New-York tribune., 1918-02-17

spiritualis seancos with the Harvard
professor, and he had assisted me in
my work IN Boston, especially in bring
ing me into acquaintance with Win
Gently Lutosl oslawski, the Polish Chris
tan yogi" who was then lecturng on
Poland before the Lowell Institute. and
who has since then written a book
embodylng his researches into Ameri-
can "New Thought" and "American
Mystlclsm.' Professor James told me
That he agreed with my conclusion
that we we're witnessing in this coun.
try what practically amounted to q new
rchGlous movement. A Widespread re-
aHlrmation of belief in immortality and
breaking away from materalistic
science, together with Il consequent
loosening Of orthodox religious beliefs
we're the main characteristics of this
movement. Since then the movement
has grown to gigantic proportions. and
am certain that present indications
point to a vast and speedy increase,
ace to the profound influence Of the
war. for The war is stirring the human
spirit to its very depths. and from
enose depths are appearing singular.
and sometimes horrible ideas and be-
hefs and practices, many of which
nave been Quiescent since the davs OF
Old Rome or Greece, or Of the builders
OF Babylon.
CUTS ct demon worshippers. for ex-
ample, have appeared not merely in la
Malca and Hayti among the ignorant
descendants of African voodoo follow
ers, but among the supcr-intellectual
aItlsts and worldlings of Paris and
Vienna. Spirits adorod by ancient pee
pies under such names as Priapus and
venus and the sign of the phalIus are
returning to the war-torn earth Or
ganlzed cults devoted to the perpetra-
ZION OF acts which can only be limited at
under the general title of diabojism
nave sprung up in many places. While
scientists like Dr.. Paul Joirc and Jur.e
and Wundt and others are seeking
Through the methods of psyche ANALYSIS
TO discover the natural origin and cx-
planation Of these awful alterations of
the human mind ana soul. other in
Hestlgators fall back upon tho tradi-
5ional and orthodox explanation which
nolds last to the view that demons do
IN tact exist. and to-day, as in past
ages, are finding human beings who of
lhelr own volition will unite their Wills
with the invisible powers of evil '
The late Judge Hatch, who is sun
posed TO be the influence behind the
DooN called Letters from a living
=, U -'iA''' "lIIIcn DN Elsa Barker
the poet, was the founder Of the Amer,
ican branch Of this cult. The coun4,y
IS full of similar movements. If YOU
step INTO Brentano's book store. in
ruth Avenue, you may have to search
quite assiduously to find books typical
OF orthodox spiritual interests: but
there are several huge counters heaped
nigh with the books and pamphlets Of
the new mysticism"
Yet here. as in London, the leaders
and propagandists of the new move
ment are not having it all their own
way Inc opponents of the mystical
cults are to be found among clergvmcn
OF the orthodox religion and also
among scientists. Among both classes
aye many very prominent critics. who.
"hlle admitting that there is much in
the phenomena now increasingly evi-
dent which cannot be explained away
on the hypothesis of fraud, are. never
theless, for that very reason. ali the
more determined in opposing particj-
patton IN such phenomena. For. as DR.
S. l.. Forbes Winslow wrote some years
ago. long before the movement had
reached It's present proportions: Ten
thousand unfortunate people are at the
present time confined in lunatic asy-
sums on account of having tampered
with the supernatural"