-three 
 years; in saying this we refer only to his physical life, or the 
 life of his body, but man is a dual creature, and while his body 
 may die, his real life or mind cannot die, because it is not a 
 substance capable of death, but is rather an ethereal essence, 
 imponderable, indestructible, and everlasting in its inherent life. 
 
 * * * 
 
 The Ultimate of Man. — It must be said that everything 
 must continue to exist in some form, but man must continue to 
 exist in his personality as man, not because he wishes it or be- 
 cause he is worthy, but simply because in the "nature of things" 
 it must be so. 
 
SUGGESTIVE, B88AY5 
 
 On Various Subjects . . 
 
 BY 
 
 "ORMOND" 
 
 CREATION VS. EVOLUTION. 
 
 The Creation of Max. Faith of the Ages. The Solution. 
 
 The Philosophy of Existence. The Nature of Man. 
 
 The Wealth of a Well Stored Mind. The Life of 
 
 Man. The Pleasure of Life. The Substance of 
 
 Things Hoped For. The Evidence of Things 
 
 Not Seen. The Art of Correct Reasoning. 
 
 Price, Paper Cover, 25c. Cloth Bound, 50c. Mailed on receipt of price. 
 
 This unpretentious volume is attracting considerable attention 
 among good thinkers and will have a large sale. The author will 
 be pleased to have the comment of as many readers as possible on 
 the thoughts presented in this work. Address " Ormond," care 
 Blakely Printing Co., 184 and 1S6 Monroe St., Chicago, 111. 
 
 Below will be found a few brief extracts from letters and 
 newspapers: 
 
 "Creation vs. Evolution" by "Ormond, "is a neat work of sixty- 
 seven pages, containing a dozen clear, concise essays upon the 
 subjects: "The Creation of Man," "Faith of the Ages," "The 
 Philosophy of Existence, ' "The Nature of Man," "The Wealth 
 of Mind," "The Life of Man," "The Substance of Things Hoped 
 For," etc. 
 
 It is very clear reasoning, devoid of dogmatism, and upon 
 themes deeply interesting to every thoughtful mind. — Chicago 
 Inter Ocean, June 9, 1894. 
 
 "Suggestive Essays on Various Subjects, by "Ormond." In a 
 dozen short chapters "Ormond" presents his views on "Creation 
 vs. Evolution," "The Creation of Man," etc. He regards the 
 doctrine of special creation as more rational than that of evolution 
 as taught by Darwin and others of the naturalistic school of 
 thinkers. He takes a spiritual view of life and destiny. Just 
 what a spiritual life is, he says, we are not supposed to know, but 
 we can readily believe that it is in every way suitable for man's 
 condition as a spirit. 
 
 The work is somewhat speculative and theological. It contains 
 much good thought which is presented in a truth loving spirit. 
 — Rcligio- Philosophical Journal. 
 
Under the comprehensive title of "Suggestive Essays on 
 Various Subjects." a clever writer who veils his identity under the 
 pseudonym of "Ormond," attacks the Darwinian theory of evolu- 
 tion. He appends some essays on the 'Life of Man," "The 
 Pleasure of Life," etc. Students of metaphysics will find the book 
 interesting. — Detroit Journal. 
 
 "Suggestive Essays on Various Subjects." These essays are 
 rxholarly in their construction and philosophical in their treat- 
 ment. Space will not permit us to enlarge upon the writer's opin- 
 ions beyond the quotation of a few paragraphs. — Christian 
 
 Cynosure 
 
 These essays are written in a beautiful spirit. It is my candid 
 opinion that no one can read them without obtaining light on 
 many a knotty problem of this life and the next, and certainly not 
 without the conciousness of a benediction. — Joseph Adams, 
 Editor Chicago Truth Gleaner. 
 
 The following quotation is from a letter received from Mr. O. 
 M. Babcock, author of "Cosmonics," a work which should find 
 a place in every library: 
 
 "Last evening I completed reading your 'Suggestive Essays' 
 with profound gratitude for the opportunity thus afforded me of 
 reaching the end of all suspense over questions of which they so 
 fully treat, and which have exercised my mind in deep study for 
 many years. The many tortuous roads by which I have en- 
 deavored to ascertain the ultimates of human research in these 
 matters, enable me to appreciate the straight and narrow path 
 through which you have led me so directly to logical conclusions, 
 by bridging the chasm of doubt which up to this time has inter- 
 vened." 
 
 From M. C. C. Church, Parkersburg, W. Va. 
 
 I have read "Suggestive Essays," and was much interested in 
 the subjects discussed, some of which are on new lines and should 
 find many interested readers. 
 
 Essays on Profound Subjects. 
 
