Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-25
MRS. ANNIE BESANT HE2E
HEAD OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL,
SOCIETY REACHES CITY.
Met at Station by Washington
Theosophists-Will Talk on the
Philosophy of occultism.

Mrs Annie Besant of Adyar India world
president of the Philosophical Society and
successor OF Col. Oicott and Nine Bavat-
sky. arrived in Washington this afternoon
by the Federal express. which was almost
-four hours late. Mrs. Besant seemed duly
impressed with the horrors of American
railroading compared to the perfection of
midas magnificent service.
Hair a dozen devoted disciples accompa-
MED their leader from New York and the
party went at once TO the headquarters of
the society in this city, ODD street south
east.
Although weary fire., her journey Mrs
Besant had smiles left with which to greet
J. II. Carter. president of the Washington
branch of the society who with re-
porter for The Star, met her at the train
Al the society rooms there were gathered
many OF the TheOsophists of the city to
Welcome their leader. whom they had met
during her previous visit here in 1897
when she founded the Washington branch.
Of Commanding Presence.
Mrs Besant is a large woman, of COM
handing presence with a leonine counte-
nance, which resembles that familiar in the
portraits of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and
Mrs Julia Ward Howe as the latter looked
ten or fifteen years ago. Her expression is
remarkably sweet and winning and her
voice Is charming. ----.~7-
Tomorrow night at o'clock she will lee
fure at the Masonic Temple 9th and l.
streets northwest. on The Place of Masters
In RehSfon, setting forth the philosophy of
occultism and showing the place of thaoso-
phy In the world movements OF today and
Its purpose in the evolution of each person
through reincarnation and Karma.
The Washington branch OF the society is
just ten years old. having been founded.
has been said. by Mrs. Beasant. 1t num-
nharc a61A
are J. H. Carnes, president; DIR. w. W.
Baker. vice president: Mrs. Sarah M. Nc
Donald. secretary; George III. Shibley. IL
brarian, and f.. 6. Edwards, treasurer The
first president was A. j. Cory All the
members are In the government service.
Inc only requirement for membership is
belief In the brotherhood OF humanity.
though most of the members accept the
doctrine of reincarnation. One Of the mem
bers said today that Mrs. Besant recollects
perfectly everything that has happened to
her In previous incarnations, but that she
will not talk about 1t to outsiders.
IRIS. Besant will 60 to Philadelphia Fri
day and thence to New York, whence she
will sail for England to take liner for
India. to resume her work at Benares and
Adyar
Sketch of Her Career.
Annie Wood Besant was born in London
October 1, 1847, of Irish parents When
twenty years of age she was married to the
Rev. Frank Besant, vicar of Sibsey Lin
colnshire, brother to Walter Besant, the
famous t-philanthropist Two chill
dren. a son and a daughter, sprang from
this union, but while they were still in
fants the parents were legally separated.
from disparity of belief. Mrs. Besant having
changed from an impa ssioned mystic devo-
tee to a freethinker
In 1873. six years after her marriage,
Mrs. Besant was taking the steps to the
point where atheism and pantheism
diverSe. She rejected dogma and ecclesi-
sstical authority and conceived a system Of
ethics all her own. At this time she Joined
In free thought and radical movements,
led by Charles Bradlaugh. MP. with
whom she was co-edtor of the National
Reformer, writing under the pseudonym of
Ajax" She joined the socialist and labor
union movements. assisting Herbert Bur-
rows in winning the match strike. As a
member of the Fabian Society she had as
fellow-workers George Bernard Shaw and
Hubert Bland
Having become member Of the London
school board, she was active in introducing
books. THE Political Status of Women"
and THE True Basis Of Morality" were the
subjects of her first lectures. and from the
time when they were delivered she became
the declared foe of England's foreign pol
ICY being what Is now known as Little
Highlander"
Took Up Theosophy.
L
her attention was directed to theosophy, or
esoteric Buddhism, and when w. T. Stead
sent her Nine. H. p. Blavatskys Secret
Doctrine to review for one of his publica-
lions she felt that she had found the reveIa-
ton which she sought.
Mrs. Besant then visited Nine. Blavatsky,
and May TO- 1889. was enrolled in the Theo-
sOphcal Society, of which she is now the
head. In 1893 she founded the Central
Hindu College, at Benares, midas sacred
city, where In 1904 she organized the Cen
trail Hindu Girls School. Mrs Besant has
written more than thirty books on theosoph-
cal subjects. besides many pamphlets
and tracts. She Is a large stakeholder in
the societys London publishing house, and
Is editor Of the Theosophist of India.
Elected successor to Col. Olcott in May
Of this year. having been designated for
the Office by her predecessor, Mrs. Besant
Is now world president Of the Philosophical
Society and such makes her headquar-
tiers at Adyar India, where Col. Olcott es-
tablished a great library of Indian litera-
ture, believed to contain the largest collec-
ton of ancient manuscripts in the world.
This is Mrs. Besant's third visit to the
United States, the first being in 1893. when
she was one of the speakers at the worlds
parliament of religions. at the Columbian
exposition in Chicago. and the second in
1897, when she lectured in many of the
principal cities.