Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-12
The Shady Side
of Detroit
Nv Frederic ]. Haskin.
BY Frederic J. Haskin.

Detroit. Mich, Aug. l2.-The revival
of Spiritualism. which has flared up SO
unexpectedly since the war, finds ITS iuil-
est expression in Detroit There rs proha,,
hlv more communication with the beyond
gong on here than in any other city IN
the country certainly II hes the greatest
number of Spiritualistic societies.
Advertisements of their mysterious
doings fill whole column IN the local
newspapers. Don't fail to- hear Professor
Handles essay ON the Power OF Vision,
reads one Of these, ALSO spirit raps ioud
aud distinct within the human hrain.
Greatest phenomena since lS4o' otiiel
surprises Come skeptics Admission %
cents, war tax included
Another invites the public to meetings
of The Rosebud society" which also
suarantecs messages and spirit raps
within the human brain. Stlii aho'hSr
l. the 'Sunnower society which wei
comes visitors TO IT'S sunday evening
services with the assurance of lecture rs
we'll as message for ell.
There are dozens Of them, ,allapparently
modelled after the same pattern, ana
nearly all of them possessing women
pastors Spiritualism as one form OF re-
hgion in which women play the steiiar
roles. since the shades Of the next world
several of the societies an Detroit are IN
clined To think that the Creator OF the
Universe NAV be feminine, scouting the
assumption of 3 masculine deity as as
tinctlv uncertain il not actually narrow
minded.
GOING AFTER THE SPIRITS.
After scanning the long list Of adver-
tisemen,s. we finally decided in favor OF
attending the services Of the "Psychlcal
Research Society. which also spoke OF
messages. but no raps. The meeting was
a. be held IN the G.. A. II. Hall, which
sounded conservative and reliable. so.
accompanied by good-naturcd Detroit
business man. we started forth in search
Of IL, in the hope of obtaining some really
live gossip from the next world
The he'll proved to be worn and de
jected looking building on street CON
tanning small cheap shops, and although
q cardboard sign tackled crookedly on the
wall announced that meeting ot the
'Psychical Research Society was IN
progress on the top floor, the place APP
peared quite deserted.
After looking about and listening FOR
signs of life, we suddenly discovered small
sign IN dark corner by the elevator,
which said Three rings for the Psychical
Research society" Accordingly, we rang
the elevator bell three times. and in q
few minutes II started alowlv down the
shaft swinging perilously from side to
side
Maybe that's due TO psychic vibra-
tions, suggested our friend, who has not
been much impressed with all the recent
rhostlv manifestations which have been
occurring throughout the country.
\ small man. with a round, bald head
- g,I,d IrOopipr r,,t1rtaphp prpnp1
the door Of the elevator cage, assured us
that there was psvChical research
society and that II had foregathered: so
We began a quivcrlng ascent to the top
floor.
WHERE THE sITTTRs SAT.
In q large square room, containing
wide. central platform, rows of diugy
chairs, dIapidated mural decorations left
over from some remote daJce, and an
extraordinary lack of ventilation, were
gathered the psyohical researchers an
almost wholly feminine congregation One
~ them was playing on a siekly piano
something which may or may not have been
'rThe Naidens Prayer Fortunately, it
was impossible 10 tell. The rest, some
twenty-five or SO, were occupying the
front rows Of chairs, waiting patiently for
the services 70 begin
LOOK Ike ldfNDfN VOfhFIS. fnuTnlUTPU
our business friend. as we walked 10 the
front and brazenly seated ourselves in the
first row And most Of them arc for
eignors, he added, gazing about
4 fat lady soon mounted the platform
and began addressing the congregation
with distinctly German accent She
explained that instead of hearing lee
turc from her, as had been the custom.
they were to be edited by talks from
various members of the society who were
not; Of course, trained public speakers
like herself, but who was comm out
wonderful To lend emphasis to this
announcement one of the few males
present brought huge pitcher Of ice
water and set il on the small platform
table. after carefully draping a scarf
over It.
1t looks like tho setting for presti-
digitatOr act. suggested our friend irrev-
erently Keep an eve on your watch
But wo other ladies, one of them pale
and en- aciated, the other of pOnderous