GHOSTS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 281, 22 July 1932, Page 3

GHOSTS

SHOULD CHRISTIANS SEARCH SPIRITUALISM FOR CONFIRMATION. BEYOND THE MEDtUMS. "The credulity of inquirers in the faee of obvious fraud," is a subject of regret by Sir Ernest Be nnett, author of "Apollonius, or the Future of Psyehical Research" in a contribution to the controversy on spiritualism. He points out that twitchings and contortions usually herald the arrival of Red Indians and others. These controls are readily waleomed ai genuine phenomena. nA elderly lady with a cameo brooeh aid hair parted in the middle, or a tall man with iron-grey hair and military bearing, are descriptions forthwith accepted in 80 per cent .of cases as the departed mothe'r or husband. Sir Ernest admits the truth of ti" e eriticism by the Bishop of Norwich (Dr. Pollock) and Canon Scort I.edgett, that the usual mediumistie messages are banal and puerile Nevertheless, he contends that the Christian Churches, in order to fight fakes, must not fight shy of reverent investigations into psychicai xesearch, which will confinn and not jeopardise Christianity. Many who merely accept a spiritual explanation of various super-normal phenomena, see no necessity to modify the Christian faith, he says, but, on the contrary, they feel that they stand on firmer religious ground than ever. Thousands of spiritualists, however, have launched a new religion, based on no surer a hypothesis than alleged messages from the dead. The origin of rnodern spiritualism is a longing desire to solve the problem whether there is any future life.