i\A -v:.M-;;av-'-'-'; ■■ ■ ■' -,v ^ ' . <•„"•’ v.-<-. ■ / Return this book on or before the Latest Date stamped below. A charge is made on all overdue books. University of Illinois Library Jllfi I b 1948 M32 EVOLUTION PROVING IMMORTALITY By John O. Yeiser PRICE ^1.50 POSTPAID Published by National Magazine Association Bee Building, Omaba, Neb. COPYRIGHT 1917 BY JOHN O. YEISER (Ti FOREWORD While this volume is a revision of ‘^Immortality Es- tablished Through Science/’ so much new matter has been added that this is really a new book and deserves a new title to distinguish it from all earlier editions. This volume, like the one referred to, is not a veiled argument for or against any particular church or any religious doctrine, but is primarily a scientific search among things known to science for physical evidences of immortality utterly regardless of the dogmas of any church. The editions mentioned under the other title were given such a cordial reception that it has caused the writer boundless gratification and made him feel that - if so much satisfaction was afforded the readers, it justi- ' fied all the other careful study and thought necessary to ^ revise and enlarge the work. ^ Perhaps the practice of law cultivates a tendency to question and analyze and may account for the pleasure ' of this work. Besides the rest one derives from leaving routine work compensates for the time taken. f Why should we labor all the time, or study works of I gloom and disappointment when we may absorb ourselves, deriving pleasure from that which is instructive and ele- vating and hope inspiring? ^ The “Sorrows of Wurther,” an affecting tale of dis- appointment in love and of suicide, obtained many victims ^ of self destruction for Goethe, its author. Strange is the fact that these suicides dressed themselves as Wurther, and died in the same manner. The brilliant Ingersoll j wrote a book, “Is Suicide a Sin?” and martialed the sick and the sorrowful, the disgraced and degraded; arguing and convincing these men of disappointment that suicide was their right and privilege. They died by the advice 6 Evolution Proving Immortality of Ingersoll. They should have been taught that their lives from before birth, were but re-enactments of the millions of years of evolution it took to make a man, and that after this mortal pause life will continue. What dis- appointment in love, or domestic happiness; what dis- aster in business, or physical affliction; what calamity of nations or even loss to the broad field of astronomy, will overbalance a well-grounded belief in a future life? This volume is intended to elevate mankind, to open their eyes, not only for the hereafter, but while here, living in this marvelous state of existence. Christians are requested to read the letter in appen^ dix before reading this work. All non-Christians are re- quested not to read the appendix until they have read all that goes before. This suggestion is made out of fairness to the reader, because it should be understood that unusual statements, calculations, and deductions, of every man are under some suspicion until he has proven himself capable of agreeing with us in some of our unusual calculations and conclu- sions. For the purpose of overcoming this obstacle, as far as possible, and starting out in harmonious agreement with every reader, and gradually laying down proposition after proposition in progressive order this division of readers is made with advice upon where to begin. JOHN O. YEISER. Omaha, Nebraska, January 12, 1917. CONTENTS Chapter I. Chapter II. Chapter III. Chapter IV. Chapter V. Chapter VI. Chapter VII. Chapter VIII. Chapter IX. Chapter X. Chapter XL Chapter XII. Chapter XIII. Chapter XIV. Chapter XV. Introduction. Birth of the World. Life Development. Antiquity of Man. Evolution of Man. Deductions from Evolution. Man Analyzed. Deductions from Analysis. Have We a Soul Now? Soul Independent of the Body. Origin of the Soul. Why a Soul Has no Pre-Birth Memory. Reincarnation Doubted. Heaven and Hell. Conclusion. Appendix. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 .■ -i? https://archive.org/details/evolutionprovingOOyeis INTRODUCTION CHAPTER I. An attempt will be made to present an im- partial and simple synthetic theory of the meta- physical' existence of man after death, based upon scientific facts, for the gratification and satis- faction such evidence may be to both the theist and the atheist. In order to lay the foundation for a few new ideas, which I believe are worthy of consideration, I desire to present some of the most generally known facts concerning evolution. This is neces- sary, because evolution is the basis for what I have to say, and because that subject is not un- derstood generally for the reason that it has been shunned by a large class of people, owing to the fact that early apostles of evolution used their discoveries to combat religion. Those familiar with the wide range of sci- entific knowledge upon this subject may, if they choose, omit the few selected fundamental steps, and catch one of the ideas inspiring this work by turning to chapter XL, or if time is not too pre- cious, include the other by starting with Chapter VIII. Although it is not essential to prove a first cause in order to maintain the position taken, at- 10 Evolution Proving Immortality tention is directed back several million years, upon the hypothesis that the earth has existed that long, in order to obtain something like an alge- braic basis from which to reason, by process of induction, much as one learns the value of the unknown quantity in mathematics. BIRTH OF THE WORLD CHAPTER II, It most certainly is not satisfying to say this earth may have been thrown off by the sun and then disregard the origin of the sun. The prin- ciple of the origin of one world, or one sun, in- volves the origin of them all. Before going back to such a period, let us consider the world only from the time of an intense heat, so clearly visible over its entire surface, and beneath its contract- ing, crackling crust. Experimenting with molten matter and slowly cooling disks of basalt, of varying sizes, to obtain the average increase of time for cool- ing, with the increase of size of such bodies, sci- entists have estimated that this earth, 25,000 miles in circumference, would not have been re- duced from the sun’s temperature of 3,600 degrees to 400 degrees in less than 350,000,000 years. Sev- eral million years were required before any con- ceivable form of vegetable or animal life could pos- sibly have existed upon the earth. After cooling sufficiently to form a crust of nearly 10,000 feet of sand, stone, lava, grit and shale, which many have estimated required an ad- ditional 500,000 years, the carboniferous strata, or coal, from fern growth, records an estimated age of nearly 1,000,000 years. The antiquity of the 12 Evolution Proving Immortality earth is shown by numerous facts unnecessary to catalogue in this work, but further on facts may make it convincing that several cyphers should be placed on the right of the highest estimate above. It may be added that the conclusions reached would not be affected even though the earth may not have been thrown off from the sun and even though the sun may not be a seething mass of fire. LIFE DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER III. Volumes of clearly understood facts prove the age of the earth, reasonably close, from the crust period down, calculated by millions of years and conclusively showing that ample time has elapsed for the gradual development of all forms of life which exist upon the earth. Measured by the casual changes we are now permitted to wit- ness, human life could have been developed, de- stroyed, and redeveloped over and over since the world began to support life. Moreover, what may have happened in the so-called beginning, or when the earth had cooled sufficiently to sustain life, is still happening for organized life permeates the air, not only to the highest altitudes from which it can be taken, but even exists in space beyond, from which we are constantly receiving these new visitors, and evidences thereof, sometimes in the meteors that fall to the ground. No attempt will be made, as previously stated, to go back to first causes and indicate the origin of all this, but attention is invited back far enough to show, that if we have made such wonderful advance as we behold today, may we not develop a little more according to the same law? Time forbids a discussion of the operation of the principle of evolution which we may ac* 14 Evolution Proving Immortality tually observe in the heavens through modern astronomy. No more space will be consumed here than to mention that the brief history of the earth’s age written by fire, and water, and growth, and decay, through the various and regular strata of the earth’s surface, which, however, crushed and torn by internal pressure, and volcanic erup- tion, remain generally in the same relation to each other all over the world, and contain evi- dence in petrification, and volcanic lava, and in amber, and rock formations, that insects, plants, worms, snails, and other very low forms of life existed in the Archeozoic age, while no evidence whatever is found of higher life. The strata of the Palaezoic period