The San Francisco call., 1897-05-17
CRITICIZE THE
CHRISTI HE'LL
Mrs. Annie Besant Talks
of Existence After
Death.
Future Suffering Is but Tempo.
rary and a Stage of Up
ward Development.
There Are Many Persons Who Can
Pass in Spirit to Astral Worlds
and Bring Back Reports.

Mrs. Annie Besant lectured last night
"Life and Death" to house that was
very full, considering the disagreeable
weather. She dwelt mainly on the theo-
sophie conception Of what will be the
spirits condition after this physical body
is left In the grave.
In describing the various stages through
which the soul must pass in the upward
evolution the speaker made some critical
com parsons of orthodox ideas of the
hereafter with those taught by theosophy.
She says that while the Christian belief in
future life is firm, it is very vague. This
vagueness is displayed by asking such
questions as, Twill We recognize our
friends in the hereafter" Theosophy has
no vagueness on this point, but answers
positively that we will know them, and
that no soul can lose friend or loved
one except by an act OF its own will.
Another criticism was in regard TO the
doctrine of an eternal hell taught in many
Of our churches. This is abhorrent TO
advanced thought. The he'll explained by
theosophy is terrible one, but it is only a
temporary one-just one stage in long
process of development. This lowest
stage OF ulSeHl UOuleu lli6 IL only lOT tuOSe
few who have while in life surrendered
themselves to the sway of the most brutal
passions. It's torture is caused by their
own wicked minds. Even for them this
hell was but a publication and prepare
ton for an advanced condition of being.
Yet another criticism of the orthodox
faith was of the gloom, the black draping.
and irrational grief of the funerals. Death
should rather be rejolced at as O birth int
Of hn Il
should not be day of lamentations.
Inform alton about the hereafter should
not be sought from mediums by calling
back the spirits of the dead, because this
is apt to be very inaccurate and it is in.
iuriousiy retarding to the disem bodie
soul to call its attention back to earthly
affairs. The true way 10 seek for this
knowledge is to question those in this
present life who have the power to throw
off physical impediments aud pass in
spirit through the astral worlds and stages
more advanced. There are many people,
and their number is rapidly increasing,
who can bring back information from the
world beyond death just az certainly as a
traveller 10 some foreign country can re-
turn to their friends with an account of
what they saw and heard.
She closed in ardent eloquence with an
explanation OF how the soul, by noble
aspirations and right living, can bind itself
forever to its loved ones.
Mrs. Besant will deliver her last lecture
tonight at Metropolitan Hall. The SUBJ
ject will be "Theosophy and Christianity" +"
She will leave this City tomorrow going
to San Jose, Santa Cruz and various cities
in Southern California. Then she will go
to Portland. Or, through Washingt ton
State into Canada. On the 9th of June
she will be in Chicago to attend the Theo-
sophical convention. In the fall she will
be in New England, and thence will return
to England, where she will remain until
spring.