Class J3JEL23J- 
 
 Book 
 
 & 
 
 SMITHSONIAN DEPOSIT 
 
THE SUPREMACY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 SPIRITUAL 
 
 BY 
 
 EDWARD RANDALL KNOWLES, LL. D. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 Arena Publishing Company, 
 
 Copley Square, 
 
 1895. 
 
son; -SV 
 
 Copyrighted 1895. 
 
 E. R. Knowles, LL. D. 
 
 All rights reserved. 
 
 KvvX^vj-^ous £>.K<w 
 
THE SUPREMACY OF THE 
 SPIRITUAL 
 
 TITHE further and more logically scien- 
 tists proceed with the question of 
 the one only absolute reality, the closer 
 they approach to the full acceptance of 
 the conclusions which I have for years 
 advocated concerning the absolute 
 supremacy of the spiritual. A striking 
 example of this is to be found in Doctor 
 Thornton's " Philosophy of the Three 
 Ethers." The first, which he identifies 
 with Life, affords the potentialities of 
 the other two. 
 
 All other theories call to their aid 
 self-contradictory propositions, absurd 
 ideas or vague theories, which would 
 
2 THE SUPREMACY 
 
 need greater ingenuity to substantiate 
 them, even were they capable of proof, 
 than the clear and simple truth of the 
 One Substance, the only Life, Spirit and 
 Power in absolute existence. 
 
 "We feel but the pulse of that viewless Hand 
 Which has ever been and still shall be, 
 
 In the stellar orb and the grain of sand, 
 Through nature's endless paternity." 
 
 So much has been written, and so 
 ably, upon this subject, that I should be 
 indisposed to venture upon this field of 
 discussion were it not for the fact that 
 I may be able, in my imperfect way, to 
 offer some suggestions which are new 
 and original, and which, I am convinced, 
 are absolutely true and perfectly logical 
 and clear. 
 
 Scientists assume the being and 
 action of a substance, omnipresent 
 throughout infinite space, which com- 
 
OF THE SPIRITUAL. 3 
 
 municates light, heat, electricity and 
 gravitation from one body to another, 
 and even mental emotion and imaginary 
 ideas from one mind to another. This 
 omnipresent medium they call " the 
 ether," attributing to it, in the case of 
 some phenomena, qualities utterly in- 
 compatible with those which they are 
 compelled to assign to it in the examin- 
 ation, of other phenomena. An omni- 
 present substance of some kind, how- 
 ever, is a necessary inference from the 
 following facts : — 
 
 The planets attract each other, and 
 are all attracted by the sun. 
 
 It is generally agreed that the atmos- 
 phere does not, in its most attenuated 
 degree, extend more than three hundred 
 miles beyond the earth's surface. 
 
 Heat, light, electricity, magnetism 
 and gravitation operate in an exhausted 
 receiver just as well as elsewhere. 
 
4 THE 8UPBEMACY 
 
 One mind sometimes influences 
 another independently of ordinary sen- 
 sation or muscular motion, without con- 
 tact or perceptible connection. 
 
 Says Professor Tyndall : " The 
 domain in which this motion of light 
 is carried on lies entirely beyond the 
 reach of our senses. The waves of 
 light require a medium for their forma- 
 tion and propagation, but we cannot see 
 or feel or taste or smell this medium. 
 How, then, has its existence been estab- 
 lished? By showing that by the 
 assumption of this wonderful intangible 
 ether all the phenomena of optics are 
 accounted for with a fulness and clear- 
 ness and conclusiveness which leave no 
 desire of the intellect unfulfilled. 
 When the law of gravitation first sug- 
 gested itself to the mind of Newton, 
 what did he do? He set himself to 
 examine whether it accounted for all 
 
OF THE SPIRITUAL. 5 
 
 the facts. He determined the courses of 
 the planets ; he calculated the rapidity 
 of the moon's fall toward the earth ; he 
 considered the precession of the 
 equinoxes, the ebb and flow of the 
 tides, and found all explained by the 
 law of gravitation. He, therefore, re- 
 garded this law as established, and the 
 verdict of science subsequently con- 
 firmed his conclusion. On similar, and 
 if possible, on stronger grounds, we 
 found our belief in the existence of the 
 universal ether. It explains facts far 
 more various and complicated than 
 those on which Newton based his law. 
 If a single phenomenon could be pointed 
 out which the ether is proved incompe- 
 tent to explain, we should have to give 
 it up ; but no such phenomenon has 
 ever been pointed out. It is, therefore, 
 at least as certain that space is filled 
 with a medium by means of which suns 
 
C THE SUPREMACY 
 
 and stars diffuse their radiant power as 
 that it is traversed by that force which 
 holds, not only our planetary system, 
 but the immeasurable heavens them- 
 selves in its grasp." 
 
 Thus Professor Tyndall clearly and 
 conclusively proves the certainty of the 
 existence of an omnipresent substance 
 acting as the medium of many of the 
 phenomena of the universe. But in 
 doing so, he proves far more than he 
 probably ever intended to prove. While 
 the existence of this medium is clearly 
 proven, yet the most superficial consid- 
 eration of the phenomena of light, heat, 
 gravitation, electricity and magnetism 
 readily shows that it is necessary to as- 
 sign to this medium in the case of some 
 phenomena qualities utterly incompati- 
 ble, according to the laws of matter, 
 with its action in the case of other 
 phenomena, and hence that this medium 
 
OF THE SPIRITUAL. 7 
 
 must be a substance which transcends 
 the known laws of this material world. 
 Furthermore, the hypothesis of one 
 medium as the basis of light, for ex- 
 ample, a different one for gravitation, 
 and yet another for electricity, is 
 wholly inadmissible, since it supposes 
 two or more substances existing and 
 operating in exactly the same point of 
 space (an utter absurdity according to 
 the laws of the material world alone) 
 and without either one nullifying or ex- 
 cluding the action of the other, or 
 others. 
 
