THE SEANCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 595, 25 August 1909, Page 8

THE SEANCE.

LIFE IN THE SPIRiT WORLD.

'AN ADDRESS AND SOME QUESTIONS

THE APPORTS: TWO BHIDS Mr. Charles Bailey, the Melbourne medium, was tho central figure at another spmtualistio seance held last evening in a hall in Woodward Street'. When our representative arrived at ab6ut 7 45 j> m. tho circle of 40 was completed,, but Mr. M'Lean very courteously , made room for him near Mr. Bailey. After being seated a few minutes the medium , closed liia eyes, breathed deeply, and then ' >in manner somnabulistic advanced to t the "" centre of the room with outstretched hands. Without further ado, and with closed eyes, he directed the usual searching "sacking" operations. After being well felt, Bailey be- '< fore he got into the black sack slapped himself hard all over: He was then fitted into the strange garment, which was drawn , tightly together at the neck and wrists, and seated in a chair withm a cabinet of jrhite net, or coarse buttcrcloth, through which the medium was plainly viable. I

An Address on Spiritualism. A few moments of quiet, and the medium announced ..tha| he was "Mr. Denton," and was there to give an address on Spiritualism. Before he started he said that there was a , ' section of tho press of the city which through ' blind ignorahce was out on the rampage , against his mission m Wellington, and there f ' Were > also' noticeable premonetary symptoms of what he would call "parsomtis," induced by softening; of the brain. H6 ventured to say that botore very long there would bo a change in tho opinion of some of the people, i who, in ignorance, had concluded that this was the work of the devil. Following this came a discourse on Spiritualism and life in the spirit world, interspersed with quotations ' from the Scriptures. "Mr. Denton" said that • theology or theologians taught that tho man who was a good man worn; to heaven, and if ho was* bad he went to hell; others that r there was no hope beyond the grave, but he gave the assurance-' that there was a place for'the spirit of man after death, a world "just' as real as the one in which we live.- He did not..come to •> tell that this place was a beautiftil city of gold with walls of jaspar, but there all that was beautiful and good on earth had its counterpart. Indeed, it was only copies of the beautiful good we" had on ,carth —tho real existed in the spiritual world. * There were seven spheres or planes lin spint-land, which one moves through as ho progresses spiritually; He said that wero our legislator cognisant of the life boyond they would change their attitude in respect to the i treatment of criminals, but exactly in what direction "Mr Denton" did not indicate. He hinted that good did come by the prayer of those on earth for the souls of the departed, and incidentally mentioned that he was glad to ' note that spiritualism was making such progress in Roman Catholic countries. * After quoting the name of Archdeacon Colley, and making a reference to tho great minds who were "investigating scientifically," the voice of "Denton" became hard a~hd loud, on mentioning satirically the tricks of "unbelievers." Someone said he knew how to materialise spirjts—you put 100 match heads in a bottle, and when tho / cork was removed a luminous vapour arose from the phosphorus. Could anyone be so ' stupid as to write such nonsense, but what was more was that there was a journal ignorant enough to publish such a - thing How could anyono behove that phenomena were "faked" when tho greatest minds in Europe were investigating tho matter' After a peroration, "Denton" asked for questions. ' '

About Spirit-land. An eminent lawyer asked:—"You say yon are 'Denton' from the spint world?" "Yes." "Can you tell us something about the spint world? rWo would like to'know what sort of a place it is." ' "I've already told you it 13 a "placo where all is good and beautiful," replied Denton I "That's 'all very well," said the lawyer, "but can't you ( give us a general description 1 , of this sphere. What do you have there'" ' .. ,"It's just this —we have spiritual pictures. landscapes, not material ones —, said "Denton," after-a pause. 1 - , "Yes, but you being in this spiritual sphere ought "to be able to give us a good description of the place, like a person who has travelled, through a country is able to give his impressions, said the lawyer. "Mr. Denton" only repeated what he had said before. ' ' 1 He was them questioned closely as to bow ft was he possessed ifche faculty of being a medium., _ , . . "I am not a medium," said' "Denton" brusquely. "I'm a 'control.' You can'see this man Badey? I control his organs of speech. 'For the time being I'm tie man in possession." / , "No, but will you explain why or how it is you have this faculty ?" r v "Wo can't understand platitudes' through buttercloth," said another. 1 "Would your finite mind 'be able to grasp it, if I'talked till morning?" said "Denton." "Christ was unable to do it, and he was a greater man than %" With the Croat Doad. > •

