SPIRITUALISM.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 23 May 1916, Page 3

SPIRITUALISM.

(To the Editor). Sir,—You are giving Iconsiderailile space in your columns to attacks u.pon Spiritualism—l don't know why. 1 am the target, and 1 try to live m your midst as an inoffensive citizen; yet si dear Christian soul, like W.SI.F., hates me 'because 1 am a Spiritualist. } es, t am; and know the sweetness of angel communion, which is just the same to-day as in the days of thc prophets and apostles. Spiritualism hus survived tremendous onslaughts, jot from the worldi so much as the churoh, and l to-day it stands boldly to the front challenging the materialist, bringing facts before the scientist and shunning the Christian church. The evidence of survival and continued Consciousness after death, and the communion between the living and the so-called dead, is now beyond dispute. To quote Professor Hyslop, president of ■the American Society of Psychic Research, as published in the National Sunday magazine: "The evidence in this direction lias accumulated in such abundance that CEere is no escape from conclusiveness in favour of survival after death. There is no troll ilo. eh out getting evidence, and absolutely no one hut an ignoramus or a eowa-d will question it." You have published a violent attack on the Fox sisters. Seventy years ago the- devil held such an important position in the chiuvh that he was blamed for everything that happened out of the ordinary course of events. When the rappings occurred in the cottage of Mr Fox, -lie religious people around him held that it was the devil, and there were prayer meetings where God was asked to stop the doings in that Methodist home. Then « committee was appointed to examine the girls who were placed on beds and watched carefully. Vet the raps came upon the wall. T'his committee exonerated the girls from having any part in the matter. A secondi committee undertook a more searching investigation. They also

cleared the girls. Then began a row among the religious zealots who believed the devil had deceived the examiner, and a third committee was formed!. But even the last lot ware beaten. They said th girls were innocent, but the devil did the rappipg. In the correspondence published bv you it was stated that two of the p>sters (Maggie and Kate fox) confessed to imposition. It is no credit to the Christian people of their day that they were forced to confess. They w°re constantly told that they would be lost eiterneliy because they were in the arms of the devil. They were so worked up that (believing that the wrath of Godi would be poured out upon th >m tliey signed a paper prepared for them admitting hypocrisy. This was published es a victory over tKe machination of the Evil One, and there were public thanksgivings. iiut the time came when remorse caused tfiese young women to tell the truth, and they diedi holding to the trutff of their first experience. But enough of these personalities. .Some people feed upon them. Spiritism is not Spiritualism; those who aspire to spirtuaiitv get past this end and do not "engage in recrimination. If "W.M.rV ; who professes to be Christian, leane upon a conjuror to help him, that is his business. But. he should not tarnish the teachings ot the Christ by outbursts of ignorance and inn lice in a public print. T wish him well, and hope he will allow others to lunld their own opinions an I)<> clings to his,—-I am, etc. W. C> NATION 1 .