The morning call., 1893-03-19
SHE HAS THE KEY.
A Patient Woman With a
New Religion.
SHE'S TERRIBLY IN EARNEST.
Her Mission Is to Found the Nucleus
of a New Order of Life
on Earth.
SHE'S TERRIBLY IN EARNEST.

that those about her may share her joy; a
fond mOther; the pro, agandist of new
philosophy.
This is Sister eastman.
You may not think to be the truth what
she thinks it to be, but she is sincere at
least and awfully in earnest.
II know" she says, with an emphasis
that is almost terrible, il not convincing.
There is no longer doubt of it. We are
related to God from the Interior. 1t is only
truth that relates us to the divine.
1--WE have passed the stage of doubling,
thinking and specializing. We know. All
Is certainly in our path, all truth. all light.
We have no creed. no church, no dogma,
only the Bible is our guide. and we read it
as none others do. Our eyes have been
opened by the spirit of God within us, and
we read understandingly."
Six years ago DR.. Bowen and Professor
Waite came out here to preach a new relI-
gl0n. They called it the New Order of Life.
What the teaching consisted of was never
very clear TO those who did not become
converts.
And there was one, it is said. who did
become convert without clearly under
standing this New Order of Life.
He was Captain Moore. a man of some
means, much earnestness, and of a Oderate
degree of what the New Order OF Life peo-
pie called spirituality. He endowed home
or institute for the New Order of Life.
Perhaps score OF Dr. BOwen's and Pro-
lessor Waite's converts Inhabited the insti-
tnte, which was lOca ted In Alameda for q
time.
Then the New Order of Life folks showed
that they had still some of the old order of
life left in them. They fell to quarreling.
1t got into the newspapers, and for awhile
scandal was in the air. Then DR.. Bowen
and Professor Waite went East. the former
to die and the latter to propagate the new
doctrine in fresher fields
And the institute of the New Order of
Life was disrupted. Captain Moore WAS
lucky enough to get his property back, aud
inc converts were scattered ana most of
them became apostates.
But not all turned back into the old
paths. Among them was a determined
wiry little woman, who for years had been
CROPPING about in the dark. searching for
even single feather of that great beau
tiful white bird called Truth.
she was not woman classicaily edu-
Gated nor yet one whose ample means give
time IN after life to read and study enough
to make uD for the deficiencies of their
youthful education.
She did mental labor at the institute
used the broom and the buster and the mop |:
was housekeeper and chambeTmaid for the
inmates of the institute of the New Order
of Life.
oHe WAS SISTER Eastman.
IF one goes into line of study above the
masses one must be crucified | expect
that, but 1t only enhances the value Of the
work to me-" said Sister eastman TO a
CALL man last evening.
Coo has given me a mission to perform.
Is is to found in this city the nucleus of the
New Order of Life. | have worked hard,
God only knows how hard, and in the wears
since have seen the light have shown il
to some others.
There are a dozen converts in San Fran
cisco now, and many inquirng souls have
been awakenedTand are asking themselves
The eternal questions, which may only be
answered when we have related ourselves
to God in the proper spirit.
The churches have been led by the sign
and symbol too long. They preach the
categorical as the real. We read the Bible
in the light Of the Greek ana Hebrew
etvmologies.
We have come to a state of conscious
ness through the embodiment of our intel.
lect and spirit. 1t is very deep study, but
very beautiful, We understand Just where
mankind Is and what is its destiny. Every
soul must, sooner or later, come into fun
relationship with God"
This Is Sister Cashman's philosophy. 1t
may not be entirely clear to you, but there
are many things not clear TO all men.
For SIX years she has preached and taught
TINS 10 chosen few. Her own three girls
and her grown-up son, who is the manstay
and support of the family, are all converts
to the mothers new philosophy
Last Sunday she hired one of the little
lodgeroomS at Red Mems building on Post
street aud lectured there in the afternoon
and evening. Though the announcement
was duly made in all the papers aud neat
display cards distributed here and there
throughout the city bearing the tldings that
new prophet had come to Israel though
all this were done, the attendance was de-
plorably small.
And I'd rather speak the same words to
100 people than to 100 empty chairs" she
said to TIE CALL man.
But the people are not ready for the great
truth, ana am satisfied to do my little and
trust tie rest with God.
The Bible is but the travail of the
human soul, the history of the human fam
lily, yet man will not see it. He goes on in
his blind worship OF symbols and forms.
lie worships the empty word while we come
into the complete relationship with the
spirit.
Jesus has come to the mind that can con-
ceive Jesus as "A pure life; we must live if.
The kingdom is then established upon the
earth; 1t has always been in heaven.
Heaven is an eXpanse, something beaten
out 0roadened, made to hold. Thus the
mind is through the intellectual nature I'M
folded ana, dwelling upon spiritual things
Japheth rests in time in The tents of Shein."
Sister eastman has another name. To
the little volume she has written, entitled
The Key 10 the Kingdom, or Heaven Upon
Earth. she has signed the single word
Spider"
The spider taketh hold with her hands
and is in kings palaces" is the quotation
from Proverbs which seems 20 explain this
rather odd signature.
But to know the real cause OF "Spider"
one must read this pathetic little dedication
ON one of the fly-leaves of THE Key:
This little work is dedicated to my four
dear children, who have unremittingly sus-
tained me for years by their diligence and
happy hearts The appellatiOn, Spider
when they gave me endeaTed itself TO me,
and l thought to partially repay them
would weave or spin silvery web that
might unite us more closely to him we love,
and who is our sustainer in truth, for in
him we live and move aud have our being"
1t is rather unique volume, The Key"
There are verses in il, many Biblical quota
tons and much of the Greek and Hebrew
literal translation.
The verse is not of a high order, but there
may be knowledge in it for many, even
though they draw different conclusions
from the facts stated. Here is a sample
genealogical stanza. 10 its general COM
position YOU have read something like it in
the chiidS primer, or in Mother Goose"
but the information it contains to nom
classical scholars Is reliable, at all events /:
Reuben is perception, to or to know,
Simon, understanding. in trut il is so;
Levi association. this Guilty links.
Judah. with Abraham, falth it represents;
Dan stands Tor judgment. to choose, to decide
Napthaii, crafty. let it not abide:
Cad, which Is memory, labors TO pierce.
Asher, The will, lot Its irmness er cease:
Issiacher Is selfish, let it lie denied
Zeeelum is social. have pie sure, not pride;
Joseph, constructive. is laden with thought
benjamin, conscientious the spirit has wrought
my chief end and aim in life has been to
know God" says Sister eastman, or
"Spider, but now | have found him: |
have related myself to him, aud l cannot
rest In peace while others are ignorant"
A curious discovery was some years ago
made, among the archives of SOUTHAMPTON.