"Have you met any of the people, say, some of the great ones?" asked Dr. Tudor Jones. "Yes," said "Denton" "Who, foi instance?" asked the doctor. "I have met H M Stanley, the African explorer, General Gordon, who was murdered at Khartoum, and William Lloyd Garrison " "What was the nationality of H M. Stan,'j ley?" asked Dr Jones J "Ho was an American boy who wont to ' t England," said "Denton " ' You're wrong there," Dr < Jones, "he was a native of Denbigh, in North Wales, and to his credit, bo it said, ho was ' brought up in a workhouse " At this "Denton" became rather hoated, and stated" that words were being put into his mouth that ho never said Dr, Jones, argued that he did nothing of the Uiid * The chairman, Mr W. M'Lean, had to ; interfere, and in, doing so took the part of the "control " , "You mentioned that you.had talked with Wm Lloyd Garrison and Gordon, who was murdered at Khartoum," said Dr Jones "I said I had MET them I" said "DenJon " ' "What of William Lloyd Garrison! 1 /Wl)at was''his great k work for humanity'" 6aid Dr Jones "I'm not going to argue about that," said tho "control." i Then the lawyer returned to the charge, wishing to know with what object Professor Denton possessed himself of the body of Bailey "I have been instructed by the higher intelligences to come to these meetings There arc some things the fleshly mind can't understand in tho spiritual .world " "Have you met Dick Seddon?" asked a questioner. "No," was tho reply More Apports. At this stage "Denton" became tired, so the programme was varied ' "Phenomena" was tho next item. The lights wore turned out, and tho call for a "song" brought "Shall We Gather at the River," mostly from tremulous fomaje voices After two verses had been sung, a voice was heard saying "Salaam I" It was Abdul "Salaam," said Mr M'Lean familiarly "Do you wantum light?" , "Yi'sm," said Abdnl. The lights were turned up "Littce bird, not same's udder Lttce bird!" said the "control," and a tiny brown "bird, with a grey beak, was released from his hand. "Put downee light, get anuddcr litteo bird," said Abdul, and out went the light Wlien it went up again, thero waß another bird in Bailey's nand behind the net Abdul then said that one bird must go backone stay The light was put out, and the v bird had vanished. "Where docs the bird come from?" Abdul was asked. "India—it is known all through the East" "What is its name''" "Munia," said. Abdul. / "Spell it" "M-U-N-1-A.'i * , i i

Abdul did not remain long in control He was succeeded by placid-spoken "Dr. Wbitcomb," who was really very entertaining, and showed himself possessed of a good deal of Biblical knowledge! Asked as to whether he behoved in the Bible, the "Doctor" said "No, not altogether, it was an inspired book, containing much that is good; It was inspired in just the same manner as Shakespearo'was" "Then you do not believe in Christ as that belief is taught through tho Bible?" queried someone in the gloom "Who is to say it is Christ's teachings' It was written by a number of men—inspired, if you like " After a long dissertation on tho spiritual spheres and replies to a series of questions put to him by a lady on the subject of purgatory, the room was startled by tho question— "Have you met Christ?""Dr Whitromb" had not—he was only in the fifth sphero, antl Christ was m the seventh—tho heaven of heavens. Tho following circular contained in a Salvation Army envelope has been addressed to a person who attended last Friday's reanco: — t / "Young Man, —We learn that von are a misguided brother who, blind to tho peril of such a proceeding, intends making one of a number that will preside at one of the forthcoming Bailey seances. Christ is no supporter of such proceedings. There are phenoinona in Nature, presided over by no fess'a personage than the Evd One. This is one qf them Take friendly advice and refrain, from going to this ignominious circle "