The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-19
BLAVATSKY'S LIEUTENANT
Col. II. S. Olcott, Hierophant Of The
osopby, Visiting In the
United States.
Communicating With the Mahat-
mas, or Going Out OF
the Body.
Physical Forms and Astral bodies Of the
Mahatmas-Thelr Manner OF Im-
parting News-PrOphecics.

@ -- EW&"tasA 4nNGr54- f
Col. "a. q. Olcott, the hisrophant Of the
osophy, ID in this country for the hrst time
since 1873, when no left ii in company with
Nine. Blavatsky to engage in the work with
which his name is 20 intimately connected.
Some time this month he will sail for ia
pan TO spread what no terms tho gospel Of
truth. Thu colonel, who was . lawyer and
journalist, says that all his life he has besn
interested in psychical questions. In 1907
ho began the study Of mssmerism and spir-
itualism, in which latter he was . believer
until HI met Mime. Blavatsky in 1874. Col.
OI0ott has visited every corner OF India IN
his wanderings, as we'll as manv other parts
Of tho world. He lived at Bombay during
the first four years Of his %aojourn in the
east. but aftsrward went with Nine. Bla-
vatsky TO Madras. There the headquarters
OF the society had been established subse-
quently on property purchased for that
purpose. The cult has there a valuable
Aryan library, including 5000 highly
priced manuscripts. Regarding COM
municAtions, from the mahatmaA, q
subject that has been revived by Mrs.
Besant's affirmation Of their authenticity,
Colonel Olcott told an interviewer he had
received many such letters from many parts
of the world. ''In 1885, during one OF my
journeys through India," says che colonel,
II cot q letter from Italy, inolosinR q ma
hatms communication, with the request
that it be forwarded to a certain mahatma
in India. Among my companion, At the
time was = young gentleman who had the
power Of going ont Of his body, or pro,
to give to the mahatma one evening. On
the following morning he informed me
that he had visited the mahatma, but had
found that he had gone to Madras to visit
Nine. Blavatsky. He had followed him
there. Five days later ! received ne same
had the letter gone both ways BY mail it
would have required double that time.
This has happened again and again.
On his way hither Dol. Olcott regaled .
London Chronicle reporter with soine stor-
los about the mahstmas that are ft to 20
II have seen several mahatmas-may be
six of them-both in their physical forms
and in their astral bodies, f" said the colonel.
II saw Kut Humi at Madras and met
another mahatma while | was making q
tour in northern India in the year 1883. At
one place a camp was provided for me on
the plain, and being cold and tired I went
to bed, leaving q kerosene lamp burning on
the table. l had fallen into q deep sleep,
when suddenly the touch of q hand on my
shoulder awakened me: A Hindu voice ut,
looked and fonnd that it was a teacher, a
master, a mahatma, and 1 knew this be-
cause / had seen him in the astral body be
fore. The master took my hand and i felt
something solid slip into it. When the
he left in my hand was a letter wrapped in
. ailken cloth. Years before, in New York.
/ had asked q mahatma who visited mo to
leave something as a token of his physical
presence. He did 80.
''The mahatmas write on all kinds OF
paper, and sometimes use other peoples
letters for conveying their information. l
have received letters from ordinary people
and in these-say on an unwrltten sheet
nave found writing from the masters. This
statement I might apply particularly to the
letters of people who have no good will to-
not have been written at all but for some
tricky purpose. Upon that the mahatma
notes inclosed would give warning and
counsel. The contents of the letter men
toned had reference to various things oon-
corning tho Theosophical society, which, as
you know, I have largely organized in vari-
Gus parts of the world. The letter told me
also that before the first month of the next
year two prominent people In India would
die, and they did die. 1t is not one or two
or three or four letters that / have received
from the mahatmRs, but q very large num-
her. / am still receiving letters, and, in
deed, although have not mentioned the
fact, I have received letters since / came to
this house. l have not seen Mrs. Besant's
letters nor she mine. About the oaligraphy
of mahatma letters, sometimes 1T is in ink,
sometimes in pencil, sometimes the letters
seem to be woven into the paper, Just like a
water mark.
"The mahatmas are remarkably fine
looking men, with a spiritual glow in their
faces. I suppose it was the same glow
which Moses had on his face when he came
down from the mountain. Some people
seem to imagine that the mahatmas are all
natives of India. That ia a mistake; for, to
20 no further than three instances, one is
an Italian, another a Hungarian. a third an
Englishman. Respecting the English ma
hatma, l might say that he is not at present
living in this country. Somebody has asked
the question, are there women mahatmas?
Certainly there are women of extraordinary
powers in Thibet-I have received com1nu-
nications from thsm-but whether they are
mahatmas ! cannot say. Nine. Blavatsky
decided human side to her character, and
that q mahntma has not. Mime. Blavatsky
was a woman with two sides-the human,
which was very ordinary, the other, which
was very majestic. rg
II have seen Nine. Blavatsky do so many
WoiIAeIAui SuinSH UHaS uAiioai' v seleoV
specimen cases. ] remember once after
dinner that We were all standing on the
veranda of Mr.. Sinnett's hous at Simla.
Suddenly somebody asked Nine. Blavatsky
to give q proof of her wonderful powers.
Madame waved her hand and tho music of
bells was heard coming up from the valley
toward us. Now, there were no bells any
whore near, and, since the request for a
miracle was impromptu. Nine. Blavatsky
could not possibly have known that it was
to be made. She explained how she pro-
duced the music. In ordinary course a
p%sychical current was passing through the
atmosphere near her hand. She cent forth
a second current by force of herwili. When
the " met a vortex was formed and out
of this vortex came the music. If you were
to whistle you would think upon a note and
airainhAMau IL would coma forth. Nina.