Australia's Need. Conan Doyle's Views
Australia's Need is an article written published in The Daily Mail (Brisbane) on 10 january 1921.
Australia's Need
Conan Doyle's Views
Melbourne Impeached.
A Prayer, "Near to Murder."
"They are dear folk, these Australians; but, Lord! they need spirituality and dynamiting out of their grooves!"
So wrote Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in an article in the "International Psychic Gazette," a resume of which was cabled to Australia on Friday.
It was further stated in the message that the distinguished author had complained of a Press boycott, "caused partly by ignorant want of proportion and partly by moral cowardice,"
and that he had also written: "Though the Presbyterian actually prayed that I might not reach the country — (this was rather near murder if they really thought their rotten prayers would avail) — the result was an excellent voyage. ... It is the want of liveliness and the spiritual deadness of this place which get on my nerves."
When his criticism was referred to Sir A. Conan Doyle, on Saturday, he pointed out at once that "this place" was Melbourne, from which city the article was written. He had no intention of reflecting on Australians generally, whom he had found to be a very hospitable and altogether likeable people. This applied also to many of the people of Melbourne, but on the whole they were much more stolid, much less volatile and receptive, than residents of Sydney and Adelaide. Those of Brisbane he had not yet had time to judge.
For the condition of Melbourne people both Sir Conan and Lady Doyle hold their newspapers largely to blame. "I felt,"
said the noted writer, "that if I had brought a comic opera or a light play with my name attached I could have had a column; but as I had brought a series of miracles proving immortality and God's goodness to man, they did not give me one line."
It was pointed out to Sir Arthur that he had written that Australians generally needed "dynamiting out of their grooves." "Well," he said, smilingly. "that applies to the whole world, but certainly to Melbourne in particular. You can judge," he added, "why I said Australians are spiritually behind countries like Iceland and Denmark when I tell you that in the capital of Iceland, Rejkiviki, which has a population of 17,000 inhabitants, the Psychical Research Society has a membership of 460, and the Bishop of Iceland is chairman."
After Lady Doyle had remarked that the newspapers of Melbourne were further behind the times than the Press of any English speaking country they had visited. Sir Arthur was questioned regarding the alleged Presbyterian prayer that he would not reach Australia. This, he said, was a Melbourne occurrence. He was reliably informed that while he and Lady Doyle were on the water a layman at a Presbyterian gathering actually prayed to this effect. "And yet," said Lady Doyle, "we had a beautiful voyage."
Sir Arthur added that he was not getting any monetary gain from his tour. This expenses were being paid from the proceeds of his lectures, and any balance he was glad to say there would be a balance — was earmarked for spiritualistic work.