 Admitting, therefore, the clearly 
 proven existence of this " ether " (or 
 whatever you may please to call it), it 
 is yet necessary to proceed further and 
 recognize the fact that this single 
 universal medium is not only omni- 
 present, but immaterial, and hence not 
 of the material existence and its condi- 
 
8 THE SUPREMACY 
 
 tions and laws, but spiritual. We find 
 it to be 
 
 " A motion and a spirit that impels 
 
 All thinking things, all objects of all thought, 
 
 And rolls through all things." 
 
 And right here, we recall the fact, 
 by the way, that already many scientific 
 men have supposed this so-called "ether" 
 to be homogeneous with the immaterial, 
 simple substance, the soul. And this 
 supposition is confirmed when we find 
 the same spiritual substance operating 
 as the medium of communication in the 
 already well-known phenomena of 
 thought transference and mental sug- 
 gestion from one mind to another. 
 The idea that the will of man can 
 direct the operation of this medium is 
 perfectly consistent with the nature of 
 the will. In the case of the electric 
 eel, we find an instance of the will 
 
OF THE SPIRITUAL. 9 
 
 directing electricity in such a way as to 
 paralyze the limbs of animals at a dis- 
 tance, and even to cause death; and 
 we find the invisible and spiritual 
 medium of communication in thought 
 transference and mental suggestion 
 easily directed by the human will. 
 
 But there is one more phenomenon, 
 or rather class of phenomena, to be 
 added to our data before ultimately de- 
 termining, according to the canons of 
 scientific investigation and verification 
 expressed by Professor Tyndall, the ex- 
 act character and nature of this omnipres- 
 sent spiritual substance and medium, — 
 the class of phenomena known as matter. 
 
 Knowing that the will of man can 
 direct the operation of this medium in 
 " telepathy " and mental suggestion to 
 other minds, we readily infer by analogy 
 what we find to be the only tenable 
 theory of the nature of the existence of 
 
10 THE SUPREMACY 
 
 matter: viz., that the ideal theory is 
 substantially correct, so far as it goes 
 positively to account for facts, and that 
 this principle of spirit governed by will 
 underlies the phenomena of matter. 
 " That which truly is, or essence," is 
 the proper meaning of substance. 
 Substance is " the ultimate point in 
 analyzing the complex idea of any ob- 
 ject. Accident denotes all those ideas 
 which the analysis excludes as not be- 
 longing to the mere being or nature of 
 the object." The substance, then, of 
 all matter, is spirit. The accidents of 
 any object are its peculiar modifications. 
 The accidents of all material objects are 
 constantly sustained and presented, for 
 the contemplation of created spirits, by 
 the Divine Will in accordance with 
 fixed and permanent laws. 
 
 At any point in space such presenta- 
 tion is constantly governed by the 
 
OF THE SPIRITUAL. 11 
 
 Divine Will in such a way that an ob- 
 ject there situated has a real existence 
 there, whether any one perceives it or 
 not. ' It exists there, in a special sense, 
 as an idea of the infinite and omnipres- 
 ent God, whose ideas, in the form of 
 material objects, are infinitely more 
 real than any image or hallucination 
 which we can impress, by suggestion, 
 upon the minds of others, and whose in- 
 fluence in our hearts is a far more stir- 
 ring emotional power than any which 
 can be imparted by merely human will 
 to the most susceptible person. An ob- 
 ject situated at a certain point in space 
 is presented to the contemplation of 
 every spirit who happens to come into 
 communication with that point in 
 space, this presentation being governed 
 by fixed laws, and any one who has 
 already perceived a particular object 
 knows that upon going again to the 
 
12 THE SUPREMACY 
 
 place where it is, the same object will 
 be perceived by him. 
 
 The recognition of the sole absolute 
 existence of one infinite, omnipresent, 
 eternal spirit does not conflict with a 
 belief in this spirit as a personal God, 
 Who is above all human comprehension, 
 Whose ways are not our ways, and in 
 Whom we and all created things exist. 
 Yet care should be taken against affirm- 
 ing the statement " God is all," in a 
 sense that really so limits God as to 
 ignore the fact that an Infinite Being 
 may have personality and must have an 
 infinite power of self-adaptation in any 
 degree, and thus must be capable of as- 
 suming the closest personal relations 
 with finite persons. 
 
 Sir Isaac Newton held that God by 
 existing constitutes time and space, He 
 being infinite and eternal. In Him, 
 and consequently in them, all created 
 
OF THE SPIRITUAL. 13 
 
 persons and things (His ideas) exist. 
 We have a clear and necessary intuitive 
 knowledge of unlimited time and space 
 through Him, the omniscient, omni- 
 present, Eternal One, in "Whom we 
 exist, and of Whom we are, and because 
 space and time are necessary to our 
 present conditions of existence. 
 
 Our perception, therefore, of real 
 ideas or material objects is the result of 
 the action of the Divine Will on our 
 minds, and the Eternal Spirit constantly 
 sustains and presents these real ideas for 
 the contemplation of created spirits, but 
 they also exist, furthermore, out of the 
 created minds which perceive them. 
 Bishop Berkeley erred on this point ; 
 viz., in his maintaining of real ideas or 
 material objects that " their esse is per- 
 cipi, nor is it possible they should have 
 any existence out of the minds or 
 thinking things which perceive them." 
 
14 THE SUPREMACY 
 
 This theory does not merge the crea- 
 ture in the Creator, as may readily be 
 seen ; and, since it recognizes the free 
 will and accountability of created 
 spirits, does not make God the agent or 
 power in everything that is done. Nor 
 can it by any means lead any spiritually 
 minded and clearly reasoning person to 
 adopt Hume's view : viz., that the mind 
 is but a mere series of impressions, and 
 that we can have no knowledge of it. 
 
