Ancient Opinions Upon Psychic Bodies


It must be confessed that modern Spiritualism falls very short of the
ideas formerly suggested by the sublime designation which it has
assumed. Chiefly intent upon recognizing and putting forward the
phenomenal proofs of a future existence, it concerns itself little with
speculations on the distinction between matter and spirit, and rather
prides itself on having demolished Materialism without the aid of
metaphysics. Perhaps a Platonist might say that the recognition of a
future existence is consistent with a very practical and even dogmatic
materialism, but it is rather to be feared that such a materialism as
this would not greatly disturb the spiritual or intellectual repose of
our modern phenomenalists.* Given the consciousness with its
sensibilities safely housed in the psychic body which demonstrably
survives the physical carcase, and we are like men saved from shipwreck,
who are for the moment thankful and content, not giving thought whether
they are landed on a hospitable shore, or on a barren rock, or on an
island of cannibals. It is not of course intended that this "hand to
mouth" immortality is sufficient for the many thoughtful minds whose
activity gives life and progress to the movement, but that it affords
the relief which most people feel when in an age of doubt they make the
discovery that they are undoubtedly to live again. To the question "how
are the dead raised up, and with what body do they come?" modern
Spiritualism, with its empirical methods, is not adequate to reply. Yet
long before Paul suggested it, it had the attention of the most
celebrated schools of philosophy, whose speculations on the subject,
however little they may seem to be verified, ought not to be without
interest to us, who, after all, are still in the infancy of a