CONAN DOYLE QUARRELS

Hokitika Guardian, 20 March 1930, Page 3

CONAN DOYLE QUARRELS

WITH PSYCHIC RESEARCHERS. , United Press Association-—By Electric Telegraph—Copyrght.J , , . LONDON, March 18. ,!• Owing" to his disapproval of the criticisms upon an Italian medium, named Millesimo, published by the Psychical Research Society’s Journal, Sir A. Conan Doyle lias resigned from the. Society. He has sent a letter to the chairman of the Society, Sir Lawrence Jones, describing the ..article as “a series of misrepresentations and insulting innuendoes which implied that this Italian nobleman had practised complicated frauds upon circles of his friends.” Sir A. Conan Doyle added:—“My only resource is to resign after thirtysix years’ patience and publicly protest against the Society’s un,scientific biassed work.” ■ Sir A. Conan Doyle has circularised the members declaring that the Psychical Research Society has become an , anti-spiritualistic organisation. He. urges the resignations of members.

A report has been issued by Sir L. Jones and the Secretaries of tin* -Society, which states:—“Sir A, Conan Doyle’s writings have given great pleasure, He is now regrettably ill. Therefore we .have wished to avoid any controversy,' but it is necessary to point out that Sir A. Conan Boyle takes, the ‘cult’ view of spiritualism. Therefore he naturally has resented criticism of the phenomena whereon those taking tin* cult v.i w o r spiritualism are, content to base their faith. The Society has insisted on a high standard of control of psychical phenomena, whereas the Italian medium. Millesimo’s sittings were carried out in darkness, and there was no control and no searching of those present. • It is understood that there have been two other resignations. Sir A. Conan Doyle is in bed, suffering from the strain of overwork.

IDEAS OF HEAVEN. 1 LONDON, March 18. The Daily Chronicle has initiate* a discussion on the question: “Whaf is your idea of Heaven ?” Mr Fd'ci* Lust,cart on (President of the Oxford Union) and Mr Kenneth Adan (President of the Cambridge Union’' contribute their ideas. Mr Lystgartcn says: “The ancients conceived Heaven with music, harps and golden pavements. The time, v reconstruct is overripe. My idea is to change the old-fashioned wings for light .aeroplanes and Rolls Boyces. In my view motor cars and macadam foa’dsh-are preferable to- gold. I want leisure in Heaven to read all the books, and see ajl the pictures. 1 want three novels weekly—by John Galsworthy, Arnold Bennett and Sinclair Lewis—and also three plays weokjy by Bernard Shaw, T. A. Casey and Coward. Nevertheless 1 liesitiate, its unqualified leisure mighi prove lacking invitality.” Air Adam says:—“Not long since I believed in Heaven as a place of jasper gates and marble Halls, more 'magnificent than Wembley. I know now that I cannot believe in God as a person as in Heaven as a place. In any case it does not matter, much. Heaven and death are a long way off. Our physical faculties and energies call out for something to do. The idealism of youth wants to bring Heaven earthwards. It is more cone'M’ned about pulling down, slums, than about building sky castles.”