Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-03-02
A QUEER FRATERNITY.
THEOSoPHlSTS OF NEW YORK AND
THEIR BELIEF.
The Old Society of Wonder Workers Re-
vfving-Faith in the Re-embodiment OF
souls-PeopIe Who Know What They
Were in a Previous Existence.
Special Correspondence


souls-PeopIe Who Know What They
Were in a Previous Existence.
Special Correspondence
NEW YORK, Feb % The Theosophic so
ciety of New York, once so much written
about then so long unheard OF, is starting
up again. Amy mention OF it Immediately
calls on a reference to the cremation OF
Baron de Palm and the dramatic disposition
of his ashes. Why the poor deal baron must
always be dragged from the delicious repose
of immaterialitv to give theatrical effect to
articles pertaining to the society Of which
he was a member | cannot say. l only
know that letter on New York theosophic
matters Whose first paragraph was una
dorned by the barons fiery transition from
gross flesh into purified ashes wouldn't be at
all acceptable to any enterpriSing journal
1t is also the correct thing TO mention that
he weighed nearly 200 pounds, and was re-
duced by the incinera.ing process to less
than five 1t was remarked at the time by
the heartless that he had never been in such
reduced circumstances before though toll
erably familiar with the ups and downs OF
life. Nine. .Blavatsky. high prirstess OF
occutism, and few other faithful friends
of the baron went out on the harbor at mi l.
night in small boat, and scattered his
ashes, W tn thee ophic honors, in the sea-
Thus did his corporal par melt back into
the universe leaving to the scribes OF the
New York press a theme which eight years
constant usage hasn't worn ont. This ought
to convince those detestable creatures known
as the most skepticaln that the baron was
great man.
Nine Blavatsky and Col Ocot wen, to
T,,It tla .tnN,x \ I'D N.Nt /. .ai1
to be revivng. At all events this city is
full of theosophists avowed aud unavowed
Informal but secret meetings are held in the
pariors of members o cult philosophy and
phenomena are limited at in public and dis
cussed in private, and all the signs indicate
that a revival of interest in this extraor-
binary sub jet is going on.
Theosophy means 1.-THE science of divine
wisdom" Its disciples are supposed to be
dong all they can to attain high condition
of spirit. They believe not only in a spirit
ua existence after death but in numberless
flesh and blood lives on this and other
planets. In t ct. they believe in the rein
carnation OF spirit Re-embodiment you
mus call it, # you don't want to have an
advanced theosophist look at you pityingly,
and probably correct YOU openly. 1.-The
evolution OF man." they will tell you, lis
not process carried out on this planet
alone. 1t is a result to which many worlds
in different conditions of material and spir-
itual DEVELOPMENT, have contributed and the
earth is merely one link in mighty chain
of worlds The y-tem of worlds is circuit
round which all individual spir tual entities
must pass, and that passage constitutes the
evolution of man The higher evolution
will be accomplished by our progress through
the success Va worlds of the system, and in
higher forms we shall return to this earth
again and again. whether we like it or
not" This is Buddhism pure and simple;
and it is also theosophy, as expounded by
the English Indian evangels here who are
never SO happy as when lacking the word
Aryan to their societies and their doctrines,
and otherwise giving an oriental favor to
all they say and do. 1t isn't particularly
hygienic flavor, either, but thev dote on it
all the same. and when they can get hold of
a genuine live Hindu they worship shin,
and exhibit him as piece of the Creators
handiwork far superior to anything manu-
featured on this continent He may not
have bathed in twelvemonth No matter;
he is oriental consequently wise. and they
listen to his mummery, half Indian, half
English, with alteration, though they may
not understan the tenth of it.
Whatever truths the thaosophic fraternity
have grasped are concealed an the public
prejudiced against them by the constant use
of a stock of terms which are nothing less
than twa iile-Indian twadiie at TINT
"Chelas, "mahatmaS' or "arhats 'mys-
tics" initiates" "Hluminati," are giblv
referred to in the ordinary CONVEX Iation of
theosophic men and women. The air of
mystery, borrowed from the Orient, is de-
lightful to them. The more pretentious use
Hindu erms rather freely in everything
they write. Mr.. Sirnett's ESQ eric Budd-
hism' is their holy book, and has had a
greater run than beautiful Snow If it
had been called secret Buddhism they would
scarcely have liked it we'll 1t would
have been too clear and simple The public
would understand it too readily
Who are theosophstss Most interesting
peop:e Often the boa 'tful and bum tiou,
sometimes 1t is not always easy t6
ferret them out, since secrecy is
one of the laws of their faith.
They believe it is fatal to tell of their knowl
edge and experiences. In short, they have
learned to respect the scriptural injunction.
Cast not thy pearls before swine" One
man reSpec ed for his learning and much
honored for his sterling sense seriously as
serts that he once possessed the secret of
eternal youth, said to have been known to
the Cha,deans Yes he said a little sad.
ly, Il possessed it, told it and lost il. Tell
nothing. if YOU would become wise and sue
cessful Telling means losing Why. there
are men hose mediocre success in business
is directly due to their runous habit of tell
ing all their plans. The Jews have a proverb
warning people that i'll lu TX lie, in a TOO con-
fdng tongue.
Can you give any reason why bad luck
comes from telling one 5 plans to ones
friends or Is it mere superstitionr l
asked.
There is a reason, but you may not an
precia it," said my friend of the lost secret
of eternal youth. There are. believe I'M
seen but Intelligent creatures near us who
hear what we saw. They may be more in
terested in somebody else's succes, than in
ours They sea more clearly than we that
our plans could be pushed to advantage bv
their favorites, and SO they cart them off
and put them into their heads by some oc-
cult process Then, the first thing we know.
somebody comes out ahead of us with orr
invention, our book our scheme whatever
it was aud we are nowhere
The re-embodiment theo-y has many ad-
voca,eS, some whom are not theo ophists.
Glasses in this peculiar philosophy are
taught. The pupils are judges writers, so
ciety men and women, business mau, scien-
tifc aud military men and even ministers of
the gospel ne teachers are persons who
claim to receive their light from spiritual