Gullible Spiritualists.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19241, 1 December 1930, Page 8

Gullible Spiritualists.

To the Editor. Dear Sir, —That doughty champion of Spiritualism, Mr Peter Trolove, wrote a most diplomatic letter, but never an answer, to all the questions I set him. Come, come, Mr Trolove, is the best you can do is to state you had your Royal visitors several weeks before the arrival of the Duke of York? I asked for names of Royalties—live ones, please, in flesh and blood—who are Spiritualists. I think I know about your “Royal visitors, Mr Trolove. Wasn’t that the seance where the “spirit” of the late Czar “came through?” lie gave the true facts of his—and his family’s—execution. Those same facts' had been published in a Christchurch paper some weeks before the seance. It will be remembered that a few years ago, there was a different account weekly of the Czar's death. Here’s an interesting point. In the official facts, published and guaranteed correct by the German Government, we find a totally differ, ent story to that given by the Czar’s ‘ spirit.” 'lhen, too, if Spiritualism is such a great truth, why—only a short time ago—did one of England’s greatest mediums—Mr Trolove will know whom I mean—turn in the whole business in disgust, and publish in English papers that he had had enough of cruel trickery and fraud? If_ Spiritualism is such a great help and inspiration, why is it that H. Dennis Bradley’s psychic books are so lacking in the polish and epigrammatic style that characterise his other works? In that super-example of epigram, “The_ Eternal Masquerade,” we see Bradley at his best. In his psychic book, “Towards the Stars,” we see how the mighty has fallen. Where brilliance flitted through every line of the former, the latter book seems to be nothing more than inane dialogue supplied by such characters as Kokum (not Hokum) the Indian “spirit guide” and others from the spooky world. Further, after reading book after book for and against Spiritualism, I can safely say that with the right apparatus, and few weeks’ practise, there is no reason in the world why the average man cannot go into business as a medium. There is money in it. It also has the dignity of being a very old profession. No, Mr Trolove, I would not like to see mediums tied to the stake, though I heartily approve of the duck-pond. II mediums were countenanced by law, but forbidden, under penalty of long imprisonment, from taking money. Spiritualism would collapse like a house of cards.—l am, etc. MATERIALIST.