The San Francisco call., 1898-02-06

ton giving freest circulation to what is known as the perpendicular cur rents.
 One of them was the young profess sor. a recent arrival on the coast, whose claim to be a supreme instruc- tor of the American Order of Occultists I had already seen substantiated to some degree by various mysterious eso- teric phenomena. He has the pale face. the tired eyes and the slender physique of a student, and he locked less of the earth and more of the spirit than us- ual even, in a flowing robe which lent a certain grave dignity to his appear ance and manner.
 Next him was a keen-faced business man whom I should never have sus- pected of having any inclination to dabble with occult things. A lawyer and a physician were in the line, also a retired capitalist who is said to spend a good deal of his money in trying to find out things that few know. Our host, who is a novice like myself. made up the required odd number.
 Finding it impossible to concentrate my mind as my companions were evil -dently endeavoring to do, I gaZed about me curiously, but covertly. By the f1ickering light of the fire. which at no time burned brightly, and some times seemed on the point of going out entirely, l saw that the five sacred col ors, the prismatic hues, were arranged in the way prescribed by the founders of the order, and that all the various conditions of material arrangement had been complied with as far as possi- ble under the circumstances.
 I glanced sidewise at the faces of my companions and became instantly con- scious that my curiosity was disturb ing element. The man next to me stirred uneasily and the professor looked in my direction with a sad-eyed blankneSs which was mute reproach
 l tried to forget everything but my mission, and to concentrate and medi- tate" as I had been told to do. It was an effort at first, but by resolutely turning my thoughts inward I soon be- came conscious of a singular change in my attitude of mind. From being merely curious I became receptive and expectant. I no longer wondered 1T any thing strange was to occlr, | simply waited for events and accepted them as they came. The fire died down al- most to darkness, and we still sat silent, at peace with ourselves and our surroundings.
 There was a soft vibration in the air My companions were breathing in con- cert the mystic words which create the waves of atmosphere and thought and will most to be desired at such meet ings. I joined with them as best I could and had only been breathing the soft sounds for a few minutes when between us and the fire there fell, ap- parently from above, shower of glow ing points of light, which disappeared before they reached the floor
 A moment later and a tiny ball of luminosity-it could not be called defi- mite and aggressive light-arose way eringly from the boards at our feet, and, like ball of incandescent thistle down, foated uncertainty before us, higher and higher, until it, too, disap- peared in the dense darkness which seemed to hover over our heads like a cloud.
 turned my eyes toward the pro- lessor and saw without astonishment that his face stood out in strong relief against the background of brooding shadow which surrounded us as if some light from within faintly shone through it, making it visible by it's own soft glow. The other faces I could see put d1mly; his seemed the central point Of the whole gathering
 The atmospherical vibrations in creased in intensity until faint trem- ulousness in unison with them thrilled through my whole system. I felt as If my breath were deserting me. or rather as II l were becoming capable of exist ing without breath.
 1eit as II l were lifted up in some mysterious way which seemed bov. ever, quite natural and simple at the time, far above everything that I had ever known or felt or thought and then, as from an immeasura bla die tance, l heard the sound of what seemed a chime of fairy bells. Clear. sweet. but scarcely loud enough to more than suggest themselves upon the air they rang but for a moment-a lit- tie fall of musical raindrops, as it were and then silence settled about us once again.
 We had heard the astral bells" and as the sounds died into the stiffness that had scarcely been disturbed we all rose and bowed our heads. To the occultist this is the signal that all con ditions are right for the presentation of such mysteries as may be accorded.
 The shadow that had lowered over us drew aside and settled like a screen on the eastern wall. Bits of light like luminous snowfakes foated over it's surface, increasing in number and bril- liancy. as they gathered toward the center. forming a shining cloud which