 Now, Berkeley erred in maintaining 
 that the esse of things is pereipi ; i. e., 
 they can have no existence " out of the 
 minds or thinking things which perceive 
 them." He wrote, in the " Treatise 
 Concerning the Principles of Human 
 Knowledge " : — 
 
 " III. That neither our thoughts, nor 
 passions, nor ideas formed by the imag- 
 ination, exist without the mind, is what 
 everybody will allow." 
 
OF THE SPIRITUAL. 15 
 
 To this I readily agree, but not to 
 what follows : — 
 
 " And it seems no less evident that 
 the various sensations or ideas imprinted 
 on the sense, however blended or com- 
 bined together (that is, whatever 
 objects they compose), cannot exist 
 otherwise than in a mind perceiving 
 them. I think an intuitive knowledge 
 may be obtained of this by any one that 
 shall attend to what is meant by the 
 term exist when applied to sensible 
 things. The table I write on, I say, 
 exists, that is, I see and feel it ; and if 
 I were out of my study I should say it 
 existed, meaning thereby that if I was 
 in my study I might perceive it, or that 
 some other spirit does actually perceive 
 it. There was an odor, that is, it was 
 smelled ; there was a sound, that is to 
 say, it was heard ; a color or figure, and 
 it was perceived by sight or touch. 
 
16 THE SUPREMACY 
 
 This is all I can understand by these 
 and the like expressions. For as to 
 what is said of the absolute existence of 
 unthinking things without any relation 
 to their being perceived, that seems 
 perfectly unintelligible. Their esse is 
 percipi, nor is it possible they should 
 have any existence out of the minds or 
 thinking things which perceive them." 
 The fallacy of Berkeley's reasoning 
 is readily perceptible to us if we con- 
 template the omnipotence and omni- 
 presence of the Infinite Eternal Spirit 
 Who sustains the idea presented, as, 
 e. g., a table. The very existence in 
 the Infinite Mind of an object as 
 directly and solely and especially re- 
 lated to a particular point in space, con- 
 stitutes for it a real and special exist- 
 ence there (whether contemplated by 
 any created spirit or not), without any 
 relation to its being perceived by any 
 
OF THE SPIRITUAL. 17 
 
 other than the omnipresent Infinite 
 Mind, its origin. Berkeley appears to 
 have been lacking in an intuitive knowl- 
 edge of the nature of the existence of 
 the Infinite Divine Mind and Its 
 power of thought. 
 
 Though our perception of real ideas 
 or material objects is the result of the 
 action of the Divine Will on our minds, 
 and the Eternal Spirit constantly pre- 
 sents and sustains these real ideas for 
 the contemplation of created spirits, yet 
 their esse is not percipi, and they exist 
 out of, as well as in, the created minds 
 which perceive them. The table I write 
 on exists ; I see and feel it ; and if I were 
 out of my study, I should say it existed, 
 but I mean thereby not only that " if I 
 was in my study I might perceive it, or 
 that some other spirit actually does 
 perceive it," but that the table has an 
 actual existence there, in that place, 
 
18 THE SUPREMACY 
 
 whether any one is there to perceive it 
 or not. This is because it is an idea of 
 the omnipotent and omnipresent Divine 
 Mind. 
 
 This theory, moreover, implies the 
 greater reality and the omnipresence of 
 the spiritual world. 
 
 Two worlds there are; the one is real, 
 The other but seeming; both are here. 
 
 The seeming doth to us reveal 
 
 Its attractions great and our friends most 
 dear. 
 
 But greater far in the Spirit's light 
 
 Are the pleasures of matter's sense bereft, 
 
 When the world of the seeming fades from 
 sight, 
 And the real existence alone is left. 
 
 And dearer yet our friends will be 
 
 When illusions of earth from our lives have 
 passed, 
 
 And the spirit from matter's bond is free, 
 And the life eternal begun at last. 
 
OF THE SPIRITUAL. 19 
 
 Prof. Tyndall, in his conclusive 
 proof of the existence of an omnipresent 
 substantial medium, yet remaining ap- 
 parently content, and even desirous, to 
 limit its conception to that of some 
 material substance, reminds me of Saul 
 of Tarsus, overwhelmed by the sudden 
 light and power of the Eternal Spirit 
 manifesting Itself in the personality of 
 the Divine-human Jesus, yet feebly ask- 
 ing, "Who art Thou, Lord?" although 
 he well knew that the God of Life 
 alone could thus overwhelmingly sub- 
 due his stubborn spirit and manifest 
 His own glory to Saul's mortal vision. 
 And thus ever unsatisfactorily and 
 inconsistently do scientists try to limit 
 to the basis of matter and its laws the 
 very underlying substance and basis of 
 all material phenomena, — the Eternal 
 Spirit and God of Life, who alone can 
 sustain these phenomena which some of 
 
20 THE SUPREMACY 
 
 His own little created spirits will per- 
 sist in attributing to their " wonderful 
 intangible ether." 
 
 " God of the earth, the sky, the sea! 
 
 Maker of all above, below! 
 Creation moves and lives in Thee, 
 
 Thy present life through all doth flow. 
 
 " Thy love is in the sunshine's glow, 
 Thy life is in the quickening air; 
 
 When lightnings flash and storm winds blow, 
 There is thy power; Thy law is there." 
 
 Now to sum up our theory and the 
 question of its establishment. Spirit is 
 the universal, omnipresent, substantial 
 medium of all the phenomena of the 
 universe and the underlying substance 
 of all matter, constantly sustained in its 
 accidents, for the contemplation of 
 created spirits, by the Divine Will in 
 accordance with fixed and permanent 
 laws. All created things that exist 
 are the ideas of God. 
 
OF THE SPIRITUAL. 21 
 
 How have I shown this theory to be 
 true ? By showing that by its assump- 
 tion all the phenomena of the universe 
 " are accounted for with a fulness and 
 clearness and conclusiveness which 
 leave no desire of the intellect unful- 
 filled," neither any desire of the most 
 spiritual heart. It accounts "for all 
 the facts." It explains every possible, 
 as well as every known, phenomenon. 
 It may therefore be regarded " as estab- 
 lished," and the verdict of all the past 
 confirms it, as will all future revelation. 
 It is founded on the strongest grounds. 
 " If a single phenomenon," — to resume 
 Professor Tyndall's nomenclature — 
 " could be pointed out which " the 
 foregoing theory " proved incompetent 
 to explain, we should have to give it up ; 
 but no such phenomenon has ever been 
 pointed out." 
 
