QUIMBYISM. The principles and teaching of Phineas Parkhurst Quimby (1802-186(l). Quimby was born in Lebanon, New Hampshire, but two years afterwards his parents moved to Belfast. His father was a black smith, and the son did not receive a good education. Phineas Quimby, however, according to his son. " had a very inventive turn of mind, and was always interested in mechanics, philosophy, and scientific subjects." When the French mesmeriser Charles Poyan visited America about the year 1836, Quimby became interested in the new science. He began to experiment himself, believing the new power to be animal magnetism. In course of time, however, he came to realize that the real factor was the influence of one mind upon another. This led him to develop a science of mental healing. "To reduce his discovery to a science, which could be taught for the benefit of suffering humanity, was the all absorbing idea of his life. To develop his thepry ' or 'the truth,' as he always termed it, so that others than himself could understand and practise it, was what he laboured for. Had he been of a sordid and grasping nature, he might have acquired unlimited wealth; but for that he seemed to have no desire" (Dresser). Quimby lost faith in the efficacy of Mesmerism. " Instead of putting the patient into a mesmeric sleep, Mr. Quimby would sit by him; and, after giving him a detailed account of what his troubles were, he would simply converse with him, and explain the causes of the troubles. and thus change the mind of the patient, and disabuse it of its errors and establish the truth in its place; which, if done, was the cure." Quimby claimed that " mind was spiritual matter and could be changed "; that " disease was an error, or belief, and that the truth was the cure." In 1859 he went to Portland, where he practised until 1865. Annetta G. Dresser went to Quimby as a patient in 1562, and she has given an account. of her experience. She says that her first interview with him marked a turning-point in her life. He had a large practice. " People were coming to Mr. Quimby from all parts of New England. usually those who had been given up by the best practi tioners, and who had been persuaded to try this new mode of treatment as a last resort. Many of these came on crutches or were assisted into the office by some friend; and it was most interesting to note their progress day by day, or the remarkable change produced by a single sitting with the doctor. I remember one woman who had used crutches for twenty years. who walked without them after a few weeks." Mary Baker Eddy was one of those who visited Quimby. Annetta G. Dresser says she well remembers " the day when she was helped up the steps to his office on the occasion of her first visit for mental treatment." She adds : " She was
cured by him. and afterwards became very much interested in his theory. But she put her own con struction on much of his teaching, and developed a doctrine which is for the most part a one-sided inter pretation of the Quimby philosophy." The two state ments in the last sentence are a little difficult to under stand. The first admits the original and independent bent of Mrs. Eddy's mind; the second looks like an attempt to weaken this admission (see CHRISTIAN SCIENTISTS). See Horatio W. Dresser, Health and the Inner Life, 1907.
RA. One of the deities of the ancient Egyptians. Ra was one of the names of the Sun god, or rather of the Sun. The deity is depicted with the body of a man and the head of a He holds in one band the sign of life, and in the other a royal sceptre. Above his head is represented the solar disk surrounded by the symbol of power over life and death, the coil of the uraeus. The serpent was supposed to protect the sun against its enemies who tried to oppose its progress. The hawk's head indicates either that the passage of the sun across the heavens is like the flight of the hawk. or perhaps that the sun is supposed to have the form of a sparrow hawk. The latter is the view of Wiedemann. " Probably this bird of prey—which now hovering high in air seems to disappear into the blue heaven and to merge itself in the sun, and anon shoots down suddenly to earth like a ray of light—was regarded as the mes senger and even as part of the Sun god, and hence it was concluded that he himself bore the form of a sparrow hawk." In course of time other gods were combined with Ra. Amon-Rit, for instance, became for a thousand years the most prominent of all the gods of Egypt. See Alfred Wiedemann; Adolf Erman, Handbook; Edouard Naville, The OW Egyptian Faith, 1909.
A Hebrew word meaning " master " or " teacher." It was employed as a title for the doctors of the Talmudic Schools (the Amorally; see TALMUD). Abba Arikha (A.D. 175-247) of the Babylonian School was called simply Rab as being the teacher par excel lence. He founded (A.D. 219) the College at Sura on the Euphrates. " The Palestinian Amoraim who had been ordained by the Patriarch (Nasi) bore the title of Rabbi; those of Babylonia who had received ordination bore the title of Rab " (W. O. E. Oesterley and G. H. Box). The title Rabban " was reserved for Patri archs and beads of the Sanhedrin. Instead of Rab, Rabba " or " Rabbah " was also used. Rabbana, our teacher." was another title. It was given in particular to Rab Ashi of Babylonia. See J. W. Ethe ridge, Intr. to Heb. Lit.. 1S56; W. O. E. Oesterley and G. H. Box.