Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-06
DEFENDING THEOSOPHIES
Replies Made to Some Statements by Dr.
Coues.
A Statement by Nr. Coffin, the Presi-
dent of the BIavatsky Branch
Teachings of ThcOsophy.

IHeoSopnl5lS IN w dSnlngtOn take eNcep-
ton to some Of the statements attributed
TO DIR. Elliott Coues in an article in Sat
urday's Star headed Isis Is Unveiled"
Mr. Geo. NJ. Coffin. president of the Bla-
vatsky Branch. T. s., of this city, writes
to The Star follows:
''The article, Isis Is Unveiled, published
In your issue of Saturday, is go full of mis-
statement of facts, and 50 sweeping and
scathinS in it's denunciation of the theo-
sophical movement. in which 1 am most
deeply interested, that, as the president of
the branch of the society in this city, I
deem it my duty to reply. shall not waste
your valuable space with any defense of
Mr.. Judge or other leaders, who must like
all men. be judged by their lives and work,
but shall confine myself to the statements
made by DIR. Elliott Coues of this city,
through whom, during a most intimate ac-
quain lance in 1883, 1889 and 1890 became
interested in theosophy. When 1 met Dr.
Coues in 1883 he was a member of the
Theosophical Society, president of the reg
ularly chartered Gnostic branch of this
city, and on good terms with Mad
am Blavatsky, then living in London. Be-
ing ambitious of becoming the leader of the
movement In America, he aspired to obtain
the position of general secretary then and
since held by Mr.. Judge. or to be the vice
president of the society, but as these offices
could be had only through the votes of
American m members. which he was unable
to obtain, he failed in his purpose, after ex-
haustins all means, including the fiattery,
caJollng and threatening of Blavatsky, as
his correspondence with her, afterward
published, conclusively showed. From that
failure began DIR. CoueS' hatred of the lead
ers of the theosophical movement and his
persistent and continuous attacks upon
them.
After making a libelous attack Dr.
Coues was formally expelled from the
ciety. and the charter of his Gnostic branch
was revoked. 1t was through his influence,
while L was on terms of most intimate
friendship with him, 1 became interested
in theosophy and was, with great parade of
mystery and mummery, Initiated into the
society, to find few months after that 1
was not member, and that he publicly re-
pudiated movement which he had pri-
vately caused me to believe he heartily
espoused. With these facts before them
the public must judge how much reliance
may be placed upon his statements con-
corning the society and those connected
with it. AS to the strength of the society
in America, the vote at tie conven ton re-
Gently held in Boston shows bona fide
membership of at least 100 members at
tached to branches, besides members at
large not so attached, and that by vote of
195 for to 10 against the society in Amer
lea, where Mr.. Judge has labored for
twenty years. believes him honest and up
right For myself 1 have only to say that
after DIR. CoueS' so-cailed exposure 1 be-
came a bona ide member Of the society in
whose work 1 have become more and more
deeply interested. because, to my mind, it
stands for the grandest and noblest philos-
ophy and religion ever conceived, and pre-
sents the only reasonable and possible So
luton OF and remedy for all the ills which
plague humanity and render life to many
burden too grievous to be borne"
Teachings of TheOsophy.
Mr. Robert L. Lerch of Mount Pleasant
also takes up the cudgel in behalf of the
osophy. In a letter to The Star he says:
Please allow me, as member of the
fheosophcal Society. to correct a few
errors III your resume of it's history pub
lished May !, under the caption Isis is
Unveiled"
First. The first and foremost of its three
avowed objects Is ''to form the nucleus of
a universal Brotherhood of humanity with
out any distinctions. &C." If it's members
have not all realized this high aim Is that
any reason why We should not hold it
Cur goal and ideal?
Second. The society is called sect by
you. On the contrary, 1t has no creed
beyond brotherhood; its constitution guar
anteeS it's wholly non-Sectar.an nature, al
Lowing individual members perfect freedom
of belief and expression, and as a matter
of fact, II numbers in its ranks men and
women of the most widely varying beliefs
Jews, Brahmans. Buddhists, Christians of
various denominations, as we'll as persons
of no particular sect.
Third. No such nonsense was ever
taught as the propulsion of the astral
body through limitless space, while the
physical body went about attending to its
local business" Every tyro in occultism
krows that If his astral body is to roam
apart from his physical body the latter
must remain passive. Our mental cor
sc!ousness cannot be In two places at once,
but that 1t can act at distance from
the body is a fact OF psychology redlscover-
ed by hypnotists in our day and by trust
worthy authority.
Fourth. We are charged with teaching
"a lot of other wonderful things" Quite
true They consist mainly of the Golden
Rule" that you must reap what you have
sown, the kingdom of heaven Is within
you," that man has a natural body and
spiritual body" that We should diligently
work out our salvation" that we
temples of the living Cod and many 9TH
ers equally wonderful. In it all 1 have
not found either spiritualism or atheism
The wonder of wonders is how people per-
slstently misrepresent theosophy. 1t seems
to be a sort of psychic mirror. in which
each one sees himself, and thus unwilling
1y lays bare his own soul to others.
Fifth. Mr.. Judge never pleaded his non
responsibility for what he did in an indi-
vidual capacity. He was tried by the only
tribunal allowed in such case, by our con-
stitution. namely, his own local branch in
New York. They unanimously upheld him
Che was in Cincinnati at the time}, and at
the recent annual convention he was elect
ed president of the American society by a
vote of 1875 to 10. This is our answer to
his foreign accusers.
Sixth. Mr.. Judge is said to have been
expelled by Mrs. Besant and he in turn
expelled her from the inner "esoteric cir
cle. This Is no doubt news to American
theosophsts. since our constitution fails
to provide for any esoteric body. But If
such body exists it must be In the nature
OF secret society, and therefore no news
paper can give us full Information regard
Ing 1t unless some one violates his sacred
oath. Such dubious and ex parte rumors
are not satisfying.
Seventh. 1T looks at present" as If Mr.
Judge had established Universal Broth
erhood of Man in America which would
strictly taboo the one on the other side Of
the water No matter how IT looks this
Is the way ii Is The annual convention Of
the American section at Boston last week.