Lindsay Collegiate and Vocational Institute - Tatler Yearbook (Lindsay, Ontario Canada)

Page 71 text:

THE L. C. I. TATLER 67 Magic-the Most Tremendous Influence in Life! QBy Wallace C. Thurstonj To-day nearly everyone is intel- lectually familiar with music and the Fine Arts, most are well-read patrons of Culture, closely ac- quainted with all that is best from the theatre, the screen, the library but few indeed are those who, ev- en after years of study and read- ing, posses a really true concep- tion of the higher, and more sac- red aspects of Occultism and Mys- ticism known as Magic. Magic is criticized and dismiss- ed as utter foolishness by some people. If these people were well informed, they would view the subjectin a vastly different light. Magic was really the source of almost all knowledge. Consider- ing the tremendous importance attached to it in the records of history, Magic cannot be dismiss- ed with a gesture of indifference. It must be credited with more than just the distinction of being enter- taining, It must be realized that although Magic is now an enter- taining art, it was the origin of some of our great sciences. Astrology is the study of occult influence of the stars on human destinies, which was the basis for our modern science of Astronomy. The Astrological system began when the people of antiquity be- came aware of the fact that God had made these planets as His most perfect works and set them on high in the heavens. Begin- ning with worship -of the celestial bodies and ascribing a quality of magical power to them, the next step in Astrology was to classify the whole world into divisions which were according to general belief under the influence of cer- tain planets. Different animals, different parts of the human body, metals, plants and different countries were des- cribed as under the influence of certain planets. This developed into a very complex system based upon magical beliefs. Within the scope of its magical influences lie many, many powerful factors in human life. Taking the ruling planet in the Leo Sign, the Sun, I will give an outline of its widespread Astrol- ogical influence: An individual born between July 22 and August 22 of any year is born with the influence of the Sun. This person is then referred to as having been born under the sign of Leo. The Sun is the most powerful of all the nine planets, and exerts the strongest influence. Thus the Leo individual will be different in appearance and in characteristics than the individual born with the influence of the Each planet exerts a different in- fluence, this influence changing and varying according to location. time and the position of the plan- ets at the time of birth. From this system grew our modern scientific Astronomy fsci- ence of the heavenly bodiesj, which has released the science of the planets from magical beliefs. Astrology, however, is still with us and is believed in by many peo- ple. It is more commonly known to-day as the Horoscope, a view

Page 70 text:

66 THE L. C. I. TATLER be much stir, but figures could be seen moving inside the tent. Le-t's get closerf' Jim whisper- ed. 'KO.K. pal, was the hushed re- ply. Listen Doug. came Jim's voice again. Doug, was too near the tent to speak but listened attentively. I'm done daughter. I can't go another step. You and the boss return and leave me here, came the feeble sound from within. NOX No! sobbed a girl. You had better do as your fa- ther wishes. He knows best, said another voice. l'll not. I hate you. I'll not return with you, said the gifl, half hysterically. lt's ..,.. It's Jane? Doug. managed to say. Doug! Doug! came the reply from within the tent. Doug, sprang in the tent as Mr. Hill was speaking his last. 'tDo as I say Jane? Then he sank back. The next day after Mr. Hill was buried, Toni and Jane prepared to go home, while Doug. and Jim made ready to push ahead. 'Tll wait for you Doug. I'll wait till death separates us. said Jane sobbing as they parted. Doug. had poor luck the first following week, but during the ones he did quite well. A large river separated him from the little town, and it was necessary for him to get his .provisions before the breaking up. Doug. was having prospector's good luck now so postponed his trip for a few days. VVhen he left for the town he was completely out of provisions. At the end of a long day's tramp he reached the river, but to his dis- appointment it was a rushing tor- rent. What could he do? He had to eat. Don't cross my -lad, was the faint cry from the far bank, Youtll be dashed to death. Doug. did not heed but hastily pushed a small canoe off the bank and seated himself in it. By this time several old-timers were at- tentively watching from the far shore. Go back! Go back! was the warning. Doug. apparently did not hear, .but pushed steadily onward. He had just reached mid-stream when a large piece of ice hit the light craft and upset him. Down into the cold, icy water he plunged and was carried down stream. How- ever he managed to crawl onto a piece of ice which floated away. The people on the bank did not see this. They thought he was drown- ed, so ,immediately spread the news. Toni was the first to tell Jane but did it with a touch of delight. Jane went into a daze and remain- ed in this state for over a week. All the time she kept talking as if to Doug., but gradually the shock and strain passed away. About a year later Jane and Toni were married in the quiet ranch town. After the wedding they went to live at Jane's home. Even though she had taken the vow to love, honour, and obey Toni, she would rather have taken this with Doug. by her side One late evening a strange man came into the little village. He rode 'up to the little tavern as though he were a regular visitor. He secured the horse to the rail, and with one bound entered the building. Could any of you tell me if Jane Hill is still on the ranch. said the stranger to some men seated at a table. Eh? Jane Hill, I guess you mean Mrs. Chisto. Sure she and Toni live there. Thanks, was the half choking reply as Doug. left the building. He slowly mounted his stead and left the village, forgotten, and alone.

