Bailey at Milan—More Stringent Tests.

The astounding character of these phenomena was subsequently reported to Professor Falcomer, a distinguished investigator into psychic problems connected with the Roya! Technical Institute in Venice, and it was suggested in 1904 that Mr Bailey should be invited to visit Italy for a rigorous examination of his extraordinary powers. The Society for Psychic Studies at Milan acted on the hint and paid his passage thither, Fourteen sittings were held and in the official Report of the Society there is abundant evidence to show that the results were of a satisfactory character.

Two or three peculiar and exciting incidents also occurred. An entity, purporting to be the execrable Nana Sahib, of Indian Mutiny fame, took possession of the medium, inveighed and gesticulated violently; and at another time a voice, quite different from that of the medium's, exclaimed in terrified tones:

"Where am I ? Who are you ? I cannot see. I do not understand what has happened to me. Whose body is this in which I find myself? I want light, light." When the light was turned up, it was seen that the medium was in a stupor of alarm, and the spirit which had taken possession of him continued to cry out in a thick cavernous voice, "Give me light—make me understand—tell me what has happened to me."

Then the medium sank down, like a man in a heavy lethargy. The troubled spirit withdrew, and Dr. Whitcombe taking control, explained that "the unhappy spirit was a criminal, who had died in one of the prisons of New York, that he is wandering about in a state of spiritual darkness, and does not yet comprehend that he is dead."

The names of the same Indian spirits as those which had operated at Mr Stanford's circle in Melbourne, and in Sydney, were announced as the agents in the production of the phenomena, and in the report of the last sitting it is stated that something greatly irritated them, leading to an outburst of ill-feeling quite incompatible with sucess, the result being that an Egyptian manuscript promised to one of the sitters was not forthcoming.

This reminds me of a strange occurrence I once witnessed at Mr. Stanford's circle. The Indians usually perform first, but on this particular evening they were late in arriving on the scene, and consequently it was arranged that a speaker, described as Professor Clifford, formerly Professor of Mathematics at the London University, should lead off with an address on "Atoms." He had scareely begun to speak when the medium suddenly fell down in his chair as page 60 though he had been roughly handled. Mr. Stanford inquired "what was the matter," but the medium, or rather the controlling spirit, was quite unable to speak. He seemed agitated and "out of breath." A few minutes later, however, he recovered and then explained—"It is alright, friends; the Indians have come; they thought I was an interloper and tried to turn me out; but we have arranged for them to come on next." The address was then proceeded with and was one of the most erudite Scientific discourses I had heard for many a day.

In this connection, I may add that the medium—this erstwhile boot operative—at almost every sitting delivers highly intellectual addresses on Scientific, Historical, Arehaeological, Philosophical, and Religious subjects, whilst he is in the trance condition, and that sometimes he enters so deeply into his theme that none but a thoroughly-cultured mind could possibly follow him. Whence all this knowledge ? And how are we to account for the marked peculiarities which invariably characterise the respective speakers ? Is this what Paul refers to when he alludes to "the gift of tongues"

And what about these remarkable exhibitions of ill-felling or "squabbling" which sometimes occur ? Do they indicate, as alleged, that we cany forward into the next sphere all our peculiarities of temper and disposition and that it is only as we become freed from our earth-bound conditions, atone for our evil deeds and wasted opportunities for doing good, and progress to a higher state of being, that we rise superior to these natural propensities and take on a more purified and spiritual condition ? Is this what is meant by "Working out our own Salvation ? "