PSYCHIC PICTURES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 68, 14 December 1920, Page 8

PSYCHIC PICTURES

SIR CONAN DOYLE'S SECOND LECTURE

SOME REMARKABLE PHOTOGRAPHS

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle delivered his second lecture in the Town Hall last night. His subject was "pictures of psychic phenomena," and ho showed and explained a very remarkable collection of photographs, representing the work of many investigators under varying! conditions. The* hall was iillcd in all parts, and somo people were unable to wain admission. The lecturer was given an entirely- friendly and very attentive hearing. Dealing (first with mediumship, the lecturer said that hero was a mystery which was gradually explained. Qnnvmiinication between living people and those who had "parsed over" had to take place on the plane of nwtler. and tho sole matter apparently available for this purpose was the peculiar human emanation which had been called "psychoplasm." This emanation, which could be seen anil nhotagTaphed as it poured from tho body of tho medium under suitable conditions, was nn actual substance which had been tested elwniieally. Its absence reduced the wcHit of tho medium to- as much as twenty pounds. - It wa.e delicate eno"-'i In Ir moulded and used froin "tho <■ fide, and yet it could become hard as iron. Projected from the body of the medium, it could move and lift lieayy objects; itcould be made the substance of a complete "niaterialisntion." The emanation looked'like a yellow' vapour, and to the, touch it. was "<v viscid, cold. dousrh-Uke material." When the required conditions had been established and thh nsyehoi>'<ism lind f\/)wpil fvom the Ixxly of th» medium, "some outride. rather freakish power" would mould the inatorinl into all sorts (,p ciimos. iindinnl:» of if the means of com mini iV/itinn between the livintr and thp dead. Sir Conan Dovln sueire'sted that i-vf-H—i-Son "f tin's substance was one of the Wsr tasks of science.

Psychic photograph". said th<> lecturer, were of tiro kinds. The manifestation or materialisation was sometimes strong "nongh to permit of direct photographs being taken, but the more common process was for the "control" (the spirit working through' the mediuml, to throw ■an imnre.ssion upon the photographic plate bv some process that , was not exactly understood by the investigators. The result': that were ".lined const'luted. in his opinion, and in the ffninion of very many distinguished sei»ntifi". m«n. nb=olutc proof of the reality of snirit communication. He himself bad taken a photographic plate fyx>m the original nbipr.,] if n ( i„vlr sIM», andi carried it tn.n medium. The medium, a well-known-psychic "hotogrnoher. and Pir Connn Dot'' l, himself, placed their hands 011 the slide for few minute®. Then the ledumr hint self deye'oned t'"> plate, find found v on it e female fare thit wis' identified doubt as that of his sistor. who had died many years nreviouslv.

biif "Hip imrnnolTxlile stunwl*lv ef t.bp human race" had prevented the facts of snirit eonimnnieat : on being admitted n. feneration ago, said the lecturer in the course of some further comment on the photiTrnnhs he was showing on the spreen. Some of these pictures showed the faces and forms of those who had "passed over" appearing in photo"nphs of those tliev had loved on earth. Thev had taken Itv a photographer" who served as a mediuiii. th» process being for the person who wished for the communication to «it for a photograph. Sir .Conap Do vie admitted, and his pictures proved, that the communications were irregular and sometimes confusing. The face of a. strancer might appear on the nlatc. to the disappointment of the s-'tter. and the face niitrhfc lip iclc*nti/ioc! Inter <i.q oih? tKit nnd been smieht hv niiotW rirrfoii. Exalnples were shown of written messages, anpeamg in black on a cloud-like mess of psychonlasin that had surrounded the photograph of tho person who had «ou"hT communication. Signatures nnd handwriting were held in many cases to move the' reality of tho messages. It happened occasionally that several communications r.r photographs were interdependent. The lecturor vouched. for ttie accuracy of some groups of nit'urec (hat annealed to provide, absolute nroof of communication with the spirits of the dopatrod, Amon® the mon>. cuv?mis of rhn photoßraplis w\iq one of a \ 7, , M ,t nli:e " ""icture of a hall in an old building. with 'a sixtv-second exTr« "."I f0m "l ''"velopimr the plate that the resulting photograph showed t'at a ghostly female figure. ceiTvin'* a IHit, had passed along tho hall during the exposure.

The human race has waited Ion? enough liefore accptinr this ejinrmous Ivion and this enormous comfort which fiotl has into the world," snul Sir Connn Doyle in conclusion. "Tt is the duty now of every'wdv wlm feels that ther* is a ca*o In inquire into that cusp. I nut it to .your conscience Hint it is u» r /°« '? ! 10 HIP <?videiice. Tf von h'innioci- \ S } '°" ,rill (lttte 'H* hoppiest epoch in your ljf 0 f rom ti.„ K e toS« h0 t,onvictiou ™ s bro^''t