THE CAUSE OF SPIRITISM.

Waipa Post, Volume XVIII, Issue 1009, 21 October 1920, Page 7

THE CAUSE OF SPIRITISM.

SIR A. CONAN DOTLE. VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND. "Will those who swear they have been in direct touch with the dead stand up?" In a moment all but a few of the 250 Spiritualists who heard this appeal by Sir A. Conah Doyle were on their feet. "That's the most wonderful demonstration I have ever seen in London," was Sir Arthur's fervent comment. This incident took place at a luncheon in his honour given by the Spiritualists from all parts of the United Kingdom. "The whole world needs comfort,' said Sir Arthur. "Spiritualists, so far. as I can see, are the only people that can give -it. I shall tell the people of Australia and New Zealand of their relatives and friends who are dead to whom we have spoken, and whose voices we have heard talking to us as they could have doae had they been met in this world." It was an assemblage of mystics. Passionate sincerity was stamped on every face. There were few whose dress or appearance was odd or peculiar. And they had met together to bid farewell to Sir Arthur and Lady Conan Doyle prior to their departure to Australia and New Zealand to carry the message of Spiritualism to these countries.

Accompanied by their three children—two boys and a girl, aged 11, 9, and 7—and by Major Wood (secretary), Sir Arthur and Lady Conan Doyle are leaving by the Naldera on August 13, and after about three, months in Australia they expect to reach New Zealand in late December or the beginning of January. Sir Arthur hopes to give 20 or 30 lectures all told. He considers this new knowledge to be confirmatory of religion, putting it on a more solid basis than ever before. 'Two Great Types. At the luncheon, Dr. Abraham lace, dn proposing the health of the guests, eulogised the great services of them both in the cause of psychic science, and he said the gathering represented Spiritualists in England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, who had come together to join in wishing them "Godspeed" in their work in Australasia.

Sir Arthur, one of the most striking personalities, was all that a "wanderer in the middle mist," would not be expected to be. He was English almost to an incredible degree. He spoke with slow, powerful conviction. "Wherever I go," he said in a ringing voice, "I meet with opposition. It is nearly always the same. There are two great types of critics. One is the materialistic gentleman, who insists on his right to eternal putridity. The other is a gentleman"with such a deep respect -for the Bible that he has never looked at it. I am going to devote the rest of my life to this work. I was counting with my wife yesterday the number of friends with whom we have spoken since their death. There are 11, and we have spoken to them direct —as we did when they were in this world."

Speaking of Sir Arthur to whom he presented an illuminated address from the' Spiritualists in the United Kingdom, Mr H. Englholm said that, observing the careful and critical way in which he examined spirit photographs, "I have realised that Sherlock Holmes is still with us—a more spiritual Sherlock Holmes."

"I want to show the people in Australasia," said Sir A. Conan Doyle, "that there is no antagonism between spiritualism and orthodox Christianity. The only thing that spiritualism is antagonistic to his materialism. Indeed, the whole of the Bible bears out spiritualism. You have only to call a prophet a medium and a spiritmessenger an angel, and you have the explanation of the spirit manifestations of Scripture. A Life Mission. "My inclination after thirty years' study," he continued, "was strongly drawn towards -this matter in the early years of the war. My wife and I had personal experience which absolutely convinced us that the veil of death was very thin, that life was continuous, and that the dead were in touch with us. They were "only hindered by our want of interest and our want of intelligence. Having satisfied ourselves of this beyond a shadow of doubt by personal experience, we felt that it was not a conviction given us merely for our own consolation, but that at a time of so much loss and sorrow* it was a message to be conveyed to the world. We therefore'determined to devote the remainder of our lives to this object. "Since then-1 have given one hundred demonstrations and lectures in Great Britain which have carried these tidings to many people. I have shown them proofs of the continued existence of the dead, and have given, as we know, great consolation to very many mourners. Having lectured throughout Great Britain we were then invited to do the same in America. While the temptation was very great, I reflected that Sir Oliver Lodge had already covered the ground there, and I therefore determined that I would go to Australia and New Zealand. I knew of the splendid Imperial work these, countries had done in the war, and that in proportion there were as many bereaved families there as in England, and I felt it a duty and a privilege, if I could bring consolation by my message, to do so. Message to Everyone. "My message," continued Sir Arthur, "is not to spiritualists. It is to the whole of the population, I shall begin my lectures at Perth and work my way round to Brisbane, I hope to be in New Zealand about Christmas time, and to put in a month or six weeks doing that country as thoroughly as I can. I hope to be back in England about April next. ■

"I wish it to be known that I take no private fees for this.work, and that whatever money is earned will go to cover expenses. After that, any balance will be handed over to the spiritualistic cause. Our expenses, however will be very heavy, as I have to take ray wife and three children, also my secretary and a nursemaid. If 'here is any loss I am quite prepared to bear it myself."

Spirit Photography Sir Arthur produced a photograph from his handbag. It was a photograph of his son. "That negative," he said, "was handed direct to me. I brought it down to my home and developed it myself. I saw the spirit impression on the plate before it was printed. It is not a good likeness of my son, but it is recognisable. And here are two others." He showed me a group of some dozen people. It was just an ordinary group. "When we had had that taken, he said, "someone suggested that Mr Hope, the well-known spirit photographer, who was one of our party, should try a spirit photograph. Mr Hope took the matter seriously, and maintained that the atmosphere of the party must be changed. He suggested prayer and other devotions. We sang a hymn and prayed. A second photograph was taken, and this was the result." Sir Arthur produced a second photograph. It was the same group of people, but before them was an astral cloud and in the midst of this cloud was the face of a young man. The young man, who died at an early age, was the father of the oldest member of the party, now a septuagenarian.