“Mrs. Emma Hardinge Britten has collected a great number of authenticated facts from secular and scientific journals, which show with what serious questions our scientists sometimes replace the vexed subject of “Ghosts and Goblins.” She quotes from a Washington paper a report of one of these solemn conclaves, held on the evening of April 29th, 1854.
Professor Hare, of Philadelphia, the venerable chemist, who was so universally respected for his individual character, as well as for his life-long labors for science, “was bullied into silence” by Professor Henry, as soon as he had touched the subject of spiritualism.
“The impertinent action of one of the members of the ‘American Scientific Association””, says the authoress, “was sanctioned by the majority of that distinguished body and subsequently endorsed by all of them in their proceedings.”
On the following morning, in the report of the session, the Spiritual Telegraph thus commented upon the events:
“It would seem that a subject like this” – (presented by Professor Hare) “was one which would lie peculiarly within the domain of ‘science’. But the ‘American Association for the Promotion of Science’ decided that it was either unworthy of their attention or dangerous for them to meddle with, and so they voted to put he invitation on the table….We cannot omit in this connection to mention that the ‘American Association for the Promotion of Science’ held a very learned, extended, grave, and profound discussion at the same session, upon the cause why ‘roosters crow between twelve and one o’clock at night!'”
A subject worthy of philosophers; and one, moreover, which must have been shown to effect “the well-being of the human race” in a very “important degree.””
H. P. Blavatsky
