Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-07-26
POINT Iona COLONY LIFE
Customs of TheosophicaI Society Ly-
man j. Gage Has Joined.

Customs OF IneOsOpHical Society Ly-
man j. Gage Has Joined.
The life lived by the members of
Mime. Katharine Tingley's Universal
Brotherhood of TheOsophists at Point
Iona colony, in California, which for
mer Secretary of the Treasury Lyman
]. Gage will adopt, is a succession of
weird ceremonies, says the New York
World. Lomaland is astir before sun
rise. One may see procession NOV
ing toward the hill known as 'the sa-
cred ground The men are dressed
somewhat as the ancient Greeks and
Romans were wont to array them
selves. They wear white undershirts,
pajamas reaching to the knees, below
which the leg is bare, and draped
about the shoulders a piece of cheese
cloth.
Passing into 1.-THE sacred ground"
these men range themselves facing the
sun. There is short reading, perhaps
from the "Chita,' perhaps one Of Spots
letters. which this inspired dog con-
tributes regularly. Then each devotee
stoops, picks up handful of dirt and
losses it back again. That is all.
This is the daily ceremony of the
Sons of the Rising Sun. While it is IN
progress another ceremony is taking
place at the homestead. Men and wo-
men, some in cheesecloth robes and all
barefooted, have circled around the
homestead three times and, stopping on
the eastern veranda, have chanted the
praises of Lomaland.
EXcommunicated Tingleyites state
that in her dog Spot Nine. Tingley
found the reincarnated soul of William
Q. Judge, high priest of the Universal
Brotherhood and founder of the Ameri-
can school of theosophy Spot is care
fully tended and has several suits of
clothes TO protect him from the changes
in the weather, for if he should die the
intelligence of William .. Judge might
reappear in some animal thousands of
miles from Lomaland and the Univer-
sal Brotherhood would lose one of It's
most valuable advisers.
Starvation is q feature of the theoso-
phists' regime. By degrees Nine. Ting
ley has cut down the rations, and she
comforts those who get a quarter of
an egg apiece, a slice of toast, a wal
nut or two and few raisins by say
ing this is an ideal breakfast and
will make those who eat it more re
fined and spiritual. Late in the morn
ing Mrs. Tingley finishes her nap and
is ready for a good square meal. A
woman of breeding and refinement,
trembling with hunger after her ideal
breakfast and weak from overwork,
bears to the high priestess a tray
stacked with everything the market
affords and the best to be had.
Mrs. Tingley is known as Purple
or Purple Mother" She has cabinet
of twelve men.
Mrs. Tingley was born in Newbury-
port, Mass. fifty-fve years ago. Her
father, named Westcott, kept a saloon
and hotel. She married n printer
named Cooke in New Orleans. Her
second husband was George W. Par
ent, 4 detective and saloon keeper.
Both husbands obtained divorces for
desertion. Under the direction of Pro
fessor Paul Mccarthy of New York
she became an adept in hypnotism.
Then she turned to theosophy and
seized the organization from Judge e.
T. Hargrave of London, who succeed
ed William Q. Judge. Her remark
able personality so Impressed DIR.
Wood of Providence, r. L., that he
built the Raja Yoga School For Theos-
ophists at Point Iona. This is SUI
perb tract of 1,6OO acres adorned with
buildings. The total value
of the tract and the buildings is esti-
mated at $2,5OO.OO0. The theosophists
are possessed of other property worth |
close to $9,000,O00