Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-05-13
OCCULTISM IN CHICAGO.
THREE SOCIETIES DEVOTED TO THE
STUDY OF THE GREAT PROBLEM.

THREE SOCIETIES DEVOTED TO THE
| STUDY OF. THE GREAT PROBLEM.
They Date Thar Origin from Mythical
Times-A Sacred Bond OF Brotherhood
Tho Nine Degrees-The Theosophicai
society-The Molecules Of "Akasa-"
The wheels of life move on unendingiy.
but the forces that move them must be
sought for in the realm OF the viewlesx Tho
unseen rules the unseen: but while this fact is
polpable the impa!pa6le causes elude search.
It i the problem Of the ages What and
why b life. Where is truth. How can il
be applied to solve the complex problems Of
human existence. Sature-our mother Isis
can she give tho solution. Has she the
keys Many systems Of philosophy have
| spoken in reply, but none have answered.
SO say the occults-save occulism.
| There are three societies in Chicago de-
voted to the study of the occult But for
all purposes Of idle inquiry two Of these
brotherhoods are q very sphinx of silence,
posing in a mystery as profound, an isola-
| ton as impenetrabie as their ancient proto-
type dwelling in the desert of old Egypt,
| with the sands Of centuries drifting deeply
| around her. Not even their names are
known to the uninitiated Each of these
two societies has q probationary term Of
seven years for the neophyte. The first de-
gree can not be taken until this time has
elapsed, unless the right OF admission has
been conquered through an unusual develop
ment Of occult powers
THE NINE DEGREES OF ocCULTIsM
They date their origin from mythical
times There are ten degrees in each; how
ever, only nine Of these can bs taken in this
country. The aspirant for the tenth must
seek it in the lad OF the Nile. The mem
bership is composed OF about an equal num-
Der OF men and women and there are lodges
as the societies ara called, in all the princi-
pal cities OF this country and across seas,
including the remote east. The number Of
members il limited in each country, but it is
not likely that the quota will be filled, for
there are very few who have either the
physical, moral or spiritual courage to IN
dergo the ordeal through which admission 10
obtained They are ascetic in habit, and
their special aim is to cultivats unselfshness
of action Their bond of brotherhood is SO
sacred and binding that life itself is freely
given by brother for brother. They use
both the Jewish and Oriental Kabalas, and
believe the soul possesses the power to olsen
visits whatsoever it wills These -yiiidical
phantoms," or, as the German phrase it, the
"dopple CANCER" are plainly recognizable as
facsimile representations OF the individual,
and the occultist claims that many appari- |
tons can be accounted for in tilB way
The rooms occupied by these societies are |
arranged according to the harmonic laws |
which are supposed to govern the develop |
ment Of occult powers, and are never en- |
tered save by initiates. AT their weekly |
meetings each member occupies the same !
seat The keys Of the lodge room are held |
in sacred keeping by the chief magus
There are only two persons in this country |
-one In Chicago and one in New York
who have taken the first nine degrees Of |
these societies
THE LATCH-STRING OF THEOSopHY.
The third body Of the occult group-ths
Theosophical society-has Its latch string
always out, inviting the wayfarer athirst
for such science to enter and drink at the
mountain of truth whose disciples they be-
ieve themselves to be- Condensed within
single phrase, theosophy is the broadest
altruism-a veritable brotherhood of hui
manity, whose only path to "Nirvana" lies
through utter abnegation Of self 1t seeks
to develop to demonstrate the god in man
-Nirvana, +" theosophically understood, is the
attainment of the highest individuality
through a complete Investment of every
thing which clogs the pure spirit entity or
the ~Brahman" Consequently it is abso-
Lutte harmony with the laws Of universal
being This is called -deliverance," and to
attain it. il one would join the company OF
the gods, purity of thought, purity Of word,
and purity of deed are the essentials
The theosopaical standpoint is exactly the
reverss Of that occupied by modern Spirit
ualism Spirituslism believes in passivity
and submitting to control" Theosophy
believes in activity-the highest spiritual
in not permitting out ide con-
troll from any source whatever. 1t teaches
the cultivation OF the divine powers resi-
dent within the ego until it shall become 'as
. god" The occultist believes in tho broad
est sense that knowledge is power. In other
words, Ito believe without knowledge is
to believe because ono knows is
power His motto is: There is no impossi-
bility to him who wills" To this end, there
fore, he studies the hidden mysteries of nat
rre and the psychic powers latent in man;
and in order to attain mastery over the
forces OF so-cailed inanimats nature he must
first Lring his own carnal nature under the
subjection Of the will
In the same manner that ths telegraph
operator makes the electric currents the
servant Of his intelligence, SO the occulist
claims that will-power can be be used on the
OF "akasa-" Akasa is that sub.
unation Of matter which contains all tho
elements Of the universe in q resolved state
The adept will can set in motion these mole
cules, conden,e them, or reform them by
he operation Of his inherent powers-An-
soinetts v. II. Wakeman in Chicago Times
A Telegraph Messengers Story.
A telegraph messenger, a small boy, do
ivered a message to q private residence the
,ther Sunday night When he reached the
house, the clock from the city hall tower
.himsd out the hour Of midnight He rang
he door-bell several timea No ono ap-
Feared to be about He FOUNDED on the
loor, with no better result. Placing his
mouth to the keyhole BE- yelled with all his
night and main the single word -FireI'
several people were up in an instant He
delivered the message.-Pioneer Press Lis
eneE."
The Olympic Games Reproduced.
In 1887 Greek national exhibition upon
N unprecedented scale Is to lie opened In
Athens, contributions toward which are now
ought Ono feature Of the show, which is
kelly at once to attract the pleasure seekers
md the archeologists Of othsr lands, il to be
IN exact reproduction Of the ancient Olym-
nc gamea The curious revival, If success
III, II TO be repeated, - in ancient Greece,
very four years. The games viii take place
Il Olympia, IN the nsighborhood OF Athena
Boston Transcript
Was Not Meant ~ . Threat
A clerk, who q dismissed by his employer,
avs to him when he takes his final leave:
Well, sir, this dismissal will cost . good
many people their lives @Do you mean to
hreaten me.' demanded his employer.
Not at all It simply means that am 60
NJ to become . doctor. Paris Figaro
What Astonished the Young Man.
Il am q designer and an artist and soma
hing Of an inventor said young man
who stood on the corner Of State and Nadi-
,ou streets one sunny afternoon last week,
and am familiar with the vast po<sibili-
Iies in arrangement and combination OF
colors and forms But Of all the exhibitions
of variety ever saw that takes the bark OH
kha froa I aryfhiny ESx IL For