Evening star., 1922-10-15

Gu0ntS. lHeEc Was Iol Iii0Sii tIiiiO Ao1
preparation. for the Carnegie Hall had
been engaged for Wednesday, and here
my first effort must be made. Keedick
was a typical modern American business
man of the best type. clean shaven.
steadv-eyed, alert and smiling. The
difference beween him and my old
friend and manager. Maj. Bond. is
typical of the very great change
which has occurred in American man
hood.
The older generation was hirsute.
angular, full Of whimsical character
and humorous exaggeration, as diff
ierent as possible from their quiet,
efficient successors; but there was
something which we used to con-
slider typically American in the In
tense individuality of the men of last
century. The world is the poorer for
their passing. 1t was sad to me to
md how completely my friends OF
long ago had vanished. Mr.. Melville
Stone, Hamlin Garland and Edward
Box. they seemed to be the only sur
vivors.
Mr.. Keedick had come to say that
the New York press would wait upon
me at IL o'clock, and. sure enough, at
that hour in marched eighteen rep
resentatives. about a third of them
ladies. They perched themselves
round our sitting room as best they
might, and I. seated in an armchair in
the center. was subjected to fine
a'akins fire which would have shot
inc to pieces had I been vulnerable.
But on this subject, though 1 say it
myself, l am not vulnerable, for l
have read SO long and so earnestly.
sud have had SO many flrst-hand ex-
prriences with the greatest mediums.
that l can usually give reasons and
facts upon every point.
My knowledge. too. is accessible.
for, apart from an excellent memory
which hardly ever fails me upon a
matter which interests me, I carry
my notebooks with me and can in an
instant look up any reference. Final
Iy, if I do not know a thing, 1 never
hesitate to say SO. which is the great
est of all projections. AS a result, In
five years of oss-examination, l
have hardly ever made a statement
which 1 have had even to modify
after I have made il. I touch wood
SIS 1 write the words.
Doyle Ready to Box.
1t was interesting to see what the
points are which exercised the minds
Of these intelligent men and women.
They wanted to know in detail what
=
had made me 50 absolutely sure.
Every now and then l had to laugh
ard say That's my lecture" or they
would have prematurely emptied me.
i was able. I think, to convince them
that / was not a simple minded per
son who has been deceived by takers.
The suggestion OF senility cheerfully
put forward by one or two antago-
nists who had not met me did not
seem to cut any ice, either. 1 have
always been ready to box three
friendly rounds with any one who
desires reinsurance upon this point
They wanted to be assured that it
was really a fact that took no per-
sonal profit out of my lectures. Then
the conditions of the other world Of
Tered boundless field for questions.
OF course, the alcohol and cigars
came up. 1 could only say that had
never personally heard any claim that
such things existed. 1t has always
seemed to me that one of the most
startling passages in the New Testa-
ment is that in which the Christ
speaks of wine in the beyond. Pos
sibly some unfermented drink was in
His mind, or possibly He only used
the phrase as synonym for making
merry. The usual information is that
any nutrition is of a very light and
delicate order, corresponding to the
delicate etheric body, which requires
it,
Reporters and Heaven.
Then there was the question of
marriage. and the old proposition of
the much married man, and which
wife he should have. AS there is no
sexual relation, as we understand 1T.
this problem is not very complex. and
IS naturally decided by soul affinity.
As to the general prospect of mans
salvation. the reporters got that hu-
morous angle which is natural to the
American.
"All ordinary decent people will
find themselves In Paradise after
DEATH Sir Arthur insisted optimis-
tically.
Il believe that every one in this
room will go there" he added, in
dicating the eighteen reporters pres
Ent.
The reporters looked somewhat
doubtfuliy at each other"
Sir Arthur reassured them. you
don't have to be SO Very good to get
to heaven" he said.
Perhaps as I reread these reports,
which. after all, are fairly accurate,
have erred In not making it clearer
that there are causes. petrifaction
OF soul and bigotry above all others.
which do delay mans salvation for
long periods. The man who centers
upon some narrow creed is certainly
in danger. But II am too optimistic
IT Is In reaction against those hor-
rible conceptions of a vengeful Deity
which have shadowed so many lives.
1t was good to get this ordeal over
and to be out with my family in the
wonderful air of New York. 1t is
remarkable how greatly the city has
been improved since my first visit
THE broad avenues. the smooth pave
,uents and roadways. the splendid
new buildings, impress the spectator.
SO 90 the police. who used to be fat.
inefhcient and corrupt, but who now
are as fine a force Of clean-cut ath-
letic young men as the world could
show. There Is a general air of pros
perity, as may we'll be the case, con-
sidering that nearly all the money
IN the world has been brought over
here by the economic consequences
Of the war. This affiuence is the
only war sign which one observes,
,'or the mutilated men (tnough have
met one or two) are so few in COM
parison, and so lost In the large gem
eral population, that one does not
observe them. The kaisePs mark is
only too common in Britain and in
France and, I may add, in Australia.
Praises American War Work.
We are too apt to forget. however.
Nf