TKeosopK})—WKat Is It? Outline of the Careers of Its Founders And Some of Their Blasphemous Claims By M . E. SLOAN
S a distinct cult, Modern Theo sophy was born in New York City, in 1875, of Henry S. Ol- cott, Helene P. Blavatsky, and their mahatmas, with a few others. As Blavatsky is re puted, and herself claimed, to
be under the special protection of un seen powers. She herself attributed her pranks to the influence of invisible helpers. At seventeen, she made a freakish marriage, but soon ran away from her aged husband. Many years later she married in America a sixteen-year-old boy, it is said. Following the desertion of her first husband, Blavatsky spent some years in travel, seeking knowl edge and adventures in mysticism, and at times leading a questionable life. To the end, Blavatsky showed the same contrary, violent and ugly dispo sition th a t marked her childhood. Her nature was never changed, notwith standing the boasted powers of her re ligion to uplift and perfect human lives. What could be the output of such a teacher? What intimation have we, thus early, as to the probable na ture of Modern Theosophy, acknowledg ing with reverence and boasting such a mother, seeress and priestess? When a fountain brings forth a t the same time both sweet and bitter water, then can a vulgar, profane, insulting, infidel, ly ing, swindling woman bring forth a sys tem of doctrine th a t can get the fol lowing of any but very deluded, people. But Blavatsky would claim exemption from the rule of fruitage, on the ground th a t she was only a medium of invisible teachers. But what of the character and claims of invisible teachers -who, professing to be wise and good, would select such a messenger to transm it their doctrines to the world, without first changing her character and requiring her to reform her conduct? The whole scheme is repudiated by common-sense,
have been the promoter and high priestess, an outline of her career will largely answer the inquiry Whence? A Russian adventuress, she was from the nobility, and received the usual schooling of her time and sta tion. Without any spirit of accusation or slander, but from the fruit of her life, we are entitled to inquire into her reputation and character. She has been described as “enormously fat,” with a “harsh, disagreeable voice and a vio lent temper” ; she dressed “in a slovenly manner, smoked cigarettes incessantly, and cared little or nothing about the conventionalities of life.” She was coarse, profahe, and shocking in speech; and subject to tantrums, peevishness and rebelliousness. From childhood, she showed mediumistic qualities and a clairvoyant tendency. She was a terror to her household; impulsive, excitable, capricious, headstrong, wayward, mys terious. She was violent in anger, sub ject to trances, and kept all those about her in fear until they declared th a t she had a devil. She was often found talk ing to herself, and, when questioned, re plied th a t she was talking with an in visible hunchback friend. She was mystical, fond of fairy stories, and claimed to see fairies, hobgoblins, and other creatures of the invisible world. She practiced some of the well-known phenomena of spiritism, and seemed to
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