Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-05-02
FHEOSOPHY.
A TALK WITH PROF. ELLIOTT
COUES ON THE SUBJECT.
The Apostle of Occult Science on
Astral Bodies, Secrets of the
Theosophical Society-Etc.
From the Chicago Herald

Of the order in this country. He is the
guest of his brother-in-law, j. NJ Fowler,
of 361 Superior street. DR.. Coues is one
Of the most brilliant men of science
America has produced. he is our fore
most living ornithologist, and attached to
bis name is string of titles, honorary
and scientific, that would occupy half a
column of print. Among his principal
works are the following:
key to North American Birds. 70 !;
Field ORTHODOXY" IA; birds of the
Northwest" IA Monographs of North
American Rodentia with Allen),n III (;
Birds of the Colorado Valley" rs /;
Ornithology photography" 49, so; New
England Bird Life with Stearns)," 81 /;
Check List aud Dictionary of North
American Birds" 80; "Avifauna Column
biana with Prentiss)," SO; "Bingen, a
Speculation On the Origin and Nature Of
Life" "a; New Key 10 North Ameri-
can Birds" 81 The Demon of Darwin"
81, Also author OF several hundred
nonograms and minor papers in scientific
periodicals, and editor or associate editor
for some years Of The Bulletin Of the
United States Geological Survey" "Bulle-
tin of the National Ornithological Club"
american Naturalist" " American Jour
nal of Otology," Encyclopaedia Ameri-
cana" standard Natural History" "The
AUX" etc
DR.. Coues is now a close student of occult
science. That he MAJ have time TO prose-
cute his investigations, he has given up
various scientific positions of honor and
emolument to devote himself to occult
science. When asked last evening what
occult science is, Professor Coues replied:
1t Is the knowledge of that which is
hidden from most persons. For example,
the explanation Of the phenomena of
Spiritualism. That comes strictly under
that head-rationa!ly accounting for the
phenomenon theosophy. Occultism is an
old name for what is nov preferably called
psychical research"
What is the difference between spirit
ualism and theosophy p
"Theosophy recognizes as substantially
true the phenomena of spiritualism, but
differs from the spiritualistic doctrine
chiefly in supposing that most if not all of
the phenomena Of Spiritualists believe to
be only possible to the disembodied souls
Of men, can be and are often produced by
the properly trained spiritual faculties Of
men still in the flesh"
Can you give an illustration?"
''One of the commonest phenomena of
spirituaiism is that of deviation, or the
raising of 4 chair or table off the floor in
opposition to the force of gravity, COM
monty supposed to be due to the influence
of disembodied intelligence; whereas
theOsophist would say the same result can
be produced by one who knows how to
properly direct the influence of animal
magnetism to that end"
What is animal magnetism ?"
A subtle power possessed by most per-
Sons in some degree, capable of being more
or less highly cultivated, and of producing
physical effects without contact, and
through no known physical means of COM
nunication. The result of the operation
Of that force are obviously physical or
mechanical, bat the means of producing
them are not. The source of that power is
purely spiritual. Matter cannot act ex-
oept where it is, but spirit can act where
1t does not appear to be-
Sin what sense do you use the word
spiritual ?"
Use VI lilt nDiu Is mol
very different from others use of the word
mental; but | mean more than that
Spirit may be defined as the reverse of
anything and everything which matter is.
For example, il gravitation be considered
the most universal property of matter,
deviation may be considered the most
universal property of spirit. If form be
universal attribute OF matter, formlessness
would be an equally universal quality of
spirit"
How much closer can you get to spirit
as you understand it than the orthodox
Christian can to his God ?"
Not nearer, perhaps, but we approach the
spiritual by rational investigation of those
truths which religion accepts on authority,
thus substituting knowledge for belief by
ssing reason instead of faith. Thus we
know and can prove to be true as matters
Of physical science many truths which are
now only accepted on faith We invest
with new meaning such truth as there may
be in the Christian religion, for example,
when we demonstrate it by means of phys
ical research, disencumbering it Of its
supernatural element and making it a
matter of known psychic science. Take
the supreme question for example, 'if
man die, shall he live againf Most
Christians believe it on the authority of
revelation. The Theosophist knows it
through psychic research which it is quite
possible for him to conduct"
Do You speak in this particular from
experience%
speak from my own experience in the
sense of having more than once witnessed
the soul, that is to say, the spiritual body
OF a living person apart from its natural
physical body, and l infer that the COM
plete and permanent separation of the two
to be governed by the same laws, and to be
but an extension of the same phenomena"
viii you explain the condition under
which you once witnessed the soul apart
from its natural physical body p"
Certainly. For example, it is possible
for me, by the process of what is called
characterization, to put my natural
bodily faculties under arrest, as it were,
and induce the state commonly called clair
voyance. In that condition the mental
faculties are intensely active, and the
Psychic senses of my own astral body come
into operation. What / can then see, or
otherwise sense, might be the astral body
of another person to which | directed my
attention. The astral body of another per-
son would then be as plain to my psychic
senses as his natural body would be to my
natural senses. 1t takes time and patience
to conduct such an experiment in psychic
science as this, and | am a very busy man
with my ordinary scientific ayocations, but
l have several times accomplished this re-
suit. Such instances of clairvoyance are
by no means rare"
"When did you first become aware of
your ability to discern the astral body of
living person p
according to my recollection it was in
the year 1879. Alone in my study sud
denly became aware of the presence of a
friend. On turning my eyes | distinctly
saw the phantom, apparition, or astral
body standing within about three feet of