Arizona republican., 1919-10-31

Johnson's, it may be of interest to those
not posted, to know that the London
Society for Psychical Research, of
which Sir Oliver Lodge and Sir VIM.
Crooks are charter members, spent
considerable time and effort in the sci
entific investigations which resulted in
the complete exposure of the sealed
letter reading test and the test it
self is known as "The Washington Irv-
ing Bishops" billet test.
1t may be of interest to those who
witnessed Rev. Mr.. Johnson's perform
ance last Sunday night, in learning
what Herward Darlington, prominent
member of this London society for
psychical research with whose mem
bers Mr. Johnson's lofty spirit has erst-
while communed) has to say upon the
question of "billet test reading. In
his book, 1.-THE Psychical Phenomena of
Spiritualism,' he says:
There are numerous ingenious ways
of performing this test and a method
commonly employed in public seances
is as follows: The medium has pieces
of paper and envelopes passed around
to those in the audience who wish to
write questions. Many members of the
audience bring their questions already
written and folded or enclosed in
envelopes and sealed. These ques-
tons are collected in a basket or
hat and placed on the table or altar
in front of the medium and in full
view of the audience. After a certain
length of time has elapsed in the in
vocation of opening prayer, the read
ing and answering of billets is begun.
THE medium picks up one Of these.
and holding it out at arms length or
placing it to his forehead, after more
or less, hesitation tells the contents. 1t
| is acknowledged as correct by some
member of the audience, and the me
dunn Immediately opens and reads it,
to verify the fact that he has given the
message correctly, sometimes repeat
| ing the question audibly. After care
fully tearing it up the next billet is
| picked up, and the contents read in a
| like manner, until all the billets have
been read in turn.
This test is very convincing if well
performed. The secret consists in the
fact that the medium has a confederate
in the audience, the contents of whose
| billet he already knows This billet is
marked SO that the medium can distin-
guish it at a glance from all the others
in the pile He picks up any billet in
the heap, except his confederate's and
holding it to his forehead, tells the con
tents of his confederate's slip. which
that person acknowledges as correct.
As soon as he has done so he opens the
billet, ostensibly to ascertain if he has
ready correctly. thereby gaining knowl
edge of the contents of that billet
which he gives as the contents of the
next one and so on through the entire
pile, the medium keeping one ahead
all the time and reading each billet in
turn.
IF the letters are sealed, the same
method is employed. the medium
breaking the seals and reading"
Those who witnessed Rev. John.
sons performance last Sunday nigh
will agree with me that it's similarity
to the famous Washington Irving
Bishops billet test is very striking.
1t will be remembered at the close q
the meeting it was announced that We
are to be favored in the near futur,
with visit from the wonderful me.
dunn, Slater, late of Los Angeles, mar
velous slate writer, and after hayins
seen his performance I shall be pleased
to give to the public through the paper,
what Herward Darlington and othe
members of the London Society TO
Psychical Research have to say o
slate writing.