22 THE SUPREMACY 
 
 11 Thou, Lord, alone, art all thy children need, 
 
 And there is none beside; 
 From Thee the streams of blessedness proceed, 
 
 In Thee the Mcst abide, — . 
 Fountain of life, and all-abounding grace, 
 
 Our source, our centre and our dwelling 
 place." 
 
 A clever and original but mistaken 
 writer, whom I will here mention as 
 Prof. X., and whom I find it expedient 
 to quote as affording an excellent pres- 
 entation of a bright explanation of 
 electricity which, however, does not ex- 
 plain, writes: — 
 
 " There is, perhaps, no theory of 
 electricity which seems rational and 
 adequate to explain the mechanical 
 effects secured by its use. Are these 
 mechanical effects due to a transforma- 
 tion of mechanical energy into electrical 
 energy at the dynamo, and the retrans- 
 formation of electrical into mechanical 
 
OF THE SPIRITUAL. 23 
 
 energy at the motor ? Or is the process 
 mainly a transmission of mechanical 
 energy from the dynamo to the motor ? 
 If the latter, the mechanical energy de- 
 livered by the electric motor has under- 
 gone no transformation since it was ex- 
 pended upon the dynamo." 
 
 Claiming that " electricity is mainly 
 a method of transmitting mechanical 
 energy," Prof. X. adds two propositions 
 containing qualifications and conditions 
 which render their effect in substantiat- 
 ing " a mechanical theory of the trans- 
 mission of energy by means of electric- 
 ity " entirely null. He thus states 
 them : — 
 
 "Proposition First: — In a body 
 which is a good conductor of electricity, 
 the atoms, or molecules, may, by the 
 expenditure of energy in a magnetic 
 field, be made to rotate about axes 
 which traverse these atoms or molecules, 
 
24 THE SUPREMACY 
 
 and this rotation may be communicated 
 to adjacent atoms, or molecules, in such 
 a way that lines of these elementary 
 particles traversing the whole body may 
 be set in rotation by a rotary motion 
 suitably set up in these particles in one 
 part of the body. 
 
 " Proposition Second : — While a con- 
 ductor is being moved so as to cut the 
 lines of force in a magnetic field, the 
 atoms or molecules of the conductor are 
 constantly magnetized, their magnetic 
 axes being at right angles to the lines of 
 force of the field." 
 
 Although Prof. X.'s first proposition 
 is deliciously absurd as well as unneces- 
 sary, he probably has the idea that 
 electricity is a means of transmission of 
 energy and that every atom in an electri- 
 fied conductor becomes a magnet 
 influencing every adjacent atom, and so 
 
OF THE SPIRITUAL. 25 
 
 on at an inconceivably rapid rate of 
 progress of influence. 
 
 Prof. X.'s propositions therefore 
 amount to nothing more than a some- 
 what original, though not very difficult, 
 series of applications of mechanical 
 principles to well known facts in elec- 
 trical science, but without submitting any 
 tenable hypothesis or proving or discov- 
 ering anything new concerning a true, 
 rational, adequate and explicable theory 
 of electricity. 
 
 Prof. X. concludes thus : " If this 
 theory, by calling to its aid the ether of 
 space, shall be made to explain the 
 more subtle phenomena of electricity, 
 it may place our theoretical knowledge 
 of the subject on a parallel with our 
 conceptions of heat. The necessity of 
 such aid, is no more objection to the 
 validity or truth of this theory than is 
 the explanation of radiant heat by means 
 
26 THE SUPREMACY 
 
 of the ether, an objection to the dynamic 
 theory of heat." 
 
 This is all true enough, but the fact 
 is that the professor barely comes in 
 sight at the extreme close of his argu- 
 ment of the principle necessary to be in- 
 vestigated for one to arrive at a true 
 theory of electricity, and does not seem 
 to have discovered it. 
 
 But I find that an expert electrician 
 anonymously gives, in the New Science 
 Review for October, 1894, an excellent 
 anwer to the question, " What is elec- 
 tricity?" without going beyond the 
 merely material phase of existence. He 
 says that "it is simply a form that 
 energy may assume while undergoing 
 transformation from the mechanical or 
 the chemical form to the heat form, or 
 the reverse." 
 
 This idea that electricity is a mode 
 of transformation of energy retains the 
 
OF THE SPIRITUAL. 27 
 
 conceptions regarding energy and its 
 source, nature, and modes of action, that 
 are absolutely essential to be held to in 
 order to obtain a true theory of 
 electricity. 
 
 These conceptions are decidedly not 
 retained, but, on the contrary, are en- 
 tirely lost, by any idea of the mechani- 
 cal transmission of energy by means of 
 electricity. But all would be very dif- 
 ferent and intelligible were the expres- 
 sion " magnetic transmission of energy " 
 to be used instead of " mechani- 
 cal transmission." This nomenclature 
 would not imply the absurdity of an 
 essential atomic or molecular motion. 
 
 I believe that electricity, which may 
 correctly be called a transformation of 
 energy, is a constant series of magnetic 
 inductions between centres of force, or 
 "atoms," and is thus analogous to 
 spiritual influence or to thought trans- 
 
28 THE SUPREMACY 
 
 ference. Such magnetic inductions do 
 not involve either atomic or molecular 
 motion, and are similar to the conduc- 
 tion of an impression by a sensor nerve 
 or the conduction of a volitional im- 
 pulse by a motor nerve. 
 
