The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current, November 12, 1922, Section One, Page 5, Image 5

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    THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, PORTLAND, NOVEMBER 12, 1922
EC
OL
E
SPIRIT MEDIUM
Phenomenal Information Is
Given Doyle.
ACCURACY HELD PROVED
Extracts Supplied From Closed
Books iu Libraries; Psychic
Change Is Constant.
Our American Adventure, by Sir Arthur
Cnnan Doyle.
(Copyright by sir Arthur Conan Dnyle,
H'JJ, for the United State and Great
Britain. IU-Iensed by Murth American
Newspaper Alliance.)
ARTICLE XL
A spirit control has, I thiik,
enormous powers of reference. All
literature and possibly all thoughts
are within his reach. The literary
reference has been proved by a long
series of elaborate book tests
through Stanton Moses, Mr. Leonard
and other mediums, who would give
extracts from closed books in
libraries as recorded by Lady Glen
connor, the Rev. Drayton Thomas
and other observers.
Now consider in detail the per
sonal information which Mr. John
Ticknor was able to give me.
1. He gave me the names cor
rectly of four relatives.
2. He knew that I had some con
nection at some time with the late
Major Willie Redmond, M. P.
3. He knew that 1 belonged to
the Athenaeum club.
4. He knew that T was connected
with some "contraption" (as he de
scribed it) on a bicycle.
All this was correct, and yet all
could possibly have been gathered
from my archives if some preter
natural power could have scanned
all those archives, but some of it,
especially Nos. 2 and 4, were quite
beyond what any inquirer could
have discovered. When one remem
bers that he gave equally good In
formation to half a dozen other peo
ple, one realizes that it really is
vain to explain it by normal causes,
lly conclusion, then, is that I am
absolutely convinced of the honesty
and powers of Mr. John Ticknor,
but that I am not equally convinced
of the complete veracity of his con
trol. Several DiHputes Develop.
I have had to find time amid my
journeys and my addresses for sev
eral newspaper controversies. I had
not intended to enter into any, but
when one is gently entreated to
combat one cannot refuse. The one
was with a Mr. Green, who wrote a
long reasoned open letter in the
Times, adopting a sort of Charles
Itichet position that is, admitting
tite phenomena but denying the
psychic. I answered by a string of
examples from my own experience
which were all inexplicable without
the psychic. I think I made the
matter clear.
The other was in the Tribune with
Mr. Maxim, the brother of my old
acquaintance, the inventor. Mr.
Maxim took a frankly material posi
tion, as his brother had done in
life, though he tried to atone for
it by reappearing at the side of
Miss Scatcherd at Crewe, a really
living likeness. I have sent a copy
of this to his brother and it may
cause him to think. When Ameri
can papers disagree one usually
has a courteous controversy of this
kind, for they realize how absurd
It is for the average journalist to
make light of the views of many
of the greatest intellects of modern
times. The want of proportion
which allows the callow psychic
researcher to speak with contempt
of a Crookes or of a Lombroso is
unknown here. 'I have in all my
travels outside Melbourne seen
nothing in the same class as the
mixture of ignorance and insolence
which appears in some London
journals.
Ultimate Adoption Expected.
I do not for a moment suppose
that amid the constant rush and
pressure ot American life my
presentation of vital truth will
make any immediate effect, save
upon those who were very specially
ready for it. But it will come later.
To every man there may happen the
day when the doctor puts away his
stethoscope, averts his eyes, stam
mers out that his duty compels him,
etc. Then in the next hour that
man may think of what I have told
him of the vanity of theological
terrors, of the natural sequence of
events at death, of the placid pros
pect of the hereafter if life here
has not been wholly material. So
also at that-moment when he waits
In an agony of apprehension, and
there comes down the passage the
elow, reluctant step which bears the
tidings of death, once more after
the first shock he may remember
some echo of this teaching and he
may steady his shattered life with
the words, "Well, that fellow said
ho got his loved ones back. Why
may not I?"
It was Fcnimore Cooper, the
novelist, who on his death bed said,
"Bless the Fox sisters for the peace
which 1 now feel!" What greater
reward to any teacher than that?
And how can we feel vexation or
anything but pity for those who
reject such a gift?
Psychic Change Constant.
I sometimes fear that these won
derful manifestations are only a
temporary glimpse, that the sullen
waters of materialism may sub
merge the. little island of other
world light. In that case it is more
than ever necessary that we take
careful records of what occurs.
There is psychic change all the time.
Many materia! signs, such as raps,
which were once common are now
rare. When the door is opened the
knocks cease. The tendency is
away from physical signs and to
ward more subtle and spiritual
ones, automatic writing and the
like. 1'ossibly the physical signs
may cease altogether and remain as i
a wonderful incredible legend, like
those of the days of the apostles. We
move slowly toward some definite'
goal but none of us can clearly see!
what that goal may be. How little!
