Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-30
THE WONDERS OF INDIA.

Madame BIavatslky nt simIn Made Flowers
Drop From solid Ceiling for the Wife
ofCoIonel Gordon-Mysrery ofthe Whirl-
ing Dancers.
The Buddhists' claim that by fasting and
meditation, and by leading pure and holy
life, they develop a wonderful power-the
power of faith, a power born in every human
being, but which, through lack of exercise,
becomes almost extinct. This is the power
mentioned in the New Testament: "And
the LORD said, if We had faith as grain of
mustard seed, ye might say unto this syca-
more tree, be thou plucked up by the root,
and be thou planted in the sea, and it should
obey you" And again, "Jesus answered
and said unto them, verify say unto you,
ii We have faith and doubt not ye shall not
only do this, which is done to the fig tree,
but also if We shall say unto this mountain,
be thou removed and be thou cast into the
sea, it shall be done"
have no faith in Nine. Blavatsky as
wonder-worker. l knew Mrs. Gordon, wife
of Colonel Gordon, of Calcutta, India very
well. She related to me that on one occa-
sion she visited Nine. Blavatsky at Simla,
and after lunch, in broad daylight the two
ladies were seated at the table, when Nine.
Blavatsky told Mrs. Gordon to ask for some
manifestation of the power of Koot-Hoomie-
Lal-Sing. the great High Priest of Theoso-
phism, supposed to be hermit 2, 600 years old,
residing in the Himaiaya Mountains. Mrs.
Gordon requested some roses brought her
from the garden. She had scarcely ex-
pressed the wish when a mass of roses seemed
TO sift down through the ceiling to where
she was sitting. II this was a trick, it was
remarkably clever one, as Mrs. Gordon
is brilliant woman and not easily hum
bugged.
When 1 was in Lucknow, India. became
acquainted with Colonel jenkins, Secretary
OF the Chuddermunzi Club, who related
that he had seen one of these fakirs buried
and guard of soldiers placed over him, and
the guard was changed every six hours for
40 days, after which they exhumed him and
the takir's companions resuscitated him.
Before he was buried he threw his tongue
back into his throat, his face was covered
with bandage, and his companions chanted
monotonous Observation-Disclosures and
repeated this chant until nearly all the
spectators were in a drowsy state, and the
fakir himself became rigid like corpse.
The most wonderful feat l ever saw per-
formed by Hindu was in Calcutta. We
entered long vacant room, which we were
permitted to examine in every part. There
were four takirs present. They requested
us to seat ourselves on benches about half
way down the room. They lighted a cencer,
from which exuded sickly, sweetish smoke,
filling the entire room. The tour fakirs
then began a wild whirling dance, all the
while chanting and beating tom toms, when
suddenly the dancers appeared to increase
in number, until a few dozen were dancing
and whirling about. These then decreased
until but one dancer remained, an old man
with flowing beard. What became of the
other dancers we could not tell, as we again
examined the room and could find no secret
exits or entrances, places of concealment or
any means by which glasses such as are
used in the ghost illusion could De smugeled
in or out of the room. The whole perform
ance is still mystery to me.
KELLAR, the Magician.