< Elementals and the Egiptian Zodiacs (continued from page 7-205) >
and at last came to connect this light with my coming, and questioned me about it. I told him to notice the hour and minute at which these lights would be seen, and when I met him afterwards I would tell him the exact time. I did this thirty or forty times before his naturally sceptical mind was thoroughly convinced. These lights appeared to him at different times of the day, wherever he happened to be, in New York or Brooklyn, and we arranged in each case that about two hours from that time I should meet him at his office.
These phenomena differ, essentially, from any mesmeric, magnetic, or so-called spiritual manifestations that I am acquainted with, and are not referable thereto. This gentleman never has been influenced by me in either of these ways.
Once he came to my house, in the suburbs of this city, and examined some cabalistic drawings upon which I was working, with one of which he was much impressed. After leaving he saw, in bright daylight, in the cars, an appearance of a curious kind of animal, of which he then made a sketch from memory. He was so impressed with the circumstances and the vividness of the apparition that he went at once to one of the illuminati of the society, and showed his drawing. He was informed that, though apparently an ideal figure, it was really a so-called elemental spirit, which was represented by the Egyptians as next in the order of progression to a certain reptile which was the figure he had seen at my house, and that it was employed by the Egyptians in making their Zodiacs at initiations, &c. He then returned to me, and without comment I showed him a drawing of the very figure seen by him, whereupon he told me that he had seen it, and under what circumstances, and produced his sketch. He was then convinced that I foresaw that he would see this appearance after having been impressed by the aforesaid cabalistic drawing.
These phenomena are clearly not referable to any familiar form of manifestations.
At one of my lectures before the Theosophical Society, at which all degrees of members were present, lights were seen by the illuminati passing to and from one of my drawings, although they stood in the glare of several gaslights. A dark cloud was observed to settle upon it by others, and other phenomena, such as the apparent change of the Zodiacal figures into other forms, or elemental representations, were observed.
Certain members of lower degree were impressed with a feeling of dread, as though something awful were about to happen. Most of the probationers were rendered uncomfortable and uneasy; some became hypercritical and abusive; several of the novitiates left the room; and Madame Blavatsky, who had seen unpleasant effects follow somewhat similar phenomena in the East, requested me to turn the drawings and change the subject. If there had previously been any doubt, the absolute necessity of forming the society into degrees was then apparent, and I have never since met others than the illuminati of the society with similar manifestations.
The unfriendly tone of the articles above referred to was entirely uncalled for, and there was no boasting on the part of any of the members in their remarks. Being a secret society we could not in any manner retaliate until permission to do so was given. Having now received permission, I here publicly state that I have lately performed what I agreed to do, and unless the Council forbids, I hereby give permission to such of the illuminati as have seen it to come forward, if they choose, and bear evidence of the fact.
I do not know ‘if you will think this worthy the space it will occupy in your columns, but think that it is but just, after keeping an absolute silence for more than two years, I should now be heard in this matter. Modern Spiritualism need not weep with Alexander, for there is another world for it to discover and conquer.
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Editor's notes
- ↑ letters by unknown author, Religio-Philosophical Jornal, Chicago July 27, 1878