Why Spiritualism Grows
Why Spiritualism Grows is an article written Sir Arthur Conan Doyle published in the Weekly Dispatch on 7 december 1924.
Why Spiritualism Grows
By SIR A. CONAN DOYLE,
Leading Champion of New Cult.
Spiritualism is growing, but its growth now is nothing compared to what is cooling. We are on the edge of a veritable landslide which will change the views of the world in so radical a fashion that it will mark a great epoch of human history, and be regarded by our descendants as the end of the dark ages. Science, religion, and the whole process of mortal life will be profoundly modified by the New Revelation.
On Firm Ground.
There are several different factors which are helping to spread the movement. The first and least commendable is the natural desire to explore that which is obscure and wonderful. The second is the heart-hunger which urges us to make every possible inquiry as to the fate of those whom we have loved and lost. The third and infinitely the most important is the dissatisfaction with the present vague and contradictory teachings of the various sects, and a desire on the part of earnest minds to find some firm ground on which to rest, avoiding barren agnosticism on the one side and unreasonable and unprovable faith upon the other.
This firm ground in to be found in Spiritualism, and in no other direction whatever. It is only fair to add, however, that Spiritualism confirms the essential truth of the New Testament revelation, though it shows how much has been forgotten and how much misunderstood.
I would put it this way. The object of religion is to give us a rule of conduct in this world which shall help as to attain God's will and to prepare ns for the next world. This being so, which is the more reasonable, that I should take my instructions from seine ancient Hebrew who lived under entirely different conditions, or that I should rely upon the actual experience of my own brother, son, or mother, if they can tell me of their present condition and how it has been affected by their earth life?
What Evidence Shows.
This is no self-evident that we have only to establish the "if" in order to be on sure ground. I can only say that I hare established it completely to my own satisfaction and that of all others who have shared the evidence. I did not accept it lightly. I spent years in reading and experiment. My prejudices were against it. But it has been forced upon me. If I were alone in my belief I should still feel quite sure of my facts, for they have been attested by all my senses. But it is notorious that I am not alone, that tens of thousands have had similar experiences, and that some of the greatest brains upon earth have endorsed these views.
Granting, then, that my argument is sound so far, let its see where we are. We have first to realise that death makes no change in the individual, that a foolish man remains foolish, and that all communications have, therefore, to be weighed very carefully by our own intellects and judgment before we accept them. So far are the spirit people from being omnipotent or omniscient that a living man who has a high soul and a good intellect is the superior of most of them.
Conditions After Death.
On the other hand, if we aspire to it we can get into touch with superior intelligences which are clearly worthy to be our religious guides, in the same sense as a man might have his earthly spiritual director. We get what we deserve. If our motives and desires are worldly we are in touch with lower forces. If we aim high we get height in reply. It is what Saint John meant when he wrote, "Try the spirits whether they be of God."
If these communications did not meet our needs, then Spiritualism would not increase. But they do meet our needs. They are the most definite and reasonable teaching that has reached our race since the early Christian message became obscured. There is no space in this article to develop, the general scheme. Suffice it that it is rather explanatory of Christian teaching than contradictory to it. It deprecates dogma and the eternal contention over non-essential matters which have no direct influence over morality.
On the other hand Spirit teaching is a most stern warning against bigotry, cruelty, jealousy, envy. They explain that these things are deformities of the spirit, and that there can be no happiness to the individual until the twisted soul has been made straight.
The teaching is enormously cheering, and that must help it to make progress save in morbid minds. The great majority of human spirits pass on into greatly improved conditions when they die. Death is usually the most fortunate event in life. Even in the case of the undeveloped the probation is a short one unless they are themselves obdurate. These grey souls are the "souls in prison" to whom the Christ took His mission after His death. They are open to reason and to teaching, and under such influences they pass on soon to Paradise.
The nature of this Paradise is very fully described with great unanimity of detail. In its lower spheres — it is finely graduated — it appears to resemble earth life, save that in all ways it is brighter and happier. We have our own tasks, but they are congenial and such as we are best fitted to perform. Details are to be found in the vast and wonderful literature of Spiritualism.
Revitalising the Churches.
It is teaching of this sort which brightens the drab lives of the poor sod which accounts for the great increase of this cult among the working classes. In the north of England, especially, every little town has one or more temples which are controlled by a central body, the Spiritualist National Union, situated in Manchester. Nearly tour hundred churches are under the laws of this body.
But, apart from this, there are numerous adherents in every creed, for it is the special merit of this teaching that it has no boundaries and offers itself as an addition to every belief upon earth, for when a thing is knowledge and not faith it becomes at once the equal heritage of all mankind.
Thus I do not think that the change will dissolve or even weaken the various Churches. They will rather revitalise themselves by this fresh rush of spiritual truth from the eternal spring, and Christianity, in a less dogmatic but more reasonable form, will regain the ground which all admit that it has lost.
Whatever new knowledge we gain by psychic means cannot affect the fact that we need a code of ethics, and that none is higher than the teaching of the Christ, whether we regard Him as a manlike God or as a Godlike man.
Place of "Phenomena."
Every true Spiritualist deprecates excessive attention to phenomena. They are definite material signs of intelligence outside of ordinary matter, and as ouch they are the starting point of a train of thought which leads to a great goal. In themselves they are nothing. No one is spiritually improved by a moving table or a psychic light. Yet these things give a new turn to the mind and have helped to raise a force which has not yet been appreciated by the Press or the pulpit, but which is working in all classes of all nations and which is destined to alter the views of the world.
