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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 3a

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We have so far devoted our attenion to the startling wonders which have occurred, and which are still going on, in distant parts of the world. Equally marvellous events, however, have been happening in Melbourne for some years past—the production of phenomena which seem to unquestionably demonstrate the practicability of matter passing through matter. This will appear quite incomprehensible to those who have not witnessed this seeming miracle, and even those who have repeatedly seen it have no little difficulty in fully grasping the reality of what they have actually witnessed under the most convincing test conditions.

It is only when we come to reflect that modern-day Science—quite independent of the subject with which I am dealing—has definitely pronounced that there is no such thing as solid matter—this being merely "a mode of motion"—that the puzzle becomes a little less perplexing and we begin to see a streak of light showing through the veil of mystery.

That which we call solid matter, we are Scientifically informed, is really nothing more nor less than an aggregation of atoms held together by an attractive force known as the Law of Affinity. These atoms are, moreover, sub-divided into even smaller particles described as electrons or infinitely microscopic corpuscles of electricity. Solid matter, therefore, when reduced to its primitive element, is simply electricity or ether—this is the primal force out of which every conceivable thing in the Universe has been called into existence.

According to the Law of Vibrations expounded by Sir William Crookes some thirty years ago, it is only because these tiny, quivering particles are at a low rate of vibration on this earth plane that they assume a solid and visible form. With vastly increased vibrations, such as obtain in the ethereal spheres, they become sublimated and represent what Sir William Crookes euphoniously describes as Radiant Matter, which is invisible to the human eye.

Apparently, therefore, to dematerialise a solid object it is only necessary to increase its vibratory forces and thus reduce it to its primal constituent, which is electricity. Any being, or intelligence, possessing the power to perform this "miracle" would, of course, likewise possess the power of re-materialising the aforesaid object and restoring it to its former shape and appearance.

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Now, it is claimed that there are actually invisible intelligences who do possess this power—the spirits of certain men, chiefly Hindus, who formerly lived upon the earth, where they acquired some knowledge of occult forces, and who, by virtue of the increased knowledge they have gained in the spheres beyond, are enabled to perform acts which appear to most people quite incredible. By the application of certain chemical principles pertaining to the higher Natural laws, of which we know so little, it is explained that they can, in an instant of time, disintegrate the atoms of which matter is composed, transform them into ether, and in that condition translate an object from one part of the world to another with the velocity of thought, and, on reaching their destination, reintegrate the etherealised substance so that it appears exactly as it did before its transient dissolution.

I do not know that there is anything more wonderful in this than, by the application of heat, transforming water into steam, which is invisible, condensing the steam into vapour, reducing the vapour to water again, and subsequently, by lowering the temperature, transforming the water into a block of ice—an apparent solid. The vapour could go through the smallest crevice, but the block of ice could not. And yet they are really one and the same thing. In other words, in each of these processes the component parts remain the same. It is only their form that is changed, and that is exactly what, we are told, takes place in the dematerialisation and re-materialisation of matter.

Of course, it is quite impossible for mortals to comprehend these transcendent mysteries. They are beyond us altogether. We have simply to deal with the fact. And the fact that these amazing phenomena are occurring is demonstrated by the conclusive experiments of Crookes, Wallace, Zöllner, Lombroso, Morselli and other Scientific geniuses, to say nothing of what is actually happening in Melbourne to-day.

Professor Zöllner declares that "nothing is more convincing of the operations of invisible intelligences than the transport of material bodies from a space enclosed on every side," and even Professor Morselli, who cannot credit the Spiritual hypothesis, admits that objects, such as leaves, branches, stones and coins, are brought from a distance into the laboratory, through walls or closed doors, by some invisible power or agency, and he places these phenomena in the foremost rank as supporting the Spiritual theory.