of earth formation, of several hundred thousand years later, contain remains of fishes, reptiles and birds as evidence of the highest form of life, while the higher strata, that beneath the soil of the present age, known as the deposits of the Cenozoic age, contain evidence of animal and vegetable life in form near that which exists today. ANTIQUITY OF MAN CHAPTER IV. Since the history of man is so incomplete and vague, and since even the fragmentary inscrip- tions on tombs date back at most not exceeding 15, OOO'’ years before Christ, unless recent discov- eries actually carry it back several hundred thou- sand years, still we are unable to know^ much about man’s development and habits. Abundance of evi- dence of man’s antiquity exists, in the fact that the skulls and vertebrae of extinct animals of the Quaternary period show embedded therein the flint arrows of men who lived contemporaneously with the cave bear, cave hyena, Irish deer, rhi- noceros and hippopotamus of Europe when it was tropical. Human evidences have been discovered under various undisturbed strata of earth pro- duced by glacial and interglacial periods, with bones of mastodons and other extinct animals. In one instance a human skeleton was found beneath four distinct buried forests in Florida and esti- mated as having been deposited 50,000 years ago. What once was considered the earliest evidence of man was found in Kent’s Cavern of Torquay, where stalagmites are forming constantly from the minerals contained in the water dripping from the top of the cavern to the floor. In this cavern names of persons that were cut on the stalag- mite formations 200 years ago are still visible. ffie Jcucnt oj wji .j The aspea of the lurih in the Mferent geological eras and periods. Portion of Diagram Illustrating Professor Haeckel’s Theory of Evolution. The animal forms, or “links” in the decent of man are not in all cases contemporaneous with the juxtaposed geological eras of this table. —McClure’s. 18 Evolution Proving Immortality being covered by the formation only to a depth of a thin coat of varnish. From careful estimates as to how long it would take to form an inch of stal- agmite the British association was led to deter- mine that a foot could only be produced in 20,000 years. “Now,” says the Science Record, “far be- low the stalagmite floor specimens of man’s handi- craft have been found. At the very lowest esti- mate the flint weapons in Kent’s Cavern were made 500,000 years ago.” The museums and libraries of the world are filled with these evidences. The ruins of great cities in Mexico stand exposed without a record, or a word of tradition, as completely buried in for- getfulness as less ancient cities in the old world have been covered by ocean waves or desert sands. Only a small part of the evidence of man’s an- tiquity is herein presented, but the proof is over- whelming that the conception that the human race was created only 4,000 years before Christ is a result of some misunderstanding of the Bible. These old illustrations are given in prefer- ence to newer evidences, because they are more generally known and because it is necessary to hurry on and not make an exhaustive study of anthropology. EVOLUTION OF MAN CHAPTER V. Man was created (his creation must be con- ceded because he is here) and it is no sin to in- quire how he was created. The proof that the process of his creation is by a natural law is no less wonderful than if man, and all other species, had originally been created in the forms of today. The latter stated belief, of no change or improve- ment, is a lazy man’s idea. It is considerably bet- ter than a worm could think, but along the same line. It requires long patient study to trace the evolution of man, and in this discussion we can- not pause to analyze and compare the various forms of low animal life, rooted and growing in the ground, and plant life, existing without roots, some of which are actually possessed of motive power; we will pass over the comparison of the organisms of plants and animals that show marked resemblance to each other in habits, breathing, circulation, sexology, sight and diges- tion; we cannot stop to become interested in the similarity in embryo of the child, the dog, the fish, and other animals; we even have not time here to closely compare the skeleton of the ape and man, and other animals, and read of the in- telligence of the ourang-outang to argue the prob- 5 Gibbon 4 Orang 3 Chimpanzee Gorilla Man —After Huxley liun, 15, gorilla; 1C, nian. From Evolution by Jordan & Kellogg — Diagram showing arrangement of bones in the han dolphin; 7, bat; 8. mole' 9 Ornithorhyiu'hus (After Haeckel.) Evolution Proving Immortality ability that such animals and man sprang from a common ancestry. Immense numbers of books could be written on the subjects of animal, insect, and plant intelligence and relationship. Those already written are a marvelous study which strengthens the cause. However, let us pause to observe that very recently Mr. M. L. Cassaigne, of Paris, has been experiemnting with anaesthetics upon plants. The species that writhe and contract, or curl up, with heat, which may or may not indicate pain, wnen subjected to anaesthetics endure much more heat, which almost proves a sensation of pain, or sen- sitiveness, in plant life resembling our pain and provokes an inquiry into plant intelligence. Prof. Bose, from Calcutta, has advanced a step by using a mirror to reflect beams of light across a room upon a large screen from a carx'ot strapped to a vivisector’s board. This enlarges or magnifies motions. He charges the carrot with electricity, or stabs it with pincers, when in- stantly he detects a shudder on this monster screen. By divers ingenious machines he discov- ers the pulsation of -plants similar to the heart beating of animals, and assumes a nervous system from instantaneous response to various plant abuses. He records the changes of pulsations upon the administration of stimulants, and poi- sons, and detects a season of rest, or sleep, as con- trasted with animation. If such surprises may be detected in plants, why not become prepared Evolution Proving Immortality 23 to expect something spiritually wonderful in the life of man? If this hidden force, or feeling, has been discovered in a carrot, what may we not more fully realize within ourselves? Deviating again, we will look for life and in- telligence in what has long been considered a field of dead matter. Recent studies of crystalization of molten metals, and observations of disintegration in met- als, show some outward signs of life after observ- ing the familiar expansion and contraction from heat and cold. We observe many metals being disintegrated by rust and electric currents. We also see metals being rebuilt by electro-plating. Why may we not discover the environment where minerals in- crease under the same rule of division and multi- plication of cells which perpetuate animal and veg- etable life? Stalagmite crystals grow. Why not the same with diamonds, iron pyrites and every one of nature’s metals? Miners have always in- sisted that metals increase in mines. Even when metals are removed from their natural environment, become refined and are ex- posed to dangers of disintegration by moisture, air and constant uses strains and wearing always lessens their efficiency, whether the metal used is steel in a spring or copper as a conductor of elec- tric current. Any kind of straining interferes with its internal molecular activity. Therefore ma- 24 Evolution Proving Immortality chines must be given frequent periods of rest or they will much sooner wear out and break. Even non-use of magnets, springs and all kinds of en- gines will make them sluggish in the same way that overwork will strain them. These peculiar indications of life, and vitality, of metals may not be marveled about when we realize that moisture carries something that eats into iron and steel, and that acids and poisons, are known to destroy nearly every kind of metal. But at the root of it all is the fact, that in every atom of any mineral there are near a mil- lion electrons; in some, more, in others, less, con- stantly changing places, forming new combina- tions, and moving mostly in regular paths. As this is conceded by the whole scientific world, in the light of radium and various ray discoveries, is it not time to ascribe intelligence to these pe- culiar actions of minerals mentioned above? Why should there not be a state conducive to its increase ; why should it not tire ; why should it not explode and snap; why should it not expand and contract with heat and cold; and why should it not quiver with electric energy, or even pos- sess some peculiar nervous system of molecular intercommunication ? It is now contended by many people, with considerable reason, that we have a mineral king- dom, as a third division of life, to be coupled with the vegetable and animal kingdoms by a sort of protocosmos (if the word may be coined) to be Evolution Proving Immortality 25 discovered. The mineral kingdom, in its various forms of life, first appeared upon earth from a gaseous state, teeming with the kind of life ex- isting before there was a world. Next came the vegetable life, with its many modified forms, and lastly animal life, yet each specimen