New Books Reviews

Sunday 5 June 2016

ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE....1918..THE NEW REVELATION..AND THE VITAL MESSAGE...SPIRITUALISM ......

WRITING IN 1918, ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE PUTS FORWARD THE CASE FOR SPIRITUALISM.

After a brief introduction of his own life in chapter one, he goes on to argue for the truth of Spiritualism as he sees it.  Calling it a 'New Revelation'
For more information about Doyle and Spiritualism:

THE NEW REVELATION...Continued: 
Chapter 2 ...The Revelation (Excerpts from the actual text now follows...)

'I can now turn...to a more impersonal view of this great subject. Allusion has been made to a body of fresh doctrine.  Whence does this come?  It comes in the main through automatic writing where the hand of the human medium is controlled, either by an alleged dead human being,as in the case of 
miss Julia Ames, or by an alleged higher teacher, as in that of Mr Stainton Moses
                       
Doyle then describes various methods by which communication has come from the spirit world....
such as Trance, Direct Voice, verbal messages from mediums, the family circle and table tilting.  

'Now, of course, we are at once confronted with the obvious objections....how do we know that these messages are really from beyond?' he asks.  He asserts that this is a perfectly just criticism, and one that must be rigorously applied in every case.
'The answer must be that we require signs which we can test...In old days they demanded a sign from a prophet....', examples are then given of evidence from well respected mediums of the time....Stainton Moses, Mr Stead, Arthur Hill,...

This book makes good background reading for those wishing to learn more about the early history of modern Spiritualism in a short volume.  The language is a little dated for modern taste, but it gives a good insight into the ideas surrounding the subject, over a hundred years ago.  

Doyle criticises Christianity for losing the important teachings of 'Christ':
'When I read the New Testament with the knowledge which I have of Spiritualism, I am left with a deep conviction...When we read so many references to the phenomena with which we are familiar, the levitations, the tongues of fire, the rushing wind,the spiritual gifts, the working of wonders, we feel that the central fact of all, the CONTINUITY OF LIFE and the COMMUNICATION WITH THE DEAD, (my capitals) was most certainly known.'

Well, that is it for today.....Phoebe my dog is refusing to be ignored.....to be continued

Thursday 2 June 2016

Spiritual Books Review Page: Arthur Conan Doyle....and Spiritualism....A few bo...

Spiritual Books Review Page: Arthur Conan Doyle....and Spiritualism....A few bo...: The New Revelation and The Vital Message, Pheneas Speaks, and The History of Spiritualism two vols. These are the books that I will be ...

Arthur Conan Doyle....and Spiritualism....A few books on my shelf....

The New Revelation and The Vital Message, Pheneas Speaks, and The History of Spiritualism two vols.

These are the books that I will be taking down from the bookshelf this week.  It has been some time since I last wrote, during which time my Mum passed over.  But now I am ready to continue sharing my precious books with you.
It is probably some years since I read these, so I am looking forward to reviewing them.
Photographs will follow, but for now I will describe the actual edition, and content.


THE NEW REVELATION
AND
THE VITAL MESSAGE

BY
ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE

PSYCHIC PRESS LIMITED
REPRINTED 1981
(FIRST PUBLISHED 1918)

hard back blue cloth/dustwrapper

Reprinted in one volume

'These are two famous books written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who devoted many years to propagating the truth of proved survival. His fearless championship of Spiritualism ...interested thousands of people.  In these two books Sir Arthur gives a concise exposition of the case for Spiritualism.

His interest was aroused as long ago as 1885, before he became world-famous as the creator of "Sherlock Holmes."
For thirty years Sir Arthur continued his studies without reaching any definite conclusion.
At the summit of his literary fame he published the two books in this volume and then devoted the rest of his days, with pen and voice, to spreading the knowledge of Spiritualism.
In addition to lecturing all over Britain, he travelled to Australia, New Zealand, America and Canada, where vast audiences listened with eagerness to his message.

Sir Arthur himself passed to the higher life in 1930.
This volume will serve as a memorial to a big- hearted man, a clean fighter
(Taken from the inside of the dustwrapper)

Dedication
To all the brave men and women, humble or learned, who have had the moral courage during seventy years to face ridicule or worldly disadvantage in order to testify to an all-important truth.
March 1918

CONTENTS:
1) THE SEARCH.....(AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ACCOUNT OF HOW, AS A SKEPTIC, HE FIRST BECAME AWARE OF SPIRITUALISM)

.........................................................................
TO BE CONTINUED....