The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-11-26


latter & reaSOn-and l found that
all ttle-t uthS that we merely claim to
be SO can b. proven and known in-
stead of Surmised. This knowledge
can be attained in perfect natural
way, but 1t i degree OF intelligence
aud reason the christian nations have
not. yet attained. 1t is an advance
philosophy. In what l say L speak
from scientific standpoint and l
know and have proven the things l
merely hint at to you. Ii may appear
as if we desired TO be vague from the
way we speak, for neither Mr.. Joshee
nor myself have told you anything
about our tke0sophy; but l assure you
We have no desire to be mysterious.
Only so tell anything would be to tell
everything, and that we have no right
to do. AS have said, this knoWl-
edge in the hands of bad men would
be a terrible thing; then, too, a mind
not yet cultivated to follow out this
high train of thought might be driven
insane by 1t, and, moreover, lots of
mischief would be done. We can't
afford to trust children with matches
to set the world on fire."
He was very much in earnest while
speaking, but talked ia practical
sort OF way, like one VINO kneW the
soundness of his position.
81 have statement here" he added,
(which l Will give you if you will re-
Ceive 1t, with the assurance, upon my
honor as gentleman, that 1t is true
1t is but one OF many experiments
have made, and not the most remark
able one, but it Is well described by
the person with whom 1 communi-
Gated. know the lady we'll; she is
Of high standing, and i give you my
word for the truth Of the statement"
He then handed the Star reporter
the following, which is signed by Eliza
Archard:
THE TRUE STORY OF AN ASTRAL
VISIT"
"If my best friend hal told me the
experience herein narrated had hap
pened to him l cOuli not b i've be-
lieved him. l would have thought he
was dreaming, and did not know it.,
thouSh it would have hurt his feelings
by telling him so. Spook, ghost or
goblin were to me the creations of q
disordeTed brain. L could no more
have believed in the existence of a
spirit apart from the BODY, or surYiv-
ing it after death, than l could have
believed in the trinity, or the twelve
gods Of Olympus. Whatever was
outside of the known laws Of matter
was to me absolutely non-eXistent.
81 bad read of astral bodies. social
ed, lighter than air, so ethereal that,
like gases, they could pass through
brick walls. When the material
bodies of which they were the coun-
terpart was chained in dead slumber
it was said the spirit, clothed in this
astral shape. could escape and fit
whittier it would, over the face of the
earth. like will O. the wisp, realizing
vertically Mrs. BroWning's aspira>
ton:
''If men could ride with naked souls
And make no noise. snd pay no price at
Nonsense! Blather!
"It was Pigment of fancy. Those
who pretended to have, or had faith
in such stuff were about equally di-
vided between frauds and fools.
Nothing short of what actually
did happen could have ever changed
Eay mind. It was necessary for mla,
with my own eyes, broad awake, In
full possession of my senses, to see an
astral body. Only such evidence, /
contend, should be taken by anybody
in case like this.
Since the experience here men
toned many others, more remarkable,
have been mine, but concerning these
there is silence. That was the first
convincing one.
ut was in September, 1884. A
rlnAooyz[ M IN f-s Ioh
of some years standing had existed
between DR.. Elliott Coues and myself.
lie had just returned from across the
water, with head and ears full Of the
strange beauties and mysteries of &C
cult science. He called one evening.
It was very hot, and we left the stuffy
parlor and betook ourselves to the
common peoples open air
breathing place. Madison Square
park. We sat there under
the twinkling electric lights till past
10 o'clock. two hours perhaps. And
nearly all that time the doctor was
trying to convince me Of the realities
of things which now all good theoso-
phists know to be true. He was pass
ing eloquent-as he often Island I
was stupidity incredulous, as l often
am, too, for the matter of that.
81 would as soon admit the mool
was made of green cheese" l said.
He told me of wonders he had wit
messed. [ laughed. 81 believe you
believe it," said.
Very well, you may laugh" an
3wered DR.. Coues; "but it's true, all
the same. Clairvoyance, mesmerism,
astral visitations, are facts, and the
scientific world will be forced to adj
nit it sooner or later. Happy they
who have sense enough to give into it
sooner"
l cannot remember the half he said,
u the quarter But it was all in the
same train, the stupendous and daZ-
ling acquisitions occult science offer
I'd to her votaries, and the perfect pu-
'ity OF life and lofty unselfishness
,heopsy demanded of its disciples.
Finally, the doctor said: 81 will tell
you what intend to do. Some night
am coming to visit you in the astral
shape"
Don't" said 1. "It might be en-
1arrassing."
"Well, l shall come" he replied.
when you do, I'll believe in it"
1t was ash promise.
''Dr. C0ues went to his hotel. I |
vent home and TO my room, and bolted |
he door and retired. In less than no |
inc l was asleep, Never did SUM
Der scala mortaps eyes more tight !
asst than mine that night. Towards |
morning I was startled from sleep so |
profound that it seemed llll,, coming |
rom another world. It was the touch |
IF q hand and arm that rOucad mo
Gst as | walked, it flashed upon me |
nat had been dreaming about DR.. |
Joues. Somebody was sitting upon
he edge of the bed. I started up
wildly. AS did SO, saw that the |
'arson who sat beside me was DR..
Joues. The form aud face were
hadowy, but distinct and unmistaka-
lie. Then il was gone. in an instant;
-anished like the baseless fabric of
Iream." It faded out.