AM I a SPIRITUALIST? AUTHOR-INVESTIGATOR’S FRANK EXAMINATION of a GREAT PROBLEM by J

“ Light,” March 2, 1934. 3 Journal of ^sptlittal, ©ccult, anù Jilpsttcal Besearrij Editor : FOUNDED GEORGE H. LETHEM. Past Editors : IN Assistant Editor : Rev. W. STAINTON MOSES, (M.A. Oxon.) E. W.WALLIS. 1881 Dr. NANDOR FODOR. EDMUND DAWSON ROGERS. DAVID GOW. N o. 2773. VOL. L I V . (Registered a9 FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 1934. a Newspaper.) PRICE TWOPENCE Entered as Second Class Matter, Mirch 12, 1929, at the Post O.lice, at Boston, Miss., under the Act of Mirch 9, 1929, (Sec. 327 P.L. and R.) PRINCIPAL CONTENTS Am I a Spiritualist ? Hy J. Arthur Hill .. .. 129-130 Sudden Passing of Miss Florence Morse .. .. 134 Speaking in Tongues. Hindustani and Japanese The “ W alter” Finger-print Report: Why it used in messages during a private sitting .. 131 should be accepted as Final. By Stanley De Stopping the Sun. Suggested Explanation of the B ra th , M .I.C .E ..............................................................13 7 -13 8 Bible’s greatest Miracle. By Dr. Nandor Fodor 132 Experiments with Mr. John Myers .. .. 139 A Mysterious Helper .. .. .. .. .. 132 Personality’s Superstructures. By Dr. Frederic The Aura and its Uses. By W. H. Evans .. .. 140 H . W ood ................................................................... 133 “ Power’s ” Hints for Psychic Healers .. .. 142 AM I A SPIRITUALIST? AUTHOR-INVESTIGATOR’S FRANK EXAMINATION OF A GREAT PROBLEM By J. ARTHUR HILL like are often rather tedious, and the clairvoyance is usually vague—descriptions being such that someone (Author of “ Psychical Science and Religious Belief,” in the audience is pretty sure to claim the spirit as a relative “ Letters from Sir Oliver Lodge,” etc.) or friend. I agree that there are exceptions, but I have never yet had anything evidential at any of these public JN my book, Letters from Sir Oliver Lodge, I quote a meetings. remark of Sir Oliver’s to the effect that he would be Still, the existence of these meetings and these bodies interested to learn why I did not consider myself a Spirit is proof that they satisfy or have satisfied some need on ualist. He himself did not feel that he could repudiate the part of their founders or present supporters ; and the label; and, knowing my opinions pretty thoroughly, therefore I should be the last to deny their usefulness. he was rather surprised that I disclaimed it. I thought I merely say that they have not helped me personally; at the time that my reply was adequate : I do not attend I am glad that they help other people. any Spiritualist meetings regularly and am not a member In the other sense, I am a Spiritualist whole-heartedly. of any Spiritualist society except the London Spiritualist I have been convinced of survival and communication Alliance, and membership of this body does not imply by years of careful investigation. I am as sure of it as I any creed. But I am not so sure that I was right in my am of most things. “ Nothing worthy proving can be disclaimer. proven,” said Tennyson, and we must admit that it is Let me think it out; as Oliver Wendell Holmes used not possible to prove even the existence of the external to say. There’s nothing like talking or writing for world—it may be a gigantic hallucination, but we assume finding out what you think about this question or that. its reality, and the assumption works, so we are justified The dictionary definitions of the word “ Spiritualism ” in accepting it. and its derivatives are not very helpful, for they give all I cannot prove the existence of atoms or electrons; the meanings which the words have been used to convey, I have never seen them, nor has anyone else, so their and leave us to select the one we like best. But I suppose reality is a step further removed from perception than is there are two principal meanings. Spiritualism is : that of the grass and the flowers. But we infer their exist (1) Belief in human survival and the possibility of ence from the behaviour of matter, and the inference works. communication with the departed in one or other So with the minds of departed people. I infer their of the ways studied by psychical students. existence from phenomena that I have observed, and I am as (2) Membership of a society or body which functions sure of their reality as I am of the reality of electrons. The as a religious group. evidence is sufficient for me, though I do not expect I am a Spiritualist in the first sense, but not in the second, other people to believe because I do. They have not though I am not hostile, and should quite possibly be a had my experience. member of a Spiritualist church if there were