Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-05-05

of authority which denotes fullness Of
knowledge. 1t may indeed be said that
the scheme of the work was too vast, and
that the learning involved in it sometimes
tended to overlap and obscure the sense.
But for all this the work was an epochal
one, for it brought together for the first
time, and in an Ineligible form, the his.
tory of those two divergent currents OF
| Occultism above referred to, and it showed
how much force there was in the argu-
ments which postulated their original and
ultimate unity and harmony.
In "Isis Unveiled" moreover, the
Brotherhood of Adepss" was for the
first time positively and clearly introduced
to Western audience. OF necessity, the
information given concerning these mys-
FERROUS beings was fragmentarY and scanty.
But it was intimated that the powers
alleged to be possessed by them could be
won by any man capable of the self-control
and self-discipline through which they had
worked their way to "Rahatship," and it
was shown that the same methods had been
employed to attain the same ends, from the
remotest period. It is not, however, in
tended here to review SO Isis Unveiled, F"
but merely to convey to those who have not
suredly there is no work like it either
in ancient or modern Literature, for what
it aims at is nothing less than the fusion
of the doctrines of the Indian Gymnoso.
phists, of Zarathustra, of the Vedic
writers, with those of Plato, Ply.
| thagoros and Plotinus, with those of
the Mystics, and finally with those
of the Nineteenth Century Theosophists.
| At the first mention of such an endeavor it
may appear chimerical in the extreme but
it cannot so appear to those who have care.
fully and dispassionately read "Isis Un-
yelled" The publication of this work ere.
ated considerable sensation. The press re-
viewed it with somewhat more care and
candor than usual. Its unlikeness to all
other books was not prejudicial to it in a
country whose institutions inevitably
breed convention. haters. And it had one
effect which had been hoped it caused
the Theosophical Society to be very much
more widely known. The book will ever
remain perfect store.house of informa.
ton upon Occultism and cognate topics,
and it will also furnish frequent sugges.
tions to the student upon great many OBJ.
scure subjects. Its principal use at the
time of its publication, however. consisted
in the light it threw upon the Occult
Brotherhood, and in the force of the argu.
ments it furnished for transferring
the theater of research to the
Orient. In fact it soon became
clear to the Society that since the work of
organization had been accomplished at the
West, it would be necessary to begin
active operations in the neiehborhood of
the sources of occult science. In 1878,
therefore, it was resolved to remove the
headquarters of the Theological Society to
Bombay, India, and thither the Founders
repaired in accordance with this determine
tion. At first Misunderstanding occurred
with the Government of India, and with
the press. The real purposes of Colonel
Olcott and Nine. Blevatsky were miscon.
strued. These errors, however, were pres
emily dissipated, and they set themselves
to study the field. After few months of
experience in India it became evident that
the Society needed literary organ, and to
supply this want the Theosophist, a
monthly magazine, was published in Oeto-
Der, 1879, and has been issued regularly
ever since. The "Theosophist is "de-
voted to Oriental Philosophy, Art, Litera.
ture and Occultism, embracing ,Mesmer-
ism, Spiritualism and other secret
sciences" It has from the begin
ming been conducted by Madame
H. P. Blavatsky, and it has been and
is very remarkable journal. The "Theo-
sophist. however, is only an incident of
the Society's work in India. For years
| Colonel Olcott, the founder, has devoted
himself to the organization of Branch So
cieties all over India and Ceylon, with the
central purpose of inducing the abandon
ment of the superstitions which have grown
up SO thickly as to choke the pure print
tive faiths of the Aryans. To this end the
people of India have been encouraged to
review the study of the Vedantic liter.
allure, and efforts have been made to
counterfeit the Materialism which Young
India is learning from the Anglo-Indian
colleges and schools. The mission of
Colonel Olcott may seem to many hope.
less and even an extravagant one, but
there can be no doubt as to his sincerity,
and it appears to be at last recognized by
the Indian Government that the new move
ment is salutary and benefcent, and that
it deserves encouragement rather than
hindrance.
But to the Western mind the most in.
teresting and important work of the So
ciety is in the direction of Occultism, and
especially as regards the alleged existence
Of the Adopts previously referred to. For a
time some incredulity was manifested as to
the current statements on this head, but
though it is in the nature of the case i'm
possible to satisfy every skeptic, and there.
fore there must always be many such, yet
it is nevertheless true that the evidence
adduced within the last two years upon the
subject has been calculated to convince all
reasonable and unbiased intelligences of
the truth of the relations Who, then,
and what, are these Adopts, or Brothers !?
According to the Theosophical representa-
tions they are men who have conquered
for themselves the mastery over Nature.