Blavatsky H.P. - The Science of Magic: Difference between revisions

Some time since, a Mr. Mendenhall devoted several columns in the Religio-Philosophical Journal, to questioning, cross-examining, and criticizing the mysterious Brotherhood of Luxor. He made a fruitless attempt at forcing the said Brotherhood to answer him, and thus unveil the sphinx. I can satisfy Mr. Mendenhall. The BROTHERHOOD OF LUXOR is one of the sections of the Grand Lodge of which I am a member. If this gentleman entertains any doubt as to my statement—which I have no doubt he will—he can, if he chooses, write to Lahore for information. If perchance, the Seven of the Committee were so rude as not to answer him, and would refuse to give him the desired information, I can then offer him a little business transaction. Mr. Mendenhall, as far as I remember, has two wives in the spirit world. Both of these ladies materialize at M. Mott’s, and often hold very long conversations with their husband, as the latter told us of several times, and over his own signature; adding, moreover, that he had no doubt whatever of the identity of the said spirits. If so, let one of the departed ladies tell Mr. Mendenhall the name of that section of the Grand Lodge I belong to. For real, genuine, disembodied spirits, if both are what they claim to be, the matter is more than easy; they have but to enquire of other spirits, look into my thoughts, and so on; for a disembodied entity, an immortal spirit, it is the easiest thing in the world to do. Then, if the gentleman I challenge, though I am deprived of the pleasure of his acquaintance, tells me the true name of the section—which name three gentlemen in New York, who are accepted neophytes of our Lodge, know well—I pledge myself to give to Mr. Mendenhall the true statement concerning the Brotherhood, which is not composed of spirits, as he may {{Page aside|143}} think, but of living mortals, and I will, moreover, if he desires to, put him in direct communication with the Lodge as I have done for others. <ref>{{HPB-CW-comment|[H.P.B. added on the margin: “And so he did and—abused me in a vile way in the papers for my offer. The Spirits proved to be ignoramuses!!”

It is most likely, however, that this refers to the last sentence of the article.—Compiler.]}}</ref>Methinks, Mr. Mendenhall will answer that no such name can be given correctly by the spirits, for no such Lodge or either Section exists at all, and thus close the discussion.

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{{HPB-CW-comment|[In H.P.B.’s Scrapbook, Vol. I, p. 67, there is a cutting from the Spiritual Scientist of October 21, 1875, which deals with remarks made by a certain Dr. G. Bloede, who went to the trouble of warning people against the newly-formed Theosophical Society and the work of Mrs. Emma Hardinge-Britten entitled Art Magic, as enemies of Spiritualism. H.P.B. appended in pen and ink the following side-remark :]}}