Christ could have foreseen the de
velopment of Christianity! If he
had visioned the whole panorama,
the bitterness, the bloodshed, the I
futility, it surely would have caused
Mm greater pain than anything that
he endured in Gethsemane. The
rentle Jesus contemplating the in
quisition! Could there be a wider
contrast than that?
No, we do not clearly see our goal.
But wo can see enough to assure
.ourselves that it will bo the great
est upward movement of human
thought and knowledge ever expe
rienced, so that it will mark the
definite end of the dark ages. But
when? All the omens say soon. And
yet when one reflects that "those
of Caesar's household" were Christ
ians about the year 50, and that it
did not reach Caesar himself till
327, it makes one less optimistic.
Novell! Held Excellent.
I have had little time for literary
recreation since I have been here
and my reading has necessarily been
largely psychic, but it amused me
to read with care the two novels
which have been the largest sellers
and therefore the most popular l
w ith the American public. These are j
"Main Street" and "If Winter1
Comes." I think that the fact re-1
fleets great credit upon the judg- j
ment of the Americans, for both of i
them are fine books, honest, con
scientious and artistic.
"Main Street" is difficult reading. I
fancy many a pedestrian.like myself,
has stuck half way down the lead
ing thoroughfare of Gopher Town.
But none the less it has embalmed
forever a little middle western j
township, the exact image and type .
of 10,000 others in the great corn;
lands. If the book is ever dull it
is because the town and the people
are dull when reproduced with such
exact detail. It is a wonderful,
faithful picture like the careful
realistic stippling of some old Dutch
artist, where every loop of lace in
every collar must needs be out
lined. "If Winter Comes" is very differ
ent, for though it incidentally
touches on the humors of an Eng-
lish Gopher Town it concerns itself
less with externals and more with)
the spiritual development of Mark I
Sabre, the saint who never dreamed
that he was a saint, for he was too
saintly to ever fancy such a thing.
The book rises to great heights and
is wonderfully English in atmos
phere and sentiment, which makes
its complete acceptance by Ameri
cans the more pleasing. There is
one passage, the death of the old
woman, Mrs. Perch, which is hardly
to be matched in modern literature,
and is the more moving to me be
cause I believe that it is physically
true. A wonderful, uplifting book,
taking one back with poignant
reality through all that we have
gone through in these years of fear
and effort.
Pseudonym Is Used.
It was about this time, after our
return to New York, that we were
brought into contact with an ex
tremely interesting psychic group
in Brooklyn. They consisted of two
professional gentlemen of the high
est standing, whom I will call Mr.
rady and Mr. Soames, for in this
case and this case only I have found
it necessary to use a pseudonym.
Mr. Soames has a young and charm
ing, wife who has suddenly devel
oped s.trong mediumistic qualities,
which I was asked to observe. We
sat in a dim light, the husband tak
ing a rapid record of all that passed,
so that I have a verbatim account
before me as I write. The lady falls
into a semi-trance and talks slowly
in a deep, level voice, the intonation
never varying. As she speaks I ob
served that her hand moved as If
she would have written the word au
tomatically if her tongue had not
uttered it. It was a curious scene,
the dim light, the wind and rain
beating on the window, our silent
figures half seen in the gloom and
then that deep steady voice pouring
out a long exhortation, absolutely
foreign to the lady's power or
knowledge.
The address was most academic
and professional, abounding with
long technical words which the me
dium found the greatest possible
difficulty in pronouncing. It came
clearly from an American spiritu
alist or psychic student of very high
standing, and as we had been talk
ing of Hyslop at dinner we naturally
concluded that it vuj.s he. When,
therefore, he wrote James we were
prepared for the second name,
Hyslop, to follow. He then wrote,
"No. I am not James Hyslop but
James," so that it seemed that we
were in contact with the famous
Harvard psychologist. .He spoke
with great knowledge, and some
scorn, of the present state of official
psychic research in America. "They
are getting left entirely behind. We
want 'up to the minute men,' " he
said. Then he lectured me very
gravely as to .my methods.
Hearers Want' Tutoring.
"Through no fault of yours those
who come to your lectures, hearing
for the first time a lecture on spir
itism, find it difficult to relatively
place and reconstruct it when they
wish to talk it over afterward.
They need more tutoring. How is
this to be done? I advise tracts,
immediately preceding and follow
ing your visits to cities, embodying
all details in precise statements.
They must be compiled partially, if
not wholly, by you ih order to fan
into fire the small flame yrm may
have started in each individual. It
is worth the extra labor which it
will cause you and it will become
second nature to you to incorporate
this work into your lectures. My
dear sir, I beseech you before you
return to send to these cities liter
ature whjch will satisfy the cravings
which you have brought to the sur
face, cravings which some had no
idea they possessed, but which are
now gnawing to be fed."
