Omaha daily bee., 1920-01-29
Listening to Voices From the
Other World
From the Baltimore American.

Sir Oliver Lodge, the leading writer upon
the subject of spiritism, has come to this eour-
try, and among other cities will visit Baltimore
to deliver lecture that sets forth his talth IN
the reality of the after life. He is hailed as a
leader because of the high place he occupies as a
practical scientist and man who has conducted
experimentation in the field OF spirihstc
phenomena with a thoroughness that no others,
perhaps, have surpassed. Yet the eminent Eng
l lishman is but one OF scores OF men and women
OF distinction in letters and the sciences VINO
have become exponents of the truth OF inlmor-
talty as derived from table tipping and like eX.
ercises, along with levitation, direct voice and
varied forms of alleged communication with the
other world. From one end Of the land, and
from one end Of the world. to the other, the
wave of interest in spritualism has extended.
Sir Oliver Lodge, Prof. Hyslop and others see
in it confirmation of the essential teachings Of
the Christian religion and look upon their ef-
forts to authenticate the voices from the other
side as real communications, as being the one
line of proof of the after life.
Without seeking to pass upon the matter.
the TACT that there is universal interest IN. the
theme is something OF which account must be
taken, and, indeed the churches will need to
treat with seriousness that which has been
seized upon by nulttudes of their members.
Sprituistic phenomena are nothing new lhe
novelty of the present phase of interest in the
subject is the fact that it has been given for
the first time the attention that any other sub
ject of scientific research is accorded. SO that
the bulk of evidence and the volume of expert
mentation provide the amplest data for passing
Judgment upon the subject Yet with it all
there is no other subject of universal interest
upon which there are as wide differences OF
opinion. ... I
Aside fron, the Bible, where spirit communi-
cation is taught absolutely, the matter is found
fitering through the later religious literatures.
1t is seen in the Taln1ud. where it appears as
matter of course. The Roman Catholic CHURCH
has always held to the teaching of communica-
ton by the spirits OF the dead, both good aud
cvil. with the living. Yet it believes and teaches
that spiritism is diabolic and dangerous and
should be avoided. In this it has the warrant
OF the Old and the New Tcstaments. Sir Conan
Doyle, however. seeks to account for the ban Of
the old prophets upon communication with
spirits due to the fact that the priests Of the
day had a monopoly of the privilege and en1olu
n1ents from splrituastic seances. This is, of
course, fancful and is without warrant in the
Scriptures. IT there is any one thing clear in
the Bible it is that general dabbng with the
subject is wrong and is to be avoided Never
theless. Sir Conan Doyle seeks to make Of Jesus
a medium and interprets the scenes of the
TRANSPORTATION as mediumstic seance. The
eminent novelist will find few of the orthodox
believers In any of the denominations to agree
with him. 49,.
All the responsible investigators of spiristic
phenomena deplore general dabbling in the
subject and point their warnings in terms that
probably de not deter, because they are too
vague and speculative. The psychologists whose
distinctive sphere has been invaded are dis
posed to regard the matter wholly as one of
abnormal psychology and to look upon those
who profess to have psychic powers as Of more
interest to inve stigate than the phenomena.
These they ascrihe to the abnormal functionng
OF the individuals consciousness. Christian
Science is virtually interviewer with spiritisn1
by the nature of its teachings. To the followers
of Mrs. Eddy the manifestations Of spiritism are
testimony to the prevalence of moral mind
They hold that one open his consciousness
to the entrance of the discarnate spirit of
murderer. drunkard, or some other evil type
SO, evil possession results and the appropriate
acts are induced On the other hand, one can
open up his consciousness to the divine mind
that will preclude the entrance of the evil spirit
or mind and bring the individual into conforms
ity with the mind of God.
The orthodox ministry is giving some at
tention to spiritisnl, and some ministers are Sc
riously seeking to ascertain at what point of
contact the orthodox believer may unite with
the psychcs for the betterment of men and the
widening of the hope of immortality. The voice
from the other world, authentic or illusionary,
for good evil is one of the loudest heard
today. What are the churches going to do
about it?