A Genealogy of the Extraterrestrial in American Culture
A Genealogy of the Extraterrestrial in American Culture
A Genealogy of the Extraterrestrial in American Culture
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Pelley exhibited a variety <strong>of</strong> traits that mark him as contiguous with <strong>the</strong> modern varieties<br />
<strong>of</strong> enchanted public discourse thus far exam<strong>in</strong>ed. First and foremost, Pelley’s primary struggle<br />
was to dissem<strong>in</strong>ate wisdom received via occult means. His mediumistic capacities allowed him<br />
to tap <strong>in</strong>to a broader cosmic reality—a reality that functioned as a mirror for contemporary social<br />
problems and held out <strong>the</strong> promise <strong>of</strong> a utopian future. The sources <strong>of</strong> Pelley’s div<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong>spiration<br />
were <strong>the</strong> Mentors, “speak<strong>in</strong>g from higher dimensions <strong>of</strong> Time and Space.” 170<br />
The Mentors<br />
<strong>of</strong>fered wisdom “comb<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> timelessness <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> East with <strong>the</strong> energy and Purpose <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
West,” recall<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Orientalism <strong>of</strong> Theosophy. 171<br />
A Mentor is def<strong>in</strong>ed by <strong>the</strong> Soulcraft<br />
Elucidata as “some capable person <strong>in</strong> a higher octave <strong>of</strong> discarnate life who undertakes to guide<br />
and educate an earthly pupil so that he gradually becomes adept <strong>in</strong> time <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> higher esoteric<br />
pr<strong>in</strong>ciples.” 172 The Mentors were jo<strong>in</strong>ed by <strong>the</strong> “Heavenly Host” as spiritual <strong>in</strong>tercessors. The<br />
latter are def<strong>in</strong>ed as<br />
souls <strong>of</strong> one-time men and women who have progressed so far and so high, that <strong>the</strong>re is<br />
no longer anyth<strong>in</strong>g pr<strong>of</strong>itable to be derived from go<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> and out <strong>of</strong> earthly <strong>in</strong>carnation<br />
but who have not yet atta<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>the</strong> capabilities <strong>of</strong> head<strong>in</strong>g up universes <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir own rights.<br />
In this <strong>in</strong>terim period, <strong>the</strong>y function as a guardian host to <strong>the</strong> spiritually illiterate people<br />
<strong>of</strong> Earth as necessity demands. 173<br />
Between <strong>the</strong> two, <strong>the</strong> Mentors and <strong>the</strong> Heavenly Host, we see comb<strong>in</strong>ed attributes <strong>of</strong> Spiritualism<br />
and Theosophy. As a bridge to <strong>the</strong> first true Space Bro<strong>the</strong>r religion, <strong>the</strong> Great I Am, we should<br />
note <strong>the</strong> potential po<strong>in</strong>ts <strong>of</strong> orig<strong>in</strong> for Pelley’s spectral <strong>in</strong>terlocutors and <strong>in</strong>deed <strong>of</strong> humanity<br />
itself.<br />
170 William Dudley Pelley, Books for your Soulcraft Library (Noblesville IN: Soulcraft Chapels Press). Undated<br />
material recovered from Noblesville, Indiana Public Library’s vertical file archive on William Dudley Pelley <strong>in</strong> July<br />
<strong>of</strong> 2005.<br />
171 William Dudley Pelley, Someth<strong>in</strong>g about Soulcraft. (Noblesville IN: Soulcraft Chapels Press). Undated material<br />
recovered from Noblesville, Indiana Public Library’s vertical file archive on William Dudley Pelley <strong>in</strong> July <strong>of</strong> 2005.<br />
172 William Dudley Pelley, The Soulcraft Elucidata: A Handbook <strong>of</strong> Expositions <strong>of</strong> Terms Employed <strong>in</strong> Soulcraft<br />
(Noblesville IN: Soulcraft Chapels Press, 1952) 28.<br />
173 William Dudley Pelley, The Soulcraft Elucidata: A Handbook <strong>of</strong> Expositions <strong>of</strong> Terms Employed <strong>in</strong> Soulcraft<br />
(Noblesville IN: Soulcraft Chapels Press, 1952) 35-36.<br />
102