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spiritearthbound by his great love for the old abbey in which he had
spent his human life。 This book； with its practical sequel； may be quoted
as an excellent example of automatic writing at its highest； for what
telepathic explanation can cover the detailed description of objects which
lie unseen by any human eye？ It must be admitted； however； that in
automatic writing you are at one end of the telephone； if one may use such
a simile； and you have； no assurance as to who is at the other end。 You
may have wildly false messages suddenly interpolated among truthful
onesmessages so detailed in their mendacity that it is impossible to think
that they are not deliberately false。 When once we have accepted the
central fact that spirits change little in essentials when leaving the body；
and that in consequence the world is infested by many low and
mischievous types； one can understand that these untoward incidents are
rather a confirmation of Spiritualism than an argument against it。
Personally I have received and have been deceived by several such
messages。 At the same time I can say that after an experience of thirty
years of such communications I have never known a blasphemous； an
obscene or an unkind sentence come through。 I admit； however； that I have
heard of such cases。 Like attracts like； and one should know one's human
company before one joins in such intimate and reverent rites。 In
clairvoyance the same sudden inexplicable deceptions appear。 I have
closely followed the work of one female medium； a professional； whose
results are so extraordinarily good that in a favourable case she will give
the full names of the deceased as well as the most definite and convincing
test messages。 Yet among this splendid series of results I have notes of
several in which she was a complete failure and absolutely wrong upon
essentials。 How can this be explained？ We can only answer that conditions
were obviously not propitious； but why or how are among the many
problems of the future。 It is a profound and most complicated subject；
however easily it may be settled by the 〃ridiculous nonsense〃 school of
critics。 I look at the row of books upon the left of my desk as I write
ninety…six solid volumes； many of them annotated and well thumbed； and
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THE VITAL MESSAGE
yet I know that I am like a child wading ankle deep in the margin of an
illimitable ocean。 But this； at least； I have very clearly realised； that the
ocean is there and that the margin is part of it； and that down that shelving
shore the human race is destined to move slowly to deeper waters。 In the
next chapter； I will endeavour to show what is the purpose of the Creator
in this strange revelation of new intelligent forces impinging upon our
planet。 It is this view of the question which must justify the claim that this
movement； so long the subject of sneers and ridicule； is absolutely the
most important development in the whole history of the human race； so
important that； if we could conceive one single man discovering and
publishing it； he would rank before Christopher Columbus as a discoverer
of new worlds； before Paul as a teacher of new religious truths； and before
Isaac Newton as a student of the laws of the Universe。 Before opening up
this subject there is one consideration which should have due weight； and
yet seems continually to be overlooked。 The differences between various
sects are a very small thing as compared to the great eternal duel between
materialism and the spiritual view of the Universe。 That is the real fight。 It
is a fight in which the Churches championed the anti…material view； but
they have done it so unintelligently； and have been continually placed in
such false positions； that they have always been losing。 Since the days of
Hume and Voltaire and Gibbon the fight has slowly but steadily rolled in
favour of the attack。 Then came Darwin； showing with apparent truth； that
man has never fallen but always risen。 This cut deep into the philosophy of
orthodoxy； and it is folly to deny it。 Then again came the so…called 〃Higher
Criticism；〃 showing alleged flaws and cracks in the very foundations。 All
this time the churches were yielding ground； and every retreat gave a fresh
jumping…off place for a new assault。 It has gone so far that at the present
moment a very large section of the people of this country； rich and poor；
are out of all sympathy not only with the churches but with the whole
Spiritual view。 Now； we intervene with our positive knowledge and actual
proofan ally so powerful that we are capable of turning the whole tide of
battle and rolling it back for ever against materialism。 We can say： 〃We
will meet you on your own ground and show you by material and
scientific tests that the soul and personality survive。〃 That is the aim of
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THE VITAL MESSAGE
Psychic Science； and it has been fully attained。 It means an end to
materialism for ever。 And yet this movement； this Spiritual movement； is
hooted at and reviled by Rome； by Canterbury and even by Little Bethel；
each of them for once acting in concert； and including in their battle line
such strange allies as the Scientific Agnostics and the militant Free…
thinkers。 Father Vaughan and the Bishop of London； the Rev。 F。 B。 Meyer
and Mr。 Clodd； 〃The Church Times〃 and 〃The Freethinker；〃 are united in
battle； though they fight with very different battle cries； the one declaring
that the thing is of the devil； while the other is equally clear that it does not
exist at all。 The opposition of the materialists is absolutely intelligent since
it is clear that any man who has spent his life in saying 〃No〃 to all
extramundane forces is； indeed； in a pitiable position when； after many
years； he has to recognise that his whole philosophy is built upon sand and
that 〃Yes〃 was the answer from the beginning。 But as to the religious
bodies； what words can express their stupidity and want of all proporti