Wo it went on, the deep, steady
voice, with one long sermon of. good
advice as to my tactics, sometimes
impracticable, perhaps, but always
measured arvd reasoned. I appeal to
any reasonable mind whether such
messages are more likely to come
from a young married woman with
no pretensions to any particular dic
tion, or from the entity who actually
claimed to send them. The profes
sor ended by imploring me to remain
An the country, as a crisis was ap
proaching and my presence might
be of use. "Conditions are turning
to the cause for which you hive
been working so long. They ar,e
just developing in a steady onward
glow. They should be directed and
piloted, yet who will be the pilot
when you 'ha ve passed overseas? I
have given the matter serious con
sideration, as has Dr. Hyslop. We
have consulted together. 1 ask vou.
I beg you, to give this most serious
consideration. Will you desert when
no sails are set for the storm?" It
Was a long and moving appeal, but
what can I do with all tickets taken
and my family waiting? Besides. I
shall find plenty to do for the cause
m England.
One very evidential touch oc
curred. I had met. as narrated
Colonel West of the United States
army in Chicago and found him one
of the elect, with every mark of a
leader. I therefore asked the pro
fessor whether he might not act as
pilot. "Do you know him?" I asked.
The answer was, "I know a Colonel
West of tall stature (I do not mean
to be unkind), of beef-like appear
ance, but not unpleasantly so."
That is a good, rough description of
Colonel West, who w.s quite un
known to the lady. Surely this was
a very excellent test.
There followed another test which
I should like checked by some
reader of these lines. I knew that
James in his lifetime had sat with
Voss, the farmer medium, at Con
cord. I therefore asked about him.
The answer was, "Do you mean the
fellow who used t get in such pe
culiar positions and amuse all by
his queer stories and grimaces?" "I
refer," said I, "to Mr. Voss of Con
cord." "Yes, I am referring to the
same man. He made terrible faces
and contorted himself into positions
which convulsed us all." I should
be glad if anyone who knows Mr.
Voss would tell me if this is evi
dential. The whole seance was most
striking and I will tell a little later
how I again came into contact with
this remarkable group.
(To Be Continued)
T TO mo Mill
CERTIFICATE OF KECESSITY
REQUESTED FOR LINE.
Washington Governor to Appear
Before Commission in Behalf
of Wenatchee Southern.
WENATCHEE, Wash., Nov. 11.
(Special.) Frank R. Spinning,
supervisor of transportation for the
department of public works in the
state of Washington, on Saturday
authorized the statement that Gov
ernor Louis F. Hart and the de
partment of public works will inter
vene on behalf of the Wenatchee
Southern railroad before the inter
state commerce commission and will
ask that a certificate of necessity
and convenience be granted to the
railroad. Mr. Spinning held a con
ference with the Wenatchee South
ern officials while here and at its
conclusion gave out the above statement.
It is believed that the interven
tion will result in the granting of
the certificate to the Wenatchee
Southern. While the application for
a certificate of necessity and con
venience was made to the interstate
commerce commission, the latter
organization delegated the state de
partment of public works to hold
the hearing here last July and the
recommendation of the state offi
cials will, undoubtedly, have great
weight with the interstate com
merce commission. The state offi
cials will appear before the inter
state commerce commission at the
final hearing, to be held by that
body in December at Washington,
D. C, and will urge the granting of
the certificate.
Bridge Conference Proposed.
ABERDEEN, Wash., Nov. 11.
(Special.) Construction and upkeep
of Grays Harbor county bridges will
be the subject of a conference in the
near future between representatives
of county commercial bodies, county
commissioners and representatives
wlect to the state senate and lower
house from this county. The mat
ter has been initiated by the Aber
deen chamber of commerce execu .
tive committee. No date has been
set but it is expected tl.:-.t an early
How many years of Economy?
$25
$30
$35
UP
TO
$55
O'COATS
The man who believes in sensible
economy is not' attracted solely by
the price appeal. He is farsighted
enough to know that an overcoat
should give him good service over
a period of years.
That's why he buys here.
The economy of my overcoats
merely begins with the purchase
price. Another new shipment of
MANDELBERG ENGLISH
COATS
HIGHLAND HEATHER COATS
and other well-known makes are
just in! See them and note their
many dominating features above
coats you've seen elsewhere.
BEN SELLING JffSS.
Portland's Leading Clothier for over Half a Century
time will be named. Construction
of needed bridges in both Aberdeen
and Hoqulam will be taken up at
the conference.
Luxury
Without Extravagance
prevails at
. ATIYEH BROS.
What a charm there is in a room distinctively and beautifully furnished!
