A Spiritist since 1994, Nelson Xavier da Silva (photo) is a Brazilian Air Force officer and an active member of the Allan Kardec Spiritist Study Group in the city of Pirassununga, in the state of São Paulo. In this interview, he speaks about the work of William Crookes, the British scientist, who passed away a hundred years ago in April.

We are marking this year the centenary of the death of William Crookes. Could you give our readers a brief description of the life and work of this great man?

Sir William Crookes, an English chemist, was one of the most persistent researchers of spiritual phenomena. He was born in London on June 17^th, 1832, and died there on April 4^th, 1991. After taking a post as Chemistry lecturer at the University of Chester, he discovered the cathode rays and isolated the element thallium. He also discovered the apparent repulsive action of light rays, which led to the construction of the Crookes radiometer. He carried important research on the measurement of light and produced ingenious devices. However, for us, Spiritists, his work was invaluable. Determined initially to prove the alleged mistakes and frauds involving spiritual matters, he worked intensely on the observation the psychic phenomena. His eventual contribution to Spiritist science cannot be matched. He proved the veracity of what facts that looked improbable or fraudulent. And he remained unshaken in his conclusions about the spiritual facts, despite all the mockery that he suffered.

The important book Researches in the Phenomena of the Spiritualism sums up the experiences of the renowned scientist. Which aspect of the book would you like to highlight for our readers?

The mediums J. J. Morse e Mrs Marshall took part in the first investigations carried out by Crookes in this field, in 1869. But it was with another medium, Florence Cook, that he would experience the materialisation of the spirit named as Katie King, a fact that shocked the world at the time. That is when William Crookes achieved the most amazing results with his mediunimic experiences. When a man like him, who was dedicated to science, decides to seriously and methodically focus on the spiritual phenomena and comes to the conclusion that the visions, materialisations, messages and other forms of communication with the spirit world were real and possible, our faith can be strengthened. Human science, and no longer mystic and religious aspects only, began to lift the veil from the reality of the spirit world. The book explains the methods uses in the research of the psychic phenomena through the mediumship of Florence Cook, the development of theories that attempted to explain what was going on as well as the opinion from other researchers.

What criteria did the scientis use in his research?

William Crookes was fully committed, between 1870 and 1874, to psychic research. He investigated a wide range of spiritual phenomena and worked with some of the most famous mediums of his time, who volunteered to join him. Among them were Kate Fox, one of the famous Fox sisters, Florence Cook and Daniel D. Home. He collected the most remarkable and important evidence, however, from his work with Florence Cook, which went on for three years. He said that her firm belief in her capacity as a medium prompted her to accept without any restrictions his strict conditions. He demanded that: “the phenomena must take place in my house, in front of a group of people selected by me, under my conditions.” The sessions took place in the dark, to favour the conditions for ectoplasmic phenomena, but occasionally a red light was allowed so that photographs could be taken. Crookes, as well as his relatives and other researchers he trusted, could examine the physical differences between the medium and the materialised spirt (skin, hands, height, scars, clothes, hair colour, birth marks etc.) and register the materialisation with a photo camera. He even checked the breathing and heart rate of the medium and the materialised body and observed significant differences.

Tell us more about the spirit who was being researched.

Katie King said she had been the daughter, in a previous incarnation, of Henry Owen Morgan, who used to communicate in the psychic sessions with the name of John King (a famous Caribbean pirate who was knighted and appointed governor of Jamaica by Charles II). John King said that Annie Owen Morgan (the true name of Katie King) was one of his illegitimate daughters. The medium, Florence Cook, used to see her spirit almost every day. Katie was a permanent resident, so to speak, in the Cook household. Accounts from the time say she was a very beautiful young lady, who was photographed by William Crookes 40 times. Florence Cook was only 15 years old when she volunteered to be a medium and help in the scientific research he was carrying out. The first materialisation of Katie King happened on April 22^nd, 1872, in the presence of the medium’s mother, some siblings and a domestic worker.

What impact did his research have?

The work done by Crookes opened the doors for a new phase of researches on immortal life. The communication with the dead became science and the new discoveries fascinated the intellectual, artistic and scientific worlds, giving people a new life perspective.

What is the main lesson that we could draw from these experiments?

The experiments carried out by Crooks demonstrate for serious people that the Spiritual World is a reality. It has proven to them that Spirits do exist and that the communication between both worlds is possible. That is something that warms our hearts, as it renews our hopes of meeting again those who have gone and are dear to us. It also shows us the possibility of continuing to improve in the afterlife, as well as learning about the Natural Laws of the Universe.

What tribute should we pay to this remarkable researched this year, when we commemorate the centenary of his death?

It is gratifying to remember that, even facing the sarcasm, irony and persecution of the enemies of Spiritism and the truth, Crookes remained faithful to the principles of a true scientist. That makes me understand that we have a moral commitment with our conscience and not with the opinion that others will have of us. William Crookes was an honest, brave and persevering man, someone who made a commitment with the good side. In sum, a true example to be followed.