The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-09

RaJah Lodge September S.-(SpeciaL)-
Washington society, at least many women
in official life. have not forgotten little
incident at the Chinese legation during
Minister Wu's regime, when on one occa-
sion in particular he pointed to a lovely
guest who was the center of an admiring
group. She was attired, so the story goes,
in white satin, elegantly fashioned, her
corsage enriched with jewels, her dignity
and grace, as well as the beauty of her
costume, causing the diplomat who was SO
given to frankness to epclaim: The most
striking woman at the legation!"
This incident was the beginning of a
warm friendship that exists between Min
lister WI and Mr. and Mrs. Aldrich, who
were at that time residing in Washington.
Their house was quite near the Chinese
legation and they found the Wus interest
ing and delightful neighbors. Minister
WI, too. 1t is said. did not conceal his
pleasure and surprise at finding on the
western continent an American woman
and her husband as we'll versed in Orien-
tai literature as are Mr.. and Mrs. Aldrich
There, at the legation, or in the drawing
rooms of the Aldrich home, there were
many conversations that no doubt, the
newspaper writer's whose inquiries to
Minister WI were always answered by
one even more difficult, would have fur
nshed them inspiration for story" for
Mrs. Aldrich. it is said, by her interest
and sympathy, as well as by her wit and
sparkling repartee. drew the diplomat into
discussions upon which he was frequently
most reticent to others.
1t is said that his comment on the even
ing of her first appearance at the legation
was equalled only by a later remark which
was frequently repeated in Washington.
II consider Mrs. Aldrich the most brill
liant woman in society,"" said Minister WI
some months after meeting her. But 1t is
a comment of Gertrude Atherton that will
live even longer than that of the Chinese
ambassador.
Mrs. Aldrich is SO spiritual that there
seems to be always a halo about her
head" wrote Mrs. Atherton.
A woman who has graced official socie-
ty in America and who has been pro-
nounced both brilliant and spiritual must
possess powers of mind and beauty of soul
most unusual. 1t Is not easy to recall
in history many women of strong person
alities and in whom were blended remark
able brilllancy and exalted spirituality.
But in Mrs Aldrich, Minister WI, an emil
nent pidlomat, recognized remarkable
qualities of mind, while Mrs Atherton,
student of women, saw in her the highest
development of soul
Although living quietly at Rajah Lodge,
the Aldrich country house and one of the
most sumptuous estates In the south, Mrs.
Aldrich could. If she desired draw about
her many of the learned and scholarly
groups in this country those who are
opponents of a philosophy old with the
weight Of centuries. She could lead them,
instruct. inspire them to still higher
thought, to a greater spiritual develop
ment. for her philosophy is that of the
growth of the soul through beautiful acts,
through kindly thouts: in her philosophy
thoughts are things.
Mrs. Aldrich has long been a believer
In that eastern philosophy which teaches
eternal progress of the soul. She was the
first woman in America to organize So
ciety for the study of Oriental occultism
This society was composed of thirty
members and represented noted scholars
and savants both in this country and from
that country which gave birth to
philosophy that teaches that all is In
pursuance of the Divine Plan. She be-
leves that the soul has climbed a great
many steps before 1t reached Its pres
ent position and stage of embodiment, and
that 1t will pass through many more steps
until it Is entirely free. She believes also
that as man advances in the scale he
casts off many Ideas of wrong" that he
once held, having outgrown the old ideas
and having grown into new conceptions
She believes that the ideal condition would
be one in which there were no laws and
no necessity for them-a condition In
which men had ceased to do wrong be-
cause they had outgrown the desire
rather than from fear or restraint or
force. And while this condition seems afar
off there is constantly going on an un-
foldment of the higher planes and fac
ulties of the mind which when once fully
manifest will work a complete revolution
in "ethics and laws and government
and for the better. In the mean time man
kind moves along, doing the best 1t can,
making a steady though slow progress.
The library at the lodge is one of the
most interesting in the country. Mr.. Aid
rich is deep student and year after
year he has added books on varied sub
jects. OF particular value and interest
are the volumes on Oriental literature,
1ne1G are HuHuItuS Dl DbuhS oh Twill
ism. While many OF them were printed by
American publishing houses the major
fly of them bear the dates of old Lon
don firms. There are interesting transla-
tions on occultsm, books showing the
evolution of religious thought from the
rudest symbolisms to the highest spiritual
developments. There are old Greek trans
iations on the mysteries of the ancients,
q group of volumes of value to all lovers
of antiquity and of ancient philosophy
and religion. profoundly theological, the
very sources of the Plato and Pythagoras
philosophy.
Besides books on occult subjects, is a
valuable group on the symbolical Ian
guage of ancient arts and mythology and
some wonderfully interesting books Is
eued by the Metaphysical company of
London. Most interesting are the books
on the occult world. while one morning
I'm looking over the library shelves, I
picked out, because of their look of an
tiquity some old translations of Plato and