of any newer form contains some trace of the earlier form, back through all three of said kingdoms of life. We are to trace man back to the ancestor of all animals, and then still further back, to a life which is the progenitor, even of the whole vegeta- ble kingdom, and on still further, to the primitive cells of the mineral kingdom, and then, without tiring, on to where there could have been no other origin, save and excepting such a power as we may by hypothesis, credit to God. But let us return for a while to the consideration of man as a basis from which to reason both backward and forward. Considering man as he is today, and we see what effect climate, habit and diet have upon him ; we observe how a family becomes divided and the children of one branch ascend in intelligence while the children of the other descend; we read of how nations have become extinct while others are dividing and forming into new types. These facts point to evolution and degeneration in a slight degree. What would five hundred thousand years do? Those who first discovered the signs of evo- lution, apparently, became so intoxicated, by the excitement of their discoveries, that they conclud- 26 Evolution Proving Immortality ed all theories were upset. They, therefore, de- nied that consciousness of an individual continues after death, and contended that we have evolved in the course of millions of years from the proto- plasm up to some oyster form of life and on through varying stages to human form. It was credited to accident, but should be credited mostly to the force of mind, or the action of the nervous system, responding to continuous desire and ef- fort: some control superior to matter. But they always limited everything to tissue modifications and confined the work to matter. And there they stopped. Volumes have been written to prove that evo- lution is the product of accident and not of de- sign. I am convinced that we have evolved through a very low order of life and stand baf- fled at the complex organism of the lowest order of life, or even at the organization of any cell of any living thing. But I feel satisfied our progress was made more by the mental push, and physical exertion, directed by desire, than by the mere circumstance of accident. These directing acci- dents cause the lowest animals and insects to think and change their desires. It is said that a frog, by instinct, snaps at moving bugs and worms, but when six or seven have been doctored with bitter- ness, and so been taken in, it will afterward refuse them, or quit such snapping. It is also said when a spider’s web is destroyed the spider will consider the extent of the injury to determine whether to repair, I’econstruct, or to abandon ttie Evolution Proving Immortality 27 location. Although this is disputed, it is conceded that a spider uses a different method to capture and poison stinging insects, a more wonderful ex- ercise of intelligence than the use of discrimina- tion in repairing or rebuilding its web. With thousands of examples, more wonder- ful than these, showing continuing discrimina- tion, we have evidence that mind has had in- finitely more influence than accident in the de- velopment of life. Accident, or calamity, does not cause the modification, but it merely influences the intelligence in all things, as the intelligence of the frog is influenced. I do not wish to deny the existence of a force in environment, if such it may be termed, but it is a negative force, or merely an obstacle. The positive, or true, force of evolu- tion is in the mind, vitalism, or life-part, of the being which develops an intent upon overcoming the resistence. It is undoubtedly true that black animals and black birds may be more easily seen and caught, and be handicapped in catching food in the arctic regions, and in this way an advan- tage accrues to the white species. But, these liv- ing things know their advantages, or disadvan- tages, and mate with their own preferences, and look forward with affection to the appearance of their soft white off-spring with the same power- ful prenatal influences that have been proven to exist in mankind. While I will not deny the existence of some influence of a negative character in environment. 28 Evolution Proving Immortality I resent the denial of the positive influence of the mind. Who will analyze the wonders of an- imal, insect, and plant life, and deny the force of mind — the force of the composite mind of a long chain of ancestors — the mind with the force given it originally by the Infinite. We marvel at the possibility of a continuing Infinite design, but ac- cept without question, crude and cumbersome no- tions of origin by chance. If we in wonder examine the blind fish of cav- ern lakes, and speculate on how the eyes have dwindled into rudimentary organs, or reverted to what they were at some time in the past, be- cause disuse obstructed their natural develop- ment, we cannot become convinced that accident destroyed all cave fish with perfect eyes and pre- served the fish hatched blind to perpetuate that species. It is more reasonable to assume that the mind, or life part, of the fish, because of an environment of darkness, ceased its stimulation of these organs during germinating periods and eyes could not develop. What accident “ulcerated” a gland in deep- sea fishes to produce phosphorus bulbs to light their paths in the impenetrable darkness of the deep? Nothing else produced such a wonder but the living part of the fish. The everlasting ne- cessity, and desire, produced these organs through the modification of cells. The accident of birth in this environment made it necessary to continue a desire for light until the “prayers” of even the Orchis Militaris— Insect Eater 30 Evolution Proving Immortality fishes were answered through God’s law of evo- lution. The whale’s ancestors came up from the sea, as did ours, and they became monsters of the land. They had four legs and a coat of hair. They were later coaxed back to a sea life, where their legs became flippers and where they give birth to and suckle a calf. The same law that is now changing the side of a lazy flounder into a belly and which is moving the eye from the belly side to the back side was the law that transformed the whale from a land animal to a sea animal — that created eyes because there was light and created light because animals with eyes migrated to places of darkness — it is the law of persistent desire. When we are told of the possibility that flowers produce gorgeous colors, delicious nectar, and fragrant odors, to attract as common car- riers the little insects, that carry away the cells of perpetuation, simpletons will simply laugh. But if the deep sea fish produced its own lighting system in the ocean cavern because there was no light, why have not the stationary flowers pro- duced a factor to induce and hire a form of life that does move to carry its fertilizing germs to places of perpetuation ? If this is not plain enough to make men think, then turn to Venus’s fly-trap, the pitcher plant, the bladder wort, and the sun dew and learn how they have developed their cells to entice, trap, devour and digest members of the socalled higher animal kingdom. Five Fingers. Degenerate Legs. — After Flower, (Four or five of following cuts after those of Metcalf in “Organic Evolution.” Boa Constrictor Skeleton Showing Degenerate Legs. 32 Evolution Proving Immortality The tree frog has assumed the color and shape of the oak leaf; the walking-stick insect cannot easily be distinguished from the stems to which it clings and we are told accident, and chance, kindly saved them, and that mind of neither the Infinite and its product — that of the animal — in its progress from generation to gener- ation had nothing to do with it. True, there were accidents and to surmount them the intelligence of the different forms of life took different courses. While some animals desired the mark- ings and attributes of those above for advantage we have fishes which for perpetuation lay millions of eggs, from which only two in a hundred mil- lions reach maturity. Some intelligence stimu- lated this prolific energy in the fish while the whale is satisfied with one calf in two or more years. The intelligence mentioned is not like that exhibited in colleges, but though ever so feeble, it is persistent and unvarying, from generation to generation, for some slight and at the same time limited change, that has wrought these miraculous types of life. It is not contended these low forms of life know the final consequences in desire and evolution. (The human race even does not know that.) But they do know enough to desire the slight step next to be taken. However, some examples of quick changes may be noted: Since biologists alter species of shrimps, water animals, and insects, while in the egg, or Evolution Proving Immortality 33 ovary, by changing temperature of the air or salts in the water in which they ordinarily live; and since butterflies produce young with greatly modi- fied bodies by being subjected to different temper- atures, or electric currents, can it be disputed that these changes affect the nervous system and excite, or frighten, this misunderstood intellect and the frightened, or disturbed, mind in time becomes the active agency