THE DEAN OF CHRISTCHURCH.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 17021, 18 December 1920, Page 8

THE DEAN OF CHRISTCHURCH.

SPIRITISM THE ABROGATION OF REASON. I havo no a priori objection to th? possibility of holding communion the spiritual -world. Such communion is, to a Christian man, perfectly reasonable, in the abstract, and thousands of Christians beliovo that they have had personal experience of it. Tho Church lias always set its facc against efforts to force such communion by artificial means: Tho reticcnce of the New Testament upon this subject; t-ho possiblo entanglement with "spirits of another sort''; reverence for tho departed themselves; and tho danger of "fools rushing in where angels fear to tread" may havo had something to do ■with this prohibition. The Persistence of Fraud and Tolly. But tho main cause was probably tho association with witchcraft, tohungaism, and all the obscuro tanglo of fraud and mischief wfth which occultism lias been associated from tho days of history. Modern Spiritualism 'must disentangle itself from tho frauds and follies of past centuries before it can expect to 1)0 treated with respect. Nobody doubts the existence of singular 'psychological phenomena whic?i point that way, but they are never conclusive. Tho workings of tho subconscious mind aro little underetood. Subconscious telepathy mav bo talvcn as nn established fact. Psychic persons iu a. state of trance (with reason and willpower in suspense) do communicato tho strangest facts or fancies. In the emotional atmosphero of a seance, where tho enquirer is longing for tidings from tho unseen, he will often get what ho wants; but these messages, though personally impressive, don't often bear tihe light of day. The verification can be established only by reference tc something known already by somcow on this side, and therefore within the circle of psychic action. Tho tidings ol the_ other world are always manifestly derived from things familiar on earth. Mental and Material Darkness. Personally, I am sceptical. I think that if such communication comes, i'. should como through normal and natural channels, and contain something of verifiable value. And I greatly dis trust the employment of a "medium" (a question-begging word), thrown Ihtd an abnormal mental state, as a channel of information on so groat a matter, It is not good to play experiments with one's body—still less with one's soul oj mind. One doe 3 not usually • begin the search for truth by abrogating the use of reason. ' Our minds aro not meant to work that way. Th® safer path to truth is to seek it with tfoe lights up, and with all one's facilities awake, and until the Spiritualist can do this, and produc© verifiable knowledge from beyonjil, I think he will remain "suspect."