strong, we believe there will be manifest important physical effects.' 'It will generate in the atmosphere turbulent and variable winds, together with thunder, meteors and lightnings, accompanied by chasms in the earth and earthquakes.' Zadkiel [Capt. Morrison] says - 'Atmospheric phenomena, storms and hurricanes occur.' Orion says - 'This month (September) much meteoric action, light storms, &c. will prevail.'
Thus much for planetary influence on the weather. No let us examine its more extraordinary physical effects. The Daily Telegraph, of Sept. 16th, in one of its leading articles had the following:
- "Like diseases, crimes and incidents would sometimes seem to become epidemic. That crime should spread by example can, without much difficulty be rendered comprehensible. But how can we reconcile to ourselves the extraordinary idea that dumb mechanical things can be similarly influenced? At this moment, for instance, accidents from locomotive machines are rife. There is a perfect glut of catastrophies by sea and land. Trains run one into the other; passengers and work-people are crushed or mangled on every side; no sooner does one coroner's jury return its verdict than another is empannelled to sit upon some charred or disfigured corpse!"
So it is; and since those remarks appeared, the appalling accidents referred to, and in many cases, the criminal negligence apparently attending them has multiplied to such extent as to give rise to the question "What can be the cause?" It may be difficult to reconcile one's self to an idea apart from mere coincidence, but a long course of observation has opened up to us the fact that mind and matter are simultaneously acted upon. There is a certain influence - occult influence if you will that is at times exerted both upon living and inanimate objects; an electric condition, which not only interferes with the proper working of telegraphic wires, as lately experienced, but also with that more delicate piece of mechanism, the human body, and the human mind - a disturbing force which not only gives rise to storms, shipwrecks, railway collisions, fires and explosions, but which also excites the human passions and enfeebles the intellect. Many of the frightful disasters which have lately crowded upon us in almost ceaseless succession would appear to be preventible by the merest application of ordinary prudence, whilst others would seem to require a vigilence and foresight not commonly possessed; but in either case the mind has proved itself unequal to the exigences of the moment and fatal consequences have resulted. There have also been fatalities totally unnaproachable by human sagacity, and which it were sheer ignorance to attribute to the culpability of any living man.
