Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-11-21
THE SPIRITS N SCIENCE

THE SPIRITS AND SCIENCE
WHEN Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
w was in this country recently
he stirred up a good deal of inter
est in the subject of spiritualism,
and among those journals that
made adverse comment on his al
legged proofs of communications
from the spirit world was the
Scientific America. Conan Doyle
challenged scientific Investigation
of his facts and the Scientific Amer
lean accepts the challenge.
IF Sir Conan Doyle is right in
his theories regarding the spirit
world and of life after death, and if
the proof can be made as convlnc-
ing to a body of American scien-
lists as they have been to the ia
nous author, the medium doing it
can havefive thousand dollars.
Sir Conan was not wholly pleas
ed after his return to England at
the close of his recent lecture tour
in this country for the reason that
his belief in the proofs he had told
about was scarcely sustained. Par
ticularly did he take issue with the
Scientific American for its analy-
sis of the proofs that had been sat
~isfactory to him and to others, but
which were not convincing to cold
" scientific minds. In a some
what lengthy correspondence with
the editors, he babe them investi-
gate for themselves, in the belief
that they would obtain results that
would have unouestioned weight
with the world, coming from such
a recognized source.
This is the challenge that has
been accepted, and in its Deeem-
Der issue the Scientific American
will WI offers aggregat-
ing $4,000 to any medium in the
world who can produce conclusive
proof of any psychic manifestation
to the satisfaction Of a board Of
eminent judges. On the basis Of
existing data" say the editors, we
are unable to reach a definite con
clusion as to the validity of psya
chic claims" 1t is TO clear up this
confusion in the public mind that
the two offers are being made at
this time. One is for $500 to the
first person who produces a psy-
chic or spirit" photograph under
the test conditions to be formulat-
ed by the committee of eminent
scientists who will act as judges.
The other offer, also of $500,
will be awarded to the first person
who produces a visible psychic
manifestation of other character,
under these conditions, and to the
full satisfaction of these judges.
Purely mental phenomena like tele-
pathy, or purely auditory ones like
rappings will not be eligible for
this award. The contest does not
revolve about the psychological or
religious aspects of the phenomena,
but has to do only with genuine
ness and reality"
Sir Conan Doyle has been advis-
ed by mail of the result of his urg-
ing to investigate and has been
asked to extend an invitation to
the mediums of Europe who have
been producing remarkable psychic
manifestations, according to recent
reports. Other psychic investiga-
tors have been asked for their sup
port of the present thorough in
vestigation, which will not only be
conducted by eminent scientists
but will be substantiated at every
turn by scientific apparatus SO that
the human equation will be reduc-
ed to a minimum in determining
the exact results.
The board of judges, yet to be
announced, will contain the anne
of men eminent in the scientific
world, or known investigators in
the psychic field, together with
! some who are skilled in the arts by
which these things may be done
through trickery. Thus whatever
may be the outcome, the various
seances must and win be accepted
as definite evidence for or against
the genuineness of Psychic mani
factaffnrc