The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1919-02-08
Is Sir Conan Doyle in Communication
With the Spirits Of the Dead?
written by j. Godfrey Raupert, K. S.
G., for Central Bureau Press


Bulletin)
The following article is the first
of series of five short treatises on
the subject of Spiritism by Sir ]. God
frey Raupert, X. S. G., of England,
now sojourning in this country. The
author-is an acknowledged authority
on this subject, having conducted re-
searches in this particular field for a
number of years; his authority is
readily evidenced by his books, some
of which are: Modern Spiritism,' -
"The Dangers of Spiritualism," esprit
tistic Phenomena and their Interpra-
tation." Moreover, Mr.. Raupert's work
as writer and lecturer has received
the recognition of Rome with the
sanction of the Holy See, says the
British Catholic Who's Who (191S),
Mr.. Raupert has given courses of lee
lures on the modern psychical and
occult movement of thought at Semi
naries and Catholic institutions in vari-
GUS part of the world" And only a
few months ago the Papal Secretary
Of State, Cardinal Gasparri, conveyed
the blessing and encouragement of the
Holy Father to the author in a letter
dated Oct. 81, 1918.
In this letter-which emphasizes
the timely character of an educational
campaign regarding the danger of
Spiritism-the Papal Secretary says:
g.. Indeed, among the evils which
at the present time are causing havoc
OF humanity, we may number those
occult practices of Spiritism, which, if
permitted to spread unchecked,
threaten to inflice on countless per-
sons the loss of body and soul.
Therefore, His Holiness can but
esteem worthy of praise and of real
benefit to humanity the work that is
accomplished either by word or. by
writing, in order to- save men from
the meshes of such intricate and peri
lous practice. His Holiness encour-
ages your whole hearted zeal. go"
The subject is particularly timely,
since after practically every war a
sort of religious revival takes place,
the faithful seeking consolation and
shelter in their faith, while those who
have not true faith turn to various
forms of superstition. This contention
is being borne out by the prominence
given to Communion with the dead"
by such men as Sir A. Conan Doyle
and Sir Oliver Lodge. 1t was in view
of the emphasis laid on Spiritism at
this after.war moment that the c.
Bureau requested Mr.. Raupert to pre-
pare these articles.
I know of nothing in our modern
literature which so forcibly and clear
ly reflects and illustrates the Zeitgeist
as the recent statements and articles
by Sir Conan Doyle.
The age in which we live is, as
all thinking men know, increasingly
departing from belief in the Super
natural as revealed in the Gospels
and the traditions of Historical Chris.
tianity, and is relapsing into paganism,
even though this paganism hides it.
self behind attractive and scientific"
and even academic terms. But the
human heart cannot altogether exist
without some contact with that I'M
seen world which it knows to exist
and with which it feels itself to be re-
lated. As consequence very dis
tinct blank Is created which causes
the distressed mind to cast about for
some kind of substitute which is cal
culs+ ID to fill this blank and to satisfy
its cravings. Spiritism, in it's modern
scientific form is, beyond doubt, the
most attractive and acceptable sub
stitute for this lost Supernatural that
could be presented. It satisfies, or
claims to satisfy, longings which all
men experience more or less, and
which in sense constitute the very
basis and conditions of any kind of
religious life and belief. One can,
therefore, fully understand how it
comes to pass that statements such
as those of Sir Conan Doyle and Sir
Oliver Lodge are creating a world
wide attention and why the interest
in the subject is such a keen and
widespread one.
Now it is not proposed in these
articles to raise the question as to
the reality and objectivity of the
phenomena themselves. They have
been under the observation of experts
in many instances men of a pro-
nouncedly sceptical turn of mind
for long series of years and, for all
practical purposes, the final verdict
has been given. It is absolutely GER
tain today that, under given condi-