Is there any common ground on which science and religion meet? There is.
They meet in modern Spiritualism.
But because modern Spiritualism consists of a body of facts and theories
on the one hand, and a countless number of soul-stirring experiences on
the other, it follows that it takes a great many different people to
fairly represent modern Spiritualism.
Some have devoted themselves to it exclusively on the religious side,
others as exclusively on the scientific side. According to the bent of
their nature, and with an equal degree of courage, the earnest, devoted
students of science, on the one hand, and those of religion, on the
other, are approaching from opposite poles this forbidden ground.
Disregarding the warnings of the older religious teachers, that evil,
and only evil, haunts the grewsome place, one wing of the army of
truth-seekers is making the discovery that if all the manifestations of
modern spiritualism are to be attributed to one source, and that an evil
one, then never was a house so divided against itself before. They are
prepared to show that some of its most astonishing phenomena begin and
end in good to all who witness them, and they declare that only a
culpable misuse of the powers of the mind would lead to any other
inference than that these good results come originally from good
sources, and are therefore worthy of that reverence which of right
belongs to the good, wherever it appears.
The other wing of the army of truth-seekers also contains its heroes.
Have you not told us, they say to the great scientists who have laid
down the principles on which investigations of all kinds should be
conducted, that science claims the world for its field, and especially
the world of phenomena?
Why, then, do so many of our captains and colonels, who should represent
the thought of the higher officers, so persistently endeavor to prevent
us from obtaining for ourselves the store of facts upon which, we are
told, the theories of spiritualism are based?
Is it possible for us to have intelligent opinions even, to say nothing
of carefully-drawn conclusions on this matter, without following the
usual course, so strenuously insisted on in all other branches of
scientific research, that of personally observing the phenomena for
ourselves? And so when they get no answer to this, or no answer which
satisfies those who love the truth for its own sake, they proceed,
these scientific explorers, and with caution enter the unknown country,
avoiding, as far as possible, that portion which they recognize as
especially occupied by the other division of truth-seekers before
described.
And they find no lack of material upon which to exercise the keenest
faculties of their minds, while their interest becomes so great that
they are soon ready to exclaim, Why was I kept away from here so long?
All indications, say they, favor the idea that in this direction rather
than in any other is to be sought the solution of that profoundest of
mysteries, the problem of life, and, with faces aglow with interest,
they pursue their explorations, always ready, however, to declare that
they have not changed their course, they are still in the pursuit of
science and have not the slightest idea of joining hands with
religionists on any pretext whatever.
All of which goes to show that the realm of the occult may be
conveniently divided into two grand divisions, one of which may be
called occult science, and the other occult religion; and that part of
both which has been recently brought to view is the domain known as
modern Spiritualism, where, as I have said, science and religion meet. I
wish it could be said that scientists, as such, and religious teachers,
as such, have also not only met, but shaken hands across the narrow line
which still divides them even here, on this which I have called a common
ground.
But it is to be feared that there is all too little thought of any
possible terms of peace between the opposing forces.
Let us hope that out from the cloudy mysteries of the debatable land
itself may come the gleam of a star whose brightness shall illumine all
who lift their eyes, and whose pure, sweet influence shall change foes
to friends, as heart shall answer heart beneath its shining.