The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-07-22

LONDON, July 1.-One of the most
picturesque and interesting figures to
be seen in London this summer is that
of Mrs Annie Besant the high priest
ess of the Philosophical Society, who,
in the opinion of many, is the forerun-
ner Of John the Baptist of the new
Messiah.
Any one seeing Mrs. Besant as she
Gashes swiftly through the crowded
streets in the magnificent motor car
which has been placed at her disposal
by one Of her devotees might be for.
given if he imagined that the Pope Of
Rome had suddenly been transplanted
to the Western metropolis.
The portraits of Mrs. Besant and Of
Pope PiuX X are so curiously alike
that one might be changed for the
other without a careless observer de-
tecting the difference.
Mrs. Besant herself told me that
when in Rome she had been startled in
passing through the streets to see
what appeared to be her own portrait
displayed in a shop window, On LOOK
ing more closely she saw that it was
portrait of Plus X.
The features and the apparel are al.
most identical; the only difference is
in the hair. Mrs. Besant has a much
more luxurious crop than the Pope
/ Speaks as One inspired.
Mrs. Besant has just begun a new
series of lectures in Queens Hail.
which is crowded every Sunday night
with an eager and attentive audience.
Ii is a great message that she has to
deliver and she delivers it with all the
pontifical authority of an inspired ora
Gle.
The personal magnetism that stood
her in good stead when she travelled
around the country as Mr.. Bradlaugh's
most efficient lieutenant, maintained
what seemed to her then the great
| truth of an atheistical materialism, is
still as potent a weapon as ever, al
though it's wielder is now in the fore
front of the defenders of spiritual al
fnity.
| have known Mrs. Besant from the
time she was a militant atheist down
to the present day, and l have never
seen any reason to vary in the pro
found regard respect and affection
with which she has always inspired
me. She is an honest woman with an
open mind, who has the enormous ad,
vantage of making up that mind def,
nitely for the time being upon what
ever subject it is exercised.
For the present moment she is the
preacher of universal religion which
she proclaims to be the essence of all
the other religions that have been.
Joins Four Religions.
Just before leaving India she pub
lished remarkable book, which
commend to all interested in the moral
education of the young. 1t is an at
tempt to bring together within the
covers of d small book the more i'm.
porlant texts of the four great re-
ligions, Christianity, Hinduism, Bud.
Gaism and Mohammedism, on the sub.
ject of religious thoughts. The book
is published by the Theosophical So
ciety and is a very useful compilation
which is formed by a very lofty in.
spiration.
In her present phase Mrs. Besant
holds that she is directly instructed
by those whom she calls the masters
who, invisible to human eye, give her
instructions on the higher planes,
some of which, but not all, she is able
TO bring back to the physical plane.
The great doctrine that Mrs. Besant
is proclaiming to London is that we
are shortly to expect a great spiritual
teacher who has manifested under
various names in various nations, but
lis last great incarnation was when
he appeared as the Christ and for
three years of perfect life spread the
Message of Light.
Physical Body Here.
The time now has full come, or al
most fully come, for the appearance
of another incarnation of this SUI
preme teacher, and although Mrs. Be
SAINT does not say so herself, her fol
lowers whisper with bated breath thai
the physical body of the destined
teacher is already on earth-is at this
moment in England
He is a Brahmin boy, whom she has
brought from Southern India. His
present name is ]. Krishnamurti, but
as Leadbetter and Mrs Besant claim
to have traced his history back fol
thousands of years, Krishnamurti is
! M, sn1v h.