The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-11-09

We have received from India n pamphlet
containing report OF observations of the
working Of tho Thcosophists made by DR..
+. HARTMANN, ian American Buddhist"
BY tho same mail comes tho Times Of htdiC,
for Sept. Ii, with u long leading article in
which Nine, BLAvATsKY's methods of per-
forming her so-callcd miracles are described,
and she is denounced as miserable trick
ster ard humbug.
DIR. HARTMAHN's report however, Is in
tended as defence of the seercss but whether
1t disprovcs or iustiilos the charges of the
newspaper we will leave the reader to judge
after we have given summary OF BOTH
II seems that DR.. HARTMANN came to the
United States about twenty years ago and
soon after grew to be very much Interested
in sprtualsm, particularly in the perform
nnces OF female medium whom he describes,
rs OF wonderful! powers. Having thus ac-
qu!rcd taste for the occult and mysterious,
he was greatly attracted by tho writings of
Col OLCorT. the Thcosophst Hicrophant
The result was that the Doctor, after cor
rrspondcnco with the Colonel, accepted an
invitation to visit India "tO find out il pos
sib!c, the truth at any cost" He arrived at
Madras in December, 1883, and at once pro-
ccedcd to the headquarters OF Thcosophv
in the ncigllborhood of that town. where he
found the secrcSs, whom he thus describes :
1t was dark when we arrived and the object OF NV
dreams she who said to possess the key that was to
open before me the sanctuary of Occultsm sitting
in the lighted entrance hall. surrounded by a few
friends Poor AMI yet enyiei Nine BLAv.rsKY the
sphinx of the nineteenth century. at once sage and
woman; she upon whose brow shines the tran.
guilty OF god and who minute afterward will ny
into astew because the coffee ia too hot; she who has
looked into the deepest ysterrs OF nature and yet is
gulihc In practical life Her appearance neither sur
prised nor disappointed stately figure dressed in
loose flowing robe she night well have sat for the
picture of one of the saints and her kind and cordial
manner at once gained my confidence"
SO eager was he to SEQ tho mysteries that
he at once demanded to be taken to tho
shrine which was "a simple cupboard
hung loosely to tho wall in Nine. BLAvAT-
sKY'S room" In 1t were kept the pictures Of
the Mahatmas, "those mysterious beings"
representing "two mon with Oriental fea-
lures ard in corresponding dress" with
countcnances unlike those OF mortal beings
Tho cupboard, it seems, was "a sort of post
Office TO mail and receive letters from the
Masters" the occult letters" sent from the
spirit world through the miraculous agency
OF Nine BLAvATsKY.
Such letters Dr. HARTMANN says he often
received, sometimes in immediate reply to
his communications mailed to "the disem-
bodied planetary spirit, or god" through
the shrine post Office and sometimes days
aftcrward Col. OLCorr was likewise ia
vored by the Mahatma5, beings far SUI
perior to ordinary mortals;" and Nine.
BLAvArsKY was tho centre OF an admrlng
household, to which DR.. HARTMANN was wei
coined as permanent member.
Among the inmates. however, were two in
dividuals. NJ, and Nine. CoULoMB. Of whom
no speaks with great bitterness and why no
does SO will aftorward appear. NJ. CoULoMB,
1t seems, was clever carpenter, and his
vito was suffered to boss Mime. BLAvAr-
SKY and Col OLoorr." She was al irrever-
entail Frenchwoman. who" would tell tho as
pirant for theosophical honors that Col Oh
oorr was q fool who was led by the nose by