THE SEANCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 604, 4 September 1909, Page 6

THE SEANCE.

• ! NO. IV. ! ';■..'. MANGO-GROWING INTHIRTY MINUTES; .''The chief feature of the fourth of the Friday night series of seances of the mediiim Bailey, of. Melbourne, was a demonstration of mango- - growing' by a "spirit control" tinder test conditions'.'." .This demonstration had been postponed from the previous Friday on account of tho "conditions" being adverse, themedium having been upset by. the discord at the "seance on the preceding.. Tuesday". Last night perfect, harmony prevailed, and the mango "seed was made to sprout and throw out leaves as promised; -. . - It should bo explained that the particular. ■ seed .used/had been .produced a- week previously, ahd'handed dvor-to a press reporter, who marked" if for purposes'of.'identification," and who has'had it in: his possession since'. ■ Bailey,'. before' entering the cage last evening, was searched and placed in the black bng described,.-in -connection ■ withi previous seances/' his head and' hands'alone,'-'being

Outside the •.'bag/V'-A'sjusnaV- tliis bag.' l was •tipd and -. sealed (at the heck land wrists;; so'that 'jßailey : could not' get at. his. Jiockets 'should .there, lie .anything there .which'i.liad escaped the attention of; tho ( searoher's.; vA" flower-pot : full of; earth was .hahded'-'-into. Bailey, and the inango seed, or.stone, which, at.the medium's requostj'waa damped, was then placed on the earth' in the pot. "Mahnibnd," the Hindu "control,"; then'took. 'session of tho medium, and ,the lights ..wore' extinguished , '.jwhile.'.*ho -proceeded with • tho initial stage '.of: the demonstration. ! . ■: This ■ apparently consisted of: thrusting, the mango. ieed'into .thevearth, ,and- : fanning; it .with a .piece of paper.. /."Professor,Dentori" ousted' "Mahmoud" from possession of; the medium while, "the-,darkness -prevailed,'; aiid 'oii, tho; light; being .turned:;.on 'heydel.iyered an .address/ ;This''lasted'over.'half'•an.:hour, and in the.imeantime tho'pOt. wasih 'full, view on' the;, floor 'of tbe cage near the-, feet. -.Eater- "Mahmoud".'re'turhe'd,'.the. light'

was again turned out-for a:-few seconds, and on tho room being, illuminated once . more the -"control' ,: • showed , those present -the first stage of development. Tholmsk covering tho seed was ; broken away their eyes. , and.tho seed" was', shown tohayo thrown Out a sprout and roots. A little'later tho lights ivero turned out againUor a few seconds, and on relighting them • it was seen that two" small greon leaves-were sprouting through.the earth in the■ Jlower pot. At this stage, "Dr. AVhitcorab," tho medium b cltief. "control," took charge, and warned those present against touching the leaves. If they,did not touch them ho-would make the mango''grow much,bigger at tho. next Beanoc.' -He was very insistent on the point that ; tho - loaves shomi. not. bo . touchod,, and

his insistonco aroused .suspicion:in ..the- mind of .at least, ono of those, .present. "Dr. Whitcomb" apparently .-dinned this, for 'ho said 'that .if anyono doubted that the Jeaves were genuine and attached to tho roots, ho would pull up the plant and show it to them." ,But he warned them that this would end the'demonstration.' "■ : "'

A solitary sceptic—tho writer— reso. up and said he did not believe. Ho wanted the plant torn up and exposed. Tho great majority, however, were plainly, opposed to this.. They wanted to see tlie thing carried a stage further- at' .'the. .. next, .seance, •.. aiid "the sceptic was overruled.' Some • mention was made of showing roots and all. on that occasion,, but wliat:"Dr.. Whitcomb's" exact promise was the'writer could not'quite hear. ■ "Professor Ponton's" address was on tho 'origin of tho. legend■ of•• the Deluge.' The Jeßorid of,thb.Delugc,:)io said, arose,.from tho submerging of ; contihent .which. •• used .to stretch 'between feurope', Africa, aiiid ; America In. the Atlantic-Ocean. ■ Questions were plen- : One inquirer was concerned about,the re-.'ported-discovery of the-North; , Polo. -He asked & "Professor:Denton" could, arrange

