Quest - Vol 4 No 2

Magazine Overview

QUEST is a magazine focused on paranormal and controversial subjects, published bi-monthly. This issue, Volume Four, Number Two (Whole No. 21), dated November-December 1972, is priced at 50¢. The cover features a surreal illustration with the headline 'MISSIONARIES', depicting figures in astronaut suits on a lunar-like surface with a UFO in the sky, surrounded by strange characters and structures.

Witchcraft and Satanism

The issue includes an article titled 'WITCHCRAFT '72' by Kurt Glemser, which discusses the apparent increase in witchcraft and self-proclaimed witches. It mentions Edward Turner's estimate of 20,000 witches in the USA and Louise Huebner's claim to be the 'official witch' of 78 cities. The article also references an article from the Sunday Mirror, 'This Growing Cult of Evil' by Anne Allen, detailing a satanic initiation ritual involving drug use, symbolic desecration, and the consumption of blood. Another article, 'Psychedelic Fascism' by Lucian Truscott, describes a cult in Southern California called the Solar Lodge of the OTO, which allegedly uses drugs for brainwashing and engages in blood drinking and animal sacrifice. The piece notes that Satanism is practiced more openly by older individuals, citing Anton Szandor LaVey and the Church of Satan. It also touches upon the role of nudity and sex in some witchcraft covens.

Further exploration of witchcraft's origins is presented, noting its development from ancient pagan religions and the use of hallucinogenic drugs like belladonna and bufotenine in medieval 'witches ointment'. British accounts suggest broomsticks were used symbolically rather than for flight. The article also references Soviet scientists' experiments with telepathically sending negative emotions and their effect on white blood cells, drawing parallels to witchcraft methods. It mentions James Blish's work on the physiological effects of music and the mysterious ability of witch doctors to kill enemies, citing the use of crocodile bile as a possible method.

Voodoo and Other Belief Systems

Page 6 features photographs from the Swedish documentary 'Witchcraft Through the Ages', noting its ban in many countries and its superiority to the US film 'Witchcraft '70'. The article suggests that Voodoo, particularly in its Haitian form, is free of publicity-seekers and yields better results than white witchcraft. It mentions Marcus Bach's book 'Strange Altars' for background on Voodoo practices in Haiti, Jamaica (Obeah), Cuba (Santeria), and Brazil (Candomble, Umbanda, and Quimbanda), noting that these latter forms are more benevolent than Haitian Voodoo. A dispatch from Sao Paulo, Brazil, estimates that 10 million people in Brazil practice some form of Voodoo, with evidence suggesting this number may be low. The article also notes that forbidden Voodoo orgies are attracting many whites in Brazil.

Phantom Ships and Maritime Mysteries

Dennis Stamey's article, 'THE STRANGE WATERS', discusses legends of phantom ships. It recounts the tale of the notorious Baychimo, a freighter lost in Arctic ice that was sighted multiple times over decades. The article also mentions the American steamer Humboldt, which broke free after being ordered for demolition and was sighted numerous times. The British merchantman Marlborough, which disappeared and was later found with a crew of skeletons, is also detailed. The piece touches on phantom ships common to settlers of the New World, including a ship that vanished and reappeared in the air. It also mentions Blackbeard's treasure sites and stories of cities beneath the sea, such as Atlantis.

Mermaids and Other Encounters

The article continues with accounts of alleged mermaid sightings. Residents of the Isle of Man have claimed to see mermaids, with one member of parliament reportedly offering a reward for one. Wing Commander Roy MacDonald reported seeing two red-haired mermaids swimming at high speed. The mayoress of Peel also reported a red-haired mermaid, and Helen Cowell described a brunette mermaid. The article notes that while mermaids are a marine tradition, sightings have dwindled.

Paranormal Events and Psychic Phenomena

A tale from the North describes a haunted house in Spence Bay, N.W.T., where a murdered woman's ghost is said to roam. Ernie Lyall recounts hearing footsteps and a person clearing their throat in the supposedly empty living room where the body was temporarily stored. The article also includes a story about an Eskimo medicine man, a shaman, who allegedly cured a dying child by calling down spirits that appeared as little dogs. Another personal account describes a strong feeling of a presence in a room, which disappeared when the narrator told it to leave. A 'ghostly SMELL' of freshly baked bread is reported in an old cottage, linked to its past as a monastery bakery. The section also includes a brief mention of ghostly animals, specifically a horse heard but not seen.

