From The First Eighteen Decanates Analyzed:
GEMINI—2nd Decanate. The second decanate of Gemini is pictured in the sky by a large dog—CANIS MAJOR. This noble looking beast is the emblem of faithfulness, and through its adoration for its master also represents the worshipping and serving of Deity—for to the dog his master is God. Therefore, we find those born under the second decanate of Gemini often possess a singular and admirable faithfulness, either to their human companions or to some high ideal. They have much veneration and seek to obey the voice of their conscience implicitly.
This Venus decanate also relates to twin souls. So there is greater likelihood of those born here finding a congenial mate than is the case with most. And to make the best of life they must espouse some principle or progressive cause, and work to get it generally acknowledged and accepted.
Robert Schumann, the musical critic and composer, who was so faithful to his ideal of musical interpretation, was born with his Individuality polarized in this decanate. Miss Florence Cook, whose faithfulness to the cause of spiritualism led her to become the medium through whom “Katie King” manifested to Sir. Wm. Crookes, had her Mentality pictured by this section of the sky. And Wm. Jennings Bryan, whose faithfulness to his political and religious convictions is the best-known feature of his career, was born with his Personality in this part of Gemini. It is the decanate of FIDELITY.
From Letters to the Sage, Volume One:
Mordecai Dawson Evans was born June 4, 1834 in Philadelphia, son of William R. and Mary Hause Evans. He married Mary Graves Bringhurst on November 18, 1868 in Philadelphia and joined the Theosophical Society on November 8, 1876. A year later H.P. Blavatsky addressed a letter to him dated November 18. 1877, agreeing to a request from Evans that he visit her in New York. The first volume of Olcott’s Old Diary Leaves includes a story witnessed by both Olcott and Judge in which Evans’s street address was needed by Blavatsky and could not be found, so “she took from the table before us a japanned tin paper-cutter, stroked it gently, laid a piece of blotting paper over it, passed her hand over the surface, lifted the paper, and there, on the black japanned surface of the paper-cutter was printed in bronze ink the facsimile of the inscription on the Philadelphia blotting slip that Evans had given her in that city.”
Evans’s insurance career lasted more than thirty years, and was a founding member and secretary of the Association of Fire Underwriters. His income enabled him to support charitable causes, including the Hayes Mechanics’ Home, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. At the time of his death he had served seven years as school director of Philadelphia’s Ninth Section, and five years as its board president. He died in Philadelphia March 23, 1898.
M.D. Evans
October 25, 1884
My Dear Sir,
Your favor of 20th is received, and is entirely Satisfactory— I subscribe to quite a number of magazines, Harpers, &c., and I scarcely have the spare time to do them all justice—Your “Platonist” is an Exceptionally attractive journal both in its typography and literary matter, so much so that I cannot decline asking you to place my name on your list of subscribers to Vol. 2, and for which I enclose $2.00 as per your postal bill—I have however, received this year only Nos. 1,2,5, and 6, so to complete my file, would be obliged for Nos. 3,4, and 7. I trust also to get the other Nos. as issued—
Allow me also to greet you as a Brother of the T.S. a fact of which I was only recently informed. I am a member of the American Board of Control, by recent appointment of Col. Olcott, the President Founder, in Conjunction with Professor Elliott Coues, of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., who has just retd. from Europe, and had the pleasure of traveling with Col. O. and Mad. Blavatsky over a portion of the Continent and was by them, initiated a member of the T.S.—
Believing that “There is no Religion higher than Truth”, I cheerfully aid your literary enterprise, if ever so little, by my individual subscription—
I am Dear Sir,
Yours Truly and Fraternally
M.D. Evans
F.T.S
Mordecai D. Evans
Insurance Rooms
No. 323 Walnut Street,
152
M.D. Evans
Philadelphia
November 3, 1884
Dear Sir and Brother.
I thank you for Nos. 3. 4. and 7 of “The Platonist” Read today—
Under a provisional charter given by Col. Olcott to Prof. Elliott Coues of Washn. D.C., a branch of the T.S. has been established with Prof. Coues as Prest. And the writer as V.P., to be known as the “Washington Gnostic T.S.” with head-quarters in that city, and embracing the cities of Wash. Balte and Philada. At a suitable time a distinct branch will be organized by us in this city—
Professor Coues has just left from Europe and hap the pleasure of journeying through England and Germany, with Mad. Blavatsky Col. Olcott. Mohini Chatterji and their friends— His impressions of “The Founders” was highly favorable, resulting in his initiation &c. into the T.S— His eminence as an author, and ornithologist as well as his rare intellectual abilities and formal merits, make him a great acquisition to our cause—
I am Dear Sir and Bro—
Yours fraternally
M.D. Evans
F.T.S