Omaha daily bee., 1922-05-11
After Death, What?
Conan poyie's spook Stun and
Some Other Well Founded Notions.


Following in the footsteps OF such noted
scientists as Sir Oliver Lodge. Sir William
crookss. and Sir Alfred Russell Wallace. Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle-originato OF the Sherlock
Holmes stories-has entered the ranks As an
ardent supporter Of spiFitualism. lie is travelling
about America 10 tell, not alone how he was eon'
sefled from gross matefailsm 10 belief IN the
after lie. but TO show by means OF descriptions
OF personal encounter and sfaphie spirit photo
graphs that. where others offer speculation, 10
him lie after death is as positive Tact as any OF
which scientific proof might be offered.
The history oi all discoveries shows that they
started IN an atmosphere OF humorous defision;
they were played with as spifiluasm Is toyed
with by the uneeet. The plahehe.le. the ouija
hoard, the ehaflatan seanees, the mind reading
which masquerades under the guise oi deeper
eiairyoyanee. are amusement iof groups who
know nothing OF the deeper forces at work. and
arc willing 10 let them rest al the "spook stage.
But to Sir Arthur, spiftualsm is year by year
taking iirmer hold oi us all, even on organized
religion itself. During the burial service. does
not the minister speak OF the spirit OF the de-
parted being present; Is that mere metaphor!
Then so are the minister's own beliefs which he
utters with conviction. What is doematie asser.
ton OF immortality by the side OF actual proois
Though the spiri,ualist Is Unitarian. what he
has proven TO himself he offers TO all religions,
"The New Testamen, is solid spiriuasm.' Sir
Arthur asserts unhesi,a,ingly.
PHYSICS have proven that there are overtoncs
and undertones OF sound no, deteeiable 10 the
ear that there are color vibrations not registered
by the human eye. Physicists a, the University
OF London have photographers physical
fact. not as a psychic maniies,ation-thc aura OF
people: every one OF us. they say, Is outlined IN
definite color. rays that fash from our body.
Argue from this and from the gradual return OF
the churches TO mysticism, and !, would be un-
fair 10 close ones mind 10 any proofs in any
direction To most OF us the actual eommunica-
ton with the spirit world must be subjected TO
further proof, just as the signals from Mars have
vet 10 be settled as not merely being electrical
disturbances. Blu, Sir Arthur believes that the
proof OF an after life the ability 10 get in actual
touch with those we love, will not alone be
comfort which will give richer meaning to
religious belief, but it will alter our daily lives
and characters immcasurably. Would the MUIR
derer stop numbering II he knew positively that
the one he most loved, who had the most IN
fluencc in his life was near him? You may say
that in such person even the wee sma' voice OF
conscience is sticd. But here the very voice
or presence OF the dead is the influence ior good
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle therefore comes TO
America to claim that spiritual proof OF OF . liie
after death will make live the heart OF all religion.
and will better the worlds conduct at time
when it is sorcy needed.
could not help but feel, while on shipboard,
that the presence OF William ]. Burns, the ia
nous secret service head, whose friendship for
Sir Arthur is OF many years standing, was a
symbol OF the Conan Doyle we once knew, stand
ing beside the spiritualist we in America are to
know through a series of lectures. This is no
new thing with me-" declared Sir Arthur. For
thirty-sx years. since | read book by an Amer
ican. Judge Edmunds have been an investga-
tor" There is one thing that can not be gain
said about it. The Doyle family seem to be
suprcmely happy. Does not Maeterlinck reach
the same attitude in 'The Blue Bird where
radiance blooms at the bare assertion that there
is no death!