SPIRITUALISTS' VOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20114, 27 November 1928, Page 10

SPIRITUALISTS' VOTES.

A NEW POLITICAL POWER.

SUGGESTION BY CONAN DOYLE

[IROXI OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] LONDON, Oct, IC. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has outlined the means by which spiritualists hope to gain "political freedom through using political power." The statement was made at a luncheon given to Sir Arthur and Lady Conan Doyle on the eve of their departure for South Africa. The need had been hi ought to a head. Sir Arthur said, by the recent prosecution of two spiritualists v.ho were convicted under the obsolete agraiicy Act. J lit; prosecution was technically successful, <ir Arthur said, "and we have to meet ! the situation. It will all be a blessing in disguise if it really arouses us to energetic action. We have a weapon to our lntnd. That weapon is political—there is no other one. iou do not get justice in this world by waiting for it; you havo to go out and call for it." It. would not be sufficient, tho speaker said, merely to approach individual candidates: they had to go to the heads of the parties. "We want to point out," ho continued, "that mediums are needful for our religious and scientific work, and that interference with our use of them or with the development of them, is religious persecution." Tho Home Secretary, to whom this had been pointed out, Arthur added, had Lrivrn a discouraging reply. "If tins Conservatives show that they can or will do nothing for us, our choice lies between Labour and the Liberals. We arc not to be despised. I think 200,000 is a modest estimate of the spiritualist vole. I am sure tbee are ton spiritualists for every Communist. We aro well organised iu our churches and the situation can bo explained from our platforms. Remember that it is really a great muse for which you fight. Matters of tho spirit—those gifts which St. Paul stated were the very signs of the early Christian—are denied by tho law of England.

"Black materialism surrounds lis. Wo have to break through this. We havo to let the light of the Spirit into this benighted world. We represent the young hope of the world among all the decaying foims of religion which surround us. F.vervbody who thinks of (he seven millions of war dead in Europe alone nniM think also that this has come vears of Christianity.

"It will be urged that we are mixing religion with polities. What of it? Does not the Church of England ? Do not the Nonconformist Churches? It will br> saiit nl>o that wc arc loosing a flood of charlatanism. The charlatans exist now. When tilings are legalised we would ourselves x'ind means to cleanse ourselves from these (xcople." Speaking of his mission to Africa, Sir Ar.thnr said, "the tour of tropical Africa wi?»' he nil ordeal, but as long as I have snirt't help I fear nothing at all. When that Mp fails I shall know that my job ifi done."