< The Theosophists of India (continued from page 10-130) >
the one side and simple orthodoxy on the other. The contents of the first number of the Theosophist are to a great extent introductory. We meet first with a long article entitled “What is Theosophy?” and its rich erudition, so clearly from the same fount as that of Isis, reveals the authorship at a glance. We will not attempt the task of epitomising the explanations given. Readers, anxious to know what is theosophy, cannot expect to get their curiosity satisfied without a good deal of patient investigation. The article referred to is succeeded by another, entitled “What are the Theosophists?” and it would seem that a good deal of study as to the nature of theosophy may leave us still requiring enlightenment concerning the nature or the persons who profess that science. Meanwhile it is satisfactory to gather from the information now conveyed that “the root idea of the society is free and fearless investigation.” The present number of the new magazine gives a great deal besides the explanatory essays just mentioned— a remarkable native autobiography, some philosophical articles, a review of the Light of Asia, and sundry stories and anecdotes. It announces, moreover, that the society from which the Theosophist emanates is about to undertake a series of interesting meetings at its head-quarters in Bombay. We read:—“There will be a course of Saturday evening lectures by Colonel Olcott upon the occult sciences in general, with experimental demonstrations in the branches of mesmerism, psychometry, crystallomancy, and possibly Spiritualism.” The Theosophist will, no doubt, duly record the results. Finally, though the cultivated world generally will receive the unfamiliar teaching of the energetic society with great caution, we may all recognise that its Bombay members have one clearly defined claim on our regard. They are people who in a very disinterested way, for the love of their own intellectual convictions and to pursue what they believe to be truth, have become fellow-sojourners with the rest of us in this remarkable country, which, in spite of its good points, we most of us frequent for very much simpler and less elevated motives. It does not follow that we are less useful on that account: much good work is done for the sake of its pay, and the reflection has a wide application in British India. But still it is only right to recognise the moral dignity of persons whose aims in life are disconnected with that idea. And as bearing on that view of the Theosophists, we are glad to be able to conclude this notice of their new venture by an announcement of a satisfactory kind as regards themselves. It will be remembered that in the beginning of this year their feelings were deeply hurt on the occasion of a trip they made up-country by an insulting espionage set on foot against them by the police. It appears that some groundless calumny had preceded them to this country, and that the police put a very clumsy construction upon certain orders they received from Government respecting the new arrivals. However, since then the subject has been brought specially to the Viceroy’s notice, and, satisfied that the Theosophists were misrepresented in the first instance, he has given formal orders, through the Political Department, to the effect that they are not to be any longer subject to interference.
An Encounter with Burglars
Last Monday, at the Lambeth Police-court, James Goff, 19, Frith-street, Soho, cook; John Bailey, 21, Lea-street, Holborn, boot fitter; and Henry Hayes, 26, tailor, were charged with being concerned in breaking and entering the dwelling-house, 22, Cowley-road, Brixton, and stealing therefrom several articles. Goff was further charged with cutting and wounding Mr. Henry Prances (lion. sec. to the Brixton Psychological Society) by striking him on the head with a “jemmy,” oil the evening of the 29th ult.
Mr. Frances on the evening of the 29th found his house had been broken into and robbed. Goff and Bailey dropped from the first floor windows, the latter for a time escaping. When the prosecutor endeavoured to detain Goff the latter struck him several times violently on the head with a “jemmy,” and ran up the road. The cries of Mr. Frances for help were fortunately heard by Mr. Tigg, a tradesman of Camberwell, who was passing at the time. He pursued, and, after a desperate struggle, secured Goff, and ultimately handed, him over to a constable.
In the course of the pursuit Goff threw a large “jemmy” at Mr. Tigg, and he narrowly escaped a severe blow. The “jemmy” was found to correspond with marks on the door of prosecutor’s house, which had been forced. The prisoner Bailey was taken by Inspector Langrish, and when told, he said, “All right.” He was wearing a collar identified as belonging to Mr. Frances. The other prisoner was secured on Friday night last, and denied all knowledge of the affair, and declared likewise that he had never been to Brixton. Upon him was found a tramway ticket from Westminster to Brixton, and this was positively proved to have been issued on the evening of the 29th ult. A witness named Cordy likewise stated that Hayes was one of the men he saw running away. Goff and Bailey declined at present to say anything to the charges, and Hayes declared he was at work at the time.
Mr. Chance now fully committed the prisoners for trial for housebreaking, and Goff, in addition, for the cutting and wounding Mr. Frances. He agreed to accept substantial bail for Hayes, with proper notice to the police.
<Untitled> (Mr. Husk’s seances...)
Mr. Husk’s seances at Mrs. Woodforde’s, 90, Great Russell-street, London, W.C., are held every Friday evening at eight o’clock.
“What is our Nature?”—Dr. William Hitchman, M.R.C. S., lectured the other evening on the above subject in Woolton Mechanics’ Institution, owing to the temporary absence of Mr. Robert Gladstone, J.P., whose place he kindly filled on the occasion. The doctor gave a scientific and religious outline of human nature, contending that the spiritual evolution of man’s future body as a clothing for his present soul was as truly demonstrated by science and religion as the protoplasm, or first visible particle of our physical constitution, and that God still acts through “ministering spirits,” alike in natural phenomena and in the events of daily life. The cherubic symbols, he said, placed in the tabernacle now may be faithful hieroglyphics of the good man’s angelic nature, as when surmounted by a blaze of glory in the Hebrew church of the wilderness. Atheists, Positivists, and Secularists, whose noise and smoke affect the purblind, arc doctors for the healthy only, and not for the sorrows of the soul, or the aspirations of the loving heart, and the spiritually “sick unto death” throughout the world. Willing or unwilling, people must believe in “the things of the spirit,” so long as they cannot measure a bushel of thoughts, a peck of ideas, or a yard of feeling, and roll out bundles of emotions, demonstrate the chemistry of suffering, the physics of joy, and bring to mortal view all the elements and forces of the unseen universe. No spiritual Christlike kingdom will ever be established or maintained by such pagan influences as might against right, or the secular sword despotically wielded by sovereign power and selfish policy. Religion must prove true to itself by doing good to all men. Mr. James Thornley, of Water-street, presided, and in moving a cordial vote of thanks to the learned doctor for his eloquent and beautiful oration, said that it deserved to be classed amongst the best expositions of human nature yet published on the side of universal science and religion. A similar compliment was paid to the chairman, and the interesting proceedings terminated by a warm acclamation of approval from the whole audience.—Liverpool Mercury, Dec. 3rd, 1879.
Editor's notes
Sources
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London Spiritualist, No. 381, December 12, 1879, p. 279