 The force or influence first operating 
 is identical with that transmitted, the 
 very same and none other : and a mag- 
 netic force may be communicated from 
 one atom to another so as to coexist in 
 both, one and the same force, without 
 necessarily sustaining any diminution 
 of its original power in the atom first 
 in order. 
 
 In dealing with a force that is non- 
 material we need not presume to apply 
 a materialistic rule of conservation of 
 energy nor to deny the possible multi- 
 location of such a force — yet one and 
 the same and entire in each location. 
 
 Here I must suggest that the most 
 
OF THE SPIRITUAL. 29 
 
 correct statement possible concerning the 
 conservation of energy is that the total 
 " quantity " (as materialistic scientists 
 say) of energy in existence is infinite. 
 The non-dissipation of energy in the 
 infinite continuance of magnetic induc- 
 tions between centres of force, or 
 " atoms," is shown by Lodge to be 
 most reasonable. He says : " To all 
 intents and purposes certainly atoms 
 are infinitely elastic, and why should 
 they not also be infinitely conducting ? 
 Why should the dissipation of energy 
 occur, in respect to an electric current 
 circulating wholly inside an atom ? 
 There is no reason why it should." 
 
 Electrical phenomena may cause, or 
 be caused by, atomic or molecular 
 motion ; but such motion cannot be 
 shown to be essential to the power 
 underlying electricity, which is the 
 ultimate phenomenon of a partly ma- 
 
30 THE SUPREMACY 
 
 terial character with which we have to 
 deal in passing from the material to the 
 spiritual. The force, power, or entity 
 which operates does not itself directly 
 cause any atomic or molecular motion ; 
 and the term " force " lias been herein 
 used for lack of a more fitting name. 
 In the realm of the spiritual, the most 
 powerful influence is known to be the 
 most quiet and silent. 
 
 All the statements made concerning 
 the different origins of electric manifes- 
 tations have actually proved, by the 
 differences of conditions among the 
 several modes of origin related, that 
 atomic or molecular motion is only 
 incidental to the conduction of electric- 
 ity and that the very reality of electric- 
 ity is the conduction of ideas by the 
 immanent Power Who is present every- 
 where in His complete infinity. The 
 greater the intensity and the longer the 
 
OF THE SPIRITUAL. 31 
 
 continuance of an idea imposed upon 
 the universal medium of magnetism by 
 the means generating such idea, or 
 cause of electricity, the more potent 
 will be the results. 
 
 The phenomena of magnetism, where- 
 in a specific " force," or rather thought, 
 known to exist at a certain point, is 
 found to be also at the same time pres- 
 ent at another point, afford the ultimate 
 analogy which directs us to the knowl- 
 edge of the nature of the material 
 world, or of how the Eternal Spirit 
 creates an idea, or object, and, under 
 certain conditions and according to 
 fixed laws, produces the same idea in 
 some created spirit. 
 
 " Thou Life within my life, than self more 
 
 near! 
 Thou veiled Presence infinitely clear! 
 From all illusive shows of self I flee 
 To find my centre and my rest in Thee." 
 
32 ECCE REG NUM. 
 
 Ecce Regnum! 
 
 " My kingdom is not of this world." 
 " Behold, the kingdom of God is within you." 
 
 An earnest soul, in error's dread embrace, 
 Essayed this prayer; " Oh, grant me, Lord 
 
 the grace 
 To know the truth Thy wisdom doth impart, 
 And follow it. Yet in my inmost heart 
 Thou knowest wilfulness and pride hold sway. 
 Unto Thy kingdom, teach me, Lord, the way." 
 To her the Saviour answered lovingly: 
 " Let not this world's allurements hinder thee. 
 'Tis in thine heart that heaven's blest king- 
 dom lies; 
 With me, uplifted there, thy soul itself will 
 
 rise; 
 And when the Christ thy faith and life confess, 
 Heaven's presence then thy very soul will 
 bless." 
 
CONVERSION OF ST. AUGUSTINE. 33 
 
 The Conversion of St. Augustine. 
 
 O Blessed One! Thy life, 
 
 Incarnate once for me, 
 Now animates my soul, 
 
 Enabling me to see 
 Satan's devices deep, 
 
 And each alluring snare. 
 Call Thou my soul from sleep, 
 
 TVho dost all ill repair. 
 
 Around me float the clouds 
 
 Of error, doubt, despair; 
 Extend Thy mercy, Lord! 
 
 Destroy me not, — forbear! 
 But suffer me to live, 
 
 Thy servant, Lord, to be. 
 Father! Thy Spirit give 
 
 To raise and quicken me. 
 
 Blest Mother of my Lord! 
 
 Entreat of Thy dear Son 
 That by this humble hand 
 
 His bidding may be done. 
 
34 CONVERSION OF ST. AUGUSTINE. 
 
 O Saviour! Let not pride 
 Control nor hinder me. 
 
 Forever at my side 
 
 Deign Thou, my God, to be! 
 
CONVERSION OF ST. AUGUSTINE. 35 
 
 The Conversion of St. Augustine. 
 
 O Jesu! Tuus spiritus, 
 Pro me incarnatus antea, 
 Collustrat meam animam 
 Ut inf erorum videam 
 Consilia et insidias. 
 E somno meam animam 
 Tu, Reparator, suscita! 
 
 Exspes mens mea aestuat. 
 Errores me obnubilant. 
 Per dubitationem da, 
 Domine, mihi veniam! 
 Parce, ut tibi serviam! 
 Sustine me et anirna, 
 Pater, per Sanctum Spiritum! 
 
 Prseclara Mater Domini! 
 Tuum precare Eilium 
 Ut manu mea humili 
 Eiat voluntas Domini. 
 Ne regat me superbia. 
 A fastu, Jesu, libera! 
 Et me seternum adjuva! 
 
36 THE DA Y IS AT HAND. 
 
 The Day is at Hand. 
 
 Through the long vigil of the night. 
 To greet the dawning of the light, 
 I wait in peace, 'mid silence deep, 
 By expectation held from sleep. 
 Sustine me, Domine! 
 
