SPIRIT RAISING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14145, 21 August 1909, Page 4

SPIRIT RAISING.

MEDIUMS DENOUNCED.

A CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

The visit to Wellington of Mr. Charles Bailey, a Melbourne spiritualist, promises to be attended with special interest by reason of a proposed test of his powers. The Dominion states ' that a challenge issued by Mr. T. W. Driver, a conjurer, regarding the phenomena of spiritualism, has been accepted by Mr. William McLean, a prominent figure in Wellington spiritualist circles. The challenge is as follows : —" £100 challenge to mediums : I claim, unequivocally and without, reservation, that the so-called phenomena of spiritualism are produced entirely by human agency and denounce mediums,' one and all, as tricksters. The above sum will be wagered that I can fully, completely, and satisfactorily perform any manifestation of so-called spirit power which I am permitted to witness three times. I challenge Mr. William McLean to allow mo to test Charles Bailey under rigid test conditions. A few days ago Mr. McLean told me Bailey was no conjurer.' Lot me prove to Wellington and himself that a conjurer knows more than he does about a. spirit medium. We have had quite enough theory from tho spiritualists ; let us now have something practical. —(Signed) Thos. W. Diiivkr, professional conjurer." Mr. McLean, in taking up the cudgels on behalf of spiritualism, says : — "I accept Mr. Driver's challenge in so far as the sum of £100 is concernedto test not only the genuineness of the ' apports' obtained by Mr. Bailey, but also the means by which they are obtained— but not that the deposit of the money shall be regarded as.a wager. I have deposited a sum of £100 with you (the editor of the Dominion) to be held subject to conditions which I shall lay down in the course of a few days, in the event of Mr. Driver covering his challenge with "a similar sum of £100 and the test taking place. I am not a betting man and have no desire to encourage, or be a party to, what the law has sot its face against, and I would remind Mr. Driver that, even if I accepted his challenge as a wager, and won, I would have no right legally to claim the money from him, nor could I recover it in a Court of law, and, further, I have no desire to bring my spirit friends down to the level of anyone who desires to endeavour to win money by the gambling methods proposed by Mr. Driver. If Mr. Driver is honest and sincere, and is really desirous of proving his assertions, let him also deposit a sum of £100, and I will then disclose the terms upon which I accept his challenge, both as to the disposal of the money and also regarding the- conditions to be imposed. This will givo him the opportunity he requires to disprove, if possible, the genuineness of the phenomena produced by Mr. Bailey. The test conditions to be observed will certainly be very stringent, as I desire to take every means to eliminate even the slightest suspicion of trickery and legerdemain in so far as it might possibly affect Mr. Bailey. Thee conditions will be made public immediately Mr. Driver shows Ifis bona fides by depositing the £100 in. the way described above. I take it that Mr. Driver is issuing his challenge, not for the purpose of making money, but in an endeavour to throw a clearer light upon the truth, and he can, therefore, have no possible objection to prove his bona fides, as I suggest, " I have the honour," concludes Mr. McLean, "to vindicate the truth against the world of professional conjurers."