The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-20
BARON DE PALMS ASHES.
NOW THE THEOSOPHISTS MEAN TO
COMMIT THEN 10 THE SEA.

which Hierophsnt Olcott. Inc. BIn vat.ky,
and - Mysterious Hindoo win Participate.
After the body of the late Baron de Palm
had hcen crcmnted in DR.. Ic Moyncs furnaces
at Washington Pa. the ashes were carefully
gathered up by Hierophant Olcott placed rev.
erently in a smn porphyry vnse. embelishcd
with llindoo neurological designs. and brought
to the Lamnsory OF the Theosophs. at Eighth
avenue and Forty-seventh street. in this city.
There they have since remained. under the care
OF the Hierophant aud Nine. Blavatsky. Corre-
spending Secretary OF the society. Tho ere
nation of the body is but one OF the stops in
disposing of the dead. according to the usages
OF the society. Tho final rite among the Hin
doos il. with great and mysterious ceremonies
TO cast the ashes into The Ganees and 1t has
btssn the intention OF the officers Of the Ameri-
can branch OF the Arya Samai to perform this
last service to the memory OF their late assc
cate. Ii has bcen found impracticable how
ever. II even 1t Is necessary to convey the ashes
to India. and tho contents of the urn now at the
Lamasery WILL instead. be cast into the broad
bosom of the Atlantic.
Just'when this interesting ceremony Is to be
performed the Hierophant OF tho Arya Samai
seems unwilling TO say but the full arrange
ments have recently been perfected. and the
date. therefore. cannot be fur distant The
coast making into rather extensive farm be-
longing to a member OF the society. A strip of
sandy beach. perhaps hundred feet wide lies
between the water and the bank back Of which
is thick grove. rocky projection at either
side Of the cove breaks the force OF the surf and
leaves quiet amphitheatre within. perhaps
three or four acres in extent
The urn will be brought to this secluded spot
by tho Horophant accompanied by all the resi-
dent members Of the society and such friends
as may be honored by an invitation. The exer-
cises will be at night and will begin with n
solemn chant SUNG by dozen voices. the sing
ers meanwhile marching around the southerly
point into the cove and to the central point OF
the curved beach. Each member Of the society
| will wear half mask and dark domino. The
| Hierophant Will be distinguished by the badge
| OF the society embroidered IN gold on his
breast. The others wear the emblem in white
| embroidery and smaller thpn his This badge
| is the double triangle Of solomon l,s Eastern
| legend Of southern India. Inside The trinnrles
| is the Egyptian or the mundane cross. with a
| serpent entwined around II. Each o: the black
! robed figures will show 10 the Hicrophnnt. as
| he or she approaches. small square paper
with hieroGlyphc Inscriptions. No one un-
proof enough of membership. When ali have
gathered. they Will form in q broken line. max
iins with til" iine Of the leach, tr,angiee, In
| will stand three figures One will b. Col Ocott.
The President or Aierophantoi the rhcosophi-
| cnl Society. aud the other Nine. B!a,atsky its
| Secretary. The third. although this is but n
| conjecture. will be- the lIiudo0 Pandit who was
| present at the cremation ceremonies OF the
| Baron and who Disappeared inime,liately after.
| He il corresponding fellow oi the society and
| has twice visited this country TO bring cofnuu-
| nica,ons from older societies in the East. He
1 travels incogniiQ except among the Initiated
but i known to them as scholar OF Karikal. in
These three will form in a smaller triangle
| around y shallow pit digged according to tho
yedic ritual or Sanskar OF cremation. called
Mritak Tor the whole ceremonial OF cremation
is to be repeated in Nedic fashion. the original
eompd by c 6 T6s seend ana
| solemn ceremony WIS ordered by ths society
alter us coantioh wlth me ,Arya SninM oi India
| with the true Neii" 'orns. as set forth by the
Swamee Dya Nund Saraswati. Pandit. the chief
Tho pit will be accordingly u span deep-a
| little deeper 10 the south than 20 the north.
| sloping nj about Rn angle of twenty degrees. II
will bs as lolg ~ the icurc 81 Il man with his
arms raised straight above his heAd. aud as
wide as. tho figure 81 man with his arms
| stretched ont nj right anges with his body.
