The Washington times., 1920-05-30
SIR CONAN DOYLE
DEFENDS SP|RIT|SM
Says Church Blocks Progress,
In Reply to Criticisms OF
English ClergyA


LONDON. May 3o.--sir Arthur CO.
nan Doyle has accepted as a challenge
recently published statements Of four
bishops of the English Church on
spiritualism. In a letter to the Globe
he attacks the church as standing In
the way OF progress. Conan Doyle's
letter follows:
at would be difficult to recall any
great forward movement OF the hu-
man race which has not met with op-
position from the church OF the time
the supreme example being record
ed In the New Testament.
'Such protests delay progress, bnt
cannot ultimately hinder II, for God
Is the great Reformer and must PIC
vail.
ut is an extraordinary thing that
prelates cannot perceive that mate
riaiism Is the real curse OF the age.
and especially sthat most subtle form
of materisIism which clothes itself Ia
the outward trappings OF religion, bat
has nothing Of the real spirit within
III this were. clearly understood
the nearest men OF all sects would
see that In Spiritualism, with its den
mite proofs OF independent post-mor-
tenn existence. there Is such q re-en-
forcement for true religion as has
not been since the apostolic age.
what matter thu smaller adjust
ments. IL this great object be attained
and the honest agnostic be sivcn
something sure and definite which
will carry his thoughts beyond the
sordid world around, us and give him
assurance of ultimate justice and
most glorious compensation?
"It Is all very well for the Bishop
of Norwich to say that we ought 20
have this assurance as II Is.
Must Deal with Facts.
"Wc have to deal with facts, and
as a fact great numbers of the most
acute and earnest minds in the coun-
try do not find strength or comfort
In that which suffices for the bishops
spiritual needs.
"Speaking for myself, ] cannot con-
ceivc of any arguments which could
have prevailed against those of ma
tcrialism, which are SO formidable
that the Church never fairly faces
them.
at was only my actual experience
which taught me the basic facts of
supernatural religion-that the indi-
vidual carries on, and that spiritual
evolution and improvement are the
OpJcCts VI ouE SAiStOhSN.
"If the contention OF the Bishop OF
Hereford were correct we should ex-
pect to find high rate OF lunacy
among the spiritual communities.
who are now a numerous body In this
country.
"This is notoriously not so.
ION the contrary. they are re-
markably healthy set of people and
contribute far fewer than their quota
to the asyiums.
ait Is surely matter Of common
knowledge that Spirituaiism has
greatly increased during the last Ave
years. During that time there has
been a marked drop in the lunacy
statistics.
"How can the Bishop OF Hereford
reconcile that fact with his assertion
that the cult leads to mental and
moral debilitation?
. Harm In All Abuse.
"Over-excitement and abuse OF any
thing Is harmful, but that applies
equally to every religion under the
sun.
my own view is that even IL It
took a considerable sacrifice of hu-
man reason of life to establish so
vital a proposition as personal sur
vival it would be well worth while.
mo such payment has yet been de-
manded Of us. but when we consider
how many victims were claimed by
the motor-car or the aeroplane be-
fore they reached success it seems
strange that we should exaEgerate
the risks which may attach to psy-
chic progress.
"The Bishop of Truro seems to con-
fuse Spiritualism with fortune-tell-
ing. / can assure him that most earn
est spiritualists arc opposed to for