- Union of Church and State -
As a rule, Round Robin does not concern itself with issues of the kind indicated by the above title, tho keenly aware of their importance. However, a well-known professional man and long-time friend of RR, has written us at some length on this subject.
The writer begins by quoting Edwin H. Wilson, Executive Secretary of the American Humanist Association, in The San Francisco Humanist. "The establishment of a Federal subsidy to equalize opportunities would appropriate funds for non-public tax-exempt schools, including parochial schools, as well as for public schools. Public money would be used to pay salaries, build schools; buy text books, provide scholarships, set up camping programs, and pay for transportation for sectarian religious institutions..."
The quotation refers to Senate Bill 2499, now in Committee.
"A week ago" (our correspondent writes) "the Board of Supervisors of San Francisco passed an ordinance permitting the inclusion of religious instruction in the public schools. Catholic sisters are permitted to ride free in the street cars of that city." (**)
In the State of Wisconsin, to quote from Liberty, a magazine of religious freedom, on Nov. 5 last a proposed amendment was offered authorizing school bus transportation for non-public school children. This was defeated by 545,475 to 437,811.
"The control of the public schools in this and other wave, such as the securing of key positions of an executive sort in educational institutions, is the chief entering wedge which reactionary Churchmen hope to drive into American democracy, thus rendering void in effect the First Amendment of the Constitution, which provides that 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or the free exercise thereof...'"
The writer of this letter concludes with sentiments which the RR Editor fully concurs in: "Liberal minded people everywhere are still in deadly danger from bigotry and fanaticism. Recent events in Yugoslavia and Spain are as shocking as some of the worst persecutions known to history. There are reactionary Church groups everywhere, and only the Constitution and liberal sentiment protect us against them. It is devoutly to be hoped that Californian and other congressmen and senators will receive such a deluge of letters of protest against Senate Bill 2499 that they will understand the necessity of opposing this and other reactionary legislation tending to the union of Church and State."
In our opinion all spiritualist organizations, and all freelance students of occult and spiritistic subjects should take an active interest in Bill 2499. The fast increasing importance of the spiritualistic movement is of itself certain to produce increased virulence of attack, and repressive legislation is an easy second step, once this first one has been taken in the name of 'equal opportunities.' The Theosophical organizations and various occult Orders are equally exposed... But unless you and you do a little letter writing, warnings of this sort are perhaps worse than wasted.
(**) Erratum: should read "Passed by subcommittee but rejected by the Board."
AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
At the last available moment for this March issue of Round Robin, we have received news from mathematician and RR friend, Mr. Roger Graham that he has been successful in establishing by experimental means the existence and approximate velocity of the ether drift at the earth's surface downward. This drift is the overlooked factor in the Michelson-Morley experiments: the ether flowed through the apparatus toward the earth's center and the rate could not be registered. But it will now be shown that all fields, electrical and gravitational, are the effects of ether drifts.
The scientific importance of this experiment and its positive result is very great, perhaps not surpassed by any scientific achievement of our century.
Round Robin offers you the first announcement in any public print. A more complete account, including the possible connection of this discovery with certain investigations in SAN DIEGO will appear in the next issue of Flying Roll. But also the next issue of Amazing Stories Magazine and read the article "Is There an Ether Drift?" We repeat, this is NEWS of incalculable importance.
-- Meade Layne
Books -- Periodicals -- Announcements --
Sunflower:
"An independently published spiritualist journal." 15 No. Maryland Aye., Atlantic City, N.J. Bi-Monthly; 2 yrs. $1.00. Book lists and book-finding service. Copy .10.
New Age Interpreter:
"An aid to spiritual orientation in the light of the ancient wisdom." Year $1.50., 8 mo. $1.00. Box 6133 Metropolitan Sta., Los Angeles. (Under Passing Observations, Jan. Interpreter discusses premature burial, strongly reinforcing the position taken by the Rosicrucian Fellowship - and by Round Robin.)
Chimes:
Box 157, Brea, Calif. Monthly, $1.00 yr. Bert L. Welch, Editor. Dept. by Owen Washburn, effective articles. (The poems attributed to Poe, Keats, and Shelley, in Feb. issue, are far from convincing in quality tho distinctly above seance room average - but Chimes does not guarantee them.)
Theosophical Forum:
Theosophical University Press, Covina, Calif. Mo., $3.00 yr., .30 copy. (Theosophists are not wrong, in our opinion, in pointing out that the recent series of attacks on HPB is an indirect tribute to her influence and importance. Forces of a similar sort are trying to destroy the spiritualist movement also. But Forum is far from being confined to purely Theosophical issues.)
