A TYPICAL CASE
The ancient secret records embody a tradition of the going down of
Atlantis into the depths of the sea after the perversion of a race of
humanity whose physical culture, civilization and scientific attainments
eclipsed anything of which we have modern example.
The Hebrew records give us the familiar case of Babel, that achievement
of human arrogance which reached to the gates of the Sun. The great
civilizations of Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Greece and Rome have gone the
way of all things temporal. In the modern endeavour to “beat the record”
there is an element of danger which is too lightly regarded by those who
have no knowledge whatsoever of the forces with which they are playing.
These are not of the air and wave alone but of the whole universe, as
well spiritual as physical. Let us look at the matter in the light of a
modern example.
I have no record as to when the _Titanic_ was keeled, but there is
certain knowledge that it was launched on the 31st of May, 1911 at
Belfast, the time being Greenwich Mean Time, 12.42 p.m. The ship was
well-named, not only because it was the greatest embodiment of human
engineering and ship-building skill, a veritable monster of a modern
Frankenstein, but also because it was the embodiment of human pride and
daring. The Titans, it will be remembered, were a race of giants, sons
of Heaven and Earth, who were hurled into the abyss for daring to make
war against Zeus. It is the Greek story of the submersion of Atlantis.
Ambitious in design, colossal in form, and inclusive of the very latest
of modern luxury, this floating city took the water for the first time
at a moment when the whole amphitheatre of heaven was witness of
indications of impending disaster. I do not pretend to know what
particular Master of Wisdom it was who set Argo Navis in the heavens as
a symbol of all that maritime prowess with which the world has grown
wonderful. I only know that in whatsoever horoscope a malefic planet
occupies that particular part of the heavens it stands for a symbol of
disaster by navigation. It is associated with Cancer. Neither do I know
who it was gave to Neptune the traditional rule of the ocean, but yet I
find it a prominent and malefic factor in all significations of
shipwreck.
Now we have said that the time of the launching of the _Titanic_ was
effected under portents of disaster. Let us go more closely into the
particulars. At the moment of launching the 19th degree of the sign
Virgo was rising at Belfast with the planet Mars just below the eastern
horizon. The ruler of the horoscope was Mercury, and we find it in the
9th division of the heavens, that part which has significance of
voyages, and in conjunction with Saturn, the significator of delays,
obstacles, obstructions and collapse. Both Saturn and Mercury were
opposed by Jupiter. The Moon was in the “ocean” sign, Cancer going to
the opposition of Uranus, the symbol of sudden catastrophe.
The most striking point is the ruler of the horoscope, Mercury, in the
House of Voyages conjoined with the malefic planet Saturn.
The _Titanic_ set out for Southampton to take up its first commission on
the 2nd of April, 1912, at 9.20 a.m.
At this time Cancer was rising, and the Moon was therefore ruler of the
horoscope. It is found in opposition to the Sun and in square aspect to
Neptune in Cancer just below the horizon. Here again we have the ruler
of the horoscope just separating from eclipse and applying to an evil
aspect with Neptune, the traditional ruler of the ocean.
The leviathan left Southampton on its maiden voyage at noon of the 10th
of April, 1912. At this time we find the sign Leo rising, and the Sun,
ruler of the horoscope, in quadrature to Neptune in the 12th House, an
indication of hidden dangers.
Thus in every case we find the ruler of the horoscope to be
significantly and severely afflicted. But that which was specifically
indicated as regards the _Titanic_ was generally indicated by the
position of Neptune in the 8th House (death) of the Vernal Ingress
preceding the event, whereat the Sun was in quadrature to Neptune, and
this indication was repeated in the horoscope for the sailing from
Southampton on the 10th of April.
[Illustration: Figure 6.]
Among many notable passengers on board the fated vessel, none was better
known or more generally respected than Mr. W. T. Stead. He was born,
according to his own statement, on the 5th of July, 1849, “before
breakfast.” The horoscope which fits the events of his life is one set
for that date at 7 a.m., and the above is the figure of the heavens at
that time.
Here again we find the Sun, ruler of the horoscope, in the significant
sign Cancer afflicted by the opposition of the Moon and the quadrature
of Saturn, the latter malefic being in the 9th House, which has already
been defined as that of “voyages.” The fateful planet Neptune holds the
8th House in the watery sign Pisces.
The indications of a violent and unnatural death are clearly defined by
Ptolemy, who informs us that when both the luminaries are afflicted by
the same malefic, or when each luminary is separately afflicted, there
being no assistance from the benefic planets (Venus and Jupiter) the
native will die an unnatural death. Here we find both the Sun and Moon
in quadrature to Saturn in the 9th House, showing as clearly as anything
can be, that there would be danger of death in a foreign land or while
on a voyage, and that by violence. I have no doubt at all that Mr. Stead
met his death through a blow upon the head, as there are evident signs
of collision, but none of suffocation.
The horoscope is in other ways significant of the main facts of the life
of the great journalist. Five planets in cardinal signs with Mars in the
Mid-heaven testify to the tireless energy, executive ability, courage
and daring for which he was remarkable. This elevated position of the
planet Mars always denotes impulse and impetuosity, and it is similarly
placed in the horoscope of Kaiser Wilhelm, in whom Mr. Stead would
doubtless have found a congenial spirit. It gives that “scorn of
consequence” which attaches to the enthusiast in every phase of life,
and tends greatly to produce the pioneer spirit. With Gladstone, Mr.
