e arguments in which He excelled.
The same two classes of opponents, the scoffers and the diabolists,
face us to-day. Verily the old world goes round and so do the events
upon its surface.

There is one line of thought which may be indicated in the hope that it
will find development from the minds and pens of those who have studied
most deeply the possibilities of psychic power. It is at least
possible, though I admit that under modern conditions it has not been
clearly proved, that a medium of great power can charge another with
his own force, just as a magnet when rubbed upon a piece of inert steel
can turn it also into a magnet. One of the best attested powers of D.
D. Home was that he could take burning coals from the fire with
impunity and carry them in his hand. He could then--and this comes
nearer to the point at issue--place them on the head of anyone who was
fearless without their being burned. Spectators have described how the
silver filigree of the hair of Mr. Carter Hall used to be gathered over
the glowing ember, and Mrs. Hall has mentioned how she combed out the
ashes afterwards. Now, in this case, Home was clearly, able to convey,
a power to another person, just as Christ, when He was levitated over
the lake, was able to convey the same power to Peter, so long as
Peter's faith held firm. The question then arises if Home concentrated
all his force upon transferring such a power how long would that power
last? The experiment was never tried, but it would have borne very,
directly upon this argument. For, granting that the power can be
transferred, then it is very clear how the Christ circle was able to
send forth seventy disciples who were endowed with miraculous
functions. It is clear also why, new disciples had to return to
Jerusalem to be "baptised of the spirit," to use their phrase, before
setting forth upon their wanderings. And when in turn they, desired to
send forth representatives would not they lay hands upon them, make
passes over them and endeavour to magnetise them in the same way--if
that word may express the process? Have we here the meaning of the
laying on of hands by the bishop at ordination, a ceremony to which
vast importance is still attached, but which may well be the survival
of something really vital, the bestowal of the thaumaturgic power?
When, at last, through lapse of time or neglect of fresh cultivation,
the power ran out, the empty formula may have been carried on,