MRS PRIOR’S FAREWELL

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1828, 8 August 1906, Page 3

MRS PRIOR’S FAREWELL

A SERIES OF TESTS. There was a largo attendance at His Majesty's Theatre last night, when tho Rev Loie F. Prior made hor farewell appearenoo in Gisborne. The President of the Spiritualist Sooiety (MrJ. W Mackrell) occupied tho chair. The usual method of tests was varied by a-kmg a lady and gentleman to stauJ up in turn, and thus a great many massages ware given to diffaront people. Iu some cases articlea of jawel'ery, pieces of paptr writtdn on, and so forth wore taken and dealt with in a way that csrtfinly caused the soeptical to think deeply on tbe occult forces. Among ola-ga number of massagee, in which accuracy was admitted in nea'ly every iostiuco, tbo cases excepted were those io which the individuals did not possess knowledge of the ones alluded to; but perhaps tho » most startling tett was tho peking of a sceptical young mao, who was infmmed of a copper coin ho had in his pooka?, a description of tho ooin being given, ana tbo gentleman being info; mod of tho conversaiion that had taken plaee between bimself and two other young man prior to coming to the meeting Tne young man, Who was considerably surprised at tho co n episode, and still moro surprised on hearing ihe wordsussd in conversationrepoatoL from the plstform. acknowledged the ao-

coraoy of the description. Baforo ooDoludirig ihe mealing, Mrs P,ior heartily thanked all who had come out on suob bitterly cold nights to attond the meetings, and B»id she warmly appre oiated the complimont ihath.d been paid her by pet pie coming night after night to all the meeting- 1 . Sho hoped that at least she had given something that would cause them to thirl? “ That it nil I ask," said the lady, " if I have caused only one-thud of those who have been in attendance to giye thought to that which I represent as to the influence of spiritualism ; to awaken youc to fcha fact that fehere are latent fotoes in this world of which V cu know little about. Tboro rro powers po»sessed by somo which could be cultivated by them wore they conscious of possessing tbo e powers. If my work has caused you to think over it, I have bcon fully ooropensa'ed for ooming here night after night a-.il standing on this oold platform. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the atlcotion you have oiven me." (Applause.) Mrs Prior also humorously remarked that oq tba cold, wet nights they had bad people who, instead of being expected to pay for admitsion, might a'most have asked pay for com'Dg out from their homo-. The Ch.irma'i relumed thanks on behalf of the Spiritualist Socoty, aud i-cularly added that otly for the duty of bis t Iliao as P.o3ident to there and pre ide, bo would on seme of the n : ghts they bad had, instead of paying a shilling for admission to the ball, much rather have paid five shillings to be allowed to r. main at home at bis own bar side. In gftiing Mrs Prior to come here and I-c'.ure they had not osked anyone to ioin the Society ! they only a-ksd these who had corno to think fjr themselves, and if they did that they would be quite satisfied there was no fraud. " Sonaro re, continued tbo chairman, ‘ said that wo put those ideas into Mrs Priors head, which is r.dioulous. There are many present in the position that if they only practised ihe occult ecitncs might develop greater powers than even Mrs Prior. I hope, from the instruction given, a great many of you will form your own nttle circle—not joio us, for you might say * Ob, I oan’t stand this’—but i.f you have a circlo amongit your own family you can then see there is no fraud, If Mrs Prior has succeeded in getting only cuo third of you to thick for yourselves, instead of lo‘.t : ng others do it, iho Society will have accomplished all that it desired. (ApP 'Many of those present bado farewell and extended their good' wUhes to Mrs Prior, who leaves for Auckland this movoir.g,