with , any of, his"fcllow spirits to ! pay a yieit to! tho Polo.- '.-.•"•■•: •'•., .-.- ' ;■» '■; :, ;,;;. '"Tho- 'Professor" ' explained that. ; it.';wae Quito possiblo , ,to do .'so.'. .It. would be' .too" ■ : .'.' ;';, : i. V. [ ■'•' ■;';, ■.■.',.;. .'•: .iThbqu'estioner! "Will ..youvget someone to see what- Dr. .Cook has loft : there .to.prove' , that he reached the.Pole? "Tho Professor": Hβ mayi not have reached may have.' been tlie-;Mag-"hetic Pole. ..Anyway,-whatever; I. told'you' sbmo paper wouid : say it was 'Mot,'true. , I will see what; I" can tell "you next seacco! •"■ '• ; qnestionei-: In tho other life, are spirits, provided with spiritual-bodies? '■ r . - - t ,■ "The Pjofessor" :.,Tliat is ,a-very important xpiestui;v; They' aro, v . but' don't ask mo ..to explain." what' those bodies aro,4 becauso; 1 'can't toll you. Thoy ;haye spiritual bodies. —clairvoya'nte ; woWd see! them '.: '■■■■' :.,.'■' .-';

;■ A; questioner., wanted to'.know.-, how these spiritual' bodies were fed, and "Tho Pro.fes. sor" .6tatyxl.that they did'have"to ,be fed if

they ohosb. , to" call spiritual cmariatione from -the Master food./ v ;'■ • ' •• '. Another questioner asked if-spirits could liauiit aivyoho on earth or do them , an injury. "Thft Professor": Spirits como to "thoso of congenial. tastes.. . It, thorcfore, behoves those on earth'to take caro that they 'oad good and clean lives. ' . A questioner: Does ilio spirit leave tho body when wo are asleep. ' . ■' , . "Hio Professor' , : In some cases: I-beh'ove they do—not in all, cases. ;■ ' ' •'. : ■■' A questionor: When you die, do your friends como and meet you?■:.; •. . ; , "Tho Professor": Yes, certainly; and you will know ono another. v Yo-shall knorf ae you; wo known." "'■'■''' : , '■""'']'.'..'

'A, questioner: Do you believe m reembodiment? , ' , "Tho Professor'!: No. Tho questioner: Aro : you not To-embodiod through tho medium?' ■ / , "Tho Professor" : No. I have simply hypnotised this sensitive and use-■■■bun as a medium of communication. ■: ' .... A questioner: Is there any appreciable lapse of time between the loss of consciousness (death) on this side and wakening on the other?. .... ' . : • "..- .'.-" •'. . '. ;' ' "The Professor": I dou't think bo. . Very little... . , { ■"'. , ' ■ ■ The .questioner explained that ho asked, the question because he knew of. cases in which., dying /people had been in a condition of two or three days before death,and he had-wondered if''there- was any halfway, land between the earth.and spirit land. , "The Professor", agreed that the. condi-tions-would lend colour, to the idea, but the. spirit, of. life' would not.' have departed. A questioner:'-With your'special knowledge, could , you suggest-:any. special reforms for our social;betterment here? •: . , : '. , . ... "The Professor"' said;, lie corild sugaest many, and indeed ho was'frequently telling people what:to do—some ■ took his advice, some did not. He. believed jn a healthy body'and a healthy .mind. ..'Man, knowtkyself," should-be written over, the doors of ■'the churches, the schools, and .the lecture halls. ' ■ ... ■,■.--. . \ . :.■

A,questioner: Would Socialism benefit anyone?, ..' . *.. •'■■ ■■ i..-.": ■ ■ - ; ,■ ■ ■

• "The Professor ,, :: Well/ I doubt it;. That is, not:the!Socialism of to<lay.< Christ.was a Socialist, but I doubt, whether he. would be with the Socialists to-day. .' ;' -, .

Questioned on the subject of spiritualistic -communications, "The Professor" said there were, lots of people who, for filthy lucre, deceived the public in the.matter. V But"the public could questkm.in their own .homes, without fear of ! - fraud.': , 'Tic Professor," in passing,- administered a sovero rebiiko to the, spiritualists of; Australia.--.Ho' described -them "as a low-down lot," too fond of. pointing out the faults of their fellows. They should live in .brotherly love. Ho recognised, however,- that; there,were many, admirable people-in;/their'ranks. It was announced that,'in order to get the present series of seances.out. ofvthe way for the "test'series," the two Remaining seances would be held on Monday and; Tuesday nest.