in marking the young, so as to cause the change observed? Many have accepted variation as the cause of evolution. It is sufficiently convincing to the physical materialist, or the causual thinker. They point to the fact that no two people are exactly alike. The same condition exists throughout the animal world. Yes, it is even true that no two leaves upon a tree are exactly the same and even, of all the grass that ever grew out of the ground, no two blades can be found exact in every detail. This is most truly wonderful and must be caused by some internal struggle in every direction for release. But leave this idea for the time being while the physical materialist cites you to teeth, hair, scales ana feathers, and their wonderful les- sons in the evolution of variation. A book could be written on a feather, or a fish scale, ana not exhaust the material on the subject, and when it becomes cumbersome it is a record, still incom- plete, of the gradual changes in a certain line. But it could not tell the cause of this universal variation; the inherent energy in feathers, or in any of the forms of life, that forces the variation. Moccasin Flower— Insect Catcher Evolution Proving Immortality 35 Consider a worm with the round pits of sensitive skin dotting a line on its sides and we may see tne earliest signs of eyes. When the dots have become sufficiently sensitive to strong lights and strong shadows, the variations in every direction leave some descendents with the dots more sensi- tive, and some less sensitive. Those more sensi- tive recognize the aimmer lights and shadows, and these in turn, because of this slight, but ever present variation, leave descendants with still more sensitive skin pits, until in a long course of time they become eyes such as we have. The blinder species lost out in the skirmish and the fittest went on evolving. They claim this to be true of strength as well as sight and in every di- rection of development. What is more, this asser- tion is true, as far as we see the physical results of variation, excepting that it is not equally per- sistent in every direction. But, however clearly we may observe the influence of climate, and other environments, on the existing tissue, it is only an obstacle which limits or mows down, checks, and destroys this mighty internal force of variation. What causes this universal internal force through- out all life ? Bear in mind I am not asking for the environment that cuts it down with frost, or withers it with heat, but I ask for the force that makes the variations so that they produce speci- mems which are capable of waging a battle with droughts and with lighter frosts. No one has ever told us what that force is. It is yet unknown. Since no one knows what this life principle is we Tree Toud Evolution Proving Immortality 37 have a right to postulate for further scientific discovery. My postulation, subject to further explanation, is that this force of variation is the result of the force of life, struggling to be freed from its bondage of rest and sameness. All life Leaf Locust is activity, on the go, it craves a change. This condition indicates a will or desire. That desire in the direction of least resistance survives longer than the opposite desire or variation. In the same way we note this variation of plant develop- ment, we also note variation in the tendencies, and desires, of men which leads them into all kinds of actions and undertakings, no two of whom think or do everything exactly alike. The story 38 Evolution Proving Immortality of evolution will never be unraveled by material- ists until they account for the push within the trees, and plants, and grass, and animals, and every living thing. They cannot answer this by telling us of impediments that stop progress in every direction excepting the right one — prevail- ing one — but what have they to say of the force which encounters these obstructions ? Absolutely nothing. Some criticism may be offered for the awful destruction due to the general push of life in so many directions. On this earth extreme cold, extreme heat, extreme moisture and extreme drought, destroy life development in countless millions of directions. But we must remember the principle of life exists not for our little planet alone : it exists for millions upon millions of others, each of which is developed differently from every other according to the same principle of nature. Hence we see the wonderful purpose- like work of nature, which annihilates nothing, building in such a way that every kind of habita- tion shall have inhabitants. DEDUCTIONS FROM LAW OF EVOLUTION CHAPTER VI. If man is a product of evolution, as contended and, as I believe, having ti’aveled this long road through countless ages, developing the various new senses, emotions, tastes, and desires, now imbedded in the human body, and which were not possessed by his oyster-like ancestry, we may cei'tainly continue our development by the same ceaseless process of evolution, and it will not be unreasonable to conclude, we may evolve other senses, or the power of existing under very dif- ferent circumstances, and conditions. Scientists contend in effect, as previously stated, that variation, or constant desire, environ- ment, and natural selection, in life for generation after generation, and century upon century created a tendency in the offspring toward such desire and that this tendency developed into the present state of perfection. The abundance of evi- dence, which warrants such a conclusion, is not here presented, but, assuming this hypothesis to be true, are not the scientists compelled to go fur- ther in their theory of evolution and admit that man may yet progress into another state of exist- ence ? Again, assuming all this to be true, and tak- ing into consideration the fact that nearly all mem- bers of the human race have for generations and 40 Evolution Proving Immortality centuries, been desiring, praying for, and believ- ing, that they possessed a spiritual and eternal life, or fearing gods, idols and superstitions (which may have a similar effect) , can the scientist deny the assertion that man has already evolved a purely mental, or spiritual, existence which will continue after the disintegration of the body? If this be true we have the possibility of eternal life conceded. Our next steps is to argue its prob- ability. Assuming that the Creator has made man by a process of evolution, how much more have we to hope for after having understood this process ? This process has caused the original uncontented worms that lived and died as worms to leave as representatives other striving worms, that in a long course of time developed into larvae bursting into gorgeous butterflies. Considering this, have not the human family, now so highly developed, a marvelous hope of eternity under the demonstra- ble process of evolution which is more divine-like than any miracle theory which places a limit upon the hopes of man ? The present ideal state of spir- itual life is not too much to expect even now, but according to the process of evolution where will those who still desire to progress be halted ? In this discussion I care not to follow that question, and perhaps could not any more success- fully than I could trace the origin of life back to that smallest speck, endowed with intelligent motion, which some scientists assert must be the Evolution Proving Immortality 41 origin of life, but fail to explain, or prove, how that originated. The original beginning of motion, space, matter, and intelligence, are simply beyond the present conception of the human mind, and it is no answer to say that life is merely matter, or chemical action, and that if matter was not created it always existed. This is not proving anything, but only guessing and the guess is no more unreasonable than to credit what is beyond our comprehension to the Creator and say that God must have ordained it. Philosophy teaches that any object in motion would continue its course forever unless diverted by attraction or other impediment. Under such a principle, what could have stopped the will of God? Merely because no intelligent theory of how matter could have originated out of abso- lutely nothing has ever been presented for human understanding is no reason for saying “matter must have always existed.” Furthermore, if we were guessing as stated, it is more reasonable to guess that intelligence first existed and always was, and that matter came into being from intel- ligence, because no counter will existed to stop the divine desire for this transformation. If space and time, like matter, are incompre- hensible, as Herbert Spencer contends in his First Principles, because we cannot trace or divide theni to their ultimate limits, or because the division, and redivision, of particles of matter, and the pursuit of time, and space, on and on, why was 42 Evolution Proving Immortality not Kant right, though criticized by Spencer, where he says “Space and time are forms of the Intellect ?’ What is time but motion? If we had no movements of the planets, no birth, no decay and everything stood still, we would have no time. Time would have disappeared. The past and the future join together so closely that there is no present. Time indicates movement and is as dis- tinct from the present state, as motion and rest are distinct from each other. Therefore if time is motion or progress; if motion and progress is life; and if life is mind, or intellect, is not time then a purely mental creation? Matter is divided into particles, step by step, down to what we once thought was its final solu- tion, the atom. But we may go on from the mol- ecule to the atom and on to a point where one hundred thousand electrons are required merely to reach across an atom and yet have the same comparative space between them that there is between worlds. By using the imagination, or intelligence, you may carry it on to the etheron and on even beyond this, dividing and redividing, exactly as you can wearily trace time back, back into the past, until you find it was a product of the ever-present mind. When matter is divided and redivided and reaches the limit of comprehension it will be made up of particles so small and so thin, so devoid of length, and breadth, and thickness, that you may Evolution Proving Immortality 43 indeed say that trillions of quintrillions of thoughts, or desires, for some concrete realiza- tion have been pressed together and built up or reduced into matter. Why may not this sub- stance be concentrated thought, or the ash of ideas ? But before we reach that state we must remember that just one microscopic cell of an organ of the body — the liver — is said to contain 64,000,000,000 molecules. A further division shows 300,000,000,000,000 atoms in this cell and I should judge the number of electrons in this one miscroscopic cell would be over 1,000,000,000,- 000,000,000. This calculation being from only one cell, it is probable that an attempt to multiply this number by the number of cells in the human body would make a person dizzy speculating from where all these were gathered. If there are about ten billion cells in the human body there are probably electrons in about the following staggering num- ber : 20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. As time and as matter are traceable to mind, so likewise is space, a real expanse without limit or bounds to its length, breath or thickness, filled with great suns and planets of mind-created matter, also traceable to the same source. It has no definite bounds, because it is likewise a creation of that eternal mind of which we are but electron- fractions and which goes on creating more space without limit, as fast, as far, as thought can travel. The limits and confines of all matter. 44 Evolution Proving Immortality space and time seem to be traceable to mind. It all seems to resolve itself into mentality which has no limitations. If there is mentality moving or working it emanated from some source or it could not be going somewhere. That source is a su- preme central intelligence from which all har- monious things were thought. That mind from which all has evolved, I choose to call Divine — I recognize as God’s, and all things of God’s or man’s conception are but the evolution or the in- harmonious disintegration of divine purposes. In order not to be considered an adherent of a class who insist that there is no matter, I most earnestly urge that because all matter must have been the product of mind, does not signify that a rock falling upon the head is not a rock and is merely mind. Because the particles of the con- struction of a rock may have once been the prod- uct of mind, does not justify us in saying it is not now matter. Neither can we determine into what form, or state, it may later be converted. After redivision, and reduction, of matter into the dizzy distance of calculations, and after passing one limit after another with modern inventions we will at some time reach the last limit, or dividing line, between mind and matter. This feeling expressed of late about mind and matter being so closely related may derive much of its force from consideration of color and sound. Black is no color because the so-called black substance absorbs all rays of light. White is all Evolution Proving Immortality 45 colors because the substance reflects all rays of the light, absorbing none of them. The diffei’ent colors of the spectroscope are reflections of light not absorbed, broken, or disturbed, so that they travel back in longer or shorter vibrations or waves, producing with these changes the effect of the different hues. These waves of light, so deflected, produce what the eye perceives to be colors. All longer waves below the human scope of vision or shorter waves above this scope have the possibility of conveying other color sensations, when eyes are discovered or created to see them — if indeed insects and microscopic life do not have a vision of the ultra short waves. Sound is the name of another recognition of vibrations or waves that the human ear catches, if not too slow or too rapid. These rapid vibra- tions which man could not sense are produced and interpreted by the lower orders of life. Those above the human range — perhaps the whirling of other worlds — would terrify us if we had ears to compare them with the greatest vibrations that now impress us. If there are vibrations of some energy which produce matter, animal or vegetable, hard or soft, substantial or rotten, they are no less wonderful to me than the basis of our gorgeous colors and musical sounds. A color looks as real to the un- educated as a piece of wood, in my ignorance of that substance, looks real to me. There is no abiding color in any substance, as we discover in 46 Evolution Proving Immortality lowering and turning on the light. A bright light IS required to bring out, or produce colors. In a similar way, it may be said life, a stronger and more rapidly vibrating element than light, brings out and produces matter for more or less enduring periods. After resolving mind and matter to the farthest limit in its genesis, it does not seem strange to think, and pursue the thought for in- vestigation, that matter is concentrated particles of thought embodied in realization or some chang- ing form of its disintegration. It may be the infinitesimal mind of one man, or even the minds of many, have no such force. But a strong supreme mind, which all creation tends to prove does exist, may have cast off such particles of thought, which become concentrated in matter. This pause is made, not to prove the absolute truth of such speculation, too far in the future, or too far in the past, but more for the purpose of illustrating the narrow compass of the human mind, and arriving at the thought that we at the present time, can no more conceive nor enjoy a state of existence above the angelic, than an oyster of the Palaeozoic age could have conceived of such a heaven as man hopes to inhabit, or exist therein. Such an attempted conception is like attempting to touch an odor, or see a sound, or hear a color or smell a thought. Taking it for granted that man has evolved from the very simplest form of life which the Evolution Proving Immortality 47 human mind can comprehend, admitting that we do not know from what that “single” celled form of life sprang, and we are obliged to conclude that such wonderful development has taken place by some force which, from the absence of any other name, we can better understand by the term “evolution.” In reaching this consideration it is not concluded that all the types of life have devel- oped in a direct line like the steps of a ladder one above the other. But it is contended that it was done in countless directions more like the branches of a tree, excepting that some types have devel- oped to a higher degree and then perhaps des- cended into degenerates. The main branch, in some instances becoming extinct, while other branches from these may have again ascended. But, at all times, each specimen is inhabited and directed by an intelligence striving for something. MAN ANALYZED CHAPTER VII. Studying man today in his highest state of perfection, what do we find as a result? His mental self dominating his physical self ; yet he is treated by physicians as a purely physical being. He contracts disease oftener by fear and mental suggestion than by contact, whether this suggestion originates, or merely creates a ten- dency, which invites the cause of the disease. On the other hand, a cheerful disposition, and opti- mism has cured where medicine failed. Mes- merism, or hypnotism, has been shown to be an influence which may be exerted by one individual over the mind of another. It naturally follows that this influence is also exerted over the body controlled by a mind subservient to the mind ol’ the hypnotic operator. If by hypnotism, sug- gestions of fear, pain, and joy are excited, may not fear and pain be so forcibly suggested as to result in death, ultimately if not immediately? Such was the case of the felon at Rome who was slightly lacerated and made to listen to dripping water, after being told it was his blood and caused to hear feigned statements as to his sinking con- dition, and who died from this suggestion as quickly as if he had bled to death. It was the same with another experiment on a felon who was condemned to death and informed by the Evolution Proving Immortality 49 jailer that as he was soon to be executed they could as well place him in a cell where a prisoner had recently died of