The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-07-22
WAS GRANT A MEDIUM2
The Theosophists Claim that He Was an
'.EIementary," and that the Union
Was Saved BY the Mahatmas.

The TheOsophiSts Claim that He was an
elementary" and that the Union
Was Saved BY the Mahatmas.
Old soldiers know the story of 1.-The
wrath of New Hope Church" In the
Atlanta campaign the Union and Con-
tederate armies lay in the pine woods
waiting for morning which was to
bring battle. 1t was in the Immediate
vicinity of New Hope Church. Atday-
break the Confederate line was formed.
Suddenly and without noise there
swept down the Confederate battle
. line a dazzling flash of lightning.
This visitation did more than blind the
eyes of the Confederates for few mo-
ments. 1t left in its wake feeling sof
depression and of nervous dread which
did not wear off as the day went on.
The Union forces advanced. The old
time spirit and fire of the Confederate
veteran troops was gone. Officers
could not hold the line in its place.
Before shock, the like of which had
been repelled with ease on other fields,
the front wavered and fell backward.
An easy victory was won for the
Union.
II have Thought often of that affair, :"
said the theosophist, dropping his
voice in confidential tone, land my
conclusion is that mahatma or master
interfered on that occasion in be-
half of the Union side and produced
that effect upon the Confederates
which took the fight out of them. L
have talked with those who have been
theosophists longer than l have and
who have attained higher development.
They tell me there is no doubt that the
mahatmas do interfere at times to
shape the affairs of men. All of the
indications, to my mind. are that the
battle of New Hope Church was one OF
those times"
This theosophist resides in city at
some distance from Boston. He follows
the unspiritual vocation of a real
estate agent. But his leisure he gives
to the reading of theosophical litera-
ture and to deep meditation upon
theosophical subjects. He shuts him
self up in his room and for hours is
wrapped in thought. Finding that
general news and literature tend TO
distract his attention and to hinder his
mental concentration he has almost
given,up reading newspapers and books
not in the line of theosophical develop
ment.
sSome time ago I went down into a
portion of the city where mostly poor
people live to look after some rent"
this theosophist said. 81 had been
giving considerable attention to read
ing and study. but had not progressed
as far in occult power as have since,
Ientered a rather squalid court. and
stopped at house where a negro lived.
The man was not at home. To my
astonishment white woman of ma
jestic appearance came to the door.
She looked down upon me with great
dignity. She used the choicest Ian
guage. / said to myself, Is it possible
-tbinphfiift9nf nfeodH ID Il is living here as the
looked / saw that the lower part of
the face was not distinct. A part of
the chin did not present clear out
line. Not until after had made my
inquiries and started away did l begin
to realize what had happened. And
the full knowledge did not come to me
until the next week. I went back
again to see about that rent. This
time an ordinary negro woman, such
as might have been looked for in such
place, came to the door. | trans
acted my business, and in the course
of the few moments conversation
asked her if she was the person / had
seen there the previous week. She
said she was and showed a recol-
lection of what had occurred. at that
time. Then l was pretty well con-
vinced of what before had been an i'm
preston on my mind. One of the
mahatmas had taken possession of this
negro woman upon my previous visit,
and this revelation had been made to
me to encourage me in my theosophical
studies and to show me that l was pro-
crossing in spiritual development.
told MIR. Judge about what had seen,
and he said at once that there was no
doubt my conclusion was correct. The
mahatmas, he told me, often mani
tested their presence in some such way
70 initiates in the earlier stages of de-
veiopment. You see the negro woman
was an elementary. Mahatmas know
beforehand and just the moment they
are going to die. They have the
power of creation. A mahatma can
create human being just before he is
going to die and can take possession
of that being at any time. A being
created in that way to be taken
possession of by a mahatma is known
as an elementary. The mahatma has
complete control of the elementary.
am satisfied this negro woman was
an elementary. Upon my first visit,
the mahatma who had possession of
her, completely changed her appear
ance and made a white lady of her in
order to give me a manifestation of
encouragement and favor. l account
for part of the features being indistinct
on the supposition that | was not
sufficiently developed at that time to
see the full outline of the mahatma.n
The real estate theosophist told his
experience in candor and all serious
ness. He has since that time obtained |
many other manifestations which en- |
courage him to continue his studies.
In meditation and isolation he obtains
the most satisfying results. This
theosophist advances strange propo-
sition regarding General Grant. He
believes that the great commander
was an elementary. and that the sue
cess achieved by him in war is to be
accounted for by the theory that a
had complete control over
him and guided him in his various
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