Stead shared the view that “psychical research is by far the most
important work that is being done in the world,” but no astrologer would
have recommended him to undertake it, for with Saturn in the 9th
division of the heavens afflicting the luminaries he could hardly hope
for success in that direction, and there is little doubt that he was
very grossly deceived by some in whom he placed great reliance in this
matter. The trine of Neptune to Mercury would, however, impel him to
such subjects. _Borderland_ was not a financial success, nor was it much
more than a ragbag of fragmentary and ill-assorted evidence. Julia’s
Bureau was not a success either from a financial or evidential point of
view. No message of warning came through from “Julia” to save him from
his death voyage. Let us accept the suggestion that has been offered,
namely, that he was wanted elsewhere. It was still open to those who
were aware of the fact to say so, and thus contribute one of the most
striking pieces of evidence for the operation in mundane life of
extraneous intelligences, which would have gone further to uphold the
claims of those who believe in spirit-guidance than all the literature
Mr. Stead lavished on the subject.
At the time of the disaster we find the following arcs of direction
measured in the prime vertical to be in operation—
Moon opposition Uranus,
Sun conjunction Uranus,
Moon parallel Mars,
while the Moon by secondary direction, that is, accounting one day after
birth for each year of life and two hours for every month, was in 26° of
Aries, exactly the longitude of the catastrophic planet Uranus at the
time of birth!
Compare this horoscope with that of the ill-fated Captain of the
_Titanic_. According to the local record Captain Smith was born at
Handley, Staffs., on the 27th of January, 1850. Here again we find the
luminaries in opposition to one another as in the horoscope of Mr.
Stead, and both are afflicted by the aspect of Mars. The time of birth
was probably at about five o’clock in the afternoon, when the planet
Neptune would be in the 8th House and Saturn and Uranus in the 9th
division of the heavens. Sixty-two days after birth the planet Uranus
had reached the Mid-heaven of the horoscope, and on the day of the
disaster Mercury was in transit over the same point, while the great
symbol of death and destruction, an eclipse of the Sun, fell in 27° of
Aries on the 17th of April, close to the Mid-heaven of this horoscope
and on that of Mr. Stead’s horoscope. Further, the Moon at the birth of
Captain Smith was in the 4th degree of Leo and on the day of the
disaster Uranus was transiting the exact opposition in Aquarius 4.
Moreover, at the time of the sailing of the _Titanic_ from Belfast to
undertake her ill-fated maiden voyage, the 5th degree of Cancer was
rising, and on the day of the disaster Mars had reached this exact
degree of the zodiac, being in 4° 56´ of Cancer at Noon.
No case that could be submitted more fully and completely illustrates
the folly of disregarding the symbolism of the heavens, or more forcibly
accentuates the need of human conspiracy in regard to cosmical agencies.
Man has harnessed some of the most potent forces of Nature and has
constrained them to his service, but for some as yet undiscovered reason
he prefers to remain in ignorance of the laws which relate him to his
greater cosmical environment. We have imagined that by controlling these
natural forces we have asserted our mastery over destiny. The heavens
from out the immeasurable depths of space are the silent witnesses of
our folly and arrogance. The same stars that fought against Sisera fight
ever against the man who is ignorant of the laws of the universe which
condition him. We are fated to the extent that we are ignorant of those
laws, and culpable to the degree that we disregard those that we know.
The sea, the vessels that are afloat upon it and all their human
freight, are as nearly touched and as surely disposed by interplanetary
action and cosmical forces as are the molecules of air and water that
constitute the winds and waves. Never a ship was keeled or launched but
into it were compounded the elements that respond to the great
heart-beat of Nature. That man should use all his faculties to the
greatest possible advantage to himself and through himself to the race
at large, that he should put forth all his powers in the effort to
master the forces which appear to be in conflict with him, would appear
to be his supreme duty and his highest guerdon. But there is a more
convenient and less dangerous way. Instead of defying the forces of
Nature he can make use of them, instead, of ignoring the laws of Nature
he can adapt himself to them. This is called the covert agreement. It is
the ancient wisdom, the simple way, and those who anciently observed it
found it to be effectual for good. Those ancient Britains who thought
Canute to be so great that he could set back the ocean tides were of
that order of Titans who would measure their strength with the Almighty.
We, who have understood the laws governing the tides, have gained a
mastery over them by the simple means of adaptation. In this instance we
have adapted ourselves to Nature. It is possible to extend the process
to include the election of times and seasons for any purpose whatsoever.
Solomon, who is regarded by the average man as an inconsequent babbler
of effete doctrine, affirmed that there is a time for every purpose
under the heavens. A closer study of this doctrine of elections—as the
proper choice of time for specific purposes is called in Astrology—would
lead men to take a conscious part in the conspiracy of well-doing, by
the adjustment of action to purpose and of both to astral and cosmical
conditions. This would be infinitely better than “taking one’s chance,”
and certainly more in conformity with the spirit of true religion. But
before we can do this we shall have to instruct ourselves more generally
in the symbolism of the universe and the reading of those symbols which
from the beginning were set and appointed to us for “signs and for
seasons, for days and for years.”
A knowledge of cosmical symbolism and of the facts of planetary
interaction is that to which science will inevitably be compelled, and
which sooner or later it will recognize as essential to a true concept
of the relations of man to his greater environment. And when this system
of Anthrocosmology shall have been established, as assuredly it will be,
then will humanity perceive in all humility that God, and not Britannia,
rules the waves, and that the planets are his agents.