small-pox. Although this was a falsehood, as no one in the prison had died of small-pox, the prisoner so deceived actually con- tracted the disease after the lapse of the usual time from contact, and died. Whether these par- ticular reports so generally mentioned may be verified and accounted for or not, abundance of others well founded may be substituted. Why should we not find them, for every healthy body carries in its system germs of nearly every disease ? These germs are waiting to take advan- tage of any debility, whether from a cold, or a mere suggestion, that may weaken the system. It is also true that persons may hypnotize themselves or produce an abnormal imagination, by crystal gazing, to dispel recent or strong im- pressions, rendering the brain sensitive, and recep- tive to suggestion on the same principle that the ordinary man adopts who naturally closes his eyes, and holds his head in his hands when trying to think. Of course it is a very delicate influence. But oh ! what an awful impediment to this delicate influence of soul development, is the suggestion of funerals and graveyards ! We know of the remarkable influence called hypnotism, upon both the body and the mind. We know that the heart of the sensitive subject may be reduced by mere suggestion, to the lowest pul- sations — a condition impossible in the normal state; we know that he may be made insensible 50 Evolution Proving Immortality to pain under conditions which the normal body could not endure in silence, or, conversely, by sug- gestion make his epidermis as sensitive to touch as the cornea of his eye. It is true that he may be caused to suffer pain from mere suggested in- juries; the sight and taste may be augmented, suppressed, or deceived. Bear in mind that this state of intelligence is manifested when the nor- mal condition of the brain appears to be at a very low ebb, or abnormally at rest, and even with but the faintest circulation of the blood — an unpropi- tious condition for the functioning of ideas, if they are in fact material and originate in the brain. Yet such a “subject,” in this induced sleep, will, under extraneous mental stimulation, — (i. e., suggestion) , tell the most wonderful things of the remote past when questioned ; and it is claimed by Mr. C. C. Redwood, of Omaha, (whom I know to be a thorough student of hypnosis,) that such a “subject” may, while in this condition, be taught in a few hours prodigious lessons even in lan- guages foreign to him, that he could not learn through his normal brain-functioning in years. Yet all this education, (in our present state of knowledge,) is useless to the subject when re- leased from the hypnotic spell. It is said that even the insane may be hypnotized, and while in this condition will talk as rationally as they did before becoming insane; but when released, they are still insane. These things indicate that mind, or thought, is not secreted by the brain, as bile is secreted by the liver, but that it is something Evolution Proving Immortality 51 which may function while the brain is dormant, or diseased; and when this latent, potential intelli- gence does so function, it is more rapid than when manifested through conscious or voluntary action of the brain. DEDUCTIONS FROM ANALYSIS. CHAPTER VIII. Now then, if man is such a mental being, susceptible to such remote influences, which we have merely pointed to, and having evolved from such an humble and simple starting point, chiefly by reason of mental desire, should not consider- able importance attach to the numerous Biblical injunctions that it is necessary to have faith to have eternal life? By constant faith, desire, or prayer, as you may choose to call it, man has evolved to what he is today. It required persistent thought, faith, desire, and practice, of man’s ancestors for thousands of generations, studying shadows on the more sensi- tive pigment cells to produce the eye. We may think ourselves up, or down. By thought, and persistent practice, we may evolve higher, or de- generate lower. By disuse, and mental and phy- sical abandonment, we have shortened the ap- pendage to the spinal column, and changed the shape of the foot, while other forms of life have closed their eyes in their sockets. If some of us are satisfied to remain phys- ical matter, and go through life suggesting to ourselves that when certain physical calamities occur we shall die, and mentally lose conscious- ness, and cease to exist, it is reasonable to be- Evolution Proving Immortality 53 lieve that we may obey the suggestion and either become absolutely exterminated by being sep- arated, and reduced to primary elements, or in a state of coma, if permitted to continue as an en- tity. Some may stop to mark the progi’ess of nature and remain men with mere rudimentary souls. Countless forms of life have representa- tives in the living natural history of today who stopped contented with what they were, to mark the pages of the progress of life. Suppose, for illustration, the caterpillar, which crawls over the ground, now and then rais- ing its head and the fore part of its body to reach out in space, as if endeavoring to float off, should reject the instincts of the future butterfly life, and cease to desire any change and neglect to prepare for its state of metamorphosis by resting for its cellular change, but continued to crawl and wriggle and revel in green foliage, would not all that its ancestors had done for it in evolving a higher life be lost? With our present knowledge of the power of mind in evolution is it not better to have faith, and a desire and hope for a future life, whether as Methodist, Baptist, or any other protestant, or Catholic, Mohammedan, Jew, Spiritualist, Uni- versalist, or of any other religion, and believe that regardless of what physical calamities may occur, the mental consciousness will not and can- not be destroyed? Any religion is better than the dangerous condition of none. By hoping for 54 Evolution Proving Immortality ?. continuity of life, and believing we have the same, may we not enjoy such possibilities of the great unlimited divine-like process of evolution? That there may be a beneficial result from a strong and abiding faith in an eternal, and spiritual life, is an inference deducible from our present understanding of the process of evolu- tion and recent studies of mental man. There- fore, I reiterate that, since we have physical proof in the wonderful progress we have made we must conclude that such a future life is pos- sible according to the laws of nature and we cannot deny the assertion that a soul has already developed in man. If by evolution an eye has been produced from a cell, or pigment of matter, may we not conclude that by the same process a soul may have been produced from a spark of intelligence ? The basis for such an assumption does not rest primarily upon a belief in the existence of flod, but it rests simply upon even the ignor- ant obedience of these divine-like laws. We, in fact, have come up from a stage of life which was too low to recognize the existence of a God, but nevertheless we came in obedience to His laws, struggling', and desiring for something higher, until the final descendants of this energy stand, in the boasted perfection of the manhood of today. However, as man learned more, it was natural to progress faster and in time made to feel that he could not deny that there is a God. Evolution Proving Immortality 55 I do not dispute that this knowledge of such progress would be a support and a corroboration of the Bible. But the Bible question I am not discussing at this time. I am only discussing scientific facts, and am therefore contending that it has not been essential in early development to see, and become acquainted with God. It has not been essential to know of the first causes, or to decide whether matter always existed, or whether intelligence, or life, was the product of matter, or matter the product of life to prove the immortality of the soul. I do contend that, from the earliest beginning of which we can con- ceive, life has progressed far enough to prove that the present ideal state of a spiritual existence is not inconsistent with the immutable laws of na- ture termed evolution. HAVE WE A SOUL NOW? CHAPTEE IX. I do not know exactly from what, or whence, man’s soul, or life, comes. However, I think I can figure out the direction from which it comes, and can distinguish the conveyance, or the mode of coming, and will try and do so in a later chapter. I do not claim that the individual soul built up, as it is in a living man, has been evolving through ages, and without memory of the past, and not positively knowing, I do not pretend to deny any other theories upon the or- igin of the soul. I believe that theory which may be best fortified by reason is the nearest right. However, I do contend that it is as rea- sonable to believe that an individual intelligence may be created, or brought to self consciousness today as 10,000,000 years ago. The soul may be created, for worldly existence, coeval with the body in which it dwells, and be as independent of the source of its creation as the body of man becomes independent of the body of his mother. You are invited to look forward to this prop- osition, in connection with what I am saying. If everything