 Though dark and endless seems the gloom. 
 Like to the quiet of the tomb, 
 I wait contented without fear; 
 The glory of the dawn is near. 
 Judica me, Domine! 
 
 The day is coming; Glorious Sun 
 Of Kighteousness! Thy will be done! 
 Throughout the vast eternity 
 Thy radiance shines triumphantly. 
 Gloria tibi, Domine! 
 
REST AND PEACE. 37 
 
 Rest and Peace ! 
 
 (A Thanksgiving after a Mission.) 
 
 Jesu! Creator! God Omnipotent! 
 
 To Thee in grateful praise each knee is bent; 
 
 Powerless are banished evils to molest. 
 
 Oh, dwell forever with us, our Eternal Rest! 
 
 Sweet Jesus! Eesting calm in Thy embrace, 
 "We know that Thou dost every sin efface ; 
 And in Thy loving arms all sorrows cease. 
 Thou art our Kest, our Joy, our Life, our 
 Peace! 
 
38 LOVE AND JO Y OF HE A VEN. 
 
 The Love and Joy of Heaven. 
 
 I love Thy labor, Blessed Lord! 
 
 Thy love is life to me ; 
 And in the fulness of Thy grace 
 
 A heaven of rest I see. 
 
 The rest Thou givest to Thine own 
 
 Is not that carnal ease 
 Indulged by those who idly seek 
 
 Their own poor selves to please. 
 
 It is a rest of perfect joy, 
 
 The joy of labor given 
 The poor and sick for love of Thee, 
 
 Which brings foretaste of heaven. 
 
 This little glimpse Thou givest now 
 Of Thy blest heaven above, 
 
 Incites me here to strive to gain 
 That heaven of perfect love. 
 
 And what does perfect love bestow 
 But perfect peace and rest; 
 
LOVE AND JO Y OF HE A VEN. 39 
 
 And countless joys bestowed by Thee, 
 Who knowest what is best ? 
 
 Jesus! Sweet Saviour! Grant to me 
 
 This perfect joy to know! 
 In Thee alone that joy I find; 
 
 Dear Lord, I love Thee so! 
 
40 THE MOST PERFECT THING. 
 
 The Most Perfect Thing in the World. 
 
 THE PRACTICE OF THE PRESENCE 
 OF GOD. 
 
 I live ; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." — St Paul. 
 That which is not God is nothing to me." — St. Teresa. 
 
 My God ! Who ever art 
 
 Unchangingly to me 
 My All in All! My life 
 
 Eternal is in Thee! 
 
 My Father! to Thy Will 
 
 I helpless, trustful, cling; 
 In Thine all bounteous Love 
 
 Forgetting everything. 
 
 My Jesus! Sweetest Name, 
 
 All other names above! 
 My King! no boon I crave — 
 
 No blessing — save Thy Love. 
 
 My Friend! of friends most true, 
 
 Whose Love is infinite! 
 Grant that, forever, I 
 
 May in Thy Love delight. 
 
TEE MOST PERFECT TEING, 41 
 
 My Priest! Who searchest all, 
 To Whom each thought is known; 
 
 A mercy-seat of penance, make 
 Each inmost heart Thy throne. 
 
 My Life! My being, Thou ! 
 
 My life is only Thine ; 
 For me there is no death 
 
 If only Thou art mine. 
 
 My Heaven! All else is naught 
 Beside Thy Presence Sweet. 
 
 My Life in Thine, Thy Life in mine 
 Make thus my soul complete. 
 
42 AD REGINAM. 
 
 Ad Reginam. 
 
 Thou who, of all on earth, 
 
 Art to my soul most dear! 
 Each moment's consciousness 
 
 Reveals thy presence here. 
 Nor space nor time can change 
 
 This bond of sympathy ; 
 Naught can our souls estrange 
 
 In their firm constancy. 
 
 My Queen! Thy faithful heart 
 
 Calls me with eloquence ; 
 Where'er on earth thou art, 
 
 My spirit hastens thence. 
 With equal loyalty 
 
 My burning love insists; 
 Though I am far from thee, 
 
 Thy life in mine exists. 
 
 My own! Fate's tyranny 
 Now seems to bow us down, 
 
 And blighting care alone 
 Appears our love to crown. 
 
AD REGINAM. 43 
 
 Yet, in the future, dawns 
 A day of joy and peace; 
 
 The Power that blest our love 
 Will give us sure release. 
 
 Our very life and love 
 
 Declare a certainty 
 That over every chance 
 
 Triumphant they will be. 
 The life that gave them birth 
 
 Maketh our spirits one. 
 My Love ! £To power of earth 
 
 Can sever us — mine Own! 
 
44 TRUE CATHOLICISM. 
 
 True Catholicism. 
 
 You ask me why I am a Catholic. 
 
 I've tried to answer you in prose, in vain. 
 From giving you a tedious, lengthy argument 
 
 (The story is a long one) I refrain. 
 
 I am a Catholic because my heart 
 Yearns to extend its fellowship to all 
 
 Who claim the sacred name of Christian, and 
 my mind 
 Finds no discrimination in the Master's call 
 
 To make one fold under one Shepherd's care 
 
 And unity's most vital bond maintain; 
 Professing everywhere alike one common 
 faith, 
 Acknowledging one universal Head to 
 reign. 
 
 Holy and apostolic is that rule 
 
 Which doth the wondrous Son of God con- 
 fess, 
 Keeping our holy faith in its integrity, 
 
 Extending now its universal reign to bless 
 
TRUE CATHOLICISM. 45 
 
 All nations and all lands, throughout the 
 earth, 
 Beneath its sway of spiritual power, 
 Which has its origin and strength in thee, O 
 Christ! 
 Of yesterday, to-day, the same f orevermore ! 
 
46 HYMN TO ST. ALOYSIUS. 
 
 Hymn to St. Aloysius. 
 