THAT £100 CHALLENCE

'.■'.. , TEST .CONDITIONS 'DISCUSSED.^- .; STILL ; UNSBTTLEp. : . ' ■',' Yesterday afternoon a further'.■ meeting was held to arrange the test conditions of, the challenge '. issued' by Mr. 1 T.■ Wi Driver to' tie medium, . Bailey, .and accepted:, by' Mr. : W. M'Lean, ipresidentj.of the Wellington Association of. Spiritualists. . Mr;'- Driver was not in attendance, his absence -probably being duo. to tho change in the date of the meet; ing. -On his behalf, howover,: the.-following suggested .conditions for,- the! conduct of the seance, were put .'forward:— ' 1. That Mr. Driver shall be entitled, to .inspect tho cage and room, thoroughly prior to the seance commencing. •.- 2. That prior to seanco commencing Bailey shall be stripped completely A and undergo a thorough test by medical men,appointed by Messrs. M'Lean and Driver. •■' 3. That Bailey, shall then bo reclothed-in' his own underclothing, after it has -been searched,' but that Driver shall have * thn ■ right to-provide'his outer garments: -••-.. ; 4..That tho medium shall) after:being■redressed, bo completely : enveloped in' a' bag which' shall 1 bo ,-sealcd; by Driver, the: ; top being fastened to the top 1 of tho cage. -The cage shall be locked. and covered with ; a screen of,thinvwire.gauze.--,;>' • ■.. ■;. .."-.:.'•, • .s.'That no-person shall W,allowed to'approach'the cago. or communicate , with Bailey, and. that! all., , present ishall give ; an ■under-, taking not to. interfere in any way]-with, the proper; carrying out of the , exper imerit. :; : :. G.-.That the 'editors, of tho: three "daily, uewspapors of , Wellington or duly accredited representatives of their.staffs shall Bo given full authority to' supervise the arrangements. v ;7...That:tnei!Eeances "'shall.be held '.on Septembori'2l3«.24i'l T a'hd^2B.^ ; ■">"'' . ; , : ,-' ;, B.i!That Mr. Jl'.lJeau r to arrarigeifor shall be .allowed to , be,present without his sanction.; If l?.:-; That: Mri , -M'tban ■ shall; consult ' the editors of theUhroo.'.daily papers .as. to .Lko 'personnel:of-tho-circle, and that.no,person ■shall be .admitted i except by .mutual .consent. .' .10. That-tho.iapiwrts to. • be", produced by. Bailey shall '. be" similar' in denomination-, and number" to those whiclj: ho' has' already produced at 'Wellington'! seances, and shall include, cither birds or othoV live animals. 11. That tlie apports/ shall be produced Outside Uio sack'and within tho wiro uotting surrounding the cage. ,■■■■.■■■;' ■ . ... ■ ,12., ; 'TJiat,.tho apports shall bo, of quantity and dimensions, and not sriall and insignificant, in'.size, -s ■ ; '■■: '■'■'• .-■',.'•■ ■'■ 13. That thoeditora of;the local newspapers shall be tho judges,.as to wlicther the' apports produced are;; substantial and genuine. ;■ • : ■'■. ■' \ v - ■ ■. : ■ " ' . . 14. That if tho. editors of tho local newspapers oKthoir :duly_ acoredited:'representa-tives-decido that . Bailey 'dunrig'.;.tlie three seanoeSj.-.'-beeii' aWo' to ■ produce, genuine dppofts,'they Shall signify the samo in writing, and this shall be 'taken,as.<ui, authority; for tho editor of: the ! 'New. Zealand Times ' te hand-over tJiq sum of. £100 (whicli'has .been deposited' him by Mr. Driver); to Mr.i William M'Lean. :.■.:'.-• \. , • IS.- That if-the- editors, "or. ■ -their, duly acoreditod ropresontatives,-. 'decide ■ that, genuine app'orts-. have not;, been. , produced, they.shall signify;thc/same in-writing, and this shall bo taken as. an authority enabling the editor of ■.