 A dozen essays on various sober subjects, such as "The Crea- 
 tion of Man," "Faith of the Ages," "The Philosophy of Mind" 
 and such, is a clever pamphlet written by one who calls himself 
 "Ormond." The essay on "The Creation of Man" contains one 
 of the most optimistic suggestions one remembers to have heard 
 or read in the way of argument (p. 25) "The Wealth of a Well 
 Stored Mind/' one of the papers, is a reallv valuable disquisiton 
 on the lasting advantage of that amassing which the loss of a for- 
 tune cannot sweep away.— Chicago Herald, June 30, 189 1. 
 
From Rev. Wm. Henry Holmes, Chicago, 111.: 
 
 "Suggestive Essays on Various Subjects," by"Ormond," cameo 
 my hand this morning. I opened the book with the purpose of 
 reading only a page or two then, but found no place to stop until 
 the last page was finished. The book might be called, not im- 
 properly, a meditation, The line of thought is easy and natural, 
 and the style conversational. There is no attempt at dogmatism 
 or close and technical argument. The author does not assume to 
 be a philosopher, or attempt to lead his reader into mists and mys- 
 teries. He writes as one might speak to you face to face. He is 
 an evolutionist who holds to creation with strong argument; or a 
 creationist who admits evolution. But his idea of evolution differs 
 materially from Darwin. Man is a dual being created and not 
 evolved, possessing as he came from his Creator all the elements 
 from which the present man has bren developed. He believes de- 
 velopment will continue not only during this life in the body, but 
 that the essential man — the spirit — will continue to progress after 
 the body has returned to dust. He holds that things as they now 
 appear were, "in the beginning," created from that which "was 
 without form and void." 
 
 The book is full of suggestions All will not agree with 
 him at every point; and this he does not expect or ask. But the 
 thoughtful, especially the speculative, will be entertained and 
 pleased with these pages Those who have been perplexed by 
 the general teaching concerning evolution will find something here 
 to help them. The argument on page 62 is decidedly happy: 
 
 "The law of evolution must be continuous in i s working, so 
 that if man came from the lowest form of animal life up through 
 the different species, he must in the very nature of things con- 
 tinue to change his structure, until he ceases to be a man and com- 
 mences to be something else." 
 
 I have read with great pleasure and interest your "Suggestive 
 Essays," and am highly pleased and delighted with your views so 
 clearly and forcibly expressed. I especially approve of your theory 
 of creation as stated on pages 12 and 13. 
 
 Adam Miller, M. D., 172 Ashland Boul'd, Chicago. 
 
 From Rev. C. E. Mandeville, D. D., Pastor, 
 
 6410 Stewart Avenue, Chicago, 111. 
 
 "Suggestive Essays" by "Ormond," will be found both inter- 
 esting and instructive to those who enjoy treatises on " Creation 
 vs. Evolution ' — " The Creation of Man," " Faith of the Ages," 
 etc. They are written in a clear and easy style, are comprehen- 
 sive and sound, and full of suggestive thought. A careful perusal 
 of these essays will richly repay the reader. 
 
Suggestive essays on various subjects included in the controversy 
 of Creation vs. Evolution, by "Ormond," offer a number of new 
 arguments which those interested in the discussion will be glad to 
 see. His arguments are in favor of holding fast to the theory of a 
 special creation. — Boston Courier, June 24, 1894. 
 
 From John K. Hallowkll Esq., 
 
 Room 1534 Masonic Temple, Chicago, 111. 
 
 Having been a student all my life of the laws of nature, and 
 particularly in the branch known as Practical Geology, the little 
 book "Suggestive Essays, "by "Ormond," expresses in most simple 
 but comprehensive language the truths that I feel I have learned, 
 particularly in reference to evolution 
 
 In the other direction where possibilities of a future life are 
 com v ented upon, I am sure I am only voicing the feeling of every 
 reader when I say all of that is reasonable, logical, and must be 
 true. I sincerely hope "Ormond's" light will continue to shine, 
 and that we will have more from him. 
 
 From D Harry Hammer, Esq., Chicago, 111. 
 
 It was with more than usual interest that I read the "Suggestive 
 Essays," by "Ormond." The ideas and thoughts therein expressed, 
 when comprehended, understood and followed, will ease the mind 
 of man of many burdens, cause the cloud> of doubt to disappear, 
 and rear the light of hope and safe eternity beyond the tomb. 
 
 These essays show creation simple, faith in Christianity well 
 founded, existence natural and progressive, and life an object here 
 and hereafter. These ai tides deserve the perusal of the thinking 
 world. 
 
 "WHAT ORMOND THINKS" on other subjects is now in 
 the hands of printer, and will soon be on sale. 
 
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