The Butte inter mountain., 1903-11-06
LUCKLESS HYPAT|A
AND HER STRUGGLE
MRS. ELLA KNOWLES HASKELL
TELLS OF BEAUTIFUL WOMAN
WHOM FANATICS SLEW.
HER TRULY TERRIBLE DEATH
Torn to Pieces by Alexandria Mob,
Whom Cyril Had lncted on to
Its Deed Of Fanatieisr11.

The address of Mrs. Knowles Haskell in
the open meeting Of the Theosophica So
ciety last night was listened to by an audi
ence which packed the headquarters OF the
society.
The subject was "Hypatia, the Last of
the Greek Philosophers and was treated
logically and concisely. The speaker be-
gan her address with sketch of the con-
ditions existing in the fifth century, the
time in which Hypatia lived.
Many of the stirring events existing at
that time were lightly touched on to give
a background to the individuals who stood
out most prominently in making the his
tory of the century
Among these with Hypatia were Cyril,
the bishop of Alexandria, Orestes, the
governor, each Of whom took an active
part in the events chronicled in history.
Beautiful and Gifted.
"Hypatia," stated the speaker, "was the
daughter Of an ilustrious scholar, a
philosopher and mathematician who -four
ished in Alexandria in the latter part of
the fourth century. She was gifted with
rare beauty and famous for her great
ability in mathematics and philosophy.
She was follower of Pythagoras and
Plato; in Athens she had attended the lee
lures of the ablest instructors and on re-
turning to her native city, Alexandria,
which was then the religious philosophical
battle-ground of the world, was invited by
che magistrates to give lectures in philoso-
ply, thus succeeding to the line of illus
trious teachers who had made the school
of Alexandria one Of the most noted in
the world.
"Thc eclectic school of philosophy of
Alexandria was considered the greatest in
the world, and within the sacred precincts
of the museum, following an illustrious
line of great teachers, i,ypatia was in
vited to give instruction. Her purity and
elevation of soul are said to have inn
pressed all with whom she came in con-
tact, as well as the great eloquence with
which she charmed her hearers. She was
possessed OF the rare endowments of
genius and numbered among her friends
some of the greatest men OF the day."
Mrs. Haskell further stated that during
this period the church of Christ then in
crude condition, was largely influenced in
Alexandria by Cyril, the then bishop.
Cyril was one whose heart responded more
to the whisper of ambition than to the
loving counsel Of the Christ-teacher.
He saw in Hypatia menace to his will
10 Tuie tHc TeHSlOl oI tue WOTlu ana plot-
ted her destruction.
This came about through the attack of
mob said to have been melted by Cyril
and his close followers. But the speaker
hastened to say that Cyril was fanatic
and ruled his church according to his own
conception of church rule, not according
to the advice of the more truly religious
in the Christian church.
The Outrage.
The mob snatched Hypatia from her
chariot and carried her to the foot of the
altar in the Christian church and there
tore her to pieces. This horrible deed took
place in March, AIS A. d.
'Her name and fame have lasted
through IS centuries" said the speaker,
'and the wisdom of her philosophical
teaching still touches the hearts of those
who understand the mighty truths thus
concealed. In this century much of it
lives in our daily lives and common
proverbs which are taken as guides to
modern conduct.
"The wisdom religion, of which she was
the advocate in a different guisc is taught
today under the name of theosophy and
numbers among its followers some of the
greatest thinkers of modern times"