New-York tribune., 1908-06-28
SP[RITUALISTCONGRESS
Convention of Various Sects in Oc-
cuItisn1 .4rouses Little Interest.
Paris, June 16


There seems to be slump in spiritualis1n at
the present moment in Paris. The congress
which sat this week was intended to bring TO-
geher every grade of ociultists, from Theo-
sophists, swedenborgians. Martinists and spir-
itualists pure and simple. down to Freemasons
OF different grades a tempting programme
had been drawn up; the application OF the cine
rnatograph TO spiritualistic apparitiors being
one Of the subjects down on the agenda along
side of Immortality raediunnistic phenomena and
other equally occult problems, but the large hall
10 which the sittings were held was no occa-
sion even a quarter filed, and the proceedings
were somewhat languid. The congress clashed
with the Auteuil steeplechase. leaving the
streets free 10 the thousands Of countryfolk
brought up by the excursion trains to visit the
metropolis. who take no interest whatever in
congresses.
lie mage Papus' presided at the opening
meeting with several +'sars' and other leading
Lights Of occultism beside him on the platform
Among these. the sar Peladan was not the
least interesting. The Sar in his younger days
was very jealous propagandlst- He discarded
ordinary rairnent and swathed himself in ra-
diant white linen in summer. and white cloth
in winter crowned with a snowy turban. The
sar's hair was as black as night, and 50 were
his eyes and one Of them not looking quite the
same way as the other made his countenance
seem from the redundant folds Of whiteness q
very striking and arresting object TO encounter.
He made very many converts in those days,
chiefly among women, and the summer season
he spent at Dfnard at the height Of his popu-
larity VIII never be forgotten by those who were
at the fashionable little Brittany watering place
at the time. The Sar is a married man now and
wears black coat like other people.
Dr. Baraduc is another earnest seeker after
manifestations. He uses the camera 10 fix his
ehostly yisitants, and also TO trace auras and
influences enlanating from the persons Of his
friends The doctor is also a fervent Catholic.
His only son. q youth OF eighteen, died recently
from consumption and at Lourdes. whittier the
lad was taken in the hope OF miraculous inter
xention, cit was permitted to me-" says the
father TO go to the very utmost limit Of spir-
itual manifestations" He has written his ex-
periences down in cI-rious book which he
calls My Dead
Beside these two chiefs stands the Rosicru-
clan, a tall, thin scotchman, who calls himself
.sThe Macgregor'' The 8Iacgregor wears on his
dirty hand the great amethyst ring OF the order
and a symbolic ornament in his buttonhole-
Circumstances have obliged the Rosicrucian
champion 10 leave Paris. where he used TO hold
highly occult meetings, at which mysterious
practices went on, and he now occupies qualEc,
barn-Iilze cottage in little French village near
Marty with his clever French wife. The Mac
sregor's house is over q fowl yard and he
shares hen ladder and his sitting room with
those interesting birds.
Al first the prosaic French fowls were startled
and alarmed and somewhat indignant at the
things they saw in the untidy, unkempt sitting
room and fed sQuawking down the ladder after
each little jaunr. Now, however, they have
grown accustomed TO lank haired Assyrians in
profile with drawn swords in their hands. but
they continue to avoid the proximity Of Osiris,
who sits in lfelike attitude the only couch
in the place. Others than the fowls stand and
intense q listening look. and she distils 50
strange an atmosphere that it is quite impossible
10 keep UP a conversation IN her presence.
Her power is unwillingly acknowledged by
even the most slzeptical of visitors to the Mac
gregor; the uncanny wooden law figure to whose
cheeks q glow of life has been lent by the
reverent paint brush Of the Macgregor's wife,
has assisted at such strange seances and has
been the instrument Of such unma ginable rites
that in the small apartment she assumes quite
overwhelming moral proportions She sits in
her scanty reddish drapeFy on the couch, lean
ing little back and apparently holding her
breath ber curious black eyes fixed space.