Theos-Talk Archives (September 1999 Message tl00200)

Art Gregory wrote:

> Colonel Olcott in his testimony reports that he mostly
> met these Masters in their "doubles' or astral double form. . . .
> If there was contact on the physical plane such contacts were brief and
> fleeting and could be explained by mere coincidences and mistaken
> identities...

See how well Art Gregory's "mere coincidences" and "mistaken identities"
hypotheses hold up in light of what Henry Olcott says below:

In the spring of 1884, Olcott was interviewed by certain members of the
Society for Psychical Research (London) and was asked about his Bombay
encounter with the Master Morya:

"MR. MYERS [speaking to Colonel Olcott]: We want now an account of seeing
your Teacher in the flesh.

COLONEL OLCOTT [in reply]: One day at Bombay I was at work in my office when
a Hindu servant came and told me that a gentleman wanted to see me in Madame
Blavatsky's bungalow---a separate house within the same enclosure as the
main building. This was one day in 1879. I went and found alone there my
Teacher. Madame Blavatsky was then engaged in animated conversation with
other persons in the other bungalow. The interview between the Teacher and
myself lasted perhaps 10 minutes, and it related to matters of a private
nature with respect to myself and certain current events in the history of
the Society.....

MR. MYERS [asking Olcott another question]: How do you know that your
Teacher was in actual flesh and blood on that occasion?

COLONEL OLCOTT [replies]: He put his hand upon my head, and his hand was
perfectly substantial; and he had altogether the appearance of an ordinary
person. When he walked about the floor there was noise of his
footsteps....He came to our place on horseback....

MR. MYERS [with another question]: Was that the only occasion on which you
have seen him in the flesh?

COLONEL OLCOTT: No; I have seen him at other times.

MR. MYERS: Have you seen him three or four times in the flesh?

COLONEL OLCOTT: Yes, more than that, but not under circumstances where it
would be evidence for others.

MR. MYERS: And about how many times [have you seen him] in the astral body?

COLONEL OLCOTT: Oh, at least 15 or 20 times.

MR. MYERS: And his appearance on all those occasions has been quite
unmistakable?

COLONEL OLCOTT: As unmistakable as the appearance of either of you
gentlemen."

(Extracts from the interview Olcott had with members of the London S.P.R.
Committee. Quoted from First Report Of The Committee Of The Society For
Psychical Research, Appointed To Investigate The Evidence For Marvellous
Phenomena Offered By Certain Members Of The Theosophical Society, 1884, pp.
45-48.)