THEOSOPHY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1200, 1 March 1895, Page 10

THEOSOPHY.

From Our Special Correspondent. London, January 12.

Mrs Besant was met on her arrival at Colombo from Adelaide by the file of Westminster Gazettes containing- the " Isis Unveiled" articles. One can scarcely wonder that they took her breath away, and that she postpones a full answer to the charges till her return from India in April. But apparently even then the accusations re juggling- with imaginary Mahatmas are not to be met, for, says Mrs Besant, ehe belongs 'to a "band of students within the Theosophical Society who have bound themselves to silence on matters touching that body," and therefore, " where the accusations of the Westminster Gazette are based on events supposed to have occurred within that body, I shall not reply to them either in my own defence or in that of anybody else." We daresay, comments the Westminster, this will appear to some ignorant and susceptible persons very heroic. It' is in reality very hollow. For What was the starting - point of the whole disclosure? Why, a public reference by Mrs Besant herself on a public platform to " supernatural" experiences within the Theosophical Society ! What our contributor has alleged is that, in regard to those alleged experiences, Mrs Besant was first humbugged in the most ludicrous way herself, and then hoodwinked others. She will not be able fully to meet these statements, it seems, because "of her oath. But how was it, then, that at an earlier stage of the proceedings she was able to threaten Mr Judge with "a full publication covering all the details of the matter ?" But this " sacred oath plea " is a piece of " Theosophistry," which has been dealt with in advance so very fully by our contributor that we need not labour it further here. We may, however, while still there is time, put it seriously to Mrs Besant whether this secrecy-mongering is worthy of that truth which she professes to follow. A doctor who uses secret remedies is expelled from the profession; for in withdrawing what ho alleges to be good and useful from all tests ho is sinning against truth. Is the case very different with one •who sets up as a physician of the soul, and preaches secret miracles? And in any case what are we to say of a teacher who discloses a certain amount of information, and who, when this is subjected to the test of critical analysis, pleads that these things are secrets which may not be mentioned ? Our contributor's statements with regard to Mrs Besant were clear and definite; they involve plain matters of fact. We entreat Mrs Besant, during the extension of time she has given to herself for the preparation of her defence, to free herself from logical and ethical fogs, and to meet definite charges with definite answers, and in a spirit of common honesty and common-sense. It would be sad if we only had a further dose of Theosophistry three months hence.

I venture to prophesy Mrs Besant will before long shunt the Theosophists for something subtler and less open to ridicule. Persecution is one thing, but ridicule, which she cannot but feel is deserved ridicule, is quite another, and must be intolerable. That the prophetess Blavatslcy palmed off silly little conjuring tricks on Mrs Besant and others as miracles, and that the American mystic-cum-mountebank Judge followed suit with equally trumpery juggling, has been de-

monstrated beyond common-sense persons' doubt. The evidence would satisfy any court of law. Mrs Besant is consequently <

in an awkward dilemma. She must confess herself co-conspirator or . dupe. Most of us believe her to have been the latter to begin with, but, knowing her lucidity and common-sense, it is impossible to doubt her past folly must now have come home to her. Those acquainted with Mrs Besant will find her letter in the Daily Chronicle very. significant. She is not given to declining or postponing But" Isis Unveiled," as I began by saying, no doubt took her breath away. Let un hope before April this clever woman's native honesty will lead her to tell the, truth and shame—Judge and Co.