Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-02
HE MAY BE HERE NOW
Followers Believe Indian Student at
Oxford Chosen One.
FoRETELLs AMERICAS DOOM
Continent to Be Wiped Out to Pre-
pare Home for Coming New Race.
Some Time in Future
By William T. Stead.

Special Cablegram to The Star.
LONDON, July Lone of the most pic
turesque and interesting figures TO be
seen in London this summer is that OF
Mrs. Annie Besant. the high priest Of
the Theosophical Society, who, in the
opinion of many, Is the forerunner or
John the Baptist Of the new Messiah.
Any one seeing Mrs. Besant as she dashes
swiftly through the crowded streets in
the magnificent motor car which has
been placed at her disposal by one OF
her devotees, might be forgiven IL he
imagined that the Pope Of Rome had
suddenly been transplanted to the west
ern metropolis. The portraits of Mrs.
Besant and of Pope Plus x are so curl
ously alike that one might be changed
for the other without careless observer
detecting 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 looking more closely
she saw that it was portrait Of Plus X
The features and the apparel are almost
identical, the only difference is in the
hair. Mrs. Besant has a much more
luxurious crop than the Pope
Mrs. Besant has just begun a new
series of lectures at Queens Hall, which
is crowded every Sunday night with an
eager and attentive audience 1t is q
great message which she has to deliver,
and she delivers it with all the pontifical
authority of an inspired oracle. The per-
sonal magnetism, which stood in her good
stead when she travelled around the coun-
try as Mr.. Bradlaugh's most efficient
lieutenant, maintaining what seemed to
her then the great truth of an atheistfcal
materialism. is still as potent a weapon
as ever, although its wielder is now in
the forefront Of the defenders OF spiritual
philosophy
breaches Universal Religion.
I have known Mrs Besant from the
time when she was a militant atheist
down to the present day, and 1 have
never seen any reason to vary in the
profound regard, respect and affection
with which she has always inspired me.
She is an honest woman with an open
mind, who has the enormous advantaee
of making up that mind definitely for the
time being upon whatever subject it is
exercised.
For the present moment she is the
preacher of a universal religion. which
she proclaims to be the essence of all the
other religions that ever have been. Just
before leaving India she published a re-
markable book. which / commend to all
interested in the moral education of the
young. 1t is an attempt to bring together
within the covers of small book the
more important texts of the four great
RELATIONSHIP Hinduism. Bud
dhism and MISUNDERSTANDING the
chief sub jects Of religious thoughts. The
book is published by the Theosophical So
ciety, and is a very useful complication,
when is informed by a very lofty inspira-
ton.
In her present phase Mrs Besant holds
that she is directly instructed by those
whom she calls the masters, who. invisi-
BILE to the human eye, give her instruc-
tions on the higher planes, some of
which, but not ALL she is able to bring
back to the physical plane. The great
doctrine which Mrs. Besant is proclaim
ing to London is that we are shortly to
expect great spiritual teacher. who has
manifested under various names in vari-
Gus nations. but his last great incarnation
was when he appeared as the Christ. and
for three years of perfect life spread the
Message OF Light. The time has now
fully come. or almost fully come, for
the appearance of another incarnation
OF this supreme teacher, and although
Mrs Besant does not say SO herself, her
followers whisper with bated breath that
the physical body of the destined teacher