UFOs and Related Topics

The magazine promotes 'CAVEAT EMPTOR', an 'all-new magazine' focusing on UFOs and psychic phenomena, available via subscription from G & G Steinberg. It also lists various 'U.F.O. BOOKS' for sale, including titles on UFOs, the Bermuda triangle, witchcraft, and the Men in Black. 'SPACEVIEW Magazine' is advertised as an independent publication specializing in world UFO news. 'THE SENTINEL' is promoted as a publication covering the 'Gods' of the ancients and humanity's past, present, and future in space. The 'U.F.O. DETECTOR' is offered as a device for detecting magnetic fields. A book review of 'THE STRANGER AT THE PENTAGON' by Frank E. Stranges is included, which discusses Valiant Thor and UFOs, with praise for its UFO photo section and information on the USAF Academy's course on UFOs.

Drugs and Misinformation

A section titled 'BEHIND THE NEWS' addresses the issue of drugs, criticizing misinformation, particularly from Susy Smith's 'Today's Witches', which is described as making a 'stupid and untrue statement' about young people in a drugged state. The article asserts that while Smith's book is otherwise excellent on witchcraft, her knowledge of drugs is lacking. A tale from the Kitchener-Waterloo Record about pirates guarding stolen wealth is also presented.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of QUEST magazine exhibits a strong interest in the paranormal, the unexplained, and subjects often dismissed by mainstream science. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into UFOs, witchcraft, satanism, ghosts, and other fringe phenomena, presenting accounts and theories that challenge conventional understanding. The magazine actively promotes related books and publications, suggesting a commitment to exploring these topics in depth. There is a critical approach to misinformation, as seen in the commentary on Susy Smith's book regarding drugs. The overall tone is investigative and aims to present a spectrum of unusual events and beliefs.

Title: THE TORONTO STAR
Issue Date: Saturday, April 1, 1972

This issue of The Toronto Star delves into the mysterious phenomenon of stigmata, the spontaneous appearance of wounds on individuals that mirror those of Christ's crucifixion. It also explores the related topic of poltergeists and psychokinesis, presenting a range of accounts and expert opinions.

Wounds like Christ's: A Gift from God?

The lead article, "Wounds like Christ's are seen as a Gift from God" by Wayne Edmonstone, examines the "Easter Bleeding Syndrome," noting 330 acknowledged cases, with many more unconfirmed. The phenomenon involves bleeding from areas corresponding to Christ's wounds. While the majority of stigmatics are women and Roman Catholics, cases involving Protestants and non-believers are known. Some have been beatified or declared saints.

The article highlights the recent case of 10-year-old Cloretta Robertson from Oakland, California, who reportedly began bleeding from her hands, feet, and side before Good Friday. Hospital tests failed to reveal any blood disease or abnormality, leaving her condition open to question, though such manifestations during Easter were historically accepted as miracles.

Two of the most celebrated stigmatics mentioned are Padre Pio (Pio de Pietrelcina) and Therese Neumann. Padre Pio, an Italian Capuchin monk, was regarded as a living saint, but was largely confined to his monastery by the Vatican, which issued decrees urging the faithful to avoid visiting him due to swindles that arose. Therese Neumann, from Bavaria, bore stigmata marks from 1926 until her death in 1962. She reportedly experienced trances and relived Christ's agonies, and uniquely, subsisted only on the communion host after 1923, having recovered from paralysis and blindness.

Another significant case is that of Mrs. Donald McIsaac from Uptergrove, Ontario. Her stigmata began in 1937, with wounds appearing on her hands and feet over the following three years. Cardinal James McGuigan of Toronto supervised her case, enforcing a 'no publicity' ban. Examinations by Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish doctors were conducted, with one Protestant physician describing the wounds as "most peculiar," noting square marks on the hands and feet and dark, slightly hard skin on the insteps.

Catholic Church Reacts with Caution

While historical figures like St. Francis of Assisi and St. Paul have been canonized, the Roman Catholic Church generally maintains a cautious and skeptical stance on stigmata, a position often shared by science and other denominations. The church requires proof of heroic virtue for canonization and miracles after death. Pope Benedict XIV noted that stigmata could theoretically be a divine gift to sinners and pagans.

Medical and psychological investigators suggest that stigmata might stem from strongly emotional states triggered by suggestion, leading to bodily changes. German physician Alfred Lechler and French psychiatrist Pierre Janet have produced evidence linking such states to phenomena like bloody tears and stigmata.

