TESTING A SPIRIT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 179, 2 September 1909, Page 2

TESTING A SPIRIT

A WAGER ARRANGED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Xight. The Xew Zealand Times announces that as a result of a conference of city editors, Thomas Driver, a conjurer, and William McLean, representing Onirics Bailey, an alleged spirit medium, of Melbourne, a wager of .CIOO aside has bce n arranged, Driver wagering that he wilt perform by conjuring what Bailey professes to do through spirit. The conditions are that Bailey wi-'l lie stripped, medically examined, and placed in a bag. The 'bag will be sealed and placed inside a carriage. If Bailey produces "apports" under these conditions, which Driver ae-lniinvledges lie cannot do under the same circumstances, Driver will pay £IOO.

IFor some time past the Wellington • papers have been giving a good share of space daily to the doings of a professional spiritualist named Charles Uaile;-, who came from Melbourne. He professes to be a medium of verbal eommimiM'tioiifi fi\m Professor Denton and other deceased persons, and to obtiin '•apports" or article* that come from distant lands by spirit agency. He submits to cro*s-i'.\umimilion at his seances, which is somewhat unusual. The \cw i Zealand Times, which has paid particjlar attention to Mr. Bailey, reeentlv ha J n leading article on the subject, begin-j ! ning as follows:—"ft is not too much 1 . to Kay that the citizens of Wellington ! have during the last week or two gained more practical infonuatwv.i about spiritualism by reading the newspapers than they would derive from perusal of a dozen v ilumes of the literature doling with that elusive subject. Even if any number of them have not lueenconverted from any opinions thev previously held concerning the essential doctr.'-.ie of spirituafcin they have had very convincing evidence that it K possible* for a palpable fraud to miiNquerado as u spe-ually-iiidowcd 'medium' fur the manifcslntton of what spiritualists regard as unanswerable evidence of a spirit world and the puerility „.f communication b'spni.it* to carnate hmnanitv. . . " That this man is himibiig:rin« the people who, go to heir his, Mee'tuiW and see his 'apports' there cannot, except anion,, Irose who arc childhsh',v credulous an? longer be «. shadow of doubt."