CHAPTER II Electricity and Life

Proof That Electricity Is Life. Recent Discoveries in the Wireless¹ Telegraph and Telephone. Their Effect on the Thought of the Race. Other Possibilities of Electricity.
Our little lives are kept in equipose,
By opposite attractions and desires.—Longfellow.

Recent discoveries in what is called electrical science, demonstrating the wide range of application of electric vibrations³ and suggesting almost unlimited⁴ possibilities as to its future adaptation to the purposes of mankind, indicate that man has at last harnessed the primary force or energy of the universe to become his willing servant. With the discovery of the wireless telegraph, and wireless telephone—by means of which conversation has been carried on at a distance of four hundred miles—the scientific nature and possibilities of telepathy is understood. The principle is the same. In the wireless telephone by means of two instruments attuned⁵ to the same rate of vibration² two persons widely separated are enabled to hear each other’s words. In telepathy two persons whose brain cells are attuned to the same rate of vibration are enabled to[18] sense each others thoughts, at any distance.

This is the explanation of impressions of impending⁶ disaster and death. The so-called psychic⁷ forces are perfectly⁸ natural and there is nothing supernatural in the universe.

A knowledge of the laws of electrical vibration is the key that will unlock all the secrets of the universe to man.

All motion,—electrical vibration—is the real Book of Life, opened ever to the true student of science. Burbank by the study of this book of nature has discovered the law of various polarities or affinities⁹ (natural selection) of vegetables, fruits and flowers and has caused them to produce new varieties, improving the species.

What is called intelligent purpose is said to be manifested by man in this ability to direct and assist what is called nature to bring about different and “better” (?) conditions. Left to herself nature produces chaotic¹⁰ conditions; weeds, brambles, briars and trees crowding themselves into various fantastic shapes. Lack of intelligent PURPOSE is shown in all this and only the “intelligent purpose” displayed by man produces order out of chaos¹¹. Where then is the intelligent purpose of the universe? Certain vibrations in the universe cause floods, tornadoes¹², cyclones¹³, earthquakes, etc. These are simply results of natural laws of electric energy which in sport, as it were,[19] like a child with his blocks, builds and pulls down, builds and pulls down, “creates and destroys” ad infinitum. Attraction and repulsion, positive and negative electric action—vibration—generates, sustains and destroys all the manifold forms, organic and inorganic¹⁴, of what is called life and death. There is no death. Death is but a name given to one of the many forms manifested by life. A knowledge of the dual¹⁵ nature of electrical impulse is the true and only “secret” of life and death.

In the organic form or entity¹⁶ called man there has been evolved an organ called the brain; an arrangement of cells whose vibratory action enables them to receive and give off vibrations called thought—intelligence. The universe transmits these vibrations through the entity attuned to receive them. Or, to speak poetically¹⁷, we say, the universe “voices its intelligence through man.” And man voices his intelligence through the universe. Man thus becomes a Lord—a God—and has dominion¹⁸.

If we accept electricity as the only substance and vibration as the vital force and origin of all existence, it is impossible to imagine what may yet be revealed to us respecting the structure of the universe.

If electricity is all there is, then thought must be electrical. The vibrations being received by the brain cells, are conveyed throughout[20] the body. Light vibrations strike upon the eye and enter the brain and we see by the brain. Sound waves enter the brain by the ear and we hear by the brain. Various vibrations received by the brain are transmitted through the nerves to the various organs of the body. They respond to these vibrations and harmony, health or disease, results.

If the brain is attuned to receive healthful vibrations, the body will surely respond and harmony or health obtain. This is the secret of mental healing in all its forms that is being practiced in these states today, whether it be Mental Science, Christian¹⁹ Science, New Thought, Divine Healing, Suggestive Therapeutics, or whatever; and reduces every one of these various systems of healing to a simple natural law of vibration. These healthful vibrations are as free to all as the air they breathe and cannot be cornered by any set of so-called “healers” in the world. The result of so-called evil or malefic vibrations we see every day in our hospitals, asylums²⁰, jails, police courts, etc. The reading of certain books and daily newspapers attunes²¹ the brain to receive a certain kind of vibration and the results usually lead to the reform school and State prison. What are called evil thought vibrations are as abounding²² in the universe as good thought vibrations, and if the brain is attuned[21] to receive them, the resulting inharmonious conditions are sure to obtain.

