Modern spiritism; its science and religion - SpiritArchive.org

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MODERN SPIRITISM
gauze and some luminous paint could be readily
introduced, and that it ought to be exposed. To
my surprise, Mr. Stead was furious, and asked how
I dared suspect any of his audience, that if
any one
brought apparatus it must have been myself( !)
Approval
of F. W.
H. Myers
"None, however," he said, "had been brought;
and he had already had a communication from (the
much harassed) Mr. F. W. H. Myers to congratulate
him on the successful se'ance," which he (Mr. Stead)
declared was the most wonderful materialisation ever
seen in London (this was probably true), etc.,
and he also said he had many letters of congratulation
from the audience. This finally demonstrated the
amazing truth that Mr. Stead and distinguished
scientists in my presence had deliberately preferred
to accept the evidence of their own hypnotised
senses than to believe the testimony of the performers
themselves. I doubt that it is possible to
give stronger evidence of "collective hypnotism."
Comment is needless; but the sadness, to me, of
seeing a company of distinguished savants deceived
by such puerile methods was naturally much
mitigated by being able to attribute their attitude
to "collective hypnotism."
I am told,
Six Drunken Mediums
however, by a well-known "Christian"
occultist, Mr. Robert King, that materialisation of
"spirits" does take place; and that in this country
there are at least six mediums who can effect it, but
that one and all are drunkards and will resort to