yer, or mental power, can be used to
remove a person from the stage of life, and M. C. claims that he did it
in the case of this particular scientist.

That brings back another parallel, almost, I might say, an historical
parallel, to our mind; that of Dr. Anna Kingsford, taking place perhaps
some forty years ago, who claimed--of course she was a very strong
anti-vivisectionist--that by thought-power she caused the death of
Claude Bernard, the great vivisection scientist of France. Certainly at
the time that she put out her forces he did die, but on the other hand,
it has been remarked that it was from that very date that her own
break-up commenced, and never ceased till she herself passed into the
other world. So you see these actions are likely to revert to the
sender, even if they are successful.

Now in these two cases the ultimate object was not a low one, it was one
which was supposed to be for the benefit of humanity and of the dumb
creation. But that does not justify the means. The maxim, "The end
justifies the means," is the greatest perversion of truth, and still
more so if this hidden power, the power of suggestion, is used to injure
any one for a more personal motive than in these cases which I have
cited. The lower the motive, the lower the action becomes, and to
suppose that because mental means are employed they make any difference
in the nature of the act is a very great mistake.

It has been sometimes my painful duty to sentence people to death for
murder, and therefore I claim that I have a very fair knowledge of what
differentiates murder from those cases in which life is taken which do
not amount to murder; and speaking from the judicial experience of a
great many years, and the trial of a large number of cases which have
involved the question whether the death penalty should be passed or not,
I have no hesitation in saying that to kill by mental means is just as
much murder as to kill by poison or the dagger. Speaking judicially, I
should have not the least hesitation in hanging any one who committed
murder by means of mental suggestion. Psychological crime, remember, is
crime just the same; possibly it is more deeply dyed crime, because of
the greater knowledge which must go along with it. I say that the
psychological criminal is worse than the ordinary criminal.

One of the teachings of the Master is on this very point. I refer you to
the miracle of the fig tree. You know that he exhibited his