Apport Mediumship

Zerdini's piece is removed here is an extract from Doyle's The Wanderings of a Spiritualist covering these apports.

THE WANDERINGS OF A SPIRITUALIST
On my last evening at Sydney, I attended a third seance with Charles Bailey, the apport medium. It was not under test conditions, so
that it can claim no strict scientific value, and yet the results are worth recording. It had struck

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me that a critic might claim that there was phosphorescent matter inside the spectacle case, which seemed to be the only object which Bailey took inside the cabinet, so I insisted on examining it, but found it quite innocent. The usual inconclusive shadowy appearance of luminous vapour was evident almost at once, but never, so far as I
could judge, out of reach of the cabinet, which was simply a blanket drawn across the corner of the room. The Hindoo control then announced
that an apport would be brought, and asked that water be placed in a tin basin. He (that is, Bailey himself, under alleged control) then emerged, the lights being half up, carrying the basin over his head. On putting it down, we all saw two strange little young tortoises swimming about in it. I say " strange/' because I have seen none like them. They were about the size of a half-crown, and the head, instead of being close to the shell, was at the end of a thin neck half as long as the body. There were a dozen Australians present, and they all said they had never seen any similar ones. The control claimed that he had
just brought them from a tank in Benares. The basin was left on the table, and while the lights were down, the creatures disappeared. It is only fair to say that they could have been removed by hand in the dark, but on examining the table, I was unable to see any of those sloppings of water which might be expected to follow such an operation.

Shortly afterwards there was a great crash in the dark, and a number of coins fell on to the

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table, and were handed to me by the presiding control as a parting present. They did not, I fear, help me much with my hotel bill, for they were fifty-six Turkish copper pennies, taken " from a well," according to our informant. These two apports were all the phenomena, and the medium, who has been working very hard of late, showed every sign of physical collapse at the close.

Apart from the actual production in the seance room, which may be disputed, I should like to confront the honest sceptic with the extraordinary nature of the objects which Bailey produces on
these occasions. They cannot be disputed, for hundreds have handled them, collections of them have been photographed, there are cases full at the Stanford University at California, and I am bringing a few samples back to England with me. If the whole transaction is normal, then where does he get them ? I had an Indian nest. Does anyone import Indian nests ? Does anyone import queer little tortoises with long, thin necks ? Is there a depot for Turkish copper coins in Australia ? On the previous sitting, he got 100 Chinese ones. Those might be explained, since the Chinaman is not uncommon in Sydney, but
surely he exports coins, rather than imports them.
Then what about 100 Babylonian tablets, with legible inscriptions in Assyrian, some of them cylindrical, with long histories upon them ?
Granting that they are Jewish forgeries, how do they get into the country ? Bailey's house was searched once by the police, but nothing was found. Arabic papers, Chinese schoolbooks, mandarins'

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buttons, tropical birds — all sorts of odd things arrive. If they are not genuine, where do they come from ? The matter is ventilated in papers, and no one comes forward to damn Bailey for ever by proving that he supplied them. It is no use passing the question by. It calls for an answer. If these articles can be got in any normal way, then what is the way ? If not, then Bailey has been a most ill-used man, and miracles are of daily occurrence in Australia. This man should be under the strict, but patient and sympathetic, control of the greatest scientific observers in the world, instead of being allowed to wear himself out by promiscuous seances, given in order to earn a living. Imagine our scientists expending themselves in the examination of shells, or the classification of worms, when such a subject as this awaits them. And it cannot await them long. The man dies, and then where are these experiments ? But if such scientific investigation be made, it must be thorough and prolonged, directed by those who have real experience of occult matters, otherwise it will wreck itself upon some theological or other snag, as did Colonel de Rochas' attempt at
Grenoble.

Charles Bailey , the medium involved is a fascinating subject. We have collated a huge file on him from which we intend to create a detailed article. Obviously as Bailey was an Australian medium it adds extra interest for us. As with many physical mediums there is a positive and a negative story.

Stanford University has a huge collection of apports from this medium because the brother of its founder a multi millionaire T W Stanford, lived in Melbourne and sat regularly with Bailey. He sent the collection to the university with a generous endowmenet for a department to study psychical research.

Thre is another piece on the forum about Bailey and Murdo Macdonald Bayne
http://spiritualismlink.forumotion.com/t233-the-chastaphone-bailey-murdo-macdonald-bayne

Admin wrote:Charles Bailey , the medium involved is a fascinating subject. We have collated a huge file on him from which we intend to create a detailed article. Obviously as Bailey was an Australian medium it adds extra interest for us. As with many physical mediums there is a positive and a negative story.

Stanford University has a huge collection of apports from this medium because the brother of its founder a multi millionaire T W Stanford, lived in Melbourne and sat regularly with Bailey. He sent the collection to the university with a generous endowmenet for a department to study psychical research.

Thre is another piece on the forum about Bailey and Murdo Macdonald Bayne
http://spiritualismlink.forumotion.com/t233-the-chastaphone-bailey-murdo-macdonald-bayne

Yes, Jim, I remember that. I have uncovered quite a lot about Charles Bailey too. My interest in Murdo Macdonald-Bayne also stems from his links to Alec Harris both before and after Bayne's passing.

Yes and Murdo's book about Tibet Z, which alone is woth a look at

Admin wrote:Yes and Murdo's book about Tibet Z, which alone is woth a look at

I have both books now, Jim, plus other material he wrote. I was very interested in the materialisation of his mother in the open air in Tibet. His Mother came and spoke to him in Gaelic, as they used to talk, and they both held each other's hands. He said that her hands and fingers were just the same as though in the physical body.

Certainly a fascinating topic!

Jim

Great article, thanks Z!