| Dld the necessities of the case demand deeper
pit. il would be feet aud inches below tho
| surface. Amid dead silence the HindOO will
step three Tunes to the edge oi the sen and tax
ing up water in the hollow of his hand. sprinkle
Small. squarely-hrwn hits Of cedar timber
| will Dc then piled ia regular order IN tho pit to
the hcight OF eighteen inches. making pyre
| that rises foot or 50 above the level OF the
| beach Were Il possible the wood OF the Palasa
tree tButea FrOndosn would he used. but in
| the absence Vi tnat, TIE Sauskar permits any
| good tree " To- be used, and the cedar has been
chosen. Were this the original ceremony. the
| cOrpsc would next he shaved smooth. and then
dr. ssrd in a clean piece of cloth and placed on
| the pyrc. with tlc head 10 the north and the feet
TO the south. As however. the ac'ual burning
| Of the hoy has bcan nlr"adv accomplished. the
| Tyre only will la burned Instead Of placing
the body on the pyrc. therefore, the vase con-
| tanning the nshcs will DE plnccd To the north.
| where the body would have been.
A fragrant cQmpoupd. composed Of ghce. or
dalwood. and other aromatic substances,
IS then poured ovcr the heap OF wood.
The ghee - declared in the Sanskar
| 10 be- Indispensable 10 the ceremony.
and a quantity OF the compound is to be- used
eIual To- the corpse IN weight. As. however.
pounds q the compound or the weight Of the
ashes will be- used.
All this in perfect silence but now the fire is
10 be applied. The Hindoo produces n flint md
steel. and taking from one u tn company a
torch OF resinous wood he strikes from the flint
a spark. and by quick blowing kindles a flame
In 4 moment. The torcu baS,s up in a reddish
flame, throwing Of thick rolls II tho black est
smoke and. turning. he hands 1t to Mime,
Bsyatsky. As sne applies II 10 the ourcorners
of the pyre another hmm Is chanted in the
illndoo Gy thc singsrrs, ana ,or twsn'y minutes
| tinues. When thr ilrrcrness of thc flame hHs
abated the Hindoo stretches out h.r arms, and.
vocation; "Aenay" Swdha SnmayA SwAhd!
hoAaya swain Anumain,a Swaha" Then
Hierophant Oi"lu prnronn"os the following
| lHiion Of tho HindOo;
Do thou o snuL hy the grace ot God and b., thy own
merits depart hv tr meet ts 90 the lest regions oh
bcing. 'hN 'Nr> a>siiuAtri 10 iic MAY III
soul - to the nini D. thou dclhri l Thy merit 10 the
| glon tho CLOUDS. rc-nter lite thou wilt he
happy. DO thuu Nr cun'ucd m Tho vegetable world.
ana aVin- entered blessed human lite, do thou attain
the llhe't good Oh hcir- dec iruu s'oriiy Thy Naor
and sreatI Ne1 tli, lgr oi tAA uIu, shorty thee
and ihN b-ir on blessed amt p"rr1 Dud. bless this
beng. aiu Hho MN 10 the rvs.ui- ~ tt blessed. oh.
bciu-. may 10, hnIv ctcttrl 'hr grace God. he
happy and heucnerut iue iuuerrl ir 4, ktnNNada We
wait tht the diTi.uro MAJ ls.Nh the regions
OF The Hlni midway hciN'ru heaven amt Garth That
| hre j, rapid in nLht MAY It take thee
| qn.ckly to the blessed regions May oihur sacr.'
| hcia HlT 1rt n.e grace ~ God ever shin" IA
midst and bless the learned oh, heiui. do thou de-
rart iutr hrs'cd regions DO thou troy prrpcual air,
Know ledge and communion Nitp GWl, ami having tn.
separate uif-N the booty amt enter dlutr blessed
ne. We pray 10 n0i. Olr common htucr sud protector,
that lie niHy bless pr. ctnl,. ON. being, may tod,
tr prrserVrr . aud The regulator OF our lifc' nc
curdil- own Mans ' lNlut aud tiv iurlHiur from
death or t. accept ms -t. pliIut citAtults ant lib
orutt from aCNlls tf, Hil, vino ice nom all
evils. du thou hh"rtte tn, .cins nnd ourselves from
rNl Ni. Imlr. Iord oi uids. do tlon a-uln llcss
tins mortal inl Ives With thr llvsNed senses
! and TIE government Of .i4 vnrth, WlcrchN we mly
omoy pe cnrth IN better lite on, Lord, do
thou preserve this beng, bless ham VITA good
! qun Ites, and make hm bold 10 hn Rooi
dc,fq, ind hifss us also Do Thnu engage this
hciny wei ourselves iu good ana pouS
..r AND l l