The Irish standard., 1913-01-25
HAUNTED HOUSES
AND EXPLANATION
Tue Spooky Feeling Which Natur-
ally Creeps Over the
Occupant.
Monsignore Robert Hugh Benson
Relates His Interesting
Experience
In Connection With the Uncanny
Phenomena of Haunted
Places.

Mgr. Il. II. Benson contributes to
the January number of the Pail Mall
Magazine an article on haunted
houses. He approaches the subject in
his own logical way, lays the facts
on the table. as it We're, i'll the Gals
WORKMAN manner. He attempts no
persona, explanation but he gives at
the close certain theories Of those
who try to explain the phenomena.
In his opening remarks he discusses
the question of the credibility of the
evidence for haunted houses, first of
all stating the reasons why any fact
is believed at ALL A belief i'll the
existence of Australia; in the execu-
ton Of Charles l; and l., the fact that
the earth goes round the sun, must
resscs for these facts, and the number
of people vouching for them. In the
case OF the haunted houses. pursues
our author, the weight Of human evil
dence is overwhelming.
"Stories OF the kind are not peculiar
to this country or that, to this stage
of civilization or the othci. Platus
wrote a comedy on tho subject;
i raEedss sl'l,e,
ian aboriginal. the English rustic, the
New York business man, The French
roble - men. women, children, sage
and fool, the hysterical and the sober,
the sleeper and the wakeful, dogs and
Lorscs, the ancient Egyptian and the
modern Parisian-these, and others Of
every class, age and temperament, so
scs who maintain the same tale. II
the whole affair CAL be dismissed as
unconvincing, it must be to the evac-
latiun of all human evidence what
ever. II I may not believe in haunt
ed houses, Still less may believe in
the south pole or the effects c. radium.
] have never spoken with anyone who
has seen the south poIe-(and l am
not to)--neither have ] ever watched
who has. But l have spoken with
more than q score OF. witnesses who
have experienced the phenomena Of
haunted houses"
Laws that govern these phenomena
ere Of a curious kind, too, a.d in many
respects contrary to what might be ex-
pected. Fear in the spectator does not
always accompany the appearance Of
the "spook,'' and it is not often that
the imaginative or highly strung per-
son experiences the most remarkable
phenomena-".A couple of middle aged
PRIESTS, a young sporting Englishman,
ar ex-professional boxer, two middlo>
aged teachers - these are they who
have related to me the most convince
Ing and the most impressive histories
that have ever heard"
Mgr. Benson then leaves the the
oretic and speculative field and enters
the much more satisfactory domain of
the actual and experienced.
Actual Experiences.
Let us have one or two EXAMPLES" !"
he says, and proceeds
'On a certain visit to America not
long ago ! received information Of
q haunted presbytery not far from
New York, and the following week ]
went to see it. My friend and 1 ar
rived after dark, and were welcomed
BY the smiling Irish priest. The
church and the adjoining buildings
stand in a frequented street. they are
Of not particular external interest,
Next to the church, and communicat-
Ing with 1t. Is a thin red -hr!ck build l.
Ing. Of two stories high, ana only two
rooms in depth; this is the original
Fresbytcry, used now in it's luwer story
rs a sacristy, and it's upper es a lum-
her room. Adjoining it again, on the
SIDE away from the church, is the in
Eabited presbytery-a large comfort
sble building-inhabited to the entire
exclusion Of the other, since, in the
other, life had become impossible. All
that am now going to relate was re-
lated to me, simply and unscnsation-
ely. by the present parish priest as