 Saint of Beauty! on whose princely brow 
 There rests a crown of peerless innocence, 
 
 Thy loving children come before thee now, 
 Thy prayers entreating for their souls' de- 
 fence. 
 
 Help of the Orphans! unto Jesus blest 
 
 Oifer their sufferings, piteous tears and 
 woes. 
 His love alone brings sweet relief and rest; 
 His peace will give their aching hearts re- 
 pose. 
 
 O noble Youth! child of the Sacred Heart! 
 
 Whom Jesus loved so dearly as to deign 
 His boundless grace unto thy soul impart, 
 
 Choosing thee endlessly to share His reign. 
 
 Patron of Youth! implore faith's guiding light 
 To lead our souls on to heaven's portal 
 high, 
 Till, in the dawn from purgatorial night, 
 Into thine outstretched, welcoming arms 
 we fly. 
 
ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE. 47 
 
 St. Thomas the Apostle. 
 
 DECEMBER 21, 1891. 
 
 While doubts that from our human frailty rise 
 Oft hinder us and thrust us far from Thee, 
 Yet honest doubt that in the pathway lies 
 
 Of those who love Thee and are wholly free 
 To plead Thy cause and fight Thy battle well, 
 Who yet for Thee would urge a flawless 
 plea 
 And most convincingly Thy gospel tell, 
 
 May draw them even nearer yet to Thee. 
 To such confirm, dear Lord, their joyous faith, 
 Strength the love that caused it, and inspire 
 Wisdom and zeal, and faithfulness till death. 
 Bid doubt and error from their minds re- 
 tire, 
 And when their hearts by fears and griefs 
 are torn, 
 Make them, dear Lord, amidst the strife 
 recall 
 With love the wounds Thy Sacred Heart has 
 borne, 
 And know in Thee their Lord, their God, 
 their All! 
 
 ^U 
 
48 CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL. 
 
 Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle. 
 
 As o'er the road of life we erring go, 
 Oft, in the fainting spirit's darkest hour, 
 
 Heaven's inspiration shineth round about, 
 Overwhelming us with sudden truth and 
 power. 
 
 " Who art Thou, Lord? " at once we feebly 
 ask, 
 Although full well we know the God of Life 
 Alone our dying spirits thus can rouse, 
 Against Whose Will we waged a futile 
 strife. 
 
 " What wilt Thou have me, Lord, to do? " 
 Trembling, astonished, overcome, we ask; 
 
 Kepentant, looking upward eagerly, 
 We seek some heaven-appointed task. 
 
 Let us, obedient, Heaven's light implore, 
 And follow it, however rough our road, 
 
 With patient faith, for thus alone we gain 
 The way to Truth, to Life, to Peace, to God. 
 
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS. 49 
 
 Personal Reflections. 
 
 [On Presenting a Mirror to a Lady.] 
 
 This mirror, framed 'mid ancient carvings 
 rare , 
 Which hath for centuries the charms por- 
 trayed 
 Of distant Persia's noblest ladies fair 
 
 In splendors oriental bright arrayed ; 
 Destined to yet reflect a charming face, 
 
 Of calm repose and with expression sweet, 
 Eeigning above a form of matchless grace; 
 O Lady fair, with worthy charms replete! 
 This souvenir I give to thee, 
 Thus to fulfil its destiny. 
 
50 THE RULE OF ST. BENEDICT. 
 
 The Rule of St. Benedict. 
 
 Benedict! thrice blessdd thou, 
 
 In life as well as name. 
 The value of thy holy zeal 
 
 Earth's utmost bounds proclaim. 
 
 To teach our blest Redeemer's love, 
 
 To keep alive His praise, 
 In time of need Heaven's mercy deigned 
 
 Thy stalwart soul to raise. 
 
 " Whatever work of good to thee 
 
 Sweet Jesus deigns to send, 
 Beg of Him with thine earnest prayer 
 
 To guide it to the end." 
 
 Thus taught the good St. Benedict; 
 
 And, through the ages long, 
 The Holy Ghost maintains for him 
 
 His rule — Faith's bulwark strong. 
 
MATER GLORIOSISSIMA. 51 
 
 Hater Gloriosissima. 
 
 Mater Gloriosissima ! 
 Cum mriverso animo 
 Tibi aguntur gentibus 
 Honor et benedictio. 
 
 Jesu Voluntas Eadem, 
 Quse ex Infantis pectore 
 Beatam tuebatur te, 
 Nunc omnia movet dicere. 
 
 Voluntas Dei Filii, 
 Omnipotens per omnia, 
 Decrevit revereri te 
 Psene divina gloria. 
 
52 MATER GLORIOSISSIMA. 
 
 Mater Gloriosissima. 
 
 Mother Most Glorious! Queen of Heaven! to 
 thee 
 With one consent all nations voice acclaim; 
 All generations, as forever, now 
 Kev'rently hail thee, lauding thy sweet 
 name. 
 
 The will that in the little Saviour's Heart 
 Impelled His dawning human concious- 
 ness, 
 
 An Infant claspe'd in thy loving arms, 
 
 Now doth impel all creatures thee to bless. 
 
 That mighty Will, — the Will of God's dear 
 Son! 
 
 Of God Himself — the glorious Trinity ! — 
 Now moveth all things to ascribe to thee 
 
 Every perfection save Divinity. 
 
" THY KINGDOM COME." 53 
 
 "Thy Kingdom Come." 
 
 "Thy kingdom come," vainly the people 
 pray, 
 
 Closing their eyes to evils at their side, 
 Worshipping self alone, nor knowing where 
 
 In very truth God's kingdom doth abide. 
 
 But change, O God! the stubborn hearts of 
 
 men 
 
 From blinding errors base, from unjust 
 
 laws ; 
 
 Teach them that wrong will only vanish when 
 
 They first correct and shun each evil cause. 
 
54 HENRY WARD B EEC HER. 
 
 Henry Ward Beecher. 
 
