Evening journal., 1914-01-26
81 OK MAGIC
TILL PRAC FN
In ENGLAND

LONDON. Jan. 25-Studeni5 OF the
occult-as well as the general pub
lic-haye taken lively interes, in
~, lason OF
the Roman Catholic Church, that /
"black magic- IS still pracliced here
in England According TO this emil
nent churchman and author wno re-
Gently has devoted much of his time
to physical RESEARCH there exists to-
dav I'm London secret societies which
regularly attempt the 3ullmoning Of
evil spirits, with All the Dccompani-
ment of obscene oetha horrible IN
/ carnations. and the various gruo-
some rites employed hy opponents or
/ Uitchcrait in the ll'laic ases
Mgr Benson says ho knows person.
ally two men Wfo nrc uemccrs OF
such q society. "Tncy frankly claim
TO be i'm league with evil spirits just
as tho old witches did Dee dec area
whom interviewed on the subject "1hey
are well educated. but whether they
are mad or whether fhcy are merely
liars, I am not qualified TO say. But
do know that they attempt the
black ant He explained tna, they
use tho rises principally MS % means
OF mental concentration fer the pur-
pose OF exercising a malevOient IN
iluence over persons whom they wish
10 injuro The Monsiguor does not
believe I'm the possibility of material
izing either good or evil spirits, aud
hc ascribcs the alleged manifesto
tions Of the "black magicians' Us well
as those of the spiritualists 10 tele-
pathic Influences upon the subcon-
scious mind OF the spectator or audi
l tor.
Commenting on his statements
MAJOR General Si Alfred Turner
j Englahd's lea ling spiritualist, an'
i who aims frequently to have con
@ versed with the matorialized spirit o
r. the late W. #. stead, said TO the cor
respondent: Unfortunately we Splr
ituaiists cannot deny the cXistenc
of black magic we can only Oeplor
e it. We know that it is possible q
, summon evil spirits from the othe
world, Just as good spirits are sum
moned. Mgr. Benson has only tol
el par, OF this terrible business
y Black magic is not only attempte'
y but it Is successfully practiced /
h; England by great meny persons.
,u have seen it-but only once. The rite
&c are oven too horrible TO describe.
lo shudder every time I think of then
= and only wish J could wipe the el
u perience from my memory. You ma
y gather some idea of the gruesomenei
~ of IT, when / tell you that a huge boN
.'0 OF steaming blood was one of Il
properties utilized 10 must not
supposed that these practices al
merely a revival Of an ancient crai
Dit The rites have been handed down Sc
nd reilly and by word of mouth only 4
an centuries past"
ire A distinguished investigator
mt psychic phenOmena-not splrltui
he ist-who has written several boo
es- upon the subject. asserted that
ell knew personally o. three "bla
magic" societies in London. "
is course" said he their operatio
do are surrounded with every possii
er- safeguard of secrecy Only the mi
INV ated are admitted to their meetini
,ev The candidate has 10 take a fear
oal oath. I'm which he agrees 70 tOrf
his life should he divulge any OF
doings of the society Recruiting
these organizations is being condu
ed more extensively than one wo'
as suppose. so little does the general pl
seq lie know OF the business. Emissar
OF Of the societies are in the habit
tied freuuenting meetings and social ga
was erings where advanced thought
lro- supposed to predominant over
@. every day variety. and here they OF
find a fertile field. Sir Alfred Tur
Is quite right in saying that
.ged spiritualists Of England have no c
med nection with the votaries of 'bl
He magic I know Of no society or
be. ISOLATION OF spiritualists in the co
Oh try-snd my acquaintance with u
ade- is extensive-that teaches or encs
axes these practices