The times., 1897-03-30
THE THEOsOPH|sTs' LEADER
Mrs. Besant and Countess Wach-
meiSter in the City.
GOWNED LIKE CORNELIA
The Mysticism OF Her Philosophy
Reflected in Her Face-Has Been
Teaching ia India-SayS That All
Theosophists Are Teachers of
the True Gospel.


and exemplar Of tbeosopiical philosophy.
arrived in the city yesterday afternoon
from New York, accompanied by the
Countess Wachmeister, q friend and init
mate of Nine. Blavatsky. These ladies
are the guests of Mrs. Adelaide Johnson,
the artist, at the Bolt mansion, New Jer-
sey avenue.
Mrs. Besant arrived at p. m. and was
In short while thereafter ready to re-
ceive a great many people She exhibited
no signs of fatigue from the long journey,
and when She came into the parier where
her visitors were she presented picture
that one had often seen before, but Eossi-
bly, would have some difficulty in recall
ing. After while, however, the dea came
that that was the way that Comelia or
Lucretia was eoUned and looked. Mrs
Besant's robes are of white silk, the only
evidence of elaboration being i'll the open
work around the neck.
Mrs Besant is tall and graceful of move
ment, which circumstances heighten the
pleasing effect of her adopted costume,
which speaks alike of the very ancient
EtSl anu EtDuDliGdH hOillt. IItl ltdlultS
are good. Her hair is now nearly an sill
yer, which fact, with her pale face, per
init a wonderfully suggestive accentua ton
Of countenance by her brown eyes. Peo-
pie who know OF her stra nge creed might
say that the mysticism OF her philosophy
is reflected in her remarkable face and
general pictureSquea Z ppearance, Not know
ing her history. it is not likely that
one would guess she was q theosophist
but every body would say; Here is a wo-
man OF no common clay or intellectual
mold" Ii there he any advertisement in
the rohing OF Mrs Bcsant, it loses its
effect and is a failure by reason OF her
own charm Of manner and impressivencss.
After conversation with Mrs. Besant on
her beliefs and works. no one would have
the slightest doubt that she is thoroughly
in earnest, speaks from conviction, and
with such comprehensive grasp of her
particular subject. thcoSophy, that you
know you have been talking to the high
prieStesS OF the universal religion, or
theosuph
Mrs. Bcsant has been to thiScouutry twice
before. 50 that an interview with her
need not be burGened with the common
places of her impressions OF America and
Americans. She thinks Washington a very
beautiful place, Of course, but does rot
ike its regularity She prefers that city
should be Of slow growth, that the houses
should not accommodate themselves TO the
lines OF an engineer in all cases, or that
the city should. in other words, be bult
after the fashion of circumstances. But
Washington, she said has the special at
it is the seat Of Parliament, and at the
Capital she expects 70 find the intellectual
center, as it is everywhere else in the
world. Mrs. Besant made some inquiries
as TO the status uf Boston as the pivotal
point Of intellectual culture. and she was
Informed as TO tie merits OF Boston
claims as against Washington, in an ex
parte way, OF course. Mrs Besant is
quiet, dignified talker, and so much SO
that she gives no hint of the great orator
iCal power which is, in fact, her leading
accomplishment.
FuuI years a go Mrs Besant went to IN
dia, where slie has aught and studied with
great success. She has met with favor
from the Oriental philosophers. save those
who have accepted the materialistic Goc-
trncs and philosophy CT the early part
OF this and the latter part OF tie eighteenth
century. This was TO toe expected, She
SAID, as nothing could toe wider apart than
materialism and theosophy.
She was asked If it were true that she
believed that Madame Blavatsky had been
in a child recently born on
the Pacific Ocean. MIS-. Besant smiled,
and characterized this story as "inven-
vention, but, she contin ued, Madame
Bfavatsky has been reincarnated, but in
India
She referred to the division in the ranks
of the theosophists by reason of the Sc
oession OF Mr.. Judge 1t had been stated
that part Of Mrs. Besant's mission was
TO unite the divided ranks. This is not
true at ALL she said She does not believe
in coercion of any kind. 1t was unfor-
tnate, but united or divided, she believed
that both sides are teaching the true
doctrine and scheme of life now and here
after. The principles of theosophy are
so simple that there can scarcely be such
a thing as heterodoXy yet. The theoso-
phists have agreed upon simple group
of facts, which are found in all religions,
but the great stress is laid on the require
ment that all must teach the brotherhood
Of man. As to the departure of this creed
from ali others, it is in line with the
evolution of the universe and all things
in it. Natural forms proceed upward
by dfferentials, and so it must be in the
spiritual world, the general scheme being
the application of the demonstrated truth
1f evolution to the spiritual world
Mrs. BeSant claims that IL four OF five
ears she expects TO see the doctrines she
low expounds demonstrated absolutely by
the scientific world. Electricity, she says,
S only the lowest form OF the ether waves
Il communication from one world to an
,ther, but there are other forms of COM
nunication which will he proven in due
ime and accepted by the inte lligent
world
She viii lecture tonight at Masonic
Temple on a very interesting subject, The |
Facts of the Invisible World
MRS. BESANT HONORED.