Laurie sat back and drew on his cigarette rather hard.
"I understand perfectly," said the steady voice. "You are in a very
reasonable position. I wish all were as open-minded. May I say a word
or two?"
"Please."
"Well, it is materialization that puzzles you, is it?"
"Exactly," said Laurie. "Our theologians tell us--by the way, I am a
Catholic." (The other bowed a little.) "Our theologians, I believe,
tell us that such a thing cannot be, except under peculiar
circumstances, as in the lives of the saints, and so on."
"Are you bound to believe all that your theologians say?" asked the
other quietly.
"Well, it would be very rash indeed--" began Laurie.
"Exactly, I see. But what if you approach it from the other side, and
try to find out instead whether these things actually do happen. I do
not wish to be rude, Mr. Baxter; but you remember that your
theologians--I am not so foolish as to say the Church, for I know that
that was not so--but your theologians, you know, made a mistake about
Galileo."
Laurie winced a little. Mr. Jamieson cleared his throat in gentle
approval.
"Now I don't ask you to accept anything contrary to your faith," went
on the other gently; "but if you really wish to look into this matter,
you must set aside for the present all other presuppositions.
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