Life After Death.

Manawatu Times, Volume XL, Issue 13537, 30 October 1916, Page 7

Life After Death.

SIR OLIVER LODGE AND MISS STEAD. Sir Oliver Lodge has written a message of hope .to the bereaved (says the Loudon correspondent of the Melbourne "Argus" on September 7.) It occupies a large space in one of our weekly newspapers. Sir Oilver Lodge is a famous scientist, and the most distinguished pioneer of psychical research. His present contribution gives the writer's views about the future state. The following are among the most striking points: — Death is more like a port of departure, where we leave our land conveyance and launch out on a new medium. It is a great adventure, but in no sense a termination of existence. It is only a transition, a quitting of the material life, and an entry into another mode of existence, under different conditions, with new surroundings, not al-. together dissimilar to the surroundings here. Messages have been received across the gulf; the barrier is opaque no longer. There are facts demonstrating personal survival to bo studied, and, S ; .r Oliver adds:—"l venture' to anticipate wo shall find that what is called the next world is fully as real and interesting and ful-bodied as this world. That it is no strange land to which our friends have gone, but a home country commensurate 1 w r ith the brightest of our reasonable hopes.'' The question of survival after death has also been discussed by Miss Estelle Stead. This lady inherits a of the Great Mystery from her father, the late Mr William Stead, who was downed in the Titanic. Many people remember his records of what happened in Julia's cabinet. His daughter is now the head of Julia's bureau, a psychic institution, established by her father, which seems to be much patronised by the relatives of men who have died in battle. Miss Stead tells us of cases where parents or wives of soldiers have succeeded in communicating with their loved ones in the spirit world. These wonderful results are achieved by mediums at seances — after the old-fashioned way. Miss Stead states that she has attended many sittings with one' lady, medium (American, of course), and heard people talking througn her "to their hero sons at the other side, just as I might be talking to someone sitting by my desk." Miss Stead considers though a few mediums may be guilty of trickery, the great majority are reliable. She advocates the payment of mediums, and she tells us on the authority of a special contribution from her father, that the other world is full of spirits longing to speak to those from whom they have been parted. Perhaps the most interesting part of this lady's communication relates to her father. Miss Stead states that he wanted very much to come back to those on earth he loved, and could not tear himself away, but gradually, as hje l became accustomed to the other world, he grew more contented, and in messages we have received from him compared himself to a boy exploring a most wonderful country, with ever so much more power than he possessed when circumscribed by earthly limitations."