Conference of Clergy.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XI, Issue 2, 2 August 1920, Page 307

Conference of Clergy.

' A meeting of the clergy bf the northern part /of the Hawke's Bay -\ Archdeaconry was held -at the Deanery on^onday, July; sth. There Was an almost full attendance of the clergy, >and:the new organising secretary of the <Board ; of Missions, the Rev. W, J. Durrad, w*is also present. A welcome was given to the hew Vicar of Hastings; the Rev. R. . T. Hall. Canon Arthur Williams gaive ah address on Spiritism and particularly demoniacal possession. He quoted the testimony of several high medicaL specialists m mental disease as to the prevalence of demoniacal possession ahd its connection with insanity, and gave some of S his own/ experiences with regard to; -evident.'■';-

possession . amongst the~ - Maoris. Canon Williams and several of the Maori clergy have -had to deal With demoniacal possession amohg v the Maoris and have succeeded m mahy cas,es m. exorcising the evil / spirits and completely restoring the patients "to a right mind. There /"seems l np doubt that spiritism, under the name of "Spiritualism, '.'is rapidly spread-, ing through the World and cases of, demoniacal possession are 6onsequently increasing.- Attempts are specially and persistently being made to ensnare prominent Christian workers as our Liord prophesied, "insomuch that if it were possible ' they shall deceiye the very elect. ' ' In the course pf ... the discussion several: books were mentioned as useful m studying the subject": The i Necromancers, Benson ; Modern Spiritism, by Dr. Schofield (Churchill) ; Spiritism, what it means and what it leads to, Rev. E. W. Moore; .Spiritism, a history and critical sketch, by Canon McClure (S.P;C.K) ; Spiritism, a~ personal experience, Coulson- Kernahan; Spiritism, m the light of the. Faith, Hardy (S.P.C.K.);, The inside truth of Spritualism, Cumberland. ; Some of the above books can be obtained m Napier, at OhjadWick 's, and others at the Bible and Tract (Depot m Wei-' lington. The clergy were, oh this occasion, the guests of the Rev. J. B. Malcolm. It was reported that one ; or two generpus laymen had offered to Subscribe to a fund for establishing . a circulating .' library for the clergy; a committee was 'appointed to choose suitable books for study. It Was decided to meet m Napier again on Augtist 2nd, at Archdeacon Simkin 's house. :