The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-04

mystic shrine in the temple of the
Arabs on holy days.
There are at least five thousand the
osophists now in Chicago and before the
grand convention is held there will be
three times that number. The regu
lar reports say that seventy branch
societies from seventy cities scattered
through America, France, England
and India will be represented, and
each society will have a report to read
or an astral body to introduce.
An astral body, you must know, is q
body which comes back to the earth
after the passing away of the spirit
When an astral body comes back il
may do very peculiar things. But
these do not show that the spirit is
unhappy, or, indeed. that the spirit is
at all concerned in the doings of the
astral body. The spirit has gone
marching on" like John Brown
soul. But the body may return if il
wants to.
And this is where the spiritualists
differ from the theosophists. The
osophists say that spirits never rap or
move tables. According to Annie Be-
SAINT, they have something better to
do" But spiritualists say they rap.
The most celebrated woman spirit
ualist now here is Mrs. Isabella Beech
er Hooker. She is staying to anveil
the Stowe bust, but, incidentally. she
viii talk on spiritualism and will up
hold her own religion if the theos-
ophists encroach too much upon the
domain of departed spirits.
Annie Besant also comes to the fair
to take part in the worlds congress.
OF course her public lectures viii be
upon theosophy, as she is the leader of
its cohorts. But it is rumored she will
join hands with Lady Aberdeen in pro-
noting the welfare of industrial arts,
such as lacemalling. crocheting and
butter-making, for girls of the lower
classes.
But theosophists are not going to
spare Mrs. Besant long. She is the
most magnetic speaker that the theos-
ophists have had since the days of Bla-
vatsky, and she can draw as many con-
verts at her meetiags as can even the
beautiful Maud Ballington Booth
booked to speak daily.
Annie Besant is the originator of
White Lotus day. In explaining the
day she says that its origin is three
fold
First, it is to hold sacred one day in
the year to the memory of the dead
high priestess.
Second. a flower is selected because
the theosophists consider flowers more
worthy TO be used as emblems than
crosses, crowns or wreathS of wood or
stone
Third. the lotus is selected because
Il has its roots in the earth and grows
through the water and blossoms into
the air above, thus typifying the birth
of man, his growth and spiritual life.
These things constitute the days
symbols"
SO on one day in each vear-a day
in May because Blavatslty died in the
month of blosSoms-ther must be a
rally among the ranks of the theoso-
phists.
The same programme is observed all
over the world. This year the biggest
meeting in America was held at Chica-
go. The programme consisted of read
ing from Sir Edwin Arnold's Light of
Asia and from the ''Noiee of the ST.
lence." the textbook of the theoso-
phists.
This was followed by very inter
esting life of Blavatsky and then the
meeting was thrown open for general
discussion. Upon a table in the center
Of the room stood a lifesize picture of
the dead Driestess. and at the foot OF
the picture rested big jardiniere full
OF white lilies. More of the lilies were
grouped around the top of the picture
and over one end OF It was draped an
India scarf said to have been worn by
Blavatsl<y while declaring IN Calcutta .
Lotus flowers were impossible to ob-
tain, so lilies were used.
The way the theosorhistS go TO work
Is curious. They are intensely practi-
cal. though their religion sounds very
wordy. romantic and unreal. Yet there
i No doubt that they have a way OF
taking hold Of things which Is both
fascinating to behold and comfortable
- believe.
For example they begin with karma
II yo-l drop in at any one Of their meet
iugs- or visit the Chicago headquartcrz
in the daytime. you are given leaAet
headed: 'karTaa IS cure for Trou bic.
When you read about Karua YOU tiEd
that it Is state OF mind. karl11
teaches ron that yolT lot in life Is a
good d : Won deserve. Karraa tells YOU
that VIXEN you we're alive in life pre-
vious 20 this one you were not ~ COOL
as yea should have been. and coa~e-
quently you ar, >,saering for Il now
Bat KaIma also tells yon that Il yoE
are very COED a@5 bear Your discom-
forts bravelr. asc even happily, vou
win have everything .n Sic Eexs
world which aa lae}s iH taie.
Fancy your d ia wing Il ys;3vcr,i .iaI-
with k&r1na here in Chicago. i -os
are like the average tourist vino : here
to enjoy the fair on average means.
harrna would say. 70 zo1