The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-26
PREACHER ATTACKS THE SP|RITUAL|STS 2ev. Frank Swainson Issues
 Public Challenge IT IS NOT ACCEPTED May Carry Matter Into the Courts. "The Terrible Vicar" Calls the
 Practice "The Satanic Art"
 and Condemns It.
BY PHILLIP EVERETT.


 been carrying on a ruthless campaign against spiritualism in his parish. A month ago he exposed In his church the alleged frauds practiced by the disciples of the Satanic art" and went to the unparalleled length of denouncing by name Holloway spiritualist as a wife deserter. At the same service he issued a challenge Gin association with MT. Mas kelyne of Maskelyne & Cook to the spr- itualists to a public debate and test seance. the challenge to be taken up in one month
 The month having elapsed. I called on MT. swainson to inquire if the chal- lenge had been accepted No" said the vicar. ''I think it rlgnt to assume. there fore, that the spiritualists are afraid to rlsk the ordeal of pubic Independent test''
 DO you contemplate any further &C., tiong'
 T am now seeking an opportunity to take police court proceedings" replied tie vicar.
 MT. Swainson has already given suffi- cient proof of his resolution to show that this is no idle threat, and it may be confidently anticipated. therefore, that the lively incidents of the past month will be followed by even livelier develop ments.
 The seances of the London spirltualists during the four weeks nave been several times thrown into confusion by tAe efforts of the terrible vicar to obtain adniis- sion. These attempts have so far been successfully resisted, but MT Swainsons ingenuity is equal to his determination One certain change of address in North London the vicar claims to be direct result of his mp-isn.
 'I have had very heavy correspond ence over the whole business said the vicar, and showed a bundle of about oo letters that had reached hin from all parts of the country. Nearly all were sympathetic to his crusade Some told highly path etic stories of the results of dabbling in spiritualism.
 One of the most curious read:
 T and my husband were curious enough to form a spirit circle. Through meddling with the things we got into communication with evil spirits, not the dead We both became deVil-obsessed, end CT some time our lives were too aw- full for description. They were like hell The atmosphere about us seemed impregnated with evil spirits once it was so awful that my husband stayed awake all night with me, and although he is not, strictly speaking. a religious man, called upon our Saviour to help and save us, repeating over and over again 0 verse from Bachs Passion Music.
 Tn addition. said MT. Swainson. he had received a liberal number of abusive post cards; but it takes much more than an abusive post card to ruffle the terrible vicar"
 There is quite remarkable activity in the aeroplane trade. and there must be upward of 100 machines being made pri- vately in this country, to say nothing of the makers of toys of models. The firms which make speciality of supplying va rious parts and fittings for aeroplanes are very busy and the aeroplane- makers cat- alog has already put In an appearance
 The first from MT. Handley Page, whose list provides lot of useful information about special aluminium parts, wire and fabric. At this firms manufactory and private aerodome, work is proceeding rap- idly on number of machines. Here Mr. Deverall Saul and Major Baden Powell have their quadruplanes.
 I hear by the way. that the Aeronauti- cal society is giving up the experimental ground at Dagenham.
 If Great Britain has not done much avi- ation, we can at any rate boast the most complete catalog This has been issued by the Aeroplane Supply company, and it contains the prices of all the principal machines. together with lists of motors and various accessories and materials There are portraits of the leading ayi- ators, terms for lectures, lists of books and a great deal of other matter. It Is becoming more and more difficult to get officers for the English army. and although the secretary ot war, MT Hal- dane, insists that the difficulty is merely temporary or accidental, many military experts are taking very grave view of the situation.
 After lecture on '"The Army as a Pro- fession" at the United Service institution last Wednesday, former war secretary and several others committed themselves to some very grave strictures on the ex- isting state of affairs.
 Lieutenant General Hutchinson who was recently in charge of military educa- tion at the war office, admitted that tba army nowadays was not popular as a profession, and that vacancies for com missions were greater than the number of ca candidates.
 This is very unsatisfactory state of affairs, and is also very hard on individ uals. At present candidates gain con- mission without competitive examinations Yet a short while back many desirable candidates were precluded from entering the military procession by reason of the severity of the competition. Lord Middleton even contended that in order to obtain the class of officers we want, the government must make the at- fractions of military equal to that of the civil service. The question of pay will have to be taken in hand seriously before long, otherwise we cannot expect reRi- mental officers to give up their whole time and reach the present high standard of efficiency on such wage. with no prospects before them unless they have been through the staf college.
 Moreover, nowadays even if they have been through the stan college and done well or active service in addition. they may still. If they have not the fortune to be "in'' with the powers that be. be left in the lurch. All this is very had for the army and apart from other causes nobody anticipates that the supply of candidates twill increase until the sys- tenn of promotion on the higher ranks is