ASSOCIATION OF SPIRITUALISTS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 87, 6 January 1908, Page 8

ASSOCIATION OF SPIRITUALISTS.

J —o——Ll: /: ADDRESS BY MRS. GEORGIA COOLEY. The New. Century Hall in Kent Terrace was- .crowdedlast night, when Mrs. Georgia mntl* f °° 11 ; .oeiebratod- Spiritualist medium - from - U.S.A., who is undor. special engagement to conduct missions under tlio auspices of tho Wellington '. Association of r'"ji l3 ' ' c ' o ' IV P r - c d' the first' I 'of a genesot. addresses f on- Spiritualistic:' subjects.; Tho' Platform was. tastefully addrnoil 'with' floral decorations, while- the national flags'"of Amonca, Great Britain,, and "the -Doniinion of Now Zealand were draped, 6n. r t-ho wall Dcnind. i . Mr.-- Williani M'Lean, .President of '.the Association, .111 an introductory speech, introduced Mrs..Cooley to her -audience; and roierred _.to, tho'work Of the. distinguished medium in America. :Oii bohalf of tho.Spiritualists of New Zealand ho extended - to their visitor n hearty 1 welcome. Ho-quoted from a Jotter'from the late President of tho National Association of Spiritualists of tho, United States, in which the, writer referred' to tho splepdid services rendered to Spiritualism 111, America by . Mrs.' Cbolcy. Ho tendered,,to' her'their very best;'wishes for the success of her mission,-in New Zealand. - Mrs -Cooley. replied • feelingly 'to :.th'o President -s address- of,: welcome.' -. Tho, . Hag's above thoni, slje .said, iymjb'olized tlio'greatest .victory of all—tho. bond of' national union. !.. speaker then referred to tho -subject of hei;. address, "Spiritualism, tho Light .bf tho Agc/ ! Modern,, Spiritualism', was t-h'p light-bearer of the present-.day; it answered thp.,anxious .enquirer;. in a way..'that'.no other religion..did. . Qther religion's failed to supply that consolation to the bereaved, stricken with anguish, at-the loss of tlifeir dear/ones, which. Spiritualism did:., . A religion ..which did not cross to the Great Beyond, that, did not lift,tho. veil' which liitl/the mystery of tlio dead, could .not- supply that consolation. Inking .up ..the. condition whi.clf followed-upon 'that chemical change.which they, called death was, simply taking, up that life in tlio Hereaitor..which they'had laid,down"b'eforo the change. .It was a. "birthday." ; In tho world winch .]ay : before thein after doath the question \yhich. would be ■asked thejtt was not, how much .moiiey they had left behind, but what treasures they had laid up, by .good deeds and ' thoughts, for tlio Uerealter. What, thev .one and all .craved lor .was knowledge. Tho spirit'of, research possessed their minds, and tho intellectual progress of the world was. tho story of man's obedience to .tlio instinct .for knowledge. They wero stepping on , tho stones of-know-ledge,-to higher tilings. No truth 'or portion of a truth was evor accepted by a community at onco. That was for tlio individual, who, inspired by the divinity of his discovery, inspired others, taught .them, and so ultimately educated tlio entire community. Spiritualism had a practical bearing on their lives. It laid-its influence, not only upon tho soul, but upon.the tcmplo of tlio soul, tho. body. That templo should: be a fit sanctuary for tho soul. They., went, to their temples of worship to.pray, and they regarded t-hoso plaoes as Jiallowed, clean;-.and puro. Tho samo .should,, bo said of- tho earthly 1 temples, of their souls. Tliey should be well cared for, pure, and worthy of their sacred tenants. ■ They would' find many- a true woman dressed 111 calico, many a perfect gentleman garbed in "jeans,',' and- tliby would 1 find many an adventuress in silks and satins. ' and man.v.a villain,in br.ohdclotli. SIIO them to live closo to nature, for in the, purity and swee.triess.of nature thoy would,find tho lessons for their own conduct in . life. Let ' them givo heed to. those sudden thoughts which, as a warning voice, commanded them to turn asido from certain actions. It took a great deal to bo a Spiritualist. Spiritualism did not merely mean to tho earnest believer that spirits would como to him from tho other world. It laid upon li'im the necessity of living his life on tho earth plane in its highest and truest and purest sense. Then, and only then,, could tho believer bo called a , truo Spiritualist, and enjoy the blessings of r his reward' both in this lifo and the Hereafter. ' ■ Mrs. Cooley-then gavo a few messages from ( tho spirit world. ' ! 1 A seance will bo held on Wednesday oven- , ing in tho New Century Hall, Kent Terrace, when tho medium will givo an exhibition of f her powers. J ============= ,