Hattiesburg daily news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-15
Associated Press.

washington, october 14.-With sew |
eral hundred human beings and count
less millions of spirits, hunts, spooks |
and Mahatmas in attendance, the |
fifteenth annual convention of the
National Spiritualists' association of |
the United States and Canada opened |
today in Masonic temple and will
continue in session through the en-
tire week. Delegates are present
from a majority of the states of the
Union and from several Canadian
provinces, representing a constituency
of 100000 people. Including % state
associations and 80 camp meeting or
ganization. the Spiritualists have SIG
recognized orthodox" societies in
America through which the tenents
of the cult are promulgated. During
the last twelve months, twenty local
societies and one state assocition
have been organized. President Har-
rison D. Barrett is presiding at the
convention, and some of the worlds
most prominent mediums and inspira-
tional speakers are in attendance.
What is a Spiritualist? is one of
the questions to be decided at the
present meeting, and there are pros
poets of lively time when this mat
ter is debated in open session. A
special committee was appointed at
the last convention to prepare a de-
finition of the particular terms that
define the Spiritualists as sect. A
sturdy fight will certainly be made
against the adoption of this report,
as the Spiritualist body includes a
large free-thinking element that is
opposed to the formulation of any
thing resembling a creed or confes-
sion of faith. These are beliveed to
be in a minority, however, and the
general trend of the cult appears to be
toward form of government closely
resembling the orthodox religious
denominations, with churches, regu-
larly ordained ministers and the
other attributes of orthodox conser-
avtism
Another matter of interest will be
the consideration of the question,
What Do Spiritualists Belize With
Regard to the Growth of Children in
the Spirit World?' 1t is a curious
fact that no declaration has been made
by this sect with respect to this cues
ton in period of propaganda cover
ing fully sixty years. Whether per-
sons who die in infancy remain in
fants in the spirit world, throughout
uneteEpitK $3.50 vital problem, and the
sent will attempt to solve
lei appeal to the spirit
Recent revelations which have SER
iously compromised several prominent
mediums and had the effect of bring
ing Spiritualistic phenomena into dis
repute have resulted in bringing the
whole question before the convention
and the discussion of methods of re-
moving this evil from the movement
will give rise to a lively debate.
Leading Spiritualists admit that the
cult is a cloak which covers a multi.
tude of imposters. The fact that dras-
tic legislation, affecting the legal
standing of Spiritualism and those
who believe in the cult, has been
attempted in several states Turing the
last winter, has induced the delegates
to take decided steps in adavnce when
they come to deal with this question
Another important matter will be
consideration of the best methods OF
obtaining possession of requests
made to the cause" by wealthy de
ceased Spiritualists. Several suits
are now pending. involving large
estates, wherein the sanity Of the
testators is questioned by reason OF
their adherence to Spiritualism.
An attempt is to be made during
the convention to provide for the
writing of an authentic history of thu
movement, from the Spiritualisti,
standpoint. involving the RAISING o