Theos-Talk Archives (January 2007 Message tt00137)

V. S. Solovyov's Testimony 
Concerning the Master
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This valuable testimony by Solovyov BELOW gives the student
some important hints and clues as to how the Masters
sometimes deal with interested seekers.

Vsevolod S. Solovyov,
August 26–27, 1884,
Brussels, Belgium and then later at Elberfeld, Germany
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Having received a letter from my countrywoman, Madame Helena
Blavatsky, in which she informed me of her bad health and begged me
to go to see her at Elberfeld, I decided to take the journey. But as
the state of my own health obliged me to be careful, I preferred to
stop at Brussels, which town I had never seen, to rest, the heat
being unbearable.

I left Paris on the 24th of Augusst. Next morning, at the Grand
Hotel in Brussels, where I was staying, I met Mlle. [Justine de
Glinka] (daughter of [a] Russian ambassador and maid of honour to
the Empress of Russia). Hearing that I was going to Elberfeld to see
Mme. Blavatsky, whom she knew and for whom she had much respect, she
decided to come with me. We spent the day together expecting to
leave in the morning by the nine o'clock train.

At eight o'clock, being quite ready to depart, I go to Miss [de
Glinka's] room and find her in a great state of perplexity. All her
keys, which she always kept about her person in a little bag and
that she had in this bag on going to bed, had disappeared during the
night, although the door was locked. Thus, as all her baggage was
locked, she could not put away the things she had just been using
and wearing. We were obliged to postpone our departure to the one
o'clock train and called a locksmith to open the largest trunk. When
it was opened, all the keys were found in the bottom of the trunk,
including the key of this trunk itself, attached as usual to the
rest. Having all the morning to spare, we agreed to take a walk, but
suddenly I was overcome by weakness and felt an irresistible desire
to sleep. I begged Miss [de Glinka] to excuse me and went to my
room, and threw myself on the bed. But I could not sleep and lay
with my eyes shut, but awake, when suddenly I saw before my closed
eyes a series of views of unknown places that my memory took in to
the finest detail. When this vision ceased, I felt no more weakness
and went to Miss [de Glinka], to whom I related all that had
happened to me and described to her in detail the views I had seen.

We left by the one o'clock train and lo! after about half an hour's
journey, Miss [de Glinka], who was looking out of the window, said
to me, "Look, here is one of your landscapes!" I recognized it at
once, and all that day until evening, I saw, with open eyes, all
that I had seen in the morning with closed eyes. I was pleased that
I had described to Miss [de Glinka] all my vision in detail. The
route between Brussels and Elberfeld is completely unknown to me,
for it was the first time in my life that I had visited Belgium and
this part of Germany.

On arriving at Elberfeld in the evening, we took rooms in a hotel
and then hurried off to see Madame Blavatsky at Mr. Gebhard's house.
The same evening, the members of the Theosophical Society who were
there with Mme. Blavatsky showed us two superb oil paintings of the
Mahatmas [Morya] and Koot Hoomi [painted by Mr. Schmiechen]. The
portrait of M. especially produced on us an extraordinary
impression, and it is not surprising that on the way back to the
hotel, we talked on about him and had him before our eyes. Miss [de
Glinka] may be left to relate her own experience during that night.
[Miss de Glinka's experience was similar to Solovyov's. —Editor.]

But this is what happened to me:

Tired by the journey, I lay peacefully sleeping when suddenly I was
awakened by the sensation of a warm penetrating breath. I open my
eyes and in this feeble light that entered the room through the
three windows, I see before me a tall figure of a man, dressed in a
long white floating garment. At the same time I heard or felt a
voice that told me, in I know not what language, although I
understood perfectly, to light the candle. I should explain that,
far from being afraid, I remained quite tranquil, only I felt my
heart beat rapidly. I lit the candle, and in lighting it, saw by my
watch that it was two o'clock. The vision did not disappear. There
was a living man in front of me. And I recognized instantly the
beautiful original of the portrait we had seen during the evening
before. He sat down near me on a chair and began to speak. He talked
for a long time. Among other things, he told me that in order to be
fit to see him in his astral body I had had to undergo much
preparation, and that the last lesson had been given me that morning
when I saw, with closed eyes, the landscapes that I was to see in
reality the same day. Then he said that I possess great magnetic
power, now being developed. I asked him what I ought to do with this
force. But without answering, he vanished.

I was alone, the door of my room locked. I thought I had had a
hallucination and even told myself with fright that I was beginning
to lose my mind. Hardly had this idea arisen when once again I saw
the superb man in white robes. He shook his head and, smiling, said
to me, "Be sure that I am no hallucination and that your reason is
not quitting you. Blavatsky will prove to you tomorrow before
everyone that my visit is real." Then he disappeared. I saw by my
watch that it was three o'clock. I put out the candle and
immediately went into a deep sleep.

Next morning, on going with Miss [de Glinka] to Madame Blavatsky,
the first thing she said to us with an enigmatical smile was "Well!
How have you passed the night?" "Very well," I replied and I
added, "Haven't you anything to tell me?" "No," she replied, "I only
know that the Master was with you with one of his pupils."

That same evening, Mr. Olcott found in his pocket a little note,
that all the Theosophists said was in the handwriting of M:

"Certainly I was there, but who can open the eyes of him who will
not see."

This was the reply to my doubts, because all the day I had been
trying to persuade myself that it was only a hallucination, and this
made Madame Blavatsky angry.

I should say that on my return to Paris, where I am now, my
hallucinations and the strange happenings that surrounded me, have
completely stopped.

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Quoted from Beatrice Hastings' SOLOVYOFF'S FRAUD, 1988, pp. 27–29.
Some material in the text has been silently deleted.