one at hand. Well, I believe in survival and communication, and that The nearest one to my home is some miles away. is the basis of the Spiritualist’s system of philosophy. I am bound to admit, however, that I have not been There seems also to be good reason to believe that the much edified by the meetings I have attended when next stage is one of progress. We are at present in one opportunity offered. The inspirational addresses and the of the lower classes of the universal school, and we shall 130 LIGHT March 2, 1934 learn more about its seemingly harsh discipline when we he has to say to himself that he means the spiritual body, get into one of the upper classes. or something like that. Similarly with other items of the Further, it seems absurd to suppose that human intelli creeds. gence is the highest that exists. We find orderliness In all this we feel in a different atmosphere from that and comprehensibility out there in nature, and it is reason in which Christ lived and worked. He was all for conduct, able to infer that a great Mind—something like our own for character, for realisation of the Fatherhood of God; but greater—is behind the veil of phenomena. There for kindliness and sympathy and peace. He was against may be many intermediate grades, and accordingly a belief the set forms of the prevailing religion, and he was in angels is not at all absurd. This, however, is perhaps murdered by the priests because of Flis heterodoxy. going a little beyond the evidence, though it is a reasonable If Jesus were here now, He would be among the Spiritualists belief. or some o f the other simple and despised sects, rather than among So I suppose that I ought not to object to the Spirit the ecclesiastical great ones, and I pear He would be outlawed ualistic label. again, if not executed. There are of course many difficulties. There are But He commands the reverence of all honest souls. difficulties in all systems of belief. And indeed we must not be too hard on organised religion. For example, I am rather bothered about the number Institutions are necessary forms ; they furnish a permanent of souls that the universe must contain, if all human framework, as the generations change and pass. It is beings have survived. There are nearly two thousand inevitable that they should to some extent fossilise. An millions of people alive on the earth to-day, and in half- institution is the lengthened shadow of one man, says a-century or so they will all have departed; and this has Emerson, as Methodism of Wesley, and Quakerism of been going on for no one knows how long—say two George Fox. The institution keeps the spirit alive as million years, if that is the period in which human beings long as it can, but the form becomes a fossil in the end, can be said to have existed, though of course the numbers unless another great spirit arises to keep it alive. were formerly smaller than is the case now. It would It is a remarkable testimony to the greatness of Jesus seem that the celestial regions must be getting rather of Nazareth that so much of His spirit remains in the crowded. Still, Space probably does not mean the same Churches, in spite of the ritual and creed with which they thing to discarnate beings, and perhaps there can be no are overlaid and encumbered. He is still the central such thing as crowding. Or it may be that the cave-men figure of Western moral and spiritual thought. Perhaps have been melted down, so to speak, and new souls the Churches will gradually divest themselves of their forged out of the stuff that they were made of. That theological trappings, and will turn to Christ and be saved. would keep the numbers reasonably manageable. I have said nothing about the mystical side of religion, Well, these are difficulties, but they need not worry us. for I have no first-hand experience of the kind. But I Survival, individual continuation, is the main thing, and have read with interest the experiences of many who have this is reasonably proved by the evidence. Further been thus favoured, and it is obvious that in any complete knowledge will come in due time. philosophy of religion these experiences must be considered On the moral and spiritual side, I turn back to the as William James considered a selection of them in his simple and direct teaching of the Christian Gospels. I Varieties of Religious Experience. I even agree with him confess that, when I read them, I am continually aston that Truth probably lies in the mystical direction. But ished that these Gospels should have led to the Christianity these experiences are usually described in the terms of the of our own day.

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