SPIRITISM

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 13 November 1928, Page 4

SPIRITISM

[To the Editor) Sir, —As promised I now send you a second letter on the subject of Spiritism, this time referring to Dr. Tillyard's lecture 011 tho subject, reported in your issue of 13th October. In February of last year a long correspondence was carried on in your columns bet ween Dr. Tillyard and Mr W. E. White. In that correspondence Dr. Tillyard asserted that ho was not a Spiritist, but an investigator into psychic phenomena, lie expressed himself ;is convinced of the reality and genuineness of the manifestations which ho had witnessed, but whether caused by intelligent spirits or by "unknown vibrations" lie could not then decide. He wrote, "I regard the spirit hypothesis as not yet fully proved, but it certainly is tho only hypothesis extant which fits some of (he 'facts." (See his letter in ■lhc "Mail" of 7th February, 1927 j. In his recent lecture, the doctor takes a different stand. He has had opportunities for further investigation. He has heard a voice recognised as that of a man named Walter, brother to Mrs Ciandon (Margery, the, medium), speaking to himself and others. In his presence this spirit-man has drawn from the medium's body something which he calls "teleplasm," which is not matter, but "something between primal energy and matter." Yet with this strange something "Walter" could lift slips of paper off the. table, and do other wonderful things as stated in the report Not only so, but this tpleplastic material could be seen, and felt and photography cd, and thumb-print impressions coulfl be made bv it upon wax. On one occasion "Waller" could not lift some slips off the table, and "swore roundly" in consequence. Dr. Tillyard gave assistance, and then "he felt Walter's terminal crcPT) down his arm and over his hand, and'take the slips away." Truly

this is marvellous! There is much more, but I refer to it to show that the doctor has now taken a different position. Evidently "unknown vibrations" could not do the things that "Walter" did. It is clear therefore that Dr. Tillyard is now a convinced spiritualist—as much so as Sir Oliver Lodge and Sir Conan Doyle. Ecaders of your paper have now had these two views, laid before them at great length by Dr. Tillyard and Mr White, and must either choose between the two or 'find some explanation of a different kind. Is there any such other explanation ? There is : and it is quite ( well known to many of your readers. It is the explanation given in the Bible, which Book Christians believe to be the one and only source of reliable information given to man for his guidance in. all matters concerning God, a future life, judgment to come, and all matters included under the term Religion. What then is the'teaching of the Bible on this subject? It is that spiritual beings can and do, under certain conditions, communicate with human-kind. More than this, such beings can gain ascendancy and control over men of a most powerful kind. Whether these spirits are those of deceased persons, or of some different order, may not be readily discovered, and does not greatly matter. The one thing that does matter is that they are invariably described as evil, and' bent upon tho destruction of humanity. Just as wo road of angelic beings who are good and holy, and benefactors of mankind, so we read of evil angels, wicked spirits, lying spirits, and other terms. These spirit-beings were worshipped

in ancient times under various names; Baal, Nebo, Tammuz, and others. Forms of men, women, or animals were made to represent them. These forms were worshipped by the Canaanites and other idolatrous nations. This idolatry is termed demon-worship in tho Bible. Children were offered to Molech and other idols as living sacrifices, being cast alive into fires. Because of this sin the Israelites were driven out of their land as tho Canaanites had been before them. "They worshipped all the host of heaven (astrology) and served Baal, and caused their children to pass ' through tho fire, and used divination and enchantments, artd sold themselves to do evil in the sight of Jehovah, to provoke Him to anger." (2 Kings xvii, 16, 17). Sec also Psalm cvi, 37, 38 and many other places. But it may be asked, "Is modern spiritism the same as this?" In the main it certainly is. Divination, astrology, necromancy, and witchcraft, were all parts of it. These communications with "Walter" and others are necromancy pure and simple. The tendency of -these, things is evil. Many books have been written pointing out the evils of spiritism. One of these tells of a man who committed suicide in Wellington in 1908, and left a letter stating that he was impelled by spirits which had gained tho mastery over him, and had made his life a misery and a horror. Another tells of a young woman who drowned herself because the spirit of her lover called her from the nether world. But these books, good as they are, fail to show that this spirit-worship does not pose before men as a bad and ugly thing at all; far otherwise ! The agent used is perhaps a comely and graceful woman, or a man of good manners and culture. The vulgar and degraded forms

of the same tiling are decried and denounced. But here again the Bible aids us by telling us that the chief of these evil spirits can" transform himself into an, angel of light, and that those who serve him can pass themselves off as teachers of what"is good, beautiful, and true. God does not leave us without warning. Of His Commandments it is said, "By them is Thy servant warned, and in keeping of them there is great leward." Personally I know the truth of this. I have been tempted by this very thing, and by other evils, but by the" mercy of God I have escaped tho snare, and have found great happiness / in my old age. In conclusion, let me advise any persons who are tempted to dabble with spiritism in any form or shape, to avoid it; pass not by it; turn from it, and pass away. —I am, etc., F. J. JEFFREYS. Auckland, 9th Nov.