Spiritual Digest:
55 State Road, Hampton Manor, Rensselaer. N.Y. $1.25 year, .15 copy. (Prints rather unusual stuff - "The Late Czar talks to the Grand Duke" - "Whimsical Walter" or notes on the Margery seances - many "communications.)
ERGOT::: A Mystical Book-Magazine for students of the Mystic Truths interested in Spiritual and Intellectual Development..... R. Holmes Tinker. Box 83, Stockbridge, Mass. Annual $2.00, Single .40. (Our sample copy of ERGOT states that the subject matter includes Nature, Foods, Art, Metaphysics, Astrology, the Astral World, Mystical drawings and symbols.)
Golden Rays is published by The Library, The Spiritualist Episcopal Church, 101 E. Hamlin St. Eaton Rapids, Mich. Mo., $3.00 yr. Copy .25.
Rosicrucian Magazine:
Oceanside, Calif. Mrs Max Heindel, Editor. Mo., $2.50 yr., copy .25. Studies from Max Heindel, Astrology Dept. etc. 45pp.
Kosmon Pioneer:
Essenes of Kosmon, North Salt Lake, Utah. Oahspe studies, selections from Edgar Cayce, Scot Nearing and others. Wing Anderson.
Geomancy, or Divination by
the Element of Earth.
The only separate treatise now in print in English. Mimeographed booklet, by Meade Layne. $2.00. Address Round Robin.
Letters to a Soldier:
Basic ideas of spiritism and occultism, simply expressed, with reading list. Mimeographed booklet, by Meade Layne, RR. $1.00
The Romance of Metaphysics:
An Introduction to the History, Theory and Psychology of Modern Metaphysics. By Israel Regardie, 288 pp. Aries Press, 1946. Works by this author, a learned Qabalist, always demand extended consideration: RR Editor hopes to review the book in a later issue.
OPEN, SESAME!
"A bi-monthly magazine devoted to Truth." Editor, Harold E. Brandenburg, 3006 Lake Park Ave. Chicago 16, Ill. $2.00 yr., .40 per bimonthly issue. About 40 pp., mimeo. We call attention to this very unusual publication, which prints (for example) extracts from Paracelsus from the Clavis Alcyhmiae of Salmon (1592), from "Zadkiel's" translation of the Qabalistic Science (1835), Proclus on the Theology of Plato, (Thomas Taylor, 1816), and (coming to our own day) excerpts from Evans Wentz: Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries... Such scholarship, and the liking for it, is now a rare thing in the world, and we hold it a great loss that it is so.
Lukes' Catalogue.
People who read books that are books, not merely stitched paper with ink marks, should send for this catalogue, to Millie Lukes, 3006 Lake Park Ave., Chicago 16, Ill.
Dee on Spirits:
A good clean copy of the "True Relation", original edition, may be had at $100.00. Inquire of C.Q. Wesner, Librarian, Theosophical Hdqrs., Covina, Calif.
Huna pamphlets of Max Freedom Long may be had from Round Robin at .25 each, or from Mr. Long at 702 No. Cherokee Ave., Los Angeles 38. The very small booklet by F.G.H. is not concerned with prophecies. It is called Religion versus Greed and may be had from RR... The Mark P. Seances, concerning which memoranda are sent out from time to time, do not involve automatic writing, and clairaudience only rarely! These are trance control communications, viva voice only... We would like to hear from persons who have used quartz lenses in "spirit photography", concerning the alleged superior performance of these lenses and the possibility of obtaining them.
We acknowledge: National Spiritualist, 765 Oakwood Blvd., Chicago 15 ... Psychic Observer, Lily Daly, N.Y. ... Spiritualist Leader, Box 832, Grand Central Annex, N.Y. ... Western Spiritualist, 1737 - 101st St. Oakland 3 ... Mind Digest, Paradise, Pa. ... A.R.E. Bulletins, Virginia Beach, Va. ... Scientific Forum, 1621 So.Grand Ave., Los Angeles ... The Star, Box 7046, Los Angeles 37 ... Jour. of Parapsychology ... Jour. of A.S.P.R. ...
Books for sale by RR: Survival of Man, 2 copies, $1.50 & $2.00 (Lodge) ... Apparitions and Haunted Houses, Sir Ernest Bennett, $3.00 ... Whence, Whither, Why, by Augusta Gaskell, $2.00 ... Vital Message & New Revelation, Doyle, $31.00 each ... Nostradamus Speaks, Boswell, $2.50 ... Magic White and Black, Hartmann, $1.50 ... Cavalcade of the Supernatural, H.H. Cross, Ph.D. ,$1.50 ... War Letters from the Living Dead Man, Elsa Barker, $1.00 ...
Please add .05 postage to all single book orders.