INTRODUCTORY.

THE present wide and rapidly-extending interest in occultism in its various phases is something more than a morbid curiosity in the mysterious, or an abnormal desire for the unattainable and unreal. There is, no doubt, plenty of abnormalism and superstition connected with thought and effort in this direction, and men's ideals of their possibilities through these channels may be distorted and extravagant, as have been ideals, thoughts and efforts connected with every form of religious faith and practice. Nevertheless, the yearning of the human soul for a more penetrating and far-reaching vision than the senses give, and a greater mastery of the conditions of environment than physical science under the limitations of strictly sense-relations, and the sense-consciousness held to these limitations can achieve, is a real and legitimate demand of the soul; and it is this which constitutes the basis of both these phases of human desire and effort.

Had this innate and inextinguishable demand for a wider vision and larger freedom been fully met in any of the prevailing forms of religious faith and effort, or in the possibilities of physical science, there would have been no occasion for this seeking after the

occult and supersensuous, outside and independent of religion, which seeking to many seems morbid and illegitimate. But suppose careful examination should show that religion and occultism belong together, and that a genuine occultism is both possible and legitimate, and has its real and only basis in religion; then the study and development of one as a science, and of the other as an inspirational experience, would fully meet this innate demand of the soul, save from abnormalism and superstition and advance the race in rapid strides toward its destined earthly fruition. The bare suggestion of this possibility is sufficient to awaken thought in this direction, and prompt to a serious consideration of the question. At all events, it offers sufficient excuse for the appearance of a book of this character at the present stage of the occult interest in our western thought, and is the only apology we have to make for its production.

The extraordinary claims set forth by students of the Oriental doctrines and life, for an occult science and thaumaturgic power among the initiates and adepts of that eastern cult, and the reports by travelers of the marvels they have witnessed at the hands of these remarkable people, have done much to awaken and intensify the curiosity and interest in the occult and theosophical, now spreading through the western world. Too many well-authenticated accounts have been published of the wonder-working power of these eastern adepts for us to lightly dismiss them as illusion or legerdemain.

Among the witnesses of these extraordinary feats of magic or miracle, have been men of science and letters,

and some of the shrewdest of our western magicians, all experts in their line, who have given much time to a scrutinizing investigation of the nature of the skill or magical power,-whatever it may be,-of these wonderworkers. Some of these investigators gained the friendship and confidence, as they believe, of prominent adepts, who professed to disclose to them some of their secrets, and these men seriously declare to us that they witnessed feats that were beyond the scope of trickery and utterly unaccountable by any process known to western science or art. Some of these witnesses felt compelled to believe from the disclosures of the adepts and what they saw wrought by them, that they possessed a knowledge of and wielded a power over the secret forces of nature and life by a direct act of will, which seems truly miraculous, but which the adepts claim is really the application of an occult science they have experimentally established and perfected. In view of such testimony, many are beginning seriously to ask, is there or can there be a genuine occult science by which we may come into the possession of, and wield at will, a true thaumaturgic power? If so, what bearing will it have on the Christ and Apostolic miracles recorded in our own New Testament?

In the Appendix we give some of the recent reports of western experts who have carefully studied the eastern occultism, in order to set the real claim now being made for it, clearly before our readers. We have also selected some of the striking scenes from the New Testament, recorded of the Christ and Apostolic ministry, and grouped together for a brief connected story of

a few of "the miracles and wonders and signs" wrought by them as they went about doing good and preaching their gospel of the kingdom. By thus having a condensed and connected account of some of these scenes, separated from much in the gospel narrative which diverts attention from them, we get a more vivid and impressive picture of this striking feature of that wonderful ministry which it will be profitable for us all to consider by and for itself. If for no other reason, however, such a connected account of the New Testament "miracles" should be presented with that of the Orientals, that the striking contrast in the specific character of the two may be fairly seen and appreciated.

As the following pages are devoted to a specific study of the New Testament Occultism, the reader is asked to give this condensed sketch we have taken from the record and presented in the Appendix, a careful consideration. An impartial study of this feature of the gospel story, in connection with a thorough study of the psychic and spiritual nature of man in the light of the Christ and Apostolic example, and the new light which modern psychical research throws upon the supersensuous powers of the soul, make clear the possibility of an occult SCIENCE.

The following extract from an opening lecture of a course on "Psychical Research," recently given in Boston, is so appropriate and suggestive in this connection that we venture to quote it. The lecturer said, according to the report, "that Skeptical arguments against the reality of the miraculous powers ascribed to Jesus and the Apostles as well as to saints of the early