Colors are the result of electric vibration. Sir William Crookes and Gessler demonstrated this by their invention of vacuum tubes. By attaching one of these tubes to one of the poles of a static electric machine, or high frequency coil, with a low potency²³, a yellow light is produced. The potency being increased red appears. By still further increasing the potency to about twelve million vibrations per second, purple or violet rays are generated. Then comes the Roentgen or X-ray—a brilliant, greenish, light, which renders opaque²⁴ bodies transparent²⁵. Thus science in electrical discovery is rapidly revealing to us the secrets of the universe.

All vibrations are co-related. For instance, a man has a burst of violent passion—a high rate of brain cell vibration—and we say he “sees red.” This is true and he is almost sure to commit murder and will if the rate of vibration be kept up in his brain cells. And unless you can “switch the current”—lower the vibration—he will be plunged²⁶ into a sea of color or intense vibration which his brain is unable to assimilate and we have what we term insanity²⁷. The writer firmly believes that Musical Vibrations which are transformed into electrical waves and transmitted to the patient, will ultimately be found to be the “switch” that[22] shall change the potency of these vibrations in the insane, and restore many a hopeless entity to normal brain conditions.

As another illustration of the power of thought vibrations take those that went forth²⁸ when Garrison²⁹, Phillips, Sumner and others voiced the abolition³⁰ of slavery in this country, which culminated³¹ in the greatest war of modern times and developed a manhood and self-sacrifice seldom if ever given to the world. This is Immortality³². These events belong to no one country, but to the world and are the heritage of humanity, and but one step in the evolution of the race toward the goal of perfect liberty, which is the knowledge of truth and love, and the real brotherhood³³ of man.

1 wireless   

adj.无线的；n.无线电

参考例句：

• There are a lot of wireless links in a radio.收音机里有许多无线电线路。
• Wireless messages tell us that the ship was sinking.无线电报告知我们那艘船正在下沉。

2 vibration   

n.颤动，振动；摆动

参考例句：

• There is so much vibration on a ship that one cannot write.船上的震动大得使人无法书写。
• The vibration of the window woke me up.窗子的震动把我惊醒了。

3 vibrations   

n.摆动( vibration的名词复数 )；震动；感受；（偏离平衡位置的）一次性往复振动

参考例句：

• We could feel the vibrations from the trucks passing outside. 我们可以感到外面卡车经过时的颤动。
• I am drawn to that girl; I get good vibrations from her. 我被那女孩吸引住了，她使我产生良好的感觉。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 unlimited   

adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的

参考例句：

• They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
• There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。

5 attuned   

v.使协调( attune的过去式和过去分词 )；调音

参考例句：

• She wasn't yet attuned to her baby's needs. 她还没有熟悉她宝宝的需要。
• Women attuned to sensitive men found Vincent Lord attractive. 偏爱敏感男子的女人，觉得文森特·洛德具有魅力。 来自辞典例句

6 impending   

a.imminent, about to come or happen

参考例句：

• Against a background of impending famine, heavy fighting took place. 即将发生饥荒之时，严重的战乱爆发了。
• The king convoke parliament to cope with the impending danger. 国王召开国会以应付迫近眉睫的危险。

7 psychic   

n.对超自然力敏感的人；adj.有超自然力的

参考例句：

• Some people are said to have psychic powers.据说有些人有通灵的能力。
• She claims to be psychic and to be able to foretell the future.她自称有特异功能，能预知未来。

8 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

9 affinities   

n.密切关系( affinity的名词复数 )；亲近；（生性）喜爱；类同

参考例句：

• Cubism had affinities with the new European interest in Jazz. 主体派和欧洲新近的爵士音乐热有密切关系。 来自辞典例句
• The different isozymes bind calcium ions with different affinities. 不同的同功酶以不同的亲和力与钙离子相结合。 来自辞典例句

10 chaotic   

adj.混沌的，一片混乱的，一团糟的

参考例句：

• Things have been getting chaotic in the office recently.最近办公室的情况越来越乱了。
• The traffic in the city was chaotic.这城市的交通糟透了。

11 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

12 tornadoes   

n.龙卷风，旋风( tornado的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Tornadoes, severe earthquakes, and plagues create wide spread havoc. 龙卷风、大地震和瘟疫成普遍的毁坏。 来自互联网
• Meteorologists are at odds over the working of tornadoes. 气象学者对龙卷风的运动方式看法不一。 来自互联网