You sense il the moment you enter a room that holds furniture distin
guished by purity of line and good proportion, upholstery that is deep
and yielding, rugs that are soft underfoot and rich with color. The
atmosphere is charged with comfort and friendly Welcome.
To a-room that otherwise might be uninteresting an Oriental rug fur
nishes an irresistible charm. In an artistically furnished home at least
one good Oriental rug is an absolute necessity. It forms the keynote
of completeness. It furnishes an atmosphere of richness and loveliness
as nothing else can.
n
WANTED!
10 Ex-Service
Men
A special scholarship has
recently been provided for
Ex-Service men entering the
Automotive school, whereby
one-half of their tuition fees
will be paid. This offer is
limited to ten men and is an
exceptional opportunity.
Call 4th Floor Y. M. C. A. or
phone Main 8700 for details.
OREGON
INSTITUTE of
TECHNOLOGY
" V. 31. C. A. Bldgr.,
Sixth and Taylor.
For a limited time we offer
over 300 -ORIENTAL RU(3S
wholesale prices
at
Retail customers may, while the present
specially priced lot of nearly 350 rugs
lasts, purchase on equal terms with
dealers. This is an opportunity that
will delight laymen and startle connois
seurs. At $ 1 30 and up you may choosy
from over 300 room-size rugs and car
pets of extraordinary quality scarcely
any two alike in color, size or design.
Every rug is plainly marked rvilh a
price tag one price to all, Tvilhout
deviation. You can easily mal(e your
otn selections, unassisted, if you pre
fer. You are never urged to
buy at Atiyeh Bros.
Those who have dealt with us before
know that when we quote prices as
special the value is well worth their
immediate attention. This time we
have gone further. In fact, most of
these rugs, are offered at less than pre
war price. As the number of rugs
and carpets is definitely limited, early
selection is advisable.
A glance at our windows or a visit
to our store will fully convince you
The , sooner you make your selection, the mor$
variety you will have from which to choose.
The Meier & Frank Store
Takes a Worthy Part in
CHILDREN'S BOOK WEEK
NOVEMBER TWELFTH TO EIGHTEENTH
"More Books in the Home"
Children's "Good Book Week" is not just a date on the calendar. It is a great
national campaign to arouse new interest in juvenile reading. Behind it are
organizations which seek the welfare of boy and girl the Boy Scouts of
America, the Girl Scouts, the Y. M. C. A., the Y. W. C. A., and every library
and school in the country. .
So, beginning tomorrow and continuing until Saturday, the Meier &
, Frank Book Store will bt especially devoted to children and chil
dren's books.
Miss Anne Mulheron, librarian of the Portland Public Library, recommends
the following books for "Children's Book Week":
. BOOK AUTHOR AGE
Aesop's Fables Aesop 5 up
Animal Book .Burgess 7-12
Black Arrow Stevenson. .10 up
Black-Eyed Susan Phillips 5-8
Boy's Life of Roosevelt. .Hagedorn ..12-16
Cambridge Book of PoetryGrahame. . .10 up
Children's Life of the Bee. Maeterlinck 9-14
Don Quixote Cervantes ... 9 up
Dutch Boy of 50 Years
Ago Bok 12-16
Dutch Twins Perkins 5-8
Fairies and Chimneys. . .Fyleman 1 up
Gulliver's Travels Swift 9 up
Hans Brinker.. , Dodge 9-14
Heroes of Progress Tappan 9 up
Johnny Blossom Poulsson 5-8
Katrinka Haskell 6 up
Last of the Mohicans Cooper 12 up
BOOK AUTHOR AGE
Master Skylark Bennett 9-14
Masters of the Guild Lamprey ...12-16
Nobody's Boy Malot 9-14
Oregon Trail Parkman ..12-16
Peter and Wendy Barrie 7-12
Story of Mankind .Van Loon.. .12 up
Story of King Arthur
and His Knights Pyle 9-14
Tom Sawyer Clemens 9 up
The Great Quest Hawes 12 up
Tales from Shakespeare. .Lamb 12-16
The Cock,' The Mouse and
The Little Red Hen Lefevve .'5-7
Wonderful Adventures of
Nils Lagerlof . . . .7 up
i Wonderbook and Tangle
wood Tales Hawthorne. .8 up
SPECIAL
"The Wonderful Adventures of Little
Prince Toofat," beautifully il- (PI Ff
lustrated, regularly $2.50, at O-L.UU
SPECIAL
"Robinson Crusoe," Wyeth edition, beau
tifully illustrated, regularly PA
$3.50, special Dl.t)U
J
Meier & Frank's: Fifth Floor. (Mail Orders Filled.)
pi The Quauty Storb
ti . or Portland
ORIENTAL IUGS
ALDEI q TENTH
fllas ! my poor Brother;
"BOVRIL" is concentrated beef. .
(Reproduction of celebrated poster.)
1