■Tub'.Dominion . to hand over, the-sum vof- £100 (deposited with ; him -by Mr., William M'LeaiO .to.Mr. .Driver; ■ .--.-., : l6;.''Tho'eclitors of tlie.'Wpllington .daily, papers,' , or ' their duly "accredited renresenta-: tives, :shall !bn '.request, to' Mr: M Lean bo given, full ; and freo iiccees to all'parts of Uie building: in which the seanco is to. bo'he'd at'.nny tinio'-botwceii September 21,- 24, and 28,. and they; shall, also ,bb the judges, as to whether the, conditions surrounding the test, as ■liprein-.stipulated;'are cbmplote iu-every 'respect.'. ; -'.'■■•■/■■"■■•" '■'■•'■ : -''. ■'■'■"''■ ;; ''. ■ : '17. .Th'at during tho test the , wholo of "va<persons in the- room: without osccption shall completely. surround tho cago and re ; main clasping eacli other's hands, ai far. from tie cago as' the,size of. tho room will, permit, until, Mr.' M'Lean shall, give'the signal.thaL tho.'espcriment.' is at air end, : when ho- shall be liberated to eßablo him to turn, up the light. ' ■'..''.".:■■ ■■ -■~■.','".' ; - ; :' ' - ■'. ' '■-.':' Those'conditions were not considered satisfactoryby Mr. Jl'Lcan, .clauses 10 arid -11: being the .chief objections,. On his behalf his solicitor,. Mr. Ileere,. submitted tho following!'suggested agreement;:-fv. . ■' .-.'•:■' ' An Agreement,mado' this ——day of . [September, 190a,-'between T.- W..Driver, ~',of tho city, of Wellington, professional. '. ■■ ooiyurcr, of tho'. one part,' and 'William ■•'• M'Leau, of the cit.vol Wellington, com-' '■ ■■ pany manager,: of- t"no other, part: : ''Whereas certain' seances have' taken:.' : ' place in- Wollington ! with- one •' Charles ■ . .Baileyj .and'presided, over';by the:/said ~ William M'Le.an,,'and at such - iseanocs ; .. : : apports haVo.been produced-tli.rpiißli tlio: . medium'ship of tho said■'Cliarle3 Bailey:-,. And -whereas T.-W. Driver-has publicly ' declared that the apports. produced at ; such seances were produced by trickery, . and whereas, 'the: , parties, hereto,'in tho : oauso of, truth, ard desirou3 of proving., wlietlior'the apports/ produced- through . ■ tho mediumship, of, the'.. .'said .' Charles , Bailev arc; or ■ are uotj..- pi-oduccd by, ' trickery,, and with a : view to pitting the,.question to'a proper test-and of'provid-:.,. , ing tlic cost and. expense's of the inquiry, 'the parties ■ have-como.to ■ tho following ; agrcemenV:—Now -tJicrefore• ■ tnie-agiw-menfwijnossoth: ■''•__-.;•,■,;■■,■:■.-. . IVTho said T. W. Drivor ehall pay to ■ 'tlio'Editor of tho "New''.Zealand Times" newspaper, 'Wellington, a. sum of. ono . (hundred liounds.'(£loo); and , the_-said"..' ■;'• William M'Lean has paid-to. the Editor , , of The Dominion newspaper a like sum: ■ of one .hundred pounds (£100), such,'... . moneys' being pronded",for..tho romun- ~ oration". , of the parties .for their skill, ,- • trouble, and; expenses, and'to bo dealt witli rie hereinafter provided. : ■;•■ 2. The said William M'Lean shall arrange for t'hreo (3) 1 seances to he held. at premises iu Woodward Street, ."Wellington (whero tho previous seances havo been hold), and such seances shall take : place on Soptember ,21, 2i,: and , 28, , 1909, commencing at" 8 p.ni.;, at which., '-:seanccs the medium, Charles Bailey, shall attend,, and such seances ;shall bo conducted under the .test . conditions : boreiiiaftor 1 eet forth.'■ : ...- : -.