13 cyclones   

n.气旋( cyclone的名词复数 )；旋风；飓风；暴风

参考例句：

• The pricipal objective in designing cyclones is to create a vortex. 设计旋风除尘器的主要目的在于造成涡旋运动。 来自辞典例句
• Middle-latitude cyclones originate at the popar front. 中纬度地区的气旋发源于极锋。 来自辞典例句

14 inorganic   

adj.无生物的；无机的

参考例句：

• The fundamentals of inorganic chemistry are very important.无机化学的基础很重要。
• This chemical plant recently bought a large quantity of inorganic salt.这家化工厂又买进了大量的无机盐。

15 dual   

adj.双的；二重的，二元的

参考例句：

• The people's Republic of China does not recognize dual nationality for any Chinese national.中华人民共和国不承认中国公民具有双重国籍。
• He has dual role as composer and conductor.他兼作曲家及指挥的双重身分。

16 entity   

n.实体，独立存在体，实际存在物

参考例句：

• The country is no longer one political entity.这个国家不再是一个统一的政治实体了。
• As a separate legal entity,the corporation must pay taxes.作为一个独立的法律实体，公司必须纳税。

17 poetically   

adv.有诗意地，用韵文

参考例句：

• Life is poetically compared to the morning dew. 在诗歌中，人生被比喻为朝露。 来自辞典例句
• Poetically, Midsummer's Eve begins in flowers and ends in fire. 仲夏节是富有诗意的节日，它以鲜花领航，在篝火旁完美落幕。 来自互联网

18 dominion   

n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图

参考例句：

• Alexander held dominion over a vast area.亚历山大曾统治过辽阔的地域。
• In the affluent society,the authorities are hardly forced to justify their dominion.在富裕社会里，当局几乎无需证明其统治之合理。

19 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

20 asylums   

n.避难所( asylum的名词复数 )；庇护；政治避难；精神病院

参考例句：

• No wonder Mama says love drives people into asylums. 难怪南蛮妈妈说，爱情会让人变成疯子。 来自互联网

21 attunes   

v.使协调( attune的第三人称单数 )；调音

参考例句：

22 abounding   

adj.丰富的，大量的v.大量存在，充满，富于( abound的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Ahead lay the scalloped ocean and the abounding blessed isles. 再往前是水波荡漾的海洋和星罗棋布的宝岛。 来自英汉文学 - 盖茨比
• The metallic curve of his sheep-crook shone silver-bright in the same abounding rays. 他那弯柄牧羊杖上的金属曲线也在这一片炽盛的火光下闪着银亮的光。 来自辞典例句

23 potency   

n. 效力，潜能

参考例句：

• Alcohol increases the drug's potency.酒精能增加这种毒品的效力。
• Sunscreen can lose its potency if left over winter in the bathroom cabinet.如果把防晒霜在盥洗室的壁橱里放一个冬天，就有可能失效。

24 opaque   

adj.不透光的；不反光的，不传导的；晦涩的

参考例句：

• The windows are of opaque glass.这些窗户装着不透明玻璃。
• Their intentions remained opaque.他们的意图仍然令人费解。

25 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

26 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

27 insanity   

n.疯狂，精神错乱；极端的愚蠢，荒唐

参考例句：

• In his defense he alleged temporary insanity.他伪称一时精神错乱，为自己辩解。
• He remained in his cell,and this visit only increased the belief in his insanity.他依旧还是住在他的地牢里，这次视察只是更加使人相信他是个疯子了。

28 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

29 garrison   

n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防

参考例句：

• The troops came to the relief of the besieged garrison.军队来援救被围的守备军。
• The German was moving to stiffen up the garrison in Sicily.德军正在加强西西里守军之力量。

30 abolition   

n.废除，取消

参考例句：

• They declared for the abolition of slavery.他们声明赞成废除奴隶制度。
• The abolition of the monarchy was part of their price.废除君主制是他们的其中一部分条件。

31 culminated   

v.达到极点( culminate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• a gun battle which culminated in the death of two police officers 一场造成两名警察死亡的枪战
• The gala culminated in a firework display. 晚会以大放烟火告终。 来自《简明英汉词典》

32 immortality   

n.不死，不朽

参考例句：

• belief in the immortality of the soul 灵魂不灭的信念
• It was like having immortality while you were still alive. 仿佛是当你仍然活着的时候就得到了永生。

33 brotherhood   

n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊

参考例句：

• They broke up the brotherhood.他们断绝了兄弟关系。
• They live and work together in complete equality and brotherhood.他们完全平等和兄弟般地在一起生活和工作。