Hours with the Ghosts or, Nineteenth Century Witchcraft: Illustrated Investigations into the Phenomena of Spiritualism and TheosophyEvans, Henry Ridgely
Religion
Hours with the Ghosts or, Nineteenth Century Witchcraft: Illustrated Investigations into the Phenomena of Spiritualism and Theosophy
Evans, Henry Ridgely
Blavatsky, H. P. (Helena Petrovna), 1831-1891; Spiritualism; Theosophy
"'Yes, Mme. Blavatsky is reincarnated in Mrs. Tingley. She has not only
been recognized by myself and other members of the American branch of the
Theosophical Society, who knew H. P. B. in her former life, but the
striking physical and facial resemblance has also been noted by members of
the English branch.'
"But this recognition by the English members of the society does not seem
to be as strong as Mr. Harding would seem to have it understood. In fact,
there are a number of members of that branch who boldly declare that Mrs.
Tingley is an impostor. One of them, within the last week, addressing the
English members on the subject, claimed that Mme. Blavatsky had foreseen
that such an impostor would arise. He said:
"'When Mme. Blavatsky lived in her body among us, she declared to all her
disciples that, in her next reincarnation, she would inhabit the body of
an Eastern man, and she warned them to be on their guard against any
assertion made by mediums or others that they were controlled by her.
Whatever H. P. B. lacked, she never wanted emphasis, and no one who knew
anything of the founder of the Theosophical Society was left in any doubt
as to her views upon this question. She declared that if any persons,
after her death, should claim that she was speaking through them, her
friends might be quite sure that it was a lie. Imagine, then, the feelings
of H. P. B.'s disciples on being presented with an American clairvoyant
medium, in the shape of Mrs. Tingley, who is reported to claim that H. P.
B. is reincarnated in her.'
"The American branch of the society is not at all disturbed by this charge
of fraud by the English branch. In connection with it Mr. Harding says:
"'It is true that the American branch of the Theosophical Society has
seceded from the English branch, but as Mme. Blavatsky, the founder, was
in reality an American, it can be understood why we consider ourselves the
parent society.'
"Of the one letter which Mrs. Tingley has sent to America since the
arrival of the crusaders, the English Theosophists are a unit in the
expression of opinion that it illustrated, as did her speech in Queen's
Hall, merely 'unmeaning platitudes and prophecies.' But the American
members are quite as loud in their expressions that the English members
are trying to win the sympathies of the public, and that the words are
really understood by the initiate.
"The letter reads: 'In thanking you for the many kind letters addressed to
me as Katherine Tingley, as well as by other names that would not be
understood by the general public, I should like to say a few words as to
the future and its possibilities. Many of you are destined to take an
active part in the work that the future will make manifest, and it is well
to press onward with a clear knowledge of the path to be trodden and with
a clear vision of the goal to be reached.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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