Chapter X: Spiritualism 284

The Genesis of Modern Spiritualism--It Crosses to Europe--The Beginnings of Trance-Mediumship--The Society for Psychical Research Begins Its Work--Confronts Difficulties--William James Enters the Field--The Limitations of Psychical Investigation--The Society for Psychical Research Gives Intellectual Standing to Spiritism--The Very Small Number of Dependable Mediums--Spiritism a Question of Testimony and Interpretation--Possible Explanations of Spiritistic Phenomena--Myers' Theory of Mediumship--Telepathy--Controls--The Dilemma of Spiritism--The Influence of Spiritism--The Real Alternative to Spiritism--The Investigations of Emile Boirac--Geley's Conclusions--The Meaning of Spiritism for Faith.