The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-01-19
SPIRITUALISM IS
ALARMING ENGLAND
Bv MARY HENKE.

LONDON, Dec 24.-Along with the
Irish question, the peace treaty and
other pressing difficulties, the growth
OF spiritualism is giving England
something to worry about.
Intellectual men Of more than ma
tional reputation, society leaders and
former staid and unimaginative mem
bers of the church, are joining the
ranks of those who believe In the re-
turn of spirits from the other world
to communicate with the living.
Sir Oliver Lodge and Conan Doyle
were pioneers in the movement OF "in-
htellectuals" toward spiritualism. and
The trend has become so noticeable as
to alarm the Bishop of London and
others of influence in the church.
Picture Of Christ Interests.
Almost every day the press carries
an account of some startling nantes
tation of spiritualistic influence. A
very weak and insipid picture of the
Christ, declared to have been drawn
while under the direction Of spirits.
created nationwide interest.
The artist was Mrs. Victor Spencer,
daughter-in-law of Viscountess Churc-
hill, and she had never before shown
any traces of artistic talent, accord
ing to herself and her relatives.
Conan Doyle pronounced the picture
to be marvellous" and it was shown
at one of the galleries, wlsere it was
wondered at or criticized, according
to the observers sympathy with the
spiritualistic idea.
Conan Doyle has in his way, az
earnest and sincere an>interest in the
other world as H. G. Wells has in the
study Of development of religious be
lief. Doye recently wrote book or
his conception of the great beyond
that settled great many perplexine
problems about the future existence.
There was to be no eternal triangle
in Doyle's conception of heaven, and
there would be affinities enough to &C
around. What was to become of the
third person in the triangle was not
definitely set out. =
The interest shown in spiritualism
by solid, worthy citizens, who are not
faddists in any sense of the word
is what is causing alarm to the sup
porters of the church.
Nice old ladies who never do any
thing that might be in the leas
branded as unconventional. prosper
GUS men who work in banks, and tn,
l1East end coster who sees ghosts
are together adherents of the new
cult.
Psychologists say is the afte
effect of the war ant the longing o
those who have lost loved ones il
France to hear from them again.
Many Fakes in Ranks.
While many of the supporters o
spiritualism are sincere in their be
lief, its growth has led to a stimuli
in fortune telling and mind reading
that has elements of danger. UnscrJ
pulous mediums are constantly work
ing on the fears and emotions of won
en- patrons, and there are cases wher
persons have been driven into insanit
through worry over a spirit manifesto
ton that originated in the mind c
the medium.
Scores of women respond to an inv
tation to become the medium throug
which communications are to be mad
with spirits, all confident that the
have the required qualifications.
Physiological study has been stiml
lated by the spread of spiritualisn
and in a way science has benefite,
but conservative churcr-going publ
sees only a menace in the principle
of the cult.