"NEW THOUGHT" DIVORCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15664, 18 July 1914, Page 2 (Supplement)

"NEW THOUGHT" DIVORCE.

MENTAL HEALING CASE.

PIQUANT EVIDENCE. The recent case of Sears \crsus Sears shows that the leaders of the "New Thought" and founders of the "New j Thought Church in Now York, have their marital troubles like other people j less progressive mentally. Dr. Julia Sea-1 ton Sears is trying to free herself from ; Dr. Franklin Sears, and each party was: surrounded in court by a little- coterie of disciples. It was noticed that most of the lady followers of the Now Thought disported themselves in the latest spring modes, and this was certainly the case j with Miss Pauline Langdon, 26 years of age, but looking about 40, for whom defendant admitted that he had a platonic friendship which did not extend to the familiarity that was alleged by his wife. ' Ho also admitted that he had been divorced from his first wife, but added that " in the eyes of God he had never j been wedded." ! Mr. Sears admitted also that his congregation made a collection for his hohuay trip to Europe, and that Miss Langdon accompanied him. Mr. Sears said he had never obtained a degree from any institution, but had been known as "doctor" since he- was a boy. He further asserted that Miss Langdon had asked him to: treat her for nervous prostration. " You treated her behind closed door??"' he was asked. , She was not an exception," Mr. Sears j replied. ! " W'nat did she pay you? " I "Two dollars." j Lessons in Rhetoric. Mr. Sears denied that he and Miss Lang-1 don had held hands. He said he spent a great deal of time with her, as she was leaching him rhetoric, to aid him in his i public speaking. ! " You took your meals with her? " j " Wo have frequently taken meals toge- '' ther." ' ' | Did you not think it strange, that you | took this trip together?" " .j " I knew tne conventionalities of life ' were against it; but a gentleman can be a gentleman alone with a lady, and a \ scoundrel will be a scoundrel." j Did not Miss Langdon, in London,' take you to good restaurants, and get you rood food sometimes?" " .No, she did not." " Did she not pay for your meals when i you wero out together?" "She never paid for my meals, nor I! for hers; wo had what is known as a j Herman treat whenever we went anywhere j together. I paid the bills, and she settled un with mo when it was over." "Did you ever call her sweetheart?" Never." "This is Not a Divorce Trial." In a series of spirited replies to counsel Miss Langdon defended herself and her relations with defendant. She asserted that Mrs. Julia Sears' real object in bringing the suit was to prejudice her husband and deprive him of power in the New Thought leadership. "This is not a divorce trial," cried Miss Langdon; "it is a fight for power. Mrs. Sears is not jealous of me, she is jealous of Mr. Sews' success; but she would crucify me if she could. She is jealous of the New Thought Church and the position she has lost. The whole world knows that Mr. Sears is a gentleman ; he is the greatest man in the world and has the greatest truth in the world. I Because his wife left him, why should I he be isolated? " "I

Asked to describe the mental healing she received on board ship, Miss Langdon said that Mr. Sears sometimes placed' his hand on her head and then went into silences lasting five or ten minutes.