Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-14
COUES AND BLAvATSkY
Soma "reminiscences of the Once Famous
Gnostic Branch.
Things That Were Said I'm Letters
Between the TheOsOphfcal
Leaders.

ments thereon were of very great interest,
particularly to those who know anything
of the inside workings Of that society.
In season and out of season this gentle
man never misses an opportunity to vent
his spleen against theosophy in genera, and
its founder. Madame Blavatsly in par
ticular. And thereby hangs a tale, which.
in the interest of fair play, it Is no more
than proper should be presented to the
readers of your paper
The story runs something like this: Dr.
Coues, being an advanced scientist found
in the phenomena of spiritualism an inter-
estins field of investigation, one, too.
worthy of the high attainments. intellectu-
ally, which he was able to bring to bear
upon that subject. From this, by easy
stages he naturally drifted to the so-called
higher cult of theosophy, and in due course
of time he became president of the Guostic
Lodge. Theosophical Society of this city.
He had been in this position but short
time when his ambition got the better of
his judgment, and he began an attempt
to undermine Mr.. W. Q. Judge, general
secretary of the American section of the
Theosophical Society. with a view to, be-
coming the theosophical pope Of America.
But the acuteness of Madame Biavatsky,
together with the remarkable shrewd-
ness" of Mr.. Judge, forestalied this scheme,
and resulted most dsastrously to the pro-
fessor and his branch; the charter of the
latter being revoked, while the former was
ANONYMOUSLY and unanimously expelled
from the society.
The entire correspondence which passed
between Prof. Coues and Madame Blavat-
sky at this time. 1889, when he was pulling
the wires for his own personal advance
ment. would furnish mighty interesting
reading, but space will not permit my
covering the same. A few extracts, how
ever, will point the moral which adorns
this tale.
Under date April 16, 1889. from his resi-
dence, 1726 N street, Washington, d. c.
he writes Dear Madame Blavatsky," as
follows: I'VE all feel keenly the
abuse and persecution 70 which you have
been subjected, and anxious to do you full
justice and honor. But they are unani-
mously dissatisfied with the way the So
ciety Is run at present. and they wonder
where your intuition can be, that you fail
to see where your obvious advantage lies,
in not Strengthening and holding up the
hands OF their representative man De, Dr.
Coues.) l tell you frankly, it is
possible that all this prestige, social and
personal and professional influence, scien-
tific attainment and public interest, can be
thrown on the side of the T. s., as a pres
new track aside from the old lines. .
Now be wise and polite: The state of the
t. s. on May l (Which would be Just after
the convention election of officers) will de-
cue lIe Whole case respecting GnOStfcS
that is. whether they remain under your
care and powerful protection, orwell. my
dear madame, you may finish the sentence
or rather, let the masters whom We serve
signify their will and pleasure. You
know whom the majority of the F. T. s.
have desired TO put forward as their rep
resentative theosophist in America 1t is
only necessary for You to cable the Chi
cago convention, to elect him president
Weigh these words well; pause, consider,
reflect and act"
The next day. April II, he again writes
Dear H. P. B." as follows: 1T
might have supposed by president meant
president of the T. 9. Nothing of that
sort-that is Olcott, and I am glad it is he.
l meant president presiding officer of
the American section only.
THE American genius can't do anything
without presfdent-you understand! =
Judge is good fellow and means WELL
and l like him for many things, especially
his devotion to you and the masters and
their cause; but dabbling in occultism. es-
pecially on Mahatmic altitude, is danger
Gus except to an adept! I am the humble
servant of my Mahatma. whose name you
learned in the secret lodge Of the Initiates
In London ard Elberfeld, and scenes which
S.nnett has immortalized in 'Karma'
Thanks to you, 1 first became fully aware
of his existence, his power, and his meth
DDS of making his VIII known to me and
others: heard the well-known
tones last night. as 1 flung myself on my
weary couch after finishing the lecture
shall deliver next week in New York; and
no doubt like voice has often reached
your highest and best senses. My master
tells me that every chivalrous sentiment
of manhood should make me eager to de-
fend and help woman who has been sad
~ prosecuted because MISUNDERSTANDING
I shall do SO, for. that real woman-much
as l may be forced. sometimes to differ
with and even seem harsh toward some of
the lower planes of existence. which enter
f,x&1 10
a soul H. P. B. This from her best and
truest friend, known in a former incarna-
ton as DARIUS HYSTASPES"
To these illusions Madame Blavatsky re-
Piled that the American section was au-
tonomous, and that any Interference on her
part would give them the right to send her
to the devil, and concluded as follows:
You speak of your eagerness to defend
ard help woman who has been sadly
prosecuted, because misunderstood Per-
NIT me to say to you for the last time that
no bitterest enemy Of mine has ever mis-
understood me as you do. To Close as a
friend, the husband of a woman whom 1
love and respect, you can get almost any
thing from me Except treachery to the
masters and the society: as the extra-in-
telligent man you are. with all your abil-
ity and wonderful knowledge of woman In
general. you will not move me either by
threats. sweet irony. or Parthian arrows
because l am not a woman in general
And also because / have become of late a
uc&u Dcuy, uctu " OulSlue lDHuence, dead
to love and hatred. to praise or blame,
and that the few years, or perhaps DAYS
that I have to live. I have determined to
Gevote to the service of my chief divine
master, the god within me, and my terres-
trial or earthly master, who is beyond the
Himalayas. And now shall we re-
main friends, or shall 1 close nv heart
agair st you? Choose. 1 received your let
tiers today. the Both. The convention is al
an eEd, therefore I can help you in nothing.
My best love to Mrs. Coues, If she will
accept 1t. Ever yours, and sincerely
III. P. BLAVATSKY."
IN passing 1T might be well to note the
doctors diagnosis of the average theoso-
phist: In two years he either becomes con
WINGED of its outrageous swfndIing char
acter and leaves 1t, or becomes one of the
cf.rlatans." etc. AS the doctor was a
ember of the Theoeophical Society for a
considerably longer period than this. the
question naturally arises, How does he
classify and label his own case? And In the
Eight of the above correspondence. the
question assumes a pert;nency which can
rot well be evaded
In conclusion, l beg to state that I am
not member of the Theosophical Society
although l at one time enjoyed that priv
ilege; that l am not follower of Mr..
Judges; on the contrary, my mpathies
are all with Mrs. Besant in the present
troubles. and that my sole object in pre-
senting the other side of the Coues' affair