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<--Back to [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky]] "A select circle of Theosophists gathered in Mme. Blavatsky's cozy apartments in West Forty-seventh street last evening, to listen to a short discourse on "China, and the Chinese Religion," by Wong Chin Foo, the native missionary, who has been announced as being on the errand of converting the 40,000,000 Christians of this country to Buddhism. The parlor or boudoir in which Mme. Blavatsky received her guests bore evidence of the untrammeled tastes of its owner in the shape of a huge tiger's head imbedded over the door, a miniature crocodile swinging from the ceiling, and elegant and curious bric-a-brac and articles of vertu distributed about on the walls and mantel-pieces. In the ante-room into which the guests were first conducted were figures of elephants, mystic triads, and other ornamental symbols, most of which were supposed by the uninitiated among the visitors to be the veritable "idols" to which the young heathen missionary paid his devotions. Occupying a capacious arm-chair in the centre of the parlor, the genial Mme. Blavatsky received her guests with true French courtesy. A delicate paper cigarette was held deftly between the thumb and fore finger of her left hand, and as she toyed with it she delivered her opinion of orthodox ministers and missionaries in somewhat deprecatory terms: "They may say as much as they please against the Buddhists. The Buddhists don't believe in eternal hell, nor do their priests spend their time running after other men's wives." "The majority of the audience seemed to approve of this sentiment, and then the attraction of the evening, Wong Chin Foo, was ushered in by Col. Olcott, and introduced to each lady and gentleman present. Wong was dressed in a dark suit, in shape not unlike that of the ordinary Chinaman, though of richer material and more elaborate make. His only jewelry consisted of a gold watch and rich neck-chain of the same metal. He appeared to the audience as a young, courteous, and well-bred Mongolian of about 26, with a thoughtful cast of features and an expressive countenance." {the article then goes into long details about his opinions which I have not transcribed}
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