Page 72 text:

68 THE L. C. I. TATLER of the heavens for some particular hourg and has reference to the map of the heavens at the mom- ent of birth. Alchemy, foundation for Chem- istry, sprang from the root of As- trology with its magical origin. The division of the metals among the planets led to the popular idea that the metals were formed by the influence of a certain planet for each-thus if the ancient Al- chemist placed a certain matter under the rays of Jupiter it be- came tin, under those of Saturn- lead. and by the extraordinary power of the sun it became gold. Originally Alchemy dealt with the discovery of the properties of matter-how certain matter came into existence, and of what it was composed. It was, however, bound theorists had it that the spirits in the planets controlled these met- als and the Alchemist was accus- ed of having supernatural and mysterious powers. So great is the relationship be- tween Magic and the pseudo-sci- ence which I have discussed and so closely bound up were they with it for centuries, that all of the secrecy and mysteriousness of Magic clung to the pseudo-scien- ces. When the real Sciences of Chemistry, of Astronomy later developed, they were freed from magical beliefs and given openly to the public. Although secrecy disappeared, some of the atmos- phere of the supernatural still clung to these sciences in the minds of people. Pharmacy, of course, was a nat- ural product of Chemistry and Medicine. Primarily, it was al- lied with Medicine, Astrology and Magic. Then with the final dev- elopment of Alchemy and Chem- istry, it was placed on a scientific root-principle, The Science of Physics-study of properties and inter-relations of matter and energy-cannot be traced back definitely to Magic for its origin. However, the human mind logically argues that as Magic opened the gate-way to an understanding of nature and caus- ed men to search diligently for knowledge, so the searching, at least, for other Sciences-Physics, Optics and others-had its origin with Magic. It is definitely known that Roger Bacon studied the sci- ences and did much to bring the Science of Optics from its rudi- mentary state to greater elabora- tion. Yet Roger Bacon was look- ed upon as a Magician, and Optics was then regarded as part of the Mystic Art. When we stop to take into con- sideration the working out of our great sciences and the under- standing of the world which they bring to us, and then realize that all this had its origin in Magic- Magic which was to the people of antiquity the most tremendous in- fluence in life- Magic which thou- sands of years have failed to des- troy, we are forced to realize that although Magic is now an enter- taining art, it was the root from which sprang most of our great sciences. ' fEditor's Notel Wallace Thurs- ton, a former L.C.I. student, is a gra.duate psychologist. He is well- known as a lecturer and expon- ent of psychic phenomena, and also an outstanding scholar, hav- ing recently received an honour diploma and medal as a reward for his faithful efforts devoted to Scientific Health and Personality Building. 1...-