comes from something else, as we trace them backwards, species become elimin- ated and those left are less complex. If we trace all life back far enough, I may say, it would appear Evolution Proving Immortality 57 less physical, or with fewer senses and sense vari- ations to appreciate the vast physical effects. Go- ing on back further and further we may realize a time when we may recognize an entry into the physical existence. If we recognize that every- thing comes from something, we must by analogy, recognize that if we approach the physical exis- tence as a new abode (and then tarry as we do here) it must have been from somewhere else, be- cause it could not have been from nowhere. There could be no such place, or state, as nowhere. There was, of necessity, a metaphysical before there was a physical, from which all physical things evolved. We all carry some proofs of our approach to the physical from the metaphysical, as later shown. The soul, an alien here, must have been born abroad. However, I realize that this proposition is advanced ahead of its real place in this discussion and recognize that I will not be understood in this until a second reading of the volume. There is no doubt in my mind that every man’s life existed previous to his present human existence, perhaps by being a subconscious part of a previous mentality. If there is not some reason in this why do small children so generally imagine that they have always existed ? I shall later dis- cuss this. Not entirely dissimilar from this we have low orders of human life permiting their minds to be entirely directed by their bodies. Every thought. 58 Evolution Proving Immortality and every act, is directed towards obedience to some physical sense or appetite of the body. The mind becomes a slave to the body, as we observe throughout the animal kingdom. This obedience becomes known as a habit, which the mind exper- iences great difficulty in breaking. Such an effort indicates there is a hidden personality in every man. He wants his body to do and be dif- ferent, but is often disappointed with himself. He sometimes kills his body — a suicide. But if he masters his body and his habits, if he shows to himself that he is honest and just, although there is no one else to know of it, he begins to feel that he is distinct from his body, which is a mere ser- vant. Going a little further, even the mind is made the servant of something which may control both the mind and the body. What is it that finally arouses and asserts itself in a thought- wandering boy, and directs the mind so that it will not work upon some subjects and will reason upon others? It is a consciousness and a power which is superior even to the mind. It is the man part of consciousness — his soul. But how can we show it aside from the great fact that we feel that we know it? It can not be shown in one statement, by one instrument or a single experiment, but a great collection of deductions, all pointing in that direction, may be stronger to many people than just one physical demonstration. Every avenue of life is being searched for its secrets, every abiding place is being ransacked. Who has not tried to penetrate the mysteries of Evolution Proving Immortality 59 the fragrant rose, or of the gorgeous peony? We have cut into the buds and torn them apart to learn their secrets, with almost as much disap- pointment as a child, that cuts open the head of a drum to learn the mystery of its sound. But one thing is true. We find that although the fra- grance, and color, have not then appeared, the leaves and form are there, diminishing in perfec- tion as younger buds are examined. We may trace this design back to the stem, when it was a shoot, and on down in the root, and then reason it back still further, to a cell in another root, and further back to a point so small, so infinitisimal, as to pass the realms of matter, and on to some design, or purpose, of intelligence. If there is a push, or pur- pose, in a flower, is there not a greater force, or soul, in man ? One thing is certain, and that is, that we have a soul right now, for a soul is that self-conscious- ness of life we feel upon every occasion; that strong and independent feeling which separates every man from other men ; that force which com- bats bodily death ; that reserve which causes man to look at his hands as though they were mere tools ; that essence which is moved by sweet strains of music and tender words from those we love. Why, the soul is the man, and what is left is the corpse. We have occasionally looked into the cold, un- natural expressionless features of some deceased friend. That which is observed to be lost and causes the change is so shockingly absent that we 60 Evolution Proving Immortality instictively know the spirit has flown. We can no longer communicate with it, because our language has always been a physical sense language and the spirit we knew has deserted the body with which it spoke and looked upon us in conveying the senti- ments of an innermost soul. We have often secretly doubted the existence of a conscious soul of one deceased because we cannot see, or hear, or touch it. But why doubt merely on this account, because no human being ever saw, or touched, or heard, the soul of a living person. We know it only by what it directs the body to say or do. The life, the love, the grace and character, mind and intelligence which you know and learn to love in a friend are finer than human sight and hidden from all human senses. We know our friends by the things they cause their tongues to say and the things they cause their hands to do. In life friendship’s unusual statements occasion- ally seem strange and cause us to look with as- tonishment until a twinkle, or a wink of the eye, reveals the humor of the same old soul. There is no more mystery about the soul of a departed being than there is about the soul of a living being. That which we knew and associ- ated with and loved in life is not a part of the corpse it leaves. But the soul is all those grander qualities that direct a man, or an army of men; that make the world tremble, or soothe a troubled heart; it is everything the man ever was, except- ing the cold, useless and rejected corpse. SOUL INDEPENDENT OF THE BODY. CHAPTEE X. Perhaps it would also be interesting to con- sider whether or not the consciousness, intelli- gence, or soul, of a man can possibly exist without a body. We are certainly able to prove that no par- ticular part of a man’s body is his soul, for every part of a man’s brain and body has been removed and destroyed, part in one man, part in another and consciousness retained. The individuality and consciousness would remain when by brain injury most of the body would be paralyzed. It would be as difficult to demonstrate to us mortal creatures that the consciousness, or soul, of a totally destroyed body, incapable of speaking, moving or feeling, continued independently of every part of its body, as it would be impossible for a rose (a form of life possessing a certain de- gree of intelligence, but being devoid of the usual senses with which man is blessed), to understand or teach a lily that such beings as men exist to care for, nurture, protect, or destroy them. It is also said that if man had neither feeling nor sight, and in walking came in contact with such ob- stacles as trees, he would be veered off, without knowing how, or why, his course was changed, or being able to explain it. Some sixth, or seventh, sense may in the future be developed to explain many of the very curious actions of men in their 62 Evolution Proving Immortality changeable opinions, in their daily walks and avo- cations of life, which we do not now understand. These illustrations serve to show that if man possessed a soul independently of his body, it would be almost, if not entirely, impossible to ex- plain its existence by mortal language, or mortal comparison, or in fact, to understand the same. All we are able to do is to make deductions by reasoning backward, and forward, from that which we do know and therefore all arguments upon this subject are bound to appear somewhat vague at first, because everything must be estab- lished in the abstract. If the intelligence of man is dependent upon matter, which is entirely displaced every seven years, why is it that any two old people upon meet- ing after forty years’ separation, revive a memory of little incidents never re-impressed upon their various new sets of brain cells by subsequent and intermediate thoughts since originally made? May it not be a fact that impressions are stamped upon something more durable than such tablets of decaying matter? If a memory will remain al- though the entire set of brain cells has been grad- ually displaced, time after time, may it not still remain in the same receptacle if the brain should be quickly removed ? We have so frequently seen newspaper ac- counts of serious brain injury with persistence of life, that I do not feel that it is out of place to in- sert the following, merely for its value in sugges- tion: Evolution Proving Immortality 63 ‘^Can a man live with faculties unimpaired after a large portion of his brain has been removed, or with no brain at all? Several recent cases are leading scientists to answer the question in the