302
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
The petty spite shown to us by Mr. W. Oxley, an ex-F.T.S., is very natural. An ardent Theosophist at first, but a still more ardent Spiritualist, this tender-hearted gentleman began by writing letters to one of our Masters, whose neglect to notice him, and his Angelic Revelations hurt his feelings. Moreover, the criticism which Busiris, the ancient Aryan “Spirit” and SAGE in his Philosophy of Spirit received at the hands of Mr. Subba Row and other Hindus in The Theosophist (Vide May, 1882 et seq.) was not calculated to make the flame of brotherly love burn brighter in Mr. Oxley’s bosom. He would be more than an average Spiritualist, verily a sage or an Indian philosopher himself, had he accepted the just criticism in a brotherly spirit and never retaliated. But Mr. Oxley is not a philosopher, still less a sage! Hence this laborious though vain attempt at mud throwing. We hope he will not catch cold during the operation.
[In reference to various misrepresentations in the pages of the Medium and Daybreak, and a defence from the pen of A. D. Bathell.]
As we are very little concerned with either the popguns shot at us, or those who amuse themselves in shooting them, we at first hesitated to insert the above. Having so many of our own quarrels on hand, we were unwilling to meddle with those of others. We have not the pleasure of knowing Mr. Bathell personally; but since his letter throws independently 303such a flood of light on the true causes of the animus of some of our ex-Fellows—ever the most relentless in slandering the Society—we publish it most willingly.
Personally, we feel very grateful to Mr. Bathell for his considerate defence. As, however, the experience of several years has proved to us that every slander on the T.S. has only led to the increase of its members, and every direct attack against the Founders and lie about the modest editor of this journal, have invariably brought to the front unexpected and devoted friends, we feel rather unwilling to lose our dear and faithful detractors and slanderers. May they prosper and increase, the charitable and truthful souls! As the Khalif of the tale, who would not part with a beloved boil, for the latter helped to purify and keep his blood in good order, so we would not part—if it can only be avoided—with our active and amiable calumniators. They are the generous and volunteer scavengers of the Theosophical Society, so to speak, its vernal blue pill and black draught. Every malicious fib of theirs is an additional bar furnished to us gratis toward the erection of our Theosophical Eiffel Tower, and the future eminence of its architects. Dearly beloved enemies, pray let yourselves be entreated not to turn your backs upon us!
[Dr. C. Carter Blake, the well-known anthropologist, contributes a long and scholarly article on the subject of the Third Eye, and ends by asking what evidence there is of its existence among living forms, outside of those already mentioned by him. To this H.P.B. remarks:]
As three-eyed men are no longer extant, what evidence can be expected other than of a circumstantial character? What evidence is there, we may ask in our turn, that men were once upon a time apes with tails, or men with tails, except that of Haeckelian and Darwinian inferences based on the fact that the human spine ends with what seems the stumped root of a tail. The one inference is as good and as scientific as the other.
304 [In connection with the remarks of a correspondent to the effect that the statement about the materialist not having a self-conscious survival after death in H.P.B.’s article “On the Mysteries of the After-Life,” requires some qualification, as many so-called materialists are merely agnostics, and often men of great soul.]
The qualification of the general statement which our correspondent quotes is implied in the article itself. It is there explained that it is the deep and sincere conviction in a man’s mind that there is no life after death which is the cause of his having no such conscious life. It does not matter what a man calls himself; the vital question is what he really believes in his inmost heart.
The keynote to the whole question of the Devachanic existence is that a man creates, in the literal sense of the word, his own future.
[In connection with another article by Dr. C. Carter Blake, dealing with the possible survival of the Atlantean type.]
It is a tradition among Occultists in general, and taught as an historical fact in Occult philosophy, that what is now Ireland was once upon a time the abode of the Atlanteans, emigrants from the submerged island mentioned by Plato. Of all the British Isles, Ireland is the most ancient by several thousands of years. Inferences and “working hypotheses” are left to the Ethnologists, Anthropologists and Geologists. The Masters and keepers of the old science claim to have preserved genuine records, and we Theosophists—i.e., most of us, believe it implicitly. Official Science may deny, but what does it matter? Has not Science begun by denying almost everything it accepts now?
We copy the following curious advertisement from the Two Worlds, a spiritualistic paper.
Mr. Joseph Blackburn, of Keighley, has taken a course of study in anatomy, physiology, the general principles of pathology, the science of fine forces, including the nature of electricity, magnetism (of various kinds), light, colour, mind, cure, magnetic massage, and other natural forces. Therefore, we, acting under the sanction of a charter granted by the State of New York, do hereby award this diploma, conferring upon the above named person the honourable title of Doctor of Magnetics, 305abbreviated by D.M., whereby it is signified that he is duly qualified to administer sun-baths, water-baths, massage, mental and psychological forces, electricity, suncharges, substances, and other refined natural agencies for upbuilding the system.—Signed E. D. Babbit, M.D.; F. G. Welch, M.D.—[Advt.]
Modest young students of the mystic who may be tired of standing behind a counter have here a fine opportunity offered to them. To become suddenly, and without any transition, a “Magus” in possession of the universal panacea, one has but to apply for a diploma, signed by two well-known “M.D.”s of New York, conferring on one “the honourable title of Doctor of Magnetics.” But what is a “Doctor of Magnetics”? qualified to administer . . . “substances,” and what are these “substances”?
In a country where such quack advertisements are possible, and where people peck at them like sparrows at cherries, no one ought to laugh at Theosophists, who seem the only people, so far, who thoroughly see through them. And yet, it is such Doctors “Dulcamara,” who are the bitterest enemies and persecutors of Theosophy—sub rosa, of course. It is they who bring the true mystic science and philosophy into disrepute. In support of this, we append a queer letter out of two just received from a trustworthy correspondent, which form a suggestive commentary on advertisements of the type of the one quoted above. One is a private letter; therefore all we can say of it is, that the writer calls himself a Brother of “the Dew and Light,” and signs “Magus” (? We know several Maguses, “which is which?”). This one claims acquaintance with many illustrious personages from the “Astral plane,” with whom he holds councils; and he snubs the person whom he addresses as one whose presence has never been recorded therein, because, perhaps, as he adds, he is “not sufficiently developed to meet in council on the astral plane.” Forsooth, an illustrious correspondent this!
The other comes from a Victim, apparently.
[The correspondent who signs himself “One Who Has Been Duped” describes the bogus character of a group which calls itself “Ros. Crux. Fratres” and deals mainly with Elementals and “Spirit-Guides.”]