 Tumultuous rage the wintry blasts without 
 
 My study window, as I sit and think 
 
 Of my environment upon the brow 
 
 Of this bleak eminence, where the drifting 
 
 snow, 
 Wrapt like a cope about the mighty bulk 
 Of Sutton's tallest hill, a vestment white 
 Bedecked with icy gems, transplendent shines 
 As if on giant statue of some priestly form 
 Which 'neath heaven's dome of vastness in- 
 finite 
 Kind Nature had, with foresight wonderful, 
 To mark the advent, work and memory 
 Of one at once her son, her friend, her 
 
 priest, 
 With fond design anticipating reared. 
 (For Sutton knew him well, a kinsman dear 
 By fondest ties to her forever bound.) 
 E'en so, around great Beecher's bright career, 
 Raged with tumultuous fury bitter strife 
 Of creeds, of classes, and of partisans, 
 And war of factions — aye! of nations too. 
 
IIEXRY WARD BEECHER. 55 
 
 And thus, in grandeur, did his lofty soul, 
 
 Xobly preeminent with majesty, 
 
 O'ertower those sons of men whom kindly 
 
 fate 
 Had made the leaders of their time and land. 
 Ornate with gems of brilliant thought, his 
 
 mind 
 Shone forth transplendent like this stalwart 
 
 hill 
 Snow-white in purity and loveliness, 
 Keeping that heavenly consciousness within 
 Unmoved by outward turmoil or the thrusts 
 Of calumny demoniac that sought 
 With futile spite a noble fame to mar. 
 Serenely onward doth his noble soul 
 Progress upon the journey infinite 
 Toward the eternal's inmost, holiest shrine. 
 Most happy they yet waiting here, to whom 
 The least participation is vouchsafed 
 In his great influence, which, pervading, 
 
 thrills 
 Sphere upon sphere as ceaseless ages roll. 
 
56 REALITY. 
 
 Reality. 
 
 "Truth is the reality of things." — Balmes. 
 
 Substance of truth, Eeality! 
 Joining in confraternity 
 Hearts eager to uphold the right, 
 And fortified by virtue's might; 
 
 Deific power, Eeality! 
 O'erruling error's tyranny, 
 Eternal in thy majesty, 
 Yet lowly in simplicity; 
 
 O faithful guide, Reality! 
 Teach us to bear prosperity, 
 And let no selfish pride nor care 
 Our spirits' waning sight impair. 
 
 True Mentor, stern Reality! 
 Strong to assuage adversity! 
 Thy rule true consolation gives, 
 With hope inspired thy^ subject lives. 
 
 Love's motive, sweet Reality! 
 Attachment without sympathy 
 
REALITY. 67 
 
 Most vital is not love at all, 
 But passing fancy's feeble thrall. 
 
 O Heaven — most real Reality! 
 Thou all-sustaining Deity! 
 Though thou <^rt present everywhere, 
 The true alone thy kingdom share. 
 
 Thou guide supreme, Eeality! 
 Lead onward to felicity! 
 Truth's life and power eternally, 
 Infallible Eeality! 
 
58 ST. CATHARINE OF SIENNA. 
 
 Meditation of St. Catharine of Sienna. 
 
 " Thouwert sad and in suffering because I was hidden 
 in the midst of thy heart. Had I been absent, evil 
 thoughts would have penetrated thy heart and have 
 filled thee with joy; but my presence rendered them 
 insupportable to thee; thou didst wish to repel them 
 because thou didst hold them in horror, and it was 
 because thou didst not succeed that thou wert borne 
 down with sadness. I acted in thy soul, I defended thee 
 against thy enemy. Therefore, beloved child, it is not by 
 thy virtue, but mine, that thou hast so generously com- 
 batted, and merited such an abundant grace; now I will 
 visit thee oftener and more familiarly than ever." 
 
 — Jesus Christ to St. Catharine. 
 
 Ah! my Jesus! Thou dost know 
 Why T did bewail Thee so! 
 Clear His answer comes to me — 
 " Know that, in my love for thee, 
 I have caused this earthly cloud 
 Once again thy soul to shroud, 
 That the pain of loss so drear, 
 After thou hadst known me near, 
 Might thy soul forever keep 
 From the abyss of self so deep, — 
 That thy dread despair might call, 
 When the struggle should appall, 
 Thee to turn eternally 
 
ST. CATHARINE OF SIENNA. 59 
 
 From the world's false vanity 
 To thy Saviour's presence bright, 
 God of Life and Light of Light. 
 Nothing can be nearer thee ; 
 Of my life thine own shall be ; 
 Of thy love burns mine the life. 
 Here is refuge from all strife ; 
 Xow in vain will foes assail ; 
 'Gainst thee hells can ne'er prevail 
 Thou in Christ and Christ in thee - 
 Thus to reign eternally." 
 
60 TO THE SACRED HEART. 
 
 To the Sacred Heart. 
 
 O Heart of Jesus! sheltering refuge blest, 
 Wherein alone poor weary souls find rest! 
 O pitying love wherein all sorrows cease, 
 Effacing sin and giving lasting peace. 
 
 O Heart of Jesus! from whose ardent flame 
 A single spark effaced Magdala's shame, 
 And wooed sweet Mary back to Bethany, 
 Regaining faith and innocence from Thee. 
 
 O Heart of Jesus! sacred fount divine, 
 O'er which the eternal Sun's fair glories 
 
 shine! 
 O source from which the precious blood 
 
 poured forth, 
 Each saving drop of priceless, matchless 
 
 worth ! 
 
 O Heart of Jesus! Perfect! Infinite! 
 In whose sweet love all blessdd souls unite! 
 Embodiment of universal good, 
 Eternal One! Jehovah! Jesus! Lord! 
 
TO TEE SACRED EEART. 61 
 
 O Heart of Jesus! Whence this love for 
 
 Thee ? 
 No love have I — 'tis all Thy love for me; 
 No life have I — save from Thy Sacred 
 
 Heart, 
 Which, finding me, did all this love impart. 
 

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