• Several religious and medical professionals offered their views:
• Most Rev. Thomas B. Fulton, auxiliary bishop of the Toronto archdiocese, stated he knew of no authenticated cases in the past 20 years, emphasizing the church's careful approach due to increased medical knowledge.
• Dr. Nelles Silverthorne, consulting physician at the Hospital for Sick Children, expressed a "big question mark," finding no scriptural reference and suggesting possibilities like hemophilia or blood diseases, but seeing no specific religious significance.
• Dr. Basil Orchard, a psychiatrist, highlighted the connection between mental functioning and physical functioning, noting that hypnotic suggestion can cause physical manifestations. He suggested stigmata could arise from suggestibility and strong belief, but found it peculiar that wounds appear where people expect them, rather than where Christ was likely nailed (wrists).
• Rev. Leslie Tarr, administrator of Central Baptist Seminary, believed stigmata had no spiritual force, possibly indicating piety or a psychosomatic source, and noted they often occurred in remote locations.

Saturday Titbits

This section includes brief, unrelated news items:

• Slain actor stages a comeback: A traffic record from London Transport details a unique dossier of a ghostly passenger at Covent Garden tube station, identified by the word "Terriss." This relates to the murder of actor William Terriss in 1898, whose understudy, Charles Lane, had a nightmare about the event just before it occurred. Terriss's dying words were "I will come back."

ARE POLTERGEISTS ALL IN THE MIND?

This article by Richard Egan explores the phenomenon of poltergeists, described as "noisy ghosts" or "hooligans of the spirit world." It begins with the case of 15-year-old Shirley Hitchings, who experienced being flung out of bed by invisible hands and other disturbances in her London home in 1956. The article notes that poltergeist activity has been reported for thousands of years, citing ancient Greeks, Romans, and Chinese philosophers.

Examples of poltergeist activity include smashed vases, displaced furniture, and objects moving mysteriously. The article mentions the case of 11-year-old Alan Rhodes and his grandmother in Crawley, Sussex, during WWII, who heard sharp tapping sounds from a shelter, which escalated to tappings on walls and bed-frames.

Other incidents include the Adams family in Gillingham, Kent (November 1969), who reported doors flying open, ash-trays falling, and furniture moving, and events in Petersham, Surrey (August 1970), involving tappings and moving objects. The article notes that the word "poltergeist" is German for "a noisy ghost."

'IN THE MIND?'

The article then questions whether these phenomena are supernatural or have a "down-to-earth cause." It mentions cases from the Clifton family (glasses pushed off tables, meals disappearing) and the Upshall family in Bournemouth (light bulbs, radios, TVs smashed, house fire).

Dr. A. R. G. Owen, a Cambridge don and authority on poltergeists, suggests that the phenomena might originate from a force within the individual, rather than an external entity. He believes these "unidentified physical forces" are wild and uncontrollable.

Meanwhile, research workers behind the Iron Curtain are investigating the power of the poltergeist, focusing on Ninel Sergeyevna Kulagina, a Leningrad housewife. Russian scientists report that Ninel could command objects to move and jump using mind-over-matter, a phenomenon called psychokinesis (PK). Experiments involving Ninel included cutting a smoke mass in half and separating egg white from yolk from a distance.

Soviet investigators theorize that people radiate energy, and some individuals generate much stronger energy. They suggest that this "bio-energy" might be captured and used, potentially proving that poltergeists exist only in the mind.

BOUNCING

This short piece details the case of Virginia Campbell, who, at 11 years old in October 1960, experienced a "bouncing ball" phenomenon in her bedroom in Sauchie, Scotland. The bouncing followed her and her niece, and over six months, witnesses observed a pillow rotating, a linen chest lifting, and inexplicable ripples passing over Virginia's pillow. A teacher observed a desk rise and hover. Dr. Owen's investigation suggested the force originated within Virginia's body.

Other Accounts

The issue also includes several brief, anecdotal accounts:

• A fisherman and his dog never went treasure hunting again after disappearing into a black cliff.
• A mystery at Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, involving an English sailor deserting to an American warship in 1812, which was then chased by a British man-of-war. Legend says a flaming ship can be seen on the bay annually.
• Reports of RCMP corporal testimony regarding evidence "adding" in cases and claims of officers perjuring themselves and falsifying reports.
• An article from "Rolling Stone" about the "inner earth theory," featuring Lance Fairweather, an acquaintance of Charles Manson, who believed in underground people and a pool in Death Valley leading to the center of the earth.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue consistently explores phenomena that blur the lines between the supernatural, the psychological, and the unexplained. The articles present cases of stigmata and poltergeist activity, often juxtaposing them with scientific and religious skepticism. The editorial stance, particularly in the "Catholic Church reacts with caution" section and the "IN THE MIND?" article, leans towards exploring potential psychological or psychosomatic explanations for these events, while acknowledging the enduring mystery and the human fascination with the paranormal. The inclusion of brief, diverse titbits suggests an interest in a wide range of unusual occurrences.