The Human "Double"
Sir,—When, once upon a time, I was reading for a difficult examination, my tutor left me one night at about eleven o’clock, after some hard work, saying, “You can finish that problem before twelve.” His empty chair was beside me. After about half an hour I perceived distinctly that his figure was in the chair again exactly as he used to sit beside me. He was leaning his head on his left hand, with his eyes directed to the paper before me. I was greatly interested in this apparition, which, of course, was the result of excitement in my work. I need hardly say on looking at the figure for a little time it vanished, leaving nothing but the chair, and that I dosed my book and went to bed. The tutor is alive and hearty unto this day.
Oct. 10.
Sir,- Some ten Years ago...
Sir,—Some ten years ago, whilst on a visit to some relatives in Norfolk, I was disturbed in the night by the violent ringing of bells. My room was dose to the hall where the bells were rung. Thinking it was fire, I sprang from my bed and rushed towards the door, when to my horror it was flung open, and I saw the figure of my uncle standing in the dim moonlight, with a ghastly out across his throat. I rushed forward, exclaiming “Oh, uncle; what is the matter?” I had hardly finished the sentence when the figure vanished. Next morning at breakfast I was relating the incident (which was received with derision), when a servant from my uncle’s farm—three miles distant—rushed in with the news that my uncle had been found dead in his room with his throat cut from ear to ear. Members of my family are still alive who can testify as to the truth of the above.—Your obedient servant,
Oct, 20.
<Untitled> (There is no man...)
There is no man who has so little spare time as the one who is thoroughly idle. Idling is of itself business which finds even all the waking hours of the day not quite sufficient for its needs.
Stated Appearance of an Alleged Himalayan Brother
The Theosophists assert that certain Eastern > mystics, conveniently designated “The Himalayan Brothers,” are, with or without the assistance of Madame Blavatsky, able to command and produce at will, all the psychical phenomena so well known to modern Spiritualists.
Hitherto no European has publicly made known any facts he has personally witnessed in demonstration of this point. Colonel Olcott is said to have witnessed the demonstrations, but has given no public testimony, and Spiritualists have nothing direct to go upon, but the allegations of Indian natives unknown to them. That these Easterns are also vegetarians, like many natives of India, whose evidence has to be weighed by judges in Indian law courts, should be remembered in so far as the fact bears upon the point at issue.
Mr. Sinnett grappled fairly with the claim of the Theosophists, but our position is that all the facts he recorded, and which we admit occurred in the presence of Madame Blavatsky, were in general accordance with those produced in the presence of Mrs. Guppy (now Mrs. Guppy-Volckman) in the days of her full power, and that any assertions made by the powers who evolved them—and they persisted in their assertions for years—stand upon the same foundation. The facts are alike; the explanation depends to some people upon what is proved to their own knowledge, to others upon their capacity for belief in the assertions made by the invisible rulers of physical mediums. Seven or eight years incessant experience is necessary to enable anyone to form an opinion as to the probable trustworthiness of such assertions; Mr. H. D. Jencken is one of the very few existing authorities on this point.
The following narrative is quoted from the native journal, the Amritza Bazar Patrika.
It is a strange subject for a paper like this, which has usually to deal with the license tax, the Criminal Procedure Code, magisterial vagaries, and kindred other subjects. But Mr. A. P. Sinnett editor of the Pioneer, has just published a book which he calls The Occult World. The hero of that book is one “Koot Hoomi Lal Sing,” and Lal Sing is trying, like Nanak, to bring about an amalgamation of the two races, the ruled and the rulers. Lal Sing is therefore, from this point of view, a political character, and his doings deserve some notice in a political paper.
Now who is this Lal Sing? One little incident will show the calibre of this man or god, call him whatever you choose. Mr. Sinnett dedicated his book to Lal Sing, and the editor of the Pioneer, the proud Englishman, the exponent of all that is imperious and imperial in Englishmen, thus offers homage to the hero in the dedication:—
“To one whose comprehension of nature and humanity ranges so far beyond the science and philosophy of Europe that only the broadest-minded representatives of either will be able to realise the existence of such powers in man as those he constantly exercises—to Koot Hoomi Lal Sing, whose gracious friend-<... continues on page 11-266 >
Editor's notes
- ↑ The Human "Double" by Observer, London Spiritualist, No. 479, October 28, 1881, p. 209
- ↑ Sir,- Some ten Years ago... by No Delusion, London Spiritualist, No. 479, October 28, 1881, p. 209
- ↑ There is no man... by unknown author, London Spiritualist, No. 479, October 28, 1881, p. 209
- ↑ Stated Appearance of an Alleged Himalayan Brother by unknown author, London Spiritualist, No. 479, October 28, 1881, pp. 211-13
Sources
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London Spiritualist, No. 479, October 28, 1881, p. 209
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London Spiritualist, No. 479, October 28, 1881, pp. 211-13