SPIRIT WORLD

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17820, 1 July 1932, Page 4

SPIRIT WORLD

DISCUSSION IN ENGLAND QUESTION OF COMMUNICATION LONDON, June 18. go widespread is the spiritualist movement. in Britain, according to Mr. Ernest Oaten, spiritualist leader, that at least 200,000 people connected with 850 societies gather each Sunday for services, and tens of thousands of families meet in private homes for communication with relatives who have “passed over.” Mr. Oaten declares that lie lias talked with spirit people, grasped their hands, looked into their eyes, put his fingers into their mouths, and weighed and measurod them as materialised forms. Great interest has been aroused by a discussion of spiritualism inaugurated by the Daily Mail. A special correspondent, in opening the controversy, claimed that people in Britain interested in spiritualism number 3.000,000, and probably it, has more adherents than any religion except the Anglican; also that spiritualists, through psychic mediums, are healing tho sick. One London centre, he stated, gave 20.000 spirit treatments last year. The Bishop of Norwich, however, declares that tho Church has something far better and more substantial to offer than spiritualism, which is a very poor substitute for Christianity Kvhen the faith is accepted in the heart and lived sincerely. Moreover, if spiritualism is suggested ns a bulwark of Christianity, it is unnecessary, incomplete and wrongful, while the life hereafter, as depicted by spiritualism, is often trivial and unworthy. Dr. Scott Lid get t, joint editor of the Contemporary Review, in admitting the impossibility' of denying psychic phenomena, which, in bis opinion, must be studied without prejudice, says. that, nevertheless, abundant opportunities exist for all kinds of deception, including self-deception. The Rev. Alfred Ellis, president of the Baptist Union, questions the wisdom of spiritualism, in view of the Biblical warning. Ho asks whether those who fall asleep in Christ are at the beck and call of mediums, and whether those who die without Christ are free to communicate with the world they have left. Mr. Ellis adds: “Let lonely, suffering hearts turn for comfort not to the dead, but, to the Living God.”' For every professional medium at least 50 practise privately, says Mr. Oaten. Ho affirms that lie has attended 4000 seances. Ho declares that spirits can pass matter through matter, while tho rays used in psychic photography are uncharted. and some phenomena imply forces unknown to man.