Sacramento Daily Record Union

THEOSOPHY.

A TALK WITH PROF. ELLIOTT COUES ON THE SUBJECT.

The Apostle of Occult Science on Astral Bodies, Secrets of the Theosophical Society—Etc.

[From the Chicago Herald.]

The growth in the United States of the extraordinary philosophy known as theosophy lends special interest to the presence in Chicago of Dr. Elliott Coues, the head of the order in this country. He is the guest of his brother-in-law, J. M. Fowler of 361 Superior street. Dr. Coues is one of the most brilliant men of science America has produced. He is our foremost living ornithologist, and attached to his name is a string of titles, honorary and scientific, that would occupy half a column of print. Among his principal works are the following:

"Key to North American Birds." '72; "Field Ornithology." '74; "Birds of the Northwest," '74; "Monographs of North American Rodentia (with Allen)," '77; "Birds of the Colorado Valley," '78; "Ornithology Bibliography." '78-80; "New England Bird Life (with Stearns)," '81; "Check List and Dictionary of North American Birds," '82; "Avifauna Columbiana (with Prentiss)," '83; "Bingen, a Speculation on the Origin and Nature of Life," '84; "New Key to North American Birds," '84; "The Damon of Darwin," '84. Also author of several hundred monographs and minor papers in scientific periodicals, and editor or associate editor for some years of the "Bulletin of the United States Geological Survey," "Bulletin of the National Ornithological Club," "American Naturalist," "American Journal of Otology," "Encyclopaedia Americana," "Standard Natural History," "The Auk," etc.

Dr. Coues is now a close student of occult science. That he may have time to prosecute his investigations, he has given up various scientific positions of honor and emolument to devote himself to occult science. When asked last evening what occult science is, Professor Coues replied:

"It is the knowledge of that which is hidden from most persons. For example, the explanation of the phenomena of spiritualism. That comes strictly under that head—rationally accounting for the phenomena of theosophy. Occultism is an old name for what is now preferably called psychical research."

"What is the difference between spiritualism and theosophy?"

"Theosophy recognizes as substantially true the phenomena of spiritualism, but differs from the spiritualistic doctrine chiefly in supposing that most if not all of the phenomena of Spiritualists believe to be only possible to the disembodied souls of men, can be and are often produced by the properly trained spiritual faculties of men still in the flesh."

"Can you give an illustration?"

"One of the commonest phenomena of spiritualism is that of levitation, or the raising of a chair or table off the floor in opposition to the force of gravity, commonly supposed to be due to the influence of disembodied intelligence; whereas, a theosophist would say the same result can be produced by one who knows how to properly direct the influence of animal magnetism to that end."

"What is animal magnetism?"

"A subtle power possessed by most persons in some degree, capable of being more or less highly cultivated, and of producing physical effects without contact, and through no known physical means of communication. The result of the operation of that force are obviously physical or mechanical, but the means of producing them are not. The source of that power is purely spiritual. Matter cannot act except where it is, but spirit can act where it does not appear to be."

"In what sense do you use the word spiritual?"

"My use of the word spiritual is not very different from others' use of the word mental; but I mean more than that. Spirit may be defined as the reverse of anything and everything which matter is. For example, if gravitation be considered the most universal property of matter, levitation may be considered the most universal property of spirit. If form be a universal attribute of matter, formlessness would be an equally universal quality of spirit."

"How much closer can you get to 'spirit' as you understand it than the orthodox Christian can to his God?"

"Not nearer, perhaps, but we approach the spiritual by rational investigation of those truths which religion accepts on authority, thus substituting knowledge for belief by using reason instead of faith. Thus we know and can prove to be true as matters of physical science many truths which are now only accepted on faith. We invest with new meaning such truth as there may be in the Christian religion, for example, when we demonstrate it by means of physical research, disencumbering it of its supernatural element and making it a matter of known psychic science. Take the supreme question for example, 'if a man die, shall he live again?' Most Christians believe it on the authority of revelation. The Theosophist knows it through psychic research which it is quite possible for him to conduct."

"Do you speak in this particular from experience?"

"I speak from my own experience in the sense of having more than once witnessed the soul, that is to say, the spiritual body of a living person apart from its natural physical body, and I infer that the complete and permanent separation of the two to be governed by the same laws, and to be but an extension of the same phenomena."

"Will you explain the condition under which you once witnessed the soul apart from its natural physical body?"

"Certainly. For example, it is possible for me, by the process of what is called self-mesmerization, to put my natural bodily faculties under arrest, as it were, and induce the state commonly called clairvoyance. In that condition the mental faculties are intensely active, and the psychic senses of my own astral body come into operation. What I can then see, or otherwise sense, might be the astral body of another person to which I directed my attention. The astral body of another person would then be as plain to my psychic senses as his natural body would be to my natural senses. It takes time and patience to conduct such an experiment in psychic science as this, and I am a very busy man with my ordinary scientific avocations, but I have several times accomplished this result. Such instances of clairvoyance are by no means rare."

"When did you first become aware of your ability to discern the astral body of a living person?"

"According to my recollection it was in the year 1879. Alone in my study I suddenly became aware of the presence of a friend. On turning my eyes I distinctly saw the phantom, apparition, or astral body standing within about three feet of me. The recognition was instantaneous. The phantom was sufficiently distinct for me to note details of dress and expression of face, as well as the general attitude and bearing. Yet the figure did not intercept my view of objects in the room, which could be seen directly through it. The form lasted five or six seconds. I noted a peculiarity of dress, and on subsequent inquiry I found at that moment the person whose apparition I had witnessed was in fact attired exactly as I had seen, and was in a sound sleep in a residence about a quarter of a mile distant."