The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-12-01

The Commissioners are in receipt Of a
communication from the National Spirit
ualists' Association, with headquarters az
eco Pennsylvania Avenue in reply to a let
ter recently sent TO them relative to hold
ing seanees and charging a price Of ad-
mission to the same. The letter Of the
Commissioners to the association sets forth
the fact that the matter Of charging q fee
TO spiTituslistic sesnces had been declared
by the Attorney OF the District as coming
under the license laws. and that such charge
hereafter would subject those responsible
for such seances TO the payment OF Tegu-
lar show licenses. The Commissioners in
dicated. however. in their letter that spiT-
ituai seances might be held and collections
taken when the money paid would be con
sideTed a voluntary offering for religious
worship and would be treated as the col
lections in the several churches OF the Dis
triet.
The reply TO this letter Of the Commits
sioneTs Is signed By F. A Wood, president
Mary Longley. secretary, and Theodore
Mayer. treasurer. They say their atten-
ton has been called to the classifying Of
the work of various opponents of the phi
loSophy and phenomena of spiTitUalism-
which constitute the religion Of hundreds
Of thousands Of intelligent and respectable
citizens of the United States-es ''exhibi-
tions fer gain They say that the con-
sequent taxing of the same at exorbitant
rates renders it impossible for these ex-
po1ents and demonstrators Of SpiTItualism
to follow their legitimate calling, because
of this heavy bs-den laid upon them.
Therefore the officers of the association
named above have deemed it incumbent
upon them, in he name Of the Spirttualists
of the United STATE and the Dominion CT
Canada to ask ~ Commissioners 10 re-
consider their decision against the medi-
ums and to extend 10 them the same gen.
erous trea tment which is extended to 9th
CT religious bodies IN the discharge-of their
aaered calling Continuing, the letter says:
should the objection be urged that
these mediums toward whom the measure
is directed charge admission to their
seances, We beg to reply that we fall TO
find any exponent of q religious doctrine
or cult deyoting time, strength, and per-
sonai attention to the same, who does not
derive means of support from the same.
whether 1t be by contributions from fol-
lowers or by the proceeds of fairs, con
eerts and other forms of exhibition FOR
gain, that our friends the church people
are devising for the maintenance of their
pastors and their mif's ionaries. There
fore we trust that in Justice you will nc
longer impose upon the mediums and mis-
sjonaTies Of SpiTitualism tax that Grip
pies their usefulness and abridges their
rights It may be, gentlemen, that you
feel a just latitude is given in permitting
our opponents to hold their seances if they
take up a voluntary collection. instead Of
asking an admittance fee, but you viii
readily perceive that the one is as voluD-
tary as the other. since no one is com
PEELED TO attend these seances, and if one
does so, il is with voluntary intention Of
giving an equivalent, as far as he can, for
what he receives
"SpirituaIism is our religion America
was founded by good people who came to
its shores as refugees from intolerant
persecution. They desired to free their
teachers from oppression and 1t is only
just that We should ask the same There
fore, we ask yoH to reconsider your late
decision concerning the tax upon mediums
in this District"