affirmative, however much such an answer would have been scouted a little while ago. There is now in the service of Dr. Daniel Moliere, surgeon in the Hotel Dieu Hospital Lyons, a capable little fellow of twelve years, who is apparently in perfect health. Some time ago, in sliding down the balusters, he fell and fractured his skull upon a chandelier below. As a bowl of brain matter oozed from the wound, no hope was entertained of his recovery. He lay in a coma for ten days, in fact, but upon awakening began to improve and is at present apparently sound in mind and body. The famous surgeon, M. Destot, comes forward with an incident as striking. It is the case of a stone mason, who in mounting a large cornice was so seriously wounded that he lost the left frontal bone and the left frontal lobe of the brain. After twelve days of unconsciousness he began to recover and according to the surgeon, is not only well, but in the possession of all his senses. When in Algiers some time ago. Dr. Bruch treated an Arab for an ugly wound about the left eye, which has been caused by the blow of a hammer. The patient remained in the hospital service fully two months and during that time did not show the slightest evidence of cerebral trou- ble. At the end of that period he became unconscious and died in a few days. The post mortem examination de- veloped the astounding fact that he was totally destitute of brains. The anatomist and the psychologist alike are study- ing these cases with tremendous interest but no explana- tion that harmonizes with our previous knowledge seems to be forthcoming.’^ Because a person may swoon, or in falling asleep, awaken with no memory of such periods does not prove a suspension of consciousness. No 64 Evolution Proving Immortality man ever dreamed he was anyone else than him- self. Therefore, when he does dream, he doesn’t lose his individuality and his consciousness, even though he may think himself transformed into an animal. It is true, however, that he doesn’t recol- lect always what he dreams, because he may talk in his sleep and awake with no memory of any sleeping thought. Nevertheless, is such cases he would be conscious, but not being attentive, would not remember the fancies of a restless night any better than the listless thoughts of a day dream. However, there is no douljt about a person’s ability to cultivate a memory of his dreams if he desires, and can afford to sacrifice the rest of sleep. A man may have his leg, or his arm, cut off and buried, yet a spiritual conception of an arm will remain. He feels it, he attempts to use it and although years after its loss he may almost give it up, yet before his old age death a full conscious- ness of the presence of his amputated limb will re- turn to him. The doctors may come forward with their reasonable sounding explanations of this, but if I can feel the consciousness of a right arm that is lost, why not feel both the right and left al- though lost ; why not also be conscious of the legs, the head and the trunk if they are lost? A soul may be such a consciousness in process of develop- ment of which the mental shadow of the lost mem- ber is a part. Attention is directed to sight, which per- ceives objects as continuous when less than one- Evolution Proving Immortality 65 tenth of a second intervenes between the succes- sion of appearances to the human eye. Proceeding from this we measure nerve action, and thought response, when inquired about through the med- ium of senses. There is also here a capacity limit. But one or two ideas or thoughts, never more than ten, can be considered by a normal person in a sec- ond without running them together in confusion. But dreams indicate a mind activity that could never respond to physical sense direction. In a second or two we may live a day, or a week, and go through experiences it would require months to see, and hear, and do, if the brain and nerves were doing the work in the normal way within its ca- pacity to receive and send out thoughts. These things are merely suggested here to be recalled later, but they may cause us to begin to doubt the talk of mind being tne product of matter and the brain the source of thoughts. It is fairly reasonable to presume that a man’s consciousness may be independent of his body and not suspended or exterminated in death any more than, nor as much as, in the short period of the restful sleep. The brain seems to be an organ through which the will opei’ates. It is a delicate engine of energy played upon by will or intelligence. The intelligence of man may desire to examine a plant, and by will cause the hand to pluck it. Again, the intelligence may conceive the plan of a canal, or a railroad across a continent, and by will induce other forces to co-operate and accomplish a collos- 66 Evolution Proving Immortality sal undertaking to satisfy this desire of an ego. This machine, the brain of man, may have a defec- tive keyboard and not be able to perform in every instance the beautiful work performed by others. It may work so poorly as to be of no use to the in- telligence operating it. It may, when commanded or willed, do the very reverse thing and in fact ex- asperate the operator or even totally deceive him. It may be that some insane patients are peculiar because of physical defects of brain or body as it is usual for such patients, who have what are termed hallucinations, and believe that a friend is an enemy, a fierce animal, or a fiend, to act as a sane person would act if the hallucination were a reality, and proceed to defend themselves. Pos- sibly a premature breaking up of the mental cells, later herein referred to, may cause this mental marvel. The phenomena termed insanity are not very satisfactorily explained in medical works and consequently do not warrant more than the fore- going mere suggestions excepting, perhaps, to add that every crazy thought an insane man may have, is a perversion of some suggestion. In fact, every idea of any man, comes from something else. No thought is pure originality made from nothing, but every mental conception must be a transformation from some pre-existing suggestion, idea, or ex- pression. If every misty imaginative thought of man must needs come from something, how can even a potential life, or soul, come from nothing ? Right here is the place to call attention to that strong deduction of common usage, that if matter Evolution Proving Immortality 67 cannot be destroyed neither can intellect. If it cannot be destroyed, why would the soul not be independent of the body when the body is shucked from the soul and transposed into different mat- ter? Returning to the main question we are con- fronted with the instinctive desire of man for a future life. Every nation of the earth has a pecul- iar religion, or superstition, of its own. It is also noticed that aged persons, or those who are about confronting death, confess a belief in a future state, not so fervently felt in budding childhood. These things in themselves perhaps, would signify nothing were it nOt for the other slight evidences on this subject, merely pointed to in the foregoing. They are fortified by observation of the caterpil- lar, mothworm and other larva life impelled by what may be termed their old-age instinct, invar- iably preparing themselves by deliberate action for a transformation. Observe what nature has done for its creatures — ^how it crowns even the instinct of the moth worm with success — how it rewards every intuition of bird, animal, and insect. Will man, who has by evolution risen so high, and who possesses an inherited insatiable desire for a con- tinued knowledge, and progress, and eternal life, be confronted with a reversal of the law of pro- gress, and life, that has made him what he is and will he be disappointed, and tortured in this chief hope, and greatest desire, which is more persistent than any instinct of animal, bird, or insect? ORIGIN OF THE SOUL. CHAPTEE XI. While I have argued, and still argue, that it is immaterial how, or where, the soul originated to establish that it may continue to exist, I shall add a few arguments on what occurs to me as a reason- able, probable, and natural origin of that form of life known as man’s soul. It may not be out of place to call attention to the condition of man’s life at the period of concep- tion. Two independent living germs of life unite to form the fertilized ovum later to be bom as a child. This fact is cited by materialists as evi- dence against a pre-soul existence, and to prove that consequently a dissolution of the body is an extermination of the soul. They cynically ask from which of the two does the soul come? A careful reading of Hudson’s theory of a dual per- sonality in every human being or the subconscious mind and the reading of the many excellent maga- zine articles and reported cases of double person- alities, shows a strong possibility that life comes from the life of the mother, or the father, and not from both. No one can, without further data, be certain of this. It is claimed by good authority that there is not a tendency of blending, unless possibly in some cases of mere superficial color. The mixture of all M«*n(k*liim proportions in maize. (U)hs Imhii ]>y heterozygote plants pollinated with the reeessive, showing equality of sni