Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-05-12


It is obvious that this must always con.
stitHtc barrier between popular credence
and the alleged facts of Adeptship, since
that knowledge which cannot be taught
freely and openly to all, and which re-
quires in the recipient special powers and
preparation, must in the nature of things
be condemned by those who have neither
the will nor the capacity to attain it for
themselves But to such as are ready to
accept the necessarily secondary evidence
obtainable on this head, and who believe
(l) that there are Adopts; ~ that these
Adopts possess remarkable powers; 81
that the researches of these Adopts into
the spheres of supersensual existence de-
serve earnest consideration il is clear
that much further information will be
welcome. Mr.. Sinnett says: 81 have
said that the occultist can project his
soul from his body. As an in
cidental discovery, it will be OBJ
served, he has thus ascertained be.
yond all shadow of doubt that he
really has got soul. He can sat-
isfy himself at one coup that there is such
thing as soul, and that it is material in
its nature, by disassociating it from the
body under some conditions, and restoring
it again. When l say that the &C.
cultist knoecs he has soul, refer TO this
power. He knows it just as another man
knows he has great coat. He can put it
from him, and render it manifest as some
thing separated from himself. But re-
member that to him, when the separation
is effected, he is the soul, and the thing
put off is the body. And this is to attain
nothing less than absolute certainty about
the great problem of survival after death.
And this brings us to the most interesting
of all considerations, namely, the informa-
ton which the Brothers have to give con-
corning the state after Death. For if their
claims are well founded, it follows that
what they tell us is not the speculations of
subtle Schoolmen, nor the fanciful creations
of vivid Faith, but the sober facts of per-
sonalexperience and actualand direct knowl-
edge. And the value of such revelation
to the present age cannot be overesti.
mated. We are in the midst of general
decline of Faith. Religion has no longer
any firm hold upon the higher intelligences
of Christendom, or upon the masses. Ma.
terialistic Science on the one hand, and
candid biblical exegesis on the other,
have undermined the foundations of Chris
tianity. Belief in q future life is disap.
pearing from scientific circles. Moles-
chott's observation, ohne phosphor klein
gedaake, is held TO signalize the collapse of
| Spiritualism. The artomatism of Des-
cartes, modified to suit the times, is being
revived. In short Science is apparently On
the verge of q final separation from what
the more cautious modern philosophers
conveniently dipose Of under the category
of "The Unknowable." The attempts of
the Spiritualists to found belief upon the
phenomena Of the "circles have failed,
because they cannot attain indubitable
proof of the connection between the phe-
nomena and disembodied human spirits.
All that can be regarded as established is
the actual occurrence of phenomena which
require for their explanation some theory
involving the existence of natural forces
and laws unknown to modern Science.
and probably also, of supra-sensual
intelligences of some kind. Science will
never accept the Spiritual theories
upon such insufficient grounds, but if
actual demonstration can be had of the
penetration by living men into other states
of being, and of the experimental proof of
the survival of the human soul, after
death, the case will be altered, and how
ever obstinate Skepticism may be, it must
in the end yield to such evidence. No
doubt it may and will be said that the
"if is here very formidable considera.
ton, and this may be admitted. Yet the
chain of testimony is SO strong that the
demonstration can be depended upon. 1t
will at least be accepted by the most adj
vanced minds, and this is quite as much
as can be expected az the present stage OF
the movement. Meantime it will be ad.
visable to defer the exposition OF the doc
trines held by the Himalayan Brotherhood
concerning future life, to another paper.
GEORGE FREDERIC PARSONS,