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W. HOSTE, B.A., ON FETICHISM 



purer faith of which it contains traces, a far-off glimpse of a supreme 

 Creator, a vague idea of accountability to Him, a dim reminiscence 

 of atonement by sacrifice, misty traditions of past happenings in 

 the cradle of the race." 



Dr. A. T. ScHOFiELD, in proposing a hearty vote of thanks to 

 Mr. Hoste and to the Chairman for presiding, said he hoped that 

 the audience that afternoon appreciated the character of what they 

 had been hearing ; for this paper touched the fringe of demonism, 

 of that unknown evil world of which we know practically nothing 

 outside the statements of the Bible. No Christian, and but few 

 thoughtful men, will deny that we have many evidences of being 

 surrounded with an invisible evil world of great power, and the 

 recurrences in the present day of spiritism and the increasing cases 

 of demon-possession known to the medical profession make the 

 subject of very special interest. Prof. Flournoy says : " There are 

 principalities and powers which we in our ignorance toy with, with- 

 out knowing the frightful consequences of tampering with the 

 unseen world." Fetichism represents what may be termed the 

 lighter side of the horror of darkness. For the darker side we must 

 look back to the awful war, and around to the scarcely less appalling 

 peace we are enjoying, and to Russia, all of which none but the very 

 short sighted ascribe to merely human agency. The war with the 

 *' world-rulers of darkness " is active around us. 



Lieut. -Colonel A. P. Ford-Moore writes : — " Responding to the 

 Council's invitation to submit MS. comments, I do so with regard 

 to Mr. W. Hoste's lecture. 



In the first place I should like to congratulate the author on the 

 title of his lecture. From the context of his remarks one would 

 conclude that he had only been some two years in his travels. If 

 so he no doubt collected many interesting anecdotes, but hardly 

 could he claim an extensive or exhaustive study of his subject, at 

 any rate to deal with it in the dogmatic manner he has adopted. 

 It takes many years of careful personal study, long and intimate 

 acquaintance with the native races, to appreciate the ideas under- 

 lying their customs and beliefs. A short general tour round, speak- 

 ing through an interpreter, or gathering yarns from white settlers, 

 hardly entitles one to say whether their beliefs are retrograde or 

 otherwise. 



