The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-25
MRS. BESAnT AGAIN
DISCUSSED MODERN SCIENCE AND
THEOSOPHY IN HER SECOND
LECTURE.
ANOTHER INTERESTING TALK.
THE SPEAKER SOUGHT TO DEMON-
STRATE THAT SCIENCE HAS
CROSSED THE PORTAL.
SEPARATING 1T FROM THE OCCULT.
People Are Credulous as to Science.
So This Is Used to Convince
People of Right.

Annie Besant discussed modern
science and theosophy at the Peoples
church last evening. Her purpose was
to demonstrate that modern science
was coming into touch with occultism,
or the scientific side of theosophy
The lecture was replete with illustra-
tions of the approach of modern science
to occultism. Mrs. Besant instanced
the exercise of clairvoyant power, the
faculty of thought transmission It's
existence today was but the promise of
power that would ultimately be pos
sessed by all. Psychologists admitted
that the brain Of a normal human be-
ing, who had reached an age beyond
mere childhood, contained a gland fill
ed with granulated substance, the
junction Of which they could not de-
hne. 1t was not to be found in the
brain OF child Of six or seven years.
or in the brain of an idiot. This gland
and the grains within it, Mrs Besant
declared, constituted the physical organ
for the transmission of thought vibra-
TONS
Until recently science had not recog-
! niHed matter Of any kind that could
not be weighed. 1t maintained that all
| matters and all forces were ponder
abies. Today it recognized the function
| Of ether in the production of light. and
ether could not be weighed. 1t was i'm
| ponderable, so science had stepped
across the threshold that had hitherto
separated it from the occult. and adj
mitted the existence of imponderable
forces far more powerful than those if
had formerly known.
Science had progressed so far that
hot long since, noted scientist had
enunciated the theory of the evolution
of metals. Evolution implied life.
Ihe evolution of metals it was :
significant expression. The same sci;
enlist had also spoken of the ''fatigi;a
of metals" What did fatigue mean, if
not the exhaustion of the means of
life. 1t all meant that every atom of
matter possessed life. An atom was
but the vortex of revolving energies.
"All the later advances of science.
declared Mrs. Besant, ARE bringing US
to the idea of life. You can start with
chemical decomposition and produce
electricity; electricity can be made to
produce heat and light; the light can
be decomposed, and so you can begin
with chemical decomposition and come
back to it"
Mrs. Besant called attention to tho
theory of occultism, which saws that
the poles Of the earth have a certain
motion not recognized by the teach
lngs OF astronomy 1t is described as
lifting motion or turning over,
whereby, in the course Of 1000 900
years, the north pole has moved down
wards to the south pole and around and
up TO the north pole. Occultism saws
that this fitting motion is continuous
the pole or world moving for space OF
Two seconds of a degree in a century
Astronomers will laugh at you if
you tell them this said Mrs Besant.
and will tell you that Madame
ElaVatsky started that theory. but
nevertheless these same astronomers
admit that the world has a motion
they nave been unable to describe and
that that motion throws them off il,
some of their calculations. 1t is this mo-
ton or turning over of the earth that
explains for example the arctic regions
show signs of ancient tropical yegeta-
ton. If some day, perhaps only TWEEN
ty or thirty years hence, astronomers
endorse and recognize the truth of this
theory, some of you will remember
that twenty or thirty years before
you heard an occultist advance IT. and
50 orthodox science will bring you to
occultism In the end in spite OF
ridicule." 97fl -
In conclusion Mrs Besant did not
ask her hearers to be convinced at
once. OccultiSts were not impatient
Ihey knew they were right and could
wait, knowing that their theories were
true and that their hearers would be
convinced of the truth in the future.
While you are skeptical as to the
doctrines Of religion" said Mrs sBesant,
you are credulous as to the declara-
lions of science. so we use science to
convince you. For science is the hand
maid and servant of religion, the
pioneer of the soul, and the day will
come when the great scientists will
become the great priests of religion"