There is an important distinction to be noted here, to-wit: a thing may be OUTSIDE of the usual pattern, rule, or type, in the sense of being INFERIOR TO or UNDER the ordinary standard, and in this case is known as "ABNORMAL," the latter term being employed as a term of depreciation. On the other hand, the "OUTSIDE of the standard" quality may consist of a SUPERIORITY to the prevailing standard, and accordingly is entitled to be classed in the category of the "SUPERnormal"--the prefix "SUPER" meaning "ABOVE, OVER, HIGHER, etc." It is important that the distinction be made clearly between the use and meaning of these two terms, "abnormal" and "supernormal," respectively. The first named denotes INFERIORITY, and the latter denotes SUPERIORITY. This distinction may be more clearly apprehended by means of a concrete example, as follows: On our own plane of existence the senses of sight and hearing, respectively, are included in the usual standard, pattern, and type of sense normality--every normal person possesses these senses in a certain general degree of power; hence, on this plane of existence, a person born blind, or deaf, is spoken of as "ABNORMAL," that is to say, such a person is DEFICIENT in regard to the sense powers. On the contrary, let us imagine a plane of existence, in which the great majority of individuals lack the power of sight and hearing, respectively. On such a plane of existence, the occasional individual who was born possessed of the powers of sight and hearing, respectively, would be properly regarded as "SUPERNORMAL," that is to say, such a person would be SUPERIOR to the ordinary run of individuals--above them, in fact. The term "ABNORMAL" means MINUS the ordinary standard quality; and the term "SUPERNORMAL" means PLUS the ordinary standard quality. And yet both the "plus" and the "minus" would be "outside" the normal type, though there is a difference as wide as that between the two poles, in this "outsideness." Supernormal, Not Abnormal The above important statement concerning the distinction between the "abnormal" and "supernormal" is not made merely for the purpose of academic differentiation and classification. On the other hand, it is made because there is a most pernicious tendency on the part of the ignorant and unthinking portions of the public to regard and to classify certain high phases of occult and psychic manifestation of power as "abnormal," hence BELOW the standard; whereas, properly speaking, such manifestations of power are far ABOVE THE STANDARD, and, hence, clearly entitled to the term "supernormal." The Prevailing Ignorance