Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-02-11

references III Isis Unveiled were TO D
certain Brotherhood of Occultists, alleged to
reside in Asia, Of whom the most wonderful
powers were pTedicated, and who were de-
cared by the suthor to be capable Of per-
forming what the superstitious call miracles
in the most offhand way. Inevitably the
reference to this Brotherhood stimulated
public curiosity, and when, subsequently.
the headquarters of the Theosophical Society
were removed to Bombay, and Madam
Blavatsky and Col Olcots (the Presidentl
took up their abode there, and pub
lished the journal called The Tkeo-
sophtst, expectation began to anticipate
some great revelation. But it did not
come. and presently soma Spiritualists,
who resented the tons taken by Madame
Blavatsky toward their cherished theories,
began to suggest suspicious Of the genuineness
of her statements concerning the mysterious
Fraternity, and to intimate that possibly the
latter might be after all merely an effect of
her too fertile and vivid imagination
Skepticisrn in short insisted on some great
demonstration to prove the reality of the
revelation, as of old; and as of old skepticisn
was refused the evidences it demanded.
Madame Blavatsky indeed had all along
stated that the Brotherhood were not seek.
ing Endorsement or recognition at the hands
of the modern world that they did not pre-
pose to put themselves forward as guides or
teachers that they had no religion or phil
osophy to PROFOUND that they in fact had
long since become convinced of the futility
of all efforts to educate the world up to their
level, and that consequently they had deter
mined upon preserving the most rigorous
| silence as regarded their more important
knowledge.
This, however, did not check the ardor of
the irquiring minds which had joined the
Theosophical Society, and at last we have, in
| the little volume which forms the text for
this article, positive and dehnite link be-
tween the alleged Brotherhood of Occultists
| and the outside world. The author MIR.
Sinnett, is Vice-President of the Theosophi-
cal Society, and the editor of one of the
leading English journals in Ildia. lie is a
man of ripe education, extensive knowledge
of the world, solid Judgment, and undoubted
integrity. And his statements of the things
he has himself seen are consequently entitled
to respectful consideration, to say the least
He was very anxious, and even impatient, to
ascertain for himself the actual facts about
the Brotherhood concerning whom Madame
play, sol ea.J e.
ance she referred nearly all the more i'm.
porEaut phenomena produced by herself.
Indeed, she asserts that " Isis Unveiled " was
written in large part By the Brotherhood,
who dictated to her, or who supplied manu-
script while she was aslesp. Mr.. Sinnett
especially desired to be placed in direct COM
munication with some members of the
Brotherhood, and at length his desire was
gratifed, and part of the correspondence
which ensued is contained in his book The
natural and now strongly stimulated curiosity
of the author led him to propose the breaking
of that seal of secrecy which the Mystic
Brotherhood had placed upon its proceedings;
but to all such suggestions the same answer
was given. It was courteous but infexible
refusal As to the arguments employed on
either side, it is impossible to present the
pith of them better than by making brief
quotation of a conversation between Glyndon
and Mejnour. in Bulwer's sZanoni":
"But," said Glyndon, "if possessed of
"these great secrets, why SO churlish in with
holding their diffusion? Does not the false
"or charletanic science differ in this from the
true and indisputable-tha the last com.
"municates to the world the processes by
(which it attains its discoveries ; the first
"boasts of marvellous results, and refuses to
explain the causes ?"
"Well said, Logician of the Schools;
but think again. Suppose we were to i'm
part all our knowledge to all mankind in
Discriminatory, alike to the vicious and the
"virtuous, should we be benefactors or
"scourges Imagine the tyrant, the sensual
"ist, the evil and corrupted being, possessed
"of these tremendous powers-would he
not be demon let loose on earth? Grant
I" that the same privilege be accorded also to
"the good. and in what state would be So
"ciety? Engaged in Titan wharf.-the good
for ever on the defense, the bad for ever in
" the assault. In the present condition of
"the earth, evil is more active principle
" than good, and the evil would prevail. It
sis for these reasons that we are not only
" solewnly bound to administer our lore only
"to those who viii not pervert it, but that we
"piacs our ordeal in tests that purify the pas
:" sions and elevate the desires. And Nature
" in this controls and assists us for it places
" awful guardians and insurmountable bar.
"riers between the ambition of vice aud the
heaven of the loftier science"
Such is the argument of Koot Hoomi La],
the Occult Brother with whom Mr.. Sianett
was put in communication by Madame Bla-
vatsky. This Brother stated that the Fra
ternity had consented that Madame Bla-
vatsky should act as agent between it and
the world whenever occasion arose for any
communication, and it had agreed to advise
with her, and sometimes support her in the
production of such phenomena as were cal
culated to convince intelligent minds of the
genuineness of the science which it is the prov
ince of the Theosophical Society to encourage
the study Of, if not to interpret. Perhaps
the most significant statement in these letters
flor though by no means novel, it here seems
to come with authority and from first hands,
so to speab), is the positive and emphatic dec
laration that the superior capacities of the
adept are the consequence of education in
natural science alone; that there is nothing
Supernatural about the higher occult science,
but that it depends entirely upon profounder
acquaintance with the forces of Nature than
the world at large possess. And Koot
Hoomi speaks at considerable length in this
connection of an imponderable but most
potent force called akas an element or agency
which he describes to be as much more subtle
and potent than electricity as the latter is
than steam. This akaS, which appears to
correspond with the rra of Bulwer's Com
ing Race, is availed of for the most surpris-
ing uses. By it the adept is enabled to
communicate with his fellows wherever they
may be, and with the rapidly of thought.
By it he is enabled not only to project his
thought, but his spirit. 70 the remotest dig
tances, at will. By it the limitations OF mat
ter are overcome, and solids are made to
int penetrate with the utmost ease. By it
oil the conditions of rattar with which We