'3.' If tlie' said . Charles "Bailey' shall, under tho test conditions hereinafter eet forth, produce, or cause to bo produced, to tho audience or circle'present at any one of tho ; three (3) seances an apport or apports ; of a reasonable'size or na» turo to constitute a", fair test, then tho said Wilb'am.' M'Lcan shall be entitled to receive, iand the, said T, W! Driver hereby directs tlio Editor of, the lINow limes", to pay to the sold William M'Lcan tho sum ■ of, one ■■ hunidred pounds (£100),, deiwsitetl •, by tho said T.. W.,Driver with tho Editor'of the "Now ..Zealand Times." ■■'-.. ~ .

4. If- tho.'.'said. Oiarles Bailey'' ehall ." ' fa-il- under the eaid'-tcit conditions to'■/■ pixiduce,• or eauso to bu ; produced, a.t . , any-of tho: said Bcanees any app6rtof ■ reasonable size or nature, as aforesaid, . Chen'tho said T. W. Driver shall bofen--;', titled, to receive;' and the said.William ,- M'Leim hereby'directs . the'. Editor, of' Tuf. Dominion io- pay to the 6aid T. W. . ■ ' Driver tlie sum or one, hundred- pounda , : (£IOO) 'deposited,by-the: .said _ William; , '-. M'Leari 'as aforesaid. ■■ :•'■",.!: . 5. The' question 'of whether any:. ap- ' port or combination of apports that' may . ■ be produced 'are rcasonaplo in size, .or ' nature as to constitute a-fair test. shiaJl ' be decided by the Editors of the three,, , daily-newspapers of 'Wellington, or.duW ■ laceredited. representatives of their sfcaiftj '■ i present ■at %) fioanoo , at which tho ; ap- , ■ port is produced; And in' the event of-.; • their disagreement the decision, of ' the \ majority them shall : bo accepted as ' ! final'and conclusive.: v ■:..-, ■'•..; ; '6. The said William ■ M'Lcaa hereby -.. requests the Editor of This Domejion to sign the undertaking written at the foot., hereof, 'and tho sajd T. W.; Driver hereby : ' requests the. Editqryof tho "Now Zca- ■■■ ' land Times": to Eign..the.,-.undertaking'. - written at tlio foot hereof' . ■ • :1. Tlio following are tho tost oondi-. ■ ' tious. aboyo referred to . ' The test conditions referred to in tho, last clause'were not stated, but it w?s explained, •that these were governed by clause 6. . '" ;'■ After discussing the matter an understanding was arrived at to the effect that t the apports- should not be- of lees 6ize_ than. ; tho. one' produced (about ljv.inches by. 1J ■ 'inches by one-third inch): that the medium should lie completely enclosed within tfio,, bag'and produce the apporte. witlfln; .&0.,. .big; that at lcMt-twq apports should produced,, one animate, ana., the other »n-; animate. Owing to the absence of Mr.. Driver,, however, no definite agreement:was annvec, at, the matter standing over ponding hie approval of. the amendments suggested.- ■-,-• . THE MANGO "TRICK." : !

. /WHAT THEY DO IN INDIA.' ■'; V (By Tclcßraph-rSpeolal Correspondent.! . - ■"'■■ Chrlstchurcii, -September 3, ' The ■ performances of Bailey, i tho. medium!, -have attracted the attention of' an, Angl- . Indian resident/of phristchurch,' who-writes, , to the "Press" asking whether' Bailey's.con-: trols. "Abdul','! and "Selim" could' bo got ,t».\ • say what religion; they belonged to when, in ,'■ this.T-ale of-, tears? ''I: know'from:their nanies," he.adds, "what it should havo been,' but that is not the, point. I see.it stated' that'the medium is.wjlling to produce-a,' mango tree by. spirit aid. • No spirit- aid : is necessary to do the mango tree trick.- Dozens of times in-broad'daylight; a common bazaar , juggler has come into my.compound, and in. front of the door ou the grounds spread a cloth •. ;. more or less, generally loss, clean,-and done', the trick. ■ Any Indian; juggler will do _itl; ( 'He produces' a flower pot, which ho-fills..with earth, plant an' old 'dried-up mango, stone (not seed) in it, and puts it under an old basket; , He'proceeds'with his'tricks and.now ' and, again, takes the, flower-pot, ;fr'6in-;"under'."\. 'the basket, and shows .you 'how the mango ■■■*■ tree is sprouting 1 -Tho Indian, juggler cjaijna; • no aid from spirits. -If-tho medium had a . dozen mango stones Ldon't believe ho could do'• the. trick, for the: secret is jealously. . guarded, and I,believe all..bribes forits,dis-. closure have been refused.",/ : ■"■:. ■ ; ■